A Win Is A Win Unless Its A Loss

It was one of the most interesting questions I ever heard.

“So, what is a win for you?”

To be honest with you, it was interesting and dumb all the same time. Winning is just about the easiest thing to define on the planet isn’t it?

  • I have the most points, I win
  • I come in first, I win
  • I receive the applause, I win
  • I beat you, therefore I win

I know it’s fairly Neanderthal of me (all you men get it, right?), but isn’t that what winning is all about? Maybe it’s just caveman man of me, but if you put a mark in the “W” column, we just call that a win!

Still, that day sitting in the conference center when the speaker asked that question, “So, what is a win for you?”, I was intrigued.

They were making an argument that someone else’s win might not be your win. I’m not talking about that relativistic nonsense where it doesn’t matter what you think, what you believe or what you do so long as you’re happy doing it, then you’re a winner.

Turn off the Barney tape and quit singing that stupid song, even though it’s true, I do love you.

What they were really trying to stress was that for some, a win might be financial, for others relational, yet others Continue reading “A Win Is A Win Unless Its A Loss”

The Power of Mentoring

I have a nearly indescribable feeling that I would like to, well… describe to you.

I am refreshed, energized, challenged and at peace. If you don’t know much about we preacher types, that’s unusual for a Monday morning. In fact, I have preacher friends who have a ritual of writing their resignation letters every Monday, praying over them and then throwing them away.

I thank God I don’t get that kind of grief every weekend, or at least that I’m too thick in the head to notice it… please don’t point it out if I am. I’d like to stay blissfully unaware.

The reason for my Monday morning glee is that I just spent two plus hours with one of the two men I consider to be my mentors in life and ministry. In the course of that time we talked about what we have been reading, what we have been experiencing and what has us dumbfounded.

Funny, I talked the most during that last part…

Over the years I have established a relationship with these men that allows them to be honest with me, even when I am both ignorant and stupid. There is a difference between those two you know?

Ignorance is when you do something stupid, but didn’t know you were doing something stupid. Stupid, is doing something when you’re already pretty sure whatever you’re doing might be stupid.

Continue reading “The Power of Mentoring”

Keeping your tread depth for life

I am not mechanically inclined… at all.

That’s why I  am extremely blessed to have friends who can fix stuff. I kind of have  an unspoken deal with them; if they fix what’s broken around my place or in my car, I’ll conjugate any Greek verbs they need.

Seems to be working out really well for me so far.

It was even worse when I was younger. I remember being in high school and knowing very little about cars but thinking that they were trying to con me when they said I needed my tires aligned.

Sure, what’s next, am I low on blinker fluid?

Over the years, I’ve decided that a good tire alignment isn’t a bad deal.

In fact, the whole issue of alignment is a fantastic spiritual principle. So much of our lives are close, but just not quite there. You couldn’t see it by looking at it, but the unforeseen wear and tear on our lives and  the unexpected reduction in performance let us know something is wrong.

We often have all the pieces we need, but we’re lacking some kind of cohesiveness, some kind of coherence that makes all the parts of our life work right. It’s like the old expression, I finally got it all together and then forgot where I put it.

Just like the tires on a vehicle, we also need spiritual alignment. In other words, we need to take the time and energy to make sure that our practices line up with what we know, that our thoughts reflect a pure heart and that our lives produce based on what  we are putting in.

When our day-to-day lives tend to wear us out, when we don’t seem to get out of our lives what we are pouring in, and when we seem to be living  two lives (the one that reflects the voice in our head and heart versus the one that we actually live out with her hands and feet) then we are probably in need of spiritual alignment.

An alignment means that we have it almost altogether, but the pieces are not working well as a team. This will cause frustration, breakdown and serious life damage.

Alignment means that we take what was close and say not good enough. We bring it into line and everything starts humming along just like it should.

Let me give you an example. The Addi  are a pretty functional and healthy family unit, but like every family in America and I assume around world, things aren’t always perfect.

My wife and I after a discussion this very morning just desired to take it up a notch and become more of a family that God would want us to be. For me, this meant a return to the Scripture as I asked God to reveal how to align our family with  Him.

I really believe he directed me, since I sat down to read Galatians 5 as it was on my daily reading plan and I just hoped God would intersect that random calendar with our specific need. I was halfway through the chapter when I realized I was in Ephesians 5… kind of a rookie mistake for a pastor, but it was just the chapter we needed for our realignment.

Thanks God.

Here’s what I found:

  • verse 1 -don’t compare yourself to others, there are families that will make you feel bad about yours and and many that will make you feel better about yours. The standard though is to imitate God… remember life is not graded on a curve.
  • verse 2 – walk in love. The fragrance of Christ is not worship music, strict obedience to behavioral steps or anything else very Christian/churchlike. We are to walk in love and let that verb consume us and our household.
  • verse 3 -rid the house of any sexual immorality and greed. This shouldn’t even be hinted of in the believer’s home. What’s playing on our television set, what pops up on our computer screens, what rolls around in the mind, what’s valued and sought after, what becomes an obsession? All these are things that I have to answer for no matter who in my home is taking part. It’s our job to get rid of the junk.
  • verse 4 – no filthy or foolish talk, especially crude joking. Instead it needs to be replaced with a consistent attitude and speech pattern of thankfulness.
  • verse 6 – in the standards and practices of your home, be firm and steadfast. When you make a decision, stick with it.
  • verse 10 – when looking for direction, think about what would make the Lord happy and walk there.
  • verse 11 – expose what is wrong and do not cover over it. Problems do not go away, they must be dealt with.
  • verse 14 – wake up! Quit sleep walking through the most important moments and decisions of your life. You can’t live on cruise control.
  • verse 18 – be filled with the Holy Spirit and make worship a way of life. It’s not about the weekend stupid… God needs to be on the throne of your family seven days a week.
  • verse 19 – submit to one another as a way to honor Jesus.
  • verse 22 – wives submit, follow and respect your hubby.
  • verse 23 – husbands, be worth submitting to, following and respecting. Love your wife more than you love yourself.
  • verse 30 – make your immediate family, the family that you focus on.
  • chapter 6, verse 1 – children obey your parents, just because it’s right. This is how you learn submission and trust.
  • verse 4 – parent with skill and compassion. Learn how to discipline and not punish. Make your parenting what your kids need, not what they want.

Suddenly, I realize that things are good not great. That there is soooo much room to be where and what God wants us/me to be.

Most importantly, I realize that if I don’t change something, nothing is going to change.

One by one, The Addi will start to make the adjustments and align our home with God’s word.

Pretty soon, we’ll be running much better than we knew we could!

And, by the way, if you need any Greek conjugated… just let me know.

Punch you in the face

When was the last time you had your reflexes tested?

When you go to the doctor they take a nice little hammer thing and smack you. Even if they just tap you on the knee you usually want to punch him them in the face. Not that it really hurts, it’s just a reflex, right?

So, what is a reflex? In combining the best definitions I’ve seen it’s an “involuntary natural response to stimuli.”

I love the phenomenon of the reflex. It really shows you what you’re made of! Continue reading “Punch you in the face”

PERFECTION!

Here’s a little thought on becoming perfect (not what you think).

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Perfection from Andy Addis on Vimeo.

Bible Study Helps Card

Don’t come up short

I’ve been really excited about the possibilities that I feel God has planted in my heart. It’s a been a real season of risk, faith, hope and awesomecrediblephenomness. Yes, thats what you do when you don’t have a word for it.

In this season I have recognized a pattern in me that I have also seen in others and in many Scriptural stories. I’d like to share it with you.

The Dream Process from Andy Addis on Vimeo.

Here’s the process…

1. God plants a dream in you

2. Hope is you believing in what is yet unseen, and you go public with the dream

3. Faith gets you through the hard times as you trust the arm of the Lord is not too short

4. Reality comes when the dream arrives

Don’t bailout in any part of this process! Its too important to give up.

Numbers 11:23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”

Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

Isaiah 50:2 When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you?

I’m All Out Of Love

For those who are not geographically aware of this bloggers location, the following statement won’t mean much:

It’s State Fair time!

Living three blocks from the fairgrounds is a good or bad thing depending upon what you think of the fair.

The Addis from high atop the Weenie Wheel.
The Addis from high atop the Weenie Wheel.

I get most of my fair jollies just sitting on the front porch. Watching the parade of happy people walking to the fair early in the day as they park somewhere beyond my house.

And, then, I am blessed with the occasional treasure of seeing the exact same people coming back later that night… transformed.

Tired, broke, sun burnt or freezing (it’s Kansas, you know) and almost always “less happy.”

This people watching is a little thing I have learned to enjoy in the last seven years of living here in Hutch. I do it every year as I listen to the concerts from the comfort of my porch swing.

You know what else doesn’t change?

The Fair!

That’s amazing to me.

  • They set up the rides in the exact same place that they did in previous years (although some of the rides change).
  • They do the concerts in the exact same venues as every year gone by (although some of the artists change).
  • They have the same vendors in the same booths making the same claims as they did in every year past (although some of the prices change).

And, honestly, I love it. Continue reading “I’m All Out Of Love”

Deal With It…

Exactly 15 days after brain surgery… it’s time to blog. Thanks God for answered prayers, His love and compassion and my faith community’s support.

I decided to write this blog for three reasons:

  1. Many people have been asking for an update on the physical well-being of this blogger
  2. God has given me some new insight into a familiar passage through this experience, and personally I feel that being productive is healing
  3. My medical authorities have given me permission to write despite the fact that I am well inside the “DO NOT WORK” time parameters, or more simply put Kathy said it was OK

So, lets cover the reasons for this blog. First, what’s the physical update. For those who are feeling a tad clueless about all this and didn’t know anything had happened… please subscribe to the blog. Its quick, easy and free, because obvisouly you haven’t been checking in enough and there are some questions as to whether or not you are really going to heaven.

Alright, that was a joke. The last part of it at least, but I still would love for you to subscribe to the blog… please. Just out of pity for the sick guy… pretty please. Continue reading “Deal With It…”

It’s Hero time!

I’ve spent this past Monday afternoon with a couple hundred grade schoolers here at Venue 302… yeah, day off!

Actually, it’s been fun. They are being rewarded for making their end of the year reading goals by getting the faris-at-venueafternoon free from class and kicking back to watch a movie here at our facilities. So, with popcorn and cookies in hand these kiddos sat down to watch The Tale of Despereaux.

I had never seen it, kinda cute.

As the movie was getting underway and the plot was setting up, the ‘stinger’ line is given: “A hero never appears until the world needs one“.

Enter title character Despereaux.

A great little movie about bravery, hope and the little guy making it big. But, I started thinking about the premise.

Is it true? Do heros wait to appear when they are needed? Do circumstance create our saviors?

At first, there seems to be some Biblical support for this. Galatians chapter four says:

4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

Just looking at this verse it appears that God waited to send Jesus until we needed Him, but that can’t be right…

If that logic were correct then it would mean humans hadn’t pegged out the sin meter unil 2,000 years ago, and there was no need for a Savior until Jesus actually made the scene at the BC/AD split. Continue reading “It’s Hero time!”