It’s All About Me – A Child’s Version

On July 28, 2015September 25, 2015 By roberthansen1317In children, Christian life, eyes of a child, first impression, how do you want to be remembered, music, parents, perception is reality6 Comments

It’s All About Me – (How a conversation with Kylie made me think)

Before I start I just want to add I know it is important to have me time. It’s important to be able to wind down after work, to exercise, to write, to read, whatever you do that takes care of yourself. Even Jesus went by himself to have some me time. It’s when those me times become all the time or you ignore others in your life. Sometimes I don’t want to go toss ball with Kylie when I get home but if she comes out, I play. I want her to remember the times I said yes and not the times I said no.

On my days off Kylie and I always wake each other up. We then go downstairs and I grab a water and she turns on Cake Boss. I sit with her for a minute then I go to work on my blog. The Cake Boss episodes are all reruns so I didn’t think it was a big deal if I was with Kylie or not. Little did I know.

Some nights while we are watching the shows we watch together I will get out my tablet and jot down some ideas or start writing something that pops in my head. No biggie right, we are stil right beside each other watching our shows like we always do. Little did I know.

Thursday night Kylie was eating strawberry shortcake in the living room and she spilled it on the couch. She yelled for me to come in and my first reaction was “Kylie how did this happen and why are you eating in the living room!” I didn’t think I yelled but I could tell by her face that I came across harsh. She then said we just ate strawberry shortcake in the living room last night. Point Kylie- because we did. I caught what I did and within seconds I apologized to her and said it wasn’t a big deal just get a wet rag and a dry rag and we will clean it up. I even made a joke that it was all milk, no strawberries. What did you do, save the strawberries for the next one? She laughed. End of discussion right? Wrong.

Fast forward to Sunday night. Kylie is training for her first quarter marathon at the end of August. Her bff Brinley is also doing it and training with Kylie. We are on the week of three mile run, which Kylie has done probably thirty times before. She has ran alot of 5k’s. Anyway our last few runs she hasn’t been herself and I yell out her to encourage her. Come on Kylie, what’s up with that stride, you must well be walking. C’mon Kylie, what’s going on with you, you are never this far back. Looking at it in writing I can tell it isn’t encouraging but that’s what I was trying to do.

Sunday night Brinley and I were out in front and Kim was with Kylie, because Kylie was going slow again, and Kim was even asking her what was wrong. This isn’t like you to complain when you run, your stride is off, etc… Finally Kylie broke down and started to cry.

Anyway she spilled the beans to Kim. She said how she doesn’t like me blogging in the mornings – I didn’t think it was a big deal since she was watching Cake Boss. She doesn’t like me on my tablet at night because that just used to be me and her time and now I don’t even pay attention to the shows – I do but I can see her point. She doesn’t like me yelling at her when she is running – again I thought I was encouraging. She brought up how I yelled at her for spilling the strawberry shortcake – no mention of my apology or making a joke of it. She told Kim she wanted her to talk to me about it so Kim did.

Wow, I didn’t know. In Kylie’s eyes, I was doing what I wanted to do. I was doing all about me. (even though I thought I was still spending time with her.)

Kylie and I talked and I told her if she ever feels that way that she needs to talk right there and then. Don’t let it stay in her. I then asked her why she didn’t mention the apology and joke on the strawberry shortcake. She said she didn’t remember those.

Lessons for dads : It’s the yelling the children remember, not what comes after. Take a look at your own life. Do you remember more when you were yelled at and bad things happened to you or do you remember the good things? Think before you speak, think before you act, love before you anger and hate. Quality time. Children want more of your undivided, attention all on them Time more than anything. Do you say yes or no more. When you are with your children are you constantly checking your phone -I have failed recently. Are you too busy thinking about your day at work or what is going to happen tomorrow to hear the conversation your child is talking to you about now? Time lost is time you will never get back.

Even though I try to do my best, I mess up. I’m only human.

Thanks Kylie for opening my eyes to my faults. I will pray to do better.

How do you want to be remembered in your children’s eyes? How do you want this world to remember you? I was here and I did what I wanted or I was here and I gave my life to serving others?

Remembered by BBoss –

He Knows My Name by Francesca Battistelli –

Emotionless by Good Charlotte –

Cat’s In The Cradle by Harry Chapin –

Walk A Little Straighter by Billy Currington –

For The Love of A Daughter by Demi Lovato –

New Man by All Things New –

Face It by NF –

Human by Christina Perri –

I Was Here by Beyonce –

I Was Here by Lady Antebellum –

Price Tag by Jessie J –

It’s All About ME

On July 27, 2015July 27, 2015 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, I am second, It's All About ME, Live for God first, music, selfish, selfless5 Comments

Isn’t it funny, sometimes not so funny, when you watch children play with each other. The way they interact, learn new things, remember that thing is their thing and no one else can play with it. The way one child wants everyone to play what they want to play and when everyone else doesn’t they start to pout.

It doesn’t get better as we grow up. I am talking to you teenagers. I want to spend time with my friends, not my family. I have to know everything that’s going on with all my friends every second of every day instead of interacting with the people around you. I want the latest gadget and gizmo no matter what it costs even though I just got the latest gadget and gizmo six months ago.

As adults, we forget how our children were when they were young and we sometimes act the same way. I don’t care what the rest of the family wants, I want to do this. I don’t care if I am not spending time with my children, I need to do this. I have to upgrade to the latest iphone even though it will cost me money I could use to pay a bill or help someone else. I don’t care if I am destroying my spouse or my kids, I want to be with someone else.

How many times have we seen athletes yelling at their coaches or teammates, even when they are winning, about get me the ball. I’m always open, I need the ball more. It’s a team sport.

Image result for players yelling at teammates

I get that way. After a rainy summer I want to go to the pool today because it is finally sunny even though the rest of the family has other stuff to do. I want to watch the latest episode of this instead of another episode of that that Kylie wants to watch. I want to work out when my wife gets home from training instead of spending time with her.

I know many times I have said but what about me! One example is my wife is known as a runner. She runs and runs and runs. Even Jeremy Camp knows her as the runner. Every time we see him and talk to him he says “I know you, you are the runner girl.” I don’t know how he can remember that with all the people he meets. Anyway, everyone always asks my wife for advice on running. I weight 100 lbs more than her, run about half as much as she does but yet I can run faster than her and beat her in races. NO ONE has ever asked ME for running advice.

How do we break this cycle? We need to quit living for ourselves. I equate being selfish with being happy. I get to do what I want so I am happy. Being happy equals being a taker. We need to start living a meaningful life. Having a life full of purpose and meaning equals being a giver.

I read an article called “There’s More To Life Than Happiness” which had some interesting points. “Happiness without meaning characterizes a relatively shallow, self-absorbed or even selfish life, in which things go well, needs and desire are easily satisfied, and difficult or taxing entanglements are avoided,” the authors write.

How do the happy life and the meaningful life differ? Happiness, they found, is about feeling good. If you have money to but what you want when you want then you are happy. But if you don’t have the money then you think you are unhappy. “I never get anything good.” How many times have you bought yourself something new and were happy then after a month it sits in your closet unworn, or it’s collecting dust somewhere. Guess what? Every human and animal in this world is looking to be happy. Even the lion that kills to eat is happy until he is hungry again and can’t find food then he is unhappy.

What sets us apart from animals is not the pursuit of happiness, but the pursuit of meaning, which is unique to humans. In the words of Martin E. P. Seligman, one of the leading psychological scientists alive today, in the meaningful life “you use your highest strengths and talents to belong to and serve something you believe is larger than the self.” Having more meaning in one’s life was associated with activities like buying presents for others and taking care of kids. People whose lives have high levels of meaning often seek meaning out even when they know it will come at the expense of their own happiness. In fact, according to Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert, research shows that parents are less happy interacting with their children than they are exercising, eating, and watching television. Say what? And we wonder why our children are turning out the way they are. How they are turning away from the church, how they are living for themselves, how they are living to be happy. They learned it from us, the parents.

“Partly what we do as human beings is to take care of others and contribute to others. This makes life meaningful but it does not necessarily make us happy,” Baumeister said in an interview.

While happiness is an emotion felt in the here and now, it ultimately fades away, just as all emotions do. The amount of time people report feeling good or bad correlates with happiness but not at all with meaning. Meaning, on the other hand, is enduring. Having negative events happen to you, the study found, decreases your happiness but increases the amount of meaning you have in life. Another study from 2011 confirmed this, finding that people who have meaning in their lives, in the form of a clearly defined purpose, rate their satisfaction with life higher even when they were feeling bad than those who did not have a clearly defined purpose. In his book Man’s Search For Meaning Viktor Frankl wrote “If there is meaning in life at all then there must be meaning in suffering.”

“The more one forgets himself — by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love — the more human he is.”

Sounds like something I have read in the Bible that has been teaching us about life for a couple thousand years.

All About Me by New Medicine –

It Ain’t Easy by Ratt –

#Selfie by The Chainsmokers –

All About Me by Drowning Pool –

I Wanna Talk About Me by Toby Keith –

Selfless by New Found Glory –

Face It by NF

The Day, The Week, The Weather by Firehouse –

Selfish by Gemstones feat Precious –

Broken Bones by Rev Theory –

If I’m Guilty by Aaron and Amanda Crabb –

I’m So Sick by Flyleaf –

I Hate Hate by About A Mile –

Death of Me by Andy Mineo –

New, forgotten, unknown 7/24/15 – New music Friday

On July 24, 2015August 6, 2015 By roberthansen1317In Christian lifeLeave a comment

Wow, thanks for all the follows. Musicians, writers, everyone else. I really appreciate it. I pray that you are reading my blogs and getting something from them. Here are some new musician followers. I really like getting to know these artists songs. I had only heard of one of these and thats Ken K. Mary who was the drummer for House of Lords amongst others. The rest are new to me. Enjoy. There are some really talented musicians here that I never would’ve heard of if it wasn’t for social media. I know there are a lot on here but take your time, give each a listen. If you could please spread the word about our song at the bottom. Thanks

Remember My Name by House of Lords – Ken K. Mary drummer –

Love Me So by The Anthropos Worship-

Halfway by 3for3 –

Take Me Home by Lancifer –

Like Him by B-Fade –

Light It Up by Liv Devine –

Last Criminal by Shaynae Leigh –

A Whole Lotta Nothin’ by Rachele Lynae –

Let’s Roll by Arabella Jones –

We’re Gonna Take A Ride by Distant Autumn –

We Should Get Together by Kelly Vaughn –

Go Hard by MadeSacred – check out this link for his music https://www.reverbnation.com/madesacred/song/23221093-go-hard-2015

All I Ever Need by Levi Mitchell (Austin Mahone cover) –

Down The Line by Codie Prevost –

Drifting by Jacob LLoyd –

Too Close For Comfort by Peace Mercutio (Dan Buckley) –

Country Song by Bryan Schaffer –

Raise Me Up by Daniel George –

I Got Caught Lovin’ You by J.R. Byrd –

Chasing Rainbows by 3CK –

Ozga – check out link https://twitter.com/OZGAmusic/status/624473246289670144/photo/1

Walk With Me by Ivan B (produced by Kevin Peterson) –

and as always, please share our song:

I Question You by Lily Messer –

Now on i tunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943

A Constant In A World Of Changes

On July 23, 2015July 28, 2015 By roberthansen1317In changes, Christian life, dictionary, God, God does not change, music, words6 Comments

Change (verb) – to become different, to make someone or something different, to become something else

I was talking to my daughter Kylie the other day and I said something like it ain’t that far to walk. She told me where we live, not from where I am from – small town in Southeastern Ohio – that we use proper grammar here.

I told my mom this story and she told me ain’t is now in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. That had me thinking what else has been added. Words that have been added this year are emoji, meme, twerk, and photobomb along with 1696 other words. Some of last years words were hashtag, selfie, tweep, and crowdfunding were among the 1900 new words added. Merriam-Webster also updates definitions of words as the way we use them changes.

Did you know they also take words out of the dictionary? Does that mean we should no longer use them? Words like cassette player, hodad, tattletale gray and nephoscope.

Change can be good. A lot of us try to avoid change because we are comfortable where we are, doing what we do. Change can be stressful. Loss of a loved one or a job. Birth of a child or new relationship. Move to a new house or city. Change can hurt a relationship if two people are changing in the opposite ways, or not changing at all.

A life without change can be boring. A life with too much change can be miserable. We change as we get older, we change as we mature. We change because of the people we are around – choose your friends wisely. We change because of our mistakes we make, and hopefully learn from. We change with the environment we live and where we live.

Have you ever tried to change someone? We can not change someone. We can show them, we can talk to them, we can be an example for them but in the end, they have to want to change. Even when we want to change, our will to change may not be enough to change us because of our sinful nature. Only God can change someone. God has changed my wife. God has changed me. Two and a half years ago we were on the brink of divorce.

Two things that will never change is God and His Word. God’s word will never change. God wants all people to read his word so it has been translated to many different languages but it will not change. For example, in English we have the King James Version which was translated back in 1611 A.D. It is still widely used today. Since then our language has developed and changed, so the translations have been updated to make The Bible more readable.The Old Testament is the beginning of time, the coming of the Messiah. The New Testament about the life and crucifixion of the Messiah. That doesn’t change in any language or update. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947 and some of the scrolls have been dated to be as old as from 125BC. When comparing a copy of Isaiah from 125BC with the Isaiah in the Masoretic Text the prophesies of Jesus were the same. Just as it is in our bibles today.

I am not good with change. I am pretty set in my ways and routines. However, I thank God every day that He loved me enough to forgive me, to change me. I would not be who I am today without God changing me.

Have a great day! No matter what changes life throws at you today, let God be the constant in your life.

Turn, Turn, Turn by The Byrds –

The Times They Are A Changin by Bob Dylan –

Lifetime by Emeli Sande –

Changes by Tesla –

Same As It Ever Was by Michael Franti –

Winds of Change by Scorpions –

Yes I’m Changing by Tame Impala –

Laughter Lines by Bastille –

Waiting For The World To Change by John Mayer –

Changes by David Bowie –

Changed by Rascal Flatts –

Everlasting God by Lincoln Brewster –

You’re There by City Harbor –

Never Let Go by many but this one AJ Michalka –

One Thing Remains by Kristian Stanfill –

Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture –

Whever The Wind Blows by Pillar –

Some Things Never Change by Decyfer Down –

The Battle Within

On July 22, 2015September 25, 2015 By roberthansen1317In battle within, Christian life, everyday heroes, God, music, super heroes, timeLeave a comment

In an earlier post I mentioned how I like super hero movies. After an epic battle going back and forth the good guys always win. They face many challenges and there is always a time where we start to think they won’t win but they fight and overcome the enemy. I don’t think I have ever seen a movie though that I didn’t know who the good guys were and who the bad guys were. What happens when you don’t know who the bad guys are?

There is also more to the story lines than just good vs. evil. Heroes that are cheered one day, then are booed the next. You have friends that turn into enemies. Brothers who turn against brothers. Enemies that come together to fight a bigger enemy. Friends (communities) that combine to save society. The battle they fight with themselves.

The battle within. The battle we all fight every day. The biggest battle I fight is time. There is never enough but somehow there is always too much. Let me explain.

There is never enough time to do everything I want to do each day. As my youngest daughter is growing up there isn’t enough time to spend with her before other things come into her life. For my oldest daughters there is never enough time to spend any time with them. They have school, jobs, boyfriends, friends etc.. They don’t have much time left over to spend with me. There is never enough time do my workouts, write, play, spend time with wife…I can go on.

Even with saying all that there is too much time. I can look back on each day wondering where the time went, I didn’t have time to do anything but then I look how I spent my time. I spent too much time watching tv. I spent too much time thinking about nothing. I spent too much time talking at instead of talking to. I spent too much time reading a book and not THE BOOK.

You may be thinking that time isn’t something that is within you and I can see that. But the way it makes me feel inside is the battle. The way I get frustrated if I didn’t get around to what I needed to do. The guilt I feel if I didn’t spend enough time with my family. The yuck my body feels if I didn’t work out. To me, time is very much a battle within.

I also battle with the voices in my head. The one that tells me go ahead and do this or that. Just five minutes won’t hurt anything. Next thing you know those five minutes turned to sixty and I have nothing to show for it. The one that tells me I don’t have to pray today. You woke up late, you’re rushing around, got to get dressed, get to work, you don’t have time to stop and pray. Next thing I know it’s bed time and I didn’t talk to God today.

How about the battle with temptation? God wouldn’t have made all these beautiful people if He didn’t want us to look at them right? God wouldn’t have made these donuts taste so good if He didn’t want us to eat them right? God wouldn’t have made cable tv with 350 channels if He didn’t want us to watch tv all day right? God wouldn’t have made smartphones if He didn’t want us staring at it all day right? What do we miss when we give into these temptations? We miss the beautiful people in our lives already. Our beautiful spouses and children. We miss the wonderful food God put on this earth for us to eat. Not the GMO, added sugar, added additives, added etc… We miss this wonderful world God has made. Look away from the tv and look up from our smartphones and look at this world. I subscribe to a few instagram sites with pics from around the world. There are some beautiful places out there but while I am looking at them, I miss the beauty in front of my eyes in my own backyard.

I see a direct correlation between these movies and what the Bible has taught us. Look at the picture quotes in this post and then ask yourself is there a Bible verse like this. Trust me there are. Are there stories in the Bible where the hero is cheered and then booed, friends turned on friends, brothers turned on brothers, once enemies turn to friends for the greater good, communities coming together for the greater good..etc? Yes there are.

In real life we all face the same common enemy- Satan. With that we all face the same fears, doubts, worries, that we aren’t good enough but we can all help each other through the struggles of life.

I think I should write a post every week about the Disney Channel show Girl Meets World. Last week about investing in our children, our future. This week about being a hero. You don’t have to have super powers to be a hero. Quotes from the show “There is enough dark in this world, heroes were meant to bring the light” and “When it’s a struggle between right and wrong, that’s when real heroes fight the hardest.”

In real life we all have a hero inside us. One that can choose between good and bad, right and wrong, to help or not to help. God gave us free will so that we can make that choice. Will you choose to be a hero today?

If you need help finding a Bible verse or story let me know. I will let you know what I think corresponds to it.

However, the Bible has one thing that doesn’t happen in these movies. The hero in the Bible died in order to save the villians.

Let Go by 12 Stones (from Daredevil) –

Comeback bt Redlight King (from Avengers) –

Even If I Could by Papa Roach (from Avengers) –

Dirt and Roses by Rise Against (from Avengers) –

Some Kind Of Monster by Neon Trees (from Iron Man) –

Ready Aim Fire by Imagine Dragons (from Iron Man) –

One Minute More by Capital Cities (from Iron Man) –

Bother by Stone Sour (from Spider Man) –

Hero by Chad Kroeger feat Josey Scott (from Spider Man) –

Batman Arkham Knight by TryHardNinja (from Dark Knight Rises) –

Waiting For Superman by Daughtry –

Blow Away by Breaking Benjamin (from Captain America) –

Monster by Skillet –

Coincidence or God’s Plan?

On July 21, 2015July 31, 2015 By roberthansen1317In angels, Christian life, coincidence, God, God's plan, music, prayer, rain4 Comments

On July 15 I wrote God I Am Tired. Most of it was about being tired of all the rain this summer. We have had enough but our friends in California could use some. Since then we have had very little rain. We had a storm last night but other than that nothing of significance. Our forecast is for seven straight days of sun and no more than a pop up shower. Did you see the rain in California this past weekend? On July 18 San Diego had a record for a day in July with 1.03 inches of rain. Then they received another .66 inches Sunday making July the wettest month on record. As of Monday morning they had a total of 1.7 inches, the old record was .92 inches. Los Angeles had .38 inches of rain over the weekend. Lancaster 1.59 inches, Riverside 1.37 inches, San Luis Obispo 1.28 inches. More rain was expected for July 20th. Coincidence or did God hear my cries for less rain?

My wife and I met online. Of all the dating sites she just happened to be on the one I was on. Of all the women I was looking at, she was the only one that didn’t have a picture. When we first started talking she asked if I wanted one and I said no. Our first date was the first time I saw her. Eleven and a half years later we are still together. Coincidence or God’s plan?

We drove four and a half hours to go to Gull Lake Ministries in Michigan only to meet an amazing Christian couple who I have a lot to learn from who only live two miles from us. If we had never went there we would’ve never met these new friends in our lives. Coincidence or God’s plan?

Karen Kingsbury talks about angels walking and how she got the idea on an airplane flight. In forty minutes she had over thirty pages of outlines, characters, etc. I would write down her book Angels Walking to read but never read it. Until 8 months later when I start to blog and how the characters in it are like me and some of the things I blog about. Coincidence or God’s plan?

Viktor Frankl was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist. He had a choice to make. He had a visa to leave his country and come to the United States before the Nazis took his country and send him to concentration camps. What to do?When he returned home, he found it. A piece of marble was lying on the table. His father explained that it was from the rubble of one of the nearby synagogues that the Nazis had destroyed. The marble contained the fragment of one of the Ten Commandments — the one about honoring your father and your mother. With that, Frankl decided to stay in Vienna and forgo whatever opportunities for safety and career advancement awaited him in the United States. He would later write that even in the worst conditions, even in suffering, life can have meaning. He would write the best selling book Man’s Search For Meaning. Coincidence that one piece of marble survived and wound up in his dads hands or God’s plan?

Have you ever totally slept through your alarm and was running late to work only to find out there was a terrible accident right at the intersection you would’ve been at if you had woke up on time? Have you ever started out on your morning run wanting to go one way but something tells you not to go that way, then you find out on the news that another runner was attacked on that route you wanted to run?

There a alot of stories out there of guardian angels. I have heard of a girl named Diane walking alone down a dark alley and seeing a guy standing there. She prayed to God for protection and she walked right by without any harm. Then the girl twenty minutes behind her was attacked. Diane read what had happened and came in to identify the attackers. She asked the police why he didn’t hurt her and he said “because she wasn’t alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her.”

Another story of a beginning surfer who went out by himself one morning so he wouldn’t be embarresed with all the times he fell off. He was the only one on the beach and the water. He fell off and was caught in a riptide. He thought for sure he was going to die but then another surfer came up beside him and gave him his board. He got to the shore and looked out in the water to thank the other surfer but no one was there.

Do you have any stories of “coincidence” or of angels? I would love to hear about them.

A little conversation with God I read a few years back that I have never forgotten.

Me: God, can I ask You a question?

God: Sure

Me: Promise You won’t get mad

God: I promise

Me: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?

God: What do u mean?

Me: Well, I woke up late

God: Yes

Me: My car took forever to start

God: Okay

Me: at lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait

God: Huummm

Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call

God: All right

Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn’t work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did You do that?

God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that

Me (humbled): OH

GOD: I didn’t let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.

Me: (ashamed)

God: The first person who made your sandwich
today was sick & I didn’t want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn’t afford to miss work.

Me (embarrassed): okay

God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn’t even let you talk to them so you would be covered.

Me (softly): I see God

God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn’t think you wanted to be in the dark.

Me: I’m Sorry God

God: Don’t be sorry, just learn to Trust Me…. in All things , the Good & the bad.

Me: I will trust You.

God: And don’t doubt that My plan for your day is Always Better than your plan.

Me: I won’t God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for Everything today.

God: You’re welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I Love looking after My Children.

The Call by Matt Kennon –

Closest I’ve Ever Been by Keith Anderson –

Angels Among Us by Alabama –

Angels by Owl City –

Heroes by Casting Crowns –

Beautiful People by Tim McGraw –

Everyday Heroes by Dave Carroll –

Angels by Austins Bridge –

Army of Angels by The Script –

Angels In Waiting by Tammy Cochran –

If I Could See by Amy Grant –

Ordinary Angels by Tate Stevens –

God Laughs by Delta Goodrem –

Ironic by Alanis Morissette –

My Ride – It’s A Beautiful World

On July 20, 2015July 20, 2015 By roberthansen1317In beautiful life, beautiful world, Christian life, everyday thoughts, music, Remembering God7 Comments

I have been dealing with a heel/ankle injury so this morning I decided to get out on my bike again and get some exercise. It is amazing how God uses a normal ride to strengthen my faith.

There is this place on my ride that I swear I am going downhill. It looks like I am going downhill. It is only for about 200 yards but if you would look at it you would say its a downward slope. I am OCD when it comes to things like this so I have questioned this everytime I ride this route. However, for whatever reason, I struggle. I have to switch to easier gears and pedal like crazy to get out of it. I don’t understand it.

This brought to my mind some of the people in this world. The false teachers. The ones that act like they are one way but really there are not. The ones that try to tell me this is the right way or do this and things will be better. I knew they were just selling me poison but I listened. Their way seemed like it would be the right way but there is only one right way.

There is another spot on this route about seven miles in that I don’t understand either. It is an incline, not a hill, for about a mile. It isn’t a steep incline or anything but looking ahead I can tell it is going up. I either have to go into easier gears and pedal faster or go into harder gears and stand up and power through, or a combination of both. I have rode up big hills that aren’t nearly as difficult as this one mile incline. I don’t get it. Maybe there is a stronger pull of gravity there.

God made me think of my sins. How this sin may not seem like a big sin but it is still a sin. Especially when I keep doing it over and over again. Before I know it this “little sin” is weighing me down. It is wearing me out. How do I get out of it? I confess to God. I ask Him for help. I may try to get out of it myself by doing a combination of things but until I admit I need help from God and He steps in, I struggle.

The Hill. It’s only about 1/3 mile but it is steep. I think all cyclists ride this hill because it’s really only one or two in my town. The first time I went up it it took all my physical and mental strength to get up it. I remember being about 3/4 up and thinking what the heck, but mentally, I wouldn’t let me stop until I got to the top. The second time wasn’t much easier. The third still a struggle. The fourth getting easier. The fifth time I finally hit my stride and was able to fly up the hill. Now if I don’t go up this hill for awhile, once again it’s a struggle when I do.

This reminded me of the sermon I heard last week. We had Tommy Oaks as a guest speaker and he talked about the seven dips of Naaman. How he wondered what Naaman was thinking each time he dipped. He wondered if the first time Naaman dipped if he was thinking this water is cold. The second time about all the animals in the water with him. The third about he wasn’t being cured. The fourth about him looking stupid out there etc. etc. Until the seventh time when he came up and was cured. The point, don’t give up after one or two or a hundred tries, eventually, if you believe in all your hearts that God will make it happen and you have asked for God’s help, it will happen.

Up ahead I see something in the road. I could either keep going fast or slow down and use caution. Gravel was all over the road so I slowed down and maneuvered through it without any mishaps. If I had kept going the speed I was I probably would’ve been on the ground.

It made me reflect on the times in my life when I knew this person was trouble but yet I hung around them. It reminded me of the situations I have been in where I could’ve slowed down and thought about my actions or the situation more and saved myself a lot of trouble instead of plowing right into a bad situation.

The ease of a downhill. I can stop pedaling, rest for a few seconds, and be on cruise control. No worries, catch my breath, relax.

How many times in my walk with Jesus have I thought things were going smoothly, nothing but blue skies ahead. Then I get lazy and don’t read my Bible as much or don’t pray as much. Then I get to the bottom of the hill and realize there is a big uphill coming. Uh oh! Got myself in a bad situation again.

The key to life is no matter what ride you are on you need someone else to help you on that journey. Whether you are on flat ground, going downhill or are facing a big uphill, ask God to help you. Sometimes the devil is telling you you can do it on your own but don’t stop and listen to him. Keep pedaling. There is only one way, one truth.

We Won’t Give Up by The Afters –

My Lighthouse by Rend Collective –

Walk On Water by Family Force 5 –

Light Up The Sky by Thousand Foot Krutch –

If You’re Going Through Hell by Rodney Atkins –

Beautiful Day by U2 –

Helluva Life by Frankie Ballard –

Best Days by Lincoln Brewster –

Move by MercyMe –

A Beautiful Life by Tim McMorris –

Beautiful Day by Jon Bon Jovi –

Today Is Beautiful by David Dunn –

Shake by MercyMe –

Amazing Life by Britt Nicole –

It’s A Beautiful Life by Jamie Grace –

Beautiful World by The Chevin –

It’s a Beautiful World by Dierks Bentley (feat Patty Griffin) –

What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong –

New, forgotten, unknown 7/17/15 – New music Friday

On July 17, 2015July 17, 2015 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, musicLeave a comment

More of the music that is following me. Thanks for the follows. Let’s all spread the word about each other. (and don’t forget my song with Lily Messer)

Way Down The River by Cody Summer –

Records by The Lasting Hope –

Rain by Derek Ray –

Self Portrait by See The Rise –

His Eye Is On The Sparrow by Molly Rae (cover song)-

Say The Word by Iza Hannemann (Hillsong cover)-

How It Goes by Relly Mane (produced by Yung Shy) –

Never Met by Scarlet White –

He Gives Me Strength by Lauren Moscato –

Hold On by Poynte –

Cold by Wreckage Of Society –

Hold On by Downward Summer –

Open the Eyes of My Heart by August Aniano (cover song) –

Soul Survivor by Tony Ramey –

I Was 194 by Carousel Scene –

One-Thousand Words by Imagine the Silence –

Starting over by Idalee –

and don’t forget to share our song:

I Question You by Lily Messer –

Now on i tunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943

New, forgotten, unknown 7/16/15 – New music Friday – Special Edition on Thursday

On July 16, 2015July 25, 2015 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, musicLeave a comment

Wait a minute, it’s only Thursday. I wanted to take today and tomorrow just to give a shout out to some of my followers who are musicians. Some I have heard of before but most I have not and I have enjoyed listening to them. (Of course I had to be able to find you on youtube to post you)

One Step Away by Free Reign – lead singer Marc Colombo and drummer Cory Proctor from my Dallas Cowboys

Yesterdays Gone by Matt Franklin Band –

We Should Get Together by Kelly Vaughn –

We All Fall Down by Never Forsaken –

Not Gonna Not Do Nothin by J.R. Byrd –

Sinners Prayer by Richard Thomas –

The Change by As We Are –

Be The Change by Shuree Rivera –

Chelseys Boyfriend by Maddie Wilson –

Help Me Stand Strong by Daniel George –

Smile by Sheri Chaffin –

You Stand Alone by Johanna J –

Here I Am by Circle of Faith –

So I Can Climb by Patrizia Dilorenzo –

He Died For Me by Pascoal Noronha –

and don’t forget to share our song:

I Question You by Lily Messer –

now on itunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943

God I am tired

On July 15, 2015September 25, 2015 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, God, music5 Comments

God if you have a minute I need to talk to you. I am tired. I don’t want to complain because You have given me so much but I am tired. I am tired of so many things, I am tired mentally, physically and emotionally.

First off God I am tired of all the rain this summer. I know You send us rain for our crops and animals and for us to use but seriously God we don’t need this much. Our fields are flooded. Our houses are flooded. My friends at pools, golf courses, construction etc are losing money because they can’t work in this weather. Our friends in California are in desperate need of rain. I pray that You can send some of this to them. I do understand that I do not know the future and what Your plans are but in the present I am tired. Maybe next summer we will have a drought and the rain this summer will get us through next year.

I am tired of being inside all the time. Yes, I know I am still complaining about the rain. I can’t run outside, I can’t ride my bike, I can’t play outside. I can’t sit outside and just relax. I can’t open the windows and let fresh air in. A lot of I can’ts I know but God can You hear my cries? I have been able to write more since I have been inside. I have been able to spread the words You give me to others. Is that your plan?

I am tired. I am so tired I didn’t even hear the storm last night. Wait a minute, am I still complaining about the rain? What a storm You sent our way. It shook the whole house. Kylie woke up at 2:00 and came into our bed. My wife is so tired. Kylie likes to sleep right on top of her. What a blessing it was to wake up and see my daughters beautiful face though. Thank You for giving us Your daughter to take care of while she is here. She is truly a blessing. Oh, and what a beautiful rainbow. (You even sent a double rainbow)

A reminder that You are always with us.

I am tired. I am overwhelmed. Is this what You want for my life? I have so many people to try to reach to tell them about You. I wasted my entire life ignoring You and I feel like I have so much time to make up. Can You give me an extra hour today? Stop the day like You did for Joshua? Give me just a little more time today. I need to spend more time writing about You, more time with my family, more time exercising, more time… and I need a nap.

I am tired Lord. This world wears me out. It pulls me this way and that way. There are so many people promising me so many things God. God, I beg you to give me the strength to look to You. Give me the strength to fall to my knees and pray to You.

I am tired God. It seems like everyone is out for themselves. Who can I trust God? Lead me God and I will follow. Bring people into my life that I can trust. People I can open up to, that I can share my burdens with. At least I know I can trust You God.

I am tired God. I am tired of letting others down. I am tired of letting myself down. I am tired of letting You down. I want to do more than go through this life like I am. I want to make a difference.

God I know you have blessings in all this. I know that in these trials I will persevere and be stronger for them. Thank you God for everything You do for me. I know You delight in me and are there for me when I am down and tired. Thank you God for giving me words to speak when my mind is blank. Thank you God for never giving up on me. Thank you God for listening to me complain. I know that in Your time You will show me the blessings You have in store for me. Thank You for giving me Your words, words to remember that when I am tired and weary, You are always with me.