The doodlepad

Just thought I'd drop a note and let people know they are more than welcome to come over and check out the mullings of a moron. Err, maybe just the ramblings of fool? Ok, so it's just a daily thought or so from yours truly. Just click on The Doodlepad...

Spiritual Discipline #1 - Fasting

Fasting… “Giving up something good in order to obtain something better.”

Let’s have some fun with fasting this coming Tuesday. I propose that we join together in doing a 24 hour juice fast, starting this coming Monday night at 8pm. Then at 8pm Tuesday, we will start Kairos with a meal! We will provide salad and drinks, but please bring some money to chip in for pizza.

The guidelines for the fast are as follows, if you would like to participate. You can drink as much juice as you would like. It needs to be labeled 100% juice. Or you can stop by Jamba juice and get a carrot juice! Also, make sure that you are drinking lots of water throughout the day.

It helps a lot to have a reason for the fast. If you don’t have anything else to pray about, please focus your prayers in on Lisamarie or Kelley (see below).

Also - for those Kairos members who are scattered far and wide - please join us in this fast!

Please share any thoughts or ideas about fasting that you have....

Contest.......

Just wanted to say “thanks” to everyone who helped (and to those who wanted to help!) with the move into our new house. This picture was taken on Saturday, Aug 20th, and yes - that's hail on the ground!

Kairos will meet at our home from now on. Email me for directions!

So, here’s the contest – who can think of the best quote for what Rob is thinking in this picture????? (Thanks for being a good sport, Rob!)

Lisamarie's Prayer Request

Lisamarie is facing a tough situation and needs our prayers. Basically, she can only be “checked out” by staff and by her “Spiritual Family” in Canada. However, at the moment there is a conflict with her Spiritual Family, and a new rule at the home says that staff can’t check the students out. All the other girls in the program have family nearby who check them out, but Lisamarie is left without an “escape.”

Please pray that a fair and just solution will be arrived at quickly. Pray that Lisamarie’s attitude would be right. THANKS!

Memorization??

So, does anyone have any ideas on memorization?? I would like to see us putting God’s word into our hearts and minds, but I would rather not be the one to pick what it is this time. It should be something that you want to memorize. Let’s be looking for a passage, not just a single verse.

Post your comments on what would interest you, and we will make a decision from there on where to go with it!

Thanks for the ideas! Check out the comments and think about which one you are interested in!

On Fire for God!

Thanks to Kristen and Lisamarie for sharing with Kairos about their adventures over the past while. A common theme seemed to be the need to be taken away from our comfort zones for us to grow, and the necessity of faith to see great things happen.

Does anyone have any ideas on how we as Kairos can be challenged in these areas this Fall??

Is that gum on my shoe?

Sunday afternoon thought--

Do you ever wonder why so many little things seemed to get us riled up, get our blood flowing, even boiling? Why is it that something as simple as getting gum stuck on your shoe, or hitting every red light on the way to work when you are in a hurry, can ruin your entire outlook for a day? Did something get amiss, when we know it's not important? How do we so often misplace importance with immediacy, and forget the long-term consequences and goals of our existence?

Are we similar to Israel, in that despite the workings of God, the words of God, and the actions of God, we get caught up in a hustle and bustle of daily life, losing the importance. John Wooden, the famous basketball coach has a maxim that says "Make every day your masterpiece." Will Smith, in Hitch, says, "Live each day on purpose." Why is this so difficult to do sometimes? God is near, and God is listening, waiting for us to call on His name, to give Him our concerns, our worries, our joys, to give Him the glory. How much different could this world be if we lived this way--placing the focus where it is and really living salty.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." --Matthew 5:13-16

Think about it--what can we do to keep salty? How can we make each day our masterpiece for the Lord, to glorify His name? Let's take the next step, right out of the boat. A little scary, the unknown, but Jesus is there to keep us from sinking...

Edwin and Jessie Shonts

Congrats to the lovely couple!! This is a pretty exciting time – our first Kairos wedding! It was a beautiful event. May God continue to shower you two with favor all throughout the rest of your lives together.

I also couldn’t miss the opportunity for a picture of these Kairos folks dressed up nice and looking so spiffy! We clean up pretty good!

Canada - EH!

Welcome home Lisamarie!! We are so glad to have you home for a visit! We are so proud of you for sticking with your desire to be free – really free. You are an example for all of us in your desire to know truth. May the truth set you, and each of us, FREE.

Love, -Kairos

Do you REALLY believe?

Thanks to everyone for making the discussion so good last night. We first talked about how everyone matters, each of us has value. It is so cool when everyone is real, when we are not focusing on externals (either complementing looks OR making fun of looks), but rather focusing on internals (integrity, compassion, purity, etc.). I pray for more conviction in all of us to look at the heart, not the outward person.

Then we learned about loving ourselves - “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller shares how he had a problem with negative self-talk, telling himself that he was a loser, and not being able to receive love from people. The breakthrough came when he realized that he would never talk to his neighbor the way that he talked to himself! Then he realized that it couldn’t be wrong to “receive love” because someone had to give it before you could receive it, and God definitely wants us to give love, so therefore he must want us to be able to receive love.

And receiving love might be the most important thing we ever learn! Not only will it affect all of our relationships here on earth, but receiving love will also let us enjoy the best relationship that we could ever want… a friendship with God.

A final thought to leave you with. Most of us who have been in this “Christianity thing” for awhile know that God loves us. We know it – but do we believe it? Does the fact that God loves us shape how we live? Have we experienced his love? Have you experienced God’s love? Really experienced it? Would you be willing to post your experience?

Sky Sox - Aug 11

OK, so I guess baseball players melt in the rain or something. Or maybe it's that their chew mixes with the rain and starts leaving slobber all over or something???

Yes, the game was cancelled due to some sprinkles. And the $20 we spent on tickets for our family? Oh, "just come back and trade them in for another game!" And the $5 we spent to park? "Sorry."

Not that I'm bitter or anything. One good thing did come out of the evening - a great picture of Dave and Megan! We will miss you both as you head off to school soon. :(