June 13, 2008 · 7:00 am

I see Jesus in your eyes and it makes me love Him.


It’s almost Father’s Day.  About a month ago, dad began throwing hints as to the gift he’d like to receive.  It wasn’t this blog, but I’m sure he’ll be just as happy.  Ahem.

Given the fact that many fathers don’t quite comprehend the role they should play in their daughter’s life, I’d say my dad played it quite well.

He was always there to teach me new things – in spite of the scary mustache.  (Here, his resemblance to some of those parading motorcyclists in Brinkley, Arkansas is uncanny.)

I’d like to think that I am plugging my nose here and not picking it.  You can draw your own conclusion.

He was always there to snuggle.  I can only hope I didn’t always look this gooberish.  But, I have a feeling I probably did.

When other dads were afraid to hold their daughters, he never hesitated. 

Although I wasn’t surrounded by siblings to occupy my playtime, dad was always sure to become a kid himself.  From board games to hide and seek – from the Intelevision game system to making up our own songs – he was right there.  This wasn’t much of a sacrifice for him.  After all, he is still a kid at heart.

Here is proof.  A few Christmases ago, dad’s wish list consisted of electronic battleship and a lava lamp.  I’m not even making this up.

Back when Garth Brooks was on fire, dad must have been his biggest fan.  I’ll never forget the spontaneous trip we took to Dallas to see Garth in concert.  Dad managed to get tickets 2 days before the concert.  Since mom was a flight attendant back then, we were able to hop on a flight to the Lone Star state.  Here we are just before we left.  You can see our tickets displaying proudly in dad’s shirt pocket.

Kicking it back old school in that one.  The dinosaur resting on top of dad’s armoire was his, not mine. 

He held me up when I had my heart broken.  And he smiled when he danced with me at wedding #2.

He has always been there – for every triumph – for every heartbreak. 

My faith is the core of my very existence, and He imparted Christ to me.

I once heard that how we perceive our heavenly father is directly affected by how we perceive our earthly one.  If that is the case, then I know this:

·         My heavenly father is always willing to bestow grace and mercy whenever I need it.

·         My heavenly father cares about the little things.  And, one day we will realize that the little things were the big things.

·         My heavenly father is not an angry father but one who is always quick to forgive.

·         My heavenly father loves people unconditionally.

·         My heavenly father handles his children with the gentlest of hands.

·         My heavenly father must be very proud of my earthly father.

So, to my dear, precious dad…

Thank you for all the little moments, because they were really the big moments.

Thank you for always enduring life’s ups and downs.  You’ve taught me that God blesses perseverance.

Thank you for being the Ga-Ga that you are.

Thank you for being the father that you are.

And, above all else, thank you for always letting God be so intertwined within you.  Because, when I see you, I see Him.

I love you, Dad.

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June 12, 2008 · 7:00 am

Rebuilding of a broken life.


If anyone could relate to this topic, it was Nehemiah.  How we deal with adversity says more about our character than anything else.  Want to know what someone is really like?  Watch them when things go wrong; when they are inconvenienced; when someone cuts them off in traffic.  We can learn a whole lot from Nehemiah in how he dealt with adversity – how he rebuilt a wall – how God rebuilt a life.

I count it one of my greatest honors to aid my dad in preparing for messages.  Sometimes he incorporates my research and thoughts, and other times he kind of ignores them.   Who does he think he is?  A pastor who has been preparing messages all on his own for the past thirty plus years?  Sheesh. 

Well, since he does use some of my thoughts, I figured I could use some of his.  To follow is an excerpt from some of his notes on Nehemiah.  He is one of our greatest examples to dealing with adversity and rebuilding a broken life.

PRINCIPLES FOR REBUILDING:

·         You need to set a time for completion.

5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”  6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.  Nehemiah 2:5-6

·         You need the right materials to rebuild.

·         You need not give in to discouragement.

1 Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing?  Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices?* Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap – and charred ones at that?”  3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”   Nehemiah 4:1-3

·         You need to know that what you are rebuilding is worth the effort.

2  So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages  in the plain of Ono.  But I realized they were plotting to harm me, 3 so I replied by sending this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?”   Nehemiah 6:2-3

15 So on October 2 the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun. 16 When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.  Nehemiah 6:15-16

How do you respond to discouragement or adversity?

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June 11, 2008 · 7:00 am

The rewards of a college education.


My friend to Anna:  “Where is your daddy?”

Anna:  “He is flying er-planes.  He makes the money.”

Me:  “And, what do I do?”

Anna:  “Nuffing.”

Nice.

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June 10, 2008 · 7:00 am

The little mosquito that could.


“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.”
– Betty Reese

I’ll never forget the trip I took to India back in 1997.  I went on a mission trip/pastor’s conference with my dad and a few others.  We didn’t stay at a Marriott or Hilton.  And, my toilet paper wasn’t folded into a nice “V” shape like I prefer.  Nope.  It was some primitive living with cold showers, in-ground toilets, and rice, rice and more rice. 

One night, my mosquito repellent thingy had been unknowingly turned upside down, thus, making it perpetually useless.

I awakened the next morning to numerous mosquito bites all over my body.  You heard me.  All over.  I looked like I had the chicken pox all over again. 

Moral of the story: 

Always check your mosquito repellent thingy and never doubt your ability to make an impact.

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June 9, 2008 · 7:00 am

Falling Short.

If you are a fan of horse racing like my mom, then you probably experienced disappointment on Saturday when Big Brown failed in his bid to become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.  I imagine that no one was as disappointed as the owner, trainer, and rider at the Belmont Stakes.  Although, one trainer, Nick Zito, was quoted as saying, “Things happen for a reason.”

Do things really happen for a reason?  Sometimes.  But, sometimes, falling short is just a part of the human experience.

It is never easy when we miss the mark.  Or, comforting your son or daughter when their team loses a championship game.  Or, in our case, when I beat John Henry in Uno, and he looks at me like I’ve just destroyed his day.  There are occasions where he wins, but I generally play him straight up.  Sound harsh?  Okay, it’s only harsh when I chant to the tune of a Queen favorite, “I am the champion, my friend.”  And, I don’t do that every time.  Back to the topic at hand.

Fact is, if you haven’t fallen short yet, chances are you will.  It’s a part of life.  The key is to give it all you’ve got.  And, we learn more from our failures than we do our successes.  We all know that.  They are not nearly as fun, but they build character – the good kind. 

And, although Big Brown didn’t take the Triple Crown, he did win two others.  So, even if he never runs again, he will have finished well. 

So, play hard – even when you fall short.  Then, like Paul, you can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”  2 Timothy 4:7

What else is there?

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June 6, 2008 · 7:20 am

Come Monday, it’ll be all right.

Let me introduce you to Mike Oliver.  No, he doesn’t always wear this hat.  Just for Jimmy Buffet concerts.

Mike has labored in ministry with my dad for twenty-two years.  This Monday, Mike, his wife Shari, and their son, Bo, will say goodbye to friends and begin a new chapter in their lives.  Mike will be starting Coastal Community Church in the Fort Walton beach area.  While I am excited and anticipate good things to come from his ministry on the coast, I am also sad to him leave.  He is my pastor, and he is my dear friend.

Mike has taught me many things.  Here are a few.

–          No matter what you are going through in life, Bear Bryant has the best quotes to get you through.

 

–          If he says ALA, I say BAMA.

 

–          Always smile, and laugh hard.

 

–          Repeating the same jokes over and over, when said well, is always funny.  A personal favorite:  “What’s going down?  Your leg?”  Ridiculous.  And, I laugh every time.

 

–          A friend sticks closer than a brother.

 

–          When things aren’t right for a friend, do all you can to help make them right.

 

–          Always faithful.  Always.

 

–          When in despair, turn to Jesus and some Jimmy Buffet tunes.

 

–          When happy, turn to Jesus and some Jimmy Buffet tunes.

 

–          Speak ill of no one.

 

–          Appreciate the small things.  Life is short.

 

–          Never waste a moment.  Live out loud.

 

–          God is good.  His love never fails.

 

–          Whatever you do, do it well.  And, there is no substitute for passion.

 

There are three men that I hold dearest to my heart – my husband, my father, and Mike Oliver.  I’m not sure what Eagles Way Church is going to look like without him.  And, I’m not sure what everyday life will look like without his insane humor and unrelenting loyalty.  But, if he has taught me one thing, it is this:  Come Monday, it’ll be all right.  I’m holding him to that.  I love that man.

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June 5, 2008 · 7:00 am

The Tithe (Part 2 of 2).


Let’s play the “what if” game. 

What if I tithed and God never blessed me for it?

What if I tithed and the pastor ran off to the Caribbean with “my” money? 

What if I tithed and nothing good ever happened?

The primary reason that Kris and I tithe is out of obedience.  However, we have experienced personal blessings because of our faithfulness.  Here are a few of examples of how God has blessed our family through the tithe.

Not long after Kris and I married, we lost a major aircraft management contract that put food on our table at the time.  Since people weren’t chomping at the bit to buy airplanes, we depended solely on the management of this aircraft. 

We had just returned from celebrating my mother-in-law’s birthday on a cruise.  We lived it large on the high seas.  I even purchased my 3 month old baby girl a Burberry dress.  It was fabulous.  And, these cost just a wee bit more than those princess nightgowns.  The day we returned from our fun in the sun and frolicsome expenditures, we get the call.  No more contract.

I turned to Kris and said, “That contract is not our source, God is.  We have been faithful givers, and He will not forsake us now.”

He didn’t.  Two weeks later aircraft sales picked up and we made in one sale what that contract provided for one year.  Whew and Amen.

Here is another important point.  Tithing does not make you immune to financial struggles, as stated in yesterday’s post.  A lot of factors contribute to a hurting bank account – the economy, unexpected emergencies or events, frivolous spending, or simply poor money management.  We’ve all been affected by one or all of the above.  But, God will not leave the righteous forsaken or a seed out begging for bread. 

Such was the case a couple of years ago, when a large debt exceeded our bank account.  A couple of the above factors contributed to our lack of preparation.  Kris and I took a deep breath, thanked God for our health, and called on Him.  Money didn’t pour out from the clouds.  But, He began to direct our paths and show us how to make the money to pay our debt.  And, we did.

Now, I could take you way back to growing up in ministry and watching God provide for my family time after time because of the simple act of giving ten percent.  Like the time we used one of those propane gas tanks and it was on empty.  A lack of funds kept the house cold for a couple of days until someone showed up at the door with enough money to fill that tank again….just because, God led them to give it.

Then, there was the time that I was looking for a teaching a job, and I reminded God of my faithfulness in giving (just in case He had forgotten.)  That afternoon, a principal calls and offers me a job.

When I was pregnant with John Henry and single, my budget was, well, itty bitty.  I never stopped tithing.  As a matter of fact, I gave above and beyond the ten percent.  After John Henry was born, another couple felt led to supply diapers for one year!  And, in spite of a modest bank account, we never, ever lacked. 

I’ve asked Kris to give his own personal thoughts on tithing.  Here ya go, from Mr. Takle himself….unedited J

“Tithing establishes and strengthens your faith in God.  Too many people look at tithing as ‘what’s my return on investment or ROI’.  Tithing is not a financial transaction where you are buying something for ‘x’ dollars and getting ‘x’ dollars back.  I believe that tithing strengthens your relationship with God, your relationship with the Church – the community of believers, and your relationship with your family.  It is my goal to always give above and beyond the tithe.  I want my children to always see us blessing the church and others so that they, too, will grow up to be a blessing.”

Our list of personal experiences with being faithful with what belongs to God could go on and on.  We are continually amazed at God’s unfailing mercies and blessings.

Now, could we still be blessed financially and otherwise without tithing?  It’s possible.

But, again, tithing is central to my relationship with God.  And, I’m not willing to risk it.

Do you have any personal experiences where God has blessed you because of the tithe?    

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June 4, 2008 · 7:00 am

The Tithe (Part 1 of 2)


Tithe.  For some, it’s a dirty word.  For some, it’s controversial.  For some, it’s irrational.  For some, it’s a principle.   For me, it’s central to my relationship with God.

What is the tithe?  In simple terms, it’s a tenth of one’s increase (Deuteronomy 14:22).

A few of my thoughts on tithing:

  • – It is one-tenth of any increase in our house.
  • – It lays a foundation for God to bless my family.
  • – It honors God.
  • – It is an act of obedience.
  • – It does not make me immune to financial struggles, but it does give me a platform when I appeal to God to meet a need in my life.
  • – For me, not tithing is the equivalent of robbing God.
  • – It’s the first check Kris and I write.
  • – It is not based on “what is the church gonna do with it?” question.  It’s a Kingdom principle.  Scriptures do not give stipulations or exceptions on tithing.  Neither should I.
  • – My heart is where my wallet is.  For my sake, it better be with Him.

I get seriously excited when Kris and I tithe.  We don’t just give “every once in a while.”  We give upon every increase.  We get to tithe. 

Some people argue that they cannot afford to tithe.  I argue that I cannot afford not to.

Tomorrow, I’ll give some personal examples of how God has blessed our family through honoring Him with ten percent.

What are your thoughts?

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June 3, 2008 · 7:00 am

It’s a blog eat blog world.


Okay.  So, the title of this post has little or nothing to do with the post itself.  I’ve just always wanted to use that one.  There ya go.

Now, as for the blog world, bloggers usually read a whole host of blogs daily.  If you’ve ever visited any links from my “Really Cool Blogs”, then you’ve been exposed to the ones I frequent and enjoy.

That being said, here is a recent post from this guy and a response from this girl that I cannot get out of my head.

Scott Williams, author of Big Is the New Small posted:
“God isn’t fair.”

Cindy Beall responded:
“I’m glad He isn’t.  I need His mercy.”

There have been a few circumstances in my life where I didn’t feel that God was fair.  But, I wonder how many times He has poured out His mercy on me when I deserved otherwise.  I bet a lot.

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June 2, 2008 · 7:00 am

Silver teeth and locusts.


I taught three and four year olds yesterday at church.  Anna, my new student, informed me, “You’re not a teacher, you are mom.”  I’m not sure how she’ll take it when she discovers that I actually once did teach young minds.  The day’s lesson was on John the Baptist and how he spent many a day in the desert, consumed his share of wild locusts, and talked to people about their sin.  Their edible craft consisted of a cracker, some peanut butter, a few pretzels and a few m&m’s.  It was pretty much craft heaven for the little sugar connoisseurs.  They were to assemble the “craft supplies” into a wild locust or as one kid pointed out, a “cricket”.

Before I let the kids devour their locust, I suddenly thought to ask them if any were allergic to peanuts.  I may as well had asked them to explain e=mc2.  However, one boy asked, loudly (either he thought I was hard of hearing or he had no volume control), “DOES IT HAVE SUGAR!?!?” 

“Yes.”  I explained.

“MY DENTIST SAYS I CAINT EAT SUGAR‘CUZ I GOT A SILVER TOOTH!”  He EXCLAIMED.

Hmmmm. 

And, when I later asked Anna what she learned at church that day, she was quick to tell me “about peanut butter and a cracker.”

I’m just so relieved that she is soaking up the Gospel.  And, I’m further relieved that the others are taking care of their silver teeth.

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