DAN GOULD

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Author: dgould77

  • Anniversary – Six Years of Marriage Bliss

    That’s right, today is our six year anniversary.  Yes, Stephanie has put up with me for six years and I look forward to many more years together.  I think she does also!!!

    We started the night out at Terilli’s.  Last year a couple of people got us a gift card to Terilli’s and we loved it.  The food was good and the atmosphere was great.  However, last night the atmosphere was still great, but the food and the service not so good!  We came with great expectation but left with less than average experience.  If it wouldn’t have been for the Dark Chocolate Seduction cake, we would have really left disappointed in the food.

    Following dinner, we decided to go see the Dark Night.  Great movie, not for kids, and very long.  There is one point that I thought the movie was going to end but then it continues for almost another 45 minutes.  We both liked it! A lot of action and the story line is pretty darn good!

    Last Night, was fun!  I look forward to growing old together!  Here is a pic for my Jeep before we went on our adventure!

    This is the pic Stephanie likes, I think I look anoid and not that excited. There is a better pic of both of us but she didn’t like her hair in them!

  • Saturdaze!!

    This weekend Stephanie’s sister Rachel has been in town.  So Saturday, we ventured out to the new Buffalo Wild Wings in McKinney.  I am the only one that had been before, so the rest of the family was skeptical.  The boys had fun, they got balloons and crowns, what kid doesn’t like those things.  I loved the wings.  However, the girls were less impressed and our service was good but slow.  So what should have taken about 45 minutes to eat took an hour and a half.

    After we were full, we spent the rest of the day, or so it seemed at Target.  My wife could live here seriously.  I like to shop, but for some reason Target drives me crazy.  Maybe it’s because I am so used to WalMart?

    Saturday Night we broke the law.  We went to our pool after hours.  We are rebels.  Joe wanted to swim and it happened to be 8:45pm.  Our pool closes at 9:00pm. So needless to say, we were the only ones there.  Tons of fun and we were able to take some awesome pictures!!!  Enjoy.

  • Matthew 18:10-20

    “If another believer[d] sins against you,[e] go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.”  v. 15-17

    Are you good at conflict?  I am not asking if you like to argue, I am asking if you handle conflict well?  This is a challenge for me.  I really dislike conflict, and have found from personal experience my tendency has been to avoid instead of confront.  When I choose to do this, the situation tends to get worse than better.  Jesus tells us that we should handle conflict with one word . . . communication!  I know, powerful.  Here is really what need to happen:

    • You communicate privately!
    • You communicate the hurt, disagreement, confusion, situation, sin!
    • You communicate care, resolution and restoration!

    Many times conflict happens when communication doesn’t, when expectations aren’t known or met, and when sin isn’t confronted.  However, the next time a conflict is on the verge of happening, take the high road, pray, listen, then talk.  You might be surprised by the outcome!

  • Mark 9:42-50

    42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell[a] with two hands.[b] 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet.[c] 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’[d]

    49 “For everyone will be tested with fire.[e] 50 Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”

    This startling language is not meant to promote self-mutilation, but instead stresses the importance of cutting sin out of our life.  Painful self-discipline is required of his true followers.  Giving up a relationship, job, or habit that is against God’s will may seem just as painful as cutting off a hand, but Christ is worth any possible loss or discomfort.  Nothing should stand in the way of faith.  We must be ruthless in removing sin from our lives now in order to avoid suffering for eternity.  Make your choices from an eternal, not temporary perspective.  — NLT Life Application Study Bible

  • New Small Group Ads

    Here are the 2008 Small Group Ads for Fusion Student Ministry:

  • Matthew 18:1-6

    About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

    Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

    “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” v. 1-6

    The first step in becoming the greatest in Heaven is to turn from our sin.  That means we acknowledge that we have sinned and then turn (run) the opposite way of that sin. But Jesus takes it a step further.

    Why would Jesus say that the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven are those who are like children?  I can see the confused faces now, can’t you?  This shocked the disciples because it’s not exactly what they expected to hear.  They thought they would hear Jesus say things like, if you do this and that and . . . then you will become the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  You name it, they wanted to be able to evaluate themselves and puff themselves up and aim for that position.  But when Jesus says to be like a child, He cut away any outward approval that would have caught them up in pride and achievement.  Jesus is so smart!!!

    So what can we learn from Children?  I have seen several times how kids have impacted adults and inspired change.  Maybe it’s the age of innocence, but we can learn a lot from watching and connecting the characteristic we see in a child, to the things God desires from us.

    Here are some quick thoughts that I have about learning from children:

    • They don’t have the extra baggage (pains, fears, doubts, experiences) that keep them from fully trusting God and others.
    • They are dependent.
    • They don’t have to have all the details before they can believe.
    • They are obedient (most of the time).
    • They are always learning.
    • They know how to have fun.

    We can learn a lot from looking at children.  What are some other characteristics that we can glean from children and apply to our faith?

    Today, will you have childlike faith, or will you continue to try to figure things out on your own?

  • If I had a daughter . . .

    I have always said girls have issues.  Emotions and all the other stuff that God made them to feel.  This isn’t a post to bash girls, I love my wife very much.  To be honest, before we were married we would talk about our ideal family being one boy and one girl.  However, God had a different plan and blessed us with two boys.

    While in Mexico there was one girl that melted my heart.  She had a smile that would just light you up.  I had the privilege of pushing her on a swing all morning and then playing with her the rest of the time throughout the week.  Here is a pic of the two of us that was taken by one of our students.

    I am sure my life would be much different if we would have had a girl. Tea parties would replace wrestling. Dance, gymnastics, and yes probably even cheer-leading, would replace football, baseball, and motocross.  Shopping, well what can compete with it when you are a girl?  It would probably trump everything and I would be really broke!

    But I do however, think that a girl would open up areas of my life that would bring great enjoyment.  Yes I said it, and yes I do believe it to be true!

  • Luke 9:37-43

    37 The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. 38 A man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. 39 An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40 I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

    41 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?”
    Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”

    42 As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father. 43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power.

    Today I want to learn from you!  Why does Jesus say, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?”

    Let me know your thoughts or your answers!

  • Jacksons Favorite Lunch

    Stephanie makes fun of me and can’t believe that I let Jackson try a burrito.  However, after one bite, he kept wanting more even scooting the high chair closer to the table when I was taking toooo long.  Go figure!  He can now eat a whole one all by himself!

  • Mark 8:22-9:1

    “Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’” v. 34-38

    Jesus asks His disciples “Who do you say that I am?”  Upon this question Jesus tells us what it truly means to be one of His followers. The NLT Life Application Study Bible Notes says this,

    We should be willing to lose our life for the sake of the Good News, not because our life is useless but because nothing – not even life itself – can compare to what we gain with Christ.  Jesus wants us to choose to follow Him rather than to lead a life of sin and self-satisfaction.  He wants us to stop trying to control our own destiny and to let Him direct us.

    Many people spend all their energy seeking pleasure.  Jesus said, however, that worldliness, which is centered on possessions, position, or power, is ultimately worthless.  Whatever you have on earth is only temporary; it cannot be exchanged for your soul.  If you work hard to get what you want, you might eventually have a ‘pleasurable’ life, but in the end you will find it hollow and empty.  Are you willing to make the pursuit of God more important than the selfish pursuits?  Follow Jesus, and you will know what it means to live abundantly now and to have eternal life as well!