12/4/08
Father / Son Acceptance
5 Tips on Expectations | Printer Friendly Version |
What do you expect when it comes to your kids? I've often heard comments like these from grown sons and daughters: | |
Comments
| 1. | Brian Jett |
Similarly, I can relate painfully well. The first inclination is, often, to blame as well as continue to seek out approval of a father who was "critical" as this article depicts. It is everywhere and working on this approval addiction requires the actual letting go process. Working for approval or to prove something to anyone has only created strife, anger, and ultimately a calculation without God series of events. I am just now finally realizing that my father's love is conditional to extent he is, like me, a man, not God-man or Jesus Christ. He has helped me and I can only focus on me getting over my ego and not blaming or any further attempted to prove something to my father, my older brother, or any one (boss, etc..) to be truly filled. I lose peace by needing to be right and make sense of all of the "Why didn't you do better...?" questions from years ago. I find that when I recognize that I will never forgive my father even close to how much God has already forgiven me, it puts things in a better perspective. My dad or older brother aren't to blame although I have spent years judging them. I never realized I was judging them; just justified it as venting off my anger for my own lack of missing my path. Herein is maybe part of the answer for me as I feel God has nudged my heart: I was not born to make my dad proud or compete with my brother. I am here for God's good and perfect plan (Roman 12:2) There is a Heavenly Father that accepts us fully - PERIOD. No performance required. That's is a good first step for me to continue to wrap my mind and soul and spirit around. Staying away from the blame game or catching self doing this is helpful (or taking thoughts captive). Excellent topic that us men do not discuss and it will only better as we do not repeat the ego needing to be fed routine. Let's even write about it. That is what I've been doing for a good while. This is a huge topic for guys and the women and children affected by our willingness to address this father/son "thing". | |
| 2. | Anthony Ekong |
I can relate to some of the above comments because being the last born of seven kids and my two older brothers with over a decade in age I always felt like I had three dads; my father and my two older brothers and I was always pressured to think that I have to perform better than anybody else instead of just being me and doing the best that is in me so I promise my three boys that I will be their father and friend where they don't have to feel pressured as I use to feel which led to me losing communcation with my dad and my brothers. | |
Blogged with the Flock Browser
12/3/08
PAPER PLANE RIDE - (A Child's Sage, Faith, Fearlessness)
-PAPER PLANE RIDE-
As Kim’s parents sat musingly in the waiting room of Saint Elizabeth Hospital, they wondered if their 16 year-old daughter could possibly make it through yet another unbearable day. Kim, the oldest daughter of their three blessings, had been holding on to life by a hope and many prayers as her degenerative heart was failing rapidly. "Sandy, I just don’t think Kim’s going to make it much longer," Kim’s father agonizingly mumbled to his wife. She looked at him firmly and replied, "Bob, you must have greater faith than this! Where did your dreams of Kim’s receiving a donor heart go?" she questioned with almost a tone of rebuke in her voice. He said nothing and grasped her hand and leaned forward in what appeared to be intense reflection.
On the way home she asked him what he was doing when he’d leaned forward pensively in the hospital’s waiting room. "Honey, I asked God to give me wisdom and strength. That’s all--just more wisdom and strength." As they arrived home, they entered the front door of their suburban home surrounded by the White Maples Kim had helped him plant on her ninth birthday. "Daddy!" his youngest daughter, Maddie, who was now nine year’s old exclaimed, "I had a dream and I know God told me how we could get Kimmie a good heart!" He ushered her over to the kitchen table and asked her what God told her. "Mr. Rule showed us how to make paper planes in ‘kindiclass’ yesterday!"
Mr. Rule was a kind older gentleman with a graybeard, her kindergarten teacher and also an associate pastor at their church in Cincinnati, Ohio. "Well honey, I think paper planes are wonderful but how can a paper plane give your sister a healthy heart?" he pleasantly inquired. "You see daddy; all we have to do is get a bunch of paper and make planes and then put notes in them telling someone to give Kimmie a good heart! We just have to be sure to put our phone buttons on the notes so people can call us with the good heart! Then we throw them and someone will read the notes and give Kimmie a good heart!" she stated with much vigor. "That’s a good idea honey, but let daddy think about this a little while, okay?" Maddie got up while nodding her head affirmatively--headed straight to the stack of computer paper her father had beside his desk.
He watched her little hands begin to create perfectly wrought glider fashioned paper planes. He dismissed this as a cathartic thing for Maddie to do and only wished he had something equally as cathartic to occupy his mind during this hurly-burly filled time in his life. Memories flooded back to when Kim was born. He remembered all too well being there beside his wife, stroking her forehead and soon after, cutting the umbilical cord that separated nine months of a mother’s love and devotion. He did what he always would do when distressed over any given situation as he began to put his running gear on for a five mile run. He grabbed his Walkman as he exited quietly out the back door. He prayed as he walked down the gravel driveway that God would give him an answer. As he began to slowly stride down the tree-lined street lit up by neighborhood lights, he tuned in his favorite smooth jazz station. Roughly three miles into his circuitous route he was captivated by the lyrics of an Oleda Adams’ remake of a song entitled, "Get Here" which was very popular during the Gulf war. As Oleda blended soul and lyrics, suddenly a particular line sharply affected him.
She sang... "You can make it in a big balloon, but you better make it soon...."
He walked into the house exhausted but with a renewed sense of focal point. Bob, having served in the Gulf war, had several connections as a distinguished F-16 pilot. He hurriedly picked up the phone and called Richard "Mad Dog" Mansfield who was his life-long friend and too, flew many missions as his wingman some nine years earlier.
"Hey Rich!" still breathing heavily from his run, "You still fly hot air balloons don’t you?" he asked with less than an expectant attitude. "Yeah Bob, I still get her up about twice a month when I can find the time. Why do you ask?" Bob caught his breath and continued, "Can you possibly take Maddie and me up as soon as possible?" he apprehensively asked.
"Well, I suppose I can Bob, but what is soon to you?" Without hesitation he blurted out, "Tomorrow!? Please Rich?!" he desperately begged.
"I don’t know what’s going on Bob, but I’ll be out in the field with my balloon--the one near Hyde Park tomorrow morning at seven."
"God bless you brother! We’ll be there my friend!" Bob replied with much thankfulness.
The next morning, Bob told his wife that he and Maddie had some things that must be done, and to go to the hospital and further asked that she be sure to take along her cell phone. "Bob?" her interest overpoweringly piqued, "What in the world are you two up to now?!" she inquiringly asked. As he reached down to pick up the box full of paper planes with the contact information notes lightly stapled to the middle of each one for greater camber, thus creating more lift for longer glide time, he asked that she simply remember his earlier dreams of finding a healthy heart for Kim. Although confused, she shook her head befuddled, as she was used to his compulsive nature having been a fighter pilot’s wife. "Good luck you two!" she vivaciously remarked with a snooping grin. Maddie skipped into the foyer and whispered in her mother’s ear, "We don’t need luck, ‘cause we’ve got God." Her mother kissed her nose and urged them both out the door.
Copyright © 2001 Brian G. Jett
As Kim’s parents sat musingly in the waiting room of Saint Elizabeth Hospital, they wondered if their 16 year-old daughter could possibly make it through yet another unbearable day. Kim, the oldest daughter of their three blessings, had been holding on to life by a hope and many prayers as her degenerative heart was failing rapidly. "Sandy, I just don’t think Kim’s going to make it much longer," Kim’s father agonizingly mumbled to his wife. She looked at him firmly and replied, "Bob, you must have greater faith than this! Where did your dreams of Kim’s receiving a donor heart go?" she questioned with almost a tone of rebuke in her voice. He said nothing and grasped her hand and leaned forward in what appeared to be intense reflection.
On the way home she asked him what he was doing when he’d leaned forward pensively in the hospital’s waiting room. "Honey, I asked God to give me wisdom and strength. That’s all--just more wisdom and strength." As they arrived home, they entered the front door of their suburban home surrounded by the White Maples Kim had helped him plant on her ninth birthday. "Daddy!" his youngest daughter, Maddie, who was now nine year’s old exclaimed, "I had a dream and I know God told me how we could get Kimmie a good heart!" He ushered her over to the kitchen table and asked her what God told her. "Mr. Rule showed us how to make paper planes in ‘kindiclass’ yesterday!"
Mr. Rule was a kind older gentleman with a graybeard, her kindergarten teacher and also an associate pastor at their church in Cincinnati, Ohio. "Well honey, I think paper planes are wonderful but how can a paper plane give your sister a healthy heart?" he pleasantly inquired. "You see daddy; all we have to do is get a bunch of paper and make planes and then put notes in them telling someone to give Kimmie a good heart! We just have to be sure to put our phone buttons on the notes so people can call us with the good heart! Then we throw them and someone will read the notes and give Kimmie a good heart!" she stated with much vigor. "That’s a good idea honey, but let daddy think about this a little while, okay?" Maddie got up while nodding her head affirmatively--headed straight to the stack of computer paper her father had beside his desk.
He watched her little hands begin to create perfectly wrought glider fashioned paper planes. He dismissed this as a cathartic thing for Maddie to do and only wished he had something equally as cathartic to occupy his mind during this hurly-burly filled time in his life. Memories flooded back to when Kim was born. He remembered all too well being there beside his wife, stroking her forehead and soon after, cutting the umbilical cord that separated nine months of a mother’s love and devotion. He did what he always would do when distressed over any given situation as he began to put his running gear on for a five mile run. He grabbed his Walkman as he exited quietly out the back door. He prayed as he walked down the gravel driveway that God would give him an answer. As he began to slowly stride down the tree-lined street lit up by neighborhood lights, he tuned in his favorite smooth jazz station. Roughly three miles into his circuitous route he was captivated by the lyrics of an Oleda Adams’ remake of a song entitled, "Get Here" which was very popular during the Gulf war. As Oleda blended soul and lyrics, suddenly a particular line sharply affected him.
She sang... "You can make it in a big balloon, but you better make it soon...."
He walked into the house exhausted but with a renewed sense of focal point. Bob, having served in the Gulf war, had several connections as a distinguished F-16 pilot. He hurriedly picked up the phone and called Richard "Mad Dog" Mansfield who was his life-long friend and too, flew many missions as his wingman some nine years earlier.
"Hey Rich!" still breathing heavily from his run, "You still fly hot air balloons don’t you?" he asked with less than an expectant attitude. "Yeah Bob, I still get her up about twice a month when I can find the time. Why do you ask?" Bob caught his breath and continued, "Can you possibly take Maddie and me up as soon as possible?" he apprehensively asked.
"Well, I suppose I can Bob, but what is soon to you?" Without hesitation he blurted out, "Tomorrow!? Please Rich?!" he desperately begged.
"I don’t know what’s going on Bob, but I’ll be out in the field with my balloon--the one near Hyde Park tomorrow morning at seven."
"God bless you brother! We’ll be there my friend!" Bob replied with much thankfulness.
The next morning, Bob told his wife that he and Maddie had some things that must be done, and to go to the hospital and further asked that she be sure to take along her cell phone. "Bob?" her interest overpoweringly piqued, "What in the world are you two up to now?!" she inquiringly asked. As he reached down to pick up the box full of paper planes with the contact information notes lightly stapled to the middle of each one for greater camber, thus creating more lift for longer glide time, he asked that she simply remember his earlier dreams of finding a healthy heart for Kim. Although confused, she shook her head befuddled, as she was used to his compulsive nature having been a fighter pilot’s wife. "Good luck you two!" she vivaciously remarked with a snooping grin. Maddie skipped into the foyer and whispered in her mother’s ear, "We don’t need luck, ‘cause we’ve got God." Her mother kissed her nose and urged them both out the door.
"I’ll have the cell phone and be at the hospital in an hour or less!" she shouted as they made their way to the mini-van with box in hand.
When they arrived at the open field that Rich leased to launch his balloon into the air, typically for leisure time spent over the skies of southern Ohio, Maddie and Bob noticed the balloon was almost ready for flight. "I’ll take the box honey, and you run over there and stand by Mr. Mansfield."
"Okay daddy!" she belted out as though she was being asked to unwrap a Christmas gift.
"Bob, she’s ready to take off so hand me Maddie and then hand me the box and hop on in."
All settled into the hot air balloon’s basket, Rich fired up the gas and the big bastion of flight slowly began to rise. "How high do you want to go Bob?" Rich asked decorously. "As high as you can get this thing up, if that’s okay with you Rich." Rich glanced at the box and asked Bob where he wanted to stabilize the craft after they’d reached ultimate altitude. Before Bob could respond, Maddie broke in and stated, "God will let us know where to stop!" More than curious, Rich used the same navigational discernment he used when he flew fighters. "The box has to do with Kim, doesn’t it Bob?" he pryingly asked. "I can guide the balloon long enough for you to open the box, Rich. Go ahead and open it and that should answer your question." Rich’s eyes said it all but he went further verbally. "I knew it!" he asserted proudly. "Daddy, I think it’s time to throw out the planes we made last night!", Maddie stated with uncanny confidence. Rich stabilized the balloon as best he could with the considerable wind sheer they were experiencing which was most unusual at their current altitude. The three of them began to gently toss the balanced paper planes in three different directions. With each toss of the paper planes, Maddie would say, "God, please find Kimmie a good heart!" After all of the roughly 250 paper planes had been released in hopes to find their mark and find a healthy heart, Rich eased off the gas and navigated his big balloon back to the 10 acre spread of land he’d leased. They got out of the balloon upon landing and Bob and Maddie hugged Rich, said their salutations, and got back into the mini-van--headed straight to the hospital. When Bob entered the waiting room with Maddie on his coattail, he saw his wife, Sandy in tears with one hand held close to her quivering lips, and her other hand tightly gripping her cell phone. He hurried over to her and asked what was wrong. Wiping her tears away, she informed him that nothing was wrong, but that all was miraculously going to be all right. "Mommy!" Maddie exclaimed, "Kimmie got a good heart! She did, didn’t she?!" Her mother hugged Maddie tightly, kissed her on both of her rosy angelic cheeks, and tearfully stated, "Yes sweetheart, Kimmie is in surgery now with her new heart being transplanted so that she can live a long time so that you two can keep laughing and playing together." As Maddie’s mother regained her composure, she explained to her husband and daughter that someone had discovered one of the paper planes and called her about 35 minutes before they had arrived.
"Sandy, who called you and from where?" her husband asked softly as he sat down next to her.
Through an uncontrollable stream of tears again, Sandy gratefully responded by saying, "The paper plane was found at the scene of a car crash near Hanover College in southern Indiana." Maddie injected, "Who had the good heart to give my sister, Mommy?"
"Honey, a policeman called me but didn’t tell me the person’s name."
The following Monday, Maddie’s mother walked her into her kindergarten class so as to thank Mr. Rule for showing her little girl how to make the life saving paper planes. Sandy quickly noticed that Mr. Rule must have taken a day off or the like, as a substitute teacher had clearly taken his place for the day. The pretty blue-eyed woman observed them enter into the class, and asked if she could be of any help.
"Hi, this is my daughter Madelyn, and my name is Sandy Owen. I had some news I wanted to share with him and was wondering if, by chance, you knew where I could find him or even call him." she restlessly asked.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you Sandy, and my name is Dawn. I normally love to substitute for a child your daughter’s age, but regarding Mr. Rule’s circumstances, it makes it very hard for me to teach effectively." she forlornly replied.
Maddie’s mother asked a teacher walking by the classroom if she would watch her little girl for a moment so that she could talk with Dawn for a little while. Kindly, the teacher agreed and took Maddie by the hand and led her to her small office made up of cubicles. "Okay Dawn, could you please tell me what is going on with Mr. Rule?" she softly uttered. "Mrs. Owen, all I can tell you is that Mr. Rule had to attend his grandson’s funeral." Sandy asked Dawn if she knew any specifics regarding how this happened. "Mr. Rule’s grandson died in a terrible car accident a couple of days ago just a few miles from Hanover College in Indiana. Mr. Rule was his grandson’s legal guardian and has such a good heart. From what the kindergarten’s Principle told me this morning, Mr. Rule allowed his grandson’s heart to be donated because of his awareness that a teen-age girl here in Cincinnati really needed it to survive." she concluded with tears in her eyes and a voice weakened with emotion.
Sandy began to weep and left the classroom and Dawn followed her out into the hallway. Sandy cried on Dawn’s shoulder for a few minutes, and asked her what the core curriculum would be for the day.
"Mrs. Owen, as odd as this may sound to you, Mr. Rule left a note on his desk and asked that I let the children practice what they learned early last week. I’m not really up emotionally to do much teaching, so I suppose making paper planes all day long won’t hurt anyone."
Copyright © 2001 Brian G. Jett
The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish." -Isaiah 29:13-14
"If..." -by Rudyard Kipling (Awesome English Poet)
"If..."
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!
Rudyard Kipling
12/2/08
The Staggering Question -by Oswald Chambers
The Staggering Question -by Oswald Chambers
Can that sinner be turned into a saint? Can that twisted life be put right? There is only one answer: "O Lord, Thou knowest, I don't." Never trample in with religious common sense and say - "Oh, yes, with a little more Bible reading and devotion and prayer, I see how it can be done."
It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we mistake panic for inspiration. That is why there are so few fellow workers with God and so many workers for Him. We would far rather work for God than believe in Him. Am I quite sure that God will do what I cannot do? I depair of men in the degree in which I have never realized that God has done anything for me. Is my experience such a wonderful realization of God's power and might that I can never despair of anyone I see? Have I had any spiritual work done in me at all? The degree of panic is the degree of the lack of personal spiritual experience.
"Behold, O my people, I will open your graves." When God wants to show you what human nature is like apart from Himself, He has to show it you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He only does it when His Spirit is at work), you know there is no criminal who is half so bad in actuality as you know yourself to be in possibility.
My "grave" has been opened by God and "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing." God's Spirit continually reveals what human nature is like apart from His grace.
- - by Oswald Chambers
Can that sinner be turned into a saint? Can that twisted life be put right? There is only one answer: "O Lord, Thou knowest, I don't." Never trample in with religious common sense and say - "Oh, yes, with a little more Bible reading and devotion and prayer, I see how it can be done."
It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we mistake panic for inspiration. That is why there are so few fellow workers with God and so many workers for Him. We would far rather work for God than believe in Him. Am I quite sure that God will do what I cannot do? I depair of men in the degree in which I have never realized that God has done anything for me. Is my experience such a wonderful realization of God's power and might that I can never despair of anyone I see? Have I had any spiritual work done in me at all? The degree of panic is the degree of the lack of personal spiritual experience.
"Behold, O my people, I will open your graves." When God wants to show you what human nature is like apart from Himself, He has to show it you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He only does it when His Spirit is at work), you know there is no criminal who is half so bad in actuality as you know yourself to be in possibility.
My "grave" has been opened by God and "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing." God's Spirit continually reveals what human nature is like apart from His grace.
- - by Oswald Chambers
12/1/08
Jett Quotations (1993-2006)
(Written Between 1995 and 2007)
"Many are those who can make impressions; few are those who leave them." -B.G. Jett
"Harbors were built for ships, not resentments." -B.G. Jett
"If you think that someone else thinks that they are better than you, perhaps it is you who thinks they are better than you." -Brian G. Jett
"Whosoever, whatsoever be the foes that should force a broken person to his knees I purpose more so to be friends; no better position has so perfectly fitted him for fervent and unfeigned prayer." -B.G. Jett
“A penny’s worth of hope has kept multitudes from spiritual bankruptcy." —B.G. Jett
"It is easy to find character in a crisis. It is the remaining 90 percent of our time we struggle to find it." -B.G. Jett
“I should never be smugly impolite to the poor or partially affectionate to the affluent; for neither can advance nor hinder what only I shall be answerable before Christ.” –B.G. Jett
“Atheism collapses in notion and by self-imposed knavery insofar as its fundamental dispute is determined to resolve the nonexistence of anything or anyone greater than man as its source of conviction. However, if the source of an atheist’s conviction does not exist, than something greater than mere man must exist as birthed from atheistically cynical necessity for there to remain any semblance of dispute to resolve or any appearance of a source of conviction.” –B.G. Jett
"In order to grow along spiritual lines, we must also begin to read them." –B.G. Jett
"When all is said and done, the unselfish acts of what we have done without asking for anything in return, will have said it all." -Brian G. Jett
"Be careful around those individuals who have bought into negativity, because they have the uncanny ability of selling it as well." -Brian G. Jett
“The most absurd imaginings have historically been brought to fruition by men and women who refused to be conquered by frequent encounters with failure.” –Brian G. Jett
"A man defines his character with verbs, not nouns." -Brian G. Jett
"One's true character is most transparent when placed in a position of power." -Brian G. Jett
"The decisions that I’ve made while in an emotional frenzy, would be the thickheaded equivalent to a man’s purposefully capturing a wild gorilla for use at a children’s petting zoo.” -B.G. Jett
"May I be bold in belief, consistent in character, lavishing in love, determined in discipline, faithful in friendship, honest in humility, committed in courage, thoughtful in thankfulness, clear in conviction, real in repentance, forthright in forgiving, firm in faithfulness, purposeful in praise and above all else, forever grateful to God for His goodness and grace." –Brian G. Jett
“Confidence is the author of compliments.” –Brian G. Jett
"You can determine whether or not a person has a point by merely observing how long it takes them to get to it." –Brian G. Jett
"As a culture, we would be well served in associating 'Parental Guidance' beyond the realms of television programming." -Brian G. Jett
"It is in caring and sharing that we discover that we are not only helping those dear to us, but bettering who we are and opening the gates fully to that which we can become." –Brian G. Jett
“Recognize that gossip is the lazy thinkers way of communicating.” -B.G. Jett
"Be acutely aware of your non-verbal behaviors; body language has an unlimited vocabulary." -Brian G. Jett
"Hating is tantamount to eating briars through a barbed wire fence." -B.G. Jett
“It's much easier to face adversity when our backs are not turned to it." -Brian Jett
"The depth of our faith determines the height of our joy." -Brian Jett
"People who define themselves primarily by what they do, will one day awaken and wonder what they actually did." -Brian G. Jett
“Every employee has a valuable position to play, and every facet of management and leadership has the responsibility of providing each of them with the way to execute it.” -Brian G. Jett
"If you believe in luck, you're flat out of it." -Brian G. Jett
"To not fully EMBRACE life, is to fully DISGRACE life." -Brian G. Jett
"Atheists have continued to predictably wax philosophical concerning their intellectually self-sufficient certainties of God's nonexistence. However, the ease of their perilously lazy cynicism will become increasingly thorny as they age and are forced to acknowledge that their previously chosen stance as atheists must, as a matter of course, empirically and ultimately bear out that they were neither overly intellectual nor self-sufficient; neither unpredictable in opinion nor genuinely philosophic to originality; neither competent in certainties nor cerebrally capable of explaining creation without stumbling over the necessity of a Creator; neither convicted atheists excluded from eternal questions nor naturalists undaunted by morose preoccupations for ethereal answers; and lastly, neither authentically acceptant of a life without end nor having ever been secure in trusting their facts based on science in lieu of who or what made their science possible." -B.G. Jett
“We lose the vast majority of our creature battles not because we’re always wrong, but due to our ravenously disturbing approaches in exacting, at any cost, our rightness.” –Brian G. Jett
"Don't delay what God is doing by trying to do what only God can do." -B.G. Jett
“A worrywart is a person who deliberately pretends to be in control of the future and, more disturbingly, the very God who has and will continue to hold it.” –Brian G. Jett
“A man whose brain substantially lacks a hale and hearty dose of moral fiber is fated to be ill with cerebral constipation.” –Brian G. Jett
"If your vocation isn't your vacation, before long you will desperately need one." - B.G. Jett
"If you've learned from losing, it wasn't a loss." -Brian G. Jett
“Bravely stare that fear in the face, and watch how swiftly the coward flees.” –B.G. Jett
“God did not use fear to force me into heaven; He used His unplumbed love to lift me out of hell.” –B.G. Jett
“Silence is as necessary for our souls, as tender hugs are to our hearts.” –Brian G. Jett
"The only condition love has is that there never be one." -Brian G. Jett
"Never give up, just know Who to give it up to!" -Brian G. Jett
"When one figures out that who gets the credit is NOT key, he or she will have discovered it." -Brian G. Jett
"A true leader is one who can praise often, rejoice in his or her subordinate's victories, and do both earnestly without fear of losing the spotlight." -B.G. Jett
"What we eventually discover we treasure the most is not found in a chest, but rather in our chests." -B.G. Jett
“Experiencing anxiety about things we cannot change, is as pointless as trying to discern the time using a sundial in the shade.”—B.G. Jett
“Whatever wears off isn’t worth it.” –B.G. Jett
“The best way to forgive another’s idiocy is to remember our own countless episodes of it.” –B.G. Jett
"To live in regret is to merely exist in a time warp." -B.G. Jett
“Imminent death convicts men to honesty more quickly than any other one thing.” -B.G. Jett
“We don't have a problem with waiting, as much as we have an almost obsessively morose preoccupation with wondering why we have to do so!” –B.G. Jett
"Many are those who can make impressions; few are those who leave them." -B.G. Jett
"Harbors were built for ships, not resentments." -B.G. Jett
"If you think that someone else thinks that they are better than you, perhaps it is you who thinks they are better than you." -Brian G. Jett
"Whosoever, whatsoever be the foes that should force a broken person to his knees I purpose more so to be friends; no better position has so perfectly fitted him for fervent and unfeigned prayer." -B.G. Jett
“A penny’s worth of hope has kept multitudes from spiritual bankruptcy." —B.G. Jett
"It is easy to find character in a crisis. It is the remaining 90 percent of our time we struggle to find it." -B.G. Jett
“I should never be smugly impolite to the poor or partially affectionate to the affluent; for neither can advance nor hinder what only I shall be answerable before Christ.” –B.G. Jett
“Atheism collapses in notion and by self-imposed knavery insofar as its fundamental dispute is determined to resolve the nonexistence of anything or anyone greater than man as its source of conviction. However, if the source of an atheist’s conviction does not exist, than something greater than mere man must exist as birthed from atheistically cynical necessity for there to remain any semblance of dispute to resolve or any appearance of a source of conviction.” –B.G. Jett
"In order to grow along spiritual lines, we must also begin to read them." –B.G. Jett
"When all is said and done, the unselfish acts of what we have done without asking for anything in return, will have said it all." -Brian G. Jett
"Be careful around those individuals who have bought into negativity, because they have the uncanny ability of selling it as well." -Brian G. Jett
“The most absurd imaginings have historically been brought to fruition by men and women who refused to be conquered by frequent encounters with failure.” –Brian G. Jett
"A man defines his character with verbs, not nouns." -Brian G. Jett
"One's true character is most transparent when placed in a position of power." -Brian G. Jett
"The decisions that I’ve made while in an emotional frenzy, would be the thickheaded equivalent to a man’s purposefully capturing a wild gorilla for use at a children’s petting zoo.” -B.G. Jett
"May I be bold in belief, consistent in character, lavishing in love, determined in discipline, faithful in friendship, honest in humility, committed in courage, thoughtful in thankfulness, clear in conviction, real in repentance, forthright in forgiving, firm in faithfulness, purposeful in praise and above all else, forever grateful to God for His goodness and grace." –Brian G. Jett
“Confidence is the author of compliments.” –Brian G. Jett
"You can determine whether or not a person has a point by merely observing how long it takes them to get to it." –Brian G. Jett
"As a culture, we would be well served in associating 'Parental Guidance' beyond the realms of television programming." -Brian G. Jett
"It is in caring and sharing that we discover that we are not only helping those dear to us, but bettering who we are and opening the gates fully to that which we can become." –Brian G. Jett
“Recognize that gossip is the lazy thinkers way of communicating.” -B.G. Jett
"Be acutely aware of your non-verbal behaviors; body language has an unlimited vocabulary." -Brian G. Jett
"Hating is tantamount to eating briars through a barbed wire fence." -B.G. Jett
“It's much easier to face adversity when our backs are not turned to it." -Brian Jett
"The depth of our faith determines the height of our joy." -Brian Jett
"People who define themselves primarily by what they do, will one day awaken and wonder what they actually did." -Brian G. Jett
“Every employee has a valuable position to play, and every facet of management and leadership has the responsibility of providing each of them with the way to execute it.” -Brian G. Jett
"If you believe in luck, you're flat out of it." -Brian G. Jett
"To not fully EMBRACE life, is to fully DISGRACE life." -Brian G. Jett
"Atheists have continued to predictably wax philosophical concerning their intellectually self-sufficient certainties of God's nonexistence. However, the ease of their perilously lazy cynicism will become increasingly thorny as they age and are forced to acknowledge that their previously chosen stance as atheists must, as a matter of course, empirically and ultimately bear out that they were neither overly intellectual nor self-sufficient; neither unpredictable in opinion nor genuinely philosophic to originality; neither competent in certainties nor cerebrally capable of explaining creation without stumbling over the necessity of a Creator; neither convicted atheists excluded from eternal questions nor naturalists undaunted by morose preoccupations for ethereal answers; and lastly, neither authentically acceptant of a life without end nor having ever been secure in trusting their facts based on science in lieu of who or what made their science possible." -B.G. Jett
“We lose the vast majority of our creature battles not because we’re always wrong, but due to our ravenously disturbing approaches in exacting, at any cost, our rightness.” –Brian G. Jett
"Don't delay what God is doing by trying to do what only God can do." -B.G. Jett
“A worrywart is a person who deliberately pretends to be in control of the future and, more disturbingly, the very God who has and will continue to hold it.” –Brian G. Jett
“A man whose brain substantially lacks a hale and hearty dose of moral fiber is fated to be ill with cerebral constipation.” –Brian G. Jett
"If your vocation isn't your vacation, before long you will desperately need one." - B.G. Jett
"If you've learned from losing, it wasn't a loss." -Brian G. Jett
“Bravely stare that fear in the face, and watch how swiftly the coward flees.” –B.G. Jett
“God did not use fear to force me into heaven; He used His unplumbed love to lift me out of hell.” –B.G. Jett
“Silence is as necessary for our souls, as tender hugs are to our hearts.” –Brian G. Jett
"The only condition love has is that there never be one." -Brian G. Jett
"Never give up, just know Who to give it up to!" -Brian G. Jett
"When one figures out that who gets the credit is NOT key, he or she will have discovered it." -Brian G. Jett
"A true leader is one who can praise often, rejoice in his or her subordinate's victories, and do both earnestly without fear of losing the spotlight." -B.G. Jett
"What we eventually discover we treasure the most is not found in a chest, but rather in our chests." -B.G. Jett
“Experiencing anxiety about things we cannot change, is as pointless as trying to discern the time using a sundial in the shade.”—B.G. Jett
“Whatever wears off isn’t worth it.” –B.G. Jett
“The best way to forgive another’s idiocy is to remember our own countless episodes of it.” –B.G. Jett
"To live in regret is to merely exist in a time warp." -B.G. Jett
“Imminent death convicts men to honesty more quickly than any other one thing.” -B.G. Jett
“We don't have a problem with waiting, as much as we have an almost obsessively morose preoccupation with wondering why we have to do so!” –B.G. Jett
Weekly Wisdom
Frustrated? It may be because you're trying to make something happen that only God can make happen.
Whenever you are doing what God has called you to do, it is important to rely on His strength, His grace, and His power to complete your task. You will become frustrated if you try to make things happen on your own strength instead of relying on God. God is the author and finisher of His plans (Hebrews 12:2), and you must not try to take the place of God if you expect things to work out.
In Colossians 1:26-27, Paul reveals a mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations... Christ in you, the hope of glory. In other words, there is something that people of the past didn't know—it was hidden from them, a mystery to them—but Paul is now revealing that mystery to us: Christ lives in all who believe in Him! No longer is God just with his people—God now lives in his people!
Also, note that it is Christ in you that's the hope of glory—not Christ and you.
Paul then continues by saying that he labors and works for the gospel, but all of his labor is really done by Christ's power, which so powerfully works in [him] (Colossians 1:29).
If you're trying to labor without Christ's power at work within you, then your labor will be frustrating and in vain. You need to stop trying, and start dying to self so that you may be alive to Christ's power.
Struggle and frustration occur when you try to do God's job by your own strength—rather than relying on Christ's strength, which is at work in you.
Eliminate everything unnecessary in your life in order to put first things first.
1 John 5:21 says, Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. The Amplified Bible elaborates on this: Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)--[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. (AMP)
It is imperative that you prevent any sort of substitute from becoming first place in your life. Fill your life with the true, living God, not a phony substitute.
You can tell what is important to you simply by examining how you spend your time. If you are spending so much time trying to make money that you don't spend any quality time with God, then wealth is more important to you than God. Likewise, if you are always spending time with friends and don't have any time to spend with God, then your social life is more important to you than God.
How you use your time is so important, because you can either invest it or waste it. However, if you waste your time, you'll never get it back. On the other hand, if you invest your time into forming a deep, close, personal relationship with God, then you will reap the rewards of such an investment for the rest of eternity.
Decide to put God first in your life: spend significant, quality, personal time with Him. Put the first, most important thing (God) first place in your life.
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Whenever you are doing what God has called you to do, it is important to rely on His strength, His grace, and His power to complete your task. You will become frustrated if you try to make things happen on your own strength instead of relying on God. God is the author and finisher of His plans (Hebrews 12:2), and you must not try to take the place of God if you expect things to work out.
In Colossians 1:26-27, Paul reveals a mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations... Christ in you, the hope of glory. In other words, there is something that people of the past didn't know—it was hidden from them, a mystery to them—but Paul is now revealing that mystery to us: Christ lives in all who believe in Him! No longer is God just with his people—God now lives in his people!
Also, note that it is Christ in you that's the hope of glory—not Christ and you.
Paul then continues by saying that he labors and works for the gospel, but all of his labor is really done by Christ's power, which so powerfully works in [him] (Colossians 1:29).
If you're trying to labor without Christ's power at work within you, then your labor will be frustrating and in vain. You need to stop trying, and start dying to self so that you may be alive to Christ's power.
Struggle and frustration occur when you try to do God's job by your own strength—rather than relying on Christ's strength, which is at work in you.
Eliminate everything unnecessary in your life in order to put first things first.
1 John 5:21 says, Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. The Amplified Bible elaborates on this: Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)--[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. (AMP)
It is imperative that you prevent any sort of substitute from becoming first place in your life. Fill your life with the true, living God, not a phony substitute.
You can tell what is important to you simply by examining how you spend your time. If you are spending so much time trying to make money that you don't spend any quality time with God, then wealth is more important to you than God. Likewise, if you are always spending time with friends and don't have any time to spend with God, then your social life is more important to you than God.
How you use your time is so important, because you can either invest it or waste it. However, if you waste your time, you'll never get it back. On the other hand, if you invest your time into forming a deep, close, personal relationship with God, then you will reap the rewards of such an investment for the rest of eternity.
Decide to put God first in your life: spend significant, quality, personal time with Him. Put the first, most important thing (God) first place in your life.
<
11/30/08
My Christmas Dream
My Christmas Dream
"I had a dream the other night, that the world was full of peace
That people of all creeds and colors, let all hatred cease
That every child in their mother's womb, would have a chance at life
That people would be healed to walk, hear and have sight
That the news we read everyday, would be good and never bad
That all people would recognize, the talents that they have
That every person had a job, and slept in a warm bed
That people in all parts of the world would have food and be fed
That greed, jealousy and envy, would be a thing of the past
That every marriage would be a happy one, and would forever last
That every little girl and boy had a gift under the tree
That the world knew Christ and His love and shared it endlessly
But like all things my dream ended, and I felt a sense of loss
So I prayed the dream would become reality, like Jesus and the Cross"
Brian Jett © 1996
Get Out Of His Way
Get Out Of His Way
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” –John 14:6
The sooner we get out of God’s way do we allow His will to be done. Can we really know His will? According to His Word and certain obvious things you've likely known about yourself for a good while now, I believe we can without question. Worth a try as many of us have tried any and everything else. His will is to give us a future and a hope. Not "feeling" hope doesn't take away its presence. Before you make a rash decision if life and hope don't seem real, read on.
"For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” –Jeremiah 29:11
Not many, including the skeptic, will argue that a peace of mind is vastly more important than a “piece of the pie” as it is currently and culturally defined. If we’re painfully honest, we know that a certain level of education, a certain title, a certain position, and the perfect romantic relationship has left us all feeling a bit if not a lot empty. We somehow know that only perfect love makes way for the perfect relationship by getting fear out of the way.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” -1 John 4:18
Fear dominates our natural human instincts and causes us to use them in some pretty twisted ways. So, when we want to feel better and do so without personally accepting and knowing “Perfect Love” (Jesus Christ), we hurriedly make capricious purchases, pop a pill, greedily gamble, sleep with the prospect lacking perspective, or try to control the uncontrollable.
“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” –Colossians 3:14
By the way, about 90 percent of what we often “worry” about we cannot control. And here is the kicker! Worry knows no God, but is its own little god. And we all know that an autocrat has no place for an autopilot or co-pilot, for that matter, in his cockpit. Ghastly! “Someone greater than me running the show?” the autocrat grumbles. The autocrat demands control of everything and everybody, and never realizes (too busy being in control) that the very things he clings to will eventually escape his grasp.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” - Colossians 3:2
Actually, the control freak is aware that he can’t keep what he thinks he must not only have, but own. More sadly, he can’t fully enjoy life with the reality that he will one day lose it.
“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” -Philippians 3:7
Can you relate? Have you ever seen a “For Sale” sign on a casket including the corpse? Me neither and I doubt any of us will anytime soon! But who am I to say when Christ will return to claim what is rightfully His. God is like that. He wants the copyright and patent on what He has so dearly paid. It cost Him more than each homeowner’s mortgage in Montana. It cost God His only Son’s life. (John 3:16) There is hope for the control freak, but he must surrender it – control that is. What ever we seek first will flat have us last and you can mark this down!
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33
We all want the truth, but are scared to death that who we really are will be revealed. Let me spare you the suspense. Most of those who really know you (certainly family) got your number a long time ago. And if they’ve already got your number, can you imagine the names that they might be calling you? Don’t despair. It doesn’t really matter what color socks you have on anyway. That’s what my friend’s little girl says when questioned about her dress code. Purple socks just don’t go well with a red dress. The little girl will likely give in to conformity, but for now she’s carefree and that’s how we want to be, isn’t it? Those blasted details are what wrap us around the axle and we can easily get stuck in cruise control, thinking folks aren’t paying attention to who we are – hopefully just what we have on! You won’t find a more happy-go-lucky little gal than this! Free to do as she pleases and so are we if only we would.
“But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.” - Romans 7:6
Is it because we can’t or that familiarity breeds dreadful contempt? Could it be we’ve grown more familiar with contempt than a compelling desire to become, at any cost, content? And to think it’s free to beat all. Ask the little girl with purple socks on, and she’ll find our rigidity plumb stupidity. “God gave you joy, and you want to pay Him back with an unauthentic appearance?” she’d muse.
She’d go further. “Lighten up and laugh! You look like a walking rock with eyelids for the goodness’ sake!” with a lilt in her little voice and a grin that got your goat.
She’s right and we know it. A rather despicable spot to be in as a believer. Kind of begs the question of what we believe in, not Who we rely upon? If God came down from Heaven and told us that we had permission to be disciples at peace – without the wasteful worry, the furrowed brow of doubt, or our rightful place in the elusive “Hall of Perfection”, would we take Him up on it? Peace? Contentment? Joy? Kindness? Patience? Self-control? Laughter? Love? More mirth in what has become this so terribly mundane business of life?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
What a misguided guise. Playing the fool to an innocuously invisible front because we fear no one has our back. God does, but who’d know it? We’re not sure we do. We’ve been found out, but it wasn’t as significant as the prophet Nathan catching David asleep at the wheel regarding his yet to be confessed sin with Bathsheba. God sent Nathan then, but we have Jesus Christ now and we don’t quite know what to do with Him. This freedom seems too surreal! We’d like to believe Him at His word, but that’s easier said than done, right? Again, just ask the little girl whose dress code we find awful, but whose freedom to conduct herself like we could if only we would we find delightfully liberating. She’s too young to know about black clothes and bandanas. She’s not trying to be a non-conformist, she’s just being who God made her to be – FREE!
"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." –Mark 10:15
Do you want we she has? I do and I don’t think I have to dress in or out of style to get it. I’ve had it since I asked Christ to come into my life. As a believer, you’ve got it as well. To the non-believer, if you don’t have it just come to Christ just as you are -- purple socks, red dress, blue jeans, black eye, black outs from booze, poor reputation, few friends, no credit line, but soon your sin debt will be paid in full. You’ll be storing up riches in Heaven and God Himself is ensuring that your real rewards remain there. Don’t hesitate. The Devil tells us there is no God, there is no heaven, and that there is no hurry. My friend’s little girl is only six year’s old and has her whole life ahead of her. So do you despite your age. In the backdrop of time without end, this decision will make earthly life worth living, and eternity as God’s own warmly attractive.
“We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” -2 Corinthians 5:8
Tired of the front? So am I. I wonder if God ever kind of tires of watching us play the court jester for no extra pay? A silly side-job anyway, don’t you think? What’s the pay-off? A good image? Similar to a beautifully polished mint ’57 Chevy without an engine, we’ve got the gospel but fear letting go of it. “Let’s go for a ride,” a friend asks. “I would if I could be I can’t.” we lament. Guess what? We don’t keep very well what we’re afraid to share. Many of us wouldn’t even shout it on a mountain in the middle of no where. Imagine sharing it in the office, on the 9th hole, or even in a dark drafty spot that serves beer for the sake of cheer. Shhhhhhh. Tired of the deafening silence?
Tired of holding on to earthly things that will rot, and the gospel that will not?
Me too and so I have a choice today as we all do. It’s not a hard one, but a choice nonetheless. God doesn’t expect me to leap off church pews as this is merely mirrors and lights to the disheartened disbeliever. God is no respecter of men, and talking in tongues may do much for insecure egos, but it says nothing to the desperately desperate man or woman who would love to hear about some Good News in plain English. And if English was never your subject, when you start to speak of God to someone else, He’ll be sure you speak the King’s English. God works that way and many ways I have no clue about. His ways are, not surprisingly, much higher than mine and much better as well. Not shocked, are you? (Smile)
So with excuses aside, share what you have that others really do want that will never ever fade away!
B. Jett (c) 2003
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