Men's Fraternity Week 17

Men’s Fraternity
Week #17 XXX

INTRODUCTION

• Pornography has a stranglehold on the American Culture!
• Stats from Lifeway Research and Education Database. (Jan 2013)
  
  
  • $3,075.63 is spent on pornography every second.
  • Most popular weekday for viewing porn is Sunday.
  • Percentage of men age 18-34 that visit porn sites in a given month - 70%
  • Percentage of Christian men who view porn regularly - 70%
  • Percentage of men who say viewing porn is acceptable behavior - 67%

Men of all ages, ethnicities, professions and income levels are willingly infecting their hearts and minds with images that are addictive, destructive, and in some cases, criminal.

Matthew 5:27
Jesus addressed this issue: ”You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’”

1. Sexuality is where we are most vulnerable; we experience the most shame and exhibit the greatest secrecy.
2. In the past you had to go our of your way to acquire pornography, today you have to go out of your way to avoid sexual images.
3. Perceived anonymity and pervasive accessibility has made pornography bigger than ever before.

I. SUSCEPTIBLE BRAINS AND DISCONNECTED HEARTS

a. Susceptible Brains

• God designed our brains to be stimulated visually by the beauty of the female body.

Proverbs 5:15-19
”Drink from the water of your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in love.”

• When a man views pornography, pleasure chemicals are released in his brain in amounts that far exceed normal levels.
• You quickly build up a tolerance to the same old stuff you’ve seen and to get the old high you’ll have to push the boundaries.
• You are not alone. This should strike shame at its root because we are all in the same boat and have the capacity for this stuff.

b. Disconnected Hearts

• Pornography is an outward act indicating a deeper need in us. The deep need is intimacy with God and others.
• A man disconnected from God and others is a man either struggling with or extremely vulnerable to sexual temptation.
• A man connected to God and trustworthy men, you will find a man nobly fighting the battle of lust.

II. ACTIVATING THE NOBLE FIGHT AGAINST LUST

a. We’ve got to ADMIT the sin and pursue ruthless honesty beginning with ourselves and with trustworthy men.

• Breaking the hold comes when we remove our mask and provide opportunity for truth and hope.

Psalm 32:3-5
”When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity, I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.’”

• When we don’t share, our hearts are disconnected, we live life alone and in isolation - turn to pornography to medicate our pain.

b. Identify the broken promises (lies) of pornography.

• To change we have to go beyond the “what” of our sin [I am looking at porn] and get to the “why” [porn promises to meet some need in me].

Matthew 15:19-20
”For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.”

c. Move from the broken promises of lust to repentance to something better.

2 Corinthians 7:10
”For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

• Worldly grief – produces death.
  
  • Negative consequences of pornography do not produce change because they lack the ability to affect repentance. Must go beyond saying, “I have sinned.”
• Godly grief produces repentance leading to salvation…
  
  • Repentance is what happens on the inside; it is not an effort to change behavior through a process of steps or muscle training.

Colossians 3:5
”Put to death therefore what is earthly in you, sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry.”

• Repentance involves a change of authority, and adjustment in who rules.

John 8:34, 36
”Truly, truly, I say to you everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin… So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

• We are so powerless to make change that repentance is impossible apart from God’s work.

Jeremiah 13:23
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.

Matthew 5:3
”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

• Repentance is a call for brokenness and a radically inward change toward God.

Psalm 51:17
”The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God you will not despise.”

Discussion:

Reflect on this statement: “Show me a man disconnected from God, from his wife, and from others and I’ll show you a man either struggling with, or extremely vulnerable to, sexual temptation. But show me a man connected to God, his wife, and trustworthy men and I’ll show you a man who has a chance to fight the noble fight.” What are you experiencing? Discuss.

How does the above relate to Proverbs 18:1 “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”?

Have you known “worldly sorrow” or “Godly sorrow” when dealing with sin? Discuss the difference.

Which of the 3 Deep Idols [control, significance, and comfort] is at the root of your battle with sexual temptation? What false promise can lust use to lure you (i.e. escape, validation, power, acceptance, comfort)?

Share with your group one or two strategic moves that you need to make in order to apply what you have learned in this session.

Men's Fraternity Week 15

Men’s Fraternity
Week #15 Battle Plan

I. Understanding the Strategy of the Enemy

• Temptations and idols are issues for all of us and this has devastated men throughout history.

James 1:14-15
Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

desire>enticed>lured>tempted>conceived>sin>continue sin=death

• When a desire is enticed (from without) and entertained in the mind, it lures (from within) us to the point of temptation, we act upon what has been dwelled upon.
• It’s not that your desires are too strong and need to be dialed back; they’re actually too weak and need to be redirected.
• The problem isn’t desire. The problem is misplaced desire. [selfishly desiring things for oneself]

It lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for enjoyment of it is a bad thing. I submit that this notion…is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go making mudpies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
(C S Lewis, The Weight of Glory, p26, 1949)

Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.

II. The more Noble Pathways

• God’s noble pathways are ultimately more lasting and fulfilling than any alternative.
• You can’t just remove an idol or behavior from your life. You have to replace it with something else, something more satisfying and fulfilling.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I come that they may have life and have it abundantly.

• God is for us, not against us.
• God has given us noble pathways to meet our God-given goals.

Admit the struggle.
Identify the lie.
Replace with the truth.

1. Admit the Struggle

• First step is always to own up to the fact that an external issue is causing problems and has become a surface idol in your life.

1 John 1:8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

• The hardest step for men to take is to acknowledge where we really are and what we’re really struggling with. [God may have to break us down to get to the core issue.]

James 5:16
Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

• We need to acknowledge that we are all in a struggle together, each of us is a mess. When we do, we remove the mask and begin moving towards God’s grace.

2. Identify the Lie.

• What is the lie that is seducing you? [examples: I can’t change. I’ve always been this way. There’s just something wrong with me.]
• We can’t just deal with the behavior you must attack the root! The sin beneath the sin!

John 8:44
Jesus said…”You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and father of lies.”

• When we are enticed or lured…speak the words “you are of your father the devil, your will is to do your father’s desire

11 Diagnostic Questions to ask yourself – by David Powlison
1. What do I worry about?
2. What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live?
3. What do I run to in order to comfort myself when things go bad or get difficult?
4. What do I do to cope? What are my release valves? What do I need to feel better?
5. What often times preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?
6. What makes me feel the most self-worth? Of what am I proudest? For what do I want to be known?
7. What do I often lead with in conversations?
8. Early on what do I want to make sure that people know about me.
9. What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?
10. What do I really want and expect out of life? What do I think would make me happy?
11. Whom or what do I trust in for my life future?

3. Replace with Truth

John 8:31-32
If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Discuss Your Action Plan

How do you see the strategy of the enemy in James 1:13-15 at work in your life.?

Take some time to discuss the 11 diagnostic questions. (Ruthlessly honest.)

Practice James 5:16 – “confess sins to one another and pray for one another.”

Men's Fraternity Week 13

Men’s Fraternity
Week #13 Idols

Pastor Brian began our first session of the new year with this video from the Skit Guys.



Exodus 20:3
You shall have no other gods before me.

Psalm 106:36
They served their idols which became a snare to them.

1. Goals for this session:

• Discuss some key realities that are foundational to the traps that a man faces in life.
• Describe a framework for understanding temptations in the life of a man.
• To help get to the root issue. The sin beneath the sin.

Questions for Discussion:
1. Many men live in both shame and guilt while hiding from those around them. Why would men abandon the “abundant life” that is available in Jesus Christ for idols that trap them in bondage? (Some examples of these idols are: workaholism, pornography and other addictions, desperate need for approval, disappointment with life or fear of failure).

2. Why would we ever choose anything other than God’s best for our lives?

2. Key Realities:

a. In order to experience ultimate freedom you must practice ruthless honesty.

2 Samuel 10:11
And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

[Praying for others is good but you must also be willing to step in and help others in need.]

David White puts it this way: “All of us live in fear of exposure. We don’t want the worst things about us to be made known. We posture and wear masks. We establish elaborate facades and hide behind our good deeds. This refusal to be truly known and exposed keeps us stuck in our sin.”

b. There’s no such thing as a life apart from struggle and temptation.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.

c. Understand grace.

[Grace can be defined as unmerited favor granted to us by God.]

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

d. Authentic manhood is primarily about heart change.

• The noble fight against sin and temptation is not just about behavior modification.
• For instance, God doesn’t want us just to stop lying He wants us to love the truth!
• Behavior modification without heart change is dangerous.

3. The Framework of Idolatry

• An idol can be anything, even a good thing. [The idol itself is not necessarily evil. Like guns: guns are not evil, it’s what we do with them.]
• Idolatry is built on a lie. [This will make me feel better, help me achieve my goals, etc.]
• Idols come from legitimate desires that are being expressed in inappropriate ways.
• Idols can be divided into two categories, or what Pastor Tim Keller calls surface idols and deep idols.

Examples of Deep Idols

• Control

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

• Significance

Galatians 1:10
If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men. [This follows closely with my own life verse 2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed rightly handling the word of truth.]

• Comfort

Questions for Discussion:
1. The idols that we face are tempting us with relentless intensity throughout life. Which of the idols discussed above is one that is a consistent area of struggle for you? Practice “ruthless honesty” on this one!

[I volunteered that one of my most difficult idols to overcome is money: something that I think and worry about too much and that I have the most difficulty giving over to God. Another man at my table mentioned Control and it was generally agreed upon that some control is probably necessary in most situations but we also have to understand that things will not always go as planned and we need to be flexible.]

2. It has been said that we are only “as unhealthy as our secrets.” Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Why or why not?

[A couple of the men at my table started talking about secrets and were of the opinion that some secrets are better left unsaid as bringing them to light will only cause more harm. I’m not really sure what to think about that. I think it really comes down to trust, if you’re sharing your secrets with someone you truly trust with your heart and soul then that person won’t judge you for it or be hurt by it; they will help you to rise above it.]

3. Share one or more of the idols that you would like others to be praying for your concerning. Then take a few minutes together and pray before heading out for the rest of your day.

Journal - Snow and Rain

Last Friday I went to work at 10am prepared for a day in the cold. I had on my new jacket with a lighter jacket under it, my new gloves, and I wore my boots for the first time. I wasn’t sure how my feet would like the boots so I took along my shoes just in case. I don’t remember the temp but I’m pretty sure it was still in the 30’s when I arrived and never made it out of the 40’s all day.

I felt cold when I started out but it didn’t take me long to warm up. I hadn’t even been there an hour before I took off my inner jacket. At around 11:30 it started snowing but it was just tiny little flakes. After a while the snow turned to a very light rain. My jacket kept me perfectly warm, in fact maybe too warm, as I got pretty sweaty as I worked. It also kept me dry from the rain. My gloves got pretty wet from handling the wet shopping carts but it never soaked through and my hands stayed warm and dry; also a little sweaty though. I ended up wearing my boots the whole day and they felt pretty good on my feet so no problems there either. Also they never seemed to get wet at all so maybe that spray stuff works okay, although as I said the rain was very light. All in all it was a pretty good day and I only had to work until 3:30.

On gameday Saturday I had another 8 to 5 shift and it was cold again so I dressed the same. Just as on Friday, I had to take off my inner jacket after about an hour. I was a little distressed when my right leg started hurting quite a bit after I had only been there for an hour. The next seven hours were looking mighty long, but I went inside and got a bottle of Aleve and took one at about 9:30 and that seemed to tide me over. I ended up taking another one at around 3 that afternoon. But with God’s help I made it through the day. My hands were fine in my gloves and my feet were still feeling pretty good with the boots.

On Sunday we made it to church in the morning. I just barely had enough time to rush home and wolf down a sandwich that Joni made for me while I was changing and then I was back out the door again for a 12 to 5 shift. It wasn’t quite as cold this day so I didn’t bother with the second jacket and I wore my shoes again. I had got to thinking the night before that even though the boots felt okay on my feet maybe the extra weight was what finally got to my legs on Saturday. That may be the case because I felt pretty good all day Sunday. Also on Saturday night I finally broke down and put some Icy-Hot on my calves. Joni had been trying to get me to do that but I’m always so wary of putting stuff on my skin. It turned out to be okay though and maybe that also helped my legs feel better Sunday while I worked.

And today was my day off. We had a nice relaxing day and my legs are feeling pretty good. On Tuesday and Wednesday I have my first back-to-back 8-hour shifts so I’m hoping things go okay. Tomorrow I’m supposed to work 10 to 7 but I may have to leave a little before 7 so I can get home before it gets too dark. The scheduler and the other cart-pushers all know about that so that won’t be a problem if I need to leave early

Through all of this I’m spending a lot more time in the car of course. I always keep the radio tuned to MyBridge Radio on 99.9, which is a contemporary Christian station. I’ve found that to be a nice little pick-me-up before and after work, something to help me keep my focus on God. It’s music and uplifting stories and things like that and on Sundays they air a sermon from our very own Pastor Mike at E-free Church that I can listen to as I drive to work.

Isaiah 26:3-4 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. ESV

Colossians 3:1-2 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ESV

Journal - May Events

It occurred to me the other day that the last week or so has been rather eventful for my family.
On Saturday the 14th, we had a graduation. Elliott is the youngest son of my sister’s husband, and it was his high school graduation. Joni, Adam, and I didn’t go to the graduation ceremony at the school, but went over to Bobbi an Mike’s house later in the afternoon for the reception. Mike had cooked up some pork on his new smoker and it was delicious. There was also lots of salads and plenty of cake. Aunt LeeDel came down from Sioux Falls and it was nice to visit with her a little. Uncle Butch was planning to come as well, but he broke his ankle last week and couldn’t make it.
Monday the 16th was the 25th wedding anniversary of my brother and his wife. That’s a pretty amazing accomplishment. Hard to believe I was just a freshman in high school when they got married. The 16th also marks an anniversary for Joni and I, as that was the day we met, eight years ago.
May 20th was my sister’s birthday. I’m not sure but I think she’s 39 this year, it’s so hard to keep track. Also on that day, the state track meet began in Omaha, in which my niece Kylie competed. Mom and Bobbi drove there to watch her, and from what I heard, they all got rained on.
It seems like there was something else I was going to mention, but I can’t remember now. Memorial weekend usually marks the time when Mom’s three siblings all come to visit for a few days. This year, they decided to put it off to a later time when Uncle Butch will be more mobile. I’ll be looking forward to that.

Psalms 145:3-4 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Colossians 3:14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

News - Big 10 Conference Alignment

Today, ESPN reported that the Big 10 conference alignment has been announced. College football fans know, of course, that Nebraska will be leaving the Big 12 conference after the end of the 2010 season, and will be joining the Big 10 conference beginning with the 2011 season. That will make a total of twelve teams in the Big 10, which means they must divide into two divisions, just as the old Big 12 conference is currently divided into North and South divisions.

The two divisions of the Big 10 conference will not be divided up geographically as the Big 12 was, however, so the divisions will probably not have names like North and South. It remains to be seen what kind of names the divisions are given.

So here’s the split: In one division will be Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Purdue. In the other division will be Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Iowa, and Nebraska. The alignment is important because the teams that are in the same division will definitely play each other every year, but will not necessarily play all of the teams in the opposing division each year.

Big 10 officials knew that it would be difficult to come up with an alignment that would please everyone. In particular, Ohio State and Michigan have a long-standing rivalry that is in jeopardy now that the two schools are in separate divisions. It was reported, however, that efforts would be made to keep the rivalry alive.

As a Husker fan, it will be interesting, over the next several years, to see who Nebraska’s new rivals will be. Personally, I’m hoping for a Nebraska, Michigan rivalry. Michigan hasn’t had a good team for a few years now, but they will undoubtedly regain national attention again sooner or later. Also, Husker fans will undoubtedly remember the 1997 season in which Nebraska had to share the national championship with Michigan. I was also curious about playing Ohio State. Ohio State has been one of the top teams in the nation for several years and I wondered how Nebraska would match up against them. The two schools will be in different divisions so we may or may not play each other, but if both teams win their respective divisions, they could play each other for the Big 10 conference championship, which would make for a very exciting game. If Nebraska continues to improve as they have in recent years, we may indeed see such a match-up late next season.

Speaking of Nebraska’s improvement, many experts are predicting that the Huskers will have a good season this year, their last in the Big 12. Pre-season polls are showing Nebraska ranked number 7 or number 8. One ESPN analyst has even predicted that Nebraska may go all the way to the national championship this year, although it’s a bit early to be thinking that far ahead. We won’t have to wonder much longer, the football season begins in just three days when Nebraska will take on Western Kentucky on September 4, at 6pm.

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

Luke 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.

Memories - UNO by Candlelight

The audio book I’m currently reading is “Cell” by Stephen King. I came to a part in the story yesterday where one of the characters took out a gas lantern to light his house after a blackout. Reading that triggered a memory of my childhood. It's a small memory, just a snapshot really, but the memory brought a smile to my face so I thought I would put it in my blog.

I don’t remember what year this was, but I know it had to be in the 1970’s. I know that because Dad was there and he left in 1980.

Just like in the story I’m reading, we had a power outage out on the farm. I don’t remember why the power was out, a summer storm maybe. I don’t think it was a winter storm because with no power the house would have gotten cold and I don't remember it being cold.

Anyway, the power was out and Dad had gotten out our green lantern with the red “Coleman” label on the side. It was the same lantern we took to the lake when we went camping. He must have had to go down to the basement to get it I suppose, I don't really remember where our tent and other camping gear was stored.

Dad lit up the lantern and then hung it from the light fixture in the kitchen. Then all six of us sat around the table in our small kitchen and played UNO. Does anybody remember that card game? The lamp was hung right above the table, but the light was dim. I remember how we had trouble telling the blue cards from the green, and laughing every time somebody mixed them up.

I’m so glad I have this memory. I actually don’t have very many memories of our home life when Dad still lived with us. I remember our camping trips to the lake pretty clearly, and I remember that evening when we all sat down together and played cards by lamplight. It seems that my strongest memories are of times when we were all together as a family. I guess that is to be expected. I was only nine when Dad moved out, and it didn’t seem like he was around that much even before that.

Proverbs 1:8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Journal - March Madness

If you’ve been reading my blog, you’ll know that I have recently become very interested in basketball. This is all because of what the women's team at UNL has done this year. As I have mentioned before, they are the first basketball team from Nebraska, men or women, to advance to the sweet sixteen round of the playoffs.

I decided it would be interesting to create a bracket of the sixteen teams and track their progress through the rest of the playoff schedule. Of course, there are plenty of brackets available online, for download and printing, but those don’t do me much good. The brackets just don't make any sense if you can't see the lines. What I decided to do was create my own bracket in a spreadsheet.

I actually had a hard time finding out who the sixteen teams were, however, and which ones were playing each other. The brackets that are available online would, of course, have all that information, but like I said, my screen reader doesn’t interpret them very well. I was finally able to piece my bracket together by reading various news articles about the basketball playoffs. I have learned more about basketball in the last two days than in my previous 39 years. Here are the sixteen teams:

In the Kansas City Region:
Oklahoma versus Notre Dame.
Nebraska versus Kentucky.

In the Dayton Region:
Connecticut versus Iowa State.
Florida State versus Mississippi State.

In the Memphis Region:
Tennessee versus Baylor.
Duke versus San Diego State.

In the Sacramento Region:
Xavier versus Gonzaga.
Stanford versus Georgia.

You may be asking yourself, “Who or what in the heck is Gonzaga?” I asked myself that very same question so I looked it up. Gonzaga is a private Catholic University in Spokane, Washington. So there, you learned something today.

The last time I talked basketball I said that all sixteen teams were coming together in Kansas City for the final tournament, but I found out that was wrong. As shown above, there are four different cities, each hosting four teams. I guess they do that so they can get through the games more quickly, or maybe so more fans have a chance to watch a game. Each region will end up with one winner, and I’m assuming those Final Four teams will come together somewhere. Actually, I think I read that the finals will be in San Antonio.

At the time I am posting this, the Memphis Region and the Sacramento Region have already played their first round of games, but I’m not telling you who won yet. The Lady Huskers play Kentucky tonight. Incidentally, I read that this is also Kentucky’s first trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Too bad one of them has to go home after this. Hope it’s Kentucky, though. Connecticut, or Uconn as they are called, are the big favorite in the playoffs. They are the returning champions and have won their last 74 games, which is basically every game for the last two years. I don’t like the thought of the Huskers playing against them, but I don’t think the two will meet unless they both make it to the championship game. Okay, that’s not entirely true. I would kind of like to see that matchup. But we can't look too far ahead, first they have to get past Kentucky.

I know most of my readers are not basketball fans, I'm not either come to think of it, but this is what’s going on in my life right now, so I wanted to make a complete record of it.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

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

Journal - Odds and Ends

Well, I ordered some new speakers for the computer today. It’s gotten very difficult to make my headphones work, and I know it won’t be long before they don’t work at all. Naturally, I tried different pairs of headphones, but that’s not the problem, it’s the jack in the speaker. It really sucks to have to spend money on something like that, but I have to be able to use headphones at the computer. Without them, I won’t be able to hear well enough, and if I turn it up louder everyone will have to listen to it. I’ve been agonizing over this for the last five days, so I kind of feel better that the decision is made. They should get here early next week.

I also ordered Joni’s birthday present. I think she'll really like it, it's a…

Oops! I better not tell. Somebody who reads this might tell her what it is.

On Tuesday Joni and I ran into Gibbon to visit the doctor. We’re not sick, we just needed to give her that paperwork for BCBS. I’ve only been to this doctor a couple of times so there wasn’t much. She made copies for us, then we took it over to the post office and mailed it. So the ball is back in their court again. Can’t wait to see what they say next.

I’m looking forward to a good basketball game tonight. The Lady Huskers are playing Kansas. Kansas hasn’t had a very good year, but Nebraska played them earlier this year and, from what I’ve read, Kansas almost won. Also, it sounds like Kansas has to win this game to get into the NCAA tournament so they will be fighting hard. Nebraska is in the tournament no matter what so there’s no pressure. They still have their record to think of, though. Nebraska is two games away from a perfect season. I wonder if the basketball team has ever done that before?

Oh, one more thing. Today is my big sister’s anniversary! Happy Anniversary Bobbi and Mike! I know you guys have many more happy years ahead of you. Especially now that most of the kids are gone! Hahaha! Have a great day guys!

Colossians 3:14 over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

That’s it for today. See you next time!

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

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.