Tony Wheeler dot Net - Latest Comments

Re: The Pain of Staying the Same

Bill Ellingson — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 11:13:11 -0000

I feel you brother. My prayers will be with you. I feel that God is going to take me through similar. The pain of staying the same is getting too great.

Re: Redemption of a Sith Lord

Carolyn Counterman — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:37:59 -0000

Yes, Vader did prove that he was not beyond a second chance. The good thing about God's grace is that we don't have to prove anything before He offers the second chance. Which has made my choices to come back to Him much easier. Now if I could just extend some of that grace to others, before they ask or prove anything...

Re: Redemption of a Sith Lord

Andrew Ronzino — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 07:05:35 -0000

It's amazing how one choice can either make or break our lives. But it is good to know that if and when we mess up, God is there to hand us a second chance. I also am looking forward to being a Jedi again. Thank you for sharing this with us!

Andrew

Re: The Elephant in the Pew

Coenraad Fick — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 03:57:36 -0000

Hi Tony. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment that we as leaders in the church need to lead in the example of being debt free, as well as looking after our bodies in the best possible way.

We are currently working through Dave Ramsey's program to get debt free, and we are more than 50% there already after less than a year. As far as fitness goes, I try to exercise as much as possible, training for an endurance race early next year, doing 910km in 9 days on my mountain bike. Loving being fit again, and seeing the weight drop off me like stones.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Coenraad Fick — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 03:46:24 -0000

Great post on giving a second chance.

We always need to remember that God doesn't distinguish between the size of sin. There is only sin, or no sin, and looking at that fact, we are all the same level of sinful people.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Carolyn Counterman — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:09:01 -0000

Good stuff. I need the reinforcement for sure.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Tony Wheeler — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:05:38 -0000

Paul, good thoughts. I hadn't thought about it that way. I think it might be because it isn't as personal. The stuff many of these folks do really have no impact on our lives with the exception of some media coverage. While I don't think that the stuff that Tyson has done are good, they really have had no impact upon my daily life. If my best friend did the same, much more impact...You get the point. Thanks!

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Tony Wheeler — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:02:41 -0000

Thanks a ton for your thoughts, Eileen. Appreciate your blog/site..especially Coffee Beans. Glad God created those!

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Tony Wheeler — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:58:47 -0000

Makes sense to me, Mike. Sort of like speck/log debate...Vision gets pretty clouded by own random tiger fur.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Tony Wheeler — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:57:33 -0000

Matthew -- Thanks for dropping in. Great thoughts, I'm not sure why "they" get different treatment. Really doesn't make much sense.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Tony Wheeler — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:55:26 -0000

Thanks for coming by to join the convo...Now I want to buy a Nintendo. hah!

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Paul DeBaufer — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:13:13 -0000

But I think we are so much more forgiving of celebrity than we are of others. I wish we would extend the same grace to all that we extend to celebrities (well most, as I do not see forgiveness ans grace extended to OJ much at all.) I firmly believe that we need to extend grace and forgiveness to Mike Tyson, OJ, and everyone.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Eileen — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:18:06 -0000

It's interesting to me how society will often say...that person doesn't deserve a second chance and all we have to do is look at all the stories in scripture to know "deserving" has nothing to do with it. God would still be searching if he waited for those who deserved it. That's the whole point of grace. Nice post.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Mike Foster — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:01:10 -0000

great post tony! i love the line "blinded by Tiger fur." loved reading your thoughts on second chances....peace...m.

Re: Beyond Punched Out

Matthew Miller — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:57:58 -0000

I feel like we hold people in the limelight to a higher standard. One "big" mistake and they aren't worthy of anything anymore. Yet we mess up over and over again. "the same grace and forgiveness we bestow upon ourselves, we MUST extend to others." Great post!

Re: Beyond Punched Out

mohan37 — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:20:48 -0000

007 373 5963. i will never forget those numbers. 25 years, and i remember them. can't remember phone numbers, but I remember Mike's numbers.

Great post. Don't believe your hype. We're all susceptible, and we all share a common vulnerability. Thanks Tony!

Re: The Grass Over There is Greener

tony — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:15:55 -0000

That is awesome, Bill. I'm right there with ya. I think that most folks can endure any how as long as there is a compelling reason why.

I had a great discussion with one of my best friends a couple weeks ago and something he said resonated within me. I've been praying like a madman to figure out how to harness one of my greatest strengths and use it for the Kingdom. So, waiting on God!

What is it that you're really passionate about besides Ice Cream and Twin's baseball?

Re: The Grass Over There is Greener

Churchjester — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:25:57 -0000

That should read, "but I WANT to do more with my life."

Re: The Grass Over There is Greener

Churchjester — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:23:44 -0000

The green grass doesn't entice me as I don't like to mow lawn. Ha Ha Why am I doing what I am doing?? It keeps ice cream on the table! But seriously, I am in a rut. I don't hate what I am doing, but I don't want to do more with my life. It has nothing to do with money. I will stay doing what I am doing as long as I can get involved with something I am passionate about. Vision is a bit blurred in that regard, but I am closer to an answer. I think the 'delay' has nothing to do with the calling, but EVERYTHING to do with molding me to fit the call.

Re: Birds of a Feather

Tony Wheeler — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:32:23 -0000

The only people who eat their friends are cannibals. I'm pretty sure that isn't legal. Just sayin.

Re: Birds of a Feather

Bill B — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:13:05 -0000

Hey! People hangout with me and none of them have turned into a jackass! (Sorry if you or any of your readers take offense at my 'attempted' humor.)

Anyway, Scripture teaches that we ARE to be careful with our associations. Like the old adage says, 'You are what you eat.'

Re: Organic Cube Farming With Dwight Schrute

Tony Wheeler — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:41:11 -0000

In checking out my analytics, I find it hilarious that 'organic cube farming' is actually quite a popular search term in Google. HILARIOUS!

Re: Organic Cube Farming With Dwight Schrute

Tony Wheeler — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:43:53 -0000

Great comments, gents. I appreciate the time you took to share.

Bill -- Totally agree with you about not allowing your job to identify who you truly are. Knowing you, I can be certain that this rings true in your life.

The part that I find interesting is that many, many people have the idea that whatever it is that you do for cash, it what you are. I usually know immediately when I meet a new person where their identity is. Sometimes it is just small talk, but 98% of the time when someone asks, "So, what do you do?" You know where they are headed.

Chris -- On point, bro! Option 3 really sucks. For me, working in that role basically sucks the life out of me. I'm somewhere in between options 2 and 3 right now, which is interesting. Not that I have a mindless job, but it has very little bearing on the mission. But, I'm getting paid a lot better than I used to so I have a bit more time to work on the mission...So could be a lot worse!

More to come...

Re: Organic Cube Farming With Dwight Schrute

Chris Marsden — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:58:35 -0000

I am not sure if it is "just a guy thing," but I totally get what you mean. I much prefer a job that resonates with my calling/identity.

For me, there are three scenarios that I have been happy with.

1. A job that IS the mission.
2. A job that coincides with the mission.
3. A job that is so mindless that it has no bearing on the mission.

Obviously, option 1 is ideal, but option 2 is a really close second. When I worked at the music store, there were a lot of things that didn't quite fit my goals, but the flexibility and the chance to hang out with and interact with people meant there was a lot of opportunities to keep the mission going.

My favorite option 3 job was working at UPS. I unloaded trailers for 5-6 hours everyday. It was completely mindless work so I could think or pray and still get paid. It didn't help the mission (except provide cash) but it wasn't a distraction from the mission (except the time involved).

The jobs I've hated... ones where I have to completely change hats.

Re: Men are From Mars

Bill B — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:35:52 -0000

You describe, exactly, how it was with my wife and myself when I was married. (Notice past tense??) The truth is that the 'language' is irrelevant when a person hasn't a clue their ownself??