CHANGE


...from cocoon to butterfly.

Change. We all experience it, whether we welcome it or not. Change is necessary, but not always needed. Change keeps us alert and stimulates us, but often makes us withdraw. Change is welcomed, and change is resisted. Change causes many of us to long for the good ole days. Change is what we get when we paid too much? What?

Not all change is good, nor is all change helpful. One thing for sure, though, without change we would not look the way we do, act the way we do, love the way we do, forgive the way we do, or change the way we do. Change begets change. Change ruins your pockets.

Wishing I could throw a changeup,
DOM

HELP! I NEED YOU!



I have found that all to often my default mode is to disregard help and "go it alone." I seem to think that I can figure things out enough to put a plan in place to get to where I believe I need to be. Certainly, it can't be difficult to become who I believe God has called me to be! By going it alone, I don't have to deal with the accountability factor - someone in my face asking me the tough questions. Who needs it? This attitude knows no boundaries for me and bleeds over into many areas of my life, even my leisure time. For instance, I've never taken a golf lesson in my life. I've been playing the game for 41 years without one lesson. My golf game shows it! For 41 years I have convinced myself that I can figure this simple game out on my own, but I haven't and I won't. I need help.

Bottomline, I need others! I need others in my life who know me, love me, and are not afraid to speak truth into my life or ask the tough questions. I have learned that delivering a lesson or advice, is easier than receiving it, and that needs to change. I also need a golf pro!

Far better to receive than give,
DOM(inator)

HARMLESS??



If you tune into late night Fox News, MSNBC, and many "talking head" news shows, you hear a continuing diatribe about the Michael Jackson trial. The ratings must be there, or they would cease to cover this case, and move on to something else. Why is America so "locked on" and interested in these kind of court cases? It all reminds me of professional wrestling...we all know it's bizaare and not for real, but we watch anyway...an addiction in a wierd sort of way. Just once, I wish the television show ratings people would call me.

Trying to figure out why I'm even blogging about this. Have I become one of "them?"

DOM

SIMPLY THE BEST

Why is it so important to be the best? Should being the best be a worthy goal? If I'm not striving to be the best, should I be classified as an underachiever or a slacker? And, while we're at it, what about contentment? How content should I be? Where does contentment end and sluggard begin? Can I be the best at being content? What?

"Simply the best, better than all the rest" TT
DOM

GRANDCHILDREN and PERFECTION

The great thing about grandchildren is that I'm able to see them - Autumn, Savannah, Aitchie and Hudson - as I believe God sees the four of them, and us...even me - perfect in every way. Maybe that's exactly why God came up with the idea of grandkids? Whether it's enjoying a Cold Stone "gotta have it", a Where's Waldo book, or just playing "chase", grandkids bring smiles and laughter to my life. It gives me just a glimpse of how God loves to bring joy in our lives.

Thanks Aubs, Sav, H-unit, Hudsa for bringing the joy too!

Feeling dusty,
DOM

SPINNING WHEELS

Today it felt like I was spinning my wheels all day long and not really going any where. I just couldn't get any traction. I downshifted at lunch, braked at dinner, but I really couldn't stop the wheels from spinning...until I stopped in at Cold Stone for a "big one" - a Fruit Stand Rendezvous. I was able to spend some relaxing and quality hang time with Steve and Vickster, along with the "perfect" grandkids. What a treat! Almost immediately, the spinning just faded away.

"Ride a painted pony, let the spinning wheel spin" (BS&T)
DOM

BLESSING

I came across this blessing the other day, and thought I'd pass it on and bless you with it. I have no clue who wrote it...probably Wesley?

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, superficial relationships, so that you will live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you will work for justice, equality and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.

Dancing on injustice,
DOM

GOOD MORNING

When Tony Campolo was 16 years old, he attended his first funeral at a black Baptist church.

"I was there," Tony said, "because my good friend Clarence had died. He wasn't young, but he wasn't old, and my heart was broken that my friend had died so suddenly.

The pastor began the service by talking about the resurrection and the glory of that day. He left the pulpit and spoke directly to Clarence's family. He talked to them about the 14th chapter of John, where Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. I wouldn't have told you this if it weren't so. And I'm going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go there and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself."

Then the pastor did something strange. He turned from the family and approached the casket and began addressing the dead man. "Clarence!" the pastor said. "Clarence!"

He said it with such authority, Tony says, "We expected Clarence to sit up and say, 'Yes, what do you want?'"

"Clarence," the pastor said, "you left us too fast. You left us too soon." And he recalled the story of Clarence's life. He told Clarence of the ways in which his life had blessed the church, blessed his family, blessed strangers and people in his neighborhood.

"Now, Clarence," the pastor concluded. "We have said it all, and there's only one thing left to say."And with that the pastor grabbed the lid of the casket and slammed it shut with a resounding BANG! "Good night, Clarence!"

The pastor turned toward the stunned congregation and said again, "Good night, Clarence!" And then, with a sly smile, "We'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Clarence," the pastor said. "Because God is going to give you a good morning up there. Good night, Clarence, because God is giving you a good, good morning. I know, I know," he said, "I know there's a good morning up there."

And the organ began to play and the choir began to sing, "On that great gettin' up morning, we're going to rise, we're going to rise. On that great gettin' up morning, we're going to rise." And the pastor and the congregation began to sing with them and the people moved into the aisles hugging and crying and laughing and crying some more, clapping and singing and dancing with the choir and with Clarence and with the great cloud of witnesses who have gone on before.


Heading toward becoming a morning person,
DOM

WEATHER

Isn't it interesting that people get so caught up in the weather? I was out and about today, and a couple of people I've never met before, felt a strange urge, and freedom to speak to me about the weather, of all things. Why do people find it so easy to talk to a total stranger about the weather? Is it because the weather is what it is and it can't be disputed? Maybe we're all guilty of getting caught up with this thing called the weather. Maybe we should since it is our living environment...it effects where we live, how we dress, how we set the thermostat, whether we clean those golf clubs and get them ready to make divots in beautiful fairways, take a walk, or even smile and be friendly to total strangers. We even watch the weather forecast to find out what tomorrow will look like. Then we watch the weather report at the end of the day, to find out what the weather was like during that day. What's up with that?

If I would allow Christ to affect my life in the same way I allow the weather to affect me, what would I look like? Would you recognize me? Maybe I would look like my hero, Tom Skilling the weather guy in Chicago.



DOM, Weather you like it or not.