Monthly Archives: August 2011

Have you ever gotten a song in your head that you couldn’t stop humming? Sometime over the weekend, while driving home from Nashville, I imagine, I heard an old rock classic and it stuck in my mind. This morning I woke up hearing it in my head. Then I thought about the words and thought how sad the song is. You know the chorus. “I want you, I need, but there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you, now don’t be sad, cause two our of three ain’t bad.”

As a child of God. we don’t have to ever accept anything less than the best, and two out of three “ain’t “ the best. Meat Loaf may have had a hit, but he’s dead wrong.

Consider Romans 12: 1-2
 1 Christian brothers, I ask you from my heart to give your bodies to God because of His loving-kindness to us. Let your bodies be a living and holy gift given to God. He is pleased with this kind of gift. This is the true worship that you should give Him. 2 Do not act like the sinful people of the world. Let God change your life. First of all, let Him give you a new mind. Then you will know what God wants you to do. And the things you do will be good and pleasing and perfect.
This morning’s In Touch daily devotional said it better than I could ever express, and it fell right in line with what God was giving to me as I awoke this morning, amazing, but then He’s God!
The Lord wants to give each of us an abundance of blessings. Let’s explore what is required so that we may enjoy all that He has planned.
Today’s passage clarifies the one necessary condition for receiving His best: full surrender. Every aspect of our being—body, soul, and spirit—is to be a living sacrifice. This may sound dreary, but contrary to human logic, true freedom is found only when we fully yield to Christ.
In the Old Testament, sacrifice was very common. To atone for sin, a person could bring a lamb to the altar. The animal was set apart for God’s purposes as a holy offering, and through its death, restitution was made.
When we give ourselves as a sacrifice, there is, thankfully, no need for our blood to be shed. Jesus died to atone for all our sin. But out of love and gratitude, every aspect of our lives should be dedicated to Him.
What does a surrendered life entail? Most importantly, it involves complete commitment to Christ, unaltered by the world’s influence. Our desires and old ways of functioning are no longer driving forces. Instead, His Spirit guides, and His will is the goal. Yielding to Him means following His way in attitude, words, thoughts, and deeds—and doing so unapologetically, unwaveringly, fearlessly.
You have a choice—either be content with less than God’s best, or give yourself fully to Him. Complete surrender is not an easy road; it means dying to your desires and selfishness. But remember that the Lord is willing and able to do more than we can even imagine. Courtesy In Touch Ministries
Let your Heavenly Father do more for you than you can even imagine, He’s willing and that is what He wants for you. Never settle for two our of three……
Be blessed,
the pilgrim

* Photo Note: Nikon F5, 80-200, Velvia, Serengeti Plain, Kenya, Africa.

The last few days have been absolutely wonderful. After several days of moaning about having to be away from home, sorry about that, just when you think the traveling life stinks you have a
great trip like my journey down to Nashville. Above you see the fantastic Don Nelson family, left to right, not sure who that guys is, but next to him are Mr & Mrs. Scott Nelson, Don’s son and daughter-in-law, great people, and of course Don and his wife Chris. I had the immense pleasure of catching up with them at Rotiers.

Thursday I had lunch with a great
sports shooter, Patrick Murphy
Racey. A new convert to Nikon
and we are thrilled to have him.
I’ve known Patrick for many years
and have appreciated his work,
but appreciated his open stand
for our Lord even more.

Friday morning I had another real
treat, when I got to do a Pro call
on Life Touch in Brentwood. David
Warren, a long time friend and
brother introduced me to a lot
of their people, and I met many
other great brothers ands sisters.
David ‘s boss is a guy named David
Crandall, who also, gloriously,
turned out to be a wonderful
Christian man, and our conversation
skirted back and forth between our
photography interests, and our faith.
It was a wonderful meeting.

You would think that would be quite enough blessings for one trip, but God has no bounds to His
ability to overwhelm us. Saturday, I was to teach a 4 hour workshop to customers for Dury’s
Camera Store. I love to do these teaching programs, and I really love doing them at Dury’s because their customers have always been so great. That alone would be enough, but then
God must sit up in heaven, saying to Jesus, “watch this..” I found out that Nick Coury and Terry
Wyatt of Dury’s are also brothers, and we had a great time, lots of tech talk and visiting, and then a fun workshop, with tremendous people.

So here comes the Kingdom part. What is it? It is the central theme of Jesus teaching, it’s the only force that is contesting Satan’s total rule of human affairs. It’s also a “Larger than life” view of the world. If you are redeemed, this life is simple, it’s us vs the enemy. Our struggles are not with people, but with the powers of darkness. Make no mistake, God is on the throne, reigning, and in complete control, it’s us that loose our control. If you are a kingdom person, you better put on the full armor of God. If you intend to do battle for Him, you need to get ready.

Before anyone says it, let me address it right here. People that don’t want to hear what I share, often hit me up side of the head with how imperfect Christians and the church are, (not the physical church, but the body of believers). My pastor has the perfect answer, “The church is like Noah’s Ark, if it weren’t for the storms on the outside, all of the stench on the inside would be unbearable…” Yes, we know we are imperfect…..

Being a man or woman that walks in the Kingdom, does not mean you are perfect, just forgiven and blessed……………

Blessings,

the pilgrim

The Last Shot – is just to make me smile. God gave me a wonderful earthly father, he was the manager of Coca Cola bottling plant when I was a little boy. Every time I see a Coca Cola sign
I think of how good God was to me, to let me have that kind of a father, and…….. that kind
of a weekend. When I say I’m a blessed man, you better believe it.

*Photo Note: P300 (Dury’s shot by Nick Coury with my D7000 and 24-120)

Got into Nashville late Thursday afternoon and after checking in, and checking my emails, I had to shoot over to Rotiers for one of their great burgers. Technically, they make a patty melt, but boy is it good, the best burger in Tennessee. I’m meeting one of my favorite families there tonight and any good man has to scout out the territory. Sure glad I did, great burger and hash-brown casserole. 4.5 pickles…

In keeping with the blog
from yesterday, some
times being away from
home is easier if you
can find a friendly
place to have an almost
home cooked meal.
Rotiers is that place for
me in Nashville. The
first time I ever ate here,
my good buddy Ricky
Skaggs brought me,
maybe that makes it
even more special.

I’m not the only fan,
if you live in Nashville
and love burgers, you already know this
is “the” spot, named the best burger in
Nashville a number of times. Even Bobby
Flay of the food network praises the food,
and that is high praise indeed. Rotiers has
also been featured in the Hamburger
America book.

Thank you Lord for helping me find great
folks like these guys, and oh my, “what
a burger…….”

Blessings,

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: Nikon Coolpix P300.

My kind of people……………..

I am leaving this morning for a long weekend in Nashville. I’m meeting with a customer today in Knoxville, and then another later today in Nashville. Tomorrow morning I have another meeting with a valued customer and friend and then will be setting up at Durys for a short four hour mini seminar I’m doing there all Saturday morning. Friday night I’m going to have the pleasure of dinner with one of my best friends, Don Nelson and his family in Nashville. Some of you, I’m sure, because I hear it all the time, are thinking wow what and exciting life. I have to admit that working for Nikon as a tech rep has it’s great moments. Truthfully everything about this trip will be pleasant. All these customers and friends will be great to spend time with. I’ll stay in a nice hotel, and have good meals. Only one problem, it’s not home. I try not to sound to much like Dorothy
in the Wizard of Oz, but, “There’s no place like home……”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If someone seldom travels it looks exciting, if someone travels all the time, it looks like so many more days away from home. After a while you get use to this kind of life, but that doesn’t mean your heart is not back home. The trick is your head and your performance has to be where ever you’ve been sent.

I’m so very, very thankful to have my job, any job, I know there are those that are not so fortunate.
I’m not whining or crying, I just hate those first few hours when you have to break the bonds of home, and leave.

If I feel pain from the separation from home, imagine how excruciating Jesus’ pain must have been when He willingly was separated from His Father to die for our sins. I can’t even begin to imagine what that separation must have been like. I could never do enough to show my thankfulness for His act of supreme sacrifice.

This week when I went to Phil Fox’s funeral I was reminded, once again, what great gifts God has given us, and how important it is to show our thankfulness by honoring them, and the God who bestowed them on us.

a thankful man,

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: D7000 with 24-120.