Parents: Shout Out To You

There comes a point in life when one realizes just how much parents do. Sometimes it's when you have your first kid, other times it's just after a moment of thinking about it; however, today it just kind of kicked me in the face. Parents do a ton. 

There are a few things that parents do that we all know and love and that we're all greatful for. They were the ones that changed our diapers, drove us all over the place and taught us the basic ins and outs of life, and despite all of these good things, there's more! Today, I took note of a few of the random things I never thanked my parents for and wrote them down. Then, I thanked them for them. Here's a few I came up with:

Family vacations

Planning for my college expenses 18 years in advance

Helping with car insurance and phone bills

Making sure I had a job and work experience

Teaching me about saving money

Giving me a home to always come back to

Now, this is a short list, and I could go on and on, but these things really stuck out to me. Some of these things seemed so small at the time, so small that they were, sadly, unnoticed. But now, I notice. I notice how blessed I am to have the parents that I've had and realize that not everyone does. I notice not only the extreme amounts of money they have supported me with (trust me, you never know how much a family vacation can cost until you try to plan one just for yourself), but also the extreme amounts of time, effort and planning. 

Parents (especially mine) are super heroes in my book.  It's truly amazing the amount of love parents can have for kids, which, to me, amplifies the love that God must have for us. So, shoutout to you, parents. Thank you for being absolutely super, and thank you for every little random thing you've ever done, from teachings of how to properly eat at the dinner table to every single family vacation, birthday party and sporting event you've ever been behind the scenes at. Without you, life literally wouldn't be possible. And as for you, kids, tell your parents, "thank you" sometime this week for something random. They'll light up. 

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Make saying 'thank you' to your mom and dad a regular thing; they deserve it.  

When Your Hometown Doesn't Feel Like Home Anymore

It's funny how your hometown can cease to feel like your hometown after you've been gone from it for a few years. The question, "Where are you from?" becomes a confusing answer because you may be from such and such town, but that town doesn't feel like where you're from anymore. Your hometown just turns into the town you were born in, the town you were raised in or the town where your parents still live.  

The people have changed and aged, your old friends you grew up with and made memories with have moved away and the restraunts have changed, with your old favorites going out of business and new popular chain restraunts taking their place. The street names can seem to be the only similarity. 

Something funny happens when your hometown doesn't feel like home anymore. It turns from being a town you make memories in into a town that's just full of memories made. Driving down the streets turns into a tour of nostalgia accompanied by a sense of not quite belonging anymore. It's strange. 

Your hometown can become a place of the past and an easy place to look back at where mistakes were made and what could have been done differently; however, when your hometown does become this and becomes a place that doesn't feel like home anymore, it can become a place full of measurement of personal growth. It can become a place of looking at who you once were and who you are now. 

Measuring personal growth is important, as it can reveal both positive and negative changes. Going back to where you were born and raised is a great place to do this because it's a place stacked with who you were. It's a place full of old stomping grounds, and around every corner is a memory and thought of who you used to be and how you used to think. It reveals how you've grown and how you once grew and need to grow again, and there's nothing like a reminder from where you came from. 

Although your hometown may change, so will you. Although your hometown may not feel like home anymore, it always will be, and there's always something to learn from home. When you go home, don't just notice the changes in it, notice the changes in you. 

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: When you go home, don't just notice the changes within it, but notice the changes within you.  

The (Spoken) Fear That Leads to Anxiety

I'm not sure what it is, but there's just something so much easier about writing than speaking. When I write, I have a chance to think through my thoughts, sort out what I want to say, be honest in a way that sounds pleasing to everyone, and think through every little detail of every sentence. When I'm speaking, I don't have the chance to do that. I have to think on my feet, and it seems like there's always a lot more pressure to impress the people around me. Whether it's them liking the sound of my voice, or whether or not they're actually paying attention to what I'm saying while I'm saying it and being able to see their reactions, it just seems so much more intense. I just don't like it. 

it's harder for me to be honest when I'm speaking, rather than when I'm writing. When I'm writing I'm not scared of what I say, or what people think. However, when I'm speaking, I'm really scared of what people think of what I say. When speaking it seems super easy for me to lie almost every other sentence, probably because I'm a people pleaser her, and I'll say anything to make anyone happy, even if it's the slightest white lie.

I don't like this about myself. I want to be as honest when I'm speaking as I am when I'm writing. Whether it's in casual conversation, or trying to speak truth into somebody. I really wish I could transfer the way I write it into the way I speak. Maybe this comes with practice, or maybe this just comes with having the gift of being a good speaker. I'm not really sure, but I know it's an area that I want to grow in.  

I'm not really sure where this post is going because I'm speaking it, rather than writing it. I'm not thinking so much about my thoughts in a way that wants to please people, I'm just speaking my mind, and hoping that that comes out honestly. The truth is, the fear I have of what people think of what I say or what I write leads to a lot of anxiety for me. But then again, I guess that's always the case. Fear always leads to anxiety. Be fearless, and don't stress. 

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Fear leads to anxiety, and so does lying. Be honest and be bold. 

Where God Wants Me

It's 2:22 am, and I just got home from a 16 hour work day. I have to be back at 6 a.m. (4 hours from now), but that doesn't matter. I couldn't be happier; today was a day I realized I've landed right where God wants me.

Despite the heavy work load, the abnormally long hours for my current season of work and not having a legitimate place to live until two days ago, I'm beyond content. If you had told me two months ago the number of hours I would be working and the uncertainty of a living situation, I probably wouldn't be where I'm at, but that's not the case. I'm exactly where God wants me for the time being. 

Today was one of those, "Aha!" moments for me when I was able to look back on everything that I've been through and been learning over the past couple of years and say, "Oh, yeah. Now I know why I learned that. Now I know why I experienced that." I'm coming to understand why I was plunged into urban ministry in Seattle, why I've made the friends I've made along the way and why I've been out of the state of Oklahoma for quite some time. Sure, there's still lots to be revealed and lots to learn, but the blind fold is slowly coming off my eyes, and I couldn't be more thankful.

God is faithful, and no matter where He has you, in whatever situation that may look like, it's definitely for a reason. God is intentional, and He definitely doesn't waste time. Ever day and every experience as its purpose; don't miss that. He is faithful, and trust me, the patience pays off in the end when His plan is revealed and begins to take shape. There's nothing like it in the world. 

-Clif

-Cliff's Note: God's plan is living, active and noticeable in the life of a believer. It just takes patience to see it through.

Why the Grass Isn't Always Greener on the Other Side

Do you ever feel like you would have the entire world if you just had that one thing? It's always something super enticing, like a new job, a new outfit or maybe the latest Apple product. Whatever it is, you just have that feeling inside that if you can get that one thing, you won't want anything else. You'll be satisfied. 

I hate that feeling because that feeling is a lie, and not only is a lie, but it's a lie we tell ourselves. It's like our own mind is trying to trick is. It's a feeling that's rooted deep down in the gut, and it's hard to ignore because really, it's a lie we all want to believe. We all want to be satisfied. We all want that one, last thing that will truly make us happy.

This 'grass is always greener on the other side' feelings hits home about every year around this time for me because it's Christmas. It's the time of year where I think to myself, "If I only get that one gift..." Or "This New Year is going to be the last time I want..." It's such a tricky time and such a tricky feeling. It's such an easy lie to believe that after we get all we want, we'll be truly happy.  

But what do you get someone who already has everything, or better yet, what do you do if someone offers you everything? If someone offers you the world at only a small cost?  

I'd probably take everything, wouldn't you? I mean, if someone had everything, why would anyone ever want anything again? Problem solved.  

Except it's not. This one time, 2,000 years ago, Jesus was offered everything. He was offered everything in the world, every Kingdom, all authority and all glory, but He turned it down. Isn't that crazy? Literally everything in the world He could have had, but He said no. He didn't want greener grass. 

Thinking about this, I realized how often when I'm tempted with wanting anything at all, it always seems like if I had that one thing I would literally have everything in the world. The power of want is that strong. The power of desire is that real. It can take over and create a sense of authority and glory that aren't really there. It's a lie, just like the one about your neighbor having greener grass.  

Jesus was offered the entire world if He would only bow down to Satan, much like we feel we would receive the entire world if we would only bow down to our desires; however, what are our desires and will they really give us the world, or will they really just give us a thirst for more of the world? Think about it.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: The grass may be greener on the other side, but what kind of crap are they using to fertilize it with? 

The Lie Behind Happy Plates

photo via Yelp.com

“Make a happy plate!”
“Eat all your food, or you won’t get any dessert.”
“Just three more bites!”

These are three of the most famous parent quotes from pretty much every parent ever. Since the beginning of time, parents have been trying to get their children to eat all of their food. From threats of having to sit at the table until all the green vegetables are gone, to bribes of new toys, trying to get kids to eat goes to all kinds of ludicrous extremes. Watch closely, and you’ll see it all around you, at restaurants and even at your own family’s table.

Now, is it just me, or is it because of this that we have all been brainwashed since day one to not only eat everything in front of us, but to also indulge regardless of how full we may be or what foods we do and don’t like? I think yes.

I’m not picking on parents or hating on how they raise kids. It’s different for every family, and learning to eat and learning to eat right are super important things. It’s how we stay healthy, get the vitamins and nutrients we need and, in reality, how we keep from dying. Eating right is important, but why were we taught to ‘eat it all?’

Gluttony has become a problem. It’s so easy to eat in excess, especially with America’s fast food chains and super-sizing options. It’s become encouraged and easy to “make it a large” at the drive through and at the movies because it’s only $0.40 extra. What could it hurt?

Maybe a lot more than you and I think

.Gluttony steals away from portion, and portion is ‘importiont’ to life.

Portion is a part of a whole amount; it’s a share and a piece of something. A portion is a bit of generosity and a bit of healthy. Having portion sizes, not just in a food context, but also in a life context, is the only way to maintain healthy doses of both good (and not so good) things.

Is it good to eat a portion of fresh green beans? Yes. It is good to eat fresh green beans and fresh green beans only for every meal? Probably not. 

The point is this; portions are what help make life more enjoyable. I love cheeseburgers, but guess what? If I ate one every day, I probably wouldn’t love them as much anymore. Portions keep the exciting things in life from becoming mundane. Portion out your life, not just your food. Eat a salad; eat a burger. Relax some; work some. Watch TV some; read some. Life shouldn’t be all about ‘making a happy plate;’ it should be more about making a healthy one through portions and pieces.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: "Variety is the spice of life." 

This was a guest post I've shared on Cliff Notes that I wrote for my friend, Kelli Tomlinson's blog. You'll love reading her stuff and get lots of knowledge, info and tips from her if you're passionate about fitness, healthy eats or hilarious high school teacher stories. Check her out on www.fitnessandfroyo.blogspot.com.  

5 Things 12-Year-Old Jesus Taught Us

photo via: lampbiblepictures.com

When I was 12 years old, I was your typical sixth grade boy. I played sports, chatted on MSN Messenger and learned what it mean to flirt with girls for the first time. I asked questions a 12-year-old would ask, I said things a 12-year-old would say and I had the wisdom an average 12-year-old would have. There wasn't anything spectacular or peculiar about me; I just did my own thing, while my biggest worries in life were what time practice was, what day the trash needed to be taken out and how to not let my friends see my parents pick me up from the movies.

Life at 12 was easy, for me, but then, there's Jesus. 

Twelve-year-old Jesus is just as interesting as 30-year-old Jesus, in my book. It's the last time we hear of him for something like 18 years. One minute He's ditched His parents in Jerusalem to stay at the Temple for three days straight, and the next minute He's being baptized by John the Baptist, while the Heavens are opened up, and the Holy Spirit is falling on Him like a dove, while God's own voice booms down from Heaven to bless Him. Pretty crazy transition, huh?

Twelve-year-old Jesus was not 30-year-old, turning water into wine Jesus, but at the same time, He was, and we can still learn so much from even His 12-year-old self. Here are a few things He knew at 12 that I'm still learning at 24: 

1) Hang out with people older than you
After Jesus' parents had been looking for him for more than three days after He ditched them at the Passover Feast, where did they find him? Hanging out with old people (teachers to be specific). Jesus hung out with people older than Him, not just kids His own age. If we only hang out with people our age or younger, how will we ever receive the wisdom that only grey hair can bring? If you hang out with 12-year-olds, you'll be as wise as a 12-year-old; If you hang out with 60-year-olds, you may steal some of that 60-year-old wisdom.

2) Ask good questions
Jesus didn't just hang out with people older than Him; He asked them questions. He picked their brains, and it says, "all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers." He was brilliant, mostly because He was God, but also because He asked them good questions. You never know until you ask.

3) Respect your parents
How hard would it be to respect your parents when you're God? Extremely hard. After all, can you imagine knowing literally everything and still having to submit to your parents, even though you may positively know their wrong? I can't. Jesus did it anyway. When His parents said it was time to come home after a three-day stent in Jerusalem, He came home.

4) Go out on your own
At 12-years-old, Jesus was already traveling the country on His own. He pretty much kicked it back in Jerusalem by Himself, while His parents headed home (little did they know). He didn't even need a babysitter. I don't know about you, but I was still scared to stay home alone for an hour when I was 12, much less stay in a different city by myself where I don't know anyone. I'm not encouraging 12-year-olds to run away from home; I'm just saying that at some point, you need to. It's important to travel on your own, meet new people and trust that God will take care of you, even when your parents aren't there.   

5) Grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man
Jesus, at 12, was already concentrating on things I didn't even know existed at 12 (I'm still not sure what the word 'stature' means). He knew what was most important in life, and He pursued those things from an extremely young age. Jesus knew that growing in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man were essential to becoming a Man of God. 

At 12, I was definitely nothing but a 12-year-old; however now that I'm a reborn 24-year-old, 12 years later, I just hope I can be someone like 12-year-old Jesus was. I hope my life and the lives of those in my generation can hold as big of a transition as Jesus' life did from 12 to 30.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Be like (12-year-old) Jesus. 

The Loving Reason Behind Reason and Love

People can be some of life's greatest problems, myself included. People can be frustrating, hard to work with, irritating and, frankly, crazy sometimes; however, it's impossible to get through life without working with people and especially without working with yourself (which can be the most difficult at times). Understanding how to work with people and how to have grace in the times when someone makes you want to scream is vital to any social environment.

Thinking about this, I was asked to look at this quote by C.S. Lewis recently. You'll love this golden nugget:

"Can we repent if God helps us? Yes, but what does that mean, 'helping us?' We mean God putting into us a bit of Himself, so to speak. He (God) puts a little of His love into us, and that is how we love one another. We love and reason because God loves and reasons and holds our hand while we do it."

I don't know how familiar you may be with C.S. Lewis, but this quote, like many of his other ones, is packed like a loaded gun. It's got so much power behind it, and it's only a sentence or two long. It's wise, yet simple, profound, yet light and easy to hear.

Think about it; the idea of God actually putting some of His reasoning and His love in our hearts so that we may begin to have the potential to love other people,  reason with them, work with them and begin to understand them, is mind-numbing.  Where would we be without that little gift? 

Without this gift, it would be impossible to love our neighbor as ourselves, impossible to empathize and relate to others and, even more so, impossible to be loved and reasoned with. The only reason we can love and reason is because God loves, reasons and helps us. The only thing in the world that is truly keeping us all from absolutely destroying one another are God's pieces of reasoning and love He has instilled in us.

We love because He loves, we reason because He reasons and we're patient because He's patient. Being reasonable and loving is about thinking through things, looking at them with a fair and eternal perspective and not making decisions based off of emotional, in-the-moment feelings.

In the words of my friend, "To combine love and reason, we must look beyond ourselves." 

I couldn't agree more.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Though a situation may be difficult, find comfort in knowing that God has put His own little nuggets of love and reason within you to share with the world. 

If There Were 100 People in the World . . .

Most jobs don't require you to work until 11 p.m. on Sunday nights; however, most jobs don't get you into free concerts at the same time. 

Tonight is one of those nights; it's a night I'm scheduled to work until 11, and it's also an event night. Tonight's event: a TobyMac concert. 

It's not like I can just sit back, walk into the concert and enjoy it the entire time. I have to sneak in every now and again on breaks and catch bits and pieces. Tonight, I managed to slip in at just the right time. It wasn't the time the headlining artist was on stage; instead, it was the time of intermission in which they had a guest speaker share a quick message. His message was simple and what I needed to hear, and his message was something like this:

There are 7.3 billion people in the world.

If you were to take those 7.3 billion people in the world and shrink them down to a perspective size of 100 people, this is what it would look like:

Only 7 people would have college degrees, 48 people would live on less the $2 a day, 23 people would not have shelter, and 50 people wouldn't have a reliable food source (15 people would be overweight from too much food).

I'm not sure how totally accurate these facts and figures were, and he shared more than I did here, with a little more 'umph' behind them, but it made me realize a few things about myself:

I hate that I'm one of the ones at the front of the line.

I hate that I'm one of the seven with a college degree, one of the 52 people living on more than $2 a day, one of the 77 with shelter and one of the 50 with plenty of food. 

I don't hate it because I have these things; these are definitely all blessings and definitely good things. What I hate is wondering why I got chosen to have them and how they make me numb to the other half of the world. Why not someone else? I'm not that deserving. What difference is there really between myself and one of the refugees trying to get into this country other than that I was born here? I didn't do anything to deserve all that I have, and he/she didn't do anything to deserve all they're having to go through. It makes me sick to my stomach. I want to be grateful for all I have, and I truly am, but I find it hard to grateful sometimes when I think about those who haven't been given much of anything, not even a smile passing by on the street. 

God has taught me a lot, not just tonight, but over this past year. Tonight was just a reminder. I don't want to be comfortable anymore, I don't want to accumulate 'stuff,' and I don't want to build a kingdom here. This world is not my home, and I think I'm finally realizing how homesick I am. I'm realizing how much my heart hurts for the people in the '100' who live completely banking their life on Eternity's Promises, for the people who pray, "give us this day our daily bread," because that's their only hope for any bread at all. 

As for me, it's time to live accordingly. 

Out of the '100,' which one are you?

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: "Still looking for a home in a world where I belong. . . "

What's Your 'Scarlet Letter?'

I wear a maroon hat with the letter 'A' on it. I tell people that it stands for Austin, my name, like Alvin does on Alvin and the Chipmunks, but the more I think about it, maybe that scarlet A is one of my scarlet letters.

In high school, we were required to read the book, "The Scarlet Letter." It's a book many people have read, as it's required by a lot of schools' English classes. If you haven't read it, I'll give you a super short Cliff Notes (ha, see what I did there) version of it: Essentially, a girl is forced to where a scarlet letter 'A' on her chest as a form of punishment so everyone knows she's an adulterer. 

After we read this book in class, as a project, we were told to create a letter for ourselves to wear around our own necks, in order to empathize and relate to the main character. There were lots of letter L's for lying, G's for gossip and S's for stealing. Most of the letters stood for pretty drama-free adjectives, and I, personally, rocked the letter L, myself for 'lust'. It was a really great, humbling class project, but now that I think about it, I feel like I should've worn more than one letter. I feel like I should've been wearing the whole alphabet. 

Do you ever have those days when you're completely floored by just how messed up and in need of grace you are as a person? Today was one of those days for me; I felt like I deserved to wear every letter of the alphabet around my chest just to symbolize how broken I really am. It never fails; Anytime I'm feeling even a little bit self-absorbed, I do something to remind myself that I'm not as 'good' as I think I am. It's humbling.

There's something about being so messed up that you have to be completely dependent on Divine grace to cover your screwups that makes grace overwhelming sometimes. Just knowing how messed up I am (and how messed up the world is), and that there is Someone who has already paid the costs of those mistakes is enough to make me sit down and bury my hands in my face and sob like a new born baby. It's that humbling to me.

I hope it is to you too. 

Anytime you have one of those days when you're really feeling the weight of your sin and it feels like every letter of the alphabet, A-Z, is strapped around your neck weighing you down, remember that you're not the one having to carry those sins. If you believe Jesus Christ is Who He said He is, then you must also believe He has already freed you from those letters around your neck. Remember on the days that you're feeling the weight of your sin, the weight of His grace is greater.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Grace is an ocean- sink in it. 

What Are Your 'Cliff Notes' Critiques?

 "Whoa. We're halfway there." - Bon Jovi

Fifty days ago, I set a goal of posting 100 posts in 100 days on Cliff Notes. Now, we're halfway there. 

This is post 50 out of 100, and I would like to use it is as a post to ask a few questions and re-evaluate what types of Cliff Notes' content readers enjoy most.

The questions I would like to have some feedback on are:

1) What kinds of post are most enjoyable as a reader (ex: posts on life, faith, traveling, application, satire, ___ ways to ____ posts, etc)?

 2) Do you have any recommendation on how Cliff Notes can be improved?

And

3) Have you ever considered contributing to Cliff Notes? As you may have noticed, there have been several guest posts on Cliff Notes. If you've ever wanted to write a blog post, but not keep up with an entire blog yourself,  let me know. I'd love to give you the opportunity to contribute. We'll chat about a topic you are most passionate about.

Any and all feedback would be a huge deal for me to receive, so if you have a minute or two, please take some time and share your opinions with me. Feel free to message me on Facebook, DM me in Twitter or email me at awhstinb@gmail.com. I'll look forward to hearing from you. 

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Constructive criticism is good criticism. 

The 8-Hour Curse

via: www.healthline.com

For as long as I can remember, I've been told that I need eight hours of sleep each night in order to get fully rested.

This little fact has brainwashed me.

I'm haunted by what I like to call the 'eight hour curse,' and it keeps me from doing so many productive things that I want to do. It never fails; every night when it's getting close to my 'bed time,' I'll map out in my mind the exact time I need to go to sleep and wake up to get at least eight hours of sleep. If I know I'm going to get any less than that, I consider it a huge inconvenience to myself, which is quite selfish, so I plan out to the exact minute the amount of time I'll need to sleep, get ready for the day and be out the door. I stick to my guns when it comes to my eight-hour/night minimum sleep schedule, and I don't like anything getting in the way of that.

I don't know how accurate the eight hour sleep pattern fact is. It may be totally accurate, or it may be a stretch of the truth, but I do know this. There are a lot of other things I could be doing within that eight hours that I don't do because I'm so paranoid that I have to get that amount of sleep.The real issue with this arises in the mornings.

I find myself sleeping till the last possible minute before I need to get ready and hit the road for wherever I need to be that day. I neglect taking my time to fully wake up and get organized for what's on schedule for the upcoming day. I think to myself, "Breakfast is for the birds" (I still think it is), and I walk out the door knowing that lunch is just a few hours away, and that I can make it until then.

It also affects my spiritual life. When I'm feeling good and disciplined like I like to be, I enjoy waking up early enough to read and journal before the day begins. It gets me off on the right foot, and it allows me to "see the face of God before I see the face of man." It's a great habit that I like to get into, yet sometimes when I'm feeling really plagued by work, life and of course, the eight-hour curse, I neglect the most important aspect of my life.

I make sleep an idol.

It's true, getting good sleep and good rest are much needed  in order to have a productive day; however, when the soul focus becomes just getting the perfect amount of sleep and rest, and the focus is turned from what really gives one rest, things can get tired.

What are you idolizing in your life that's causing you to neglect what's important? For me, it's sleep. Let's help each other. Feel free to share any waking up, discipline tips with me if you have some!

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: "You can sleep when you're dead."

This Week's Challenge: Meet up with an Old Friend

"Hey man! Lookin' good. I almost wore that same pullover. It sure has been a long time."

"It sure has, man. It sure has."

There's nothing like seeing one of your best friends for the first time in a long time. Sure, in a world full of technology, it's easy to keep in touch through texting, social media and phone calls, but there's nothing like reuniting after a long time apart.

Life goes on. The sun goes up, and then it goes down, and days turn into weeks, while weeks turn into months. The older you get, the faster time seems to go, and before you know it, it's been a year since you've seen someone you used to see every day. It's funny how life cycles through like that.

Meeting up with old friends is priceless. There's so much to catch up on, and it always seems like there's so little time to do it in, whether it's over a meal, a beer or a day-long visit. Life happens. There are new achievements, new relationships and new stories to share, but there are always loads of old memories to reflect on- memories that only you and that other person or people know and can reminisce on. 

This week, I've had the chance to meet up with a few friends I haven't spent much time with in more than a year (and two friends I haven't seen in five years). I've landed in a situation where I'm finally in the same city as some of my best friends again, and I couldn't be happier about it. It's a blessing, to say the least. 

With as much as I've enjoyed meeting up with new friends recently, I want to encourage you to do the same thing. Sometime this week, I challenge you to meet up with an old friend, an old roommate or an old family member you haven't seen in a long time. If you have the time, make the effort and drive a couple hours to do it; it will be worth every minute, and if you have the money, buy the person's dinner or coffee; it'll be worth every cent. Reminisce on the old times and talk about the new. It'll be the highlights of your week.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: There's no friend like an old friend.

5 Unexpected Challenges of Adulthood

Entering adulthood has its challenges. It has its obvious ones, like having to pay for everything yourself and having to shave every other day, but it also has some unexpected ones you might not think about until it's too late.  

Here are some of those challenges: 

1) You don't get week(s) of vacation 

Remember when you were a student, and you got two weeks off for Christmas, three months off for summer and a week off for spring break? Well, you can kiss those days goodbye (unless you're a teacher). Adulthood welcomes (maybe) two weeks of paid vacation and a few public holidays a year to match up against those precious days of childhood vacation. 

2) Half of your friends still get week(s) of vacation

It's inevitable; After you graduate college, you'll no doubt have friends who are still in college, or who have become teachers, and guess what? They still get all those wonderful, student holidays. "Oh, you have to go back to work tomorrow? That's stinks. I don't go back until Jan. 2." Get used to that line. It's a back breaker.  

3) Saying 'See ya!' to casual 

Wasn't it nice rolling out of bed in the morning, throwing on a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie and trotting to class just in time for the professor to start the lecture? You could wear whatever you wanted, and it didn't matter to anyone. No rules. No judgement. Sadly, those days eventually disappear. If you're a guy, get ready to say hello to khakis and collars, and if you're a girl, well, I'm not sure what you'll say hi too, but you'll probably say bye to the 'messy bun.'

4) Mom and dad? 

Remember those wonderful people you've lived most of your life with and who you said a tearful goodbye to when they dropped you off for college? You know, your mother and father? Well, it turns out now you're almost on their level, and it's just kind of weird. For the longest time, they've been the "old" adults, and now it's your turn. You're the adult, as well. I still get chills thinking about it... 

5) Cooking your own dinner 

After a long, hard day at the office, what's the best thing to come home to? A nice home-cooked meal. But wait. Who's going to cook it? Oh yeah, you are. No more of mamma having the food on the table when you come home from a long day- it's up to you to find the energy to stay on your feet another few hours to cook, eat and clean up the dishes. THEN you can relax (after you go to the gym, answer emails, etc. etc.). 

The truth is, growing up has its pains. It has its expectations and its surprises, but despite these few, little things, it's pretty nice. The freedom, income and experiences are all worth it, and so is growing into the person God has made you to be. It's just important to remember this, that growing up is more than mortgages; it's memories. 

-Cliff

-Cliff's Note: "There's always life after death, and taxes."  

Job Jealousy

There are a lot of really cool things in this world, and there are a lot of really cool people who get to do really cool things.

There are professional athletes getting to play sports for a living, nature photographers traveling the world taking pictures of some of the most beautiful places on earth, and there are even people flying in rockets above earth, orbiting beyond us all. There's a lot of really cool jobs out there, and because there are so many 'really cool' jobs out there, it makes it hard to be satisfied with your own job sometimes. 

It's easy to look at someone who snowboards down mountains in Alaska for Red Bull promotions and be jealous of their job. It's harder to look at the person who just took my order at McDonald's and be jealous of their's. Some jobs are just sexier, and sadly, the jobs that seem sexiest, aren't always the most important.

Important jobs are unattractive to most people. Being a garbage man, a construction worker or a fast food employee aren't always the most glamorous to those on the outside, but they are certainly important and necessary. These aren't sexy jobs, but they are jobs that, without them, would prevent society from being as great as it is. These jobs don't always sound great, but they're jobs that I'm greatful exist. 

I've struggled with job jealousy. It's always easy to think someone has it better off than you do in some other position, in some other company, in some other place. I've learned though that job jealousy is often a lie. No matter what role you're in or where you're at, your job is important, and more so, you're important. Wherever you are and in whatever you're doing, be all there, and think of all the reasons why people are better off because of the job you're doing. Don't be jealous of another's job; be joyful in your own, and do it like a champion today.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Work with joy in whatever and wherever you work, and that joy will spread to those you work with. 

10 Francis Chan Quotes that Challenge What 'Living for Christ' Looks Like

Via: churchm.ag

Francis Chan is an author, a speaker and a well-known leader throughout the world in the Church. He's a leader who left a mega-church to follow what he felt God had for him elsewhere, and he's someone who speaks Truth in a very real, very convicting way. His honesty, boldness and genuine life of faith have helped change "radical" into what should be "ordinary" for Followers of Christ.

He has written many books and presented many sermons, so it was hard to narrow down quotes, but these are one's that truly speak to every-day life and culture within the church. Here are 10 Francis Chan quotes that can radically challenge the way you live out your faith daily:

1) "We are a culture that relies on technology over community, a society in which spoken and written words are cheap, easy to come by, and excessive. Our culture says anything goes; fear of God is almost unheard of. We are slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry."

2) "We don't get to decide who God is."

3) "When it's hard and you are doubtful, give more."

4) "Christians are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horribly."

5) "The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time."

6) "Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter."

7) "We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness."

8) "Both worry and stress reek of arrogance."

9) "Are we in love with God or just His stuff?" 

10) "Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy. Something is wrong when our lives make sense to un-believers."

Chan puts into perspective through his writing and speaking how a life of faith should look different from the world, and how God is truly worthy of all our faith, hope and trust. If you get some time, check out any of his books. You won't be disappointed, and you won't finish reading it without being challenged in some form or fashion, regardless of your theology. 

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: God is not conventional. He didn't ask us to have good bands and good speakers; He asked us to be united as One Body and to love our neighbor. 

Bedlam on the Brain

Via: siasat.com

Tonight was an important night in the state of Oklahoma. It was the night when the state's two favorite schools, the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University battled it out in the state's favorite sport, football. Most folks across Oklahoma call this game 'Bedlam,' which is a word that means 'a noisy and confused state or scene.' It is just that. It's a game where both sets of fans are at their loudest, and a game in which anything can happen, especially confusing things. Unlike this game though that happens once a year in one state, bedlam also happens every day in everyone's life in some form or fashion. This is the bedlam that's in the mind. 

We all have those moments in our minds when things seem frantic and loud. There are thoughts that create stress and thoughts that create so much noise that it's impossible to think of anything else. They're usually the thoughts that question our capabilities, our lives and our beliefs. They create confusion and make noise until they're put to rest by being answered. It's bedlam. 

Bedlam in the mind isn't good. It's distracting, and it steals away our focus from what's important and what's in front of us because often times the thoughts creating bedlam are thoughts that aren't always the most important; They're the worries, doubt and fears. Just like Bedlam in the state of Oklahoma has a winner each year, so does the bedlam in your mind, and it's important for you to be the victor in that matchup.

Conquer bedlam. Turn the noisy thoughts of confusion into quiet thoughts that are silenced by looking at what's in front of you and what's important. Don't worry about the 'what if's' because that's what they are, if's. Pray, and turn the noisy, chaotic scene that is bedlam in your mind into a peace of mind. Leave bedlam to sports games and free it from mind games.

 -Cliff

Cliff's Note: Bedlam is a better football game than a mind game. Keep it that way. 

Don't Be a Thief of Hope

Today, I learned about a really interesting ministry in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but at the same time I learned about this ministry bringing a sense of hope to people, I also learned of the people trying to steal that hope. 

This ministry in Tulsa is a ministry that takes care of homeless people throughout the city.​ every Thursday night, Christians from all over  Tulsa, regardless of denomination, go under a bridge downtown and serve the people who are experiencing homelessness. They serve them a meal, forge relationships, hand out clothes, give haircuts, and do many other things that people experiencing poverty have trouble finding access to. It's a great ministry that unites not only Christians, but also unites the city and the people living in different financial demographics. It's a pretty picture; however, to my surprise, I learned that for a while, the city was trying to erase this pretty picture. 

I don't get why anyone would want to try to erase someone's hope who hardly has any hope left. I understand that providing help for those in need attracts more people who are in need, but I don't understand why that makes it a bad thing to help people. Why is it wrong to offer food and the essentials of life to someone who is down on their luck and truly needs just the basics of food and warmth. I don't understand what that has to do with politics, political sides,​ or being bad for a city, and it hurts my heart when I hear of people trying to discourage helping those who need help. After all, everyone needs help at some point in life. 

​As much as the city tried to steal a source of hope for people, it didn't. As much as this story of help trying to be stopped hurt me to hear, it didn't erase the hope I find in knowing this ministry is still doing its thing by the Grace of God. Don't let someone's hopelessness steal your hope, and don't let someone's burdening steal your helping. 

-Cliff​

​Cliff's Note: Hope and help both start with H.

The 'Giving' in Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is an interesting word. At the root of it is the word, "thanks," and at the end of it is the word, "giving." Looking at it this way is funny because rarely does anyone, myself included, say thanks after they give. 

I realize the actual word is meant to represent the "thanks we give" for all that we're thankful, but still. It's a funny thought to give to someone and say thank you, rather than to say thank you just upon receiving something from someone; however, giving is a blessing, and I think it's good to be thankful for opportunities to give, just as it is to be thankful for opportunities we've received. As the Proverb says​, "The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor." Not only is the blessing of receiving something to be thankful for, but so is the blessing of giving. 

​Even though the heart behind Thanksgiving is being thankful for all we have, maybe it's important to be thankful for all we have gotten to give, as well. After all, it's better to give than receive, and where things are better, things call for more thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving!​

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Be thankful not only for all you have, but also for all the opportunities you've given others to "have."​

Why Are We Thankful?

It's Thanksgiving, and I'm thankful, but I'm not sure why.

I feel thankful. I feel thankful that I have a warm car to drive in. I feel thankful that I have a home to drive to, and I feel thankful that I have family and friends surrounding me to see every time I open a door. No matter where I turn, or what I do, I'll always be able to find someone to support me, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. It's definitely something to be thankful for, but in reality, why I am thankful? Am I thankful for what I have been blessed with or am I thankful that I'm not in someone else's shoes- someone else's shoes who might not have shoes, someone who is in need.

I’m not the young man sitting on the corner holding a sign that says, “I take smiles.” I’m not the girl that’s been abused so many times that she can’t even look a stranger in the eye. I’m not the man trying to take care of his young daughter day by day always trying to find somewhere safe to sleep. By comparison, I’m thankful because I’m not in any of these positions.

I have friends. I have family. I have food, clothes and shelter. I'm blessed beyond measure. “Look how much God has blessed me,” I think to myself.

I have become thankful from comparison rather than from compassion. The moment I start to compare myself to others, I begin to feel boastful or “better than."

Jesus was totally the opposite. Jesus “felt compassion on the crowds” when he saw them. He didn’t say, “I sure am thankful I have these five loaves of bread and two fish . . . sorry bout ya’ll.” He empathized with people and served them.

“When we are in the presence of others who are better, we become discontent, yet when we are in the presence of God, even our minds will find gratitude.”

When we dwell on God, we switch from feeling inadequate to feeling gratitude and thanksgiving. We don’t begin to compare ourselves to God, but we, in our smallness, begin to wonder that God would even care for us in our smallness, and we can certainly take joy in that.

Why are you thankful this Thanksgiving?

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Be thankful that in our smallness, God has taken care of us in His bigness.