Welcome to Friday - 4.25.14

Welcome to Friday!

Our week was full, fast and fantastic.  We had an amazing Easter.  I had an opportunity to share the good news and joy of Easter with the sunrise service at our church and with a good friend of mine from basketball.  I think it went very well during the service and afterwards as we shared our journey of faith.  I enjoyed sharing my faith journey with my church family.  

The rest of the day was equally amazing.  The girls were involved with skits, and speeches at church as a part of our Easter program.  The skit was even written by Arianna, my niece.  She, of course, was the star of the skit.  It also featured my nieces and nephew and oldest girls.  Later in the day we shared in the blessing of my sister's new home.  Her house is amazing.  It is truly a blessing from God and I cannot imagine anyone else who I'd like to see enjoy the fruit of a faithful and diligent life.  It was an amazing kick start to a great week.

On Monday, the girls went back to school this week and that was a challenge.  After a week off from school, no one wanted to get up on Monday.  I struggled to get up myself.  I have struggled to get up for the last two or three weeks, but thankfully by Tuesday we were starting to come back around to things.

Wednesday was the hardest day this week.  At work my team's project was put on the shelf and at home Emma and Ava decided to double team me while Trish and the older girls went shopping.  Emma would hang off of my leg every time I moved.  While Ava would take advantage of the distraction to go and plunder the pantry or pull down something from anywhere she could reach.  Not to mention that Sydney and Paige both played the "when will dinner be ready" card over and over.

Thursday was a great day.  Not only did God send peace about my project's status, but he opened my eyes to see the benefits of the company decision and helped me rally our team towards our new direction.  That night we were treated to a wonderful jazz concert by the jazz band at DFHS.  Cassarra, who normally plays flute, played the saxophone.  The jazz band sounded great.

Today a few of us headed off to hear Sydney sing with the honor choir.  They performed at Carowinds as a part of the music festival.  Their choir received a rating of "Superior."  Sydney and Paige had a good time at Carowinds.  They rode a few rides, burned through our cash and left with a full belly and a Cinabon cinnamon role.  Once we made it back home we waited on and waited for Gabbi to get ready for her 8th grade formal.  She has been looking forward to her formal all week.  She has picked out shoes, accessories, and an amazing dress.  I can't believe she is growing up so fast.  I can't believe they all are growing so fast.  She looked fantastic in her dress.  She had all of her accessories lined up and even got a friend of Cassarra's to do her hair.

All in all, a great week.  I'm looking forward to an even better weekend!

I hope you have a great day and a wonderful weekend.  Take care and may the light of the Eternal shine on you to grant you blessings and peace.

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius

A matter of order

Thanks to my sister Katina, a few years ago I started a new morning work routine.  While my computer is booting up I grab a devotional book off my bookshelf and I read a passage.  After reading the passage, I write the accompanying verse at the top of my notebook beside the date and then get started with email and the rest of my work day.  The verse in my notebook reminds me of what I read and helps center me during the difficult moments of work.

Some days, in addition to the verse I jot down a few thoughts from the reading or a few thoughts related to the verse itself.  On Thursday the verse of the day was from Nehemiah 8:10, "This is a sacred day before our Lord."  As I read the verse again, I jotted down the date and proceeded to copy it out onto my notepad.  The verse suddenly began twirling in my head along side my anxious thoughts about work.

To give you a little background information, on Wednesday afternoon the team I manage was asked to present to the executive staff.  We were ordered, prepared, thorough and - tragically doomed!  The entire executive staff had dropped hints all week that our project, "my statement/defining project" was going to be killed.  I went into the meeting armed with more facts, figures and insight than had ever been given in these meetings before.  I was hoping that somehow we would convince the leadership to give us the go ahead.  Midway through the meeting it all looked promising.  Our COO was engaged, asking questions, and realizing that in some regards he had been mislead about our progress and the project risk.  As the excitement grew we completed our pitch, but still heard the words that signified we were done.

Now back to Thursday!  No flagship project!  No statement and career defining project in the works!  Now what, I thought.  My thoughts were fearful.  What about my job, my role, my status, my plans and future direction?  How will my team define itself?  How will I argue for that pay raise now?  How will we keep the team together?  My thoughts were fearful and if I was being honest, I was scared.

Now enter the verse and the collision.  As I transcribed the words from the verse I realized that Nehemiah faced uncertainty, difficulty, adversity and fearful circumstances.  Yet, in his moment and his work he declared that "This is a sacred day before our Lord."  I wrote the word sacred just as it collided with the word scared from Wednesday.  And in that moment I realized that from scared to sacred is only one letter and one place.

So what?  I can imagine that is what you are thinking.  Yes, I know you took spelling.  And, yes I know that if you move the "a" in scared one place to the left you get sacred.  So what?  Well, consider this thought.  If the spelling of scared and sacred are a matter of placement, perhaps having a day of being scared or sacred is a matter of placement as well.  What if all we have to do to go from being scared of the day, to having a sacred day is to move things over.  What if we simply have to move All that we fear and worry about in the day to come back to its rightful place at the foot of the Cross?

In fear we tend to move the fears, worries and anxieties in the wrong direction.  We let things get out of order.  In making it sacred, we listen to the words of  Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious for anything but in everything by prayer and supplication make your request known to Almighty God and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts in Christ Jesus."

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius
 

Why do we get Peter's denial?

Why do we get Peter's denial?

In Mark's Gospel we get a series of events that I find interesting.  Mark by many accounts appears to be handing down the preaching, sermons, memories, teachings, and eyewitness account of Peter.  Numerous accounts and commentaries point out the tradition that Mark accompanied both Paul and Peter.  Countless details in Mark are affirmed and confirmed by the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.  In a number of other places and studies we get the distinct impression that nothing in the Gospel of Mark is left to chance. Main threads have purpose, urgency, and a dedication to the picture of Jesus as Messiah, the coming of the kingdom, the need for salvation, and the perfect character of Christ -[ reference].  Even the details of numbers, names, places, people, towns and areas all have a purpose.

In this background I found it even more interesting to note that Peter's denial is captured in the story.  Peter is teaching and recounting the stories of three or more years with Jesus.  Why not edit out the bad stuff?  Sure, Luke points out Peter's issues and Matthew too.  Perhaps Matthew, as the tax collector turned disciple, is writing from his own memory and therefore includes the story.  Maybe Luke investigated enough; spoke to some of the others, talked to Mary, or whatever and includes the story as a part of the accurate re-telling.  But why would Peter re-count and re-tell his story and include such a low point, such a moment of weakness and desertion?  Why do we get Peter's denial in all of the Gospel stories and especially in the one so closely linked to Peter's own testimony?

Keys reasons:

1. Its the truth
2. To explain, share, teach and deliver a glimpse into the infinite and unfathomable love and grace of Christ.  
3. To help us relate and receive the "east to west" type of forgiveness that has been given to us as it was also given to Peter.

First, simply put the story is here because it is the truth.  Yes, Peter was bold and a water walker, but he was also a human.  In a moment of fear and confusion, where dreams were being dashed, hopes were falling, and everything he thought he understood was being turned upside down, Peter denied Jesus.  He denied he knew him, denied he followed him, and denied that he was the promised and hoped for Messiah.  "I am not," "I was not," "I do not know the man," were his declarations.  

Second, the story is here because it shows the depth of God's love.  After Peter's denial we see him in shame, going back out of the courtyard bawling and weeping. Like other authors like Max Lucado have suggested, this isn't a few tears streaming down.  No, Peter is bawling!  Tears are streaming down his face.  He has that nasty runny nose going, and I even imagine that his tears have soaked his robe and his eyes are bloodshot red.  If you can remember your days as a child, I imagine that with each tear is a heavy sob, a deep breath and a flood of emotion.  Why?  He had promised, and he had failed.  He had been bold on the road, but a coward in the face of the maiden who said, "Aren't you one of them?"  But, the story doesn't end here.  Instead the story continues with Peter seeing the empty tomb, beholding the risen Christ, and jumping out of the boat to meet Christ on the shore.  The story doesn't end with the denial.  Instead the story continues on to the point where Peter is reaffirmed as a disciple and apostle, and as a shepherd of the church.  The story even continues with Peter ministering, healing and spreading the Gospel to Gentiles.  In fact, the story goes on until Peter willing goes to his death for the Lord and Savior that he loves.   The story is here to show us just how deep and amazing God's love really is.  Can you imagine forgiving your friend who did to you what Peter did?  There are people right now who won't forgive someone for taking the last cookie, and would never consider forgiving a friend who deserted you in your time of need.  But that is what makes Him our Savior.  He does what we cannot and often are not willing to do.  He did it for Peter, and by doing it for Peter he showed us just how strong his love is.

Third, because just like Peter we are one who had seen and failed to understand, when the wheels fall off we reach for swords instead of Christ.  Just like Peter, we are asleep when we should have been up.  And just like Peter, in the dark when the fire is around and the interrogation begins we betray him too.  We promise never to ______________________ (fill in the blank).  And yet before the words are even dry on the page, or have fallen too far from our lips we find ourselves guilty.  I will never lie again, oops!  I will never have another drink, oops!  I will never get angry again, oops!  I will kick this habit, oops!  I will break it off with him/her, oops!  I will _________________, oops!  We too know what it is like to be bold like Peter.  We too know what it is like to make promises like Peter.  We too know what it is like to think we can do it, plan to do it, promise to do it, and yet fail miserably.  So, why do we get Peter's denial?

Peter's story is told mostly because we need to know that He still loves us too!

Welcome to Friday - 4.18.2014

Welcome to Friday!

What a great week and an awesome day of celebration.  From a heart filled with love and gratitude I welcome you to Friday, and I wish you joy on this "Good Friday!"  

I had a very interesting week.  The kids were on spring break this week, so I didn't have to rush anyone to school or try to wake up the whole crew.  Cassarra took full advantage of the "no school" part of spring break and slept in quite late.  Gabbi snapped a picture of her at 11:40, still in bed.  With the exception of Paige and Ava, pretty much all of the girls took full advantage of spring break and not having to get up early.  Okay, so really and truly in some way or another all of us took advantage of a lighter, slower, less stressful morning routine.  I thought I would get up early all week long to workout a little longer, get to work earlier, and get off earlier.  In reality I slept a little later.  I started the week with great plans to do so many things.  I ended the week with a very long list of things that were not done, but very little disappointment about having left them undone.  

This week Trish and I had some more early morning time with Ava (2am and 3am), discovered that certain exercises are really tough when you skip them for a week, and discovered that Paige only has trouble getting up when she has to go to school.  I did manage to get to work at the normal time - most days.  I spent a lot of time during the week in meetings.  Matthew says this is the usual for my office.  Thankfully, God has blessed us to have much more productive meetings since the days when Matthew and Joshua job shadowed me and fell asleep at the office.  I didn't get off on time this week either.  In fact, a few of those productive meetings didn't actually start until after 5pm.  

Anyway, even though it didn't go as I thought I would still say, "Thank God for another amazing week!"  From Sunday's quick trip to Georgetown to yesterday's lunch with the girls, I've had many bright spots.  I enjoyed spending time, even if it was only a few hours, in Georgetown.  It was one of the highlights of the week.  We hung out and watched some movies early in the week together, and visited a friend of the family.  The best part of the week was having the girls meet me for lunch.  We went to San Jose and shared laughs and updates.  I sat between Ava and Emma and was constantly challenged by Ava wanting to rub her salsa covered hands on my shirt, and Emma wanting to grab food off of my plate.  It was fun to see so many beautiful faces in the middle of the work day.  It was a rare treat and I enjoyed it all.  We even had a good long laugh as Cassarra provided us with her tips and solutions for problems.  It went something like this:

• If you have a headache, take a nap
• If your stomach hurts, take a nap
• If you are hungry, get a snack and take a nap
• If your tired, take a nap
• If your sisters are bothering you, close your door and take a nap

Gabbi and I added a few more to her list (based on some of her tendencies 

• If dinner isn't ready, take a nap
• If mom asks you to clean your room, take a nap
• If you just woke up, take a nap
• If you just ate dinner, take a nap
• If you were asked to babysit, take a nap
• If you can't go out with friends, take a nap

I hope and pray that you have had a wonderful day and an amazing week.  Take time to celebrate the unfathomable and steadfast love of the One who always has and always will hold you.

Have a joyful and hope filled "Good Friday."  

He was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our sins, 

the punishment that brought us 

peace was on him, and by his 

wounds we are healed!

Isaiah 53:5

Welcome to Friday!

With love (& in triumph),

Cassius

Welcome to Friday - 4.11.2014

Welcome to Friday!

      

How would you describe your week if you only had one word to describe it with?

If I only had one word to describe this week I would use diverse.  This has been a very good week and it has been filled with a diverse array of things.  We have had joyful, heartfelt and very tender moments this week.  We have also had some somber and sad moments.  I've also had a moment that nearly made me jump out of my skin.

Some of the joyful moments of our week include the moment that we realized we finally had some semblance of good health at home.  Trish and I were able to go out on a lunch date on Sunday.  We caught up on laughs, tears, joys and celebrations that seemed to get rushed our pushed aside b/c of all of the coughs, colds, fevers, runny noses and aches that had infected the family the last few weeks.  

Another joyful and amazing moment was Sydney's birthday on Wednesday.  Early Wednesday morning we woke Sydney up with happy birthday cheers and the sounds of several off key singers trying to sing different versions of "Happy Birthday!"  Sydney really enjoyed the start of her day.  Her sisters treated her to breakfast, she had decorations and balloons all over the house, and we got to school on time!  The best part of her morning, though, was have her granddaddy Felix call her - the first one to call - and sing her Happy Birthday!  You should have seen her rave about her birthday call.  She asked me, has granddaddy ever called you to sing happy birthday?  Oh yeah, she bragged and bragged with excitement.  It was the highlight of her morning.  Just one more reason why my dad is awesome.  I love that guy!  Sydney's celebration after school was great.  We went to Olive Garden and had dinner.  It was our first time out in quite a while given the fact that Ava and Emma tend to find creative ways to misbehave in restaurants.  Sydney ordered her favorites and even tried a new appetizer.  After dinner we all had way too much cake and ice cream and capped it off with laughs.  A real treat for us was watching Ava confiscate Sydney's birthday presents just like she had done to Paige in December and Emma in March.

One of the somber and tender moments of the week came when I attended a Home going celebration of life on Wednesday during lunch.  It was a service for our friend and neighbor who passed away last Saturday.  I watched as people spoke of Ralph's tender love and care for his wife, children and grandchildren.  I marveled at the phrases used to describe him most, "A man who knew no barriers to loving others," and "A man who loved God."  His celebration was amazing as people smiled and talked of gentle hands, caring heart, laughter, concern and gifts given at just the right time to friends, family and strangers who would later become like family. 

The jump out of your skin moment happened on Monday morning.  I walked into our office building around 7:45 and I just happened to look down at the floor.  Cool, I thought we finally added a new slip mat on the floor.  Apparently that was not all we added, because just as my foot hit the end of the mat, I also noticed that less than six inches away from my right foot was a snake.  No, not outside!  No, not in the grass or on the sidewalk.  This thing was inside the building, on the nice tile floor.  I nearly jumped out of my skin.  But once I composed myself I proceeded to the janitor's closet and gave that little guy a real bad headache.  Who knew the power of a dust pan!  Admittedly I was shaken for the rest of the day.

So, diverse is the word for my week.  It has been filled with many diverse experience, diverse emotions, and a diversity of wonders from the hand of the one who creates "wow" moments all throughout history.  So, with great joy and excitement I wish you all the best for today and for this coming weekend.  I hope that today is filled with abundant love, happiness, wisdom and strength.  Have a great day and an amazing weekend.  Welcome to Friday!

Welcome to Friday!

With love (& in triumph)
Cassius

Better yet, bring them up!

Many times we spend our days trying to fit in with the crowd around us.   We dress down, talk down, look down and lower our standards for them.

All the while we languish on the inside because we know that we were made to be excellent, not average. We were made to stand out, not blend in.  We were made for the Eternal, not just the right now.

You are a wonderful creation and an example given to glorify God by your character, success and faithfulness.

Don't blend in, bring others up!

Nothing wasted..

Back in the late 90’s I played basketball with a group of friends on an outdoor court.  When it rained we often had to use one of the guy’s squeegees to help remove the pools of water and dry the court.  With such a large court it often took a long time for one person, so a few of us bought another set of squeegees.  After a few years we switched offices and started playing on a much nicer indoor court and I retired my squeegee to the garage. 

Over time the squeegee went from being a needed item to prepare the court for lunchtime basketball to a nuisance that, even in the garage, was in the way.  One day as I moved it around for what seemed like the 100th time, I lamented the purchase, wondered if it would ever be used again, and wished it were "Trash Day" so I could throw it out.  Lucky for me, later that week I needed the squeegee to clean off all the water on our porch at home following a pressure washing fiasco.

This squeegee reminded me of our how God often sees and uses our past experiences for greater good.  Many times when we are younger we do and experience things which we may lament, wonder why they happened, and we often wish we could erase them out of our memories.  I have memories of mistakes, harsh words, failures, and episodes of being ungodly.  I can recall hurtful memories and disappointment created by disobedience to God.  Even though I try, and even though you try, sadly we can’t erase these memories or experiences.  We may try to get them out of our minds, rearrange our mental garages and move the pain to the back.  Yet, somehow they keep coming back up.  Somehow our pain seems to come up and get in the way, just the way the squeegee seemed to always show up in the wrong spot at the wrong time in my garage.

It is comforting to know that no matter the experience, God is able to use it to bring glory to his name and to lead others into a deeper relationship with him.  Our task is to wait patiently until the divine encounter to share our experience occurs.  In the meantime we can enjoy the comfort of his peace and forgiveness for our past sins.  Scriptures remind us that God's grace is sufficient and his love unconditional.  Whenever painful memories trouble your soul, lean on that grace and fall into his loving embrace and realize that God may be saving that memory and experience for another time when you will need it, or when someone else will need it.

Thanks for shopping at Bi-Lo

Several years ago I was standing in line at Bi-lo.  The line was long and only one register seemed open.  As I got to the register the lady there wasn't smiling.  In my mind she wasn't pleasant and she barely spoke a word.  Later, I learned that "we/customers" are often the reason there is no smile.  Anyway, on this visit I simply left and I took my incorrect perceptions with me.

The next time I arrived at Bi-lo I was in her line again.  I thought to myself that I would just move on as quickly as I could through her line.  But as I moved towards the debit reader, I heard God tell me speak to her.  He told me to tell her thank you; thank you for doing a great job, thank you for your help and have a great day.  So, I reached in my pocket and I gave her a card that said those words. 

After this visit it was several months before I returned to Bi-lo.  I had no idea what happened in between then and now to explain the gap.  Once again I was in her line.  As I approached her register and stood in front of her she lifted her eyes slightly, "Thanks for the card.  No one ever says thank you."  I was stunned!  I could only muster a slight mumble, "You are welcome."  

What has followed since then has been amazing and awe inspiring.  She smiles when I come through the line and if she doesn't smile she tells me why and asks for prayer.  At least once a month I stop in and speak.  I catch up with how she is doing and try to remember to say thank you.  On this one morning, the 3rd of February I heard God tell me to stop at Bi-lo.  I didn't know why, but he said stop by and speak to her and see how she is doing.  I thought - this can't be right.  I tried to ignore it.  I reasoned, God, she isn't even in the store.  I looked in the window and I didn't see her.  But, the voice kept saying stop - go in and give her a hug.  I thought - what!  Really!  I'm not a huge person who gives hugs to strangers.  

So, what do I do - I pass right on through the parking lot.  It's not her I tell myself because the lady in the window doesn't look like her and doesn't have the same hair do.  As I get right to the end of the parking lot, I hear the voice again telling me to go in and give her a hug.  So, now what?  I say to myself.  Okay God, I'm going to prove to you that it isn't her.  I'm going to go back and I'm going to go in the store and once I'm there we will both see that the young lady in the widow with the teenage hair style is not my friend the cashier.  

A quick U-turn and I'm back in the parking lot.  I hop out of the truck, through the doors and start my way over towards the registers.  Just as I'm near the young lady she turns and sure enough it is my friend from earlier.  It is the same lady who I gave the thank you card to, and who explained to me how often she has to deal with the rudeness and rush of customers like me.  It is the same lady who helped me recognize that compassion and witness can occur in the line at Bi-lo.  I didn't recognize her through the window because she had a totally new hair style and also a brand new uniform on.  As I walked towards her she started smiling.  I started my words, "God just told me to come in here and give you a hug," and she interrupts me.  She says, "You must have been meant to come in here today because today is my birthday!" 

God is so awesome.  He does things that are beyond our imagination.  God spoke to me, helped me listen.  God spoke to me, let me go through my own confusion, doubts and questions.  God spoke to me and sent me into the store to wish someone a good day and a Happy Birthday.  

To call him Amazing is an understatement!  When God speaks and confirms his message to you - watch out - something amazing and beyond your imagination is about to take place.

Welcome to Friday - 4.4.2014

 Welcome to Friday!

      

With great joy, tremendous excitement and a heart full and overflowing with love I send you this message to say, "Welcome to Friday!"  

We had a great week!  We are starting to see a beautiful light at the end of the tunnel of our family cold & illness saga.  A few weeks ago we only had two out of the eight people feeling well, and this week we have seven healthy bodies (or mostly so).  Gabbi decided she couldn't be the only one without pink eye, so she joined the ranks of those with it or who had it.  Unlike Sydney, Gabbi loved being home from school for two days.  She managed to watch every one of her favorite Disney shows and catch up on several Disney movies.  

Trish has recovered very well.  She has rebounded over her cold and now has only the pollen to deal with.  Our house, our joy, our excitement and flow is so much better when Trish is feeling well.  I am so thankful and blessed to have her as my wife, best friend, and partner on this journey.  I tell the girls all the time that they should be so grateful because it would be a basic and bland life without her loving touch.  Our joke is always without Trish they wouldn't know that any designer existed other than the store brand.

Ava has recovered from her cold as evidenced by her increasing activity level, appetite and her return to "interesting behavior."  One day this week I discovered that she was now feeling good enough to start placing various items into the fish tank.  We discovered everything from socks, teddy bears and books floating or resting in the tank.  The fish seemed quite intrigued by their new decorations.  Last night the girls asked who was a busier two year old, Sydney or Ava?  While Sydney was the original, Ava won the vote hands down.

Sydney has also recovered from her cold, and aside from teething Emma seems well also.  Cassarra and Paige are still doing well and only seem to have the pollen to deal with as well.  Thanks for your prayers for our family.  We are hoping that a great house cleaning and the fresh spring air will bring a close to our journey through cold season.

The best part of my week was actually a part of last weekend.  Last weekend, Sydney and I spent a large part of the weekend at a "Confirmation Retreat."  At this retreat, Sydney had a chance to serve her peers and even older youth during a communion service.  She was selected because of her maturity, ability to answer clearly, and make connections with people.  She was awesome.  

I hope that you have had blessed and productive week.  I hope you will have a great weekend.  Take care and enjoy the warmth, sunshine and beauty all around!

Welcome to Friday!  

With love (& in triumph),
Cassius