50 Random Thoughts As I Approach A Half Century 1. Life experiences will be fickle and can be interpreted by emotion. People will be inconsistent. But one constant is this: God is good. 2. I always believed my parents were special. Not perfect. But special. At 50 I know it. 3. No one tells you when you are 25 that you will, in many ways, still feel like you are that age (or at least 32) when you are 50. 4. An Oreo a day adds up to a lot of Oreos. And it is harder to take off than to put on. One less Oreo a day would have been a good idea. 5. Choose great friends. They will be your lifeline when the storms of life come crashing. 6. Sometimes God speaks loudly. Often he is quiet. Each voice is part of the relationship. And each voice draws you closer. 7. Everyone needs to take Advanced Placement English. It will serve you well the rest of your life. 8. At the end of the day, it is God’s job to get people to Heaven. It is our job to love people well, and to point them to Jesus. 9. Nothing… and I do mean NOTHING… Nothing will rock your world more than the birth of your children. Your heart will explode and you will never be the same. 10. Related to #9 – Nothing has taught me more about the Heart of God than being a Dad. 11. I believe. This does not mean I have no doubt. Doubt is part of faith. And it is okay to embrace and learn from it, rather than fear it. It is better, in my experience, far better.. to live with faith and hope and joy.. than to give in to cynicism and negativity. 12. Very few people truly listen to other people. If you listen well, you will be well loved in return. Truth. 13. A great sermon is, to me, one that names my sin honestly, declares the grace of Jesus Christ unconditionally and calls me to serve the world compassionately. 14. There is inequality in the workplace. Reality. Some of the most gifted leaders I have known are women. And they are treated differently. That is just truth. And it needs to change. 15. Few things are more dangerous and damaging than a Christian leader without legitimate accountability. 16. * Forgiveness is this: a. Giving up the Right to Be Angry (for the sake of the relationship) b. Giving Notice (Being honest about where and how you have been hurt and committing to talking it through maturely and fairly.) c. Giving Gifts (The gift of unconditional love and forgiveness modeled to us first in Jesus Christ.) * Thanks to Walter Wangerin, Jr. for that summary. 17. A dog will sooth your spirit and love you well. (And drive you crazy too.) 18. Getting married forces you to recognize your own sin. And teaches you how to give and receive forgiveness. 19. Being a parent forces you to grow up. 20. Seeing a parent die will change your life forever. 21. There is a difference, at a funeral, for those who know Jesus Christ and those who do not. There just is. Truth. 22. God will lead us to refining fires, whether we like it or not. He wants us to grow up. And often.. usually.. this is what it takes. 23. Positivity will take you much further than cynicism. 24. The happiest people I know are those who give their life away in the cause of loving other people. 25. There is a vice and a virtue to nearly everything. 26. Narcissism is common. Humility not so much. 27. If you want to be a good actor, public speaker, presenter, etc., the first thing to do is to stop shuffling your feet. It will give you strength in your presentation immediately. And this will transfer to self-confidence. 28. One book read well and applied is better than several on the shelf. 29. The point of reading the Bible is not to “get through the Bible”.. but rather, to let the Bible get through you. 30. Road trips late at night provide the best opportunity for meaningful conversation. 31. The Vikings may never win the Super Bowl in my lifetime. But it is still better to be Purple than Green. 32. Know what you LOVE to do and find a way to get paid for it. Major secret to life. 33. Call your Parents. 34. Harboring anger hurts you much more than the other person. 35. Everyone you meet has a story. 36. Talking to the elderly is important. Very few people do. 37. When you graduate from High School know this: Your 25th Reunion will be here faster than you can spit. 38. There are some issues that are dividing and destroying Christianity. We MUST keep the cross at the center. It will guide everything else. And to realize one is a sinner is the first step towards loving others better in the midst of the conversation. 40. Expectations can be defined as “predetermined disappointment”. Be careful and aware of them. 41. If you are in a mellow mood nothing tops Simon and Garfunkel. 42. You cannot truly celebrate Easter Sunday unless you have first journeyed through Good Friday. 43. Sometimes, when one is in pain, you cannot pray. Or sing. Or give praise. But the body of believers around you can.. on your behalf. And this is okay. In fact, it is amazing. 44. Riding in an ambulance or being put out for surgery will make one consider whether or not this God thing is for real. 45. As long as there are tests given, there will always be prayer in school. 46. Marriage is Wonderful. And it is Hard. And is the best thing worth fighting for. End of story. 47. At the end of the day, whom will you have loved with the love of Christ and how? That is what matters. 48. The joy of the Lord is my strength. – Nehemiah 8:10 49. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in Jesus Christ who loved me and gave himself up for me. – Galatians 2:20 50. “I could wish you joy and peace, to last your whole life long. I could wish you treasures, or that all your dreams come true. Or wish you all the happiness, that this life could bring. But I wish you Jesus… more than anything.” – Scott Wesley Brown
