Real Life (With Rodney)

Have you ever felt worthless?  Worse, have you ever been told that you're worthless? 

A friend of mine posted on Facebook regarding a family relationship that was broken and he was struggling with overcoming the hurt and pain while at the same time trying to do his part in helping to restore the relationship.  

Today's news of former NFL player Junior Seau's suicide is a stark reminder that this devasting event affects everyone....the rich, the poor, the successful, the not-so-successful.  

I'm sure most of us have our own tried and true methods to relax, to de-stress from a hectic day or week.  

Genesis 15 contains an interesting story and an early reminder that God’s plans don’t always fit our expectations.  If you follow the sequence of events as God interacts with Abraham, you can begin to feel some of the possible emotions that you or I would feel if we were there. 

It's always good to be reminded out priorities, especially in this fast-paced world.

I'm not a big Jim Carrey fan, but would it surprise you to know that one of his movies literally changed my life?

I know that's a cliche, but it really is true.  And, I read something the other day that proves it.

I love Easter. It is such an exhilerating time when I remember that my hope lies in the resurrection of Christ. If Christ had stayed in the tomb, the work of salvation would be incomplete. It is because HE lives that I can live, truly live.

In June, I will be going on my first overseas mission trip - to Kenya, Africa

I figure today would be a great opportunity to remind us all of the things in life we have to be thankful for.  I know I need the reminder on a regular basis simply because life can certainly get overwhelming....and can look cruddy at times.

I came across this prayer and decided to put it on my bathroom mirror to see every morning...

Okay, well it's not an exclusive club, but when I got my motorcycle license, I didn't realize that I would get to learn a secret handshake.

Did you attend the Winter Jam concert at the Peoria Civic Center Sunday night?  I did.  And, I have been a regular at the annual concert for the past 10 years.  

March Madness is in full swing at the Peoria Civic Center.  But, an event happened tonight that probably is not well known.  And I got the privilege to be a small part of it as a volunteer  The Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association (HISRA) hosted a night that adapted all of the March Madness Experience activities to be enjoyed by people with disabilities.  Family and friends were invited to attend and it was an absolutely awesome night! 

Last Sunday afternoon, I was sitting at my home computer working on a website, when there was a knock on my front door.  Both my boys were at work, so I knew it wasn't them.  This situation is highly unusual, so I slowly got up and walked to the front window to see who it might be.  I noticed there was no car in front so I looked toward the front door and saw a gray-haired woman standing there.

Losing someone close to us leaves a hole that cannot be described by words. Death is a bitter thief that robs us of love, security and happiness.

On my way to work a couple months ago, I was zooming down I-74 when I happened to look to the left. That may not seem too unusual, except that when I drive to work in the morning, I am still half-asleep, so I normally am looking straight ahead and relying on automatic pilot to get there.

I’m sure all of us remember the phrase, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  It was what a lot of us used as kids as a reaction to someone who was saying something mean to us.  And, as we have grown into adults, we probably would also agree that the phrase is not entirely true.  Words do hurt us, probably even more than “sticks and stones.”

On Monday I began the Daniel Fast.