Just a Jumpstart

When I was about 12 or 13, my parents bought me a dirtbike that was this exact model. A Honda 1977 XL 100. It was $375 and I remember clearly going to pick this thing up. I was so happy. Looking back, I realize how awesome it was for my dad to go get that for me. We did not grow up with money, and I realize now that $375 was a good amount of cash, it still is. I drove this dirtbike for SO long. I'd drive all over Hamer and visit all sorts of people. This thing would sometimes break down and I would get so mad. I would spend the day trying to get it back going. There were times when no matter how much you would try and kick-start it, it just wouldn't crank. What it needed was a good constant push-start. A "push-start" is exactly how it sounds. You put the bike in gear, pull the clutch in, and push it as hard as you can. You get going as fast as you can and let out the clutch. This will engage the wheel against the ground and turn the engine over. The faster you are going, the more times the engine will turn over and the more likely you are to get it going. My mom would see me pushing this thing all over the yard trying to get it running, and eventually, the motor would catch just enough, and I'd jump on and GUN the gas and off I was going again. I'd usually ride around for as long as I could because who knew how long it would stay running.

I stumbled across a note from a friend and some of our conversation back and forth a few years ago and it got me thinking. We talked about all sorts of things and lots of questions and answers, and just good discussion.

For me personally, I need to be around people that are going to do more than kick-start me. I need to be around people that constantly talk about the things of God and push me to grow in Jesus. I've realized this as I've gone in and out of Christian circles and friends. I incredibly enjoy a good conversation and many times walking away with questions and things that make me wonder how I really view the world. I want to be a husband like that someday where my relationship with my wife and kids is the same, we push each other to be stronger. Right now, I hope to be that friend to people that challenges them and leaves them desiring another drink from the fountain of hope at the end of the day.

I am not sure where this motorcycle is today. Last I saw it, it was sitting in a barn near our house. I got a newer one MANY years later and have enjoyed it :)

And yes, I posted back to back blogs. Sue me. Blogging makes me feel better after long days of work.

Go push-start someone.

I needed that

So I came home for the weekend, I actually got a 1:00PM flight from San Diego that connects in Houston and I'm back home at 11ishPM on Thursday night. Lately, Continental has been hooking up the first class upgrades, and it makes me feel special. It is a little guilty to eat your good food while 1 row back is the couple eating a piece of cracker with a cheese on it :) Just don't turn around, it makes you feel better, awful. :)

I went into the office on Friday because I really needed to get a few things done. It was so good to see my coworkers that I haven't seen in a long time, I really do work with some cool people. I do miss SC and it is so much home for me.

Friday night, some friends came over, got dressed up, and went to my friend Mary Onks' wedding. It was quite an interesting wedding, with bag pipes, and a few things against the norm. Mary has always against the norm and this wedding totally fit her. She was very pretty and white.

We came back home, ordered a papa j's pizza and hung out. It's so good to have friends that know you. It is cheesy but it makes me feel very at home to see my friends and not have to prove or explain myself to them. They know you. I had some really good conversations this weekend with a friend of mine. I've been struggling lately in my own walk with Jesus to be perfectly honest. I've settled with Mark Driscoll sermon videos on an airplane for my quiet times. Mark is awesome, but I should not substitute him for my own time with Jesus. I've blamed my own struggles with being busy and just out of sync. It really took a friend encouraging me this weekend to get me back to Jesus. There are people, that by their very nature, drive you to be more like Jesus. It's not like they have a magic formula or some special words, but it's just something about them that pushes you to dig a little deeper into your faith. These type of people aren't always the most comfortable people to be around, and it means that sometimes you will have awkward conversations that make you feel the pride inside you bubble up and seek to justify your own sin. I think about times in my life where someone has had the perfect word for me, that they could have only known what to say if God were guiding their conversation. Unless you have experienced this, this probably seems very foreign and almost strange, but it's true. I enjoy people that can speak into my life and encourage me, even when it doesn't really feel good. The person that comes out on the end is better because of it.

I don't want to waste this life and want to surround myself with a balance of people from all sorts of places and backgrounds. I also desire to be a person that speaks truth into peoples' lives at just the God appointed time and not so that I might be cool in their eyes, but that Jesus might steer them a little closer to what He is up to in them.

I just got a nice email from Continental that I can now check-in for my flight, it feels good to know that the Lord has prepared me for this week. I'm ready.