You haven't seen more scandalous drama at a chicken coop since Gus was peddling the blue stuff at Los Pollos Hermanos (only breaking bad fans will get that reference). So Chick-fil-A picked a fight! But with who? Only logical foe is free speech, right? The past 72 hours have been exhausting (keep in mind, I am NOT super-political. I usually stay out of political rantings). But for the past 3 days I've been more annoyed at the radicals who hate, disappointed by the leaders of the church who remained silent (cause they normally love talking), and just plain tired of hearing from the "RELEVANT" christian voice. Because what do they really stand for anyway? I have read thoughts and articles that have made me want to puke (probably because what I was reading was regurgitated trash anyway. 1 article by Matthew Paul Turner said "5 ways the church failed" in the ChIck-Fil-A. (YAWN) I'm sure he's a nice enough guy with a great heart, but this whole "Jesus is love and would be fine with us the way we are" is really played out.
What I know is this. It's America, we are allowed our freedom. Speech is granted to ALL, and Christians are included. We are Christians, and indeed we are called to love. Love all, no matter who they are (judge not).
I also know this. I drove my 3 kids to a Chick-fil-A in Jersey yesterday to teach them these things and more.
I wanted to teach my kids a lesson. When we ended up (in Jersey) I began to tell them what a great country we have. That people can freely speaktheir minds, live their lives, and have their faith. I taught them that the standard for their lives should always be the Bible first, and they should never apologize for that. EVER.
I taught them that Jesus told us to love, and not just love those who agree with us, or believe what we believe. But true love...no strings attached. I told them that all people should be treated with dignity and respect. I taught them they should stand strong behind truth when asked and never water it down due to criticism, pressure, or persecution.
I taught them all this over a chicken sandwich....or 2...
My son Josiah James Smuda celebrated his 2nd birthday yesterday. He truly is my all time favorite male to ever grace the face of this earth. When I describe him, I literally can feel tears welling up in my eyes (as well as my 2 girls who are truly the apple of my eye....needless to say, I LOVE being a daddy). The story behind Josiah is this in a nutshell.
Jimmy feels called to leave preasent church (in Fla)
Jimmy takes a personal day to pray and goes to beach
Jimmy begins reading on king Josiah
Jimmy reads a old translation and commentary that reads how King Josiah "pissed" on the ashes of the false prophets who defiled the temple.
Jimmy LOVES King Josiah
God speaks to Jimmy (for only the 2nd time in his life he truly feels he hears the voice of God)
God says, your next child will be a son, his name will be Josiah, and he will restore worship in my house someday.
Jimmy still has no clue where he's moving to, but all in all Josiah is born almost 2 years later, and God wins...
There was something in my spirit yesterday that said I had to get my good friends (and pastors) to come annoint him with oil yesterday. I felt a quick jump to do it, and I still don't know why, but I know it HAD to be done. RIght there.
Do we know when God say's RIGHT NOW anymore?
Do we need reasons, and measures always or are we able to rely on the fact that God said it, and I don't get it, but it needs to be done? (FAITH?) See if my friends wouldn't have come over to annoint him, I would have found OTHER friends because I knew that I knew that God called me at that moment to do such a thing (yet I'm so thankful they did). On his birthday, THAT'S what God wanted.
(Warning: Sharp right turn here)
Ezekiel. Read Chapters 1-3 and you see this beautiful convo between Ezekiel and the Lord that is like a manual for knowing when God is in the "RIGHT NOW" mode. God said do THIS right now! Then immediately followed the bible says "The spirit lifted me up" (a follow up). A word of God withouth the Spirit's follow up can easily be
Preference
Opinion
Pride
Sin
GAS?
(side note: Just be thou careful using "thus sayeth the Lord)
God says eat this scroll, shave your head, lay on your left side for over a year (talk about jumping through spiritual hoops). Yet because of your obediece THIS will happen ( the fulfillment of his prophecies when Jerusalem was finally sacked by the Babylonians, and this leads to hundreds of tiny little connections throughtout scripture that are way to long in this obnoxiously long post). You never know WHAT will come LATER from obedience from Gods RIGHT NOW.
Ezekiel understood this. When God was in that RIGHT NOW MODE.
Can we say the same for:
Our families
Our ministries
Our lives
We plan for the future, cross t's, do I's, but may have lost the ability to know the RIGHT NOW, for what is to be LATER.
I have NO CLUE why God wanted him annointed with oil on 2-11-11. I just know that he did, and if I have to wait to find out, I'll tuck this day away in my heart.
jImmY
If you would have have told me 10 years ago, I'd be a maniac trying to find a Barbie camper for my youngest daughter ( side note: This is year 2. I'm trying not to have to sell a kidney to afford it) If you would have told me I'd be on such a mission, a ravenous mission. I would have told you.......That you were probably right! As a teen-ager I couldn't wait to be a dad. I planned how I would act, how I would discipline my kids, and most importantly how I would love, affirm, and care for them. See right where I am at, is right where I dreamed I would be. With a amazing wife who loves me more then anyone has or probably ever will. 3 fantastic kids, who, each in their own way hold such a special place in my heart. With a job that takes everything that I am, requires everything that I am not, and couldn't imagine living without. See I did 3 things growing up.
1. I prayed for these dreams.
(everyday I prayed for my wife, my kids, and even the dad I would be). Now I pray for the spouses and grandchildren (not weird at all).
2. I studied others who were "living" my dreams.
(Anyone who had remotely a life that resembled something I prayed for, I studied, took mental notes, and tucked them away into my heart.
3. I worked (and still work) my dreams
(I didn't just wait for these dreams to come to me, I worked them. I sought a woman who would complete me, raise kids in a way that they will respect, honor, (and worship me....just kidding).
(Remember: What we call dreams, God defines as purposes. When we speak of dreams and aspirations, it's not by OUR doing, but finally by us catching up to God's awesome plan for us.
Dream on...
Jimmy...
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