I've been thinking

I was driving home from work today and I got an idea. Based in part of what I have been doing here since Feb, and in a larger part over what I joined up on this past weekend.

Gimme a day or so to iron out the idea and the details, then I'll drop the bizz-omb and you can give me your input.

BTW - did you know Edison's big rival, Nikola Tesla, totally owned Edison and invented A/C current? He also invented radio. Yeah - everyone credits Marconi, until you find out Marconi stole 17 of Tesla's patents to create the thing. Was a great half show I saw on the History Channel. I wonder when it repeats?

Spelled right the FIRST time!

Ain't they cute? Ok....how about the one on the left? That's what I thought.

So it was the full 10% again, like during Celebration Generosity. Kath and I had a little discussion about a certain sum of money and whether it should be included or not. I finally realized a few things regarding it:

1) I was splitting hairs and almost trying to justify my feelings on giving/not giving.
2) It was more giving for The Kingdom, so why hold it back.
3) Kath would tell EVERYONE (those dang Ciesniewski's first), and ultimately, I would be proven wrong (again) if I didn't include it. :)

Now comes the prayer. And then more. But hope all that read, whether a CCC attender or not, consider joining the 10-for-10 worship challenge. See how God shows up. And share those stories at the website, or here - I'll forward them (for a nominal fee).

Be there or be L7.

Should be some more good fun Saturday night or Sunday...er...day. Make sure you visit your local CCC campus for more stupidity (on my part) and the layeth down of the smacketh (on my wife's part).

Or wait for los Bramlett to post the sucker.

But mostly - come open minded. Just like last week and the week before, I think God is trying to say something that He would like you to hear.

The Tithe Strikes Back

Did you see the next series at CCC? It's titled "OMG", and if you receive Dave's email about upcoming messages, you may notice week 2 (July 26/27) is named "Why Give?". Coolness.

Oh wait - I meant: Oh crud. Quick Jeff, turn off your cell phone before you get a tex......

Too late.

Should be another great weekend. Personally, I am hyped about week 1 ("Why Sing?"). Ya know that sound you hear when you put a badger in a blender with a box of rocks, three 7oz. Coke bottles, a bag of marbles (containing 6 cat's eye, 2 mica, 2 onion skin, a pink purie, an aggie and a couple steelies), the brake pedal from a '68 Corvair, and seventeen 12 penny nails? Well, Carnige Hall choose that blender over me to sing the part of Schaunard in their 2009 performance of La bohème.

I so pity you that sits in front of me that weekend.

Do not pass "GO". Do not collect $200.

Sure enough, "Blue Like Jazz" has a chapter about finances and tithing. And I am officially calling Don Miller a thief, as it's obvious he stole my thoughts, feelings and fears with money and put them into his book.

Right there on page 196, about 2/3s down, is the plagiarism:

"I think it would be easier to trust God if I had extra money to trust Him with."

I can't say how true that is in my mind. I feel we are just one major catastrophe away from ...er... catastrophe. Geez - I think even a minor bump in the road could mess us up really bad. How many times I have wished for just a few extra bucks to survive? If I had a nickel for every time I have said or thought "just five thousand dollars would solve so much", I would HAVE that five thousand dollars to solve so much.

I am still not 100% on letting go and trusting, but I hope and pray to be there. Oh, and Don - you can expect law enforcement at your house at any moment.

#%$@*& YOU, &^%@#*?{@!!!

I hate Community Christian Church. I hate my wife. I hate my kids. I hate John & Amy Ciesniewski. I hate Chris Brown. I hate Justin Forsythe. And even though I don't know you personally, I probably would hate you too. Now, before you grab your mental tomatoes (btw - I hate tomatoes), give me a chance to explain, you will see where I am headed with this.

Got a few more chapters into "Blue Like Jazz" (I really hate that book) and came to chapter 12 - Church [How I go without getting angry]. Kind of ironic I should read this chapter and hate just about everyone, but it happened. See, this chapter talks about finding a church that is right for you, whom I now hate. As we like to joke (when I am not busy hating), I am a recovering Catholic. I can tell you that I will continue using that joke, as it brings out a good chuckle, but I will say it without my usual undertones of dislike for the Catholic church. Years ago, during a tough time in our lives, we felt very shunned by the church we attended, as if we were diseased with out struggles. For a body that believed in God, we didn't felt that sense of "let us help", but more a "wow - you guys are pretty messed" and were handed off to others to discuss our problems. That really put in our minds that we just weren't happy there and needed a new place. We searched (As many of you probably have), and after a few, found CCC. And we have been quite happy since. We view God and Jesus in such a different way, and we do try to move more from a believing life to a relational life with God.

So - why my new found hatred of so many? Well, that cursed book said I shouldn't hold a grudge against any other church. God loves all his churches. God's other houses just weren't right for me. For someone else, that house is perfect. See - it's that part of me that hates everything. That part hates because that part knows that CCC, my wife, John, Amy, Chris and you.....are right. That part is the part of me that still struggles with Jesus's love and compassion. That part thinks on a human level. And that part just doesn't want to surrender. That part needs to be surgically removed.

Ya know - this was supposed to be a journey about discovering and learning how to honor God with my finances so my bank account doesn't dictate my life. This path is becoming so much more.

I hate it. :)


If you are still upset over that part hating you, here's a reason to hate me: I am a very liberal White Sox fan. And no, God.....I will NOT stop hating the Cubs.

Music of the soul

I attend two small groups. Ok - I FAITHFULLY attend one (Thursday night with my wife - and the leader is my pastor, so I'll get some grief if I don't show), and I also have a Saturday night morning men's group that I try to get to, but it's tough. See - I get up during the week at 5am to leave by 6 for work, and I usually am up 6am on Sundays for church, so I would like one day a week to "sleep in" (yeah - like 'til 7:30am!).

Anywho, in men's group we have just been tracking along with the Big Idea guides. Chatting with Nate (leader) a couple weeks back, he mentioned that he received "Blue Like Jazz" from his wife and we will be diving into that when summer ends. The family was in Barnes and Noble a couple weeks ago, so I thought I'd grab the book and start reading - a little head start. We love that store (and Borders, Office Max and Office Depot. Don't ask...). I picked it up the other day to start reading.

Wow.

This book is just amazing. I realized that just 3 chapters into it. It's written from such a personal point of view, and talks in such an everyman sort of way. If you have not read it, I can't recommend it more. Through the first half of the book, I keep thinking "yeah, that's me" and "yup - been there" and other phrases of personal agreement. I do hope the rest of the book holds me and reaches me like the first chapters have. Right now, I give mad props to chapter 7 (Grace). Don goes into his struggles with the notion of grace. Hey - who doesn't. The concept that you get something for nothing is confusing enough. Now factor in natural guilt and then get a gift based on the guilt? That is too much to handle for Don's mind, and my own. Think of a time someone came to you and gave you something out of the blue (no book pun intended). You have a thought that you now owe them back and they tell you "No - no strings attached". You have this complete feeling of confusion and stammer for words. You attempt to offer some compensation for what you've received, only to be politely refused. Then you inevitably ask "are you sure?", sure the giver is either waiting for the right form of reciprocation, or they are just nuts.

That's the gift of grace. God, in His amazing being, gives us grace because He loves us so. We owe nothing except our love and praise to Him in return.

Part of me still thinks He's nuts.

On the tith....er....seventh-ing level: Kath and I are still honoring. We need to catch up on a little debt to God ("little debt to God" - I crack myself up), but are tracking okay. This is the tough time, and I knew it would be. Kath works in a school, but she is contract, so she only earns when she works, and does not have her pay stretched over 12 months like a school teacher would. We are surviving on just my paycheck. And by surviving, I mean not surviving. Time to really hunker down to pull through these lean months. I really need a new job - closer to home and more pay.

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