I ate Chinese food for Lunch again today – just 47 hours removed from the last time I ate it for Lunch (on Sunday afternoon).
This time it was Panda Express for some of this:
But it’s all about the Fortune Cookie message:
‘You emerge victoriously from the maze you’ve been traveling in.’
‘The Maze’ – 1967-2006
‘The Emergence’ – August 2006
‘The Victory’ – 2006-(Present)
You know why you’re here:
1. Some of the best television programming on-the-air is in the form of 30 and 60 second commercials. You know that it’s a great commercial when you pretty much stop what you’re doing whenever it comes on the tube – no matter how many times you’ve already seen it. I’m thinking about the AT&T GoPhone commercial right now that stars Meat Loaf and Tiffany. (NO – The’re not really married in real-life. That’s not really their son either.)
2. The sight of a large gathering of people applauding President George W. Bush after a speech is a beautiful sight. The concept of everyone respecting The President Of The United States Of America (whoever it is), and treating him or her like you would want to be treated by any other human being is just plain humane. Unfortunately it’s a concept that millions of Americans just don’t understand.
3. I think that I totally adore eating Kellogg’s Pop Tarts today just as much as I did as a kid back in the 1970s into the 1980s. I think that if you ask me about them again in another 30 years then the answer will probably be the same.
4. On the other hand back in the 1970s I did not appreciate Chinese food. In fact I didn’t really enjoy eating it on a regular basis until the mid-1990s. Homestead has no shortage of family-owned Chinese restaurants. Everywhere you look – ‘There’s one !’
5. Homestead also specializes in family-owned Mexican restaurants, and that’s a delicacy that’s even newer to my personal tastes than Chinese food. One day soon I’m going to have Lunch with this cat at a fine Mexican restaurant near my workplace.
6. If there are just 3 motorists driving along a somewhat secluded portion of highway in Homestead then those 3 motorists would just have to be myself, the slow-poke directly in front of me that’s driving 33 MPH in a 40 MPH zone, and the tail-gater directly behind me that is so close that I can no longer see his or her vehicle anymore via my rear-view mirror. Throw in an extra-special 4TH vehicle that’s rapidly approaching all 3 of us with its high-beams on, and you’ve got a typical Tuesday morning on North Canal Drive in Homestead !
7. Incidentally Miami-Dade County’s SW 328TH Street is known as ‘North Canal Drive’ for 7½-miles from Homestead Bayfront Park westward to the city limits of Florida City at SW 172ND Avenue. At that exact point SW 328TH Street is renamed ‘Lucy Street’, and it is the dividing line between Homestead (on the north) and Florida City (on the south). It has been that way since the 1940s. If you’re coming out of the Villages Of Homestead then you are making a turn onto ‘North Canal Drive’ – not ‘Lucy Street’.
8. I had planned to go to Publix this afternoon after work to buy some much-needed groceries, but then I decided against it on the way home because I have way too many things to do – such as compiling and publishing these ‘Tuesday Night Grab Bag O’ Thoughts’. It’s all about the sacrifices that I make for you – my loyal and faithful friend of this blog.
9. I was referred to as ‘Pastor Chris’ a couple of times last week at the Exponential Conference in Orlando. I think it was because in some of the breakout sessions that I attended it was mostly all Pastors (and me). Unlike the Catholic Church Pastors tend to look and dress rather normal – just like you and me.
10. My fingernails grow so fast. It seems like I just clipped them a few days ago, and now they need clipping again. That’s another 5 minutes out of my busy schedule !
1. I was the first person to arrive at the movie theatre this morning. I beat both Pastor Paul and Anne J. by a long-shot. The ‘rock’ in ‘CHURCH ROCKS !‘ was already connected and playing its 3RD song in the main lobby once the other two early-birds finally arrived.
2. Two Names – Lesia & Evelin – They are the names behind two VIPs at Life Pointe Church. They are the ones that are working diligently behind the scenes (behind the curtains) to prepare the Starbucks Coffee that is served at our Café every Sunday morning. Without them we would have a lot of sleepwalkers roaming the hallway.
3. It was the final week of the ‘Simply Jesus’ message series this week. It’s hard to believe that we kicked-off this message series on our record-breaking Easter Sunday morning over a month ago. Pastor Travis hit a home run and brought it all home this morning as he explained ‘What Makes Jesus Superiour To Other Saviours’. God commanded that the baby born to Mary be named ‘Jesus’ which means ‘God saves His people from their sins.’ Jesus is a global Saviour who is sufficient for all people, all races, and all nations. Christianity is exclusive in that there is only one God. It is inclusive in that Jesus is the Saviour who invites all people everywhere to be saved by Him. If Scripture is true then we must be absolutely clear on this most important spiritual issue – that there is only one way to God.
4. I don’t usually report on Teardown because I don’t usually stick around for it, but on this Sunday morning I did just that. It all went so smoothly, and one of our loyal and faithful members Dan B. created this really nice wooden storage unit that has totally organized and simplified the Teardown (as well as the Setup) process. With a large bulk of our portable church materiel centrally located within one convenient unit it makes everything so much simpler than ever before. The only downside to this high-quality wooden storage unit is that when everything is in there it weighs several hundred pounds, and a 165-pound weakling (such as myself or Jesse) can’t push or pull this thing by ourselves.
5. Following Teardown about 20 of us eventually gathered over at my longtime favourite Chinese Restaurant in Homestead – Peking House. Being a regular of the joint it was so cool to hang out with a whole bunch of my friends at a place where all of the employees know me by name and preferences. The next time I go there on my own for Lunch I’ll be given the royal V.I.P. treatment !
… And that’s how I rolled from 7 AM to 2 PM on this glorious Sunday on God’s fantastic journey !
LEFTOVERS – Tuesday April 22ND 2008 – Thursday April 24TH 2008
1. This is the 4TH and probably final edition of the ‘Tossed Salad’ from the Exponential Conference in Orlando this past week. It’s the ‘Leftovers’ edition where I highlight the top items and events that didn’t get covered in the first three editions – such as the brilliant 2|42 Community Church band that was the house band throughout the conference. The’re based out of Brighton Michigan (in the southeast portion of the state). I actually thought that ‘242’ was the area code that they were from. Not so. I should’ve known that ‘242’ is the area code for The Bahamas ! Acts 2:42 (NLT, 2ND Ed.) states as follows: ‘All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.’
2. In order for existing churches to be exponential and give birth to new churches there needs to be an active movement of disciples within the parent church as well as the child church. ‘NO’ / ‘GO’ / ‘EGO’ – You’ve got to say ‘NO’ when it is appropriate. When the answer is not ‘NO’ then get to it and ‘GO’. Do it with ‘NO EGO’. Philippians 2:5 states as follows: ‘You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.’
3. The residents of the surrounding neighbourhood and city and region of your church may freely attend your community events, but don’t expect them to all flock to your Sunday morning services en masse. Get your name out there. Get your face out there. Get your mission out there. Make sure that the community knows who you are and what you are all about. Your neighbours are more likely to check out your church if not sooner then later. Be patient, and let God recruit the unchurched in His time. They will come when they are ready.
4. Rick Warren (author of ‘The Purpose Driven Life’) was the final speaker at the conference. Here are some miscellaneous takeaway statements from his session:
5. At this time I am publicly thanking Pastor Travis and Pastor Paul for giving me this opportunity to spend 3 days with them and the rest of the staff and their families in Orlando to attend this fantastic conference of information, education, praise, worship, and fellowship. I’ve been to Orlando many times over the past 15 years, but I can honestly state that this was the most memorable and enjoyable of them all. I am so truly honoured to be part of the Life Pointe Church leadership team. The next adventure of a lifetime is just around the corner, and I am there alongside with you guys and gals. You can count on me to serve Our Lord Almighty enthusiastically.
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