Read Proverbs 18 here

Friends:

1. Have similar goals.

My most important goal is to follow Jesus. Most of my friends do not follow Jesus by the same rituals or same outward expressions. Some are hippies, adventurists, geeks, ultra-conservatives, young and bold, old and wise…some don’t follow Jesus but respect me and my faith enough to truly listen.

2. Don’t need to be reminded that you care.

It is really tiring to be around someone who doesn’t believe you accept them and very frustrating to be around someone you think you need to “bother” or “prove yourself to” just to be accepted or encouraged. My truest friends can go days, weeks, even years without speaking (not that that is healthy, just accepted) and we can still have an open line of communication without pretense.

3. Know when to keep their mouth shut but still know when to get in your face and shut your mouth.

I am still learning this balance. My sarcasm (which I will call humor) can shut down a whole conversation. It can lighten the mood if things are uncomfortable. My best friends have no problem listening and no problem bluntly asking me about my walk with God and how I am leading (or not leading) my family. My truest friends can do this without judgement but still in full honesty and holding me to God’s standards!

4. Aren’t photocopies of yourself.

Some are much younger, even one of my friends’ daughter that had a terrible brain trauma but by God’s grace was healed and her smile changes my mood immediately. Others have shown how to overcome  and use their weakness as a strength. Some are much older and show me how to push through the hard times and pain while still staying strong, blunt, and merciful – these elders are way too often overlooked by me and our society. Many of my friends are “full-throttle” which make them hard for me to relate to but without them most of us turtles that thrive on peace and listening would not move forward. Without the listeners and thinkers, the “full-throttle” friends would end up alone on a dead-end road  or blow a gasket with no one there to help.

5. Are always there when you need them.

Do you have friends you know you could call, even if you had to search for their number? A few of my closest friends run this deep. Their “character” is so true that I have no fear of calling them a year from now and checking on them or asking their help. There are others who are closer by location that I know would rearrange anything they can to meet my needs and friends that know I would do the same for them.

6. Aren’t counting the score.

They are more concerned with winning as a team and building each other up than who has done more for each other or what is “fair”.

7. Friends will fall short of my expectations.

All my friends but Jesus are HUMAN. They will at times fall short and need picked up. They understand and watch out for me in case I fall short. We will lead at different times but travel together.

8. Friends aren’t measured by time.

I have a number of new friends that influence me greatly that I have only met once or twice and a few that I are only friends on social networks. Many of these new friends have made such a deep impact and shown such true character that I can without a doubt call them friends. I have been blessed to also have friends that have ridden the roller coaster of life WITH me and will ride again anytime.

————-Thank you my true friends, may you receive the same from me—————

Please feel free to add to this list, disagree with my points, encourage or make rude comments. That adds effect to this post.

I had to edit/repost this after I read his wife’s (Mama Carolyn to many) description of her and Happy Jack:

“Married for 50 years on June 24, 2010. Had a motorcycle wedding and still riding at the age of 73.
We formed From Crime To Chirist, Inc. in 1972. www.fromcrimetochrist.com”.

Jack was saved by God from mob enforcer and next in line for FBI’s 1o most-wanted list to death row chaplin and full-time minister. I will never forget the sadness in his heart when he told me he had to pass on the maximum security/death row chaplin position because he couldn’t hear thru the slots in the doors as well as he used to.

He means a great deal to my wife and I. He  ministers daily to inmates/ ex-cons/teens/motorcyclists/frankly anyone he and his wife meet. We’re just glad we met him after he was saved. Please let me know if you want a copy of his book (hardcopy only – he’s old school) or wish to support him by putting more of his books in the prisons or supporting his ministry. I pray that I will have his heart for the lost, his peace, his faith, and his conviction to spread the Gospel of Jesus.

Order his book today for yourself or to share with someone you could not normally reach!

Many people wanted the “old Jack” dead – HE IS! Only God will let the real Jack know when his work is done.  It will be sooner than any who know him would like (even if that is 30 years from now).

If I mis-spoke in any of this, I know the “saved” Jack will show up at my door and not the “next in line for FBI’s top ten” Jack! Did I mention get this book, support his ministry, even call his house, and be challenged like never before? Leave a comment or message me on twitter if you got the guts to read this book or meet the man that has changed countless lives including mine!

She said, “I would bring them in but I mixed them in with the dog crap to dispose of them.”

Pharmacist: ” U did what?”

Creative ignorant liar replies: “I mixed them in with the dog crap. I read on the internet that was the best way to dispose of them.”

I’m not even going to go into how glad I am that this lady is one of the millions using the internet to educate herself on her health or about how Green this idea is or how much that dog crap would be worth on the street.

This is for now in the top 5 excuses I’ve ever heard for pain pill abuse.

Please people, call your pharmacist before you believe the internet about mixing all your pain pills in with your dog crap!

–I bet she goes Green and recycles.

Here’s my plan:
1. Spread chicken crap (I mean chicken litter) everywhere I can, it can make anything green year-round.
2. Eat more cows, pigs, chickens, and eggs to help the little guy in this tough time keep the planet green.
3. Everyone must do their part or they will be taxed heavily.

There it is, too short to pass legislation, but it’s my plan.

Aww, nevermind… Just realized that the “litter” coming from the media and the politicians has a lot more smell and a lot more green (b/c the smell means “IT smells like money” and IT smells really strong = a lot of money).

Why does it take so much energy and money to promote saving energy and money?

I can’t wait to see Mercy Me and the other awesome bands @ the rock & worship roadshow Saturday night, but I am really going with hopes of watching the kids perform! Go Charlie! Don’t miss these youtube vids or the concert – you can even watch it from home almost every night by clicking here!

O.k. so i didn’t get 1000 people to go so they said no to me playing on stage. O.k., that’s true + the closest i got was 10 ft. away. “The guy” in the wired fan area was polite when he said “get out of here you nutcase stalkers!” I shouldn’t have put that in quotes b/c he didn’t actually say that at all.

Sarcasm somewhat aside, the music and the worship rocked! The band sounded better live than on their recordings which is extremely rare. Mac’s singing and crowd interaction was great. Mark’s guitar skills and the rest of the band played great! Brandon Heath and Revive are very talented a seem to have great hearts also.

Best parts during the concert:

1. My wife being so excited that she was truly worshipping Jesus across the street from where she partied years before when she was lost.

2. Mac bringing the concert to a halt to ask some unsuspecting girl if she was on her cell phone. He got the phone handed to him and told person on the other end, she’s busy and we have 1000 people waiting on us to restart the concert. ( ?? Mac can talk on someone elses phone during a concert but he can’t tweet ??).

3. All the bands showing by their words and actions that the show was for worshiping Jesus and building His church, not worshiping them.

3. Being their loudest venue of the tour so far.

4. Would have joined their “wired” fan club if I would have known how impressed I was by their hearts and show.

Worst part of the concert:

1. Hitting my pillow @ 3:30 and getting back up @ 9 to get back to work after a very full day.