"Getting On Track"

Yesterday morning (Sunday) I began a 40 day personal devotional book entitled "A Call to Die" by David Nasser. Ended up having an incredible quiet time with God for about 90 minutes.

The devotional dealt with selfishness. How to keep from putting yourself and the things that are important to you before God. Spent time in prayer, memorizing scripture and reading "The Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning. This was the first focused time with God I have had since starting starting my sabbatical. Pray for me, that I will stay committed to every day in hopes of growing with God. Thanks to Derek Cain for recommending the books.

I then attended Southland Christian Church in Lexington and thoroughly enjoyed the service. The message, the setting and the music was all very good. It was a unique experience and there use of media was great.

Later that day, Dewey and Joan Segler and Kevin and Felicity Slemp came over. I made smoothies for everyone and we enjoyed the evening. I am so blessed to have such good friends.

Elizabeth and I are still preparing for our trip out west but are still making time to have some fun including a little Nerf battle with Noah and Ethan. Of course, I get the cross-bow and Noah gets the machine-gun. I think I am out-gunned.
It has been a fun week. Noah getting baptized last Sunday was exciting for all of us, and we also saw a little 4-square action with Derek and Scott.

In closing I wanted to share a little excerpt from "The Ragamuffin Gospel."

"When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am trusting and suspicious. I am honest and I still play games.

To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life story, the light side and the dark."

Pretty much sums it up for me.

Alan