i understand.

despite it being a one-syllable, four-letter name, Gene is neither common nor that easy to differentiate from the sounds of blenders, espresso machines, beeps, whistles and indie rock coming out of the surrounding speakers.

try it yourself. just say Gene and i think you’ll notice that it is one of the more garbley names out there.

however, something within me is always a little disappointed when i get a smoothie, milkshake or, in this case, short cappuccino back with my ‘name’ on it.

Jean is the most popular attempt, with runners up going to Jene, G and {no name written}. my personal favorite was the time i received my cup back with Chi written on the side.

ironically, i think Gene is the spelling/derivative i receive most seldom at this point.

today my Jean made me smile and then clued me in to at least two things:

the first was that i again realized how touchy we can be as a people. maybe it’s an american thing…maybe it’s a human nature thing, but i’m surprised at how i could actually take it personally that someone who doesn’t even know me might misspell or mis-hear my name! GASP! HORROR! THE HUMANITY!!!

we need to toughen up. we’re way too sensitive most of the time, especially in petty things like this. most of the offenses we feel are things that were never meant to offend or hurt us…we just decide that we’re offended.

why?

there is something within me that desires to be foremost and prominent, something selfish and ambitious and unforgiving. it’s the sin nature of course, but today it was interesting to see how that old man can display its toxicity even in something as simple as my name on a cup, looking for a way to reveal itself in all it’s self-centered, egotistical grossness. waiting for a moment where it might dominate my attitudes and decisions.

the second thing i realized is that, like it or not, simple portions of communication can offend or effect people negatively. maybe it’s not my fault, maybe it shouldn’t make someone upset, but the truth is, the way i communicate with people, from my words to my tone to my body language to the way i spell their name might potentially offend them, even if i don’t mean to.

i don’t think that means we live in fear, or that we become so bland and assuming that we never tell people the truth. obviously that isn’t the fix to our culture’s over-sensitivity to all things AND you can’t live life with out eventually offending someone.

so what do we do?

i suppose the check to people being offended is grace. and grace upon grace.

grace isn’t popular right now. the big names of ministry aren’t known for grace, but for other things. that’s just the swing we’re in for the time being.

but today i realized anew that grace is perhaps the most important virtue, and is one that i always need to be cultivating in my life.

because if people can get bent out of shape over a name on a cup, then i need to pay more attention to what i’m saying, singing, typing, writing and promoting.

what do you think?

do you ever have moments where you learn something about your own personality?

i realized something about myself this week:

i am a sentence finisher.

that’s right. a sentence finisher.

sad of a revelation as this was, i do think that i’ve had a few clear warning signs for a while. but, this week it all clicked in a horrific moment of personal evaluation when i discovered that i am guilty of one of my own pet peeves. in a bad, bad way.

so, to all of you whose sentences i have abrupted, my apologies.

i’ll be working on it.

that is all.

my kelly took this picture back in july of 2008. we were on a little day-away to the central coast of california and (apparently) did not have the fortitude to finish our desserts.

this is startling to me for 2 reasons:

number 1 – we are avid dessert fans. we eat it almost every meal.

number 2 – we are even MORE avid cheesecake fans. and, while the offering pictured above cannot live up to the pensiero family cheesecake, it is sugary-cakey-desserty-enjoyment nonetheless.

i guess that day we just weren’t man enough for it.

i’ll try harder next time.

do you have a favorite dessert?

i’d like to know what it is…

how could i let this happen?

this desktop clutter is stressing me out.

i will remedy it tomorrow.

we are just really, really excited about family camp this year.

we’ve got some new things planned on top of all the regular stuff.

i will do my best to catalog some sharable moments from the weekend for you blog visitors.

i’m doing a little teaching up there, but i’m not saying on what…because right now i’m in the middle of my regular “ugh-i-think-this-sermon-idea-is-probably-lame” portion of my study prep.

that said, i’m looking forward to boating, fishing and pine-smelling with my wife (and nugget, of course).

what are you doing this weekend?

on friday we’re heading to family camp.

this probably has absolutely no bearing on your life…

…but i’m pretty excited.

huzzah!

look at that thing.

it’s a monster.

it makes something inside me feel wretched and disfigured.

when i see this guitar i think, “how could anyone ever want that?!?”

how quickly i forget.

because, if this post was being written in 1995, it would chronicle how AWESOME this guitar is and how my heart longed for its unique brand of rock power!

that’s right…i actually wanted a Rogue Aluminator…

here in the present i’m terribly thankful that i never owned this guitar, for lots and lots of reasons.

when i remembered how as a junior higher i drooled over this guitar in my Musician’s Friend magazine it brought 2 thoughts to mind:

first – what desires do i have now that will be laughing at in 10 years?

yes, i may think i’m much more sophisticated these days, but realistically i know that some of the plans and hopes and desires in my heart that will just seem silly later on down the road…like a big ole’ Rogue Aluminator hanging on my wall would be.

second – how important it is to subject my desires to the influence and power of God.

because, bottom line, i know that i want what God wants. i may think i want a Rogue Aluminator, but the truth is that i don’t really want that because it doesn’t have value. it won’t satisfy. it won’t enrich my life or move me forward.

i may think i want a lot of things for my life, but the truth is that all i really want is what God wants.

because He delivers gifts with real value and real promise and real satisfaction. He doesn’t just drop gimmicks off on my doorstep and say, “that should keep you busy for a few months till you get bored and need something else.”

He’s investing in my life and He’s in it for the long haul; LIFE and that more abundantly.

today this silly, discontinued guitar reminded me that i can discipline my desires and i can subject myself to God’s will above my own.

and, most importantly, it reminded me that God wants better for me than i could plan for myself.

so now the question is: what do we want?

maranatha.

+

i don’t like ladders.

in fact, i am afraid of climbing ladders.

i’m even more afraid of then falling off those ladders.

from time to time i find myself up top one of our large ladders here at church.

today was one of those days.

i survived, though i think i lost a pound of sweat.

there it is. one of my great fears.

what’s one of yours?

…in a wonderful and exciting way.

say hello to Nugget.

+

in efforts to prep for a class session at the end of august that i’m teaching @calvaryhanford, i am going to attempt to read just under 500 pages in 33 days.

well..not really 33 days.

subtract weekends and general reading-laziness.

so…i’ll give myself 20 days.

let’s see if i can do it.