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All of us like vacations. A break from the norm. Some time to relax and get away from the stresses of life. Yea, right! It seems that we need a vacation from our vacations. The reason is because we are so EPIC with our ideas. We can't just go to a theme park. We have to ride all the rides, see all the sights and do everything possible under the sun (and after it sets). Sounds like everyday life to some of us. Our lives are so filled and packed with everything that needs to be done, there is little time for family. Everything is so EPIC! That's because everything, AND I MEAN EVERYTHING, is competing for your dollar, time and energy. The bigger the program, the better the team, the brighter the results get the attention that it needs. But at what expense? After we raise our children, will we look back and say? "I really wish I hadn't done all that stuff and spent more time with my kids." I know that we all mean well and we want our kids to have the bes

John Maxwell speaking about relationships says, "When people do not like you, if they can they will hurt you. If they cannot hurt you, they will not help you. If they have to help you, they will not hope for you. If they will hot hope for you, even if you achieve, the victory is hollow." That's so true about families. When a families ceases to function to love, accept and forgive - 3 keys to the existence of any spiritual group (Read Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness by Jerry Cook) then it gives up the possibility to succeed. So many families struggle so hard to have peace, joy, love and hope. To see upcoming generations achieve greater things than the previous generation. To see God shine through their lives into a world that so desperately needs Him. But if we cannot focus on and achieve healthy, stable relationships within our family - they will hurt us - they will give up on us - they will stop supporting you - they will not celebrate with you even when you have

In our busy schedules, we need to ask ourselves if we make quality time for our families. The key here is Quality and how you define it. Just spending time with them is great - but what do you do during that time? Recreation and fun are a good idea. But what about investing your heart and life into your children. There is something called "teachable moments" that we need to take the time to enjoy. When something happens in your families life - stop everything and take a few moments to teach a life principle. These moments we will remember for a long time. But you children will remember for a lifetime. Things like forgiveness, charity, love and mercy are important. So is how to swing a hammer, check the oil in the car and remembering to put the toilet lid down are also life lessons. After a Sunday service start practicing the following BEFORE lunch. Ask your kids what they learned today. Ask them what they didn't understand. Tell them what you learned today a

Before you think I have gone sacrilegious on you - read on. Family is everything as long as Jesus is more. Let me explain. God created family and marriage. While our culture has determined that marriage and family is what you make of it - the reality is marriage and family is what God makes of it. If God isn't a part of the family and/or marriage, it's going to suffer. That doesn't mean that everyone can't have a happy marriage or express love, joy and harmony. It simply means that they are missing a key aspect to their relationship that takes all of these things to the place that they are suppose to be. This Sunday is Family Day at FFWC. I will take a few moments to share with the kids a sermon just for them. And I will also take time to share with everyone else some important things you need to know about marriage and family. We will enjoy family communion together. I am looking forward to praying over each and every family that day. Remember a few things ab

I am looking forward to tomorrows services at FFWC. Life Connect groups for all ages will be at 9:30 a.m. But at 10:30 I am going to share with you one of the greatest stories of my life. The time Betty and I almost got divorced. For real!! It was bad! I'll share with you what we did to get through this and remain happily married for 26 years. Believe me when I say - you don't want to miss this. Life is real, Jesus is better.

Everyone feels robbed because of todays verdict. The jury said, "Not Guilty". They didn't say - she didn't do it. All they said was that the prosecution didn't prove their case beyond a shadow of doubt. Now whatever opinion you have relevant to how each of the cases were presented - the fact is, the system did it's job. They found the crime, investigated it, singled out their suspect, presented their evidence to a jury and rendered a verdict. There are too many countries where this doesn't happen. There are too many places where justice is served by a person with an opinion and a gun. There a too many places where people don't have these rights. Now you are probably not happy with the verdict. Neither am I. I have my opinions about the system and the people who manipulate it. My question is, How can you convict someone of lying to police about a crime they didn't commit? All of us got caught up in the media frenzy around this case. Al

Well how was your 4th? This is how mine went - blow by blow. 1 - Sleep in (Bad idea) 2 - Hear a cat meowing loudly (think that it is Latte, our cat - ignore it) 3 - Hear a cat meowing even louder. Recognize that this isn't my cat. 4 - Wife comes to wake me up and tell me "we have a problem." 5 - I advise her that "she has a problem" and I try to go back to sleep. 6 - She tells me that a cat (which she feeds) has climbed a tree next to the house - gone on the roof - pushed a piece of flashing back and crawled into the attic. That he has done this 4 times and has now fell through 4 pieces of flashing and returned to do it again. 7 - I am now fully awake. 8 - I suggest that she get the cat out of the attic before he falls down into a wall. I might have suggested that if such an event takes place, said cat would be quickly introduced to Jesus. 9 - Cat is now locked up in the garage. 10 - After assessing the aforementioned damages, a plan of action is now devi

Today was an awesome day at FFWC!! Lots of people out for the holiday - but lots of guests today. It is SO GREAT to have guests at church. The Sunday Series - "What's Up With The Jones'?" got off to a good start. I will be sharing how Betty and I avoided getting a divorce next Sunday. You will want to hear that story. Primal got off to a good start today. That's at 9:30 a.m. If you want to rediscover the very core of the love of God for you life - you probably want to attend this Life Group. It was great to see our friends Joe and Jenna today! Hope to have dinner with them this week. (Joe might want to start a kickboxing class here at the church -if you are interested, please let me know.) The picnic was a success! Pastor Tom did an awesome job with today's picnic out at the park. There is a pic floating around of me on a skateboard. You should have seen the look on the kids face when I asked to borrow it. I am tired - and I feel good!! Praise God

Going to start my new series - What's up with the Jones'. It's about having strong and better families and marriages. I am really looking forward to this one!! We are starting PRIMAL this Sunday. The book is by Mark Batterson (for those of you who love his books) But it's for everyone who wants to discover or rediscover the core of their faith. It's time for a reformation of faith!! Independence Day Picnic is this Sunday after church. Come hang out with us. Not only is it a picnic for our church - it's for the whole community! Everyone is welcome. Because of the picnic we're not going to have 4HIM Youth. AND because the 76 Golf World outing was rained out last week, we are going to do that next Sunday the 10th.