Ebay is cool!

This is the laptop that I was just able to purchase on ebay. It is an IBM R40 notebook. I was able to get it with upgrades for just under $500. I am very happy to have found this deal.

I was forced to buy another laptop when my youngest son, Josh allowed mine to bite the dust. To be fair to him, he dis use it 10 times more than I did. My primary use for it was typically for travel conveniences. It has been broke for about two weeks though, and I have had the need for it a couple of times since then. This helped me to decide to get busy finding one.

I have made multiple purchases on ebay. I am very impressed with the variety of items that are for sale. You can find just about anything that you are looking for. You can also sell just about anything you are looking to sell. I even bought my fishing boat and motor on ebay.

This is the description of the IBM notebook:

SOME FEATURES:
Pentium 4 M Processor 2.2GHz featuring Intel Speedstep Technology 400MHZ Front Side Bus
Screen: 15.1 XGA(1024x768) TFT LCD
Hard drive Capacity: 40GB INSTALLED
Memory: 256MB SODIMM Upgradeable to 1,024

Drive: CD Rom Drive (UPGRADED TO CDRW-DVD PLAYER)
Video: 32MB ATI Radeon 7500 Video Card
LAN: 10/100 Ethernet (UPGRADED TO WIFI) UPGRADE AVAILABLE
V.90 K56 Modem

Sound: 16-Bit Stereo, Built-in Stereo Speakers
Keyboard: Full size 85 Keys with 12 Functions

Battery : (Missing Battery- NOT INCLUDE) Upgrade Available
Charger: AC Adapter 75W (15V x 5A)
Dimension: (WxDxH) 12.2"x 10.6"x1.2/1.5"
Weight: 6lbs

Ports
· RGB (monitor) port
· Video out port
· Microphone port, Stereo Headphone port
· Fast Infrared (4Mbps, IrDA1.1)
· PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard port (Y-connector supported)
· 2 USB (Universal Serial Bus) Ports (V1.1)
· Parallel Port (ECP)
· 1 Link Port
· RJ-11 Modem Port
· RJ-45 Ethernet Port
· 240Pin Docking Connector
· Windows XP Professional with Certificate of Authenticity on bottom of laptop

I am pretty excited about finding this laptop. I know what a benefit it is to be able to be mobile, and to take my work with me. This was a pretty big investment, but it was a lot less than what I would pay retail for it.

Our Freedom in Christ

I'm reading a great book during my devotions time called, Victory Over the Darkness by Neil Anderson. I read this book about 15 years ago, but a good friend recommend that I re-read it and try to apply some of these principles to my life.

I think that all too often we forget who we are in Christ. We are not sinners saved by grace. We are saints who are created in God's image. We are forgiven and are no longer slaves to sin. Take a good look at this check list. I recommend that you print it out and read it out loud. We are not just "in this for the ride." We are integral parts of God's kingdom.

Look at this list...

Since I am in Christ, by the grace of God…

- I have been justified-completely forgiven and made righteous (Rom. 5:1).
- I died with Christ and died to the power of sin’s rule over my life (Rom. 6:1-6).
- I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8:10).
- I have been placed into Christ by God’s doing (1 Cor. 1:30).
- I have received the Spirit of God into my life that I might know the things freely given to me by God (1 Cor. 2:12).
- I have been given the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
- I have been bought with a price; I am not my own; I belong to God (1 Cor. 6:19, 20).
- I have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ, and I have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge guaranteeing my inheritance to come (2 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 1:13, 14).
- Since I have died, I no longer live for myself, but for Christ (2 Cor. 5:14, 15).
- I have been made righteous (2 Cor. 5:21).
- I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ’s life (Gal. 2:21).
- I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3).
- I was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and am without blame before Him (Eph. 1:4).
- I was predestined-determined by God-to be adopted as God’s son (Eph. 1:5).
- I have been redeemed and forgiven, and I am a recipient of His lavish grace.
- I have been made alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5).
- I have been raised up and seated with Christ in heaven (Eph. 2:6).
- I have direct access to God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:18).
- I may approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence (Eph. 3:12).
- I have been rescued from the domain of Satan’s rule and transferred to the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13).
- I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. The debt against me has been cancelled (Col. 1:14).
- Christ Himself is in me (Col. 1:27).
- I am firmly rooted in Christ and am now being built in Him (Col. 2:7).
- I have been spiritually circumcised. My old unregenerate nature has been removed (Col. 2:11).
- I have been made complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).
- I have been buried, raised and made alive with Christ (Col. 2:12, 13).
- I did with Christ and I have been raised up with Christ. My life is now hidden width Christ in God. Christ is now my life (Col. 3:1-4).
- I have been given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5).
- Because I am sanctified and am one with the Sanctifier, He is not ashamed to call me brother (Heb. 2:11).
- I have the right to come boldly before the throne of Cod to find mercy and grace in time of need (Heb. 4:16).
- I have been given exceedingly great and precious promises by God by which I am a partaker of God’s divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4).

If we could remember these promises that are all grounded in Scripture, we would have a lot less troubles, and a lot better relationship with the Father. I pray that this benefits you as much as it has me!

Tough Night...

Ever have one of those nights where nothing you did would work to get you to sleep? I've had way too many over the past year! Last night I finally got up at 3:30 and said, "I QUIT!" After a fun episode of Gunsmoke (Festus rocks!) I decided to get my exercising done and get into work. I figured if I couldn't sleep, I could at least work.

Not being able to sleep stinks? Anyone out there have a sure fire remedy to help with a good nights sleep?

Another Good Book...

I am going to be starting to work towards my Master's Degree at Crown College this fall. I got the reading list early and have started to read the books. This book, Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell is an awesome tool that ALL leaders should read and keep on their shelf!

Maxwell is in my opinion the greatest author and speaker on the topic of leadership in the whole country. His words are wise, useful, and bathed in Scripture. There are practical ideas that are shared that can be put to use the moment that you read them.

I actually read this book several years ago, and am now re-reading it for the class. I also purchased the workbook to do alongside of the text while I read it. Another cool thing is that many sources outside of Christianity are using Maxwell for their leadership development. The Gospel just finds a way to get out!

Today I'm reading the chapter on "ATTITUDE." It is a great one for me to be on today. I need to work hard on this one at times. The good news is that God can take care of this if I give it to Him. The Christians ultimate secret weapon, "Just give it to God!"

Lunch Today...

I had a few errands to run this afternoon in Fargo, so I decided to treat myself to my favorite restaurant. Cindy does not care for Huhot all that much, so I decided to take advantage of the fact that I was all by myself and could choose wherever I liked. I chose Huhot!

For those of you who have never had the opportunity to dine at Huhot, let me clue you in... Huhot is a Mongolian Grill. You work your way through an (uncooked) food line. You get a bowl, then add some meat to the bottom of the bowl. Your choices are usually beef, chcken, pork, and some sort of seafood. After the meat comes the noodles. I always choose the spaghetti type of noodles for my meal. Then comes the vegetables and fruits. It is just like a salad bar. There are dozens of veggies and fruits to choose from for your meal. I like tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. I almost always get the same vegetables.

The next part of the trip is crucial! You choose the oils and sauces for your plate. They rank them according to the "burn level." They are not kidding when they call something hot. It is! If you dare, try the Kung Pow Wow. It is mucho bueno hot-o! I usually go with the Khan's favorite and the black peanut oil.

Then you give your bowl of uncooked food to the person at the round grill. They place it on this hot stone type of grill and cook it for you. Sometimes they put on a show with their utensils. It is a pretty fun experience.

The best part is eating it. You can also go back for seconds if you want! The negative thing was that they advertised tea for .99 cents. I ordered it and they charged me $2.00. They said iced tea was extra! They should have advertised it that way. I would have bought it anyway. I felt a little misled. Great place for lunch though, and the whole deal with tip was less than $10!

The Next Book on the Agenda...

I really enjoyed blogging with the last book that I read. I will not be as detailed in the future, but thought it might be interesting to let you know of other books that I am enjoying...

I am now deep into the book, The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership by Steven Sample. Sample is the President of the University of Southern California. I ran across this book at Barnes and Noble and thought it looked interesting. I am currently half way through the book, and to this point have thoroughly appreciated what I have learned.

Sample begins in his introduction to let us know where he is going with the book. He tells us that a clone of a past leader would not necessarily make a great leader today. He says that his goal is to get the reader to think about leaders and leadership from a fresh perspective. He wants the reader to, "Break free from the bonds of conventional thinking." To let our minds work instead of depending on others minds to think for us.

Sample teaches how to be a good listener. If you want to grow as a leader you must listen to those around you. You may not always agree with all that is shared, but it is important to take in as much of the information as possible. Sample also urges leaders to be careful who they are listening to. There are lots of people out there with bad informatuion that can lead you down the wrong road. Beware!

This is a good book on leadership. Not an easy read by any accounts, but nonetheless very interesting! Two thumbs up!

Principle Seven from Jesus on Leadership

I finshed the wonderful book by Gene Wilkes this morning, Jesus on Leadership. I believe that after reading this book that it will change the way that I lead the church. If you follow these principles, you will be a better leader.

Wilkes does a wonderful job presenting his points, and using Scripture to drive his points home. It is obvious that Wilkes is a man of God, and he strives to serve God through his calling to the pastorate.

The seventh principle is to, Build a Team. Wilkes makes a great case for investing time, and energy in building up others.

I really liked how he said that each leader should have a Paul, a Barnabus, and a Timothy. A Paul to be your pastor. Someone who can give you wisdom from his journey. Someone who has walked down your path before you. You also need a Barnabus. Someone who can encourage you. Someone who loves you, but is not impressed by you. Then you also need a Timothy. You need someone in whom you can build into. Batman had Robin; The Lone Ranger had Tonto; Shaggy had Scooby Doo; you need a protege.

I also enjoyed when Wilkes talked about the difference between a committee and a team. The committee is sold out to the organization. They are driven by results and are accountable to the institution. A team on the other hand is much different. A team is committed to a common purpose. A team is accountable to the others on the team. "Teams fit inside the structure and mindset of a mission; they live not for an institution but for the purpose of reaching that mission goal." I'd much rather be a part of a team than to chair a committee!

If you are looking for a good book to be a better leader, let me recommend this book.

Jesus on Leadership, Principle Six

I'm drawing to a close on Jesus on Leadership by Gene Wilkes. I have only one principle to go after my entry today. Principle six is to, Share Responsibility and Authority.

This is a very important concept. There is only so much work that one person can do. If he trains someone, then that person trains someone, and so on... The project all of a sudden does not seem so big that you are trying to accomplish.

The jist of this chapter is to find a person in whom you can trust, and then invest in them. It is your job as a leader to equip those people that you are leading so that they can in turn do those things in which God has called them to do.

We should strive to know their talents, abilities, and giftedness so that we can help them to grow in their walk with the Lord. The better that we know them, the more that we should be able to aid them.

A wise leader will train and invest in people.

Principle Five from Jesus on Leadership

Principle number five in Gene Wilkes wonderul book, Jesus on Leadership ecourages leaders to, Take up the Towel.

Humility is not something that one stumbles across. Humility is not for the weak-minded. Humility is a gift from God.

I have gone to literally dozens of conferences for pastors. I go to to three or four of them a year probably. One of the most humorous things at a pastors conference is when another pastor comes up and wants to compare his church size to yours. No one wants to be the guy in the group with the smallest church. Most guys when asked how big their church is give the number of attenders on Easter Sunday (the most attended Sunday of the year) as their church size.

How do I know this? I used to be one of those guys. Those "white lies" are based on insecurity. The thought that we don't measure up to others around us. If my church is larger than theirs, or as big as theirs they will have to respect me and accept me.

That is not the kind of thinking that Jesus used. Jesus said if you want to be first, then be the last. Jesus said if they want your coat, give them your cloak too. Jesus knew His time was ending and lowered Himself to wash the dirty feet of the disciples.

We have a Wednesday night service at our church this summer. After reading this chapter, I am prayerfully considering a special foot washing service as a part of this. I believe that we have become too sophisticated to humble ourselves and wash the feet of those people whom we call brothers and sisters in Christ. I think it is time we changed our thinking...

Anyone out there reading this? What are your thoughts?

Jesus on Leadership, Principle Four

Take a couple of seconds and look at this picture. Really look at it. Can you see the mountains in the background? Can you see the visible air under the feet of this man making the leap from one cliff to the other? Can you see the uneven slope on the rocks where he'll be landing? Can you see yourself in his place?

Most of us do not even want to imagine this being us. It makes us uncomfortable just looking at the picture. It is scary!

Principle four in the book, Jesus on Leadership by Gene Wilkes is Take Risks. That is a very tall order for a lot of people. Taking risks requires me to leave my comfort zone. Taking risks means that I may walk away with less than I started with. Taking risks means that I expose myself to failure.

The Bible story that I think of when I think of taking a risk is the three Hebrew children in Daniel. They took a major risk when they would not bow to the king. They were risking more than just some finances or their reputation. They were risking their necks. Wilkes says on page 130 that Jesus risked much in John 13 when He washed the disciples feet. He was willing to risk because He knew who He was, and He knew where He was heading. I believe that the three Hebrew children risked much because they knew who they were and where they were headed.

Who are you? Where are you heading? Tough questions, huh? Wilkes breaks down in principle four by describing the different personality types. It is important to know yourself when you contemplate taking risks. Take me for example, I love being with people. If I were to say that I am going to take the risk of joining a monastery and take an oath of silence for a year. I would be doomed for failure. I thrive around people. When I try to calculate the risks that God is calling me to do, most assuredly it will be around other people.

I served in a church in Illinois that completely turned their backs on risk taking. I didn't last very long there. I like taking "calculated" risks. I think that it is healthy for you and for your congregation. Be certain though that you spend a considerable amount of time in prayer before you take risks. Be certain that you are not just looking to pump up your ego, or gain an adrenaline rush. Talk to those people who have authority over you. Get confirmation.

With that being said, take risks for Kingdom sake! Dream big. Think from an eternity standpoint. Let me close with Wilkes comment to his daughter, "Price alone does not determine value!"

Principle Three from Jesus on Leadership

I took the day off to spend with my family yesterday, so I never got around to posting the third principle from the book, Jesus on Leadership by Gene Wilkes. You can probably guess the principle by the picture that I chose via Google to post with the registry this morning.

Principle three is to, "Find Greatness in Service." Wilkes tells the story about being at a banquet that was full to the rim with people. There was no tables left for seating, except for two tables that were labled, reserved for servers. He asked during his speech if it were because no one wanted to be labled as a server???

Great question, huh? We want to be served. We don't want to be the ones to do the serving. It reminds me of a scene in the movie Forrest Gump. Forrest is talking about Bubba's mama and her getting part of the shrimping fortune that Forrest gave her. He said, she didn't have to serve anybody anymore. From that point on they served her.

Our society has lowered the position of server. We think it is demeaning. Remember the movie The Breakfast Club? The janitor comes in to empty the waste baskets as says hello to Anthony Michael Hall. The other kids tease him by saying, "Your dad is a janitor here?" What in the world is wrong with being a janitor? We like a clean room don't we? No one likes filth! Someone has got to do the cleaning.

I have a man in my congregation who does the janitor work in our church. I can say with full confidence that he is without a doubt the person who most emulates Jesus in our congregation, me included! Augie never misses an oportunity to go out of his way to meet a new person. He looks them in the eye. He asks their name. He shakes their hand. He tells them that Jesus loves them. He has been doing this his entire life. There is a special place in heaven saved for Augie!

Wikes also talks about two women who died the same day a few years ago. Princess Diana was killed in an auto accident the same day that Mother Teresa of Calcutta died. Both women were known across the globe, but for different reasons. Diana was known because she was royalty. She was beautiful. She was Cinderella. Mother Teresa was known because she dedicated her life to be a servant. She lived in a less than ideal setting her entire life to take care of those who could not take care of themselves.

Wilkes asked the question, which of the two ould you rather be? To answer honestly, most would rather be rich, beautiful, and popular. We've seen the commercials with starving kids, and bloated bellies, and flies crawling in their eyes. What an ugly horrible life to live!

Which life did Jesus live?

I think it is important to re-examine our thinking. We must strive to find greatness in service and not in human reasoning. Good stuff!

Principle Two from Jesus on Leadership

Again, I am reading an incredible book by Gene Wilkes called, Jesus on Leadership. I believe that this book would be beneficial for everyone, especially those to whom God has called to ministry. There is lots of Godly advice wrapped up in this book.

The second principle in the book is to, "First be a Follower." I remember playing the game follow the leader when I was young. We would parade around my little hometown of Wabash, IN like we owned the place. We would take turns being up front. Perhaps the leader would challenge the group to hop on one leg, or maybe to crawl on the ground, or jump as high as you could.

I remember it was always a lot more fun to be up front and leading the pack. It was more fun giving the orders than it was to follow the orders. I believe it is human nature for some of us to want to lead instead of follow. Also there are those like my beautiful bride who are just happy to be following. She has no interest in being up front in the spotlight.

Wilkes challenges us with his second principle to follow God. If we want others to follow us, we must be a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ. Remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." The Apostle Paul was a follower of Christ. He patterned his life after Jesus.

Wilkes says on page 75, "Servant leaders follow Jesus rather than seek a position." There are those who are just in this business for the title. They get a rush from being up front and having an audience. If that is you, do us all a favor and get a job doing stand-up. There is far too much at stake. I am convinced that you cannot rightfully serve a church if part of your agenda is to be in the spotlight. get the spotlight off from yourself and put it onto God. He deserves the glory and honor, not you.

Great book, more later!

Jesus on Leadership

I have started reading a new book this weekend and it has captivated me. It is called, Jesus on Leadership by Gene Wilkes. What a wonderful book. I hate to put it down. It has seven principles that are taught by Jesus when it comes to leadership. I have (reluctantly) decided to limit myself to one principle a day, then chew on my reading until tomorrow.

Principle one tells us to humble our heart. That speaks volumes to me. I am impulsive. I want to see things happen. I want to create my own destiny. I am driven. That is a sin in my life that I deal with on a regular basis.

Wilkes reminds us of the story of Jesus at the banquet in Luke 14. Everyone was trying to rush in and get a good seat. Jesus taught the disciples to be content with the least, and let God exalt them. Wow! That is not the common thinking in 2006. We want the best and we want it now. There is no place for second best.

Wilkes also describes different types of waiting. It is funny when you consider the different types. I mean after all, do you equate waiting at a doctor's office for an hour for an appointment, the same as you would to wait till December 25th to open your Christmas present? Lots of levels in the idea of waiting. The key is our hearts and minds.

I will try to list the principles as I read along...