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New Years Resolutions

I’ve been thinking some over the past several weeks about my New Years Resolutions but simply haven’t put anything down on paper. Then, on my drive in to work today, I heard Wally talking about resolutions on WayFM and how a lot of people just don’t like making them because they never stick to them.

I have always tried to take the time to sit down and write out some things that I would like to change or improve in the New Year. I think its important to set goals and to strive to better ourselves and the New Year seems to give us a perfect starting point.

This morning while working on my list I came across a great blog post by Pete Wilson about his resolutions. I love his and will use some of them myself! Especially this; "I want to live in 2012 with the awareness of LIFE GOES BY FAST and MY DAYS ARE NUMBERED." -Pete Wilson

How about you? What are some of your New Year Resolutions?

Visit to Hollywood Studios

We enjoyed a magical day at the Hollywood Studios Theme Park even though the place was packed out with holiday visitors. For me, I love the Disney Parks and the incredible attention they place on details. And, I love to see my kids enjoy the thrills and rides of the parks. Its always good to feel like a kid again!

One of my favorite parts of this years visit was seeing the elaborate Christmas decorations. Amazing! Way over the top amazing stuff.

While at the park I managed to video our family riding the Tower of Terror. It's a crazy ride but we loved it! What is your favorite theme park ride?

The Heart of Christmas - Matthew West

The Wally Show in the Morning!

My family loves listening to Way FM here in Nashville and we especially appreciate The Wally show each morning. Wally is upfront, practical, and hilarious. He lives his faith out loud.

This week The Wally show helped me get my focus back on the true meaning of Christmas. It’s been a tough month for me. My dad passed away on the 28^th of November and the grieving process has been a challenge.

Thank you Wally and the staff of Way FM for your ministry and impact to my family, Nashville, and the world.

Here’s my favorite episode from this past week.

A Tribute to my dad Ron Wilson

My dad passed away on Monday, November 28^th after a 5-month battle with cancer. He was so much more than just a best friend.

I have walked down difficult roads with people and families for the past twenty years. I have been there when their loved ones passed away. I have conducted countless funerals. But, I have once again, learned that until you personally experience the kind of loss they have experienced, then you just don’t get it. You can’t. Through this painful journey, God has again given me new perspective.

This morning, I'm so thankful for my friends, family and faith in Christ. I'm simply not sure how people can face these kind of difficult times without a personal relationship with Jesus.

Here's the tribute video I made for dads service.

It's not the Critic who counts...

I came across this quote today thanks to Shaun King who posted it on his blog. It's a powerful quote - inspirational - and challenging. I plan to refer to this one frequently!

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

-President Theodore Roosevelt

New Technology Can Be Dangerous and Hilarious

New technology can be dangerous and hilarious.

I couldn't help but chuckle at this video. And yes, I've had my own struggle with new technology at least once or twice. I do love the fact that this dear couple is trying to learn. I also love that they were bold enough to post the video on YouTube!

Klaire sings Justin Bieber's song "Baby!"

Yesterday afternoon Klaire (our 5 year old daughter) took my iphone 4 and record herself singing a few of her favorite Justin Bieber songs. In this video she's singing "Baby" while using my favorite flashlight as her microphone. Klaire wants to be a rockstar when she grows up - just in case you hadn't figured it out.

2010 Visit to NYC and the World Trade Center

In May of last year Julie and I visited New York City. Here's a video of our experience including a visit to the site of the World Trade Center. It was an overwhelming experience to visit the site and the memorial that was there at the time. May God bring healing to those who lost so much and may our country grow stronger as we continue to stand for liberty around the world. God bless the USA!

Happy Gotcha Day!

Today we celebrate 5 years since Klaires "Gotcha" Day. Here's a video of our special moment.

Stepping Out On Faith

Five years ago today we boarded a flight from St. Louis, Missouri bound for Beijing, China. After 20 months of planning, filling out paperwork, praying, and fundraising, we were on our way to bring our 10 month-old adopted daughter home.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years! Karlee was 13 years old and Kassidy was only 8! And now, that tiny step of faith toward adoption has been one of the most rewarding steps of our lives.

Here’s a link to our adoption story; Our adoption story

Smart!

I sat down to pay bills and figure out the funds that need to go into our “envelope system (see Dave Ramsey) this morning. And, I found an extra envelope tucked in our usual batch. This new envelope is the one in the picture. It simply reads, “Klaire.”

That’s right, now we have envelopes that read; Grocery, Eat Out, Fuel, Miscellaneous, and KLAIRE. That girl is smart!

Klaire is our youngest daughter (5 years old) and just started Kindergarten. She loves school and learning. I’ve included a few pictures from her first day at school as well. One of the pictures features her teacher Mrs. Tant.

I would have posted pictures of Kassidy’s first day of 8^th grade but she nearly killed me when I pulled out my iPhone to take the shot. And, I would post pictures of Karlee's first day of college but it still makes me cry to just think about it.

Julie and I are truly blessed to have three amazing daughters.

Facing the Storms of Life

Sometimes life becomes difficult and other times its smooth sailing. Well, I have recently found myself in the midst of some pretty crazy storms!

All in about a one-month time period the following (and some I just won’t mention) have happened to come upon my family and me.

· My dad was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer

· My grandmother (my dad’s mom) passed away

· One of my mentors and dear friends passed away

· One of my good friends wife was diagnosed with incurable cancer

· My oldest daughter moved two hours away to start college

· My middle daughter started 8^th grade in a new school

· My youngest daughter started Kindergarten

· An old back injury raised its ugly head and may require surgery to repair

· My wife’s grandmother fell breaking a her hip and wrist which required surgery

I’m not writing about this to have my own pity-party or to make you will feel sorry for me. Everyone has difficult days and I realize many people have much more going on in their lives than I do. I’m also not writing because I have it all figured out. I don’t.

I writing because I thought it might help someone else who is going through a difficult time. I’ve seen far too many friends drop off the deep end during a mid-life crisis or over some tough season of life. I don’t want to be one of those guys. So, here are some things I’m doing to work through the junk that is going on in my life.

1. Stop – realize what is going on.

It’s important to stay positive in life but there are times when we should stop and realize what we are facing just aren’t normal. One of the first steps to finding your way out of a wilderness is to stop and take account of the situation. Then you can determine a marker and set a direction for moving forward. It’s one thing to face one difficult situation in life but it’s completely different to face several all at once.

2. Talk to someone

I have to admit this isn’t easy for most men. I don’t necessarily like it. Talking with a godly person helps us be accountable to someone else and we are more likely to be honest with ourselves. I actually recommend finding two or three people that you can lean on during difficult seasons. Express what you are going through. Allow them to speak into the situation and to cover you in prayer. And, just so you know – I’m assuming you are already communicating these things with your spouse. Also, I always recommend that men find godly men to share with and women find godly women.

3. Pray and journal

Prayer is vital to our growth and walk with Christ. This is important in good and bad times. Journaling is simply another way for me to express my feelings in writing and seems to help me think more clearly about what is actually taking place. I write out my thoughts, create a prayer list, and sometimes write out things that I’m thankful for. This process can also help build your faith as you see God answer prayers and carry you through those difficult times.

4. Worship

I like to begin my day with worship. This helps me focus on God’s greatness, grace, mercy, and love. I usually have several worship songs on my iPhone that I love to listen to in the morning. Worship is the opposite of worry. I read recently that someone said, “worrying is temporary atheism.” I think we often worry because we have forgotten to worship.

5. Take one day at a time

This one kind of speaks for itself. I love to plan and cast vision. But when going through difficult times I have found it best to focus on the needs at hand for that day and trusting God with the rest.

6. You can’t walk it alone

As believers we were never meant to walk through life alone. We need each other. It’s biblical to help out others and it’s biblical to allow others to encourage, pray, and help you out when the time comes. If you aren’t part of a solid church family then you are missing out and I honestly feel sorry for you.

7. Exercise

Taking a walk, going on a bike ride, or jogging can seriously help clear your head and release a lot of tension. Unfortunately, difficult times often cause us to withdraw and avoid healthy activity. Do everything you can find ways to exercise.

8. Pick a verse

God’s word is powerful and life changing. It encourages, teaches, and guides us. I have found it helpful over the years to find a verse or two that I can focus on when facing challenges. A few weeks ago, God led me to the following:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

The fact is storms will come. God never promised us an easy, carefree life. How we handle the storms is critical. Sometimes it’s the storms that actually make us stronger and help to develop a closer walk with Christ, family, and friends.

So, how do you deal with the storms of life?

A Sweet-bitter-Sweet day.

Yesterday, we took our oldest daughter Karlee to the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. It was a sweet-bitter-sweet day. Yes, I realize I have that last sentence out of sorts but that is the order it hit me. You see, I did pretty well with my oldest going off to college. We have been slowly letting her out of the nest for years. She has been to camps, leadership conferences, school trips, and even a mission trip to France. I’m so proud of my daughter and the woman she has become and continues to grow into.

So, I had somehow managed to focus on all the “sweet” things about her going to college. And then…we walked out of her dorm and drove the car out of the city. It was somewhere along I-24 that this huge lump swelled up in my throat.

Suddenly, 18 years of our life together as a family, of my time with my first born from the moment I stood in the delivery room and watched her enter this world to the time she walked the stage and received her High school diploma – all of this flashed across my mind. And I wept. The taste of bitterness washed through my mouth and I could barely swallow it. My little girl, my baby, my first-born was now out on her own. I wept more. This stinks. Then this thought actually came to my mind, “if I would have known how hard this was then I would have never had children!” The pain was that deep. (I know, crazy thought, hang with me.)

Somewhere along our journey along I-24 I glanced out on the horizon and noticed the beautiful rolling hills of Tennessee. And it was at this point that I felt God’s peace come over me. It was if the Holy Spirit was whispering in my ear, “Joe, you see these mountains, I made them, I created all of this and I’m quite capable of watching over your little girl.”

I was then back to “sweetness.” And, I realized how crazy and self-centered my earlier thought of not having children was. Yes, having children can be painful in many ways. But the blessings of being a dad far out way them all. I’m blessed! I have to stop now – that lump in my throat is back.

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” I Corinthians 5:7

Providence and Creative Titles

The other day I was driving back from a dear friends funeral in Missouri and decided to listen to a Matt Chandler sermon on my iphone. I typically never travel alone but made an exception for this trip so that I could have some time to think, pray, and listen. I always have podcasts ready on my phone. I have found that I need time each week to be inspired by others and so I download messages from Steven Furtick, Perry Noble, Andy Stanley, Rick Warren, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, and others. I want to be inspired, I want to grow, I want to be stretched, so I listen.

The funeral of my dear friend was hard on me – I’ll write more about that soon. I also had just been to the funeral of my grandmother the week before. Death, dying, pain, suffering, heaven, hell – were all topics on my brain. Sometimes the difficulties in life cause us to re-examine the hard truths we often avoid in life.

I hadn’t listened to Matt Chandler in a while. His ministry has been blessed and he is an incredible teacher/pastor. And, his personal story of facing cancer over the past year or so is flat out amazing. The guy has guts, loves Christ and lives out his faith. That’s the kind of traits I desperately want in my own life.

As I scanned through Matt’s sermon titles – I noticed a 3 part series called “Transitions.” I thought to myself, I’m in a transition period – in my 40’s, our first child is going into college, we just moved to a new community south of Nashville, I’m only 1 year into a new job, my dad was just diagnosed with cancer, and I had just been to the funeral of one of my mentors.

Had I known what Matt’s “Transition” series was really about – I probably wouldn’t have listened. It wasn’t the kind of transition I had in mind. It was solid biblical truth hitting me straight where my heart was torn open. What was it about? Well, I don’t want to spoil the surprise.

I'm thankful for Providence and God leading me to these messages. I'm also thankful for the creativity at The Village Church (Matt's church). Sometimes creative titles really do make a difference. I highly recommend this powerful 3 part series. One thing for sure, this is one transition no one will avoid.

Blessings

Being thankful for trials and difficulties isn’t always easy. But the truth is, God’s blessings sometimes come through hard times or even tragedies. James writes about this in chapter 1:2-4;

2 Count it all joy, my brothers,t when you meet trials of various kinds,3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

The verse I often struggle with is #4 where James tells us to “let” the tough times do the work in us. I’m not good at “letting” – I want to fix things or I want God to fix things and the sooner the better. To “let,” is hard. It takes patience and a willingness to allow God to work things out for our good.

Recently, the song Blessings by Laura Story has been one of our families favorites. I love the words and the truth found in her song.

How are you doing with the “let?”

Best Marriage Proposal Ever! Could be.

I love creativity and when it comes to marriage proposals I'd have to give this guy a top rating. As a daddy of three daughters, I especially love the part of getting the fathers permission.

Dear Karlee...

One of the things our church does for graduating seniors is host a special banquet in their honor. At this banquet, parents were asked to read a letter written to their son/daughter. I have to say this wasn't an easy assignment. I choked up and started crying after writing "Dear Karlee!" And yet, I'm glad we were asked to do the assignment.

This is our letter I read to Karlee at the banquet.


Dear Karlee,

As we sit down to write this letter we are overcome with the speed of time and how fast the past 17 years has gone by. It’s one of those things that people try to warn you about but until you’ve actually lived through it you just can’t comprehend. Now, we get it. Seventeen years is now flashing through our minds faster than the speed of light. It is hard to summarize the past 17+ years in a letter. It seems like yesterday, we were at Pheobe Putney Hospital in Albany, Georgia welcoming you into this world- it took awhile to get you here but finally you decided to make an entrance on your own time. We remember your baby dedication ceremony and the way you screamed over the pastor’s sermon and prayer- stealing the spotlight. We remember our move across the country to Oklahoma, your first trip to the hospital with Asthma- 6 breathing treatments in the ER and then you were climbing out of your crib and running down the hall! Also your concussion by trying to stand on your daddy’s basketball in the living room, your first trip to the principals office to get paddled in K-3 for going into the boy’s bathroom and then your second trip in K-4 for running away from the teacher in the parking lot-not so proud moments there. We were so proud when you won the Miss Footprints award in 8th grade when told that no one has ever won this if you are not from Lebanon. You have helped make so many fun Christmas celebrations, yearly family vacations, church camp experiences, and mission trips. It was such a privilege to have your dad baptize you here at TDF.

We want you to know that no father or mother could be prouder of their daughter than we are of you. God has blessed us beyond measure in giving us the priviledge of being your mom and dad. Your bubbly personality is contagious. You have a beautiful smile that brightens a room when you walk in. We thank God each day for you! We know that we have moved many times in your life to different states and churches and you have ALWAYS been so willing to go where God was leading us! We remember when we felt God leading us to move back here to Nashville and it was the end of your sophomore year. You had just been elected Junior Class President and was ready to start planning the prom for next year.....we asked you if you were ok with the move. Your answer was...if this is where God is leading you and our family then I know that God has great things in store for us and who am I to argue with that. We knew then that God was first priority in your life and He had great things in store for you!

Your humor and sweet personality is such an asset to our family! You always make us laugh by being so goofy sometimes! That is what we love about you- you can find the humor in so many things! We love that you are willing to try new things and are not afraid to take chances- such as playing in the pit for the band at DCA when you had never done that before! You were great! :) Also, going to a new school your junior year and making lifetime friends!

Karlee, you have always been and always will be a blessing to us! Our hope and prayer for you is that you always let God lead you in all your decisions throughout your lifetime and put Him first in all you do! We dedicated you to the Lord 17 years ago and we have seen God working and continue working in your life. We are so thankful that God chose us to be your parents! We pray that God will continue to bless you beyond measure in all you do! You make us proud, but more importantly we want you to make our God proud and we know He is so proud of you too!

Our prayer for you is: Ephesians 3:14-20
16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your heart as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

We love you, Karlee more than words can ever say!!!
Mom & Dad

So, I've turned 43!

Yesterday while driving my two youngest daughters to school (an hour commute with traffic) - I had Kassidy write out some of the lessons I have learned in the past 43 years. These are quick - simple- statements. I didn’t spend a lot of time on this - its just what came to my mind as I was driving - the order has no importance.

My intention was this would help inspire my girls as they listened to some of my life lessons. And, I hope some of these might inspire you today as well. I can’t take credit for all of these sayings - many of them are from friends, pastors, books I have read, etc.

Here we go;

1.) Get over it's not about you.

2.) You get good friends by being a good friend.

3.) Gods word is true and the perfect road map to life.

4.) Forgive quickly and often.

5.) Little choices often have huge consequences.

6.) Consequences affect not only you but those who know and love you.

6.) Prayer is about a relationship with Christ. You build a relationship by talking and listening.

7.) Learn to love and serve others - especially those less fortunate.

8.) Be in awe of God often - your “up look” determines your “out look.”

9.) Be a giver.

10.) Go for it, think outside the box.

11.) Life is short eternity is forever so live each day like it is your last.

12.) Learn to love to read.

13.) Eat right, exercise, and take power naps daily.

14.) Not everyone will like or appreciate you and that's okay.

15.) Attitude is a choice.

16.) Honesty is crucial in all things.

What would you add to the list?