tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141457032024-03-07T00:16:39.127-06:00No Bones About It by Brady SpeersBrady Speers shares faith based stories based in the realities of family, friends, kids, dogs, sports, business, politics and everything else in between.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431389637054003760noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-74438922308471118682015-07-21T23:17:00.003-05:002015-07-21T23:17:47.843-05:00God Won't Be Blessing This AmericaIt's really sick that I even have to write these words. <br />
<br />
God won't be blessing this America.<br />
<br />
We can sing it every seventh inning until the Lord returns, but it's just a nice sounding chorus at this point. Yea, we just celebrated another 4th of July a few weeks ago, but take a look at what's going on around us.<br />
<br />
Sex changes given courage awards. Homosexuality celebrated by the Courts and the White House. Islam being embraced by our leaders. Christians being targeted left and right.<br />
<br />
And now babies arms, legs, hearts, and skin being sold - over dinner?! Really?!?! And even more for a fully intact body; meaning it wasn't shredded by the vacuum that in most cases rips the baby a part while it screams in the womb? Yea, lots more for those apparently. So much so that the seller can get her own high dollar sports car one day.<br />
<br />
Only God can help us when we kill babies by the millions and then turn even more profits by selling them in bags. Hitler was bad, but this is much, much worse.<br />
<br />
This is your America. This is my America. And it's our fault that it has come to this.<br />
<br />For decades weak Christians have stood by the political wayside and watched our nation be torn to shreds by evil, ungodly intentions of progressive liberalism. Many don't even vote, much less care. They live their own little lives claiming they will simply "show others around them love and grace", yet few really do and church goers are dwindling by the millions a year. Fewer are getting saved and American Christians have become less involved and more apathetic to it all.<br />
<br />
No, we can't legislate morality or Christianity for that matter, but we certainly can do our part and stand against <u>immortality </u>and <u>anti-Christianity</u> can't we?<br />
<br />
Well, we better. Because when God asks each of us what we did with the good thing He entrusted us with called America, it will be us standing there saying..."we didn't care, didn't want to get involved, didn't want to make a stink, didn't want to hurt any feelings and didn't want to deal with it." <br />
<br />
Remember the parable of the talents? Don't doubt that applies to all good things He gives us to care for and watch over.<br />
<br />
God won't be blessing America until America gets back to being what He set it out to be.<br />
<br />
And that means we are on the clock.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div id="yui_3_18_1_1_1437538038676_1336">
<i>"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance."</i></div>
<div id="yui_3_18_1_1_1437538038676_1336">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Psalm 33:12</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span></i><span><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">© 2015, J. Brady</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about
it."</span></i></span></span><div id="yui_3_18_1_1_1437538038676_1336">
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.jbradyspeers.com/" target="_blank">Brady Speers </a>is a father of four that lives with his wife Julie in the Dallas Metroplex. He is a retirement income planner, an avid part time photographer and writer and loves all things Dallas Cowboys. He and his wife are also passionate supporters of adoption and are in the process of adopting their second son. </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17431389637054003760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-84872132530365596952015-03-29T08:39:00.003-05:002015-03-29T08:41:56.461-05:00Journey, Chocolate Cream Pie and Baseball<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><i>"Wheels in the sky keep on turning….”</i> What a great song. <br />
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<br /></div>
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Journey. Gotta love them. I mean…who doesn’t, right? Man
were they good too…especially as loud as possible back in the 80s via the power
of the 6x9 monster speakers in the back window of the car. I still crank them
up here and there…nothing like a 40 something running around with “<i>Rubicon</i>” (B
side tune few outside of Shawn Hedger and I know about) blaring out the window
of the SUV or minivan. That’s one cool dude right there…pulling into the
Walgreens to get some more “Freeze Away” for the plantar wart on the bottom of
my foot that’s killing me. I might barely be able to walk right now, but I can
jam with the best of them dang it. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Yea, coolness it all its form. Defined. Refined. Still loud
and proud. </div>
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By the way, that song? It’s circa 1978. Yea. Just a few
short of 40 years ago. Let me say that again…nearly 40 years old. Open a box of
perspective and put it all in…</div>
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Watching my kids play outside the other day got me thinking.
Have you ever just stopped what you were doing to watch kids play? I mean
putting down the smart phone and really watching them get all into whatever it
is they are intently doing. It’s fun. Life with no regard and pure joy. It’s
like stepping back in time. To the time when “Wheels” was just hitting the
circuit. Old fashioned “play outside” moments. Times I honestly wished I could
step back to for just a few minutes. Things as simple as playing Nerf football
out in the front yard or just grabbing the ball and glove for a nice
round of catch. I think I still have my glove…just not sure the worn out
rotator cuff could handle it. </div>
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Get some perspective today from something, somewhere. I know
it helps keep me grounded. My kids give me that nearly daily and as I watch
them literally leap from toddlerville straight into late childhood which is
starting to freak me out. Slow down people. Just slow it all down. </div>
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Today I’m going to find the time to lower the windows and
crank up some good ol’ Van Halen. If only I could bring back those late 80s
lunches at Wyatt’s Cafeteria with my dad while I was at it. Those were some
good times and they had some great chocolate cream pie too. Like other things in
life, that pie has gone by the wayside and that specific taste is no longer to be found . But dad and me? We’re still alive and
kicking with the best of them. Well…thanks to mom and my wife we are anyway. (What would we do without the women in our lives anyway?!)<br />
</div>
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Sometimes I do feel like I’ve got life by the horns. Wife,
kids, a couple of dogs and we got rid of the minivan a few years back. It’s all
good. </div>
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<br /></div>
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But I know one day the only horn I’ll have a good grip on is
the one I’ll be using to honk at all those fast driving whippersnappers as I’m
just trying to get to Krogers and back. Next thing I know I’ll be looking back
saying that great song is 60 years old. Whew, it goes fast. </div>
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Either way I’ll still be cranking it - even in the four door
Buick I guess we are all supposed to end up driving. </div>
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<br /></div>
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For now, I’m gonna go find me some pie, turn up <i>Chain
Reaction</i> on the drive home and throw a ball when I get there. </div>
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</div>
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<i><b></b><span class="verse-14">"When life is good, enjoy it. But when
life is hard, remember: God gives good times and hard times, and no one
knows what tomorrow will bring</span>." <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Ecclesiastes 7:14</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<i><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">© 2015, J. Brady</span></i></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about
it."</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-71788302638523658112014-12-23T09:01:00.001-06:002014-12-23T09:08:41.172-06:00This World Doesn't Need Christmas<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Have to admit, there is no doubt the holidays are my
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and family, football, gifts, food, a little chill in the air. I love it. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Thank you baby Jesus for making Christmas possible. It’s one
cool deal you started. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every year at this time the world embraces the story of the
manager and little baby Jesus by heading out to the malls, getting with Santa,
jumping online to shop, putting up lights and all kinds of décor, and ending it
with big family extravaganzas. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The story is told by some that Jesus was born to be the “savior
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of the world”. Really? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If He is the
light of the world, then why is it getting darker and darker each and every
day? </div>
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<br /></div>
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In just the last few months here have been some of the
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<i><br />- ISIS leader kills more than 150 children<br />- North Korea threatens the U.S.…again<br />- Man kills two cops point blank range in a revenge killing<br />- Racism abounds with the likes of two different stories involving police officers followed by violent protests all over the country<br />- Radical Islam terrorist attacks occur in Australia and France <br />- 9 People shot in a drive by shooting in Miami</i><br />
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This time of year might give us a break from reality for a
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>He doesn’t seem to be changing anything.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And that’s where the story takes a turn…</div>
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<br /></div>
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wasn’t thinking about all the lights, Santa, presents, and profitable retail
revenue his birth would one day create. </div>
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<br /></div>
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No, he didn’t intend to save the world. He intended to save me.
He intended to save you. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This world as we know it is doomed. It isn’t going to get
better. People will get meaner, the world will get darker and evil will reign. Headlines
will get crazier, scarier and fear will grow in the eyes of many. The Bible
itself told us this would all happen thousands of years ago and here we are living
right in the middle of it. </div>
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There will be no “peace on earth, good will towards
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But peace on earth for me and peace on earth for you? Now,
that’s the real Christmas story. </div>
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Let’s be honest. Life can take a bite out of us sometimes. Peace
is hard to come by – financially, socially, relationally, professionally. There
is always “something” right? No matter how hard we try we can’t seem to help but
take two steps back. </div>
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Some say believing in God is just a crutch. Well, unless you’re
perfect - never have fears, never stress out, never do anything wrong, never
get lonely, or never doubt your purpose – please stop the arrogance. We all
need something to help us deal with sadness, death, evil, and tragedy. God knew
that when He sent his son into this crazy world. He knew what we needed and
gave us the best Christmas present of all and all we have to do is believe to
receive it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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This world doesn’t need Christmas. I do. And so do you. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Thank you baby Jesus. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Now we get it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><i>"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." 1 John 5:11</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">© 2014, J. Brady</span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about
it."</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></i></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-56939682968825642014-08-12T09:27:00.003-05:002014-08-12T09:31:08.975-05:00A Dark Mystery Without An Answer<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One
of my childhood favorites, Robin Williams, took his own life. A life that
brought joy to most of us at some point, could never seem keep that joy alive
for himself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Depression
induced suicide was the lonely culprit and once again we were shockingly
reminded of its powerful stronghold on the life it consumes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
grew up watching this manic man. More than once my friends and I would try and imitate
his funny voices and make our own “crazy” Robin Williams like recordings on
tape. He just cracked me up. I will never forget his standup routine in the
early 80s. My buddy Johnny and I would sneak into his parents living room and
pull out that video tape “for adults only” and laugh so hard we were both in
tears. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Good Morning
Vietnam, Ms. Doubtfire, Mork N Mindy, Cadillac Man, Jumanji, Flubber, Dead
Poets Society, Patch Adams</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">…I could go on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">He
was pure greatness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
have to admit as a Christian that there are a handful of questions in life I
can’t pin a neat little scripture verse to or really explain well at all. And
as a Believer if you say you don’t have any…well, you’re just not being real or
honest with yourself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There
are many things about this life we just don’t get and this illness is one of
them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Many
theologians and those with bigger minds than mine do all they can to write
books, preach sermons or talk on radio shows trying provide answers that make
sense to these questions. But most of the time they fall short in explaining
anything that makes sense to me and leave me back at where I started... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">…asking,
“Why?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
don’t personally struggle with depression. Oddly enough, I actually like that
feeling of being alone in a crowd – sometimes and only for a brief moment. Sure
I have moments of being down and depressed...but not full-blow, life
comes-to-a-stop depression.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But
I know many of you do. And many of you love and know Jesus too. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Prayer
helps some. Scripture helps some. Friends help here and there. Family has it
place. Counseling gives you some hope at times. Certain prescription drugs
provide relief and for many, abusive substances are used to try and mask the pain
for a few minutes at a time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">No
matter what is tried, for many, however, that oppressive grip of overwhelming
sadness and depression merely comes back in full swing and the cycle starts all
over. You can’t move. You don’t feel. You don’t care and worse of all, you can’t
explain why. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For
Robin Williams this was apparently the deadly thorn in his life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
don’t have the answer to the mystery of depression. I studied it in school, got
a Master’s in Psychology from Baylor and read plenty about it. Yet, I still don’t
get it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
just have to solely rest on my faith and the words of Paul that tell me “then
we shall see clearly” as God does and that one day I will see and understand.
Evil has its power and it many cases, try as we might, it simply won’t let go. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But
in the end, God gets victory, and this too shall be cast into the hell whence
it came.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s
all I know. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: cyan;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text"><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">“For now we see
through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then
shall I know, even as also I am known</span>.” I Corinthians 13:12</i></span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">© 2014, J. Brady</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about
it."</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></i></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was it. Her body was telling her today would be the
day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For months and weeks she has been emotionally spent. She had
done this a few times before. But this time it was different. The end wouldn’t
be the same and somehow she had started to accept that as heartbreaking as it
would be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Drained. Sad. Worried. Ashamed. She didn’t intend for this
to happen but neither did she intend to end what had been started within her.
So many haven’t understood why she didn’t just kill it and be done. Life would
go back to normal and this would be over. But she just couldn’t. Something
inside was telling her other things. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At night in her mind she would hear God speaking to her;
“It’s going to be alight. I am with you” and “I have a plan for him and he must
survive” or “he is my precious creation and you are my precious child…you are
both mine and I will never forsake you”. But nothing moved her more when she
would often hear him say “I will take care of him, just watch what I do”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But still she wondered. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Who would he be? What would he do? Would he be anything
like me?” she wondered. “Where would he be taken….America? Australia? England
or somewhere here in the homeland? Will he look like my others? Would he ever
know me or even want to know me? Would his family despise me? Should I even try
and find out after all of this is over as the years go on? Will they truly love
and care for him?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Her mind never stopped. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh God! Please. I beg of you. If he must be taken away please
let it be as you have said!” Often she would sobbingly scream this into her
pillow at night. Her thoughts all alone. Her husband and the baby’s father
nearby but with few words of his own to say. He too was at a loss. Speechless.
This was really happening. His mind spinning with so many uncertainties, pain
and fear. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She just couldn’t bear to think about what was about to
happen. He would be gone forever. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But he would be alive and today would be the day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The day when hope and healing begins. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She didn’t even have the stability or mindset to name him
that day. Her heart was so heavy and her mind was so numb. Honestly, she was
just ready for this all to be over. Her heart was breaking with every minute
that passed knowing her days with him were coming to an end. Her belly had
moved one final time. Her last lullaby had been sung. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today would be the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It all happened in a flash. Doctors frantically trying to
save him and start the life she had promised God she would give him. He was
born early and he had to have emergency surgery just to make sure he didn’t
die. Even then she heard those soft words telling her “I will take care of him.
Just watch what I do.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She heard the nurses name him “Seong Wook” which means
“calm, rising sun”. That made her cry even more. What a perfect name. She was
sad that I could not think of it but joyful that God was already making his
promises come true. She said a quick prayer that he would be loved and that he
would be wise. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She faded out of consciousness as her body was done. Rest
consumed her and the weight of the last 8 months finally hit her. Peace. It was
over. She had done what she believed was right. What was right for that little
boy. Her little boy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She had given him life and she was and is our little one’s
hero. God said He would do the rest because God is God and God is good. And He
has help his promise and answered her prayer. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our son is Quinn Seong Wook Speers. He is loved and his name
means “wise”. He is now 7. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We knew we would one day have a son whose birth we would
forever celebrate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today would be the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="ResultText">
<i>"</i><i><span class="text Ps-139-13" id="en-NIV-16253">For you created my inmost being;</span><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-13">you knit me together in my mother’s womb." </span></span> <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Psalm 139:13</span></i></div>
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2014 J. Brady Speers</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>I Say It How I See It and I Make No Bones About It </i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-78909912996751846652014-05-09T21:31:00.001-05:002014-07-22T15:53:22.536-05:00Look Out...Here's My Response to "Look Up"<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Facebook. Remember life without it? Yea, me either and that’s the
scary part.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After watching </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">this video</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> earlier this
week (almost 33m views now), I honestly was totally convicted and awakened to
the reality of the situation; a situation that belongs to you and to me - all
of us. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Social media has taken over our lives. Period. End of story.
Look around you. I mean, really? This is how it’s all supposed to be? Tweets?
For real? Get a life…(oh wait…that mirror I am holding is pointing right
back at me and I’m sure my tweeting niece will be glad to call me out on that
one…she’s one of my few followers). Some I know have built an entire persona
and “life” online with thousands of followers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talk about empty. Yet it makes them feel good
so I get it...after all I tweet too. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I remember when we traveled to South Korea back in 2008 and
riding in the subway. Not one person talked yet everyone was on their phone. I
could have been standing there in my Yeti costume (now how many hits would that video get? and yes I do have one)
and not one person would have likely even noticed. The silence made the UT
library sound like a rave (do they still have those??).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our world has gone silent and the irony of it is that it’s
all because of our phones. Yea, those things. You, know...the ones we used to
use by manually dialing a number that we had memorized (can you imagine?)
in order to actually speak directly to, in real time, our close friend. Back
then, yea, pre February 4, 2004, the only way to catch up with someone was to
actually talk to them or see them face-to-face. Now we don’t even bother using
FaceTime to chat on our phones much less call or stop by. Heck, we don’t even
spend the three minutes it takes to email anymore. Texting is even becoming rarer
as Facebook posts and tweets rule the day. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can ask my wife. During the NFL season my phone blows
up. Not with calls mind you, but with texts, tweets and posts about the game. Really?
Yea, that’s way more fun than sitting in a sports bar all together screaming at
the TV while nachos fly off our plates. Seriously…stop the madness. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Facebook. It’s our great, late addiction. One hit and you’re
zapped like Josh Hamilton pre IamSecond and like him only Jesus can get you
unhooked. Our dependent use of it has happened in just a matter of 10 years and
it has taken some deep, long-time, great friendships and made them shallow,
infrequent and solely based on apps and technology. Almost pointless if you ask
me. If you don’t think so, you’re fooling yourself and will quickly prove me
right when you post a comment on this to disagree.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Without the drug you wouldn’t
even be reading this. Yea, I caught you, looking down right now as you read
this didn’t I? Truth hurts, huh? I’ll still give you a warm Olaf like hug though. Just
let me go <a href="http://www.onlinehugs.com/" target="_blank">here </a>and give you one real quick... </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t tell me you’re too busy either. I don’t recall the world
operating in slow motion before the techno-twins of Facebook and Twitter were shot
putted into our world. That’s just an excuse and frankly Facebook gives it to
you, just as it has me. Why call when you can skim the latest newsfeed and
catch up sitting in your undies? “I don’t need to see or hang out with ____ . I
just read their update earlier today. We’re good. Closer than a brother from
another mother.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Truth is for me I am caught in a dilemma. I like Facebook
for the most part. I do. I have re-acquainted with old (in my case, I do mean
OLD), friends and people from years past and if not for Facebook I might not
even know those people still existed. It’s cool to see someone I haven’t
physically seen in 10-20 years and watch their lives from afar, keeping up with
goings on in nearly all 50 states and various countries around the world. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The opposite truth has a sad reality to it however and
that’s what’s been bugging me since I saw that video earlier this week and it’s
why I have been oddly silent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See there
are true friends (people I have actually shared some deep aspect of life with
in recent times) that I now rarely hear from or actually see. Some just a few
miles away but all just 10 digits away. I have some close friends who haven’t hugged or tussled the hair of
my kids in long time, years even. Heck I have a few that I have known for
decades that haven’t even met my son yet. Yea, the one that’s about to be 7. I
could have arranged for that but no need when my Facebook post makes it as if
they were right there with me, right?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Too many of our relationships exist for the most part
between two screens; theirs and mine. Yea, screens on <u>smart</u> phones.
Phones we never use anymore to actually call and say “hey, what you doing right
now? Want some coffee? Can we talk? You guys wanna come over? Wanna hit Waffle
House <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>before Fallon?” Smart phones being
used by dumb people. Frankly, I wonder if some of my friends would react with
caution of a new Amway presentation if I actually called and said any of these
things to them. Sadly, just as I have many times myself, they’d probably text
me, tweet me or message me “can’t right now but let’s touch base later”. Yea,
well… </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I almost wished I could relegate Facebook to just news,
events and people I just wanna to stay current with, leaving the others to the
way it used to be. Sure I like to see the photos of the kids, trips and such, but
look at what we have exchange all of that for?Not to mention what we are teaching our kids and the next generation. Holy cow...can you even imagine 20 years from now?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But I can’t say any of this without saying first this: I’m
sorry. You know who I am talking to and if you’re in that group and I haven’t
called, dropped by, or done my part…my bad. Yea, I suck. I’ve let the
Facebook<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>juju take me down with the rest
of society. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the end it’s about balance people…but apparently we
haven’t downloaded Balanced yet, a smart phone app designed to help us with
that. Idiocracy is alive and well, isn’t it?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(By the way….Yea, I still blog. Remember those from way back
in 2004?)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not even sure the narrow road of fraternal intimacy exists
at all anymore but I’m gonna try and find it and if you want to come with
me…come on. Sure, we will post about it. Why not? But we will be sharing the juju together when
we do and that’s what matters. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Look for my call peeps. I hope you will return it. If not, just
don’t comment when I post about you failing to. You’re an addict remember?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="ResultText">
<i>"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Proverbs 18:24</span></i></div>
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">(c) 2014 J. Brady Speers</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I Say It How I See It and I Make No Bones About It </i></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-24378537707683054952013-06-17T22:54:00.003-05:002014-08-30T13:47:30.772-05:00Thanks BJ - For Being My Man in the Mirror<span style="font-family: inherit;">Truth be told, it could have been any one of us. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Any one of us could have been the person with the blowout.
Any one of us could have been the people living close by that came out to help.
Any one of us could have been the man that stopped his truck to help. And any
one of us could have been the reckless teens that ran into them all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the blink of a moment, on a Saturday night, evil had its
moment - 4 dead, many injured and hundreds of lives changed forever. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Brian Jennings, aka BJ, was an old college friend of mine that
died that night. He was the one that stopped to help. He was hilarious, fun
loving and a white version of Michael Jackson. He had moves like Jaggar – and now
he is gone. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At one time, BJ was a crazy young man like the teens that
killed him. He lived it up and was the life of the party. The center of
attention and always putting on a show for anyone and everyone that dared to watch. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember that BJ too. He was cool – even taught
me a few moves I’ve long forgot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then he got real with Christ and years later he was
dedicated to a life that was centered on loving teens just like him. They were
his man in the mirror. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This has weighed heavy on me. Any number of times I could
have been those teens that night. I’ve done my share of real dumb, selfish
things. Yet other times I’ve just “been standing there” to watch my life flash
before my eyes only to be spared in the end. Happened to me the very day this
happened to him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There by the grace of God go I. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Still. In the wake of such a loss our humanness cries out
for justice. We are angry. We are hurt. We mourn. Yet, we all know too well,
that if Brian had lived through it all, he would have likely been the first to
forgive them and find a way to help those kids “get right with Christ”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every one reading this has been “those kids” at one time or
another. Now we get the chance to be like BJ for BJ’s sake. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">BJ died at the hands of the very type of people he lived to
love on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So did Jesus…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Talk about the man in the mirror. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."<span style="color: #76a5af;"> I Corinthians 13:12</span></span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>© 2013, J. Brady Speers</em></span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">“I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<em><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></em> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">for details on this tragedy - click <a href="http://m.star-telegram.com/star/db_108360/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=xZgwN07A">here</a>. </span></em></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-8677004040642665922013-03-30T09:56:00.000-05:002014-08-30T13:47:46.391-05:00One Question Everyone Will Answer<span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s just one question every human on the planet,
regardless of beliefs, backgrounds, lifestyle or upbringing will have to
answer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What will you do with Jesus?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every one of us will either have to reject or deny him. He
is either a Savior or he was merely a fool. He is either the truth or he is a
lie. He was raised from the dead on Easter Sunday morning and seen by more than
500 historical witnesses or neither of those occurred and billions have falsely
believed this for 2000 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
But everyone will answer the question. What will you do with
Jesus?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A “no answer” means you have in fact answered. An “I don’t
believe in God” response means you too have given an answer as well. There is
no way around it and God designed it to work just like this, way before your
cells came together and formed your being. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the central key to our celebration of Easter. Every
12 months all of man is once again faced with this age old question. It is God’s
way to remind each of us that we will answer this question and he designed it
that way on purpose. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">See Jesus wasn’t crucified on Good Friday to force us into
lives based on various do’s and don’ts. Going to church on Sundays, not drinking,
avoiding sexual immorality, or being a good person, have nothing to do with
being a Christian. True Christianity demands first that we decide what we are
to do with Jesus. Once we believe God, will work on the rest and show us who he
wants us to be and that’s where the Bible comes into play. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
But first we must believe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
I have chatted with many who have made the decision to
reject him and that saddens me. They truly have no idea the eternal path they
have laid out for themselves as a result. But what bothers me even more is when
a parent has basically made their own children answer in the same way by
keeping them away from and keeping them unexposed to God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These same people are usually the ones that
also say they want their child to make their own decisions about such things
and want them to be exposed to a variety of aspects of life. Yet, they refuse
to even take them to a church service here and there. Even if it is just once a
year, take your family to an Easter service and let them make their own
decision to believe or not. Your disbelief should not be a default answer for
everyone around you. Your answer very well could be wrong and if it is, you will
be responsible for their eternal fate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My own Easter story is a great example. My journey of belief
started when I was 11 years old and my family attended a small Baptist church in
south Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked up front one
Sunday morning and told our pastor that I wanted to get baptised and I did. A
few years later at a camp called Super Summer my personal answer to this
question became real. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Since then I have done my best to center my life on this
belief. I do my best to be a giver, work hard, love others around me, help
anyone I can, be a great friend, father and spouse and stand up for what’s
right. Yet those that really know me know that I can still be mean, hard
headed, indulgent, lustful, doubtful, worrisome, and selfish. In many ways I’m
the same failure many that reject him are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But I believe and for that simple belief I get the security
of knowing God is always with me, I will spend eternity with those I love who
also believe, and there is nothing I will face in life that I won’t have the
strength to handle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">God’s love doesn’t make sense to the human mind. I wonder
every day how it is he loves me because I can do so many stupid things and be
so selfish. Yet he does. It’s called grace and underserved mercy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now all we have to do is decide our answer to the question
he has put before us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I know mine. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
You?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>“It is written: 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'</em></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>” <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Romans 14:11</span></em><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>© 2013, J. Brady Speers</em></span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">“I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-87589383034299387822013-01-18T22:03:00.006-06:002013-01-18T22:07:14.186-06:00I Know You Don’t Have a Grandma Like MineGrandma Kat. My grandma. One amazing lady. <br />
<br />
At 90 years old now, the running joke in the family is she is likely to outlive all of us. She is unreal. Sometimes I wonder if there is a machine under that skin. <br />
<br />
In her lifetime she has been through the Great Depression, WWII, watched the world evolve with cars and planes, lived through a Presidential assassination, and see TVs become an everyday fixture in the home. She has been entertained by Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Carson, and many, many others. She has experienced the civil rights movement, Israel becoming a nation, the space race, the very first Dallas Cowboys game, the cold war, the Vietnam, Korean and Gulf Wars, 9/11, the invention and rise of the Internet, cell phones, microwaves, rock and roll, Cabbage Patch dolls, the Atari, Sesame Street, Walt Disney, the first black President, and many, many, NFL Thanksgiving Day games. She is a time vault. <br />
<br />
And she isn’t done yet.<br />
<br />
My grandma is our family hero. She is stronger than us all combined. Her resolve and tenacity is unmatched. Her faith is resolute and her joy is full. She knows Jesus like the back of her hand, and certainly He knows her the same. She keeps all on our toes. <br />
<br />
Her homemade “traditional” rolls can’t be copied (my dad and I have tried). Her chocolate cake is to die for. Her homemade quilts deserve a Smithsonian home. Her ability to put together super complex puzzles is unreal and she will defeat you in most games - especially “Sorry”. <br />
<br />
My kids love their great grandma too. They love coming over to her home and playing with her 30 year old make-believe kitchen set. Their imaginations take over as they ride down her driveway on a 4 wheel cart she made out of an old plastic tool box. And nothing tops playing “annie over” at her house - a game in which we divide into two teams and take turns throwing random balls over the roof in an attempt to hit each other. <br />
<br />
I’m blessed beyond measure to have Kathrine Barton Speers as my grandmother. I am even more blessed that my wife and kids know her and now love her as I do. <br />
<br />
There aren’t many grandmas out there at 90 that still try to mow their own yard, climb up ladders, drive around the city and serve in their church every week. <br />
<br />
She is one of a kind and I know one thing is for sure…<br />
<br />
You don’t have a grandma like mine. <br />
<br />
<br />
<em>“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Proverbs 16:13</span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">© 2013, J. Brady Speers (grandson)</span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">“I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-901013830180717512012-12-30T11:05:00.001-06:002012-12-30T11:08:43.462-06:00Before You Get Rid of Us All, Read ThisThe world hates Christians. That’s a given. They hate what we stand for. They hate our passion and they would rather us just flat disappear. The Bible made it clear in end times that this would occur and these same people don’t realize they are fulfilling prophecy. <br />
<br />
But before it comes to a point in which we are all shipped off to a remote island somewhere in the Pacific let’s take a moment and think about a world without Christians and without the influences of Christianity. Then maybe the world can realize things really aren’t all that bad with us believers around…<br />
<br />
Without Christianity there would be:<br />
<br />
- No Christmas holiday<br />
- No major hospital networks from the Catholics, Methodist, Baptist or Presbyterians<br />
- No major charities such as the Red Cross<br />
- No Sundays off of work (see China)<br />
- No Easter to celebrate<br />
- No Bible to hold to in tough times<br />
- No Thanksgiving to partake in<br />
- No major universities like Harvard, SMU, TCU, Baylor, Yale, Notre Dame, and many, many more<br />
- No Disney World<br />
- No children being adopted each year by the thousands<br />
- No priests or pastors to call on<br />
- No chaplains in the military<br />
- No cathedrals to be in awe of<br />
- No food pantries and outreaches to the homeless by countless churches all over America<br />
- No kids camps in which kids learn good, wholesome values and faith<br />
- No church groups like Texas Baptist Men going to help those in natural disasters <br />
- No God to call on in wars, famine or chaos<br />
- No guiding laws such as the 10 Commandments<br />
- No Valentine’s Day <br />
- No Pope <br />
- No Veggie Tales<br />
- No J.R. Tolkien<br />
- No Mary Kay<br />
- No Billy Graham<br />
- No C.S. Lewis<br />
- No Heinz ketchup<br />
- No George Washington<br />
- No Ronald Reagan<br />
- No ChickFiLa, Wendy’s, Costco, Walmart, Tyson Foods, InNOut Burger, Hobby Lobby, and many other business establishments we enjoy<br />
- No Dallas Cowboys as we know it without Tom Landry<br />
- No Duck Dynasty<br />
<br />
Need I go on?<br />
<br />
Frankly, if you study real American history, there simply would be no America. If you bleed red, white and blue, you can thank us Christians for your right to hate us. For without us, there would be none. Study it and you will see. America was started by those that believed in God. <br />
<br />
If you think the world is bad now, just imagine what it would be like with no Christians around. One day, in the end, that will occur. We will all be gone and the world will find out just what it’s like without us around to help keep chaos from ruling. <br />
<br />
Until that day comes, it might be a good thing if we all just learned to get along…<br />
<br />
<em>"If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.” <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">John 15:18</span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">© 2012, J. Brady</span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-59212988670236297512012-12-22T09:41:00.002-06:002012-12-22T09:41:37.350-06:00The Biggest Financial SecretSome "experts" might disagree with what I am about to share, but I believe and know it personally to be true.<br />
<br />
<br />
The best method to ensuring financial success in your personal life is to make sure you live as a giver.<br />
<br />
To whom much is given much is expected. Give and it shall be given unto you. <br />
<br />
These are biblical truths that stand the test of time. No other place in the Bible does God himself encourage us to "test" him other than with our money. <br />
<br />
If you give, He will take care of you. Period. End of story. <br />
<br />
I can personally testify to this both individually and corporately. My wife and I contribute more than 10% of our annual earnings to our church and various organizations or causes we believe in. We do so happily and joyfully. We are blessed to be able to give. I know and believe our future is taken care of. +<br />
<br />
Corporately, Novers supports nearly a dozen different causes, ministries and organizations too including adoption and orphan care, outreach to the homeless, Christmas toy drives, church mission work, Bible translation, schools in need, and children’s camps. When there is a need we do all we can to help. <br />
<br />
No time of year is a better reminder of this than Christmas. <br />
<br />
Have a heart for giving and watch how things will just take care of themselves for you. <br />
<br />
Sure, your financial future has alot to do with your earnings, savings and investments....but at the top of that list should by your habit of giving. <br />
<br />
Trust me on this. <br />
<br />
<br />
<em>“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.” <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Deuteronomy 16:17</span></em><br />
<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>© 2012, J. Brady</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-33691517616421256082012-12-21T19:10:00.000-06:002012-12-21T19:16:57.137-06:00A Different ChristmasChristmas should be a little different for each of us this year. After all, for about 40 of our fellow American moms and dads, it certainly will be after the terrible massacre that occurred in Newtown, CT. <br />
<br />
Not since 9/11 has a tragedy stuck with me like this one has and almost everyone I have talked to says the same thing. This one just hurts nearly too bad to even think about. <br />
<br />
We hurt. We are sad. Yet, it’s Christmas.<br />
<br />
Miles away the holiday season has changed forever. It was senseless and more evil than any Hollywood flick and we are angry about it. Sometimes all we know to do is offer a simple prayer of "please help them God". <br />
<br />
I’ve decided that it’s ok to pause here and there this weekend and think about those families. It’s ok to tear up looking at your little kids and even feel a little guilt for proceeding with “Christmas as usual”. All of our lives were changed by a gunman with no humanness to him. As our President said so nicely those children murdered “were all our children”. The adults that were murdered were our heroes. <br />
<br />
As American’s we hurt together and stand together, even when we disagree with each other. So it only makes sense that each of us should find a way this Christmas to acknowledge the underlining tug on our hearts as we open presents, enjoy the company and the time off from routine. The tug we feel is the tie that binds us. The families who lost their loved ones don’t deserve for us to bury our heads in the sand just because we can’t handle thinking about it. They need us.<br />
<br />
It could have been my Chloe, Sidney or Quinn that day. It could have been yours. <br />
<br />
Our world is insane. <br />
<br />
Jesus came to a dying, hurting, mean world. I don’t mean his world. I mean ours. The entire meaning of Christmas was to give a world like ours hope and the peace of knowing there would be an end to evil and eternity in our future. All we have to do is believe and tell Him so. It’s His free gift to us. <br />
<br />
Certainly those precious children stepped into eternity instantly and are now angels in Heaven having more fun than any Christmas Day. But all the pain for those of us left here means nothing if we don’t embrace it and ask God to change us. <br />
<br />
God will not allow evil to win even when it feels like it has. Lives will be changed and God will be at work. Our world is very, very sick. No doubt about it.<br />
<br />
And when you are in a season like we are, we need the reason that He is. <br />
<br />
<em>Charlotte Bacon, Daniel Barden, Rachel Davino, Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Ana M. Marquez-Greene, Dylan Hockley, Dawn Hochsprung, Madeleine F. Hsu, Catherine V. Hubbard, Chase Kowalski, Jesse Lewis, James Mattioli, Grace McDonnell, Anne Marie Murphy, Emilie Parker, Jack Pinto, Noah Pozner, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Avielle Richman, Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach, Victoria Soto, Benjamin Wheeler, Allison N. Wyatt</em><br />
<br />
<br />
<em>“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Revelation 21:4 </span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>(c) 2012, J. Brady </em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>"I say it how I see it and make no bones about it.”</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><em></em></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-20255041547482481192012-11-11T14:59:00.002-06:002012-11-11T15:05:32.542-06:00America is ChangingThe re-election of President Obama and the Democratic platform of values signals a big shift in the cultural thinking of most Americans.<br />
<br />
America is changing right in front of our eyes – and not for the better. <br />
<br />
In a “progressive” movement away from the values of God towards the values of the world, the nation is shifting quickly. Liberalism has always been a part of our society but the agenda of the current Administration in DC is more telling than ever. For goodness sake, the word “God” was removed from their political platform before being put back in after three votes (and listening to the recordings make it clear more were opposed than in favor of). <br />
<br />
The Bible tells us in the end times that the world would embrace earthly morals and turn further and further away from God. We are watching it take place like a virtual reality show. Each election more conservatives lose. Each election more votes go for the party that supports more abortions, more handouts, less God, and the homosexual agenda. <br />
<br />
God help us. <br />
<br />
It can be unsettling and very frustrating to observe our amazing country fold into itself. America has always been the light to the world in many ways. But not much anymore. <br />
<br />
But as time marches on we must hold tight to the following truths:<br />
<br />
1. God is in control. In the end, He will reign and every knee will bow before Him<br />
2. He told us these times were coming and He will be with us<br />
3. He will come for us before it gets real bad<br />
4. We can and should focus on making a difference in our own communities<br />
5. We need to continue to stand for the values of God even if we keep losing<br />
<br />
I know for me, I will still love and thank God for America. I will still vote, get choked up when I hear a good national anthem and celebrate our fun patriotic holidays. We are still a nation with millions that worship Him and millions that beleive in His values. We are just not the majority anymore. <br />
<br />
Now is the time to enjoy the family, your church, and life as you know it. Times might get even tougher. But our joy is new every morning and He is our source of happiness. Heaven is our future. <br />
<br />
And, as the country gets darker and people struggle more and more, they are going to want to know one simple thing - how is that you can smile? <br />
<em>"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Romans 12:12 </span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(c) 2012, J. Brady </span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"I say it how I see it and make no bones about it.”</span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-57784676067390577122012-11-04T07:59:00.000-06:002012-11-04T08:03:46.736-06:00Where I BelongEmily was born in 2004 in a suburb of Dallas. She was so cute. A little thing, weighing just 5.7 ounces. Fit right in the palm of my hand. Her little nose was the most precious thing ever and her eyes pierced your soul. <br />
<br />
Within a few weeks I went to see her again at the hospital and she was full of life. Grunting and squirming like the others around her. Yet, something about Emily was different. Just not sure what it was. Strange thing is she almost seemed to recognize me when I came near. Her little eyes perked up and she became more active. I enjoyed just feeding her and loving on her. She was so soft and cuddly it put tears in my eyes. I knew whoever she belonged to was certainly blessed beyond words. She had to be the joy of their life. <br />
<br />
Nine months later I was asked to drop by and visit a local shelter for children in the area. In the States we don’t like to call them what they are – orphanages. But they do exist. Last I had heard nearly 30,000 kids alone in Fort Worth needed to be adopted and needed a family. It’s a sad truth but over 3,000,000 in these United States don’t have anyone to call “mom” or “dad”. I could never understand that. Just broke my heart.<br />
<br />
My wife and I had thought about adopting at some point. But despite my career and volunteering efforts, we never took it any farther than just a random thought. If God wanted us to He would make it clear, right? Besides, adoption was kind of like a final option if the wife had issues having kids. We wanted to have our own children. <br />
<br />
Making my rounds in this shelter and seeing all of the children without homes was never easy though. Kids just reflect God’s love and grace like nothing else. They loved the attention no matter the age. The baby area always got to me too. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around these little ones being homeless. But it happens. <br />
<br />
Walking in that day I spent time going from crib to crib and bed to bed loving on those precious kids. The entire time I prayed asking God to take care of these little ones. After all, everyone deserves to be loved and everyone deserves a family. <br />
<br />
Walking around a corner a lady approached me with a bundle in her arms. <br />
<br />
“Can you hold her a second?” she asked. “I need to attend to something and this one has really been an issue the last few weeks. She just won’t stop crying.”<br />
<br />
“Sure,” I said taking the bundle with a smile. I knew my magic would probably calm the little one down. <br />
<br />
“Now, now,” I said as I looked down at the child. <br />
<br />
Staring back at me was Emily. <br />
<br />
I nearly lost it at that moment. Thoughts rushed through my mind faster than I could process them. I was speechless. How could this little bundle of love be in this place? Where were her parents? The outrage and pain hit me right in the chest. Didn’t she belong to someone? <br />
<br />
Her eyes perked up and immediately she stopped crying. Piercing my mind, her eyes begged for belonging and familiarity. I was something she knew. <br />
<br />
I didn’t know what to do in that moment but one thing was certain, I had to do something. I mean, you don’t just emotionally decide to take a child home like you would a puppy, do you? Emotions were all over the place. <br />
<br />
I sat in a chair. Time was frozen. <br />
<br />
Little Emily just snuggled up against me and fell asleep. Peace. <br />
<br />
A few hours later Emily’s care worker came to get her from me. “Wow,” she said seeing her asleep. “You really do have some magic. This little girl has been a pain for months. Finally, we can get some peace around here.”<br />
<br />
Her words weren’t mean for harm, but they hit me in the gut like a Mike Tyson punch. <br />
<br />
“You want peace!?” I thought. “What about little Emily?”<br />
<br />
I left that day and cried for hours on the way home. My life would never be the same. <br />
<br />
Eighteen years later my wife and I cried once again as we watched Emily cross the stage at her graduation. Our daughter was on the way to adulthood. That same personality at 9 months of age was alive and well. She was the life of the show most of the time. Too many friends to even count. She was smarter than all of us and was headed to college in the fall to begin her career in robotic medicine. God always has a plan doesn’t He?<br />
<br />
I still visit those children a few times a year and since then more than one friend of ours has also given a child a family to call their own.<br />
<br />
Nearly two decades ago I had no idea how much life was about to change for so many when I walked in to that shelter that day. <br />
<br />
But one thing will never change as long as we all shall live. Emily didn't belong in that shelter.<br />
<br />
Emily belonged to us.<br />
<br />
<em>"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Isaiah 1:17</span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>(c) 2012, J. Brady </em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>"I say it how I see it and make no bones about it.”</em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(this was a fictional account of adoption)</span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-52566973403366380142012-10-25T20:24:00.001-05:002012-10-25T20:26:52.988-05:00Jesus Would Vote, Just Not For ObamaThis one is gonna make some mad. But, truth hurts and I make no bones about it. <br />
<br />
In a matter of just a few weeks now, believers all across America will have an interesting political choice to make. <br />
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On one hand, we have Mitt Romney; a smart family man with a huge business background that believes in God, studies the scriptures, has ministered and helped others, and attends church regularly. The glaring problem to most Christians is that he is in fact a Mormon. Oops. <br />
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On the other hand, we have President Obama; an educated, good family man, with a desire to see people get “a fair chance”, yet who has a Muslim heritage with too many Islamic friends to count. While he claims to know Jesus, he attended a controversial “black theology” church led by the extreme radical Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Huh? <br />
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So what would Jesus do? <br />
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See the truth is God doesn’t really care about our economy. He doesn’t give a rip about bailouts, big gulp bans, taxes on the rich, healthcare, the value of the dollar or spending money on NASA so we can get to Mars. In fact, there are only a few things he would care about if he was here on November 6, 2012, and his voting results would likely be easy to follow. It’s really not that hard once you see it through the prism of the Word and break it down to the five real issues Jesus himself would truly care about. <br />
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<strong><u>Entitlements</u></strong> - The Bible makes it clear that we are to take care of those that are truly in need and/or are desperate for help and we have both Christian and worldly systems in place for those people now. The Bible also makes it clear a man is responsible to care for himself, provide for his family and work or he shall not eat. Nowhere in scripture can you see the character of God endorsing a growing system of handouts and dependency on any system made by man. In fact, Paul himself worked so that “he may not be a burden” on anyone. Nearly 50% of American’s now get some form of check or handout from the government. Slackers abound and irresponsibility has its own Twitter hash tag. As a business owner that has hired hundreds of people I have seen it first hand and it makes me sick. This growing attitude of dependency is 100% contrary to the teachings of the bible. Under President Obama handouts and dependency have grown astronomically while responsibility has been swept under the rug. <br />
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<strong><u>God’s Word and Values</u></strong> – The attack on Christian values in this country and around the world has increased tenfold in the last decade. You see it just like I do and frankly, it is scary. There is no doubt the End is near. But neither are we supposed to let the world just run ramshod over us like an old Super Dave skit without speaking out. The Bible has been and always will be the center of Truth for life. Our nation, and sadly many Christians, is caving to the pressures of various worldly, anti-God movements such as political correctness and tolerance of immorality. The fastest growing religion in the world is now Islam, with a temple near you. It is alarming to say the least. Jesus spoke out against immorality and large portions of the New Testament are about false teachers and false religions. Laws that would prohibit us from speaking the truth and proclaiming the teachings of God are being worked on now. We have to act. During the Democratic National Convention the word “God” was voluntarily removed from their platform. Under pressure it was put back in even though the vote taken audibly was clearly against it. Need I say more?<br />
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<strong><u>Homosexuality</u></strong> – God’s first ordained structure was the family, consisting of Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. The family was God’s first defense against Satan’s front line and the homosexual movement is the devil’s biggest weapon. Homosexuality is sin. Period. End of story. Those are God’s words and the popularity of legalizing homosexual marriages is tragic. Everyone sins and every sinner has a right to exist. We can and should befriend homosexuals and love them. But when laws are made to promote and condone this movement, a line has been crossed. Obama has promoted and embraced the homosexual movement more than any President in our history.<br />
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<u><strong>Israel</strong></u> – The Jewish people were promised by God a homeland and that occurred in 1948 primarily because America forced it to. For decades we have supported, protected and defended these vulnerable chosen people of God. The scripture makes it clear that those who oppose His people “will be cursed” and my guess is we don’t want to be on the wrong side of the line when God curses anything. Recent actions, even under President Bush, have brought us very close to crossing over that line. Jews will always be His people and we better get back to remembering that in a real hurry. Under the leadership of President Obama, Israel has been left in the dark. He hasn’t even visited them one time in 4 years. He is no friend of Israel. Not good. <br />
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<u><strong>Life</strong></u> – Finally and most important, Jesus would care about the sanctity and respect for the unborn. Over 50,000,000 Americans won’t be voting this year because they were killed by the lawful act of a doctor. The Word makes it clear that life begins when God says it does, not when Chris Matthews does. Obama is one of the most radical supporters of abortion in history…even infanticide. He makes Hillary Clinton look like the Pope on this issue. Romney may have once supported a woman’s right to choose, but he says his views have since changed and that’s all that matters, even if it was merely political. The Republican party will hold him accountable to standing firm in supporting the pro life movement or the Tea Party will see he is a one-term flash in the pan. Regardless of Romney, Obama hasn’t changed his views and even made it clear he would want his own daughter to have the freedom to kill his grandchild if it inconvenienced her life should she get pregnant. Look it up. This one issue alone is all any believer really needs to make their decision clear. A Christian that is pro-choice needs to make sure they have the right version of the Bible and try re-reading it. <br />
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Despite all of these completely anti-God issues, some Christians like to argue that there should be a separation between politics and faith. Many have a carefree attitude to the point of apathetic disinterest in the process. They say “God is in control, so who cares?” What they fail to realize is that God ordained the world we live in from the beginning. It was God that knew we would have governments, political systems and laws. His word clearly explains that both in the New and Old Testaments. He also knew there would be corruption, bickering, elitism and the like. After all, men run these systems and many times they are, in fact, epic failures. <br />
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Yes, Christians need to lead by example and only Jesus can change the hearts of man but worldly governments can either be run by His people or those that hate Him, and in America that is decide by voting. God expects believers to stand up for the values and expectations He gave us in His word. We need to wake up to that reality. Even the Israelites eventually had to make a stand against their ruler and in a similar way America was founded by believers that also took a stand. <br />
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Today is no different. More than ever America needs to start making a turn back to our roots and right now we are blessed that we can still do that with our votes. Judges will be appointed in the next 4-6 years that could determine all kinds of laws – either for or against the teachings expressed in God’s word. <br />
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It’s time to make people have personal responsibility. It’s time to stand up for Israel. It’s time to defend the God ordained family structure and resist the homosexual agenda. It’s time to stand up and defend the Bible and the values it demands we live by. And, most importantly to God, it’s time we stop killing babies. <br />
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Jesus stood on a cross in defense of you. The least we can do is stand at a voting booth in defense of Him. <br />
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The Democratic Party endorses abortion, promotes homosexuality, has weakened in their defense of Israel, gives applause to irresponsibility, and wants God removed from nearly everything, including their own party platform. So it’s pretty easy to see…<br />
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Jesus wouldn’t vote for Obama, will you?<br />
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<em>“But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens." <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Exodus 18:21</span></em> <br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(c) 2012, J. Brady </span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"I say it how I see it and make no bones about it.”</span></em><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-30379004968738927222012-10-23T23:06:00.004-05:002012-10-23T23:13:36.684-05:00Winners that Cheat Are LosersOne of the main lessons any good parent tries to teach their children is to be honest and never cheat. <br />
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I guess Lance Armstrong either was never taught that lesson or simply forgot it.<br />
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Armstrong took the sports world by storm by winning seven Tour De France bike racing titles and putting the cycling sport on the map. Because of him we all now worry about running over riders during rush hour each day. Bikers are everywhere, all the time. Even I have one, though it is begging me to take her out for a ride. <br />
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For years this man was an American hero, even overcoming cancer during the process and inspiring people all over the world. What he had done was amazing; a record most agree was up there with the likes of Nolan Ryan's 5,000 strikeouts. It was a record most agree would never be broken again. <br />
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Too bad the record no longer stands. <br />
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Armstrong retired amidst a storm of controversy surrounding allegations of sports enhancement drug use. Though he never tested positive, most know athletes these days can beat nearly any drug test even those done without warning. Apparently, this man was proud and open about his use of the drugs, including his teammates and friends in his scheme. As most cheaters do, he felt invincible and never even thought about all that was at stake. <br />
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Well, the heat soon got too hot to stand ending in him being banned for life from the sport he loved and having all of his titles scratched from the record books. <br />
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It wasn't his enemies that did him in and called him out. It was his closest friends who finally spoke the truth. <br />
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Honesty and integrity are hard to find these days. Kids see other kids cheating, watch TV stars and other "idols" get away with lying and see too many adults that are just as bad. Even our nation's leaders appear to mislead and lie in attempts to win. <br />
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No one is perfect and all of us have likely crossed the lines between truth and untruths, but now more than ever we need to rise above the mediocrity and do our best to go against the tide - even if that means we lose. <br />
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Winning by cheating may feel good for a minute. It may even last a few years. But in the end a cheater is still just a loser in costume. <br />
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True winners don't cheat. <br />
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<em>"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." <span style="color: #3d85c6;">James 4:17</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(c) 2012, J. Brady
<br /><br />"I say it how I see it and make no bones about
it.”</span></em><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-47249729863840320722012-10-21T17:31:00.003-05:002012-10-21T17:38:10.837-05:00Cowboys All About ProfitsThere just aren’t many bigger Dallas Cowboys fans than me. I have shrines celebrating Cowboys history in my home office as well as my main office. I worked part-time for the team back in the early 90s just so I could go to games for free. I go to training camp for a few days by myself just to study and prepare for the season. I owned a suite at one time and I’ve had season tickets since the early 2000s. <br />
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But at the end of last year I came to this reality: Jerry Jones has substituted winning for profits and ruined my team. <br />
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In the last 246 games, the team has gone 123-123 under his ownership and direction as the general manager. We have won one playoff game since 1996 much less sniff a SuperBowl. <br />
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The Cowboys now offer a mediocre product for the highest price and Jones is laughing all the way to the bank. The pride of the Schramm and Landry days are long gone. Even Jimmy Johnson is an old memory now. Put it this way, teams like the Raiders, Seahawks and Saints have won more in the last decade than we have and all three of those have been to a SuperBowl!<br />
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In any other real business world, a company that couldn’t improve its services or products for nearly two decades wouldn’t last even a few years. Yet Cowboys fans like me keep drinking the cool-aid in hopes one days Jones’ idiocy will win anyway. <br />
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I sent Jones a letter telling him goodbye last year and explained the above to him in clear detail. Now I go to a few games a year and buy some other schmucks tickets instead for about 1/5th the price. <br />
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If he cared so much about winning he would realize he is the common denominator each year and he would remove himself from personnel and team moves. I feel bad for the players and coaches to be honest. <br />
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Needless to say I am bitter about the whole thing. Can you tell? I love football and I love my Cowboys. It is my drug. Instead of hard working players eager to please and scared of losing their incomes, Jones and the NFL in general have created a money making monster of unreal proportions. Even the famed pink “Breast Cancer Awareness” push each year is more about money than the sad disease. <br />
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Maybe one day things will change. If not, I can only pray and hope my favorite time of the year ends with a Cowboys team finding a way to rise above blandness and win something on accident.<br />
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Because until it hits Jerry in the pocketbook; cash will be king. <br />
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Winning isn’t even on tap. <br />
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<em>"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…” <span style="color: #45818e;">I Timothy 6:10 </span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(c) 2012, J. Brady </span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"I say it how I see it and make no bones about it.”</span></em><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-21475414791081738902012-10-07T20:07:00.001-05:002012-10-07T20:16:46.436-05:00Spoons, Forks and the FellasOne thing is certain. Nothing means more to me than friends and family. Nothing. <br />
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Business is a challenge and it pays the bills and my sports teams give me that rush throughout the seasons. But nothing comes close to being with those you love. And rarely do I laugh more than when I’m acting stupid with my buddies. <br />
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Over the decades God has blessed me beyond measure with a group of close friends, some of which have known each other since the mid 80s. We call each other “the fellas”. <br />
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Today’s fellas derived from a group called “the dwellos” formed at Howard Payne University back in the early 90s but over the last two decades the group has grown to include others diversifying the group’s background and pushing the gang to over 10 members strong. I could name them all, but they know who they are.<br />
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As we have all moved farther apart, gotten older, and busier with work and kids, we rarely get to see or even talk to each other these days; especially not as a group at the same time. In the old days, the original members would have to find things to do like create the classic home movie <em>Attack of the Killer Spoons</em> in 1992. <br />
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In the summer of 2007 one of those rare times occurred at my home in Mansfield at “Fellas Weekend III”, in which most of us were able to gather for a quick reunion. What started off as a fellas take-over of Fort Worth and the Stockyards, ended with the filming of a new movie that paid homage to <em>Spoons</em> called <em>Revenge of the Forks</em>. <br />
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It took us 5 years, but in the fall of 2012 it was completed and released. As of this writing, it has well over 75 hits on YouTube, setting some new records. Just not sure which ones…<br />
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The world premier night was another one of those funny and rare fellas events. Spread all over the place between Denver, New Jersey, Dallas and San Antonio, we grabbed a hold of modern day technology to join together and watch it live as one. We started out with Facebook chatting, then moved to a conference call party line where the next 10 minutes was spent in total chaos as each of us tried to give the other a hard time. It had been more than 5 years since we had spent any kind of time together so a lot of ribbing had to be done. <br />
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A few minutes later “Dave” started the live streaming of the 8 minute horror classic we had created and the laughter began. Though a little more technology was used than in <em>Spoons</em>, <em>Forks</em> was truly a perfect sequel. After we spent another 10 minutes telling each other how stupidly hilarious it was and catching up some, the night ended as most of us had to tend to kids or get ready for the next day. <br />
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Life always happens. <br />
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I’m not sure if the fellas will ever unite again under one roof for <em>Sliced by the Blades</em> or some other stupid event. With kids and life being the way it is in your 40s, it may be eternity before we have that kind of time, or at the least we will likely be learning the secrets to wheel chair racing. But one thing is clear – we are all greatly blessed to know each other and have been brought together over the years. <br />
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Most people spend their lives hoping to have 1-2 friends they could trust with their lives. We just happen to have about 10 and none of us really know why. <br />
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I love my fellas. More than most of them will ever know. <br />
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God is good all the time and all the time God is good. <br />
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<em>"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Colossians 3:16 </span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(c) 2012, J. Brady </span></em><br />
<em><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"I say it how I see it and make no bones about it.”</span></em><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-23883627009902217482012-09-16T21:41:00.001-05:002012-09-16T21:41:15.863-05:00The Last American Hero?Think about this for just one second:<br />
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You move your foot off a step and slowly, nervously place it....<br />
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...on the flippin' moon! <br />
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Over your shoulder is home, in the minds eye position usually reserved for the very thing you just put your foot down on. The man on the moon is now your neighbor. Earth is a color marble hanging in the stars and you have no idea if your vehicle will really get you back. No internet, smart phones, or texting. Just you, a few other crazies like you and God. <br />
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That was Neil Armstrong's very experience in 1969 when he became the essential American icon of all time and a hero to us all. Hundreds of thousands of miles away was everything he knew. Yet he and his crew did this to make America stand taller than all the rest. And because everyone else was simply too afraid. <br />
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The moon?? Really? <br />
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It's still amazing to think of even now, 43 years later. <br />
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That's what makes his recent passing so historical and captivating. <br />
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At a time when the cold war was a daily threat, civil rights was a heated movement, and a President had been assassinated just a few years prior, the country was in need of something to hang on to. <br />
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We needed a hero and Neil Armstrong stepped up to the plate by stepping onto the moon. <br />
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Our world is once again in chaos and it needs heroes more than ever before. <br />
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You might not be able to put your boot on the moon. But one thing you can count on: God has a plan for you, and it's not just sitting by watching the rest of us. Adopt a child, volunteer more, give more, stand up for your faith, help someone in need, or just be a better friend. Do something. <br />
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Find "your mission" and grab a hold of it. Be a hero. <br />
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And like his family asked us to do, throw a wink up towards Neil the next time you see that big glowing sphere lighting up the night. <br />
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One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. <br />
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<em>"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained." <span style="color: #0b5394;">Psalms 8:3</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">© 2012, J. Brady Speers</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">sponsored by </span></em><a href="http://www.bradyspeers.net/"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.bradyspeers.net/</span></em></a> <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-54904038501141333752012-06-09T07:55:00.002-05:002012-06-10T20:56:23.489-05:00Is it Black Night?<b>What kids Say Is Not What They Mean... </b><br />
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Earlier this week, it was a daddy night for me and the kiddos. Julie's business had her out for the evening and I needed some time with the kids so it was a perfect excuse to load them up the in minivan and head out to dinner some place. <br />
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Spaghetti Warehouse it was. <br />
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Now let me say, having dinner with six year old twins and a four year old boy is always an interesting experience, chopped full of me saying things like: "stop that", "sit down", "get that out of your mouth", "put that down", "get busy eating", "why did you lick that?", "stop starring", "say excuse me", "no more of...", "it's ok, it was an accident", "why did you do that?", "why didn't you tell me earlier?", etc. But the time usually involves some laughter too. <br />
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Kids know how to say the funniest things and this was one of those nights. <br />
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As the four of us are enjoying the remnants of our Italian feast at a table crammed into the famous Spaghetti Warehouse trolley car, I noticed (in my peripheral vision) a couple and their kids walking right past us and then being seated right next to us. For some reason my mind made a note that they were all wearing black of some kind. <br />
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It was then that one of my 6 year old girls said "Daddy, is it black night?". <br />
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And mind you, she asked this loud enough for most in the entire trolley car to hear. <br />
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I gave her "the look" and took a quick glance at the family.It was then I noted something else about this family. <br />
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They were African American. Yep, and they were wearing mostly all black. <br />
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All of this transpired in a matter of milliseconds mind you, but I was now horrified and truly embarrassed. I quickly recovered by saying loudly, "Yes honey, allot of people are WEARING black here tonight. People like all colors. See allot of others are wearing red." Then I proceeded to have a little conversation with my sweeties about not starring and not talking about people - much less those that are 48 inches away, and how it's just rude.<br />
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I doubt the family even noticed, but we swiftly paid our bill and made our way out leaving these people in the little trolley car to eat their meals in peace and without any further comments that could possibly be construed in some other fashion.<br />
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After we left I frankly broke down in complete laughter. Kids. What are the odds? And talk about timing. I mean, really. <br />
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The honest truth is that we are about as far from a racist family as one could ever know. It's just not an issue in our home, but boy how that comment could have made the news!<br />
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The sad truth is though God made each of us different and did so to glorify his creative abilities, our world still seems content on dividing us by color of skin, origin, geography, social status, and religion now more so than ever. <br />
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This funny little moment won't be remembered at all by my three kids years from now. But for me, it was a real reminder that we need to continue to teach others by example that God created each and every one of us and we should spend our lives loving and embracing one another, regardless of our creative differences. <br />
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After all, everyone is different in their own way. <br />
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Even when many are wearing black.<br />
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<em>"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, <sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29131A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>nor is there male and female, <sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29131B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>for you are all one in Christ Jesus." <span style="color: cyan;">Galatians 3:28</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>© 2012, J. Brady Speers</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</em></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>sponsored by </em></span><a href="http://www.bradyspeers.net/"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>http://www.bradyspeers.net/</em></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em> </em></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-28246252856059621362011-10-06T20:14:00.003-05:002012-05-20T20:58:07.804-05:00Adoption Gave Us Steve Jobs & All His Creative WondersBy Brady Speers<br />
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One simple question.<br />
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Had Steve Jobs birth mom decided to end his life through abortion, how would your life be different?<br />
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Ever used an Apple Computer back in the day? Ever play the Atari? What about iTunes, an iPhone, iMac, iPad or iPod? Ever seen a Pixar film such as Finding Nemo, or Toy Story or others? Been to Disney World lately?<br />
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Steve Jobs was in and about all of the above and so much more. He was truly an innovator; a Thomas Edison of our day. He was an entrepreneur above them all. <br />
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The world should hug both his birth mom and adoptive parents. Thanking one for not killing him which sadly many would have done. Thanking the others for giving him the chance to make his mark on all of our lives. <br />
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Abortion only has one worldly result – a selfish resolution to a child one doesn’t want. Nothing else about abortion is good. It is dark, evil, mean, cruel, ugly and barbaric. <br />
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Adoption results in all things positive – life, hope, joy, laughter, and family to name a few. <br />
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If only the world would choose adoption more often, maybe we would meet some more Steve Jobs.<br />
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Our world will forever be thankful for his contributions and grateful murder through abortion didn’t take him away from us. <br />
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Peace Mr. Jobs. <br />
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weMorn. <br />
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<em>“Thou shall not kill." <span style="color: cyan;">Exodus 20:13</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">© 2011, J. Brady Speers</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">sponsored by <a href="http://www.bradyspeers.net/">http://www.bradyspeers.net/</a></span></em><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-48425158356275444112011-08-26T16:32:00.000-05:002012-09-29T16:33:30.521-05:00Life Is Good….But it HurtsNo bones about it. Life is good, but life also hurts. <br />
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But in reality life without the good or without the bad wouldn’t be life after all. It has a beginning and life has an end. In between are times of great joy, experience, relationship, happiness and hopefully a mind full of memories. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1necBh-lskeFh3dL97gfQW9JJNKpd3MCK79JBYauRDrl_xHIGVYEHWtsYdQoGGqdMWMn9oSLHtIctrQELvv67vFD_5numzwd0LOYUSIB2cKViMIquT2f7lnf68ejFDRBqmi1aQ/s1600/sampoolball.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1necBh-lskeFh3dL97gfQW9JJNKpd3MCK79JBYauRDrl_xHIGVYEHWtsYdQoGGqdMWMn9oSLHtIctrQELvv67vFD_5numzwd0LOYUSIB2cKViMIquT2f7lnf68ejFDRBqmi1aQ/s320/sampoolball.JPG" width="240" /></a>This past week our beloved 10 year old boxer, Sam, suddenly feel ill. Earlier, he had been relaxing on the couch as usual while the kids ran amuck throughout the house. But just a few hours later my wife and I had the terrible experience of having to hold him in our arms as our vet put him to sleep. After all he had given us there was simply no way we were going to let him suffer one second longer than he should. We laid on the floor holding him in our arms one last time. </div>
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Rarely have I ever cried that hard. </div>
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Sam provided our family with 10 amazing years of incredible joy, funny moments and a sweet, protective bond that seems to only exist between man and his dog. He gave us way more than we ever imagined. He was beyond just a “good dog”. He was family. He was there through most of our major family events; when we started dating, when we got married, when we moved into our only home, when we changed churches, when we had our twins, through tough business times and the adoption of our son. </div>
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Our other dog, Max, a 12 year old Jack Russell mix is old too and God only knows how long we have with him. “Max & Sam” were the best of buds and they were our kids, before our kids were our kids. Now Max will have to adjust to life without Sam just as we’ll have to. This will be a new normal for all of us. </div>
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Though Sam is gone I believe he is running the fields of Heaven waiting on us to join him one day. Think about it…if God is good enough to surprise us with amazing stars and things we have yet to discover, I am sure He is good enough to ensure that our dogs run up to us when we step into eternity. He did make the animals before He made man. And, after all, isn’t it ironic that God is dog spelled backwards? </div>
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As a friend told me during this, when we love someone or something like our dog, we take the risk of having a few days or weeks of incredible pain when they are gone. But, that’s nothing compared to the years of untold joys we receive for loving and embracing that relationship. </div>
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We are called to love God and that is mainly expressed by loving others and His creation. We should desire to love on more kids, rescue and love on more animals and seek out and have deeper relationships with our family and friends. </div>
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Sure we can seclude ourselves from certain pain by keeping our lives “all about us” and simply refusing to get too close to a child, a friend, a family member or even an animal that needs a home, but that’s not God’s design. Rather, He intended that life be about relationships. God is love and love can only be expressed outwardly towards something else. <br />
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We just have to know that the more we allow ourselves to have these relationships the more likely we are to have a week like we just did. One in which the tears come suddenly and the heartbreak just won’t leave you be. It’s true the more we love, the more we will be hurt, either in death or in relational pain. <br />
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The saying goes “life happens” and at times it certainly feels that way. As we watched Sam take his last breath that afternoon life was certainly “happening” and we hated every second of it in that moment. But, even still, life is very good. <br />
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Without pain, our joys wouldn’t mean much. Without tears, our smiles might not be as bright. Without struggle, our wisdom might never appear. Without death, we wouldn’t cherish the days we have. <br />
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I hate it when a relationship in life has to come to an end and death parts us from that someone or something we love. I still miss my granddad all the time and most of you are thinking about someone, or a loving pet, right now that you miss too. <br />
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But that’s what makes life an adventure. We just have to make no bones about it and embrace it - even though we know it’s gonna hurt. <br />
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<em>“A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal." <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Proverbs 12:10</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">© 2011, J. Brady"</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span></em><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-2187890604859411992011-07-13T09:32:00.004-05:002012-05-20T20:58:38.671-05:00Abused Friends Need You to Take a StandBy Brady Speers<br />
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If you had a friend that had been abused or horribly mistreated by your own priest/pastor and you learned about it, what would you do? What if there was a pattern of this priest/pastor doing this to others for years?<br />
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If the abused party was truly a friend, doing nothing would only condone his actions and betray your friendship.<br />
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Your options would be one of three things:<br />
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1. Work to make him repent and humble himself before God and his congregation and MAYBE let him continue in his role<br />
2. Leave the church and warn others<br />
3. Confront him with others and force the priest/pastor to leave<br />
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Either he would have to repent, seek forgiveness or leave, or you would have to leave. It’s really that clear, yet instead, most in the situation do nothing.<br />
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A local well-known pastor has been hurting and abusing people in his own congregation for years. I personally know of nearly 10 different couples he has greatly hurt. The Bible makes it clear that Christians are to demonstrate the “Fruits of the Spirit” and certainly a man in his position should even more so. Yet, those of you still attending this church should read the list and ask yourself which of these “fruits” appears in his personal life. If you don’t know him well enough, ask someone who does.<br />
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<em>"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Gal. 5:22-23.</em><br />
Does he demonstrate even one of these?<br />
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Knowing and having followed this man myself for 10 years, what I see is lack of control, meanness, uncaring, rudeness, insensitive, power hungry, explosive anger, critical spirit, pride and more. Sure, we all struggle with sin. We all need to work to produce better fruit in our own lives. But when a priest/pastor fails to demonstrate even the basics of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">humility</span>, grace, love and patience with his own people, but instead berates people, and runs over them emotionally, there is character issue that should keep him from being in his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">position</span>.<br />
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Christians need to unite during this time and reclaim their own church. They must stand up for their friends, even if it means they too get kicked out and escorted off the property. You would have only proved the point even more that this man must go.<br />
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Doing nothing lets the devil continue to have his way. Doing nothing hurts your friends who are likely in shock that you have put this man ahead of your dear friendship. Doing nothing means it continues and yet again gets swept under the rug.<br />
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Doing nothing is NOT what Jesus did. When he saw the leaders of the church taking advantage of their followers, he responded accordingly. With righteous anger and immediate action.<br />
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Now it’s your turn. Pony up and let the Holy Spirit lead you. Though your heart may beat quickly, and fear may come on you, it is the right thing to do!<br />
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Your friends deserve it!<br />
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<em>“Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.” <span style="color: #00cccc;">Matthew 21:12</span></em><span style="color: #00cccc;"><br /></span><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: 85%;">© 2011, J. Brady Speers<br /><br />"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</span> </em><br />
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sponsored by <a href="http://www.bradyspeers.net/">http://www.bradyspeers.net/</a> <br />
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<em></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-68583549544547217192011-07-02T11:28:00.001-05:002012-05-20T20:59:05.471-05:00Time to Party Because the 4th Was Won by FriendsIt’s no secret that the Speers family loves to host parties. Making worlds collide and bringing friends together from a variety of circles makes for a good time of sharing memories, bashing each other, laughing and usually lots of food and drinks. Julie and I live to have everyone over. It makes the tough times easier and good times even better.<br />
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We purposefully built the home we have so we could enjoy being with our family and close friends. We made sure it had a game room, large open areas and even put in a pool, so that our place could be “your place” too. It cost us a little more than we like, but it’s an investment we won’t ever regret. Most people can count on one hand how many good friends they really have. It takes two hands for most of you in our group. We all should thank God every day that we have each other.<br />
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We look for almost any reason to gather the gangs together. We’ve celebrated end of school, various holidays, birthdays, NFL kickoff weekends, baseball playoffs and most recently the Dallas Mavericks winning of their first NBA title.<br />
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But in the scheme of things, fewer better reasons exist than to get together for Family, Friends, Fireworks and Fun in the Sun, than to honor of the birth of Freedom; the birth of America.<br />
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Last night we had a patriotic celebration with the Sherman, Jensen, Curlee, Hedger, Butler, Winter, Ermish, Ruzika, Franklin, Stroder, and in spirit with the Rinehart, Atwell, Hadash, McMahon and Novinger families. It was amazing to see all the kids cranking out giggles, pool splashes and serious hot dog eating as the rest of us sat and talked about kids, food, the NFL lockout and who will beat Obama in 2012. We ended the evening watching the Mansfield fireworks which shoot off from what almost feels like our own backyard.<br />
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The 4th just brings it all together…just like it must have 235 years ago.<br />
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Few think about this fact. But our freedom was paid for by people just like those of us that partied last night. They played together. They worked together. They schooled together. They worshipped together. They partied together. And in the end, many died together.<br />
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As we celebrate our nation’s birth and think about those we are lucky to share our lives with, let’s not forget it was people like you and me that gave it all. As the British were coming, the cookouts were stopped, the balloons were popped and the kids were all hidden. Freedom was about to be won and there was one thing each of them called the other.<br />
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Friends.<br />
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<em><span style="color: #33ccff;">“There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.” John 15:13</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><em>© 2011, J. Brady Speers<br /><br />"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."</em> </span><br />
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sponsored by <a href="http://www.bradyspeers.net/">http://www.bradyspeers.net/</a> <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14145703.post-88428482913912993522011-06-16T19:29:00.016-05:002011-06-16T20:11:44.459-05:00Class Does Win...Sometimes<p>It is rare in a world of so much pride, arrogance and immorality to see the old school characteristics of hard work, selflessness and determination rise to the top in the sports scene. Though there is no "I" in team, the last decade has many examples of stars trying desperately to do so.<br /><br />Then in 2011 the Dallas Mavericks popped onto the scene.<br /><br />After a heart breaking "choke" (and they did) in the 2006 NBA Finals followed by 4 more years of bitter playoff loses, owner Mark Cuban was determined to he could build a winning team with mature, veteran, proven players. He avoided the flash of the big free-agent signings and quietly assembled a team he believed in. Coach Rick <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carlisle</span> was brought in to establish a new culture of teamwork based on selfless play with one goal in mind - winning it all the old fashioned way.<br /><br />At the same time, the Miami Heat were purchasing the rights to super stars like Chris Bosh and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">LeBron James</span> to go along side <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dwyane</span> Wade and the arrogance quickly grew to unworldly proportions. On their own TV special, with pomp and circumstance, fireworks and smoke, they told everyone they were too good to be beat and would roll off the next 5,6,7, or even 8 titles in a row.<br /><br />Meanwhile the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span> faded into the background of the Western Conference behind the likes of the Spurs and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Lakers</span> and few doubted the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span> would do much.<br /><br />But class, selflessness, determination and teamwork would soon prove the world wrong.<br /><br />After beating the rough and physical Portland Trailblazers, they faced the defending World Champion Los Angeles <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Lakers</span> and their stars of Kobe Bryant and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pau</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gasol</span>. Even I doubted it would l<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">ast</span> long. I was right...but in the wrong direction. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span> quickly destroyed them in a 4 game sweep.<br /><br />Then came the Western Conference Finals against the upstarts from Oklahoma City with their new confident super star Kevin Durant, the leading scorer in the NBA. Everyone again knew this was the end of the road for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span>. Again, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span> prevailed in 6 games.<br /><br />Finally, the Finals rematch was set against the arrogant Heat machine with home court going to Miami. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span> were once again doomed and after losing badly in game one, it appeared as though history was going to repeat. Cocky, rich arrogance was looking to make fools of our beloved <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span>. We could barely watch and some of us (including myself) turned it off!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqRrScgwBpb4_QfgAH_VTOSk_VAbzYhHegUDZpNg8uhZptVCtYT6T0Q1WLKF_NwUGt4QyJMK1AbJl4MqhY1RIRLTGalYvtMJ-J01jyhTobFpTQYHwBvfLHZ3eWlMgIcAk-axAFg/s1600/260080_167778089953287_100001632903678_418748_1672442_n.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618988656450103682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqRrScgwBpb4_QfgAH_VTOSk_VAbzYhHegUDZpNg8uhZptVCtYT6T0Q1WLKF_NwUGt4QyJMK1AbJl4MqhY1RIRLTGalYvtMJ-J01jyhTobFpTQYHwBvfLHZ3eWlMgIcAk-axAFg/s320/260080_167778089953287_100001632903678_418748_1672442_n.jpg" /></a><br />Final result - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mavs</span> win their first title in 31 years 4 games to 2, completely dismantling the Heat in the 4<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> quarter of nearly every game. They outplayed them, outworked them, and outlasted them. The King and his men looked stunned, confused and dazed. Eventually they gave up and called it a series. <br /><br />Goliath was slain and Dallas was about to parade around with his head.<br /><br />Yes, it's true that many times good guys don't win. But in the case of Dirk <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nowitzki</span>, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">JJ</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Barea</span>, Tyson Chandler <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">and</span> the rest, the good guys DID win it all.<br /><br />In the words of Dallas' game 6 star point guard Jason Terry, "God is good and He gave us a 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span> chance to come back and win it all again!"<br /><br />Great job Mavs! </p><br /><p><em>"The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." <span style="color:#00cccc;">Proverbs 16:5<br /><br /></span></em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>© 2011, J. Brady</em> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><em>"I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it." </em><br /></span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0