My Ministry

Living in Hawaii, I often hear the good-natured, but sarcastic statements about "suffering for Jesus in Maui," usually followed by "Yeah, right!" I get accused of surfing for Jesus more than suffering. Just in case you have ever wondered, let me clear the air on this topic. It is often sinful-feeling to be able to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a place like this while serving our Lord, but it is still ministry, nonetheless. I enjoy meeting people from around the world on a daily basis and helping them grow in their relationship with Christ. I may speak with millionaires and homeless in the same converation or teach the Bible to the highly educated and illiterate together. I may share Christ with the addicts of drugs and alcohol or the addicts of surfing and laziness at the same time with both of them looking for the Deliverer of their addictions. There are many more examples, but I think you can realize that ministry is whatever God has us doing according to His will in the places where He has placed us. As I go about "ministry" today, I hope God blesses yours, too.
Aloha -

Organization?

I have been working hard at being more organized. I like structure and organization, but I often run without any in my office, especially at the desk. My desk is usually so full of clutter than I can't find a clean space on the top. Recently, I moved an old desk back into my office to help spread the waste, I mean work. Now with the two desks in place, I feel so organized and am prepared to become much more efficient. Yeah, right. But, I like it for now. Just remember when I may be late in posting a new blog that I possibly can't find my keyboard! Have a uncluttered, blessed day - I'm trying to do the same!
Aloha

Monday Morning Quarterback

Usually football fans think they know exactly what must have been done for their team to win the game. These fans that vocalize their opinions are called 'Monday morning quarterbacks' because they are not on the field, but they have it all figured out just in case they were to be called in next game! I watched the Lahainaluna/Baldwin game this Saturday night in which our beloved Lunas ended up one point short of a victory on the scoreboard, but many points ahead in being true winners. I have had the privilege to be on many sport teams of many different levels with many great coaches and talented athletes. Even though I have experienced intense rivalries and high pressure situations all the way to National Championships, I have never seen a team of players give their all for an entire game as I witnessed from this Luna team on Saturday night. I watched young men battle injuries and cramps, fatigue and all of the other trials faced on the field, but they never gave up until the time was out on the clock. I am impressed with the determination of these young men to leave everything they had on the field and not hold anything back. They played with the respect, dignity and class that was expected of them. Regardless of the score, Lahainaluna High School is proud of the team that represented them Saturday. My hat is off to you, Lunas, and I'll keep proudly supporting you until we bring home the state championship trophy his year! Imua!
Aloha -

Oh My!

The day has come - my little girl is 16! Just a few short days ago, she was all of three pounds, twelve ounces in the NICU at Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. She came six weeks early because she couldn't wait for her turn in the regular part of the newborn section of the hospital. She had to get out and check things out! She still is that way today. But, she's also still Daddy's Girl. She has grown to be a lovely young lady, just a beautiful as her Mother, yet with some of Dad's good qualities (if you can believe that I have any.) Her days are filled with smiles and joy and friends that text all day and night. On occasion, she may grumble about doing chores or having homework, but is mostly a happy young lady. I know, one day soon, I'll see her go to college, get married, get her first real job and many other facets of life, but for now I'm struggling with today. My little girl is growing up and I pray for God's protection, wisdom and joy to be hers. Happy Birthday, Sis! I love you - Dad
Aloha -

Midweek Already?!?!

Wow - time has a way of zooming sometimes. We have had a great week so far at the Martin household even though we have faced some challenges. Taylor will be 16 tomorrow and Wendy has been working feverishly to make sure that her party goes well. She will be having a combo party with Brandon because he just turned 16 also and they are close friends from church/school. I shouldn't be so amazed that a few days have passed so quickly when I think of how fast the past 16 have gone. I'll share a little more about Tay's big day tomorrow. Get ready - it will be here like a flash!
Aloha -

My Daily Exercise

I'm in the office for just a few moments playing catch-up before I head to the LPGA Kapalua Classic. Yesterday, during the pro-am, I sat at one of my favorite holes, #3, and recorded the scores for the teams as they played through. Today, I'll be walking with a group leaving #1 at 12:20ish, so I'll be getting my exercise while walking the Bay Course. I hope you have a great day and tune into the Golf Channel if you can. Be blessed!
Aloha -

A Quick Break

Over the next few days, I'll be taking some time out of the office. Every January, Dad and I volunteer for the Mercedes-Benz Championships, the first PGA Tour event of the year here at Kapalua's Plantation Course. This year, the LPGA is coming to Kapalua for the inaugural Kapalua LPGA Classic, a tournament that should bring over 100 of the LPGA's best to the Bay Course. Soon after January, I received a letter from the volunteer headquarters that asked if would I be available for the LPGA tourney and I signed up to be a walking scorer - one that walks with a three-some each day and records each shot of each player in the group. It sounds like fun, but I'll find out tomorrow. Keep an eye on the Golf Channel if you can - I might be walking with the winner! Have a blessed week and I'll try to keep everyone updated on who I will be with through my Facebook account.
Aloha -

Monday Morning Rush

After a great weekend, I sometimes get caught behind a Monday morning rush of stuff to do. Today is one of those Mondays, but it seems to be manageable. Tonight, when I get back home, I'll nestle in my throne chair in the living room and watch football and think of how I'm glad that the day is over. But, now is the time that I have to remind myself to enjoy every moment of this day and allow God to do what He has designed for it to be. I hope you start your day that way also, because the busy-ness of our days can cause us to miss the best parts of it. Have a blessed day and then enjoy your football tonight.
Aloha -

Whatever You Want

I'm not a fatalist that believes that events are totally destined to happen regardless of our involvement and that God has a fixed plan for every move of ours that we cannot resist. But, I know that He works through and in circumstances of our days to His will. Today, I was going to take off from the office and join Wendy at the beach, since she is out of school for the fall break. I woke up to take Taylor to Driver's Ed (thanks, David!) and realized how cloudy it was outside, even in sunny Lahaina town. So it appears that the beach day has been postponed for a car washing day at the house - do you think that God wanted me to wash and wax Wendy's car instead of snorkeling? I'm not sure, but He definitely knows how to arrange things that work in my favor! Be blessed!
Aloha -

Piece of Paradise

As I was driving to the office this morning, I noticed a cruise ship sitting off-shore that must have moored last night. As the ships come into Lahaina, we do not have port facilities that are large enough for a cruise ship to dock, so they remain off-shore and shuttle their guests to town. Sitting off of the coast, they give the appearance of being very large and even look imposing to the neighboring islands of Lanai and Molokai. The ship I saw this morning looked beautiful sitting in the cobalt blue waters of the Pacific with the emerald island of Lanai in the background with just a hint of morning sun reflecting from the white exterior. Some may consider this place a piece of paradise, but I remained amazed at the fact that if this place is so beautiful, yet is cursed by sin, how much more incredible will the perfection of Heaven be! Be blessed today in your piece of provisional paradise, but keep looking for the perfect one to come.
Aloha -

Oooooooo!

Yesterday, I took a little trip to the chiropractor. Actually, it was the massage therapist at the chiropractor's office, but he does alot of the same stuff. My lower back has continued to bother me over the past few weeks and he found the spot that needed to be corrected. Oooooo! That hurts! But, it is already feeling better and he gave me a few exercises to strengthen my back in that place that should have me pain-free in no time. His explanation of my problem and a few points to learn about stretching and exercise reminded me of how intricate our bodies operate and how one part can suffer because of the inabilities of another. The human body is so fine tuned that it is incredulous to imagine that we evolved into these creatures that we are. Now, I know that topic is one that will be angrily debated until the last day, but as for me and my house, we believe that in the beginning, God created. Make "Realizing that you're blessed by God" number one on your priority list today.
Aloha -

Too Many Blessings...

I already consider myself to be blessed beyond belief whenever I consider the fact that I have eternal life, abundant life and an overall great life in Jesus. But when I factor in the many other blessings of life, I realize that I have been overly blessed. Consider my family: I have a wonderful wife and two healthy, smart and otherwise fantastic children who love me and make each day a genuine treat. Consider my ministry: I have an incredible church ohana that loves me and my family and supports, encourages, and shares the abundant life with us each day. Consider my community: I have a beautiful city with many great people that I talk with, coach with, serve with, play with, surf with, eat with - you get the picture - and they are super. Consider my trials and struggles: I have far too few compared to the blessings, so I'll keep trusting God to walk me through them. Have a great day counting your blessings - name them one by one if you have enough time.
Aloha -

Into The Weekend

Fridays are the door into the weekend. If you have a bad Friday, the weekend usually seems OK, but if you have a great Friday, the weekend seems excellent! The Maui County Fair is in so we'll make a trip to Wailuku and check out the rides and the food. My favorite part is the exhibition hall where the incredible flowers are displayed. There we will find orchids of every kind and color, tropicals that are amazingly beautiful (even more than normal!) and other flowers that I never knew existed. With that introduction to the weekend tonight, it's looking pretty good. I hope you're going to have a great weekend and remembering how you are so blessed.
Aloha -

Abundant Living

You may have seen the video of Matt, the guy that travels the globe to dance. Here is the clip from his 2008 journeys, if you haven't seen it yet. One thing I noticed in Matt's video is that he seems to have not any problems in getting individuals to join him. His objective is to dance a silly little dance, but it draws others into joining him because of the lack of fear that he shares and their desire to be involved with something that appears to be fun and unhindered. Why can't our lives in Christ be so contagious? Are we afraid to live unhindered by man's points-of-view and live openly in the power of the Holy Spirit? Is the life in Christ supposed to be joyous and stress-less? Can our love of the abundant life in Christ be contagious or infectious to the world around us? I hope this video can inspire you to live joyfully in Christ. Dance blessed today.
Aloha -

Schedule? What Schedule?

I often ask myself, "Self, why do I even try to arrange my days?" It seems that I work more effectively when I have a schedule to follow, yet my schedule is usually wrecked by 10am anyway. I worked hard to make that schedule, straining my brain to make sure that I could do all that I needed to do in the short day that I had to work with. But, even though I may stay a little less organized at times, I know God has it all figured out and if that's what He wanted me to do, then I did my best to follow Him rather than the calendar. He used the time better than I would have anyway. Go about your day blessed and follow God over your schedule, whenever He says.
Aloha -