Coming Home

Friends,

We're Coming Home!

After a few months of living in this amazing house in the country with a pond and large space called a backyard. Morgan and I have decided we are moving back to Boiling Springs. This decision wasn't easy but one we knew we had to make.

We moved to the area for school and work. Upon arriving here and not being able to find work for almost two months are spirits grew weak. We did find jobs finally, Morgan a full time job and myself a part time job. We have enjoyed them and what they have taught us, but the whole reason we moved here was for school. We aren't going to the school we had planned to go to. Instead, after much thought and discussion we enrolled in online classes. With that being our new direction there really isn't anything that holds us down here. We like Raleigh, but our Boiling Springs/Shelby/Mountains have the biggest place in our hearts.

It seems kind of tragic to move all the way up here just to turn around and move right back. Well, it's not. This few months has taught us so much and has played a large part in developing us as a couple and individuals.

This is not a regrettable season. I only regret that we can't move this house with us. We miss our friends in Boiling Springs and look forward to rekindling those relationships and will deeply miss the few people that we began to connect with here in Raleigh.

Life is so much more than Conquering great things. It really is about connecting with those around you. Learning to work with them, share with them and experience life with them. It is also about finding contentment in the small things which really leads to Conquering great things.

We will miss you Pilot, but you will have a place in Morgan and I's heart as being the place which we really learned to depend on and communicate with each other.

STAND!

We stand up for things everyday whether we know it or not.

It happens over breakfast, driving to work, walking to lunch and even after supper at the TV.

I'm afraid that I will stand up for the wrong things. Such as, what I want to watch without ever considering what my wife wants to watch. Just because its always been the "mans domain" doesn't mean that it actually is.

I'm afraid that I will not stand up for the co-worker who is embarrassed verbally by another co-worker.

I'm afraid that I will allow my health to get away from me that would prevent me from seeing my children grow old and my grandchildren be born.

I'm afraid that I will cower in a situation that calls for me to meet an opportunity that I know I have the resources to take care of.

I'm afraid that I will stand back and never truly allow myself to be vulnerable to a community of people because I'm afraid that they will just lead me astray like all the other people in my life.

I'm afraid that I will simply let life pass me by with a lot of regrets in the end, and in turn spend the short amount of time left simply trying to make things right. It might be too late.

I'm afraid that I want stand for truth and allow just the slightest half truth to reign forever.

I'm afraid that I just want STAND!

What will you stand up for today? Treating your employees better, sacrificing time with/for your wife, co-worker, seeking out the truth or just sitting back and letting that most important time pass you by.

Fitness

Like most people the short days and cold temperatures seem to put a damper on life when it comes to fall and winter. You find yourself in seasonal funk.

I've noticed that over the past few years without fail I find myself in that funk. Sleepy, cold, non-motivated and hermit like.

Two years ago I combated this problem with running and training for a half-marathon. Last year I combated it with diet.

This year I decided to combat such issues with writing and fitness.

A couple of weeks ago while In New York visiting family, we ventured to the local gym. While on that visit I met a really neat man who was a pleasant and semi-retired. This gentleman witnessed the grimace look of agony on my face while attempting sit-ups on the workout machine. He approached me minutes later and challenged me to five push ups. I got down and gave him five. He told me to add two everyday and pretty soon I would be surprised by the results.

So a couple of weeks later after adding some here and there I'm up to fifty push ups total in the day and thirty something consecutively. Not a lot but it's been fun to challenge myself and keep my mind active with challenge during this time of year in which my mind often finds itself afraid of challenge and wandering in the abyss of woe.

I hope that you will take advantage of the warmer days for a brisk walk, the local gym or even by dropping down and giving me five.

Settled

Well we have been in our new house for over a month now and I think we are finally settled.

We have just about everything we need, however we could use some tools to rid the ants that seem to appear from nowhere. In the most bizarre places like the ceiling. Morgan keeps attacking them in a solo effort. The other day I thought I would join the battle and attack with liquid that I picked up at Wal-Mart while also purchasing Weed & Feed to tackle the yard. I've become truly domesticated. The liquid has not beat the intruders but with a second application we might just when this battle between human and Formicidae.

The Move In!

Morgan and I have moved into our new home in Pilot, NC. It's hard to believe that we have neared our ten month anniversary and have made a giant step to move to a new town and opportunity of making ourselves vulnerable to make new friends again.

It's hard saying Good-bye to people who have been very close to you for the last four years of your life. To know they have had such a huge impact in your life and helped develop you into the man that you are. I will forever be grateful to community in Boiling Springs and to customers at the Coffee shop. The time in Boiling Springs taught me a lot. A lot in which I will try and reflect on during the next weeks, months and years of my life. Thoughts that I hope to write about here.

"The Front Porch" named because our new house has an awesome screened in-front porch with an awesome view of the sunrise, means you the reader gets to share in what's going on in our little abode.

Thanks for taking part in our adventure and sharing it with us on the world wide web.

White Chocolate Scone

There is nothing I love more than a White Chocolate Scone from the Broad River Coffee Company.

I love them and this morning as I was at work preparing for the day and getting things in order for opening. I saw that there was one White Choc. scone left and it appeared to have my name on it. I took it out of the container that it was sitting in very carefully as I would for anyone who would be ordering it. Set it down on a plate and put it to the side. As I went about my work, I kept thinking that I really shouldn't eat that scone, I really shouldn't eat that scone. I was caught in a tug of war of I should and shouldn't. The stomach was hungry and I sensed it would be a busy day and I didn't have any Wheaties left so I should eat. Then I remember the four and half donuts that I ate the other night and realized if I want to run this half-marathon well coming up in a couple weeks that I should probably watch what I put into my body and adding a white choc. scone would not advance the cause but rather slow it down or potentially ruin it. I took it off the plate and placed it back in the container.

Today as I ran for what seemed like eternity I thought about the spirit of Self-Control and how it is a fruit of the spirit.

How often do we pray to God to have this fruit bearing spirit in our lives?

So often we sense that we shouldn't but we do it. We slow down the cause or even ruin it because the stomach is hungry and we don't rely on the bread of life who said I will fill you spiritually, namely, Jesus Christ.

I want to run the race of life controlled by the Lord who is the way to become truly human, the life that gives me the ability and that being the truth that sets me free.

Grace is our teacher and may it continue to patiently deal with us all and lead us in the way of self-control.

End of January

Well, we have kicked of the new year and we're almost through the end of the first month. WOW!

I've been busy running until last week when I hurt my leg in an unrelated running injury.

It has been humbling experience and has just taught me that running isn't everything. I may or may not had been getting a little obsessed about running. I have only one Lord and He is Jesus. It's hard to live that out some days but the reality is the power of the Holy Spirit. The potential to overcome anything by a strength and spirit that indwells you that overcame death itself.

I'm learning right now to have a grateful heart no matter where I am. I just thank the Lord where I am and what I'm doing. I don't want to stop loving wherever I am.

I hope to share that love with everyone I come in touch with. We can love, we just cannot do it in and of ourselves.

This week find something small that your grateful for, whether it be hot water, food, or just a copy of the bible. Thank the Lord for it.

I'm planning on starting up a book/small group at the Shelby Broad River Coffee shop on Monday nights, please pray for this endeavor and if your interested in being apart of it let me know.

Fog!

It's Saturday morning and I was going to run 5 miles, when my knee started hurting and the fog was to thick. I shall wait til later in the day.

It's given me time to catch up on some things, like reflecting.

How often do you reflect? I know I don't as often as I should. I usually only reflect when times are good rather when there bad.

I look through life only how I want to see it. However, if we are new creations in Christ we should be looking through the lens of His vision not only for our earthly lives, but for our neighbors and His name sake.

I get so frustrated at circumstances that I can't control and often forget the moments I could chose to alter history and create a better outcome.

To recap my Christmas. It was quick. However, I did manage to eat at the Waffle House for the second year running, I think that is Tradition now. I was able to see a new movie in theaters and even chase a dog into the back yard after an hour and a half, more of that to come later this week.

I guess I just want to not worry so much about situations I can't change, but spend my energy and time on the circumstances of Life I can change with His strength, that's my attitude. I want it to be humble, obedient, and severing. That I could comfort, encourage, and urge people to live a life worthy of God for that is the meaning of life, for we were wired that way to explore new depths and heights of His love, for God does love you and loves you so much to not see you decay in the frustrations of life but to live abundantly in the joy of Himself and the pleasures of this day that He has created.

This Holiday live. Wake up from the slumber of Fog, the weight of fruitcake and run, breathe, experience the newness of the day and remember the Fog does eventually rise up and moves on, so should you.

Run Against The Wind

That's what I did today at 3 pm in the afternoon. Week 3 began today and it was 36 degrees and windy.

I really didn't want to run today because it was so cold and I had stuff I needed to do, but they were really all excuses.

While running back to the house, I was running straight into the wind and it was one of those moments in which I just wanted to stop running and start walking. It hit me that's like so many of us in our everyday lives. Will see the worst in people, jobs, situations, and even running. Suddenly, will just want to stop and give up. Today, I challenge you not to stop running, but to keep running and realize that the troubles may never seem to end, but that's what you thought about the last big epic struggle in your life and didn't you seem to make it through.

Learn from this one so that when you feel the wind kick up and start blowing in your face on a cold day in life, no you'll be home soon for that's were the prize is. It's a cold glass of water or a hot shower.

If these analogies didn't fit your situation plug in what works. Just don't stop running and when you feel alone ask someone to run along with you, for life was meant to be done together.

Merry Christmas and don't drink to much eggnog or eat to many cookies.

You There?

I'm here and I'm sorry for the delay of keeping everyone up to date with my life. I guess I was to busy learning that there are only three words in the English vocabulary that look like this. Roomkeeper, Bookkeeper, Innkeeper. Thanks Pat Sajack from the Wheel of Fortune.

So what has been going on with me seems to be the most asked question these days.

Well, not to terribly much except for what I'm about to blog about.

I want everyone to know right now that I'm training for a Half Marathon because of health, getting fit for India, and lastly for the celebration of Nick and Caroline getting married.

I plan on running in the Country Music 1/2 Marathon and look forward to training and actually running in it.

I could use the encouragement and prayers for I'm great at starting something, like running and not finishing.

This all came about after a recent stint of cooking which I've really enjoyed.

If you know me, I used to hate buying groceries and even cooking. I nearly burnt a house down one time cooking fajitas. I've been cooking though for about four weeks now pretty regularly and actually buying groceries, not just a few items but a shopping cart worth.

These things are all apart of an effort to do something each year that I have never done before.

The first day of training went well. It happened to be windy and 41 degrees, and I ran all two miles with everything I had. Today I shall run another 2 miles and can't wait. Running with people really helps and brings more meaning to Do It Together Sometimes.

Have a great day and I'll keep you posted.

Saturday Morning Reflection

Honesty is the best policy.

You've heard that one before but you know it's so true.

I hear our conversations and I listen to my own and I'll be honest, we are afraid to be honest and open.

Why? I'm not really sure. Maybe it's the fear paralyzes us to the point of not speaking in truth and in order to not look like a fool we resort to keeping quiet or to the point of speaking in lies. I admit, the lie is easier and more fun in the moment than having to put your whole self out on the limb to tell the honest truth of what is going on. Even if you don't know what is going on.

The Danger...

of keeping silent or telling the lie is that a root of bitterness really begins to grow and we become a people of envy, jealousy and provoking others to the point of them losing some dignity they may have.

How could this be who we were created to be? It isn't. We were created for more than that. We were created to have a base for our truth and a base on which to stand firm on.

The Solution...

is to speak in truth and love. Slow to speak if I may say and quick to listen but certainly speak. Speak wisely, just don't throw out promises after promises that you know deep down you can't meet. Don't be afraid even though you may miss the opportunity to share. There are other moments in life to share. Share early and not late. I don't know fully but I'm learning and that should be the goal.

As a body of believers we must become honest and get to the real issues of what we are thinking and feeling. We must do this with love, peace, gentleness, humility, and patience. It must be for more than just ourselves but for the body as a whole. We must not hold it in, or it will turn out like water ready to explode from a tea kettle shut tight.

Today listen in the silence share in the conversations.

What!

I hope you're cool where you are. It's the hot and muggy time of year when all of our windows come down and the air flips on and we wished we had a pool to jump in or you go and jump in someone Else's pool.
I just got done watching the entire first season of the Cosby Show this past weekend. I have now again become a fan of Bill Cosby. I forgot how much I liked that show and how much it really was apart of my life growing up. I recommend that you watch a sometimes corny, but mostly funny show that really valued family, doing your best and culture.
I think that we could all use a lesson in those areas of our lives. I know that it's a TV show and that I shouldn't live in some fantasy but I really do think that the time of loving your wife/husband for forty six years is possible again. I think that the idea of taking some responsibility for our actions could be reintroduced to our day in and day out lives.
Lastly, as far as culture is concerned, there is a ton of art and music that could be rediscovered to our generation. I just bought a couple of songs from the show that were really good, and not just good to the ear but good for deep down in the soul. Lena Horne and John Coltrane, WOW. I think that this month should be the month of Jazz. I at least want to become more familiar with a really good form of art and style.

Today thank the Lord for the family that Loves you and if you don't have a family that loves you maybe you should start loving someone that doesn't have a family.
Today thank the Lord for the opportunities that you have and if you feel oppressed maybe today is the day to make opportunities.
Today thank the Lord for the melting pots of cultures that exist in one country and if you don't have any in your town than use the medium of technology that you're reading this on to find some different cultural experiences. Let us begin to suck all of the experiences out of this gift of Life that we have.

I'm Back

It has been a few months and weeks since I last left a word for you to read over. It has been a journey over the past few months. One I was not really expecting to journey down but nonetheless one that has been joyous and eye opening.

I'm writing this blog in response to a request for a blog to be written. I normally like to write these with a little inspiration backing them, but for Lauren Biggs I'll write one regardless.

I would love to give you a run down of life right now.
1) I'm still working at Broad River Coffee Company and love it. I get to meet a wide variety of people that remind me that People are People and that we really need some help in this thing called life.
2) Still living with my brothers Nick and Justin who continually remind me that I need sharpening and that the best way to do that is let them Sharpen you.
3) I have an opportunity to preach on May 18th at pastor friends church in the research triangle of NC. So you fine readers keep me in your prayers.
4) Hoping to take my grandmother to New York in the early part of June so if you have any suggestions of places to see and things to do pass those along.
5) Still planning on going to Malaysia. (July 28-August 9) Pray for me and that the trip. That I'll be open to the spirit of Truth and what God wants to say to me and how He wants to use me.
6) That we have a choice to live a life that Honors God or Dishonors God. We can choose to make much of Him by the way we treat ourselves and others. I guess i'm just understanding that we can really by the grace of God and his strength make Him known by the way talk, walk, and live. May we really clothe ourselves with gentleness, compassion, humility, kindness, forgiveness, and be motivated by the Love of a father that first loved us.
7) My Birthday is May 13th and I will be 24, oh my.

Until next time.

The Conflict - Introduction

At this very moment there is a war going on in the Middle East. It has been going on for many years now and there never seems to be an end to the conflict over territory nor over the right and wrong way to live life in those countries. Right now there is a conflict within the country of Africa in which people are starving to death and are dying from a horrible virus known as HIV. Right now there are little children being sold for sex to older adults in the country of Thailand. Infact, in the five minutes that it takes you to pump your gas 67 children will starve to death. It seems that the Conflicts of life never end.

As you read this and as I hear this many times my heart feels a quick sadness, sometimes even an angry emotion will ignite in my soul. For many of us Americans we don't understand starvation, nor do we understand selling our children for sex and we can't begin to comprehend the idea of war in our backyard. We usually end up saying that these tragedies are terrible and ask "how could something like this happen, especially if there is a loving God," I mean God does love you and I right. For the record He does. We will turn off the radio or TV and go on about our lives that seem to be free of Conflict. However, I think there is a conflict that sometimes isn't visible to the outside world. Conflict that can't be tracked for the yearly statistics. A Conflict that wages war on the inside of us. A battle that consist of weapons of pain, loneliness, anxiety, unworthiness, regret, resentment, and last but not least Fear. This Conflict starts within your soul and works it's ugly self out on to others and sometimes the Conflict works itself out of others onto you.

This Conflict may have been going on since you were the age of six. The Conflict may have started the first time you slept with him thinking that he would make you feel valuable and valid as a human being. Sometimes the Conflict began when you were awake one night and looked at that website thinking that no one would ever find out. The Conflict could have started the night that you had a dream to do something great and significant with your life, but the Conflict says you can't because of who you are and what you have done. The Conflict started for some when the moment of success did not persuade others to think more highly of you or of anyone else for that matter and it left you feeling empty and fearful for your life.

Something is after your thoughts and soul, something that will not bring you life but bring you a false sense of reality. The fact is you and I are wanted Men and Women. The reality is outside of us and inside of us, is a reality that wants to destroy us. A reality that wants to suck the life out of us. The reality that wants to continue to feed us the lie that we will continue to buy, because honestly it feels better and is more comfortable than the truth. Of course then what is truth? This Conflict takes us from Life to death. We become more than the men and women we were intended to be but simply existing creatures of habit, of fear and emotional depravity, and forced to conform, into standardized people of society in which we work and work for things that will make no difference and be of no true change of the world around us. We have become OK with the OK life. It seems the Conflict never ends, because the truth is it doesn't.

Again sometimes this Conflict starts out subtle and your unaware of it. I mean the starving kid started out as one, but unfortunately it doesn't become a problem until 67 are starving every five minutes. The same is true with our souls, they are starving for food a different kind of food than a cheeseburger. Our souls are starving for truth, meaning, intimacy. This doesn't become a problem until we are either bankrupt, stricken with disease because of a bad choice made one night, working on our second divorce, or maybe so afraid to step up and out of the ashes to maybe become the man or woman that we were created to be.

This Conflict could look different for everyone, some the conflict is the loss of a job that you were hoping to get. The other could fall into the category of a broken relationship that was all you had and had built on so much trust, but the trust was broken and suddenly you were left wounded, empty and hurt without an end in sight. The Conflict could be a fear so deep that it haunts you all night long. The voice that tells you, "you aren't good enough, you will never be anything." It's the voice that has been saying the same thing since the beginning of time. Sometimes the Conflict comes from our choices and other times it comes from the choices of others. As if it were a bomb that exploded around us and we were the victims of mere shrapnel flying through the air. I remember having a History teacher in High School who always said that "War is Hell" she wasn't lying. You may actually be reading this and think Conflict, what conflict, life is good and what possibly could be wrong. Just know that you are not invincible and Conflict will come and I hope that you would be prepared with the strength and hope to press on when the fire is turned up.

The Conflict seems dark, lonely, and without any hope in sight. You are tired and broken from your core out. You try to do everything that everybody tells you and still there seems to be no end to the darkness that surrounds you. It seems that you have wound up in the oven and that the chef forgot that you were in there and you are truly burning to a crisp. Will you use what strength you have left inside of you and journey with me along this path to find Life over Death. To move from a masked being who hides behind shame, guilt, loss, and mostly fear, to a person who rises up to greatness that represents the God who does love you and created you to be joyful in Him. To live in relationship to Him and with others for a greater good that surpasses all that your vivid imagination could think or ask. To live outside of shame, guilt and fear because of a God who loves you and came for you no matter what has been done to you or you have done to yourself. Sojourn with me to discover a truth so profound it would be consider scandalous, a hope so moving that you couldn't stop moving towards action till your very last breath, and to be found and to find a love that conquered death by laying it's life down for you and I, so we could share that surpassing knowledge with others who feel trapped, afraid, and fearful for existing to continue.

Venti Soy Mocha

I love working at a coffee shop for the reason you get to meet so many interesting people.

While at work yesterday one of my regulars came in and I made there usual drink, One Venti Soy Chocolate Mocha. In the process of making the drink I asked, “why the soy?” They informed me that there stomach was the master and that they were the slave. They described that when really stressed they suffer serious stomach issues and for that reason any type of drink or food makes it worse.

This customer was a slave to the stomach. Are you a slave to the stomach? Am I a slave to my stomach? It goes deeper too I think than being a slave to my actual stomach. It goes to being a slave to those deepest desires that somehow I know are wrong but I continue to feed them. My soul is hungry for food and not just chicken soup. My soul longs for the day to be loved and love. My soul yearns for the meaning of life, which really means the job I will do for the rest of my life, even though the meaning is much richer and deeper than just an external work. My soul thirsts for water that will quench the parch desperation of being wanted and needed by others. The reality is we are that customer; however the hope is greater and more profound than the stresses we are faced with everyday.

The stomach and the cravings will die as will we.

The spirit will live for eternity in Heaven or Hell.

The spirit can and will give us the strength here in the present if we feed it the very thing it needs.

What are you feeding your soul via the spirit? Are heart is a great home for cleanness or uncleanness. It’s what comes out of that heart that determines what is going to shape tomorrow. Yes, there are choices of others that have effect on our lives and I’m convinced though we have a choice how we respond to those choices. We must become a slave to a new master, a master who is humble, loving, merciful, forgiving, and above all else God. He is what we need, He is what will give us life, He is what will help us to conquer the stresses of everyday life for his burden is light, He is exactly what our soul and spirit hunger for He Himself created us with a piece of Him in us. We have been separated by sin and have the access to be reconciled to Him through His son Jesus.

Jesus claimed to have living water and be the bread of life. He has the key to a new life and a new creation beginning inward and working its way outward.

What bread will we eat today and what water will we drink today?

Vivir

It seems that I'm in a particular season of reflection of life.

Without any real sense of major direction, I find myself reflecting back on where I have come from. I recently heard it said that in order for you to realize where your headed and to become who you were created to be you have to realize who you are and to realize who you are you have to see who you were.

What I was before this moment in time was, dead. Not in a physical death, but in a spiritual death. The reality is we are either alive or dead. Our souls are in need of life or in need of food for that life. The dilemma comes in the way of trying to find the true food, the true source of life, to find our self.

I find it interesting that Jesus says that in order for you to find life you must lose it. What?

I must be willing to lay down my life...
In all my desires of advancement for the sake of me.
In all my desires for the best career that will help me to live a comfortable life. In all the dreams of finding the best mate that will fulfill all my wildest dreams of stability.

Jesus challenges us by saying in order for your soul (true self) to be satisfied you must deny all that your flesh desires, take up your cross, which in essence demands we would walk the hill of Calvary and slaughter the deepest emotions and desires that are outside of God and Follow Him realizing His desires that will not advance who we are in society but who He is as God and Lord. That we would trust (put our faith) in Him for the only source of life. That we would follow Him. His mission was to serve God the Father and to do only that which God wanted Him to do. That was to be a sacrifice for all of Humanity. The cost is no less for us. We are to do what God wants which in essence would be to lose our life for His sake. To use all that we have not for our good but for His name and Kingdom.

Maybe it sounds strange and maybe it goes against the teaching of some, but it's clear in the red letters that Christ raises the bar of living and challenges us to more than simple mediocrity of our self. And the most amazing thing is He says we don't have to do it alone, He will be with us in Spirit.

We immediately read those words and want to give up, but I'm finding that as Jesus looked on the crowds He had compassion for them and healed them. I think that he does the same now. He looks at you and me, in all of our sickness that goes against the character of who God is, and He has compassion on us. We can stand firm in Him, because He is now our life and we are now hidden in Christ. For we are now a new creation, in a new Kingdom that is advancing in the integrated world of an old kingdom. May we fix our eyes on Him for He truly is the author and finisher of our faith.

It's Good

I'm back in Boiling Springs, NC and really feel like i'm at home.

It has taken some time to get used to making lattes and smoothies, but it has been well worth it.
When i'm not working, you can find me trying my darndest to build community throughout the community and try to piece together a book that i'm working on in my mind as of right now. I'm also trying to read a lot these days. I find that we spend so much time being busy with things that really don't make a difference and mean anything in the end.

I hope life is well for all you blog readers and note readers.

Life is good, I just keep remembering that though my circumstances seem crazy and uncertain, Jesus is the certainty.

Have a wonderful Friday and weekend.

Welp!

After traveling around and being so uncertain and still a little uncertain, I've decided plant self back down in Boiling Springs, NC.

It was a hard decision but I know that it will be good.

Thanks to all who love me and pray for me and to those who are in Anderson you really should come and visit me someday in Boiling Springs, NC.

I'll begin work on Monday and looking forward to spending my time doing a little of that since it has been a while since I was last employed.

Keep shining and rocking.

Home

I'm coming back to Anderson today.

Kip Anderson - Woman How Do You Make Me Love You ?