Big Is The New Small

I love seeing people enjoy what they do so much that they are over the top with it. As I was walking into Wal-Mart I heard this Christmas music loudly through the parking lot. As I approached the door I noticed this guy that I come to know as Willie Robinson singing his heart out as he rang the bell.

I dropped some money in the bucket and shot this short video.

Is there a Willie Robinson in your city? Are you like me and appreciate seeing the Willie Robinson’s of the world?

To all of the Willie Robinson’s, thanks for putting a smile on the face of others.

Ran across this young lady rocking a guitar solo at Potential Church.  I love seeing girls lead with guitars. It’s a short video, Enjoy!

Is it just me or does anyone else like seeing ladies rockin’ a guitar or leading with an acoustic? Who are some of your favorites?

Lady Wisdom Gives a Thanksgiving Dinner Party

Lady Wisdom has built and furnished her home; it’s supported by seven hewn timbers. The banquet meal is ready to be served: lamb roasted, wine poured out, table set with silver and flowers. Having dismissed her serving maids, Lady Wisdom goes to town, stands in a prominent place, and invites everyone within sound of her voice: ”Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me! I’ve prepared a wonderful spread-fresh-baked bread, roast lamb, carefully selected wines. Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning.”

If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins. So don’t waste your time on a scoffer; all you’ll get for your pains is abuse. But if you correct those who care about life, that’s different-they’ll love you for it! Save your breath for the wise-they’ll be wiser for it; tell good people what you know-they’ll profit from it. Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God. It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens, and the years of your life ripen. Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life; mock life and life will mock you… Proverbs 9:1-12

Dessert is defined as: A sweet course, treat or dish; served after the main course.

As I was thinking about the holiday season and all of the desserts so many of us are going to consume; I was reminded of how dessert applies to our lives.  It’s the sweet course or treat after life’s main courses. e.g.

• Main Course- Attending College  Dessert-  Obtaining Degree.
• Main Course- Becoming A Leader  Dessert- Lessons Learned/Taught & Leaders Developed
• Main Course- Tithe and give generously  Dessert- The floodgates of blessings
• Main Course- Struggles of life, darkness, insecurity, sin…  Dessert-  Truth, life, grace and forgiveness through Christ.

It’s essential for us to always be mindful and thankful that even though the “main courses in life” may not always taste great or be our favorite dish, there is always opportunity for dessert. Remember you also have the freedom of choice as it pertains to what you consume, nonetheless always be thankful.  “We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” ~Harry Ironside

Don’t sweat the small stuff and don’t be stressed; instead take stressed and flip it backwards.

The Desserts of Life.

For those that still may not understand the title of this post…  spell stressed backwards.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

• 1. Family- As you read all the tweets about 4th of July  family picnics, outings, events… it might be just the encouragement that you need to do something with your family.  If you are already hangin’ with your family or read tweets about people wishing they were with their family; those tweets will remind you to appreciate and value your family time.
• 2. Food- Let’s be honest you are going to read more tweets about burgers, brats, hot-dogs, steaks, charcoal, baked-beans, polish sausage, hot-links, chicken… in the next 24 hours then you will in the next year.  If you’re a guy, your competitive spirit will have you whipping up your secret recipes and throwing something on the grill.  As a matter of fact, I’m willing to bet 50% of the Twitpics will be taken of some form of grilled meat.
• 3. Fun- It doesn’t get much more fun than the 4th of July.  The kids love it, you love it, people sitting at home doing nothing but watching the festivities on television love it and the people in the TwitterWorld love it even more, because they get to share their 4th of July fun with all their Social Media friends.  These exuberant Tweets of fun might just inspire you to turn up your personal or family Fun-o-meter and do the Dougie, Jerk or Cha-Cha Slide right where you are.
• 4. Fireworks- This is one of the key ingredients of this huge patriotic celebration, as the culmination is blowing stuff up or an awesome fireworks display.  People will find themselves doing one of three things when darkness strikes their neck of the woods: 1. Shooting Fireworks  2. Watching fireworks displays live  3. Watching fireworks displays on television.  No matter which of the three describes an individual’s situation, the end result will be Twitpics of fireworks filling up the Twitter streams.  Not only do you get to share Twitpics of your fireworks display, but you can follow and re-tweet your favorite friends and celebrities that you follow.  I mentioned in reason #3 that 50% of the Twitpics will be taken of some sort of grilled meat, the other 50% will be taken of fireworks displays.
• 5. Freedom- As we celebrate the Declaration Of Independence, we must always remember that Freedom Is Never FREE.  Be sure to send a tweet thanking the men and women of The United States Armed Forces (Past & Present) who fight to protect our freedom.

What will your 4th of July Festivities look like?  Will you be Tweeting about them?

Christmas is just a couple of days away and it’s not only “The most wonderful time of the year…” its the busiest day for application downloads on smart phones and smart devices.  Share The Bible Day will help people engage with the Bible, as well as increase the number of FREE applications being downloaded on iPhones, iPads, Android Devices, Blackberry’s and smart phones of your choice.

My personal favorite Bible app is the FREE YouVersion Bible app that has been downloaded by millions and millions of people.  Those millions of people have engaged in reading the Bible for Billions of minutes.  The App has been in the Top 10 FREE iTunes applications in recent days. (Currently #11 as I type this post.)  How cool would it be for the App to be #1 on Christmas Day when people around the globe open up their new devices and download their application of choice.

Share The Bible:

• Post it to your Blog, Twitter & Facebook (Use #Bible hashtag)
• Share scripture through your YouVersion account via connecting to Twitter and Facebook
• Tell a friend, take a few minutes on Christmas and do your part to Share The Bible

Note: As a little “extra” incentive to get the word out, my friends at YouVersion are giving a few lucky winners who post it online their choice between an iPad, an iPhone 4, or a Nexus S! (Click here for details.)

Read The Bible:

2011 can be your year to get a fresh start reading the Bible. Check out the Reading Plans online at our website, or directly in the Bible App on your device. All you need to get started is the Bible App and a free YouVersion account. Want a little extra support in meeting your goal? When you’re at YouVersion.com, sign up for progress update emails for yourself or an accountability partner.

What are you waiting on Start Your Plan and Get Ready To Share The Bible!

Will you share the Bible on Christmas Day?  Leave a comment and say “I’m In!”

Upon finishing the amazing thanksgiving feast at our home, it was finally time for all of the Thanksgiving festivities to come to an end and all of the BlackFriday preparation to begin.  On my way to take my mother home, my mother in-law (who is staying with us for the Thanksgiving holiday) asked me to stop and get her a newspaper with the sales circular ads.

She was in the process of planning her BlackFriday shopping spree.  This year she will be doing her BlackFriday shopping without my wife who has conceded to the fact that, “She no longer wants anything to do with that madness.”

During one of my pit stops, I sent out this tweet: “Just dropped my mom off at her house… Now on the hunt for a newspaper with the crazy #blackfriday sale ads.” I then proceeded to stop by 7-Eleven, Wal-Mart Market, Wal-Greens, Shell, 7-Eleven #2, Valero, The Post Office and 7-Eleven #3.  No newspaper were to be found anywhere and all of the store clerks seemed to be perturbed by the question, “Do you have anymore newspapers?”

At this point I had done my duty as a good son-in-law and had to forfeit to the fact that there probably wasn’t a newspaper available in the entire Oklahoma City Metro. Meanwhile, I got this Twitter response from @amyurbach: “@ScottWilliams have one that I’m getting ready to toss into the recycle bin of you can’t find one.”

Aha… It looks like Twitter was going to save the day, not only the day — but #BlackFriday.  @amyurbach and I DM’ed back and forth and I made my way over to her and @ericurbach’s home to pick up the newspaper.  Amy blessed me, I blessed my mother-in-law and the wheels on the bus go around and around.

That’s How Twitter Saved #BlackFriday.

How has Twitter helped you or saved the day?  Are you indulging in the #BlackFriday Madness?

Dessert is defined as: A sweet course, treat or dish; served after the main course.

As I was thinking about the holiday season and all of the desserts that I am going to consume; I was reminded of what dessert really is by definition.  It’s that sweet course or treat after the main dish.

In life that main dish could be college and the sweet treat could be obtaining that degree.  The main dish could be your role as a leader and the sweet treats are the lessons that you learn daily.  The main course could be that step in obedience in making the commitment to tithe, the sweet treat is the opening of the floodgates of blessings that God pours into your life.   The main course could be the struggles of life, darkness, insecurity, sin… and the SWEET TREAT is the truth, life, grace and forgiveness through Christ.

You get the picture!  dream BIG. think BIGGER.

The bottom line is to always be mindful and thankful that even though the “main courses in life” may not always be good or our favorite dish…  there is always opportunity for dessert.

It’s All About The Dessert…

“Some people complain that roses have thorns, I’m thankful thorns have roses.”

• Are you able to anticipate the sweet treat after the main courses in life?
• What is your favorite dessert during the Holiday Season?  I’ll go first: Pecan Pie (a little crispy on top and not extra goo-wee.)

I thought I would share 5 quick things that I’m thankful for and allow you the opportunity to do the same.  First things first as a reminder this Thanksgiving:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving & his courts with praise; give thanks to him & praise his name. Psalm 100:4

5 Things I’m Thankful For:

1. My God (My Personal Relationship w/ Christ)
2. My Family (My beautiful wife, my 2 son’s, my extended family and my mom’s health)
3. My Ministry (Lifechurch.tv n-dub and On-line via Social Media)
4. My Staff (I love each and every one of them and it’s truly an honor to do ministry w/ such an amazing group.   I’m seriously enjoying this current season we’re experiencing together. Bonus: I actually like all of them!)
5. My Opportunities (I’m thankful for the daily opportunities that God places in front of me… Seize the opportunities!)

What are you thankful for?  Share your list of 5 or less…  Ready, Set, Go!

Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the Summer.  This holiday is often regarded as a day of rest, barbecues, football, picnics, water activities and parades. These are all great Labor Day activities; however I’m gong to simplify how we should all celebrate Labor Day.

Here are 3 Ways Everyone Should Celebrate Labor Day:

1. Chill
2. Grill
3. Be Still

It’s as simple as 1-2-3; today is a day to chillax, spend time with family and friends, fire up the grill and be still.  This is how I’ll be celebrating my Labor Day, How about you?

Happy Labor Day!