So I’m sitting here in Starbucks minding my own business when an asian lady at the condiment bar starts speaking to the manager in a raised tone. It seemed to me like a civil conversation until the lady started yelling  at the manager, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a civil yell. The lady started spitting out some serious verbal abuse and at one point called the manager a racist. At that point the manger just walked to the back so as not to escalate the situation. The lady proceeded to lean over the counter shouting, “Yeah, go ahead, run back there and hide.” Finally the lady left after I threw a scalding cup of coffee on her. Totally kidding about that coffee part I did however have thoughts of doing something like that under the guise of an accident because I wanted to relieve the pressure from the manager.

Turns out this lady has been coming in several times a day over the past week ordering a double shot of espresso and an extra vente cup of ice on the side. She would then proceed to the condiment bar, fill the extra cup with milk and mix in the espresso. Basically the end result would be a Vente Iced Latte for the price of 2 shots of espresso, aka. she was a cheapskate. 

If you’ve been trying that little trick at Starbucks, please don’t be that person.

Fare thee not so well

Thy fear that I must fail

It is you that halt these steps

And for you I tuck my tail

I regret the day that my love was caught

In your web of counting cost

Lament the times that I let my past

Determine my future lost

You’ve haunted me countless mornings

And awaken me from my dreams

Paralyzed me with your venom

Made mockery of my esteem

But today is a new day

Last night you tucked me in

You sang me a lullaby of tears

But I’ve awaken free again

by Matthew Ray

So I woke up this morning at 6am thinking it was 7am. Apparently my alarm clock automatically adjusts itself to daylight savings time and doesn’t need my help. It’s always a great feeling when you get up, go through your usual routine and then discover you woke up too early and have an extra hour in your day. God must’ve known I’d need an extra hour this week.

I’m pretty pumped about my wife and I doing some modeling tonight for one of the greatest photographers known to man! Not only do I get to be her subject along with my wife, brother, and girlfriend in-law, but I also get to listen to her teach her aspiring photographers. Stay tuned and I’ll post some of the images soon.

I love working for such a creative group of people. We shot a video today at Wrightsville Beach for our new series this month. Had a lot of fun, got real sandy, and got to observe the skills of the great Kyle Runner and Carolyn Mejia. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. Could my job get any better?

So yesterday was strange. I woke up, got ready and went to my Tuesday Mayfaire office (aka. Starbucks). When I walked in I noticed that none of the usual employees were there. I didn’t think much of it until about an hour later and I decided to ask the new workers what was up. They said they came in from the College rd. store to fill in for the usual staff because one of the Mayfaire employees died in a car accident on Sunday. When they told me who it was I searched for her picture online and remembered her serving me coffee only days ago.

It’s a strange feeling when something like that hits home. It’s even stranger when you consider that I was sitting in Starbucks studying for my message in FlipSide this week titled “You Are Dying – The Urgency of Life.” The message is about seizing the day and living every moment with urgency because it could easily be your last.

I came home last night to 3 fire trucks and 2 ambulances around my house with all lights flashing. My neighbors house directly across the street had caught on fire and it appeared to have gutted the house. They’re a family of 4 and all ended up safe. I took them some coffee as they sat in their van to keep warm. What’s sad is that it was the first time we had met. What if those had been their last moments on earth? My impact on their lives would have been zero. 

The line between what matters in life and what doesn’t matter is pretty blurry at times. One thing that’s clear though is that we all are on a journey towards death and what we do on that journey must become urgent.

Matter - 2 : to be of importance

Things that do (should) matter:

• God’s opinion of me
• My spouses opinion of me
• Loving the unloveable
• Other people
• My time & willingness to sacrifice it
• My investment of ‘Me’
• Service to a cause that can’t serve me back

Things that don’t (shouldn’t) matter:

• Being continually comfortable
• My Fears & Worries
• My tastes & preferences in the big picture
• Failure
• My life

So I’m driving home from work and lo and behold who do I pass on my way home but the senior pastor at Rock Church! I could actually smell the new bike smell from my truck.

photo posted from my iPhone

When I woke up yesterday I turned on GMA as usual while I got ready for work. On the way to work I tuned in to NPR and by the time I arrived at the office I was well informed on all things depressing. I’ve never been one to quote Marilyn Manson but he once said,

“The media is just this campaign of fear, and consumption, and that’s what I think it’s all based on, the whole idea of ‘keep everyone afraid, and they’ll consume”

Before beginning Monday morning prayer with my favorite people, the Rock Church staff, I found myself weighed down with fear over the state of the world these days. As I began to talk to God I thought of the scripture I always think of when it comes to fear, “God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind.” Instead of just quoting it this time I decided to actually take the verse apart. So standing in the corner of the room with my face to the wall I pulled out my trusty prayer tool, my iPhone, and searched Websters Dictionary for the word “Sound.” It is most simply defined as “Deep and undisturbed.” That was all I needed to hear. 

God created us in His image with the ‘Sound’ mind of Christ. We were created to be beings who are deep rooted and undisturbed like a tree uneasily swayed. The info that floods our eyes and ears like a storm every day has the potential to drown us in fear. It is crucial that we as Christ-Followers remind ourselves constantly that God has never given us fear. The world gives us fear but God has already given us the counter part of a deep and undisturbed mind. The storms are coming. The world is looking for shelter. The shelter they run to will be one that is unshaken. Will we be ready?

Canoe rides in the lake, chopping wood for the fire, great stories, chocolate chip pancakes, onion flavored coffee, and some chilly weather in dew soaked tents. What more can a guy ask for? The 2xtreme father/son camp out was awesome!!

photo posted from my iPhone

Nothing says ‘love and compassion’ like this.

photo posted from my iPhone