My birthday wish

Soo & my parents and others have asked what i want for my birthday... but reality is: i don't need anything... and i get to live with my beautiful wife and amazing child... i have wonderful parents, a meaningful job, and a relationship with God Almighty & Savior Jesus Christ.

i don't need anything.

But y'know what millions elsewhere are suffering.

On twitter a few weeks ago, i saw Erwin McManeus post a tweet asking people to make donations to Charity:water. And so i have followed suit

http://mycharitywater.org/Matthew1042

Matthew 10:42 Jesus says: "And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”


Last year i read the hole in our Gospel, which talks a lot about our need to help the poor as disciples of Christ, as well as the huge needs people have - especially for water. i do suggest WorldVision as a source to give to as well.


As i think of this bday wish i think of the old Steve Martin SNL skit, and wonder if i'm honest is this what i wish for?


Well, actually that wouldn't be first


1st would be that my friends who have had trouble having kids would receive good news! i have 3 good friends struggling with infertility... i guess on top of that would be those who recently had kids with some health troubles... or those having trouble in marriage... even those struggling with lonliness... yeah, my wish would be these folks going through trouble would be blessed! i pray not only they would have kids or get what they want, but they'd experience the Lord and the Lord would be glorified in them!


There are some selfish wishes too... Overall, i'd say:


1. friends receive good news, esp those having trouble having kids
2. A day without an conflict:
    No conflict with Soo, people on my team, my leaders, random people... man i hate conflict
3. A day free of obligations & responsibilities:
    i love being a dad... and i love being a leader... but it means a lot of responsibilities (my buddy erik warned me when we got pregnant "remember in 'the life you've always wanted' when he said he'd take a day to do nothing for himself so he could serve others? Welcome to the rest of your life). 
    It'd be nice to have freedom to serve, ability to do everything on my schedule
4. the poor would be helped: water, food, etc 
5. A day with Dad: enjoying Him, connecting with Him thru His Word, writing, praise, prayer...
6. A day with Soo: a date... no conflict...
7.     Phone calls from good friends… and those friends who haven’t returned phone calls – you know who you are… good fun & deep conversations


As long as I’m dreaming, and let’s face it, these are all pipe dreams... 

1.     A night of playing Settlers with Corey, Mark, Ben & Doug… maybe we could add Josh & Jason too…  if someone asked who the lord of catan is at the end that'd be fun too..

2.     A conference like CSU- some good speakers, P&W… with a lot of my old staff friends like Berg, Dueck, ej, others… having those good conversations about the Bible and faith… of course guys I still keep in touch with like Ken & Scotty(though he’s not on staff anymore)… so how ‘bout other former interns & stinters like Sean, Will, Smylys, Scholten… yeah, that would be even better than #1...

3.     A Waffle ball reuion- with actual basketball games and actual waffles… no reunion would be complete w/o the Brothers Bettag, Brack, The Messmerizer, Crazy Uncle Tim, the Dowds, Justin, Big Sol & al… maybe some others... that would be fun

4.     Watch some football with a few friends… eating wings (maybe at Buffalo wild wings itself) and drinking something cold… i really miss this right now

5.     To be able to go on a walk at 10:30 at night with Soo & puppy… cool air, a nice breeze, good conversation, and a happy puppy

6.     I’d love to see some of my Asian friends again too… and hear about their faith

7.     Be able to share the Gospel… lead a Bible study… IN ENGLISH… and with people who really want to hear... though maybe more important would be a person coming to Christ or growing in faith... i guess this would be more important than anything on the list i suppose

8.     Returning to America for Food would be good too… In N out… jamba juice… Chipotle… Skyline… Grand Lux… a bleu cheese & bacon burger… Outback Special with a caesar salad… pepperoni pizza...

9.     Sleep in

10. If we’re talking about returns… how about Christ’s return? i guess that would be ultimate...

11. And i suppose if we're going past this year...i guess most of all, i pray Halle (and other children we may have) would love & follow Christ.

All in all...

My desire for this year... my motto for the year...

i would be sensitive/attentive to the direction of the Holy Spirit and i'd be sensitive/attentive to the needs of others! (which often are the same thing i think)

Oh, that i may be a blessing to others!

Bless others, Glorify God.

This is my hope, my desire, my goal, my prayer. 

My wish list

My birthday is coming up.
Soo keeps asking me what I want. I really don’t want anything.
What do I need? I have it.
What do I want? Nothing really...

Well, I want is this.

1. a healthy wife & kid

2. a long time to spend with God (a healthy relationship with God)

3. a long time to write… and maybe correlate some of my writing

4. food I like to eat

5. a healthy body- to lose like 20-30 lbs. And add some muscle mass

6. Purdue Men’s basketball to win the National Championship in March(April)

7. Fun time with friends

8. Support to all come in soon, so I can have my sabbatical

9. Opportunities to make friends with non-Christians here and to share the Gospel

10. Opportunities to disciple and challenge some people

11. Campus funds

12. People to read stuff I write

I guess there are a few actual things

1. Some photo frames and printed pictures

2. I guess some music
    Tenth Ave North
    Jars of Clay last CD and one coming out soon
    Sanctus Real
    Jon Foreman
    Mat Kearney

3. Tickets & time to go to some Purdue games (basketball and football)

4. A chord for our digital frame

5. Gift-cards for some resturants
    Weber Grill
    AppleBees (I guess)
    Skyline Chilli
    Outback
    Jamba juice

6. A massage - actually one of those massagers- a nice one... this may be #1

7. Some books (but I plan on buying them anyway)
     (Radical, The Me you want to be, It All goes back in the box, The hole in our Gospel, Shepherding a Child's heart, Grace-based Parenting, My wife thinks I'm an Idiot, His Needs Her Needs, A million miles in a thousand years, Coming Back Stronger)

8. Maybe the PS3 with the PS Move – but really? I don’t know

9. A King-size bed. (but we’re only here a few months and I can’t take that with me to Asia)

i used to want a ping-pong table or air hockey table, but not really anymore...

i have what i want. A wife, children on the way, a puppy, good friends, espn, a computer, books, music, dvds, games.

i guess i'm becoming like my parents who say they don't need anything. It's true what do i need?

Sure, it would be nice to own a Lexus. An i-phone, i-pad would be cool. A PS3 might be fun, but not necessary. And someday i would love to be a home-owner (but i don't know if i ever see the Lord having me in one place for a time in a place i could buy a home, so...
 You really don't need to get me something that nice or expensive. i probably don't need it, and might not use it. Some may want to get me something because they like it, but that's ok.


i guess i'd ask for more time.
i'm certainly asking for good health for my family.
And i want to know, enjoy & glorify God.
What else is there?

 
If you want to do something for my birthday... write me an encouraging note, comment on my blogs, pray for me.

And if you want to support me or buy me a massager... i guess that would be good too.