NOTE: I've moved my blogger address, since something doesn't seem to be working with my old one.. Here's a post from last night!!

To whom it may not really concern, but are still reading this anyway..

I've been inspired by a friend to try to get this baby back on track, and he probably didn't even realize it. I'll give him a shameful.. er.. shameless plug (www.rothecreations.com).. So, I don't exactly agree with everything he says, and I won't ever get my right ear pierced like he did, but he is one of the most honest guys I know, and I'm convinced that the Lord's got some awesome plans in store for him. Tonight actually was his wedding day, which was pretty thrilling. I'll tell ya what.. I've been to many a wedding lately, and I'm not sure if anything tops the joy that I have for him and his lovely bride (I'm a friend of hers too). And hey, their ceremony wasn't a snoozer, which was definitely a bonus!! I usually bring my pillow to weddings... just in case... Anyway.. I pray that God blesses their marriage immensely. OH yeah.. immensely..

I'm learning a hard lesson about living "above reproach". Huh?? Let me explain. See, God has called me to be a family life minister.. To work in a church, get paid a meager amount of money (but very reasonable for church work!), work long hours, and to put myself last and others first. Fun, huh? Actually, all of this is easier than it might sound. The real issue is that I have a lot of baggage from not being exactly the most popular guy in my childhood days, and so I have this persistant, nagging desire to be the clown, the entertainer, in every situation that I'm in. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. But the one great gift that God has given me is an ability to discern wrong from right - a conscience.. And when I go against that conscience, I'm obviously going against my Lord. Are you still following me? I'm not sure if I'm making sense.
To clear it up a bit.. I suck at following God's will, and I'm a champion of doing the exact opposite of what I should be doing. Actually, the apostle Paul said the same thing (well, not exactly in the same tasteful language)..
Basically, even tonight, at the wedding, there are a few moments where I could've been a better example of Christ. Just a few dance moves that the world could have done without, a few comments that could've just as easily been left unsaid. But Satan knows how to make me weak - he knows which of Josh's buttons to push. Ugh. To be honest, without going into specifics (you'll find I can't really go into specifics due to the nature of my job), I think I possibly lost a little credibility with some people tonight. Believe me, I wasn't terrible - I didn't get drunk (i didn't drink, period), I didn't give the groom a swirlie, I didn't kiss the bride.. It's just that, like it or not, my calling to be a family life minister is also a calling to live "above reproach", to live a life that no one could find blame in. Now, that's technically all of our calling - to be Christ to each other, blameless and without fault..But as someone who's employer is.. uh.. God.. , I naturally need an extra dose of God's strength to keep me from making a fool of his name..
Okay, it might be the Fruit Punch and Beef Tips kicking in, because I'm not making sense. But it's just that I really want to follow God's will for my life.. The biggest way we as Christians draw other people to Christ is through our behavior, through what we do and say. People are looking for excuses to call us hypocrites and liars. The only thing we have going for us as Christians is our credibility in Christ (and for Lutherans - it's also the potlucks). Heck yeah we'll make mistakes. Heck yeah Christ forgives us. But heck yeah, you better believe that people are watching us and we need to show them Christ. Lord, please forgive my subtle sins that might not seem big at the time, but in the longrun damage Your reputation.
This was quite the rambler tonight.. I just needed to get this off my chest..

I'll update this later..
God's Peace to ya'll!!