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Grateful Friday

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Today I’m giving thanks for:

Mornings. Well, once I get up. Morning is the start, the new, where we first meet God in the day. I like the feel of morning, the sounds, the brand new faith.

In the morningwhen I rise, give meJesus. (1)In case you’ve not noticed, starting the day in the Lord is important to me. It sets the tone for the day. You know where your Trust and Source are, no matter what comes. Each morning, each new day is a blessing. So embrace it.

Family. I love these people more and more. They keep me laughing, they support me, we trust, give, and love. At the end of the day, I know I CAN count on blood.

God’s guidance. I have seen firsthand over the past few weeks just how God will guide you in all life circumstances if you leave all in His hands. He will reveal His will directly through the Word, in prayer, and even through an old friend who walks into the same McDonald’s you’re in. Just keep praying and trusting and EXPECTING. You will see the hand of God move!

Lent. This is the season of knowing our Savior, of remembering His life and sacrifice, and seeing in His light our sins which once kept us in darkness. It’s a season of extreme focus and repentance as we race to the joy of the empty tomb. I pray that you also are thankful for this time, and that you see Jesus anew all over again.

What are YOU grateful for? Share your experiences and testimonies in the comments!

Remembering the Dean

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Dean Smith, former men’s head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, passed away on February 7. He was a legend, if you know college basketball, and certainly if you know UNC and the Tar Heel family…

Carolina blue skies over the Smith Center 2-8-15.
Carolina blue skies over the Smith Center, 2-8-15.

When the Tar Heels won the NCAA Tournament Championship in 1982, I was 10. I remember that game and that team standing out to me for some reason. I remembered Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, and the hometown hero James Worthy. I became a Tar Heel that day, and never looked back.

Over the years I continued to follow the Heels, and set my sights on UNC for college. I became a fan of Coach Smith’s, and to me, he was the embodiment and the spirit of UNC. He was a Tar Heel.

I arrived at Carolina in the fall of 1990, excited finally to be part of the family. I had choices to make, obviously – classes, major, activities and clubs, friends. Soon all began to be clear and things started falling into place. But my experience would not be complete without Carolina basketball. And Coach Dean Smith.

I never met the man. I mean, he never knew my name (I got his autograph once). But I knew he was great. He meant something, and not just on the campus. I appreciated his humility, his demeanor during a game, his smarts. The 1993 NCAA Tournament brought it all home – we were the champions. Again. And I got to experience it. That was a fun time. I was proud to be a Tar Heel.

I “met” Coach Smith probably a couple more times during my tenure at UNC (I worked there for quite a while after I graduated). But to be honest, I never grasped the depth of his impact until his death. I didn’t realize who he was off court, in the community (read more here). I’ve learned a lot about him over the past couple of weeks, and now more appreciate his honor, integrity, and wisdom. He’s known for once saying, “I do believe in praising that which deserves to be praised.” Well, he deserves to be praised, and the Carolina family will never forget his contributions to the sport, to his teams, to the campus, but mostly to… making our lives just a little bit more blue better.

Rest in peace, Coach.

Love Pt. II

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Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal…  4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up… 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13, in part; KJV)

I call it The Love Chapter. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us how love behaves, what it is and what it isn’t, what it does and does not do. In essence, it tells us who Jesus is – the One who loves perfectly. Greatly.

I used to publish a little Christian magazine called PRAISE!. Each edition contained poetry, prose, all things inspirational, all meant to bring praise to God. I loved that little book and was so proud of it. My editor’s page was titled The Greatest of These. It was dedicated to love, because love is the center of all. Love had to be at the center of praise.

And love remains. It teaches and corrects, saves and helps, is humble and not boastful. It knows when to speak, what to say, and how to say it. IT IS LIFE’S GUIDE. Love is because God is. It saved my very soul while I was yet a sinner. It gives me joy unspeakable each and every new day.

Do I love perfectly? No. But I am perfectly loved, by Love Himself. He’s just awesome, our awesome God. No greater love than this, than a man would lay down his life for a friend. That’s what Jesus did. And that’s love.

xoxo