Here's to the Beginning

Here or There

jeremydooley — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:56:51 +0000

I have recently been reading a book by Francis Chan called “Forgotten God.” Its a great book and its challenged me in many ways already but there was a question Chan raises in his book that really made me stop and think. Chan is talking to a man who has ask their deacons to lay hands on him and pray for his healing because he is suffering through a terminal illness. Chan then asks him a question that wrecked my world tonight. ”Why do you want to be healed? Why do you want to stay on this earth?” If someone were to ask you that question what would you say? So many times I’ve heard people asked to be prayed for and countless times people have asked me to pray for them or their loved ones during tough times. And each time we pray for healing and we plead with God to keep them here on earth with us and tonight for the first time it really hit me that maybe we’re going about it all wrong. Why would I want to stay here? Now there are obvious reasons why selfishly I would want to stay here on earth. My wife is awesome and we’re fixing to have our first child. I can’t wait to meet my boy for the first time. I want to be here for them. I remember what it was like when my father passed away and I remember how hard it was for me and my mother. I want to be here for them. So I guess the better question is, do I really believe that heaven is better than here on earth? Can my lives desire be summed up by saying that I live my life for the glory of God? Is my focus on the glory of the God whatever the results? I’m not sure thats where I always line up. God mold me into someone who seeks your glory in everything.

Peace & Love

Notes to my son

jeremydooley — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:17:04 +0000

Man its been a while since I sat down and wrote on this thing. I think I need to do a better job of this but finding the time, or making the time has been kinda tough. This Sunday Jaime and I will be welcoming our son to the world and I can’t begin to explain how excited and scared to death I am. I’m the guy who’s scared of little kids. They seem to like me for some reason but I’m really scared of them…haha I’ve honestly never really been around little kids and especially babies. But all those worries seem to really not matter right now because this ones mine. Man that sounds weird to say. My son, or my child thats just wild on so many levels. There are so many thoughts that run through my mind right now. Like, who will he look like? Will he be more like me or more like Jaime? Will he love the Heels like I do and if for some reason he doesn’t will his grandmother take him in…hahaha Just kidding. Will he be right handed or left handed? Is he going to be loud or quiet, hyper or calm? So many things that go through my head right now that I have no answer to but am really excited to find out about. Guess I’m going to find out soon enough. Maybe his birth will inspire me to write on this more. Who knows.

Peace & Love

Action Jackson

jeremydooley — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:10:26 +0000

Recently in my own personal journey there’s been one topic that really amazes, confuses and humbles me all at the same time. I’ve been reading through a couple books that have to deal with it and throughout both books, I’ve gone back numerous times just to re-read something that makes my head spin. The idea of God’s unconditional love is one that just keeps on astounding me. Like I’ve said before on here, I’m sure, the idea that God loves me in an unconditional way no matter what is amazing and undeserved. But the more I read, the more I study, the more I realize that so many times we take advantage of this love. It’s not that Gods love comes with conditions but at the same time shouldn’t His love cause us into some sort of reaction.

For example, when I was kid I was a baseball fanatic. (I guess I still am, by the way the Cubs won again last night) As early as I can remeber my dad and I would sit down as much as possible and watch our Chicago Cubs on TV. Honestly those moments are some of my earliest memories. But when I was 5 years old my dad brought home a baseball glove that I had been begging for. It wasnt one of those kiddy gloves that I had tons of, it was the real deal. It was this huge black glove that was bigger than my 5 year old arm. As soon as I saw what it was I took a victory lap around the house and preceded to make both parents come outside and play catch with me and my new glove. That night I had a tee ball and as soon as someone came within ear shoot of me, I would call out and show and tell the new glove. At that moment it was my pride and joy. It was a gift that came with no strings, no conditons but because I was so excited and proud to have it, I knew nothing else than to share my excitement with the world.

The more and more I study this, the more and more I am completly convicted of the fact that I dont think I get that excited about God’s love. I mean doesnt it all come back to that anyway. John 3:16 makes it clear that because God loved us so much He gave His son for us. Shouldnt that kind of unconditional and undeserving love cause us to act in some way. I get more excited about stuff than I do the realization that as followers of Christ we get to spend eternity with Him. Someones wrong there. In James it says “faith without works is dead.” Jesus said that the greatest comandment was to love God with everthing and love our neighbor. If my faith in Christ and most importantly my love of Him doesnt in some way cause me to act and share this incredible gift with others, I’m missing the mark. I’ve got some work to do.

Peace & Love

Here’s to the Beginning??????

jeremydooley — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:20:15 +0000

So the other day I was asked why I named the ole blog, “Here’s to the Beginning.” And so because I am incredible slack and have not written on here in forever I thought I would try and explain myself.

The beginning of things has always made me think. For example who had the first idea for toe socks. Did they wake up one day and say….gee my toes are cold in my normal socks, I think I’ll give an individual sock for each of my toes that way I’ll stay warm. Or who was the first person to say…geee I think I’ll wear spandex today, never mind I should hit the treadmill for a couple years first. Or most importantly, the person who decided that spaghetti and meatballs should be cooked and go into a can, so all you have to do is warm it back up, forming the great dish of Spaghetti O’s. God bless that person. He or she got me through college. But beginning are just interesting to me. Anything you look at has a beginning. People are born, ideas are hatched, things created and thus begins someone or something. But when I look at God, He’s always been. As a kid this was always hard to get my head around and for that matter it still is. There was no beginning or never will there be an end. My God is eternal and to me thats just amazing. Really when we look at God there are so many amazing qualities that just seem to get pushed aside or forgotten. We know stories throughout the Bible but if we really just sit and think about the qualities of God for a while it will blow you away. So when I was beginning the whole blogging process, however long ago I was reading a book that really was making me thinking about this. I John 1:1 really summed it all up for me. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” The God who chooses to use me and the God who has and always will, love me unconditionally has and always will be. And because that blows me away and because He is so awesome, I proclaim His name. So there it is.

Peace and Love,

The White-man

Day 2

jeremydooley — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:26:43 +0000

Wow what a long but awesome day. Can I just say one thing about Ruston, LA. They should put a seminary here because it would be easy to teach people how to preach against hell when their living in the same heat. Just a personal thought. Now onto camp. Neil McClendon is my kind of preacher. Sometimes I think he comes off a little strong but I think he gets his point across well to the students. Tonight his focus was on asking the kids if they had ever really died to Christ. Was there a time in their lives where they died to old self and their new life in Christ began. He had a quote I loved. “They’ll be alot of people who said a prayer with a preacher in hell” You know it sounds kinda rough but I believe its something our kids needed to hear. As I sat their and watch our students faces I could tell his speaking was making them think. Many I could tell where starting to look at their lives and see where exactly their relationship with Christ was. My prayer this week is still that God will wreck their lives. That when they leave this camp that their lives will never be the same. Well I’m tired and my feet hurt and well….everything hurts at the moment. Man when did I get old and become an adult. Oh yeah a college girl here at LA Tech called me sir today. That hurt a little….haha My wife thought it was great..haha

Peace and Love,

The White-man

The Camp Post Night 1

jeremydooley — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:01:27 +0000

So Ive decided that I’m going to try and post something every night on here about our week and Student Life Camp in Ruston, LA. Besides the fact that I wouldnt ask my dog to live in these dorms, things are great. We’re not here for the dorms so I’ll live.

As for the first night I dont have much to report. The band is great. Kristian Stanfil does a great job leading worship and Neil McClendon is the speaker. He’s alot like me in a sense that he’s real straight forward and if you dont like, well deal..haha Our kids really like him so far which is a plus.

I guess my prayer for the week is that our kids lives will be wrecked. I realize that sounds kind of strange but its really my prayer. I really think our kids think that God is really cool, and they know the ABC’s of Christianity so they think their good. But if they really look at their lives, their Savior has very low priority. Youth group and camp and any church function is a social function or because the parents make them. My prayer for this week is that God will wreck all that in a crazy and great way. I would love to see their lives so turned around when they get home mom and dad are convicted. In a town where it seems there is little spiritual maturity among the adults, I just think it would be awesome to see our youth rise up and lead the revival. Most revivals or spiritual awakenings were started by young people after all. So my prayer is our youth will get rocked to their foundations this week. And God will flip their lives for the betterment of eternity. Well its time for this white-boy to hit the hay.

Peace and Love,

The White-man

Buck Tooth Donkeys that Smell Bad

jeremydooley — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:26:17 +0000

So last night we took the youth to an Arkansas Travelers baseball game. Can I first say that I have had a great time picking on people from Arkansas about all the stereotypes that come with Arkansas. But last night helped me figure out why. The Travelers mascot whose name is Shelly had one big buck tooth that stuck out…haha Now look Arkansas people if you dont want to get made fun of you shouldn’t let stuff like this happen. It only helps to fuel the fire of people like me who love giving you a hard time. Although to be completely fair, the movie Deliverance was filmed in the area where I’m from in North Carolina. Probably not much better. Another pondering from last night is this. When meeting Shelly, the buck tooth mascott, who is supposed to look like a Donkey we all came to the conclusion that a mascot should not actually smell like the animal that it is protraying. Shelly the buck tooth donkey actually smelled like a Donkey. Maybe the person inside, a possible wanna-be actor was trying to get into character or something and thought. Donkeys smell like crap, therefore I should smell like crap. Newsflash wanna-be actor destined for the not so big time. Bad move, you just stunk. When small babies, who are supposed to love you, hold their nose because of your smell, you just stink. No more getting into character. Just get into a clean costum, or make friends with your other acting buddy who hasn’t made it as big as you yet and holds down a job at the local dry cleaners and send that puppy to him. Other than that it was a night. But when speaking of baseball a true Cubs fan must end such an article in the only appropriate way. GO CUBS!!!!!!!!

Peace and Love

The White-man

Empty Wallets and Bike Seats….both make me cry

jeremydooley — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:55:07 +0000

After putting gas in my truck today and feeling the empty feeling that comes with loosing $92.00 in a matter of minutes I realized a couple things. 1….I wish I owned a gas company & 2….I’ll be voting on whoever can make me feel like they have an idea on how to make our economy better. Now let me go ahead and tell you that I by no means can sit here and act like I am some kind of economist. But I know that our economy isn’t really all that hot right now and that gas prices are forcing me to ponder the idea of actually buying a bike(…hmmm and maybe some biking shorts…haha) Ok maybe not. But as a Christian you here so much about voting these days. My mother for example, votes solely on the issue of abortion. If a political figure says that they agree with freedom of choice she will not even consider on voting for that person. Now if you want my opinion on that issue you can have it, I am anti abortion and anti-pro choice. I believe abortion is murder. But in this election if a person votes for President solely on that issue they wouldn’t be able to vote because if what Ive read is correct both Presidential candidates are pro choice. But I guess my thinking tonight is this. Should a persons vote be based on only one topic. That just doesn’t make logical sense to me. I wonder in this election if either one of these guys has a clue how to get gas prices down, or bring our troops back, or fix health care, or help the housing market, or…..well the list can go on and on. Again Im by no means a political know-it-all but Im curious and I dont know if my butt can handle a bike seat. Well I’m tired of rambling and its 1:00am.

Peace and Love,

The White-man

Crazy or Not??

jeremydooley — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:34:53 +0000

Ok so to be honest this was my newsletter article for this month. But I’m not really inspired to write twice in a couple days so heres that. Maybe I’ll get back on here in a few and do something original.

I recently attended a Youth Ministry conference in Fort Worth, TX and while I was there the speaker kept saying things that really stepped on my toes. It wasn’t like one of those moments when you leave something mad or offended it was a feeling of, “I have work to do.” The man was named Francis Chan and he just wrote a great book called “Crazy Love” that I’m right in the middle of reading. But the point of his messages really struck me. Have you ever thought about the love of God? We all know that God loves us. If you ask small children do they know God loves them, I’m sure the majority will tell you yes. Most of us can quote John 3:16 without even really thinking about it. But do we really get how great God’s love is. The idea that God would give his son to die for me is kind of hard to wrap my head around. I don’t have kids, but I can tell you I wouldn’t give my child up to die for someone else. Let alone millions of people who have sinned against me. And I’m sure if I asked you, you wouldn’t give up your children either. That kind of love is just flat out amazing to me. But the question that stepped on my toes is this one. How do you show God’s love? Are you passionately in love with your savior? This really hit me. God loves me so much that He gave His son and yet so many times I don’t think I act like I’m in love with Him at all. Many times our walk with God becomes routine, but as followers of Christ, He has called us into a relationship with Him, and not just any relationship, but one that passionately follows and one that passionately loves God and loves others in His name. So in this article, I’m passing the question on. Are you passionately in love with your Savior? Or do you find yourself like I did. We have work to do.

Home Sweet Home

jeremydooley — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:05:41 +0000

Well I haven’t written on this in way to long it seems and I’m not really sure why I am today. I think sometimes it helps to vent a little on these or share joy or whatever the emotion might be at the present time, its just nice to get something off the ol’chest. Today was a weird day. And not for any particular reason, but it got me thinking about home. Now we currently live in Arkansas which is pretty cool. I mean the people are nice but the scenery lacks a little. We have many friends in Texas and in many ways this is a home to my wife and I because its where we met and its where the majority of our friends are. But my home home is in Highlands, NC. Up in the mountains at 4118 feet above sea level. Where a hot day in the summer is in the high 70′s or low 80′s. Where you can sit outside at night and not be carried off by mesquitos. It doesnt happen often but from time to time I get a little home sick for my mountain town. I mean, its just the greatest place on earth in many ways. Now I dont know if I’ll ever get to live there again but from time to time, it would be nice. Wake up one summer morning, throw on a sweat shirt and have a cup of coffee on the front porch of my moms just sounds nice right about now. I dont know why but it just does..haha I have to be honest this blog is pretty stinking random but its what I’ve been thinking about alot today. Oh well so goes life. On a different note…I think I saw a mesquito the size of a small bird today. Gotta love the delta of Arkansas.

Peace and Love,

The White-man