Search for Significance

Search defined by Websters: to explore or examine in order to discover
Significance defined by Websters: the quality of being significant or having a meaning

As of late I have been wondering about my significance, I ask myself am I making a difference?
How can my significance be measured? Who or what am I finding my significance in? All of these are questions I find myself asking while I am driving alone heading home.

As Many of you may know I am 27 year old male( Man I am getting old). I have worked with teenagers since I was 18, Well actually I was 17 because I became a youth leader the day after I graduated( thanks Pastor Darrel Bucher). What a great time it has been... I have had the opportunity to work with teenagers from all walks of life. I have worked with teenagers who's parents have a lot of money and I have worked with teenagers from the Ghetto's who's parents are not even in their lives. Oh the fun to be able to invest my life in so many.

When I begin to think about the time that I have invested into students, I begin to ask this question to myself... am I really making a difference?

After I ask that question it is usually followed closely behind with How can my significance be measured?, Now this one that is hard to answer is it in how many projects I am involved in or how many things that I have done with the youth group, or how bout how many times i have spoke in different locations... I don't know that I have the answer to this question. Significance is hard to measure that is what I have decided.

The third question that I find myself asking is one that really puts your life into perspective Who or what am I finding my significance in? This is the question that really gets me thinking. So often I look toward the things that i have done rather then what is ahead of me and try to gauge my significance. So many times I look @ those around me and judge myself according to an earthly scale. I often find myself saying....Look @ him/her they are more successful then you.... they have it put together better then you... Wow Look @ them... This is usually when I get frustrated with myself an feel like I am not worth anything....

So like I have told you.... I am in this place where I am searching for significance. What am I here on this earth for. I know that I have a greater purpose. and I know who it can be found in.

In Christ alone will my significance be found, in Christ alone will my significance be measured, and with Christ alone will I make a difference.....

So I leave you with this for 2007 and in 2008 I hope to be found searching for true significance with my perspective CHRIST focused...

Happy New Year,
Jim E

Proud to be an American

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
So that your family can sleep without fright.
It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers"

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

-Author Unkown-

Some one sent me this poem today and thought I'd Share it with you if there is anyone who reads this besides my mom... So I would encourage you if you see a soldier, A Veteran. A Police Officer, Whom ever it may be thank them for what they are willing to do for you and me... Regardless of your political view on the war are soldiers are worth much more then you complaining about the war. Remember you would probably think them if harm was knocking @ your door... Be Blessed. Jim E

Little words that have Big Meanings

koinonia-Christian fellowship or communion with God or with fellow Christians; said in particular of the early Christian community


As I sit here and think(Danger Signs Flash all around) L.O.L .
The other Day I learned a new word from the Greek koinonia a word that is small in stature but carries much meaning. I began to research this word a little bit using Websters.com which is a great resource to get definitions and cross reference things( that is a side note and I wont charge you for that) As I began to research this word I was enthralled by its many meanings+ or translations in the New Testament. The word appears 19 times in most editions of the Greek New Testament. In the New American Standard Version, it is translated “fellowship” twelve times, “sharing” three times, and “participation” and “contribution” twice each (according to wikipedia.com) wow this word has a few different meanings. As I continued my research I soon found out that this word has even a deeper meaning one that means more then just meeting together. This word has a meaning that takes you deeper then surface level. This word would be the word used for Partnership. This deep meaning is something that I believe that we as Christians lack... We lack true koinonia most of our relationships are surface level.. ( I know that I am truly guilty of it.)

We must as Christians have True Koinonia, we must partner with our friends and share in there pains, Rejoice in there Good times...Etc... This is my prayer that God you would allow me to have true Koinonia with my peers. God Break my heart for the people around me allow me to be open to that which you have for me.

Seeking Koinonia with God,
Jim E

Football and Life

A voice echoes across the field, "That is (...that is), a first down (...first down), for the Bobcats (...Bobcats)"... Football is into full swing( and the crowd Goes Wild) ok well at least I am going wild... Football is probably my favorite sport of all time(followed closely by Mouy Tai(sp) Fighting because that is pretty sweet also.)... any how so I have been told that I am obsessed with the Grid Iron and that may be true, but let me make this comparrison...

So Football is much like life you may say to yourself how is this? Well think about it you are the quarterback you are set behind the center... ( You Call the Shots) Blue 22, Red 45 Go Go... The ball is snapped you are now in control of the pig skin( aka "The Football"). You Run Right, Dart Left and then you look down field to see a receiver... There he is in perfect form 15 yards away with only one defender in his path you throw the ball up and it just barely misses the target. Now it is Second Down and 10. The Ball is snapped you as the quarter back have to make a split secon decision on what to do. Do you keep the Ball? or do you hand it off to someone else?......

Ok... Ok... You know I could go on for a whole series until there is a Touchdown, Game won...Etc... However for your sake... If anyone reads this... I will give you my analogy.

Football is like life in this manner.... If we view ourselves as the quarterback("the decesion maker") in our lives then we are set to play. you see in the game of football there are many suggestions made by coaches but when it comes down to it... The Quarterback makes the final decision...this is just like our lives you see... We are set up ready to play a play is called in we have been coached on what to do... Then the defense makes a switch they are showing blitz, The play calls for the ball to be thrown but there is no time.... so you have to tuck and run... to gain a few yards.... see decisions have to be made.. Just like in life we must make decisions that could affect our game......

Wow I really could go on for ever about this... but I want to leave you with this. Phil. 3:12-13. This is one of my favorite versus it is actually the first verse in the bible that i ever spoke out of...( Remenises in his mind)ok.... So here is my thought... We make decisions and sometimes there not the best.... but this verse encourages us to put aside that which is in the past to lay hold to that which is in the future...We must look to the end and see victory...

So this is my challenge to you today.... Your Set behind the center poised to get the ball you now are the decision maker you have been taught on what to do... Will you do it will you make the decisions that you need to make to win this game called life and when you fall or make a bad decision will you stand to your feet and put that behind you. Call the shots on that next play and see victory or will you be defeated.

Standing in Power I formation Ready to take on life,

Jim E

Noteable Quotable.

For many of you who may read this, you may know this of me already... but i am a huge fan of " " quotes. No, not just the marks we put on paper, but what is between these " ". I sometimes ask myself, what if everything that I said was in " "?... Think about it. If every recorded action thought and well word was written down for the world to read, would you have a few "noteable quoteables"? Or would you be ashamed of what the world would read?

So as I sit here and think, even my very process could be quoted... What do you mean?... Well, in the Bible it says that we will be judged for every careless word.

Matthew 12:36
"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken."
Throughout the Bible we see also that it tells us to take every thought captive. Why? Because your thoughts become actions and then... well it is all down hill from there.

So just in case God makes everything public one day, wouldn't you want to be quoted about things that are note worthy rather than "Stinkin' Thinking"...

So here is a quote for you from me:
"Live your life in a quotable fashion so when your story is read they don't only read words but they see actions." - Jim Elliott- 2007

May this be our prayer out of Psalms 19:14...
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer"

Where is Waldo?

Wow,

Talking about going back to the olden days. When I was a little younger there were these books called, "Where's Waldo?" You may have seen them. Anyhow, as I was thinking today, our life is much like these books. See these books are filled with pictures and sometimes confusion. Sometimes the artist would draw a character that looked just like the actual Waldo, but he was wearing the wrong scarf.

If you are still reading this you are probably wondering what in the world I am talking about. Well, I liken these books to God's Will for our lives. See, there are many things that look like God's Will and aren't necessarily bad... but aren't God's holy, pleasing and perfect will. See, the actual Waldo that the artist hid in these pictures, was perfect. He had everything that he was suppose to. He had his cane, hat,glasses, and scarf. He was complete. This is sort of like our lives. See, God has this plan for our lives and it is complete. It has everything that we need. So this is what I am saying to you... Just like these books, you must continually seek out what God has intended for you... to find His Will for your life. Jeremiah 29:11

Thankful for Freedom

Have you ever thought about what it means to be free? Have you ever thought of the cost of your freedom? I often think of what it means to have freedom as an American. I also think a lot about what it means to have freedom as a Christian. Both of my freedoms have cost much sacrifice. So are you thankful for your freedom or are you just free? Next time you stare into the eyes of your choices just know this... for you to have freedom it cost someone something. (maybe even their life)