Jeremiah Elders. Running His Race
He is a student at the Phoenix Men’s Center of Teen Challenge or Arizona. Jeremiah Elders was alienated from his friends and family, running the streets, addicted to drugs and alcohol and a pack or two a day smoker. Now a year later he is free of drugs and praising God for the ability to run in a half marathon!
I had the great privilege to cover his story as part of my part time job with Teen Challenge of Arizona. It’s amazing to see God work in the lives of men and women to get them back on track of His best!
Thanx to theBCast for playing Jeremiah’s story and sharing it on their blog!
Also DailyRushbo.com
Frustrated at Traffic? or Just Frustrated?
Move Over!
The answer is yes. I am frustrated. For me, my level of frustration at traffic is a good barometer of my overall mood.
I just got back from a trip to Phoenix. Interstate 10 most of the way and that’s where my frustration begins. Or is it? I have to say that there isn’t a stretch of Interstate anywhere that I know of where that many people purposefully camp out in the left lane. The speed limit is 75 through most of that stretch and most of the folks going 65 or 70 do hang out in the right lane. However there are exceptions. There are also a surplus of folk who go 74 and refuse to move into the right lane when faster cars approach them from the rear. What is going on there? Did their folks teach them wrong or not at all? Are they too lazy to actually engage in the driving process? Too lazy to actually change lanes as road conditions and traffic warrant? It not only annoys me, but it’s dangerous!
EVERY time I drive to Phoenix I get annoyed with this bad driving behavior. However, there is more going on here. Many times, I am able to set aside my disgust and/or anger and cut the obviously bad drives some slack. Maybe they weren’t taught by good driving parents like I was. My Dad is a fantastic example of how to drive correctly, especially on cross country drives on the interstate. Perhaps they don’t know any better. (of course the signs that read, “Slow Traffic Keep Right” could be a helpful hint, but I digress)
In the Bible Paul talks about helping out our brothers with weaker faith. Romans 14:1-3
1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.
Driving and eating meat aren’t exactly the same, but hopefully I am drawing the connection for you. In Christianity, we accept our brothers and sisters who might have weaker faith and don’t pass judgment. On the highway, when I am in the proper mood, I don’t pass judgment on poorer drivers because I figure they are just clueless and it’s not really their fault.
When I am in a bad mood, for whatever reason, I have a much harder time cutting slack. It’s a good barometer for me. Good mood, my gift of mercy is fully functional. Bad mood, I struggle.
The solution lies in me. These other drivers aren’t likely to change. (I may still launch a Public Service Announcement campaign) The answer lies within. I gotta maintain the attitude of mercy. Just because you (not you. the proverbial you) can’t drive doesn’t mean I’m gonna let it ruin my night! I will pray that God helps you because obviously you don’t have good driving examples in your life. That shouldn’t make me mad. It should, and does, make me sad :-(
Snowman Mike on England's COLD Winter
What a Storm!
Rainy Day at the Feeder in '08
and we ain’t done yet. I don’t have time this morning to track down all of the exact amounts and wind reports, so I will just do the best I can off the top of my head.
The storm was intense yesterday. Wind gusts were reported 73 mph and the University of Arizona, 86 mph on Mt. Lemmon, 93 mh in Ajo, I think it was. The Tucson Airport was reporting gusts generally in the low 40s mph range yesterday. There was some damage around town. I saw video this morning on KOLD of a carport shredded at an apartment complex on Mona Lisa near Ina Road.
Other wind damage reports include closed schools today on the Tahono O’dom reservation due to power outages. There were also spotty power outages around Tucson. Two semi’s were blown over on I-10 near Eloy.
With the storm came a lot of rain, flooding and severe weather. In the Phoenix area there were at least two water rescues that I heard about. There was also a report of a tornado in Scottsdale, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet that I know of. Flagstaff already had a lot of snow on the ground. Then it started raining, then it turned into snow being measured in feet. It’s still snowing up there and roads are closed all over the northern part of the state. Residents and business owners in Flagstaff were being encouraged to clear their roofs to prevent collapse.
I went to the movies last night. Saw “Book of Eli.” I really enjoyed the movie! Anyway, on my drive home about 9:30 as my car was being buffeted by the wind and there was a little rain, I was thinking, “This is a lot like an Oregon Coast Storm without the rain.” It makes sense since it was a pacific storm. There have been many times in Oregon when there have been 60 mph gusts with driving rain, not too cold out, and spotty power outages, etc.
Today’s forecast is much cooler with showers and maybe some thunderstorms. Snow levels are dropping. I’ll address that in my next post that I’m gonna start here in just a minute or two.
