Love Covers

February 14, 2012

Today, Twin Cities dwellers woke up to something beautiful. We looked out our kitchen windows and front doors to see our frozen garden gnomes and mailboxes frosted  with a thin white blanket of snow.  The brown deadness is hidden.  The dirty sidewalks are gone.  In their places is a fresh new look and a chance to begin again.

Isn’t that what love does?  Love forgives the deadness.  Love covers the ugly.  Love makes things new and says, “Let’s start again.”  On this Valentine’s day, I’m glad that God gave me a white valentine in which he writes, “I’ve got it covered.”  (1 Peter).

Peace,

My new website:


Be QUIET!

February 2, 2012

There is a Starbucks coffee shop on the boardwalk in Kemah, TX.  If you’ve been there, you can picture it resting in the shadow of the mighty roller coaster.  When there, I loved being the first one to grab my early morning Joe and take a slow – very slow – walk around the pier and pathways that encompassed the amusement rides.  Sometimes, I’d meet my friend Sam Brown but mostly I would notice the rides.  That early, they were quiet.  No roar of the steel tracked kiddie cars.  No hum of the carousel.  No churning of the “Vominator” as I call it.  Simply the few workers who were testing, cleaning and inspecting every hinge that would keep the riders safe.

Solitude is not a luxury but a necessity.  God set up the cosmos for the ebb and flow of activity and quiet.  Yet, we fight against the value of being still.  We wield the sword of our schedules against the rejuvenating, calming and refreshing time of inspecting and fine-tuning our lives.

Why is that?

This morning, as is my custom, I woke up before my household, keuriged my coffee and spent time in prayer, calm and thought.  I am ready for the riders of my day.  I am set for the bustle of the crowds of my schedule.  And all it takes is a few extra moments in the quiet of His presence.

Peace,

My new website:


Renewed Hope – Devoted Trust

August 4, 2008

Wow!  I just returned from facilitating a workshop for Concordia Lutheran High School in Houston.  Staff of about 50 attended and the goal was to get rejuvenated for the new 2008-09 school year.  We used their yearly theme “Renewed Hope – Devoted Trust” based on Titus 3:3-8 as our outline for the day.  Lots of great discussion happened.  We looked at the generation of students we teach (called the Mosaic generation), learned what S.O.A.P journaling is (see enewhope.org),  and at the end, we wrote a statement that we could look back on and be encouraged. 

 

What I really loved about meeting this group of ministers was their sold out passion for building a solid academic and spiritual foundation for students.  Everyone I met, while different, shared the same focus and love for Jesus and their school.

 

God is at work, y’all.  He’s doing great things in our schools.  Remember to celebrate the lives He’s changed! 

 

Todd


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