Forget the Past.

I heard a story this weekend that really made me think.  It's about a man who for many years struggled with alcohol and homelessness,  He had been helped by many in the community but kept repeating the cycle of addiction.  He's in his 80's.  I heard that about a year and a half ago, he had a stroke.  He was hospitalized to recover.  When he did, he had no memory of being an alcoholic or being homeless!

Wow.

As of this day, he lives in the hospital because he has nowhere else to go.  This is where he gets cared for.  He is doing very well and most would not recognize him as the same man!

Paul writes that "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new!" 2Cointhians 5:17

If you are a new creation as a believer, your past is gone to!  Stop thinking about it!  As much as you can, get around people who don't constantly remind you of it!  Live your life like you are new, cause that's what you are!

Comedy Tour September 2016!

Another Upstanding Comedy Tour has come and gone and I hope you got out to a show!

I want to share a few pics with you from the latest tour with headliner Matt Falk!

Here was the itinerary:

Monday, Sept 26 - The Core, Belleville
Tuesday, Sept 27 - First Baptist Church, Barrie
Wednesday, Sept 28 - The Rock Family Church, Sarnia
Thursday, Sept 29 - Emmanuel Baptist Church, Chatham
Friday, Sept 30 - Parkwood Gardens Church, Guelph
Saturday, Oct 1 - Brant Community Church, Brantford

The crowd at The Rock in Sarnia

Rose setting the merch table.

Timmy Boyle opening the show in Sarnia.

Bob Guest, musical comedian!

Me performing my set in Sarnia!

Brandon McCaskill!  Musical comic!

Headliner, Matt Falk!

Matt is "effortlessly funny!"

The gang from the Chatham show!

Timmy Boyle kicks off the Chatham show!

Timmy again, note the ratty track pants...

Matt kills it again in Sarnia!

Timmy Boyle in Brantford

Alex Bowman in Brantford!  Ukulele one liners!

Evan Dunne!  An amazing man with a great story!

Matt closing out the tour in Brantford!

Closing shot from Brantford!

Shut up!

Sometimes at church, something sticks with you for a very long time.  It could be something said to you by a friend or something in the message.

It often happens to me that I get something out of what the pastor says just in passing.

I am odd I guess.

Regardless, I am glad that God and I have somewhat of an open channel.

Near the end of the service last Sunday, pastor brought up the idea of that one person you have in life that can just sit beside you at any time and NOT SAY ANYTHING.  There is no awkward silence involved.  It's just the fact that you are together and familiar with each other that makes the hush OK. Occasionally one of you will speak up with a thought or share something from your day, but there is no rush.  It's easy going.

Pastor then had us imagine that we were sitting with God for just a minute.  No conversation was necessary, just enjoying each other's company!

What a cool idea!

Sometimes we feel pressured to pray and can forget that God just likes BEING with us!

Yes that means you!

We are all meat-heads and failures in our own way, but God already knows all that stuff.

I think just having that perspective frees you up to enjoy prayer time like never before.

Think about it won't you, thank you...

Here is something I have been thinking about.

Does God operate like the Canadian heath care system?

I have been waiting to get an MRI for a nerve thing that has been bothering me lately.  It's not critical.

It takes a month of waiting to get one done.  It takes that long because of demand and priority.

The most urgent cases get looked after first and everyone else has to wait.

Does God do the same thing to us?  When we pray, there are urgent things and not so urgent.

Is there a waiting list when it comes to answered prayers?  Do you sometimes feel like that there are bigger problems in the world, and God should look after those and not bother with your simple troubles?

I get that we should pray for our fellow man and the global issues facing our time, but I have also experienced the joy of having God remind me that He's thinking of me and the things I like.

I don't understand how He does that.  But He is God and He can.  I believe praying works on the BIG stuff and the small stuff.

Can You Really Change?

I'd like to share a video devotional I recently recorded at LIFE.  

I usually like to be funny, but in this one, there is a serious side, hope you enjoy it and it helps you!

Change is possible!!

Reflections

It's my birthday.

I'm 50.

I've learned some stuff.

Reflections on 50 years of Existence

Be You - don't bother being what others want you to be.  You'll end up with no idea who you really are.

Don't take life too seriously - It's short, so enjoy the ride, things will happen but you'll be OK.

Make your spouse happy!  Don't be rude or annoying.

Love your kids for who they are - You can only parent for so long, then that job is done.

Explore and ask questions - Curiosity is a step towards learning, you never get it all figured out.

Have an opinion, but hold it loosely.  Your views will change over the years.

Explore your passions.

Listen to what people are saying, beyond their words.

Don't allow others to make you feel worthless.  (They obviously have their own issues.)

Leave a toxic environment as soon as you can.

Watch the The Three Stooges.

Go to a comedy show.

Be easy to work with, as much as you can.

Read the bible through at least once.  Read biographies to.

Change will happen, roll with it.

If you appreciate someone, tell them now, not later.

It's OK to not have it all figured out.  Someone else has the answer you need.

We all have failings and regrets.  Let them go.

Change is Possible.

"Can people really change?"

If you have not asked that out loud, you have probably thought it.  Well I have good news, change is possible in others and most importantly in YOU!

Change is most certainly real.  It's happening right now and you don't even see it!  For example, are you wearing bell-bottom jeans?  Not likely unless you are one of those people who loves wearing vintage clothing.

Just like fashions change, people change, but the process can be a very slow one.  Why?

Because, when WE change everything around us changes too.  It takes time...

What got me thinking about this was a pretty simple thing I did at home.  I oiled our squeaky front door.  I am up really early and I try to be quiet so my wife can sleep.  I am usually successful, but on my way out, that front door would always make a squeak!

Until ONE DAY!

I got tired of it and got out some WD-40 and soaked the hinges.  BAM!  No more noise!

Here's whats odd though.  For a lot of mornings after that, I still expected the squeak to be there, just because it had become a part of my routine.

When things change it takes a while to get used to the different atmosphere!  Maybe you have changed your language from, colorful words to direct talk.  People may say, what's wrong with you?  It's going to take some time for others to adjust to hearing you talk plainly!

May you have dropped a bad habit and you have picked up a new hobby.  The old places you used to hang out in may miss you but in time they'll get over it!

Here's a scripture that's interesting.  Romans 2:4

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Because God is so good, it causes us to repent, which means to change the way we think about things.  Literally to have a new mind about everything!

As our thinking changes...we change, and as we change things around us change.  Be patient.  Don't be discouraged.  It might take some time.