spirit matters

My good friend Van Eric Martin has put together a compelling short film called "spirit matters". It is a collection of video clips with people from a homeless shelter answering the question: how has God impacted your life?

The people in these clips are very down and out. Full on homeless people living on the street. The answers are shameing to people of better circumstances. Many of them said that the Lord answers prayers and looks over them and all thanked and praised the Lord saying he is worthy. One said he thanked God for waking him up and I think I would curse God for waking me up in those conditions. It reminded me of the time in Mexico I saw a man crouching in the shade of a leafless shrub. Greatful for what little they got.

I am blessed.
I am greatly blessed.
Praise the Lord.
I am not worthy but he is merciful.
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
He has given me a new job.
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord for EVERYTHING.
God is good.

Grace and Peace, Mark

Holy Matrimony batman

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it. Eph 5:25

THere have been times when this is easy and there have been times when it is the last thing I want to do. I used to do much more to help my wife, and that is the best way to love our wives. I am trying to get back to that way of life. Lately I hve been letting the world beat me down so much that I do not even want to do anything for myself. If we are to love our wives as Christ loved the church what would that look like. Give ourselves up for them. I think it would be about service to them. I used to make lunches get dishes done and help with the laundry and listen and acknowledge things more. Though sometimes I feel like the world is trying to crucify me I must remember what Jesus said in the Garden from Luke Not my will, but thine be done and his will is for me to love my wife like He loved me. I pray that I can learn how to do just that.

Grace and Peace, Mark

goooood fooood

1 chicken quarted
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 # suasage
some garlic and 1 cup sherry

dice suasage chop garlic flour chicken saute add garlic and suasage until brown and then add sherry put in slow oven about an hour make stock with your chicken scraps reduce and add to chicken with the artichoke hearts.


EAT

Grace and Peace, Mark

Lacking

I lack slack and hold myself back
Like a zombie stumbling and bumbling
At least I am not mumbling

Without vision I coast through life
Nothing to reach for for I do not see
No future for me

Like refuse on the riverbank
sometimes flowing sometimes stuck
covered in the muck

the plasmist says to lift our eyes
In my rebellion I keep them downcast
dwelling on the past

His word is like the surgeons knife
My selfpity and conciete are a cancer
Christ is the answer.

I seek with my eyes closed
Not wanting to see the real me
Being unworthy

The changing of my heart will start
Because of His astounding and unbounding grace
Our father sees his sons face

He looks down on me and numbers the hairs on my head
because in shame I hang my head
for what he did i my stead

Grace and Peace, Mark

visionary leaders

I think it would be great if the goal of education was to create visionary leaders. That is going to be be them of my education concept that I am continuing to develope. there will be a core curriculum guideline.

1. lead for the Lord
2. lead for your family
3. lead the world

defend the faith, teach your family and be salt and light.

With out a vision the people will perish.

I think the classical education model is what I am going to try to follow mostly as I develope my curriculum.

more thoughts to come.

Grace and Peace, Mark

Him only

And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:8

How often when we are tempted to serve satan do we reply with the first commandment. I think in most cases it is rare. Our culture has turned us into self servers and world worshipers. The advertisers have shown us the kingdoms of the earth and said they can be ours and I know that often I have bowed down to something other than my Lord and God. Of my mission statement verses maybe this one might be one of the hardest. It's the ONLY part that I have trouble with. Sometimes I might worship a Porsche 911 or an old BMW 635. It could be a Home in the paper, or even my sweet children and wife. I do not know how to embody this verse in a way that is truly evident. I want do so in a way that will pass on to my children and the people around me. Yes this needs work in my life.

Grace and Peace, Mark