Category: God

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God People

Life Pointe Church Sunday Morning Tossed Salad

1. This was my 83RD Sunday morning with Life Pointe Church in Homestead Florida. I know this for a fact because I keep track of it on an Excel Spreadsheet. I’m documenting my fantastic journey electronically as I follow Jesus Christ with you. It was nearly 19 months ago that I was first greeted by the church as a 1ST-Time Guest on a Sunday morning in January of 2007. I decided during that very first service that this was the church that I was going to attend – my first church in over 30 years since I was a Catholic grade-school student of 7-years-old. I returned the following Sunday morning as a returning 2ND-Time Guest. I became a regular attender after that, and then about 10 months later in December 2007 I officially became a member of my church. Life Pointe Church had no longer become the church that I attended, or the church that I went to. It had become MY church – a church that was not a building, but rather a church that was the living and breathing collective body of people. I am the church. We are the church.

2.  One of my favourite parts of the Life Pointe Church experience is participating in our bimonthly membership luncheons where we all gather over at The Capri in Florida City (where all of the food is), eat a delicious Italian Lunch, and then talk about what our church is all about. It’s all about taking that next big step from Regular Attender to Member. It’s all about progressing forward on His fantastic journey for you. It’s all about living more like Him – and looking more like Him in our day-to-day Lives. Your friends, coworkers, acquaintances, etc. should be able to see the miracle of Jesus Christ in you and in your actions. You are a Disciple of Jesus. Act like Him. Follow Him. Lead others to Him.

3.  Pastor Jesse did another outstanding job filling in for Pastor Travis (who returns next Sunday morning to kick-off a hot new message series that’s really ‘Loaded’). Jesse spoke with us about ‘True Worshipers’. It’s who God seeks. He seeks a true worshiper who worships in awe, with abandonment, and with intimacy. Once you know God in a truly intimate way you totally love to be in His presence. He is your audience. Talk to Him. Sing to Him. Do so in faith knowing that only He will make your Life absolutely complete.

NEXT SUNDAY MORNING AT LIFE POINTE CHURCH !
NEXT SUNDAY MORNING AT LIFE POINTE CHURCH !
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Advertising Animals Computers Driving God Life Mail Money Philosophy Politics Shopping

Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts

Let’s do it:

1.  It feels like a Monday for me because I took a 3-day weekend from work (to include Monday). I had so much fun setting up and personalizing my sparkling new desktop computer system on Saturday and Sunday that I spent Monday catching up on everything else that I would have normally done during the previous two days. I got it all done and then some on Monday !  I was proud of myself when I went to sleep.

2.  After over 15 years with State Farm I saved over 24% by switching my auto insurance to GEICO yesterday. Back in February I compared State Farm with GEICO, and had I made the switch back then I would have saved a mere 9%. It wasn’t worth the time and the trouble to switch. But a more than a 24% savings is definitely worth it !

3.  The MASSIVE political ads continue to inundate and stuff my (old-fashioned) mailbox. I’m actually taking the time to glance over all of the fancy and glossy literature, but the joke is on them. I’m not voting in the Primaries – not even via absentee ballot.

4.  A closed door that you can not open due to the fact that it is locked shut and you don’t have a key for it, or there is another impeding factour (such as a person who won’t let you in) is very symbolic of ‘The End’. You can’t go any further. You can’t proceed. Progress is halted. STOP !  It’s certainly not a positive symbol – especially if you are on a fantastic journey. Before I was saved by Jesus I regularly hit closed doors in my life – literally, figuratively, and symbolically. Nowadays (in my new Life) I don’t encounter too many closed doors. I am simply more aware of the ones that I need to stay away from. But when I do reach a closed door on this journey it is far more painful than it ever was in my previous life. Sometimes what isn’t that big of a deal to one person may actually be a closed door to another person. There should never be a closed door between me or you – and God.

5.  Back in November 2007 a Canadian Dollar was worth more than U.S. $1.08. Today it was only worth U.S. $0.94. The British Pound has dropped from above U.S. $2.10 to below U.S. $1.90. The European Euro was flirting with U.S. $1.60 as recently as the start of July 2008. Now it’s down to nearly U.S. $1.49 !  Our U.S. Dollar is making a substantial comeback. That’s allowing oil prices and ultimately gas prices to drop.

6.  The last time I went through the Starbucks (in Homestead) drive-thru I received exceptional customer service. That’s a good thing because they had already received two strikes in a row from me, and had they received a third strike in a row I would have initiated a temporary boycott of the joint. A boycott of Starbucks is something that I’m not sure that I’m ready for yet.

7.  I got a haircut at the legendary Woody’s Barber Shop yesterday. I always feel clean and refreshed after I get my mop cut. Believe it or not I actually don’t keep track of when I get a haircut via an Excel Spreadsheet. There’s no point to it. If my hair blows around in the wind then it’s time to get a haircut.

8.  If HP wanted to do a television commercial right here in my living room then all they would have to do is simply film me sitting down here at my computer workstation using all of their fine products.

9.  I have an HP printer-scanner-copier all-in-one device now. I bought it at Office Depot yesterday. Those two pictures of Barney and Fluffy that I posted on the blog last night were the first two that I scanned (as a test). I’m gonna look around for some more classic pictures. Maybe I’ll find one of me from my U.K. days some 23 years ago. You can see what I looked like as a goofy 18-year-old !

10.  My credit card company just raised my credit limit by a tad. They must’ve seen how much money I spent this past weekend !  😯

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Blogging Food God People

Life Pointe Church Sunday Morning Tossed Salad

1.  It was another glorious Sunday morning at the movie theatre in Homestead that we convert into a corporate place of worship for about 4 hours every week. If you’re looking for a modern place of worship and you’re within 30 minutes or so of Homestead then you should check us out. We do two services every Sunday morning, and they start promptly at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM. Next month we’ll be expanding to a three-service schedule with start times of 8:30 AM, 9:45 AM, and 11:00 AM. Whether you’re an early-bird or a late-riser there’s a service at a start time that’s convenient to you, so feel to free check us out. Get rid of any traditional perceptions that you may have of ‘church’ because we do it so much differently than you probably ever thought. For more information on how we do church feel free to check out our official web site at moviechurch.info.

2.  Pastor Paul kicked-off a short two-week message series this week entitled ‘Consumed’. This morning’s teaching was all about Worship. I am a worshiper. You are a worshiper. We are all worshipers, but what exactly are we worshiping ?  God desires one thing from us – our worship of Him. Since we will become just like what we worship it is imperative that if we are truly Christians – absolute followers of Jesus – then we must worship God – so that we will become just like Him. We worship God for who He is. We know who He is because of what He has done. Sunday mornings should be a time of reflection – a time of celebration for the worship that we have done for Him during the rest of the week. Sunday mornings should never be an exception to the rest of the week. God sees and hears what is truly in our heart. Even if we can’t say it. Even if we can’t write it. He knows it because he feels it within our heart and our soul. He is our audience. He is always there for us.

3.  Following the two services I did some paperwork over at the LPC offices with Paul, Jesse, Alex, Anne J., and Gene Gene The Dancin’ Machine (who is on the threshold of starting up his very own WordPress blog). Afterwards I enjoyed a MASSIVE Lunch with Paul, Ms. Annie, and the rest of the Hollifield crew. We all gathered over at El Nachito – East Naranja’s favourite neighbourhood Mexican restaurant. I stuffed myself silly, and I enjoyed every last second of it. I just took my Lipitor, so I should be good to go until tomorrow’s MASSIVE meal of the day !

Be sure to check out other nice Sunday Wrap-Ups from other fine Life Pointe Church bloggers such as this cool dude, and this young cat.

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God Music People

Life Pointe Church Sunday Morning Tossed Salad

1.  A change was in the air this morning at Life Pointe Church, and it had to do with the music. Starting in the main lobby – we listened to all-new Christian music (rock, pop, and hip hop) courtesy of my own personal iPod Shuffle. It blared loudly all throughout the main lobby, and it received rave reviews – particularly from the youth of our family. During ‘Praise & Worship’ Jesse took a back seat to play guitar while Michael B. made his lead-singing debut. He did an awesome job leading the band and leading our family as we displayed our intense adoration of Jesus !

2.  Pastor Jesse led this morning’s service, and he’s got the FUNK !  He spoke on the funk in poverty. We act upon what is in our hearts, and our Lives are a direct result of the condition of our hearts. Poverty is fueled by our human mind. Jesus challenges the quality of our Life by what drives our heart, what fuels our mind, and what moves our soul. We live in freedom, but our minds are in poverty. Our goal is to be fully alive and aware that we are totally blessed through it all. The fate of the world and the people around us depends on the outcome of our funk, and that funk doesn’t define us. It actually refines us.

3.  Youth Pastor Alex has got the FUNK – and it’s in his HAIR !  After 4 days and 3 nights away at Youth Camp with a bunch of our teens he came back with his hair dyed a weird shade of ‘sort-of tannish-orange’. I reminded Alex that he’s still Mexican, and that he needs to quickly go back to the natural black hair. A few of the kids came back from Youth Camp with what appeared to be perms. I promise that if we ever have an adult retreat for a few days then I won’t come back as a total blonde a la my good friend Kristina M. !  😯