Offenses

Had something interesting happen last week.  A group of college students is using our church to host a worship festival called "Broken."  The local band that is leading worship is not pentecostal, but simply because it was being hosted at our church a youth pastor in town was concerned if it would be too pentecostal and if some who weren't pentecostal would be offended.

I don't understand this, excuse me while I rant a little...why is it that people are only concerned if people who are not pentecostal get offended?  Why doesn't anyone ever think that pentecostals could get offended because it is to NON pentecostal?  

Please understand I am not incredibly pentecostal, I am a pretty conservative person, I grew up baptist, but have been pentecostal since high school so I can understand both sides.  But why is it that within the Church we are only concerned about offending the non-pentecostals?

Just a thought...

Pride...

Gary Fowler had a great post about forgiveness today based on a teaching from Charles Stanley...I love the line "pride tells us that we are better than the person who hurt us."  Check it out...it is a GREAT READ!

Swimming Upstream

Yesterday I drove to Columbus for a planning meeting for an event coming this summer. As we sat in the meeting discussing several things I kept bringing up some different ideas about a couple of the sessions, only to be met with some resistance. I will admit that it became a little frustrating that one person in particular in the meeting constantly opposed by ideas.

Allow me to say right know that I didn't nor do I think that my ideas HAD to be followed, or where necessarily the best. It became quite clear though that this person and I approach ministry from two different perspectives...neither of which are wrong...just different.

I don't know why it is, but I feel like I find myself constantly swimming up stream, constantly going against what is common. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to come across as some kind of maverick know it all...I am not! I just have a tendency to get tired of the status quo...the "we've always done it like this" mentality. But this is exactly where my dilemma comes in...

I don't claim to be the most creative person, but sometimes I feel that I/we tend to ministry/events out of memory more than out of imagination (I think that is a M. Batterson line). I wish I was a more creative person...I wish my own ministry didn't operate with such routine, but I guess in the busyness of ministry that is what becomes the easy!

Does anyone struggle with the frustration of status quo with things your involved in, but at the same time you find your personal life or ministry immersed in it?

34 years ago...

Well today is my 34th birthday, but it doesn't really feel much like a birthday. Meg is out of town at Original (she gets home tonight! I can't wait to have her back!), I had to go into the office for a couple of hours this morning to cover for a couple of volunteers that couldn't be there to take our Angelfood orders. Then at 2pm I have to be back at the church to attend one of our board members renew their wedding vows. Then I have to run a couple errands in preparation for tomorrow morning service...needless to say it feels like just another Saturday...not that I am looking for a bunch of pomp and circumstance...just wish I could of had the day to do what I want...anyway...got to go...later!

WE DID IT!!

I am pretty tired this morning, I stayed up till 1AM watching my Jayhawks win the 2008 National Championship! It was an incredible game! Both teams played each other very well and neither had anything to hang their heads about!

I thought we had lost it when we were down 9 with just a couple of minutes left, but with Chalmer's miracle shot with 2 seconds left to send it to overtime I felt like the momentum and advantage swung our way! What a night!! I am so happy today!!


ROCK...CHALK...JAYHAWK

Not Since 2003

I still remember sitting in Damon's restaraunt in Mentor Ohio with my good friend JT watching my Jayhawks as they lost the National Championship game against Syracuse (they had a no name player named Carmelo Anthony).

Well it is now 3 years later and I am in a similar place. I am going into a National Championship game with hopes of my Jayhawks coming out a winner, but as with Syracuse they are going against an incredible team with an incredible record and player in Derrick Rose.

This year is a special year as it is the 20th Anniversary of KU winning the 1998 National Championship with Danny Manning (who is an assistant coach on the current KU team). I pray that God will look down upon my Jayhawks and bless them with another Championship...I know that God doesn't probably care much about B-Ball, but it would be so awesome to see them win!

So join me as I watch and pray that I can get up tomorrow morning with the thought of "Kansas Jayhawk's...National Champions" on my mind!!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK

What if?

I was surfing through some of the blogs that I check on a regular basis this morning and I saw this story on Anthony Coppedge's blog about a church in North Carolina called Kinetic Church...rather than me telling the story I will let the blog, video and website speak for it self...but as you read and watch, just think "what if this happened to me?  How would I respond?"  I have to be honest...not sure that I would respond in such a manner!  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Easter is over...

That past week has been pretty crazy. I have been spending a lot of time getting prepared for our Easter Production. I was in charge of shooting the video and I also helped with some of the sound/tech stuff. With a rehearsal last Tuesday a dress rehearsal on Thursday and then the actual productions on Friday and Sunday.

Things went well over all, know I just have to spend time at the computer editing. I am glad that it is soon to be all over because I can finally focus on the things that I want/need to focus on...once I catch my breathe a little I will try to fill you in on some of the things that have been happening and some of the things that I are going on in my crazy head...

Later!

8 Wonderful Years

This past Monday through Wednesday morning Meg and I had a wonderfully relaxing time at Kalahari here in Sandusky. We arrived Monday afternoon to a VERY busy resort, we found out that it was Ontario's spring break, so needless to say we found ourselves surrounded by a bunch of Canadians, Ay!

Anyway, that evening we had a couples message then dinner. Tuesday I had gotten Meg a manicure and then we pulled Kyrsten out of school an hour early so we could spend some time with her swimming at the waterpark. That is when is happened...as we were standing in the kiddie area...Meg saw it first, a site that we couldn't believe...it caused us to look at each other and start laughing and then look at the lifeguard standing by us and laugh as well. It was a middle aged man, probably in his late 40's maybe early 50's walking around in a speedo...yeah you read correctly...a speedo!

I could not believe that someone would wear a speedo to a water park where families are hanging out and having fun together! My first thought was..."he must be a Canadian..." hahaha j/k! The second thing that I thought was..."there should be a law against wearing those things unless you are in a sanctioned swimming event, like the Olympics!!" Do you think we could start a petition to take to Congress?

Anyway we had a great time with Kyrsten and overall it was an awesome time to just get away and relax together!

Day off, Wii and Playing in the snow...

Today was a really cool day!  I got a call from Pastor Hiser saying that we were canceling service at around 630AM, which allowed me to sleep about another 3 hours!  Just after I got up I got a call from Pastor Tom (our associate) telling me that the Toys R Us here in Sandusky had 60 Wii's TODAY...so just after 10AM I ran up there hoping that people were still digging out and couldn't get there...I was in luck!  I was one of the first dozen!!  So I bought the Wii and headed home.

After getting it all hooked up I played a quick game with Kyrsten (she is catching on fast!) and then we met Meg's parents for a lunch buffet at Chet & Matt's!  Spent the afternoon playing Wii with the fam and then watching the Nascar race!  My boy Tony Stewart came in 2nd!  It was a good day!

After the race we got the girls dressed up and took both of them outside to play in the snow...It was Kinsey's first time...she didn't care much for the snow, other than eating it (it was clean) after seeing her sister do it.  I will try and post some pics soon.

Then it was back inside for Dinner and more Wii!  To sum up the day...it was cool to just hang out with Meg and the girls!  It was nice to sit back and relax and just be a family!

Looking forward to tomorrow...Meg and I's 8 year anniversary is Tuesday, so her and I are heading to Kalahari for a couple of nights to just relax and hang out together!  CAN NOT WAIT!

Blizzard!

Yesterday a bunch of guys headed to Firestorm (an ohio AG district men's conference) in Columbus. As we left to head down the snow storm started to hit. OH 250, OH-12 and I-71 were all pretty snow covered, but we still made it there in like 2 1/2 hours.

The service last night was Jeff Saturday, the center for the Indianapolis Colts. Even though he spoke for over an hour, it didn't totally feel like it, he told some pretty cool stories and had a cool testimony of how God has worked in his life. Following the service our group to Quaker Steak for some wings and then headed back to the hotel. It was still snowing, the roads were so so, but with my 4 wheel drive Explorer nothing to be concerned with...

This morning I was woke up by a pounding on my hotel room door. It was Pastor Tom and a few other guys saying that the weather had gotten ALOT worse in Columbus and in Sandusky so they wanted to head home, so I threw my stuff together and we jumped in the car... we barely got out of the parking lot and we had to push a guy who had gotten his car stuck.

Long story short, we ended driving all the way to Strongsville on 71 to catch the turnpike and take it to Sandusky. In total it took us 4 1/2 to 5 hours to get home. I feel sorry for my brother in law, Ken DeChant, it took him almost 7 1/2 hours to get home...going the same way.

When we finally got to OH-250 we followed a plow up to Sandusky...I kid you not, there were times when I couldn't see the plow and we were only 10-15 yards behind him...it was crazy! Just glad to be home safe! It seems that most of Ohio was in a level 3 emergency with the roads... I am kind of hoping we cancel church tomorrow, but we will have to wait and see.

One final note, I saw Gary Fowler at Firestorm and he told me that if I didn't start blogging again then I was off his list. So Gary, here you go! I do apologize for the lack of post recently, since my last one we had fine arts and several big projects going on around the church. I am finally starting to catch my breathe...I will catch you up on the happenings of the past few weeks soon!

BeMinistry.Com Commercial #2

Just finished editing installment #2 of our beministry.com commericals...check it out and let me know what you think!

BeMinistry.Com

I love working with a team! This past week in our staff meeting Sam our music pastor came up with an idea to do a spoof of the eharmony.com commercials as a promo for our upcoming ministry fair on March 9th. He came up with the idea, Pastor Tom (our associate) helped me recruit the talent, prepare some lines and cue cards, as well as purchase the domain name (beministry.com) and set up the website and I shot and edited the video.

It really came together well! This is the first of 3 or 4 videos, so I will try and put all of them on my blog... I hope they look okay and are not to pixelated. I want them to look clear, but not take forever to load...enjoy!

Repentance and Confession!

I must confess to the 5 or so people that read this blog that I have failed!  I failed in such a way today that I am not sure is to forgivable!  I gave in to an incredible temptation...I broke my fast of not watching TV for about 6 hours this afternoon...I watched the 50th running of the Daytona 500.

I will admit that I thought about and a lot went into my decision (which I won't share now because it would be perceived as making excuses and that would an accurate assumption).  I also spoke with a particular youth pastor friend of mine (who will remain nameless) who told me he fasted OSU games for the entire season...except the OSU v Michigan and Bowl games...so I am not the only one to give into such tempation.  

So I gave in, I watched...I really enjoyed it, because by Tony Stewart finished 3rd and could have won!  Anyway...at 7:30pm when the coverage ended I turned of the TV and will resume my fast!  The cool thing, I don't feel condemned or convicted!  I know that God knows my heart and even though I stumbled and messed up, he allows me to get back up dust myself off and continue!  A valuable thing to remember in life...wether you are fasting or not!

I have a crazy week this week and my beautiful wife is sick today with the flu...she puked from 12:30am till 9:30am...so I am trying to keep my girls and me from catching what she has...please pray...the last thing I need to to this week is get sick!

It's My Last Name!

Today was the most incredible Valentine's Day I could have ask for...we found out this morning that Meg is expecting a little BOY!  After two girls I honestly went into this ultrasound planning on hearing it was a girl.  The last thing I wanted to do was get my hopes up only to have them crushed by reality, like what happened when we had Kinsey's ultrasound.  

I cannot tell you the joy that I felt when she said, "You are having a boy!"  I know it may seem that I am making a big deal of this...but it is important to me!  My father was an only child and I am an only child, so my grandfather (smelcer) would say, "the name dies with you son!"  Even thought he wasn't intending to put pressure on me...I felt it!  When I heard the news I couldn't help but think about my dad and especially my grandfather and feel like I had fulfilled a wish and a desire for them!

At this point I am simply asking God that he would be born with no complications and totally healthy!  Thats the other thing that has been going through my mind all evening, how gracious God is!  I mean think about it ...God knows already what my son is going to do with his life...what he will be, who he will marry...God has it all planned out...and he has not even entered the world yet!

I serve such an awesome God and I am so thankful for everything he has given me...my wife, my girls and now my son!

Catch UP!

CRAZY! CRAZY! CRAZY!  The past week has been very eventful...I will try and recap as briefly as possible!

• This past Wednesday I began my first "Lent" fast.  I have decided to give up TV for lent, and I got to admit...it is HARD!  Right now I am in my bedroom reading and surfing the web as Meg is out in the living room watching TV.  I know fasting is supposed to be hard and it has taken a week just to get into some kind of routine in the evenings, and slowly but surely I am getting in one...but I did almost blow it last Thursday, I am such a creature of habit I came in the house sat down in my recliner and grabbed the remote.  Meg kind of screamed, "you can't do that!" I looked at the remote and looked at her and "oh yeah!  Habits can be hard to break!
• Friday I shot a video with my Pastor and Judge Binette and then went to Dave & Busters with several couples from the church to celebrate a couple of birthdays!  It was really fun, I really enjoy going out with other married couples with kids...it is such a cool time to develop friendships!
• Saturday...this was an AWESOME day!  We dropped Kyrsten off at the middle school at 9AM and until 1PM she learned a few cheers and a small dance routine as part of the "Perkins Future Cheerleaders" event,  at 1PM we saw them perform.  I am such a dork of a dad...I took both the churches Sony HD cameras and recorded her (with my father-in-laws help) one wide angle and a close up on Kyrsten.  Plan on making a DVD for my parents back in MO.  Then that night she performed at the halftime of the boys JV game...she was so cute with her little pom poms!  Then we celebrated at Chili's after that with papa and nana!
• Sunday was church and nasty cold weather!
• Monday...kind of vegged on my day off...we did have Parent/Teacher conferences for Kyrsten...she is doing well with only a couple of things that she needs to improve on.
• Today - Had staff this morning; we are planning a small ministry fair at the church on March 9th...I have to make promo videos for youth and video ministry and flyers for them as well as angelfood.  Then we had the idea to spoof an eharmony commercial to promo the ministry fair, so I have a lot of video stuff to put together over the next couple of weeks
• Oh I almost forgot...Fine Arts!  Coming down to the wire...it just over a week away and we don't have the schedule, but I know everything is going to be okay...just means that I will have plenty of things to do for the next month or so...

As you can tell my life is jammed packed right now...but to me honest I am really enjoying!  I told my pastor last week...for the first time in ministry I am truly getting to do the three things I love most...1)youth 2)missions 3)video.  My biggest challenge is finding the balance to do them all with excellence and not let one slip...but I am working in recruiting people to help so I think it will all be good!  

Please understand if my post are sporadic over the next few weeks, but I will try and do my best to check in and share what is going on and what God is doing in my life via my fast!

The Fast has arrived...

Well I am down to 1 hour 20 minutes left till Ash Wednesday and the start of my "NO TV FOR 40 DAYS" Fast.  I am really excited about this!  I have never done anything like this, but I truly feel that this is what God wants me to do...I have no doubt that it will be tough, but I am looking forward to what God is going to do in my life! I will keep you updated to what God will be doing over the next 40 days!

I found out that I am not the only one giving up TV for lent...check out Mark Batterson's Blog...I may have to touch base with him for encouragement along the way!  

Super Bowl!

Normally when you watch the Super Bowl you know you will see some great commercials and you HOPE to see a great game.  I must admit going into this years Super Bowl I was relying more on the commercials than the game because I really figured the game would be over by half time...but man was I wrong!!

That was one of the best Super Bowl games that I can remember!  I must say I was pulling for the Patriots (even though I really don't like them) because I am so SICK of hearing about the '72 Dolphins, but I am happy for the Giants.  I am not a fan at all of the Giants coach, but I am a fan of Lawrence Tynes (former KC Chief & by fantasy football team kicker)! 

I am so thankful for such a great game because ironically, in my opinion, the commecials this year were mediocre at best!  There were a few good ones: Budweiser's Clydesdale (with Rocky Theme), the Doritos Mouse, the E-Trade Baby, the funniest had to be Will Ferrel's Bud Commercial.  There were a few others, but to me those were the best...but I gotta say unlike previous years there were none that had me laughing really hard (except for Will Ferrel's)...most just got a giggle.

Would love to hear some of your thoughts about the game and the commercials!

February 6th is coming soon!

Last year I read several blogs about guys fasting or giving something up for Lent, even thought they are not Catholic, they recognized the importance and significance of what Lent represents.  I really felt like God was leading me to do it last year, but lent had already started and I slacked.  

So this year I began to pray in advance remembering what God spoke to me last year.  But I really struggled with what I was going to give up...I am eating better, so giving up pop and that kind of stuff wouldn't really cost me anything or be much of a sacrifice.  As I went down the list of things that I would normally give up on a fast nothing was much of a sacrifice...UNTIL...I was praying one day and all of a sudden God said it...He spoke something to me that made me cringe..and I new that was thing...but what a sacrifice it was going to be...He said, "TV."  OUCH! 

Now don't get me wrong...I am not a total couch potato, but currently I have several shows that I watch regularly! Chuck, Celebrity Apprentice, Big Shots, Friday Night Lights, Journeyman, The Unit, and a couple of other shows.  On top of that the 2008 Nascar season starts in February as well as March Madness...so needless to say I am praying that the writers strike continues till April...hahaha

I am looking forward to this with bridled anticipation, I mean I am excited about what God can and will do in my life as I give up something for Him.  At the same time, it is going to be so hard to be "out of the loop" in what is going on in my shows...(holy cow, I sound like an old lady talking about her soap operas...).

I plan on getting some good reading in over this time and more importantly some great family time... I will update through the process in what I am learning, reading and doing with the family.

Have you considered giving up something for Lent in order to draw closer to God?  Would love to hear some comments about what God is speaking to you!

Great Sissy Daddy Time

Tuesday night I treated my little Kyrsten to Starbucks.  I had been in Columbus all day at a meeting and wanted to spend some time with Kyrsten...just her and daddy (what we call daddy/sissy time). Snapped a couple of cute pics of her with her "kids hot chocolate."  She was so cute and it was just a cool time of talking and finding out how things were with her...the time was short, but it was just a little something cool to do with my little "big" girl!.

Today we had "Donuts with Dad" at Kyrsten's school...we took the cutest picture, I will get it scanned and put on sometime next week...it was so cool to spend more one on one time with Kyrsten...it is something that I am making more of a priority.  I find myself so consumed with work or ministry sometimes that I don't want to miss this part of her life...especially now that the third one is on the way!

Oh! be praying...we find out on Valentine's Day...February 14th what we are having...I know everyone is agreeing with me in prayer that there will be a "stem on the apple!"