I Can't!!!

"Can't never could...."

"Can't doesn't cut the mustard." 

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're always 100% right."

I've heard it said that we can do anything we put our minds to.  As children we were told that we could "become anything we wanted to when we grew up."

I mean after all, who in their right mind is going to tell a child, "you can't become the President one day," if the child says that what they want to become.

Would you really look at a sweet, innocent child in the eyes and say, "you probably won't amount to very much.  But hey, you're a good kid."

Or what about, "you may think you know what you want to be, but I really know what you need to be!"   I hope not, but many parents do just that!

For those parents who aren't trying to live vicariously through their children, their desire to encourage them to do their very best and try very hard is admirable, but is it the right thing to do?

As an adult though, I don't really buy into that logic.  I know it sounds harsh, but isn't there a better approach?

Try this one on for size,

Teacher: "little Johnny, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Johnny: "Whatever God wants me to be and I want to be great at it."

I believe it is more honest (can you be "more honest?"  If you aren't 100% honest, isn't that a lie? Hmmm) for us to teach our children that God has a purpose that He created them for.  As we teach that, it is important for us to teach them to do their very best, but to do it for God.

 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. I Cor 10:31

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Col 3:23

So the next time your child (or anyone for that matter) tells you what they "want" to be, ask them if they know what God created them to be.  The truth is, we have a lot of unhappy Christians who are "stuck" in places that God didn't create for them, but they chose to be there.

Now before the critics say:  "sometimes circumstances are unavoidable" I'd caution you to understand that what I'm talking about is making a choice.  A choice, mind you, where a person chooses to (at all costs) discover and fulfill their purpose that God created them for.

It is at this point that even though we may not be good enough to do whatever it is God has created us to do, He will manifest Himself into our lives through the Spirit and accomplish that which he created us for.

“The answer to Moses’ persistent pattern of “I can’t” was not “Yes, you can, Moses,” but “I can, I will, I AM." ----  Excerpt From: Macdonald, James. “Vertical Church.”

Agree to Disagree? As long as I agree that you're right!

I should probably start by apologizing for not writing in a while.  Pray with/for me that I will start contributing to this blog more frequently...like every few days.   The tough thing is that as much as I talk, I don't feel like I have a lot to say!  I know, crazy huh?


Last week Chick-Fil-A opened up a restaurant in our town.  It was very much to my pleasure to know that a place I loved to frequent when out of town was now going to be right down the road.  Furthermore, I have never once had a negative experience in a CFA and I love that fact!

So in my joy I decided to post on Facebook this......

"After visiting Chick-Fil-A today (which only took 11 minutes to get me from 4 cars away from the place where you place your order until I got my food) I am convinced of one very important fact that I have learned from every Chick-Fil-A I have ever been to. It doesn't matter where you hire employees from. It doesn't matter what race they are. It doesn't matter if they are male or female. What matters is that they either have a respect for the company they work for and that company has a respect for the customers and God, or that the employees have a relationship with Christ and are encouraged to live it out at their jobs.

Those who disagree have a right to disagree and some of them will with much passion. But when I leave a McDonald's, Hardee's or any other fast food restaurant (regardless of the city or town it is in) I'm unusually surprised if I have been made to feel special just for buying their food.

But when I leave a CFA, again regardless of the location, I receive a feeling that I have come to expect from them and appreciate more every day.

The lesson - When God is on His throne, amazing things will happen. People show love, appreciation and warmth that comes from his Heavenly throne. It should make us stop and think, if God does that from His throne at a fast food restaurant, what will he do if we put him back on his throne in our churches, homes and lives?

An excellent spicy chicken sandwich. An even more amazing lesson from the King of Kings!"

BIG MISTAKE!!!

Okay, it wasn't that big and in fact, I don't think it was mistake. Neither did the 118 "likes" I received.  But what happened was a few questions and comments about my opinion of Christ and "Christian Chicken" were raised, some of which questioned my motives and integrity.   As I played and replayed this conversation in which I defended my stance with love and scripture, I began to think "why has it become  wrong to exercise your first amendment rights as long as your comments are respectful on Facebook or anywhere for that matter."

It seems that in our country there are certain things that cannot be said without causing a storm of attacks.  But what amazes me is that when the opposite thing is said, no one says a thing.  Let me clarify what I am trying to say.

If I were to say "I LOVE hamburgers" and it wasn't politically correct to eat hamburgers I would receive a barrage of comments and criticisms of how I am trying to force hamburgers down people's throats.

Now if at the same time someone were to say that they wish all the hamburger eaters would develop cancer and die, it might raise a few eyebrows but very few of the "hamburger haters" would consider such a hateful statement wrong and simply hide behind that person's 1st amendment right.

So what are the hamburger lovers to do?  I say it's time they stop sitting in their holy huddles hidden away in dark rooms where no one can attack them eating their burgers.  They don't need to expect everyone else to enjoy hamburgers, but if someone asks what their favorite food is, they shouldn't be afraid to answer honestly.

Now that being said, if you don't agree, that's perfectly fine.  I have had so many people tell me, "don't be too honest on your blog, you have to remember your well known and that could cause problems for you down the road."

Um? Excuse me, but am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.  (Galatians 1:10)

Now.....let's go eat some chicken!