Another 5K

So this past Saturday I ran in my second 5K. My time was a tad slower than the one in December but the course contained more hills and I was less prepared mentally. I did enjoy asking all the policemen and a few of the tailgaters (the race was in conjunction with A-Day) to join me. They all declined. The finish line was on the 50-yard line of Jordan-Hare Stadium. It was pretty cool for me. The last time I was on that field was my 10th or 11th grade in high school for band. It was intimidating then as well as now.

I will find out my official time soon but I am proud that I finished.

A gift

Last night, the group of guys that I meet with on a weekly basis received a gift. It was an anonymous gift of value. Attached with it was a letter which included individual words and prayers about each of us. I felt undeserved of the kind words much less the gift. The person(s) prayer for me was that I would find peace with my past and that I would come to realize how God has made me a new creation.

I am taken aback at how much that convicted me. Am I the one person who is holding me back from accepting me as a new creation? Have I allowed Satan to convince me that I will never amount to much because of my actions of youth? Can I truly move forward if I have not fully accepted God total forgivenness and grace? Have I forgiven myself?

Whoever sent us brothers that gift, I thank you.

Duer

Valentine's Day or Singleness Awareness Day

There are 2 major camps. Though who love Valentine's Day and those who think it is Singleness Awareness Day. Yesterday I was the odd man out. Though single I really enjoy the idea of Valentine's day. But my 3 closest friends made it pretty clear that they were SAD all the way. So last night, as every Monday, I cooked for them. Since we are all single right now, I made a dessert ..."Better Than Sex" cake. Now none of us can really know or not till God blesses us with a wife but it did get a good laugh out of them.

In Memory

I spoke with my mom today and one of their cats, Boo, died last Saturday. Mom thinks there is foul play due to the forensic evidence that negates the idea of a hit and run. So mom took the dead cat back to the house, placed it in a garbage bag and put it in the trash since that is where Boo liked to be anyway.

Senior Saints Banquet

This weekend we are having a dinner for the senior saints of our congregation. This year the theme is "The days of Black and White" I am in charge of the entertainment and am having a tough time getting my thoughts and ideas on paper to see if they are doable. This evening I have to create a giant TV screen on the wall so we can show some old B&W shows. They were $1 a DVD at Target. I think we are going to have a few game show-type things and I might interview a few people about their first TV experience.

Prayer Request

Please pray for Angela Geyer. She is the oldest sister to my close friend Eric Larson. She is in the hospital awaiting to see if the invetrofertilization precedure of last week has worked.

Something to Think About

"Suppose for a moment that God began taking from us the many things for which we have failed to give thanks. Which of our limbs and faculties would be left? Would I still have my hands and my mind? And what about loved ones?If God were to take from me all those persons and things for which I have not given thanks, who or what would be left of me?"
Patrick Henry Reardon

My Trip To Illinois

On December 27, I left ATL in a small airplane with about 52 other people and 2 dogs and headed to Peoira, IL where my close friend Eric was at home for Christmas break. Eric actually lives in a small village outside of Peoria called Groveland. I unfortunately brought the warm southern air with me because it did not snow the entire time I was there. It was a great trip. I loved getting to know the Larson clan and seeing God move in so many ways in my own personal life. It was nice to have some time to journal, meditate and have a spiritual tune up.

My favorite time during the trip was playing Scrabble. It was the first time I remember playing Scrabble with someone other that those with the last name of Duer. I must say, I was impressed that I held my own. Even though i did not win a single game, I was still a pretty good player. A close second favorite time was Wednesday night before we left on Thursday. 2 of Eric's siblings and their significant others along with Jill, Eric's girlfriend and I went to a small pizza place called Monacle's. It was great pizza and great company.

While on my trip, I came down with Bell's palsy. While it ended the trip on a less than sweet note, my trip to Illinois reminded me that God is truly working everywhere.

I was so blessed by my trip. Thank God for Eric and his family who allowed themselves to be used by God to refill my cup.

More Catching Up

Since my one devoted reader has requested an update. I will try to bring the past month in summation....

Christmas season was a wonderful time filled with family and friends. My entire family came down and it was one of the most enjoyable times that I can remember. My neice and nephews are growing more and more into young men and woman who are challenging me to be a great uncle for God. I am so blessed by them in my life. I miss spending more time with them.

I left December 27 for a vacation to Peoria, IL to visit my close friend Eric who was home for Christmas break. More later on this trip.

I am now back in Auburn really busy getting ready for a seminar our church is sponsoring.

I hope this catches some of you up. I will post more later.

Catch Up

I can't believe it has been since November that I have posted something.

I have been really busy and also have had a nagging illness. I finally went to the dr yesterday and am on the road to recovery. Here are some highlights of the past weekend

Low light: Friday night Oceans 12 was sold out...went to Alexander...Don't see it. Most boring 3 hours of my life.

Saturday: I ran in my first race. My official time was 37:03. I thought for sure it was in the 36 range but oh well. I had also thought I was the last male, I was not! There were some others behind me. So out of 84 runners I placed 56th. Not bad for my first race.

Saturday for lunch was Jones' Christmas. It was wonderful to see Chuck, Jane and Brent and my Uncle Zane and Betty.

Saturday evening I went to the Commanders for the annual Gigerbread house decorating. It was a wonderful evening.

This week has been rough I have had a headcold and sporatic fever and some trouble breathing. I hope to be over this soon.

And then they return

Since Auburn is on semesters the pace between Thanksgiving and Christmas is frantic. Students are cramming for finals and writing papers. I had an ok week. Great lunch with parents and grandmother (Jones) and a wonderful dinner with some church friends. God has blessed me to have another birthday. I am the big 29. I thought I had matured enough not to be upset that my family could not be down to celebrate it but I am not. I missed both of my brothers and their families immensely. Oh well...maybe 30 won't matter.

A Ghost Town

Well Thanksgiving break is here and all the college students have left so traffic is back to a medium-sized town. Tomorrow the city schools are out so even more people will leave. While I love the quietness that surrounds holidays here in Auburn, I miss the presence of all my friends. This year for Thanksgiving our family will be small in number, so I think my parents, my grandmother and I are going to go to Cracker Barrell for T-day lunch. I am looking forward to it.
This blog does not have much substance but oh well.

Grace & Mercy Revisited

What is the difference between grace and mercy?

One Small Word & The Sins of the Father

So, I am the church office manager. I create, print and copy the Sunday Bulletin. I don't think I have ever not made a mistake in the bulletin but the one this past Sunday had to be the most funny and embarrassing. I blame it on my father and in some ways my brothers. It is there humor that made me type it, I am sure. So the huge mistake I made that was printed in the pewsheet and up on the screen was......."Walking alone with Eve" It is amazing how much difference one word makes. Though I did get one comment that they would enjoy that song a lot more than the true version.

Moving through the Hurt

Experiencing hurt hurts. It makes me sick to my stomach. I lose motivation to do things that either have to do (work) or love to do (play). It is amazing how much God's comfort can be present but yet the pain is still there. I know God is helping me through this but he is not taking it away from me. My friends can offer no words of comfort, really only their presence seems to help. Just to know I am not alone. Life's hard lessons are a tough pill to swallow. But I guess it is true what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.

Grace & Mercy

A group of my friends and I recently have been going through personal battles in which we have given or received Grace and Mercy. I was once asked the question can one really give grace if they have never accepted it from God. I don't know how to answer that question, but I do know it is easier to give grace to those who give grace to others but it is difficult to give grace to those who seemingly appear to refuse to give grace. Caedmon's Call has a song that has been in my head for about a week.


I am the woman at the well, I am the harlot
I am the scattered seed that fell along the path
I am the son that ran away
And I am the bitter son that stayed

My God, my God why hast tho accepted me
When all my love was vinegar to a thirsty King?
My God, my God why hast thou accepted me
It's a mystery of mercy and the song, the song I sing

I am the angry man who came to stone the lover
I am the woman there ashamed before the crowd
I am the leper that gave thanks
But I am the nine that never came

My God, my God why hast thou accepted me
When all my love was vinegar to a thirsty King?
My God, my God why hast thou accepted me
It's a mystery of mercy and the song, the song I sing

You made the seed that made the tree
That made the cross that saved me
You gave me hope when there was none
You gave me your only Son

My God,My God,Lord you are my God.
My God,My God,Lord you are my God.
My God,My God,Lord you are my God.
My God,My God,Lord you are...my God.

Thank God for Praying Parents

This past weekend, I was privileged to meet the parents of one of my close friends. They were the type of people who made you feel like family before the first five minutes had elapsed. But more important than that was their language when talking about their son's move to Auburn 750 miles from home. "We prayed every morning for him to find a church home and Christian friends." God not only answered their prayers but blessed me and the others this guy has befriended. I remember as a child my parents praying for us every morning. If I had a problem or was upset, I would crawl into bed with them and Dad or Mom would pray.

It is is legacy, I am still striving to uphold. My brothers have also strived to continue the legacy. They pray with their children every night.

Thank you God for praying parents.

Pumpkin Carving

This evening after Auburn beat the Arkansas Razorbacks, a group of my friends came over for some enchilladas and fellowship. We ate on the deck just laughing about life and quoting "Princess Bride." Then we carved pumpkins. God has blessed me with friends who know how to laugh at themselves but also can be so dedicated to their beliefs. It is amazing how you can find out about someones heart just by watching them carve a pumpkin. Or maybe in the grand scheme of things it is not what we did other than spend time together. I think back to my family, the night of Christmas carols around the tree, the Friday night Game night. Even when I was too young to play Rook or Scrabble, I was still spending time. I wonder how much better relationships in the church body would be if we spent more time in just normal life rather than looking at the back of their head for an hour.

From "At Home in Mitford"

“Father Tim, I'm dying.".... “I'm asking you to help me find something to make the rest of my life worth living.”

When I read this passage of the book, I just sat and thought for a moment if I was really living as if I was dying. Not in an urgent way but do I realize that God is using me right now. Even when he is preparing me for something in the future he still expects me to serve him. Not take a break or wait. I don’t know if this makes sense but it has really made me think eternally instead of temporally.

It's A Family Thing

This past weekend my entire immediate family went to Stone Mountain Park in GA. It was a great time. It is times like these that I appreciate what family means, even when it means you have inherited your father's humor. For me our family is more that just blood related. We have a connection that goes beyond physical blood because I love my sisters-in-law just as much as my brothers. We all care for each other and give each other a hard time. So often I think we miss the boat when it comes to church family. There are times where I can't stand to be around my biological family yet we think that the church family should be immune to that feeling. And the antithesis is true as well. We should rejoice with a church family member just the same as we would with a biological family member.