Details vs. The Big Picture

I AM A BASEBALL COACH!

You see, I'm one of those Dads that started in baseball because my son wanted to play t-ball and now I think I may just register my kid each year because I can't register myself. And, I don't play vicariously through my son - no, no, I'm worse! I have my own thing going. I'm out there each game, smack dab in the middle of the action! Oh, yeah!

It's Tuesday evening, we have a game at our home park and off we go as if to war, toting all the necessary gear - catcher's equipment, gloves, bat, uniform and iPad 2! That's right, iPad 2. I've got a new app that will revolutionize the way that I can score the game and provide information to my fellow coaches. To contrast my previous equipment for this task, the iPad 2 replaces a pitch-count clicker - $5 at any sports store.

That's right, enough said - by the third inning the iPad was in the car and I couldn't even tell my comrades the number of pitches our pitcher had thrown. No more details for you because I'm not really sure what happened myself. I remember people laughing and having to ask a teenager why he wanted to know who's mom the nice looking woman (my wife) in the bleachers was.

Here's my point. Sometimes we can be so caught up in trying to manage the small stuff that the big picture is secondary or even worse, completely out of control. This approach will lead to failure and a group of real ball players and coaches watching you try to catch up with your clicker!

Apply generously to your life.

Blessings,

Brad

It's All About Perspective

To hear more click here.

I hope you're all having a great week and that you're making plans to join us this weekend for an incredible church community event - Feed the Bay. Come to Bay Life and be a part of what God's doing in the Tampa Bay area to provide food for those who need it most.



I'm sure that many of you know that I'm a biker - well actually, I was a Scooter-er until just recently when I purchased a real motorcycle. I'm having a great time on the new bike and I'm looking forward to the beautiful Florida weather this spring and summer as Reba and I plan to really enjoy it. I know what many of you are thinking - Brad had better be careful. Don't worry, I promise that I will be very tame and responsible as I hit the road on two wheels - which brings me to my thoughts about perspective.

It's been an interesting week. I spent Monday and Tuesday in motorcycle endorsement class - a very different couple of days compared to my normal routine. It was quite interesting and I got to meet some great folks but the most curious part of the experience was the fact that everyone in the room had actually driven themselves to class. That's right, they travelled streets and highways; drove through water, potholes and construction; took sharp turns, probably made u-turns and I would guess that some may have even done a few things that were questionably street legal (some of them drove their motorcycles to motorcycle driver's license class! - but I digress). Everyone there had negotiated the factors that stood between their residence and the training facility but all had arrived to learn how to drive; and not just because they felt that it was the responsible thing to do but because even the government deems it absolutely necessary. The difference of course, is that driving from the perspective of two wheels is a completely different thing than driving on four - you see what I'm getting at, it's all about perspective!

Life is inevitably a series of significant pitfalls. Either you've experienced them already or today, you're one day closer to your heartache - we're human, it's our nature. Now, that's really bad news but it can be much worse news depending on your perspective. I choose the perspective of the loving arms of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I will absolutely face pain, difficulty and heartache but with Christ, I  have hope and the knowledge that, "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13

All that and they just give me a temp document - bummer, right?

I know a number of people who today, are facing the potholes and sharp turns that life throws at us. Some are struggling outside of the comforting arms of a loving God, others are experiencing a peace beyond understanding. What's your perspective? What are you going to do about it?

Life, like pavement, is hard - but God is good! See you out there on the open road.



- Brad

Feed The Bay March 26-27

Most individuals struggling with hunger are NOT homeless and out of work. Want to be part of the solution? Feed The Bay - March 26-27 @ Bay Life Church. 

Have You Ever Been in Need?

Good afternoon Lifers!

Have you ever been in need? I mean, you've been completely unable to do anything to attend to your problem and without the help of someone else, you weren't going to make it. Fortunately, up to this point in my life, there haven't been very many of those situations. Most of the time, I've been able to take care of myself but I know that eventually I'm gonna need help too. There are many in our community who, for one reason or another, are in desperate need. God has designed community so that we're able to find that help and so that we can provide for those who can't provide for themselves.

Which one are you today? If you're in need, reach out to someone in your life and let them help carry your burden. If you aren't in need today, make sure that you're living in community with others so that when the day comes, you will have someone to call on. If you know someone in need, take the initiative to be their answer to prayer - it usually doesn't take much to make a huge difference. Go ahead and be God's hands and feet in a broken world.

Blessings,

Brad