One day I’ll find relief
I’ll be arrived
And I’ll be friend to my friends who know how to be friends
One day I’ll be at peace
I’ll be enlightened and I’ll be married with children and maybe adopt
One day I will be healed
I will gather my wounds forge the end of tragic comedy

I have been running so sweaty my whole life
Urgent for a finish line

One day my mind will retreat
And I’ll know God
And I’ll be constantly one with her night dusk and day
One day I’ll be secure
Like the women I see on their thirtieth anniversaries

I have been running so sweaty my whole life
Urgent for a finish line

Ever unfolding
Ever expanding
Ever adventurous
And torturous
And never done

One day I will speak freely
I’ll be less afraid
And measured outside of my poems and lyrics and art
One day I will be faith-filled
I’ll be trusting and spacious authentic and grounded and home

I have been running so sweaty my whole life
Urgent for a finish line

More In The Kitchen! articles/ 809733.htm

Bishop Richard Heard told this story and I loved it and thought I’d share it with you.

A Pastor was hosting an Evangelist at his church. Times were tough so he decided to have the Evangelist stay in his home to save money. Each day the Pastor and the Evangelist would come home for dinner the Pastor would go into the kitchen to check on how dinner was coming along. The Pastor would then call the family to dinner and he’d either announce, “FHB” or “MIK” while praying.

The Evangelist couldn’t figure out what FHB or MIK stood for but because he was a guest in their home, he felt funny about asking. Yet night after night the Pastor would announce, “FHB” or “MIK”. The Evangelist was desperately curious.

Finally on the last day of the revival, the Pastor and the Evangelist were talking. The Pastor was thanking the Evangelist for all of his hard work for the kingdom and blessing him as he spent the last night with him. The Evangelist thanked the Pastor for his hospitality. The Pastor said, “I sense there is something you want to ask me.” The Evangelist sighed and said, “Yes! I’ve been wanting to ask you what does FHB and MIK mean?”

The Pastor chuckled and told the Evangelist that times had been tough for his family. So each night he’d check on dinner and his wife would let him know if there was very little food or an abundance of food for the evening meal. He had taught his children that they were to show preference to their guest so each night as he called them to dinner he would say, “FHB” meaning Family Hold Back or “MIK” meaning More In The Kitchen.

You know your Father in Heaven has never said to you, “FHB”. With God, he has always said to you, “MIK”. So what is holding you back from reaching your goals? If your goals are God breathed, there is always MIK.

Good Enough Sometimes Isn’t photos/tamaki/ 20569151/

Genesis 11:24. When Nahor was twenty-nine years old, he had Terah.
26. When Terah was seventy years old, he had Abram, Nahor, and Haran. The Family Tree of Terah
27. This is the story of Terah. Terah had Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
30. Sarai was barren; she had no children.
32. Terah lived 205 years. He died in Haran.

Stepmom’s Bill Of Rights Restauran...rida.html

There is a Facebook group I belong to called Stepmom Circles. They posted the Stepmom Bill Of Rights and I thought it would be helpful to read this morning. To read Jacquelyn B. Fletcher’s blog (the author of this bill of rights) click here.

A Revised Stepmom’s Bill of Rights





I will work to feel confident and worthy of love.






I will choose my battles.

I understand that control does not equal respect or love.









I will choose hope.

I will choose love.

Wealthy Vs. Rich


While driving with Pastor Doug he was listening to Chris Rock on XM. Chris Rock can be crass, so he isn’t for everyone, but he makes good points, you just have to get through the language. He was talking about how wealthy people are different than rich people and how the difference between being wealthy and being rich is significantly different. One so vast that if you can wrap your head around it you will be changed forever, I believe.

Simply stated wealthy people and rich people live vastly different lives. Rich people spend sometimes lavishly and sometimes foolishly, or both, but spending is the rich person’s drug. Wealthy people amass. To amass means to accumulate. They take money and turn it into more money. They aren’t spenders necessarily. They understand that amassing is more important. There is a difference between amassing and hoarding. To amass means I accumulate by spending on things that will add value and in the end bring me more wealth. Hoarding means I hang on to what I have in my hand never seeing the value in spending to add value. To hoard something means I am content with the amount I hid in my mattress or the amount that is gaining low interest in my savings account.

Chris Rock states as an example, Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) is rich. The man who writes Shaq’s check is wealthy. He is spending on Shaq knowing that his showmanship, sportsmanship and entertainment value will bring him more money in the long run than it costs to pay Shaq. Shaq on the other hand may or may not be amassing. He may have more money than he can spend in a lifetime but that is still not amassing. Unless that money is growing faster than it is being spent eventually he or his children will have out-spent his money.

Now let’s break it down to terms for you and me because for the most part, we are not rich like Shaq or wealthy like Shaq’s boss. When we live paycheck to paycheck spending every dime we make, we are rich but we aren’t wealthy. I hear people brag about the six-figure incomes they earn, but if they aren’t saving and amassing they live like the man who makes 30k.

When we get the concept of wealth it means we live below our means. I know very wealthy people and you’d never know it. They aren’t eating out all the time, they aren’t financing a car for five years and then buying another one in three years and dumping the balance into a new loan, they are frugal. Wealthy people are buying what they need and buying quality. What good does it do for you to have 15 pairs of Payless Shoe Store shoes and 20 t-shirts from Wal-Mart when they aren’t going to last because they aren’t of quality? Maybe one good pair of shoes and two good quality t-shirts will last you longer and therefore be a better value. New cars are nice but they lose value as you drive them off the lot so paying cash for something that will not amass anything for you is better. Maybe your children have a toy chest overflowing with toys but how many of those toys are in good working order and how many are really necessary? Maybe instead of amassing toys you should put money away for college, which will be a better value for them in the long run. The principles you are using to live your life you are also mirroring to your children and in the long run you may be propagating poverty.

Often followers of Christ think poverty is sign of piety. Facts remain they have nothing in common and are not connected at all. Poverty is not a godly design. In fact spending every last dime you make is not a godly design either. Having seed to sow is godly. Having money to invest to reap a harvest is a godly principle. Replenishing is a godly principle. So which one are you trying to become wealthy or rich? There is a difference. One is living for today and one is living for generations to come.

As I Wait photos/mtbl/ 128852436/

I think of Sarah, who wanted a baby. She didn’t care that God said he would make her husband a great nation. She simply wanted one baby to kiss and to hold and to call her own. My prayer is not for a baby but it’s a hope nevertheless.

As I Wait

I think of Sarah who for a moment lost her faith in God and sent her handmaiden in to sleep with her husband. The consequence of helping God out was that Ishmael was born and the fight was on. I pray I stay in submission to the plan.

As I Wait

I see Sarah receive her promise in her old age and I wonder, God will that be me? Will my promise come at the end of my life?

As I Wait

I read God’s word and I see where he says, Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. How long is the wait Lord?

As I Wait

I understand that my timing is not God’s timing and that he deals in issues of eternity and I deal in issues of today. They look quite different in perspective don’t they?

As I Wait

Sometimes I have to confess that I am like the father who came to Jesus to ask for help with the healing of his son. Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Help my unbelief Lord.

As I Wait

I find that I have more strength than I thought I have.

As I Wait

I find that I believe more than ever that I have all the power I need.

As I Wait

I grow and I learn and I learn and I grow…

As I Wait

The prayer changes and takes on a different shape and so does my life.

As I Wait

I realize the answer begins to come into focus.

As I Wait

I praise You Lord for I am like Elijah and I see the cloud in the distance. It is only the size of man’s palm but I can close my eyes, I can take a deep breath and I can almost smell the rain coming.