Trying to Make Sense

The past couple of weeks have been busy with travel, conferences, training, and senseless bombings in Boston. Last Monday I was leading a group of youth ministers here at LifeWay and my phone started going off with text messages from all sorts of people. All of the texts had basically the same message: "Are you OK?"  For the first few minutes I had no idea why I would be getting these messages then one of them included that there had been a bomb at the Boston Marathon.

A couple of things raced through my mind, but more importantly, people came to mind. People I knew who were in Boston running the marathon. I have run it four times and every time it has been an amazing experience. I thought of Charlie and Ron Kramer who is a part of the Boston Athletic Association who puts the race on. I thought of Jim and Herb also who were running. And I felt conflicted in many ways. I was concerned for the safety of the ones I knew were there and I was thankful that people who know I run cared enough to check on me.

Within a few minutes I had heard from those I knew were there and they were okay, but there were many who were not okay. From the deaths of three individuals to so many people who were injured by the blasts. I became angry. I felt like my own "family" had been attacked. I am a hacker runner, but a Boston Marathon qualifier and finisher and those people are my people.

As the events unfolded this past week, a thought kept running through my mind. Christ died for those effected and for those who caused the chaos and terror. And I felt conflicted. I prayed for those families and individuals directly effected and I prayed that the perpetrators would be found and that there would be no more harm or injury. And, I prayed that God would capture the hearts and minds of those who did this evil thing. Not because I arrived at that by myself but I am learning to ask God to allow me to see people as He sees them. I am thankful that these two are not in a position to inflict pain and terror any more. I know one of those brothers is now dead and every indication is that he did not know Christ. I cannot rejoice in that. I am praying that God will capture the heart and mind of this 19-year-old. I believe he needs to be brought to justice according to our national laws and I am praying that He will allow Christ to become real to him.

I once was an enemy of Christ, but through His grace, he brought me from death to life.

NCAA Basketball Championship Tournament

I love college basketball. I am somewhat frustrated with the way the game is becoming more about the strength of the players rather than the skill and art of the players in the game, but I thoroughly enjoy the game. My heart is with the MIZZOU Tigers and I am a North Carolina Tar Heels fan as well. Not split allegiance, just really admire Dean Smith and what he did so long at UNC. I also respect Roy Williams very much. I wish that MIZZOU would go after coaches that had character and knew Xs and Os but right now that does not seem to be priority.

All that said, I wanted to share the One Shining Moment video from CBS. It has been a tradition since the mid-to-late 80s the best I can remember. Enjoy. And congrats to Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals. Pitino has proven to be an incredible coach and seems to be overcoming some poor personal decisions in the past.

Make a Difference - End It

Throughout history, April 9ths has come and gone.
0715 - Constantine ended his reign as Catholic Pope.
1865 - At Appomattox Court House, Virginia, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate Army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant.
1866 - The Civil Rights Bill passed over U.S. President Andrew Johnson's veto.
1912 - The first exhibition baseball game was held at Fenway Park in Boston. The game was between Red Sox and Harvard.
1913 - The Brooklyn Dodgers' Ebbets Field opened. 
1928 - Mae West made her debut on Broadway in the production of "Diamond Lil."
1940 - Germany invaded Norway and Denmark.
1942 - In the Battle of Bataan, American and Filipino forces were overwhelmed by the Japanese Army.
1947 - 169 people were killed and 1,300 were injured by a series of tornadoes in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
1950 - Bob Hope made his first television appearance on "Star-Spangled Review" on NBC-TV.
1957 - The Suez Canal was cleared for all shipping.
1959 - NASA announced the selection of America's first seven astronauts.
1963 - Winston Churchill became the first honorary U.S. citizen.
1965 - "TIME" magazine featured a cover with the entire "Peanuts" comic gang.
1965 - The Houston Astrodome held its first baseball game. 
1968 - Murdered civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., was buried.
1986 - It was announced that Patrick Duffy's character on the TV show Dallas would be returning after being killed off.
2005 - Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles.
2012 - Facebook purchases Instagram for $1billion and the broadway show, The Lion King becomes the highest grossing show of all time, surpassing Phantom of the Opera
All that to say, each day is just not another day. Today, April 9, 2012 is really not just another day. It is a day to make a difference. Every day is a day to make a difference. Why go through life existing when we can be influencing, spreading hope and helping deliver people from all types of slavery and oppression.

It is End It: Shine a Light on Slavery Day. I wish today we could hit an easy button and end all forms of slavery and oppression. What we can do is our part to help end slavery and oppression in our area of influence. Right where you are; Right where you live. Not only for the here and now, but for eternity. Join in the struggle to end slavery from physical oppressors and share Christ with others to help end a present and a future of eternal slavery to sin.

R and R

The last few weeks have been somewhat of a whirlwind for the Turners. I somehow thought it was a good idea to cram my schedule so full of "good" stuff and forgot that at some point I was going to need to rest a little. If you have kept up at all with some of my travels you know that I overextended. I love what I get to do but even too much of a good thing is still too much. All of my weekends were involved in training youth leaders or encouraging people coupled with a week of teaching at Midwestern Seminary, a quick trip to Alaska (which was awesome and encouraging), to attending one of our World Changers Spring Break projects in Birmingham and then a weekend of training in Kentucky. It was crazy.

Sondra went on a mission trip to Guatemala with our church, Hermitage Hills, and did construction (I know, right?), worked with kids, taught a women's Bible study based off of our friend's (Hayley DiMarco) book, The Fruitful Wife, and even did some sewing. To say the least, it was a life-changing experience for Sondra. I am always proud of her, but she really stepped out of her comfort zone on this one and it has been cool to hear the stories. She even got to catch up with a cousin of hers and his family who have been in Guatemala a long time.

Last week was wonderful. We all (and I mean all of us, Sondra, Shelbi and Mark, Mark, Morgan, Anika-
Morgan's sorority sister, and me) headed to Orange Beach for the week. No agenda. No drama. No plans. No stress. No anything work related. It was awesome. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets. A few bike rides. A few runs. A little golf and fishing. Lots of cool (literally cool temps) beach time. It was incredible to have everyone together. What an amazing blessing it is to be in our family.

Easter Sunday was awesome. I had the opportunity to serve our 4 year olds at church in ETC. What a hoot! Beautiful dresses and smart looking coats and ties on 4 year olds never gets mundane. And, they tell everything they know.

I am in the throes of busy times at work with training and traveling but see light at the end of the tunnel. Just a few more weekends out and then summer hits and I am excited to jump into the new experiences of World Changers and P2 Missions. I have alot to learn but am grateful for the opportunity.