I am finally coming out with something that has been bothering me for years.  It has to do with candy.  I love candy.  But for the last five years the candy makers have made some changes that I am not happy about.  For some reason they thinking every body likes sour apple flavor.  Sour apple does not belong in a box with other flavored candies.  I am okay with sour apple Jolly Ranchers by themselves, but don’t mess with my box of Sweet Tarts.  I love Sweet Tarts!  This is one of my all-time favorite candies along with Skittles.  Both of these candy makers replaced the traditional beautifully flavored green candy with a sour apple flavor.  I am ticked off because of that.  I don’t want sour apple I want whatever the green flavor was before.  The problem is I love Sweet Tarts so I am not going to stop eating them because they throw in a sour apple.  I will just not eat that one.

There is a good change that Sweet Tarts has made though.  It is the blue sweet tart.  That is my favorite Sweet Tart.  I can over look the sour apple as long as the blue one is in there.  As a matter of fact, the blue ones are the ones that they have the least in the box, but I still like the blue ones.  In Sweet Tarts defense, they made a good decision in making the blue ones, even if I am not happy about the green change.  Some changes are good and some are bad.

To be honest, no body likes change.  I don’t like change…I like the familiar and you are probably the same way.  The truth is things must change.  There are some changes we like, some we don’t but we must overlook the ones we might not like and focus on the ones we do like. 

In the church world, change is a necessary part of preparing for the future.  I am not a proponent of just throwing away anything old.  I believe we can add to what has already been done.  However, there might be things that need to change because they aren’t working.  Even if we cannot see it.  For the future and building a church for the generations, we must allow God to lead us to the changes He feels necessary for our church.  We cannot focus on one thing (the sour apple) but on the whole picture of what God is doing and wants to do.

Thinking of the candy makers.  It wasn’t a conspiracy because they knew I didn’t like sour apple.  The truth is there are probably more people that like sour apple than don’t.  I am just picky with my candy.  I challenge you to evaluate things by the big picture not just the sour apples.

I just read this great post at the Strategic Dad blog:

“I just listened to one of my favorite sermons by Tommy Nelson, pastor of Denton Bible Church. My friend Chris Hill gave it to me a long time ago and I try and listen to it once a year to evaluate where we are as a family. The sermon gives 8 essentials for raising your children. I wanted to share those with you and some simple notes for each:

House of Peace- don’t expect your child to submit if you do not submit to your Heavenly Father.

Time- listen and laugh.

Truth- read your child Bible stories so they know the truth.

Examples- do you live what you teach.

Esteem- lift up a standard and love them.

Acceptance- they will get it from you or someone else.

Affection- we want to be in the presence of people who love us.

Discipline- we don’t like it because it takes time.

What essentials are missing from your house? What essentials are being given daily? Great questions to consider on your journey.”

HT: Braxton Brady

I can’t wait to get my stimulus money;)

Today I have been catching up on my blog reading.  I found this great post on Revolutionary Parenting.  In recent months I have really been searching to be a better parent.  We have a teenager and I pray for God to keep Him during his teenage years.  Every parent of teenagers needs wisdom on how to lead in these days.  We also have a 2 years old.  I need wisdom in how to shape her into a woman of God.  Of how to be corrective and loving.  Parenting is hard work.  Pete Wilson wrote a great blog on parenting and spending time with your kids.  Hope you enjoy:

“I just finished a book which really rocked me entitled “Revolutionary Parenting“. I didn’t agree with everything in the book, but man did it get me thinking.

In the book Barna discusses the research that uncovered a number of common denominators to raising kids with a life-impacting faith.

One of the key factors which won’t surprise you is simple quality time in dialogue between parent and child. Parents who raised kids with a life-impacting faith spent between 90-120 minutes a day engaging each other.

To place that in context, the typical American family spends less than fifteen minutes of direct parent-child conversation.

This is something we’re trying to be more intentional with. When I’m at home and my kids are awake I want to be engaging with them not the…

newspaper

computer

television.

When I pull into the garage everyday I have to say a simple prayer that goes something like this: God you know I’m tired. You know I would love to go into this house and just hide out for a few hours to recoop. But God what I’m about to do is the most important part of my day. Give me energy I don’t have. Give me wisdom I can’t find. Allow me to go in there and give the best of what I have.”

HT: Pete Wilson

It is good to be back home.  I enjoy taking time off but it is always great to come back to the place we call home.   Yesterday we drove for 12 hours and got in late last night. 

I have heard great reports of our service today.  I know we had 119 in attendance.  The word is that the guest speaker did a tremendous job.  We look forward to be back in church for the Wednesday evening service. 

While on vacation, we did something we rarely do; spend a lot of time with friends.  Vacation for the Cheney’s is usually the time that we get away and just enjoy time with our family.  This vacation, however, was different.  When some of our friends found out we were coming down, they started making arrangements to see us. 

We had alot of fun dividing our time up with different friends that we have known for years.  It was time to catch up and just share a meal together.  After the week was done, we reflected on the many meals we had with friends.  We did not have much down time, but it was a great vacation just being with friends and family.

This reunion made me hungry for Heaven.  All of our friends and family live a long way away from us.  We do not see them very often.  We stayed with some friends that we have not seen for over two years.  Others who used to be a part of our weekly lives, we have not seen in many months.  When we get to Heaven it will be different.  All the people who have had an influence on our lives and the ones we have impacted will all be there.  It will be a reunion of friends.  It is certainly something to look forward to.  Heaven will be a place where we say no more good byes.

We made it to Houston this afternoon and Hannah was especially excited.  My parents were elated to see Josh and Hannah.  What is it with grandparents anyway?  Hannah runs across the yard and my mom scoops her up with glee.  Josh approaches and my mom gives him a big hug and kiss.  I am standing next to them and my mom turns around with no acknowledgement that I am there and she walks in the house.  She then realized what she had done and turns around and says, “How are you son?”

From what I gather all grandparents have this disease.  They forget that their children bore those special grand kids.   After an hour or so, Sonya and I are being acknowledged and talked to.  I think we will go ahead and stay all week now:)

For many days I have been chewing on II Corinthians 13:5-6.

”Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. ⁶ But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.”

The first part arrested my attention.  Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.  As Paul writes I can’t help but think that there is a litmus test to which we test ourselves by.  Something to reveal to us whether we are in the faith or not. 

I know that this “EXAM” is found in the pages of Scripture.  I am searching out the test questions so we can know the answers to this exam.  I feel a sermon series coming up!