I know it is getting cold but it could be worse......

That kind of sums up today. COLD.

Now there are lots of things I do  and some are very necessary to life. Eat, sleep, bathe are things that I must do to be healthy. So I do them. But what I read, what I write (particularly on this blog) and what I try to teach are all choices I make. What I say, the way I dress, the people I hang around with are all my choice. I would love to choose to "hang around with many more, more often if I could but you have to make a choice who you will hang out with and for how long.

Examining your own heart is important. You may discover...

• I do some things out of habit
• I do some things with a hope of being noticed
• I do some things as stress releif
• I do some things because I like to do them
• I do some things because I really need to in order to help someone else.
• I do some things I do not want to do because I have to.
• I do some things because God said to.

I am sure you can add your own reasons I am sure I could add more but, I am stopping the list because I want to.

So what prompted me to write this frivolity this morning? I was thinking about why I write this blog. And Paul's message or prayer in the first chapter of Ephesians really came to my mind. So many of you glace at this to see if there is something kind of cool I have latched onto for the day. Others come to see what is happening in the Davis family. Some read now and then, some read every day, but people come to this site regularly. Why do they come and why do I keep writing? Here is the answers I came up with...

I am seeking Jesus. I have lots of bumps on the way, but I think I am still going the right direction. Some of you are going with me towards Him. If I make a wrong turn while I am driving, please tell me. Sometimes I am trying to get others to drive too. Often, I am just trying to encourage and keep each others spirits high on this incredible journey we call life. I write sometimes because I can, and I think it is good for me. I write sometimes because I know some of you will read. I write sometimes because God has given me somehing to write.

I want to end this little thought process about writing to explain why I write, and maybe a little bit of why you read this blog with the thought that Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus.  May this truly be what is in my heart for you.

15Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,^e 16I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom^f and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.^g

19I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. Ephesians 1: 15-23 NLT

This morning my friend Robby Findley spoke some great words of wisdom that I feel compelled to share. It seems our culture has begun an onslaught against men. Men are portrayed as dumb, bumbling, beer drinking, self-centered, idiots by the Television and movies far too often. This sterotype is not good for the men who would stand up and be men of God. But Robby made the point how we as Christian men and men in general seem to propagate this by our talk with each other. It is always who can "cut down the other with the sharpest and wittiest  words." This game of one -upmanship is constant among so many men. We try to get our verbal jabs in to poke and run down our "friends" constantly. Why? I ask again Why?

Why cannot we speak words of affirmation on a constant basis. Why can't we build one another up in Christ. We should speak love to each other about all things that are going on in our lives. Very sobering words that you might think about before words or sarcasm leave your mouth. If you talk about your fellow men about what the Lord is doing in your life and what you see that He is doing in theirs, It might start to change the whole world around you.

But as for you, son of man, your fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak to one another, each to his brother, saying, 'Come now and hear what the message is which comes forth from the LORD.' Ezekiel 33:30 NAS

One thing is for sure when we have big decisions we will only be able to make the decision based on the knowledge we have or the knowledge of the ones we ask to help us make the decision.

One of the biggest decisions in life I have helped people to make is that of getting married. Of course I always council people to marry them. Once upon a time, actually a long time ago now, I had someone call me on a Tuesday and said to me something like this, "Hey what are you doing Saturday?" I thought he wanted me to go to a ball game or something, but then he continued, "I am getting married and wanted to see if you could do the ceremony?" OH MY! I ask him to come in for counsel of course, but sadly, He was too busy as he had to work. As you can guess this approach and lack of recognition of even needing some help left a mess after a few years. Sometime we need help but do not think it is important enough to even take off work. We think we are OK but we need Help.

I think back on my own life as to who has helped me. There are lots of people who come to mind. People who have impacted me and helped me to have a spirit to help others. People who give are the best people. They give of their love, their time and their money. For 7 years people have been supporting Kathy and I as we try to give to others. I never make it a practice to revel names of people who have helped to make this happen, but they are to at the top of my list of people who have helped me.Thank you if you are reading this and you know you have helped my ministry.

Now the Lord has led us to expand the ministry of Mission Team Inc to open Blue Hope Counseling. We are ready to try to help as many as we can. Getting the word out is important. We ask for your help here. If you need a word of encouragement, if you need a prayer, if you need a friend, If you need a problem solved. If you have a friend or family member who needs any of these things, this is why I have started Blue Hope Counseling. I have been helped by so many I feel I can in turn be a help to others. Why would I be so bold as to say this. Simple. I have been fortunate enough to know where to find the answers. I look them up in the Word of God.

3By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4 NLT

I have been helped by God. I know this and I want to help others. Please let me help you if you are in need.

I had the privilege of being with 12 Deputies from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, and one officer from Woodstock PD, and one officer from Cobb County PD. There were 15 of us started the course, and amazingly 15 finished. We were graded at three points. An exam after the first week of class. A grade on the lesson plan we had to turn in 12 days after our first week was complete. And a third grade on the presentation of the plan at the end of the second week of class.

I personally have recieved a lot of congratulations for completing the course and thanks to all who have sent it my way, but one of the best things about this class was to get to know all the people. They are great people. On Friday the last day, these great guys from the Cherokee Sheriff's Office wanted to recognize  and honor both our instructor Corporal Marcia Gibson, and the Academy Director Major James Schaffer. They had two nice engraved plaques made for the moment, and presented them to the Major and Corporal. They deserved this recognition. Yes, they were just doing their job, but they did it well for some of us who they took extra steps, and made sure that we were able to make it through this difficult course. I just saw it all happen and thought "that is a great thing that just happened." The picture shows Lt Gene Peluso of Cherokee SO presenting the plaques to Major Schaffer and Corporal Gibson.

With the class, the instructors, and four evaluators who were in the room that makes 21 people saw this happen. I felt like I wanted to thank Cobb PD and all who are a part of allowing me to minister there. I wanted to thank the Cobb Police Academy for allowing me to improve myself with courses and more opportunity. Major Schaffer and Corporal Gibson are both encouragers to me. They were recognized and I wanted to share that with more than the 21 there last Friday.  So I have shared it with you. Great Job. Thank you so much for what you do. The Cobb County Police Academy is truly a great place of learning and training new officers and constantly making all we have even better.

No doubt about this too we are having a real mild winter. It has had a few cold days but nothing like last years 2 week snow event. This year the big thing is this, The trees are starting to bloom and flowers are already coming out so are they too early? Will they get a bit of frozen suprise? I use to love the winter and the cold weather but over the last few years I guess I just get cold too easily. Spring seems so much warmer.

So month is gone in 2012 so how is the year going? I have been extermely busy in Janruary and have been in class a great deal.  Study and preperation have been a top priority. New opportunity is here as I work with people who want life to be all that it can be for them. I want them to see all that The Lord wants it to be for them.  I want to help people who need help. So many people are just at the place like we are on the calendar. All they see is the dead of winter, but spring is just around the corner. Better days can be there.

God has a plan and a path for each of us to follow. We seek to have a good life but sometimes a guide from the scripture can make a huge difference in life. At Blue Hope Counseling we are here to help. The cold winters of life always give way to spring. Sometimes you just need a little guide from the Scripture to help you see it and wait for the warmer days.

Do not be discouraged. Do not be depressed. Do not be fearful.

Why are you in despair, O my soul?
         And why have you become disturbed within me?
         Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
         For the help of His presence. Ps 42:5

The Super Bowl that year was novel. There were actually two leagues back in those days. The AFC was upstart and not near the quality of the NFC. The real game in that year was the NFC championship game with the Cowboys verses the Packers  won of couse by the Packers. They were the two biggest teams. These were days when Tom Landry was the Coach of the Dallas team. It was not for 2 more years until the New York Jets and Joe Namoth shocked the world by beating the NFC in Super Bowl three that the AFC had any clout with me.

I do not think that I have seen all of the Super Bowls but I have seen by far most of them. Now as an adult with a focus on a lot of different things I realize the fact I saw history in the making back on January 15, 1967 in Super Bowl I. Today is number  XLVI (46 the Roman numerals really do mess up a lot of folks) I plan on watching the game, but I will not watch with same level of passion as I did in 1967. But I do hope it is a good game.

By the way the only time the Atlanta Falcons have ever been to the Super Bowl was in 1999. They were 14-2 that year but lost On January 31,  1999 to John Elway and friends as the Denver Bronco Team was too powerful for the birds.

It is just a game..... a big game. One of the few things on TV where eveyone watches the commercials. Have a great day.

I have titled the blog today what the second movie, which was our choice, could have been called. This is powerful movie, and the fact that I am writing about it this morning is proof of this. I checked the reviews and it is getting mixed reviews, which goes to show that you cannot always trust the critics. The pain of the young boy in this movie is shared by you if you see the film. The young man is an incredible actor. The story is not smooth or pretty. It is disjointed and broken. It is intense because of the tragedy of 9/11. We all share in the pain of our country being attacked. So often we do not think of the things like those brought out in the movie. Things  that were likely to have really happened on that day. It is a great movie, and I would recommend it, but be ready because it is intense.  

I walked away from the movie realizing that we often are so busy looking for something in life we miss the love that is right there for us if we will just experience it. The young man in the movie tells his mother "I do not tell you I love you enough." She says (as a good mother would) "Yes you do."

This made me realize how we do not tell our Lord God we love Him enough. I know that He is there for me. I know He provides for me every day. But I do not tell Him I love Him enough. But what would He say to me? ......

His love is perfect, and mine is not. His love never fails and mine does. His love is unconditional and while I may hate to admit it, I try to use my love as leverage to get what I want, even my love for Him.

This movie made me think and I like that. I want something to stir me. You may not be stirred by this movie you may say that was a dumb movie, but the thing I saw was life portrayed by real people. I am a real person too.

See another incredible thing about this movie is that the movie leaves God out. Except for the very beginning of a flash back of the funeral, God is absent in this movie. But if you look for Him (and I did)  I saw Him. Others who do not think like me may not see Him. I don't know if the authors intended you to see or not see God. But since I tend to always see Him, I did, and HE was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close even in the film. As He always is. Even for real people in real life.

.

The plans are not finalized completly as the cost is still in exact process but the cost will be very similar to the past several years.

Here are some basics:

DATES are July 21- 28 This is correct JULY

WORK Will BE: varied but included will be Bridge Building, Log Cabin Building, Demolition, and Staining and landscape work.

MEETNG for TEAM -----February  16, at 7:00 PM at Noonday Association Office

Much more Information at the Team Meeting Mark the dates of the Trip and the Team meeting.

Leadership team meeting Last night at Noonday Office. L to R Keith Allen, Larry Fillingim, Kent Brummeler, Mitch Crowley, Bill Cloyce, Bill VanSant, Scotty Davis, Cindy Witt, and Kim Brummeler.

Where are these men? Who are these men? How can I become a real man?

So many want to be real men. They will focus on the physical, looks, muscles, styles. They will focus on what they say to be tough. For some this means using profanity. They focus what they drive and where they go. They try to hit the ball farther, fewer times or more times than the other guy. They think what they drink in is important so they have a Bum's Light or a Cooter's beer. They will try to impress other men with everything they do. Their quest in life seems to be  "Hey man look at me.... Notice me .....I am cool... I am tough....I AM A MAN.

Yet inside of everyman is a realization. Things he does not want to talk about and really will not talk about  or reveal to anyone. The truths he knows about himself.... I do get frightened. I do not have all the answers. I have made some bad mistakes. I do get lonely. I need someone to hold me. We need others.

Men we need God and we need each other. The realization of this is huge. This morning I will be meeting with a group of men to start to try to stand up and be Men of God. Our group of 50 men  meeting at the barn take a first look at this reality is this morning. This verse from the book is alive in my head....

9Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans. 10But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon. 11He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. 12“Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight.” 2 Samuel 10:9-11 NASB

These men loved God and they had each other coverd. All of us are not weak in the same areas but we all have weak spots. Too often the thought is when a brother is weak, in trouble or hurting the men he would need the most turn on him. They will be like sharks. They think. let me see if I can, belittle, make fun of, point out how much smarter I am, and generally talk about the brother with a quick verbal jab that will make me look good. They love self more than they love God.

Where are the men who Love God?  Rise up men. Start today.