Playing Chicken and ending up a McNugget (TM)

Well, it seems that my company has decide to play chicken. Unfortunately for us it looks like we've ended up a McNugget (tm)... battered and fried and set with a side of DIPping sauce. If you know what I mean. This is not a good time to be part of my company. It looks as if we may loose one major account and another secondary account... which accounts to more than half of the hours I work in a week. Honestly, I'm really more concerned about the merchandisers who have done this most of their lives and have nothing to fall back on. Some will be picked up by another company, but some won't because of their work ethic. Still they are people who will need a job. Unfortunately they don't have many other skills and so any Stimulus package that would employ someone to fix bridges or repair roads is not going to help them. Giving money for pet projects probably won't help either. If our President really wants to get people working he'll need more than slick big government ideas and payback to the people who helped elect him. It will take small business owners getting some breaks for hiring people they wouldn't normally be able to. That will allow them to expand and their workers will have money to spend. And spend they must! Along the way a hard and serious return to some "old fashioned values" that were discarded a few years ago would be a good way to help reign in the greed and corruption that has spread like gangrene. That and keeping our oil prices in check so that we can actually afford to work will go a long way to turning this ship around. Just a few thoughts. By the way you won't find me playing 'chicken' any time soon. I don't want to end up a McNugget (tm).

Quick Update

I'm finding that I don't have nearly the time I had before to update my blog and facebook! But it's a good thing! I'm really enjoying my position at Niagara Alliance Church as "the music guy". We've started stepping forward with some newer songs, or at least "new to you" kind of songs. Our new challenges are in the form of projection and sound. The Lord can sell a few of "the cattle on a thousand hills" that He owns so that we can get speakers on the ceiling which would help with being able to see the projected music on the wall. Yea, we're on the wall. Or is that off the wall??? Any way... I've gotten some good feedback about me so far. I was completely taken back when I got a hug and was told, "You are a special one." That made me think back to The Shack. Worship leading is more than just instrument proficiency it's being able to move beyond the details and focus on bringing people into the presence of God. I've been told that "you can't worship and lead." I would disagree with that and say the opposite. Unless you are worshiping you really are not leading. It's nearly impossible to take people where we have not been personally. But I digress...

The last time I spoke was January 4th and from that opportunity has come one chance to share Christ and to see one person respond and to be in a position to pray for others who were listening and whom God is speaking to. I'm pretty excited about that!
With that in mind I know my speaking schedule for the next couple months! These are all at Niagara Alliance Church (the website is all of that without spaces and a dot com)

February 15th
April 26th
May 17th and May 31st

Thanks for all those of you who read this and pray. We've had some challenges in the recent days... terrible threes with Joel, bullying of Caleb on the school bus, and vehicle stuff... news from my merchandising job... and health issues for Amy. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Keep praying! And thanks for checking in on this blog. We appreciate our friends, family and other folks that are "just friends we haven't met yet!"
God bless you!
Lonnie

"The Shack"

I just finished reading the #1 NY Times Bestseller for Trade Paperback books. I know why this book has been flying off the shelves in the stores that I merchandised. It's filled with a treasure. I can't tell you exactly how it will affect you or is that effect you... I do know that if you take the time to actually read the book, not skim it, it will speak to you. All I know is that I'll never recover from reading this. You can find more information about this book at: theShackBook.com

Speaking January 4th at Niagara Alliance Church!

I almost forgot to mention that I'll be speaking at Niagara Alliance Church January 4th. I had thought about a message this summer that I wanted to give... The God Question. I'm changing the title to: The Christ Question and running with it. I know that some of our friends will be there, and some of Amy's co-workers have been invited to come too. I believe God is going to use this message in a very wonderful way. If you are in the neighborhood come visit!

Peace!

Lonnie

Happy New Year and stuff...

I can believe it has been almost a month since I posted anything! After starting at Niagara Alliance Church (see it on the web: niagaraalliance.com ) it's been nothing but full speed ahead! I'm beginning to settle in and really felt for the first time last Sunday that my feet were beginning to get under me! Last Sunday, Dec. 28th I was closing the service, since our pastor is on vacation, and was tying in the message about having an extravagant love for Christ. As I was closing the service I was talking about us climbing into our Fathers lap and letting Him hold us. Just at that moment my son Joel (3 yrs) ran up the isle and up onto the platform. He says loudly, "Daddy I need you!" I picked him up and held him. A collective "Ahh" came across the congregation. Tears were filling my eyes as I considered what a perfect illustration God had supplied for me and all there were there.
I'm reading "The Shack" and found it to be a breath of fresh air for my soul. Joel's sudden appearance at church and me picking him up was just a continuation of what I have been getting as I've read this book. I realize that difficult time and things happen to us, but the love of our Papa never fades... He's always there.

Sassy but funny...

I asked Caleb to scrape his supper into the garbage bag. Before he thought to open it he started scraping. I asked him to "hold on a second! You have to open the bag first!" Caleb replies, "Do I look like I have three hands?!'

I have no idea where he heard that! But I was laughing.

Thanksgiving Workout

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends and family!

It seemed funny tonight that we would gather and eat like pigs and then workout, but I admit, I saw it coming. My beautiful wife, Amy, is doing a "Biggest Loser" thing at work. And being the driven person that she is, I was guessing that she would come from work, eat the Thanksgiving meal and then get on the recumbent bike. Any doubts that this day of feasting and thanks giving would include 30 minutes to burn a couple calories were erased while I was eating my second plate of food. "I'm going to get on the bike after this." I heard. Crazy thing... After watching my bride pull off 30 minutes (and would have done more... if not for the need to do a flute lesson with our niece and then leave...), I sat at the seat to "give it a try". My try went 10 minutes. That's pretty good considering that I could only pull 6 + minutes on our elliptical machine. However I still managed to burn a good 100 calories myself. And when I thought I would pass out from the exertion, I was at least seated for a crash landing, should that occur... unlike our elliptical where I would have done a header into the boys toy box or face plant into the computer monitor. So I have reason to be thankful that we were able to "have our pie and eat it too" to change the quote. And hopefully from this tidbit a chuckle of laughter might be heard bounding from your throat. Possible a wry smile.

Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night...