Wednesday, October 31, 2007
THINGS I REMEMBER ABOUT HALLOWEEN
Halloween was a big event around my house when I was a kid. It meant that the day after Halloween we could start begging mom to put up the Christmas tree early, and it meant candy.

Mom didn't allow costumes that were about killing or death, so we dressed up as normal things like football players, firemen and hobo's. Halloween wasn't about satan or evil, it was simply about candy. Candy was something we didn't get a lot of at my house. We had a family of nine and my dad was the only one that worked outside the home, so on a single income the budget didn't include extras such as candy.

I remember spending hours trick-or-treating up and down the blocks for a medium size bag of hard candy. If someone was giving out chocolate, word would spread throughout the neighborhood and we'd get there as fast as we could. No one usually gave out chocolate, so when you got some, it was a big deal.

We were always reminded, "Only go to houses that have their porch lights on and never eat anything until you bring it home to be inspected." We were always warned that bad people put needles and razorblades in apples, so never eat an apple with out inspecting it. I always thought, "Who'd want a stinking apple anyway, bring on the candy."

One of the big Halloween events was watching the show Great Pumpkin - Charlie Brown. I remember our family gathering around the television to watch it. I've seen that little cartoon about a million times, and yes, I still think Lucy needs a good punch in the nose by Charlie Brown. She's such an evil little girl.

So tonight, my youngest two will dress up and go trick-or-treating for about an hour before church starts. They'll get twice as much candy as I ever got with only half the effort. Seventy percent of the candy in their bags will be chocolate, and I can guarantee you that they'll be unwilling to share any of it with dear old dad. But that's okay, their bed time is much earlier than mine, and I know where they hide their candy bags. :)

What do you remember about Halloween when you were a kid?

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  posted at 4:47 AM · 24 comments




Tuesday, October 30, 2007
THE DIRTY LETTER
I ran across "the" letter this week while looking for something else. It's a letter I'll never forget. When I opened it for the first time I was shocked. I'd never received a letter like this one. I'd seen letters from people complaining before, but never this angry and never actually signed by the sender.

It spewed with venom and anger with each line that was written. It was cold, cruel and extremely critical. It accused me of things I'd never done. She told me that I had been unkind to her mother, I hadn't announced her father's death at church and that I hadn't shown any sympathy towards her mother when her father had died. All those things were very untrue.

I sat there in my office and racked my brain trying to think if the church or myself had done anything that this lady was saying we had done. I honestly couldn't remember if her father's death had been announced. I'm sure it had, but it had been months ago and there was really no way to remember for sure. I thought to myself, we do overlook things, maybe we had missed it. I began to look through old bulletins to see if we'd put it in the bulletin and sure enough there it was. I remember taking the church van to her father's funeral because it was an hour or so away, and I remember that I actually had two or three others who went with me that day.

As I sat there thinking about her accusations and the anger in which she wrote them, it began to make me angry. My first thought was, "This woman only lives an hour from me, I ought to go up there and show her she's wrong. That would teach her." Then I thought, "No, send her a letter back like the one she sent me. I'll give her a piece of my mind (not that I have a lot left to give)." Other thoughts went through my head as well, but none of them were very nice thoughts.

Not sure how to handle it, I called a man I highly respect that has done ministry for 50 years. I knew he'd be full of wisdom and answers. When I explained to him what had happened he told me I had three good options ...

  1. Throw it in the trash and forget it. It's not even worth responding back.

  2. Write her back explaining exactly all the details of why you're not guilty.

  3. Write her back and shower her with blessings.

When he finished the third thought I said, "What? Shower her with blessings." He told me, "Sure, it really doesn't matter what you say, she's too mad to believe you or care. So just be nice." I remember thinking, "What a concept!" Where had I heard that before, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." I remember thinking, "Wow, sometimes it's tough practicing what you preach."

I sat down and wrote her a letter back. I started by apologizing for anything I might have done to her or her mother. I thanked her for her letter and the time she took to write it. I made no real effort to explain my side of the story, instead I only showered her with blessings and kindness. I told her I was always here if she ever wanted to talk about it. I signed it and stuck it in the mail the next day.

Months past and I forgot about the letter. One day as I was going I through the church mail there was another letter from her. I was scared to open it, but I did. This time it was written very kind. It was very apologetic. She said she had just recently talked to her mom and realized that she didn't have all her facts straight. That the accusations she'd accused me of were not true and she was very sorry.

I did a little victory dance in my office that day. Not a "I was right and you were wrong dance," but a celebration that I had had the chance to practice what I preach. I learned a valuable lesson that day from how I handled the letter, and I'll always be thankful for a wise old minister's advice.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:42-48

So, who can you shower blessings on today?

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  posted at 8:03 AM · 16 comments




Monday, October 29, 2007
TOUGH MINISTRY QUESTIONS
I have a friend who preaches in a small congregation that doesn't have any elders or deacons. A few Sunday's ago, as everyone was leaving the building, one of the men of the church told him, "You needed to be spending more time out in the community and less time sitting in the office during the week." Then, not 5 minutes later another person caught him on his way out and said, "Can I make a suggestion? You need to be spending less time out in the community and more time in the office during the week." Needless to say my preacher friend left there that day very frustrated.

It's an age old question ministers have always battled. So what do you think?

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  posted at 8:10 AM · 24 comments




Saturday, October 27, 2007
THE BOX HAS ARRIVED
Four weeks ago I told about a box of goodies we sent Brandon & Katie who are missionaries in Ukraine. I had challenged my Sunday morning young adult bible class to help send a care package to them and the class came through with little over $100.

Two weeks after we sent the package it was returned to me because the "customs" tag fell off so we went back to the post office and resent it. After four weeks of flying around the world, the package finally made it. Brandon and Katie posted a really neat video on their blog of going to get the package at the post office and opening it. You'll want to stop by there and watch it. Make sure you pay attention to the cat that walks into the post office. Also, one of the items blew up all over the box.

I realized I asked the question last time but never gave you an answer to this question ... just for fun ... can you tell me what it cost to ship a box of goodies to Ukraine? $45, $75 or $115?

Stop by and see their video here.

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  posted at 9:56 AM · 8 comments




Friday, October 26, 2007
600 KIDS AND A GOOD THROW-UP STORY
This past Wednesday, I was invited to speak at Childress Elementary for this year's "red ribbon" week. Red ribbon week is where the kids are challenged to make right choices and to be drug-free.

I was a little worried about how I was going to entertain 600 kids between the ages of 5 and 11 years old, and still give them the message of "Make the Right Choice." I mean, what do you say to kids this age that will relate? So I decided to pull out the big guns and hammer them with an old story about a camping trip where a kid was trying to throw-up on me because a bear was trying to get in our tent. The kids seemed to really love the story. I guess it just goes to show you what I've always believed to be true, "You just can't go wrong with a good throwing-up story!"

I had a dad catch me yesterday and tell me that they'd taken their daughter to the store to pick out shoes and she'd decided she was not going to buy any right now. When they asked her why she didn't want to buy any right now she said, "Because Trey told me that I'm supposed to make good choices and I don't like any of these shoes." That's not quite saying "no" to drugs, but at least she caught something :)

Here's some pictures from the program...

"Telling them about the bear"

"That's Cooper at the bottom center"

"Cooper is in Ms. Steed's kindergarten class."

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  posted at 9:25 AM · 18 comments




Thursday, October 25, 2007
SENDING VERBAL FLOWERS
My friend's name is Caleta May, but I've always called her "the mouth of the south." She was a HUGE talker when she was a sweet but typical teenage girl. I met her when she was a young camper at the session that I directed at summer church camp. She has always had a special place in my heart. I've been blessed to eat in her home, meet her family, and I even allowed her to drive my Camaro (a no-no to most people).

She has now grown up into a beautiful young woman who is currently serving our country in Germany. Before she left for Germany, she came by Childress to see me. We talked about the good old times and her future in the military. Before she left the office that day, we spent some time praying together.

I hadn't heard from Caleta in about 8 months, but I received an email from her on Monday. I was SO glad to hear from her, but her email was a huge "reality check" for me that I hadn't had in a while. It was a cold reminder that life is both short and fragile. In her email she'd been crying because she'd received word in Germany that I had passed away. She'd been told that I had lost my battle with cancer I'd been fighting. When she finally got a call through to a friend in the States to find out the details, he told her that she had the wrong person and that I was fine.

It was then that she sat down and wrote me one of the kindest letters I've ever received. She talked of how I had blessed her life in so many ways. She was doing what has been called, "sending the flowers before the funeral." She was letting me know what she thought of me while I was still alive to hear it. That is exactly what we need to do more often. Sadly, too many times we wait till after someone dies to share with people what we thought about them. I don't know how many times I've heard, "I wish I could have told him what he meant to me, but now it's to late."

Caleta's sweet letter reminded me of two things ...

So, today as I sign off I want to say, "thanks Caleta" for the verbal flowers and the reminder that this actually COULD be my last day in this world. I think I'll get off this computer for a while and go tell my wife and boys just how much I love them again.

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  posted at 8:13 AM · 24 comments




Wednesday, October 24, 2007
CONFESSIONS OF A PREACHER'S SON
While Lea and I were watching the Cowboys play football this past Sunday, Cooper was playing a video game in his room. Every now and then Lea and I could hear Cooper getting a little mad at the game he was playing. I had already told him once, "If it's going to make you that mad, you need to just turn it off."

A few minutes later he came into the living room walking slowly, head lowered and shoulders sagging. That was so different than his usual 100 mph pace. With a sad look on his face he looked up at his mom and confessed, "Mom, I just said a bad word."

"Why did you say a bad word?" Lea asked.

Now unwilling to make eye contact and almost whispering from shame, "I got mad at my game," Cooper said.

"Cooper, I'd like to know what it is that you said," his momma replied.

At this point I'm cutting my eyes around to see if I can hear the word he said. I'm thinking to myself, "He's too young to know any cuss words." I even got a little angry as I thought to myself, "He better not have learned this word from his big brothers!!!"

"I don't think I want to repeat it out loud," Cooper said.

"Then just whisper it in my ear," Lea said.

He leaned in close and whispered something in his mother's ear. I strained to hear. Then he looked up at her to see her reaction. Lea gave him that sweet motherly smile that said, "It's going to be alright" and then told him, "It's okay, but how about we not use those bad words anymore." And off he went back to the room feeling better after his confession.

He wasn't even out of the room good before I was saying, "What did he say?" thinking of the worst.

Then Lea smiled and said, "He said he called the game a 'stinking idiot.'"

Oh, how I wish my heart was still that tender.

"And Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." ~ Matthew 18:3

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  posted at 9:35 AM · 28 comments




Monday, October 22, 2007
7 THINGS HUSBANDS NEED FROM THEIR WIVES
Last week I gave you part one of my bible class notes on husbands and wives. It was about "What Wives need from their Husbands." Here's part two: "What husbands need from their wives..."

  1. HUSBANDS NEED LOTS OF ADMIRATION. Husbands love it when their wives are their biggest fan. Admiration is one of the easiest needs to meet, yet often the most overlooked. He wants to hear he's a good dad, that he's still good looking, that you're proud of him, etc. Honest admiration is a great motivator for most men. Just like you do for your kids ... go ahead, heap on the praise.
  2. HUSBANDS NEED A PLAYMATE. Not a playboy playmate (that's down in #5), but someone that will do things with him that he enjoys. Make him your best friend. Remember when you were dating and you did all sorts of things that you would never have chosen to do alone, just to be with him? God didn't make another man for Adam just so he could have companionship at a football game. He created woman as suited to be man's best friend. Don't ever forget it. If possible, find things you both can enjoy. When you spend time doing those things you make great memories together. One mistake that young parents make is forgetting each other's need for companionship when children come along. Children's wants and needs may begin to take precedence over your husband's needs. While wanting our children to excel and be fulfilled (and maybe even to fulfill some unmet need from our childhood), husbands are left alone with an unmet companionship need.
  3. STRIVE TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE SPOUSE. "But he should love me for what I look like on the inside," many women say. You are right, but one of the reasons he fell in love with you in the first place is for what you looked like on the outside. Men are visually stimulated so dress with the aim of pleasing your husband. Strive to look like the woman he married. Wear your hair, makeup, and clothes in a way that he finds attractive and tasteful. He should be attracted to you in private and proud of you in public. You may also need to give up clothes that he finds unattractive (ie. a bathrobe, certain pajamas, shoes, etc).
  4. AVOID A CONTROLLING ATTITUDE. Marriage should be about equality and not about "getting your way" in everything. A wife who nags or whines to get her way is unattractive. Solomon, the wisest man ever to live, said in Proverbs, "Better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife."
  5. STRIVE TO MAKE YOUR SEX LIFE SIZZLE. Notice I didn't say 7 things husbands want from wives, I said need. Just like men need water, food and air, God made him with the need of sexual fulfillment. He equipped you to be a perfect help suitable to fulfill that need. It is no secret that sexual fulfillment is usually a husband's number one need. Bill Ferrel makes a great statement in his book, "Red Hot Monogamy," when he says, "Sex in marriage is an interesting thing. When it's good, it can be one of the greatest delights in marriage and when it's infrequent, it can be one of the most agonizing sources of frustration." Physical intimacy can be a barometer for your relationship. Your husband may see your physical intimacy as a signal that he’s doing fine at home. Paul said this about sex in marriage in 1 Corinthians 7, "The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control." For more on "do's and don'ts" in a sexual relationship between a husband and wife, you can read Joe Beams article on "Sex in the Bible."
  6. STRIVE TO BE A WARM AND WONDERFUL WIFE. We talked in number 3 about how a wife looks on the outside, but it's important that a wife be just as beautiful on the inside. Proverbs 18:22 says, "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord." Peter says in 1 Peter 3 that a wife's inner beauty is of great value and it is found in a gentle and peaceful spirit.
  7. CREATE A HOME THAT BLESSES YOUR HUSBAND. Consider what environment you and your husband both would like to experience in your home, and work to create that atmosphere. Arrange your schedule so you have enough time to be home regularly and take good care of your responsibilities there. Don’t neglect the house, but don’t become obsessed with trying to make it perfect either. Simply do your best to make your home your family’s favorite place to be, and help them create memories there that you all will cherish.

So, here are seven things that are sure to make your husband a happy boy. My challenge to you wives is show your husband the list and ask him three things...

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  posted at 6:54 AM · 20 comments




Friday, October 19, 2007
A LOVE STORY

An 80 year old woman was arrested for shop lifting. When she went before the judge he asked her,"What did you steal?"

She replied: "A can of peaches".

The judge asked her why she had stolen them and she replied that she was hungry.

The judge then asked her how many peaches were in the can.

She replied, "6".

The judge then said, "I will give you 6 days in jail."

Before the judge could actually pronounce the punishment the woman's husband spoke up and asked the judge if he could say something.

"What is it?" the Judge said.

The husband said "She also stole a can of peas."

(Saw this a couple of days ago and laughed hard).

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  posted at 8:38 AM · 14 comments




Thursday, October 18, 2007
7 THINGS WIVES NEED FROM THEIR HUSBAND
Not long ago I told you that I'm doing lessons in both class and in worship on the family. Two of the bible class lessons I just finished were: "7 Things Wives Need from their Husbands," and "7 Things Husbands Need from their Wives." My favorite part of the class has been watching the reactions of couples while I'm teaching. Elbows have been swinging everywhere :)

Someone asked if I could include some notes from these two classes. So here's a brief outline for the husbands. I'll include the wives outline tomorrow.

7 THINGS WIVES NEED FROM THEIR HUSBANDS...

  1. Court your wife creatively. Guys, you spent months and even years courting your wife before you married her. You brought her flowers, cards, notes and gifts as tokens of your love. Why stop after you're married? Go for a walk, go on a date, but don't stop courting. Try to plan a date night every week to "reconnect" each week. It's not important where you go or what you do as long as you are able to get away by yourselves and talk to each other.

  2. Communicate with her cheerfully. Men, like it or not, understand it or not, women need communication. They need to talk. Communication is one of the glues of marriage that make it stick and last. There is no telling how many marriages have been killed by ineffective communication. The bible teaches and life verifies that good communication is not automatic. It must be learned and developed. Want more on how to communicate in marriage: click here?

  3. Be the spiritual leader in the home. Your wife wants you to be the spiritual leader in the home. It's actually the way God designed it. Real men aren't satisfied with just providing for their families, but want to do everything God designed them to do.
  4. Give your family plenty of time. Husbands, did you know that 87% of all wives said they'd be willing to have their husbands bring home less money if it meant their husbands would be home more? Wives want their husbands to give their children and families plenty of time. Don't believe the old lie that a little quality time is all that's needed. You can't get quality time without quantity time.
  5. Serve her cheerfully. Don't be one of those, "That's not my job," kind of husbands. There's no such thing as a job you can't do to help out. You can load the dishwasher, clear the table, vacuum the floors or whatever else she needs help doing. Don't come home from work, plop your rear in a chair and say, "What's for supper and why is the house in such a mess?"
  6. Give her some money to call her own. She ought to have some money budgeted into the budget each month that she can use for anything she wants. With her money she can get a manicure, pedicure, new shoes or anything else without being made to feel guilty.
  7. Be open and honest. One of the worst things you can do in marriage is hide things from your wife. Even little things you think are insignificant should never be kept a secret. There should be no secrets in marriage. No hidden friendships, text messages, email, passwords or plans. Be open and honest.

So, there are seven things that are sure to make your wife a happy girl. Tomorrow we'll do the other list.

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Also, I've posted part 3 from the sermon series "Extreme Home Makeover" if you've been following along. This past week's lesson was, "An Extreme Marriage Makeover." Give it a listen if you want.

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  posted at 8:44 AM · 10 comments




Wednesday, October 17, 2007
IS IT CHRISTMAS TIME YET?
Yea, it's that time of year again. Christmas! At least in my book "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." I have always loved Christmas, especially as a kid. I know it's a little early for some, but not for me. Call me warped, but I actually had Christmas music going in my office last week and it sounded great.

When I was young I'd always ask mom if we could put the Christmas tree up the day after Halloween. I'd beg, whine and say, "Please," at least fifty-two times, but she'd never give in. Never once did we get to put the Christmas tree up right after Halloween. I couldn't wait to get married and get away from a mean woman like that.

I asked Lea yesterday, "You know what would be cool to do right after Halloween this year?" She quickly replied, "I don't know, but we're not putting the Christmas tree up right after Halloween this year. So don't even ask!"

DRAT, that mean woman!!!!
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Make sure you take the poll on the left hand side of the page. Maybe Lea will give in if I get enough "yes" votes.

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  posted at 9:59 AM · 28 comments




Tuesday, October 16, 2007
SPIRITUAL TEMPER TANTRUMS
1 Peter 2:2-3 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."

What a great picture for those whiny Christians, who are in every church in America. They wear their spiritual feelings on their sleeves and whine about everything. Churches just can't ever seem to get everything perfect enough for them and so they are never happy.
Come on people, it's one thing for my six year old son to occasionally show his immaturity and stomp his feet or fall in the floor and throw a fit because he's not getting his way. But when you're an adult and STILL showing your spiritual immaturity by stomping your feet and saying, "Fine, you're not my friend anymore, and I'm not playing with you again" something is wrong.

Unfortunately, churches everywhere are spending too much of their time trying to deal with these "two year old" adults and their spiritual temper-tantrums, instead of trying to reach the lost around them. When will we catch on that God says it's about unity, growing up and becoming mature spiritual adults.

So my advice to those adults who are continually throwing these spiritual temper-tantrums because something isn't the way you like it, is the same advice I tell my little boy when he throws a fit ... "Grow up, you're acting like a big baby."

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  posted at 7:38 AM · 20 comments




Saturday, October 13, 2007
IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY SERMON I'LL SMASH YOU
It's been the video game Halo that has been getting all the news of late. Churches are being called out for using violent video games, such as the popular game Halo, to attract teens to youth events. The New York Times wrote a piece recently called "Thou Shalt Not Kill, Except In Church?" If you'd like to read a good article on this subject, my friend Brandon wrote a great piece on this subject.

BUT ... while that may be the popular video game news right now, I think we're missing out on an even better video game called "Altar Egos - Rumble in the Pew." The game hasn't been released yet, but I'm thinking I want the first copy. The video game is set in a church where people can clobber each other with songbooks and other church items. You seek out the person you're annoyed with and whack them. It is truly a "rumble in the pew."

Can you imagine ... if someone says, "Your sermon stunk," I can smack them with a microphone stand. Or, I can tell the song leader, "Oh yeah? Well your song selection was lousy," and then bonk him over the head with a family-size Bible.

Altar Egos does have a point: to find the hidden church check book and clear the preacher's office of all other players, but most people just enjoy the rumble. "I like ripping up the hymnals. I don't know why," says one executive minister who asked not to be identified. Can you imagine a game where people are hurling folding chairs and offering plates at each other, and yelling Bible-inspired insults ("I'm gonna lay waste to you, snake." Whack!).

So just remember, if you think playing Halo is bad at church functions, remember that it could always be worse!

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  posted at 7:17 AM · 26 comments




Thursday, October 11, 2007
TREY & LEA'S TOP 10 INTIMACY KILLERS
I love it when Lea and I read books together. Currently we're reading the book, "Red Hot Monogamy - Making Your Marriage Sizzle", by Bill & Pam Farrel. I'll read a couple of chapters, she'll read a couple of chapters, and then we'll talk about the things we've read.

One of the things we talked about from the book this weekend was intimacy killers. You know, things that get in the way of being intimate. Intimacy killers on most lists are things like...

After talking about intimacy killers for a minute we decided that the above list didn't fit us very well. So we decided to make our own list of intimacy killers that we have struggled with in our marriage. So without further ado, here is the first ever top 10 list that Lea has actually helped me to comprise. Trey and Lea's top ten intimacy killers....

  1. Children
  2. Kids
  3. Offspring
  4. Babies (Thankfully we're past this.)
  5. Toddlers (Past this one, too)
  6. Pre-teens
  7. Teenagers
  8. Niños (if you speak Spanish)
  9. Taylor, Parker, Connor & Cooper
  10. Yes, you guessed it, children

Okay, just so you know, we do believe our children are blessings in our lives and not burdens. But, after we finished our list we just laughed and laughed. I asked her if it would be okay to share our top ten list with the blogging world. She said, "Sure, go ahead." God is sure good to me to put Lea in my life. I definitely married up!

Has your "intimacy killer's" list ever resembled ours?

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  posted at 7:48 AM · 24 comments




Wednesday, October 10, 2007
THE PRESSURE ON GIRLS TO LOOK PERFECT
This jaw-dropping video called "Onslaught" will hit you right in the gut and then make you want to cry. Especially if you have little girls. This is the newest short film in the Dove “real beauty” campaign.



This growing phenomenon is having a direct impact on girls’ self-image and even causing some to engage in destructive behavior. The Dove Self-Esteem Fund/Seventeen Body Image Survey also revealed:

  • 93 percent of girls and young women report feeling anxiety or stress about some aspect of their looks when getting ready in the morning
  • This could explain why more than 70 percent of girls and young women avoid activities when they feel bad about their looks including giving their opinion, attending school and even going to the doctor.
  • 76 percent of girls and young women admit to partaking in unhealthy activities when they feel badly about their bodies
  • 58 percent of girls describe themselves in negative terms, including words like “disgusting” and “ugly,” when feeling badly about themselves.
  • Nearly four out of 10 engage in unhealthy eating behaviors, such as anorexia or bulimia.
  • More than one out of 10 girls has used cutting or self-inflicted injury as a coping mechanism.
  • The average person sees between 400 and 600 advertisements per day - equivalent to more than one message for every waking minute.
  • The average US girl has the opportunity to see an estimated 77,546 commercials by the time she is 12 years old.

For more on this see CNN's article about this called: "Pressure to Look Perfect Drives Girls to Destructive Behavior"

Or read more on this topic: "Sleeping Ugly"

For more Dove videos on the pressure on girls to look perfect: Click Here and Here

I don't know about you, but the above stats make me sick to my stomach.

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  posted at 7:33 AM · 12 comments




Tuesday, October 09, 2007
MY MOST IMPORTANT MINISTRY
I got a call Monday morning from a man who was interested in my ministry in Childress. He asked if he could ask me some questions. I told him sure, ask away. He asked lots of questions about different areas of my ministry.

Once we'd finished talking, there were two of his questions in particular that really made me think. The first was, "What area of your ministry are you putting your main focus on right now?" My answer was, "Easy answer, my most important ministry right now is at home. My first responsibility is to my wife and my second is to my kids." The second question was, "What do you find to be the toughest part of your ministry right now?" I answered, "I have to admit it's the same thing as above ... making my marriage and children the most important part of my ministry."

I am so blessed to be working with such a hard working and Christ-like church in Childress. I absolutely adore my ministry out in the community of Childress. I wouldn't trade anything for my ministry in the local school system. And I'm in awe of the internet ministry that the Lord has blessed me with. But NOTHING, absolutely nothing, should come before my ministry at home. It is, by far, my most important ministry. But yet, it's also the easiest thing to take for granted.

I can't help but think of Noah this morning. He's my hero and I want to be like him. He is to me a great preacher. For over 100 years while he built the ark, he preached to the lost around him. When the ark was finished and he was done preaching, the invitation was given, and the only people willing to get on the ark with him was his family. Noah had no conversions in all his years of preaching, except his family. I think that makes him an extremely successful preacher. And when that great day comes and God calls us all home, if the only people I can get to go with me to heaven is my family ... then I've been tremendously successful in my most important ministry.

Two questions I'd love to hear your answers on ...

  1. Why do you think it's easy to take for granted the most important ministry we have in this world (family)?
  2. What are some specific ways you can encourage your minister to keep his family first?

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  posted at 9:08 AM · 15 comments




Monday, October 08, 2007
PRAYING BEFORE THE GAME
I was a little nervous when they asked me to be a coach for flag football this year. I've coached t-ball for a lot of years but never flag football. So, I decided to give it a try this year. My first rule was going to be "have fun", and then after that we could focus on winning. I have to admit, I've had fun. Our little team of 4th - 6th grade boys is currently 3-2 right now.

I have a mixture of kids on the team. I have Connor, my son, and three other boys who go to church with me. Most of the other kids on the team are all kids I was familiar with too. One of the boys, Kenneth, attends over at the Baptist church. I asked his family after the game on Saturday how he was enjoying playing football on my team. They said, "Since you mention it, let me tell you what Kenneth told us this week." Then they smiled and said, "Kenneth told us that it was neat having a preacher for a coach, that he really loves playing on your team, and that he's having lots of fun. But, he said that he was really surprised that you weren't having any team prayers before the game." They thought it was funny. I laughed with them too. You know the old phrase, "Out of the mouth of babes ..."

(Note to Self: Pray before the next football game.)

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  posted at 7:37 AM · 9 comments




Friday, October 05, 2007
SEXUAL TEMPTATION
Here are a few things I jotted down in my journal this week that I'd like to share with you. Let’s start with a quiz. These aren’t trick questions, and they're not hard. But play along if you will.

All of them, the strongest man in the Bible, the smartest man in the Bible and arguably the most godly man in the Bible – all of them struggled with sexual temptation AND LOST. I'm literally blown away thinking about it, but it tells me something I need to pay attention to. What it's telling me is I am not so strong, I am not so smart and I am not so godly that I can defeat sexual temptation, on my own. I am NOT beyond falling into this temptation, and when I think I am, I may be the most vulnerable. "If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you too may fall into the same sin." (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Here are some things I think are important for me to know in overcoming sexual temptation:

  1. Know what the Bible has to say about sex outside of the covenant of marriage. The Bible is my standard. The culture does not determine my sexual behavior. I do. My choices must be based on Scripture. (Hebrews 4:12)


  2. Remove any source of sexual temptation. If you are being tempting by watching certain things on the television, turn it off or change the channel. If you're being tempted by someone of the opposite sex, stay far away from them. If it's pornography on your computer, put a filter on your computer. Remove any and all sources of temptation. (2 Timothy 2:22, Matthew 5:29)


  3. Purpose in your heart to follow God's Word. Don't be ruled by passion. No matter what you feel, act with your brain and not your emotions. Scripture is clear that sexual behavior is always subject to the will. Dogs have no control, people do. (Proverbs 4:23)


  4. Keep your mind pure. Think on things that are noble, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).


  5. Don't put yourself in places to be tempted. In the same way that a recovered alcoholic wouldn't go sit in a bar, don't put yourself in a place that makes resistance tough (IE. don't go to dirty movies, strip joints, bars, certain chat rooms, trashy novels and magazines, etc.). When Satan tempted Eve, she engaged him in conversation. Instead of telling him to go crawl in a hole, she entertained his conversation. We all know the outcome of her choice! (Genesis 39:11-12)


  6. Be accountable to a friend. Be willing to tell a friend you trust what you struggle with and allow him/her to help keep you accountable. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)


  7. Don't be over confident. Most of us think we can handle a lot more sexually explicit material than we can. We aren't aware of the subtle influence and desensitization that goes on by regular exposure. We are lulled into thinking we are above these influences. If you are human, you are not! (1 Corinthians 10:12)


  8. Keep your walk with the Lord strong. Most of us give in to temptation when our daily walk is not strong. Spend time in prayer and be intimately connected to your heavenly Father. When you are weak, He is strong. And remember, He doesn't leave us. Stay connected. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

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  posted at 9:42 AM · 22 comments




Thursday, October 04, 2007
MOST POPULAR POSTS
Yesterday I asked you to give me your guess on which post gets the most hits. Most who guessed got at least one of the two right, but it was JoAnn who guessed both correctly. Way to go JoAnn! I'll be sending you your prize for winning, "Sermons to Sleep Through" by Trey Morgan :)

So what is the top post that gets three times more hits everyday, from Google, Yahoo, ETC, than any other I've done. Here is the top 3 posts ...

  1. How to Make your Wife Happy: Why would this be the post still getting tons of hits everyday? Your guess is as good as mine, but here are my two guesses: (FIRST) Maybe there are a lot of good husbands out there looking for ideas on how to "go the extra mile" in their relationship with their wives. (I seriously don't think this is the reason). (SECOND) There are a lot of unhappy wives in this world whose husbands don't have a clue how to make them happy. (I'm choosing this as the best answer).

  2. Emotional Affairs: Wow, is this really that big of a problem. Okay people, remember there are rules about having friendships with people of the opposite sex: 1 - It must be just a friendship. 2 - Your spouse has to know about it and have no problems with it. 3 - There cannot be any secrets from your spouse.

  3. Free Porn or Porn Free: This is probably the third most "hit" post. And yes, most hits are from people who are searching for free porn. I just hope when they hit the article they'll see that there are links that can help them overcome their addiction for pornography. Here are those links: Pure Online, Pure Intimacy Online, Pornography in Marriage, Porn-Free and XXXChurch.

Thanks for playing. One last question: In your opinion, why do you think so many men are searching for the terms, "Things that will make my wife happy?"

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  posted at 7:09 AM · 11 comments




Wednesday, October 03, 2007
POPULAR POSTS & SEXY TOOLBELTS
Yesterday I did my 300th post on this blog. I'm about a month away from this blog's one year anniversary. I'm still amazed that in the 11 months this blog has been going, I've had just over 67,000 visitors to this site.

While looking back at some of my 300 different posts yesterday I found something strangely interesting. I've done two posts over the past year that are still extremely popular. It left me asking myself, "Why would my most popular posts be these two?" I'm not talking about which posts had the most comments, but which are the most popular by the number of hits they generate. I still get tons of hits on these two posts everyday from Google, Yahoo, MSN and other search engines. One of the two, hands down, is my most popular post and the second is not far behind. Here's a random list of 8 posts. Can you guess the two most popular?

  1. 10 Traits of a Healthy Church

  2. Emotional Affairs

  3. Why Ministers Quit

  4. The Church is for Weirdos Too

  5. Ten Reasons I Don't Like People who Complain

  6. Free Porn or Porn Free

  7. Ten Things that will Make your Wife Happy

  8. The Most Popular Bible Translations
If you'll give me your best guess on the two most popular, I'll tell you the answer... tomorrow. I'll also tell you why I believe those two posts are so popular.

----------------------------------------

I got the "Extreme Home Makeover" sermon series off to a good start this past Sunday. The first lesson was "Hiring the Right Contractor" (Click to Listen). Just to get a point across during the sermon, I wore a tool belt and then later used a hard hat to make an application.

My wife Lea is so good to me ... after church she told me that it was not only a good sermon, but that I also looked incredibly hot in the tool belt :) I think I've just added a tool belt to my Christmas list!!!

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  posted at 8:42 AM · 21 comments




Tuesday, October 02, 2007
GOD DOESN'T QUIT
This morning as I was looking at my blog I noticed I've got multiple articles or "posts" started, but I've never finished them. They have been sitting around for a long time waiting to be finished. Here are a few of their titles ....

What I realize is that I'm a great starter. I can start anything and everything. If you need something started, I am your man. The problem is I'm not a good finisher. I can't seem to finish all the things I start. I've started numerous books that I never finished. I've started sermons that I've never finished. I can't begin to tell you how many other projects I've started that I haven't finished.

I'm glad God's not like that. God is not only a good starter, but He's an even better finisher. Do you remember the old children's song, "He's still working on me, to make me all I have to be...?" I'm extremely thankful that He's not finished with me. I'm so far from where I want to be spiritually, and I've got so many flaws in my life that need serious work. I struggle spiritually, and I need God's help. As I cry out to the Lord, "Father, I'm a spiritual failure and I look nothing like your Son," I'm reminded He gently answers, "Trey, don't give up. I'm not finished with you yet."

"...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 1:6

God hasn't quit on you, make sure that you don't quit on yourself.

"Father, thank you for your grace and your salvation. I thank you today, Father, that you have refused to quit on me. I know you will keep working in my life, and I continue to strive to be more like your Son. In His name I pray, Amen"

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  posted at 6:13 AM · 13 comments




Monday, October 01, 2007
TAYLOR
Eighteen years ago I wasn't really sure I wanted kids. Children seemed like so much work, and if anyone could "screw up" at raising kids, it would be me.

I remember that night with Lea at the hospital well. I kept feeling sick and trying to pass-out because I was so scared. I wasn't sure I was ready for this, but it was happening. It was a "ready or not here I come" moment. I'd never seen or experienced anything like child birth. Then when my first, Taylor, was born God did a miracle in my heart. I remember what felt like an instant sense of love that came over me that I had never experienced before. The second that boy appeared in this world, I would have given my life for him.

It was a special day. I remember crying right there in front of everyone, and I didn't care who saw me. The nurse wrapped that tiny baby up in a blanket and said, "Do you you want to hold him?" I remember shaking my head "no" and thinking, "He might break." She gave him to me anyway. He was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Then I made a fatal mistake ... I blinked ... and he turned 18 last Friday. Soon I'll blink again, and he'll be graduating from high school and heading to AIM.

The years, months, days and minutes are SO important with each child. We don't have them very long - value and cherish them while you can.

Happy Birthday, Taylor.

We love you and are very proud of you. ~ Mom & Dad

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  posted at 6:22 AM · 13 comments




About Trey


On this blog you'll find my thoughts about life, marriage, family, raising children, Christian community, the mission of Christ and the life God intended for us all. I am a Christian husband & father who has served as a minister for the past 20 years. My wife Lea and I have been married for 19 years. We are doing our best to raise our 4 awesome boys, who are all growing up way too fast. I currently preach for the Childress Church of Christ in Childress, Texas.

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