The Neely Team

Ø Top-bunk beds make good diving boards into imaginary swimming pools made of excess pillows and blankets

Ø You cannot ride five stick horses at once

Ø If you splash the bath water hard enough, you can soak the one who’s bathing you

Ø Behind the phone stand in the corner is a good home for baseball bats

Ø Stuffed monkeys like to climb onto ceiling fan blades (and will stay there until they are removed by room cleaners)

Ø It’s not funny when binkies, toys, and important papers get placed in the trash can

Ø No matter how hard you try, you cannot drive away from Dad in a parked car

Ø Quarters are not edible

Ø Bungi-cords are good van toys when strung on the hanger hook with a water bottle on one end

Ø Step stools and/or rocking chairs turned up-side-down and filled with pillows make nice tree stands for hunting, just like Dad’s and Big Sister’s

Ø Supportive poles in the basement are also good places for hunters

Ø A desk lamp on the floor shining into your little sister’s mouth is very similar to the one used by the dentist

Ø Bowls of chocolate pudding are fun to play in

Ø Tractors are no longer called “tractors”; they are now called “brr brrr brrrr”

Ø If you scare your sister bad enough, she will jump three feet in the air before losing all of her limbs (in appearances at least)

Ø Sisters in deep concentration at the piano and/or violin are good targets for scaring

Ø Toy guitars have small holes which are fun to put things in

Ø Live hermit crabs are hard to get out of toy guitars

Note: if you have learned something that you want to add to this list, please do so in the comment section. Thank you!

-Management

(Of this site at least)

Jesus, my Savior, my God, my King,

I surrender everything.

Take my life, my heart, my all,

And on thee I’ll always call.

Hear me, Lord, and use me now

And before thee in heaven I’ll ever bow.

Send me always where you will

And I’ll forever follow still.

Deliver me from mine enemy swift,

And in Thine loving arms me lift.

Always, Gentle Shepherd, keep

Me ever from those waters deep.

All to Thee, my Savior, Friend,

Keep me always to the end.

And when I take my final breath,

Lead me through the vale of death.

I know the gentle life you gave

Has kept me from a wretched grave.

When hanging on that cross you died,

Your love for me was testified.

Rose of Sharon, blooming flow’r

Saved me with His matchless pow’r.

This last week, at the generous invitation of a business colleague of Daddy’s (as well as a family friend!), Mr. Glen Traylor, we were able to take a trip to Charlotte, NC, for the annual dinner held by Illinois Tool Works (ITW). This year it was held in none other place than the NASCAR Hall of Fame! The whole place was amazing, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there, even getting to “race” in the simulators. The main room, where the actual dinner was held, was uniquely fringed by a short track lined with full-sized models of the numerous types of cars that have raced throughout the years. Beneath each model was a square sample of the type of pavement the tracks are/were made from, details for where that particular track was/is located, as well as the slant of that track. (We actually stood – or attempted to stand – on the “current” slope that racers are using, which was a tilt of 36 degrees! Sounds pretty easy, but was kind-of painful on the ankles!) As I sat in that gigantic hall, though, and I contemplated the situation we were in, and tried in vain to “soak it all up,” – for, after all, it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience – the thought fleeted across my mind that none of this, in light of eternity, really matters. How easy it is for us to lose sight of our goal and become consumed with things that are temporal! The question comes to mind: If I were faced with the choice today, would I choose to have my name remembered and glorified in this Hall of Fame because I gave my life, my very all, for a sport that’s as neat as racing, or to  have my Creator’s Name magnified and exalted because, by His matchless grace, my name was among that “great cloud of witnesses,” – and present in the “Hall of  Faith”?? What would YOU choose?

The opportunity to visit NASCAR is something we will probably never forget! It was a ton of FUN, and we are all incredibly grateful for the opportunity and privilege of attending. Thank you, Mr. Traylor!

But today, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God…” (Colossians 3:1-3)

Back in January, I was riding home in our cousin’s car from taking a tour with them of Accurate Innovations, the company my dad works for. Uncle Dan, Aunt Lisa, and our cousins David, Brian, Rachel, and Samantha, had come down for the first time in eight years – and what a joy to have them! As we started for home, I noticed a book tucked behind the seat, entitled Do Hard Things. With David’s permission, I picked it up and began to read. I only got through the first two chapters or so, but was enthralled! Written by nineteen-year-old twins Alex and Brett Harris, I was amazed with the amount of convicting truth they presented in their message to today’s teen-age young people. Soon after that, I put Do Hard Things on my “hope to get” list, and my parents gave it to me for my birthday. I finished it a few weeks ago, and, though I can’t agree with everything mentioned in the book, the Lord has greatly used it to show me many areas that I have been shrinking back in fear from doing hard things.

So, what is it?

Basically, it is a call to young people to use their youth – their days of strength – for accomplishing HARD things for God’s glory. This has been the pattern throughout history, but somehow, today, we young people have fallen outrageously short, and are even being encouraged, directly or indirectly, to do so. Alex and Brett coined a term for the change they are encouraging us to make: Rebelution. Defined: a teenage rebellion against low expectations. In my opinion, the idea of a rebelution is something that all, not just those between the age of 13 and 19, should take to heart.

Our culture is flooded in low expectations.

By God’s grace, we must begin the raise those expectations. It begins here and now, in our own lives, or it will never happen. Our expectations and goals shouldn’t be based on the society around us, but on the principles and patterns of maturity and godly character found in Scripture, and then we must act upon them.

Our children will thank us someday.

Here are some categories of Hard Things the Harris twins have identified, and some of my favorite things they said about each one:

I. That first scary step: how to do hard things that take you outside your comfort zone.

God works through our weaknesses to accomplish His big plans.

Courage is not the absence of fear.

You can’t get to success without risking failure.

What could your life look like if your trust in God overcame your fears?

How could your life be different if you chose to do hard things outside of your comfort zone?

II. Raising the bar: how to do hard things that go beyond what is expected or required.

We recommend that rebelutionaries do three hard things that go above and beyond what our culture expects and take us closer to what God expects: 1. Do what’s hard for YOU. 2. Be known for what you do (more than for what you don’t do). 3. Pursue excellence, not excuses.

We can identify complacency in our lives by asking ourselves the following hard questions and then answering them honestly:

-What areas of my life do I not care about that I know I should care about?

-In what areas have I fallen short of God’s standards and my own potential?

-In what areas have I settled for just “getting by” when I know I could do better if I really tried?

-In what areas have I decided that things “will always be this way” without ever putting in the kind of effort that really changes things?

III. The Power of Collaboration: how to do hard things that are too big for you to do alone

Don’t overlook home field advantage – family is a God-designed vehicle for collaboration that most miss, even though we’re right in the middle of it.

Credit is free if you give it away. One of the common dangers we’ve come across is that pride (for example, looking for credit or taking offense when we feel overlooked) often sabotages team efforts. What to do? We recommend dealing quickly and respectfully with hurt feelings… and establishing a team code that says, “Credit is free around here, and we GIVE it away!”

Together we can accomplish great things for God, starting today… Pray and plan. Then go for it.

IV. Small Hard Things: how to do hard things that don’t pay off immediately.

Small hard things are the individual repetitions – like a single push-up. They are seemingly insignificant by themselves but guaranteed to get results over time.

Every action, no matter how small, is defining our future harvest…If we’re willing to strive for excellence, even in the boring, repetitive tasks and responsibilities that others delegate or neglect, we will reap the powerful benefits that others miss. Embracing small hard things can make a radical difference.

Your actions… can bring honor and glory to God if you are willing to throw yourself into them 100 percent just because they’re things He has given you to do… The fact that you face those unwanted tasks is not a mistake; it’s an opportunity. And, because God is good, by doing what He has put before you with all your heart, regardless of whether it appears significant or not, you will find yourself benefited and strengthened, ready for the next big thing.

V. Taking a Stand: how to do hard things that go against the crowd

… We need wisdom to understand how to properly evaluate each situation so that we can stand at the right time, for the right thing, and for the right reasons.

If a challenge comes to mind, don’t ignore it. Take a first rebelutionary step. The hard thing you’re contemplating may be the biggest, most difficult, and most rewarding hard thing you’ve ever done. Don’t miss this good thing God is inviting you to do, and don’t tell yourself it doesn’t matter.

Doing what is right always matters – and it matters now.

Let me introduce you to some very special friends. The Lord brought us together for a particular purpose: so that we might glorify Him as we build our relationships with each other and seek to fulfill His purposes as a uniquely-designed team. These friends are encouraging; they inspire me. They love the Lord and make His Word a priority. I am thankful for each and every one of them! We make a lot of unusual, precious, fun, and touching memories together. They are each an incredible blessing on my life from the Lord.

To all my wonderful siblings: I LOVE YOU!!!

**Picture taken April 2010 by the Neely Team.

Several years ago, Dad and Mom got us the kid’s book called “If Everybody Did.” This bit of comic accurately illustrates the impact that even our little actions have on those around us, and what would happen if everybody did things just like us. For example, if one person drops their toy on the stairs, they don’t think about it at all. But if everybody did it, just imagine the broken, bruised, and battered body parts we would have from the many crashes down the stairs!! (If you ever want to see the picture that goes with that one, come see us! We’ll show you the book… ) So, next time you do something careless or something that isn’t-so-bad-but-really-isn’t-wise and think it doesn’t matter much, imagine what it would be like if everybody did it too!

We were enjoying a good giggle about that book a while back, when someone suggested that we come up with a list of spiritual things that work the same way.

- If one person determined to pass out just one tract a week… how many could come to Christ if everybody did??

- If one person meditated on one verse a day and, by God’s grace, applied it… how much more godly would our responses be overall if everybody did it??

- If one person strove to give a smile to 10 people he/she saw in the store… how many hearts could be cheered in a day if everybody did??

- If one person read one good book a month… how much more knowledgeable would our society be on important issues if everybody did??

- If one person commended a godly character trait they saw displayed in someone’s life… how many would be encouraged to keep doing right if everybody did??

- If one person went out of their way to be a blessing to one other person every day… how many would be blessed if everybody did??

- If one person invested 10 minutes of their time every day into someone younger than 10 years of age… how many fewer teenagers and adults would be on drugs, alcohol, and in prison if everybody did??

- If one person spent 30 minutes a week with someone at least 15 years older than him/her… how much wiser would our society be on a whole if everybody did??

- If one person exercised for 30 minutes every night instead of watching TV… how much more brain space would people have and how much healthier would people be if everybody did??

- If one person denied himself every week of one thing he wanted if he couldn’t pay for it in cash… how much less American debt would there be if everybody did??

Well, yes, the chances of getting everybody to do even one of these things are pretty slim… but BE ENCOURAGED!! It starts with you!! Just imagine if your entire family and only one other family did it… for us, depending on the size of the other family, that could be over 20 people! But even if your family is smaller, it STILL starts with you!!

Would you be willing to step out of your comfort zone and do just one of these things (or an idea you come up with) today???

And just remember what would happen… if everybody did!!

Recently, while in NY, we had the adventuresome opportunity to trim Christmas trees. There were hundreds to do, and several different areas of work, too. Some people trimmed trees with machetes, some used shears, and one got to use gas trimmers. There were also old stumps that had to be cut out and hauled to the big brush pile at the end of the field. After a few minutes of talking, everyone was assigned their jobs and excitedly went to work. My job was to mow between the rows of trees, so that the people trimming could see better where they were walking. And that is what got me thinking…

I enjoy mowing the grass. I love driving tractors. But there was something different about it this time. Oh yes, I still was having the time of my life, bouncing around on the tractor seat, being careful not to mow over a tree. However, this time, I wasn’t just cutting the grass because it was too long. Yes, it definitely was way too long. But it was my job to prepare the way that everyone else would walk.

I couldn’t help but think about how this applies to life. I’m blessed to be (at least) a fourth generation Christian. I’ve heard of how my grandparents and great-grandparents prayed for their children and have seen how their testimonies impacted everyone around them. These men and women carefully laid out the path for their descendants to follow.

Through the years stories have been told of God’s faithfulness. I can remember hearing of the ways God miraculously provided during difficult times. These stories have been told “… that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments…”(Psalm 78:6-7). My grandparents have laid a foundation for their future children. That includes my parents, me, and my children. It is as if they were running a relay race, and passed down the baton from one generation to the next.

Now comes the big question… What will I do with the baton? Everyday the choices that I make will affect not only me, but also everyone around me, and many will affect those who are yet to be born. Not only that, but decisions often build on previous decisions. In other words, how I make my decisions today, will also affect how I make my decisions tomorrow.

With this sobering thought in mind, what am I doing on a daily basis to prepare the way for the next generation? What choices am I making and how will the future be affected?

Many times in the path of life, we’ll hit “stumps” that will cause us to stumble, as it happened to me while I was mowing the Christmas tree field. There was one time I got stuck between two stumps, and I couldn’t go forward or backward. The path to which we have been called will not always be smooth, but one thing is for sure – God will always give us grace to continue on. At other times, we may feel that we can’t possibly go any farther. This happened to me when I found myself stuck in a huge mud hole (I later found out that there is a spring in the middle of the field). The tires were sunk halfway into the  mud, and there was no way I could possibly get out on my own. That is when “reinforcements” came and pushed me out of the mess and set me on the right track again, being careful to show me exactly where not to go.

During times like these, we must remember that God has a specific purpose for each of us, and He is bringing that to pass one day at a time. It is so exciting to see how He works out even what we consider “tiny” details into His plan. But, we have a responsibility to keep our focus on Him, maintain a clear conscience, and be ever ready to follow His leading.

So as you go about your day, remember that God is using you to unfold His plan. Remember that you are making decisions that will affect many others and the future. But also take into consideration the path that you are leaving for those who will follow you. Where will it take them?