Muppets with People Eyes

Ok, ok I know its been forever since I've posted.

To clear up any confusion, no, I have not died! No, I did not move out of the country! No, I do not have an incurable illness (that I know about anyway)! No, zombies have not attacked...yet!

If you're anything like me, the holidays, which should be relaxing, only seem to be busier than usual. So there's my excuse for not blogging recently - I've been busy, ok?!? So get off my back about it!

I apologize, I over reacted there. But it has been a crazy month. I plan on blogging soon about some of the moments that have taken place over the past couple of weeks that have contributed to the craziness.

For now, I know most everyone enjoys a good laugh, especially when it contains a level of creepiness to it. I was on Relevant Magazine's website and found something that might just be creepier than when Michael Jackson said "It's not sexual, it's love!" when referring to his relationships with children. Well maybe not that creepy...its hard to get too much creepier than Michael Jackson!

Regardless, hope you enjoy!

FROM RELEVANT MAGAZINE:

Everyone knows that part of the appeal of the Muppets is their weird and innocent googly eyes. And that fact is proven by this website, which shows what Muppets would look like with human eyes. The one word answer? Terrifying ...

More Stories - Community Corner Editorial

It seems like I've been in a season of stories here recently. I don't know if its just me, but it also seems like a lot of other people have been as well. As I sat in church this past Sunday morning, Kyle Idleman's sermon was based on stories. He was teaching about Hebrews 11, which is full of stories of heroes of the faith. Kyle said that many times when we describe our faith, we use language of feeling rather than something tangible. Hebrews 11 is full of tangible, real stories that demonstrate authentic faith in God. So when referring to faith, Kyle said "We know faith must be  more than feeling, because if you're going to act in faith, God will call you to do things you don't feel like doing."

Kyle proposed the idea that we know faith is actually authentic when its tested. He goes on to say that "When I ask you if you have faith, what I'm asking for is a story." He also says that "faith always has a story attached to it."

I think faith always has a story attached to it because stories are such powerful tools for communicating concepts that cannot be understood any other way. Stories connect us in a way that nothing else can. Stories of faith are the story of God. As I've mentioned before, your story is my story and my story is your story because our story is God's story.

So to get to what I was actually intending to blog about today - here is the latest Community Corner editorial I wrote for the program I run at the Y. Its centered around - you guessed it - stories. More specifically, its centered around the idea that stories connect us to each other and build community. So without going on too much more, here's December's Community Corner:

I was watching the Today Show about a month ago while I was eating breakfast. They featured a story of a family from Arizona who had lost their daughter in a snowboarding accident the previous winter. A couple of YouTube videos that the 13 year-old girl had posted before her death showed that she had a very bubbly, loving personality. When hearing her parents speak of the accident, the pain and brokenness was evident in their voices. Why would such a tragedy take place to such a wonderful young person?

The family received what they believed to be an answer to this question the spring following their daughter’s death. The accident that had taken their daughter’s life had only affected her head and neck, so the family decided to donate her organs. 

Meanwhile, a mother of two children was in desperate need of a new heart after she began experiencing heart failure at the age of 40. After receiving the heart, the woman began searching for the family from whom the heart had come. After some time, the families were finally able to connect. It was obvious that both the parents of the teen who was involved in the accident, as well as the mother who had received the heart, had tremendous love for one another.

By this time tears were running down my cheeks. My heart broke for the family who had lost their daughter. The joy of giving and redemption in how the teen’s heart gave new life to another brought on tears of happiness. 

See, stories have tremendous power. In their truest form, they relate life in a way that we can all understand. They tell of heartache and fear, pain and tears, laughter and joy, life and love. They relate emotions with which we can all identify on some level. Stories tell us about community.

Community is built around stories. When we are open and honest enough to tell others of our trials and failures, as well as our successes and hope, we are allowing them into our lives in a more meaningful way. We are enabling our stories to intersect with others’ stories in such a way that neither person walks away the same. When I share my story with others, and others share with me, it is no longer my story or their story – rather it becomes our story.

A few weeks ago, our Y-CAP guys had the opportunity to share their stories with the group. This is always a day that changes and shapes the group in a way no other lesson could. The stories are powerful when they are shared with an audience who genuinely cares and wants to become part of that story. It was amazing to see guy after guy get up and tell stories of how disappointment, hurting and brokenness have been transformed into stories of hope.

There’s a reason why stories, when shared, go from just being about me to being about us. Our stories which tell of trials and end in redemption are the story of God. As humans, we live out God’s story every day as we are involved in the messiness of life, yet find redemption at the Cross. A recent article in Neue Magazine put it this way: “When we, any of us who have been transformed by Christ, tell our own stories, we’re telling the story of who God is.”

My story is your story and your story is my story because our story is God’s story.

As we enter the holiday season, take time to experience community by telling your story. Listen to others stories. Remember the ultimate story of redemption that began on Christmas, the holiday we celebrate to remember Jesus’ birth. It’s through this story of redemption that my story becomes your story and your story becomes my story. At the Cross, our stories intersect in the most meaningful way and lead to the truest form of community.

Great Thanksgiving Article

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away now, most people are looking forward to one thing - all the great shopping deals they'll get on Black Friday.

While I'll admit that seeing the ads and the promises of a 52" Plasma HDTV for only 99 cents (ok, I'm exaggerating here), I feel like its at least worth taking the time to reflect on the significant rather than overlook it for the insignificant.

Relevant Magazine has published a great Thanksgiving article. Its definitely thought provoking and worth checking out if you get a chance.

So back to the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving - what we're thankful for.

I'm thankful for a family that provided a foundation upon which I can stand and grow. I'm thankful for parents who always pointed me to Christ in every situation I encountered growing up.

I'm thankful for pumpkin pie.

I'm thankful for an amazing fiance who has the mutual understanding that our relationship together is not possible without first having our full focus on God.

I'm thankful that my grandpa is recovering from heart surgery - which is nothing short of a miracle.

I'm thankful for the chaos that ensues at any family gathering we have. I'm thankful that every family gathering is not complete unless there are at least 50 people and 8 - 10 dogs.

I'm thankful for a church where I can grow in community and Christ.

I'm thankful that God has given me the opportunity to carry his message and reveal his love to those who are often neglected (because I know how I am so unworthy of this undertaking).

Looking at my life, I find I have so much to be thankful for. The list could go on and on and on and on and on and - well you get the point! Since Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and celebration on what we're thankful for, what are you thankful for?

Francis Chan Interview

Yesterday was an interesting day.

First, I woke up not feeling too great, only to find out I've got an ear infection and a sinus infection - but luckily its not all that bad. However, I guess its time to come clean and admit that when I get sick, I'm really whiny. I've had several girls tell me that they think all guys get really whiny when they get sick, including my fiance Ashley (who has a blog now by the way, you should check it out!)

However, I don't think that all guys are simply wimps about being sick the way girls want to make us sound. I've got a couple of theories on guys and sickness that might further explain why we become whiny. First, most of us have grown up with mothers who have taken care of us when we were sick as kids. Now that we've grown up, what's the next best substitute to a guy's mom taking care of him when he's sick? You guessed it - his wife or girlfriend!

The next theory I have for why guys are really whiny and kind of shut down for a day or two when they're sick is because we're always going and working hard. Now before I go any further, let me qualify this previous statement by saying that I'm not insinuating that women don't work hard. In fact, some of the hardest working people I know are females.

However, men tend to take on more of a role of a provider in their work. We also tend to let down our guard a lot less often. So when we get sick, its a chance to change our roles around, if only for a day. Instead of being the provider, we are being provided for. Instead of having our guard up, we let it down and allow our feelings and emotions to show a bit more.

While these theories are not completely exhaustive in explaining whininess among the male species when sick - and I'm sure there are plenty of women out there who can poke plenty of holes in these explanations - they're the best I have come up with so far. So women, take note - when a guy is sick, let him have a day or two and then things will get back to normal!

Back to my interesting day yesterday. Instead of staying home from work, I decided to suck it up and go in. I'm glad I did because not only did I get a lot of work done, but I had the opportunity to be challenged by a video that I watched and a blog that I read.

First, the video that I watch was an interview with Francis Chan. This interview is around 25 minutes long and is definitely worth checking out if you get the chance.

Next, my friend Charlie Landis wrote a great blog on the "What Ifs" of life. Essentially, it challenged me to take a look at my life and ask a lot of "what if" questions that I'm not sure I know the answer to.

In his interview, Francis Chan said something that really resonated with me. Chan said "When we do church in the corporate model we have right now...we find ourselves doing a lot of things other than discipleship and ministry." Chan reasoned that the biggest calling of Christ followers is to stay consistent with Mathew 28:19- 20 by going and making disciples. He went on to say that in ministry, in its traditional sense, there are a lot of activities that take place that are not consistent with going and making disciples. He said that he was finding that, in his life, ministry was actually beginning to mean spending less time in prayer, in the Word and in discipleship. This was something with which he was not pleased.

Now I don't work in ministry in the traditional sense of the word, but it really got me asking a lot of "What If" questions about the activities I do have to partake in as part of my work I do at the Y.  I find myself identifying with Chan in a lot of areas because, while some of the stuff I do is important, I'm finding more and more areas where I'm focusing too much energy on the wrong endeavors.

What if I spent less time trying to write life changing lessons and more time in authentic relationships with students that will change their lives?

What if I spent less time worrying and complaining about decisions our leadership makes and more time praying?

What if I spent less time reading sociology and psychology studies of youth development and more time in the Word?

What if I spent less time playing the political games that exist within our organization and more time in just being an authentic follower of Christ?

What if I had less conversations with students about going to college and more conversations about what it means to be a Christ follower?

As he said in his interview, Francis Chan noted that there's a lot of other stuff mixed into ministry that simply does not follow along with the model set forth in the Bible. Personally, I identify with him when he said that he has the desire to be liked. I find in my life, sometimes the desire to be liked in the work that I do can get in the way of doing the right thing for students. However, as Chan noted, "I don't know any popular prophets (in the Bible)."

The last contrast that Chan makes is between the church in America and the underground house churches in China. When some of Chan's friends who are pastors of underground churches in China came to the US, they made the following comparison:

In America, a lot of pastors feel they need to be famous in order to have influence and be effective.

In China, its exactly the opposite. The more influential Christians need to be more hidden and more underground. In essence, the more they are making disciples, the less famous they become.

However, I'm not sure this comparison is limited to just pastors in the US, but possibly Christ followers in all walks of life. In a lot of ways, many people place the desire to be known for something as a prerequisite to their contributions in following Christ. I know I find this tendency in myself more often than I'd like to admit. However, in His calling to us to take up our crosses and follow Him, Jesus is asking us to die to ourselves in order to bring more recognition to Him. Essentially, the less we are known, the more He becomes known.

This leads me to my final "What If" questions. What if I set all of my dreams, desires to be liked, need to be known and everything else aside? What if I gave everything I am to everything that Christ is? What if I allowed God to use me in every capacity that he originally intended to use me?

Stories

"My momma moved us up here from St. Louis right after my dad walked out because she wanted to get me out of the environment I was in there. It was really hard when we first moved up here because we were homeless. We moved from hotel to hotel, apartment to apartment."

"I described my father as a ghost, because that's exactly what he was in my life. He disappeared when I needed him the most and we never saw him again."

"Right before my mom and I moved up here from Compton (in LA), I was with my dad when he was shot. I was too young to know why it happened then, but my mother told me he was involved in dealing (drugs). That event has shaped me because its hard being 3 years old and watching your father die in the streets."

"At first, I didn't want to tell my story. I didn't think anyone else had been through what I've been through, but then I heard (the other guys) talking about how they were homeless and stuff. I thought I was the only one..."

While a lot of these stories sound like something one might read in a book or watch on a documentary about urban life. However, these are real stories from real high school students that live in my community. I know every one of the students who told these stories. Most of them are ages 15 - 17 and they have been through more in life than most people I know.

In the program I run at the Y for high school age guys, we just finished up a series titled Identity. Yesterday's lesson was "Story of You," where we gave the guys a chance to explore their identity by telling their story and understanding the role it plays in who they are now.

While some of the guys were more guarded and didn't really open up, others showed true emotion when they spoke of the events, people and places that had hurt them the most. They were telling of how painful, broken and dead some of our experiences in life can be. These guys who go all out on the basketball court and carry themselves with a tough persona through the halls of their schools, for one moment yesterday, let down their guard and opened up areas of their lives that they've tried so hard to hide.

One guy, who is really one of the most level headed and easy going guys I know, got up to tell his story. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Then a tear ran down his cheek.

Then another.

Then another.

Then he buried his head in his arms and started sobbing uncontrollably.

This guy told me later that his grandfather was very important to him, and had played a big role in shaping who he is today. He went on to tell me that he had been there to watch as his grandfather died from age and illness. He explained how he saw him laying in a hospital bed, only the shell of the man who he used to be.

Then I was able to share how I'm going through a similar experience with my grandfather now, who is in the hospital with a feeding tube in his side and hooked up to machines to stabilize his body and sustain life.

All of the sudden, our stories connected in a way that they hadn't before. Since we had been through  similar experiences with our grandfathers, we were able to connect on a level that previously hadn't been there. All of the sudden, this student's story became my story and my story became his story. Not only that, but our stories led to how we both have hope and trust that God carries us through these tough situations.

See that's the beautiful thing about God. He's one who restores and makes whole. He's a God who sees us in our hurting and brokenness and suffering and messiness of life - and He saved us when we were right in the middle of it all!

All of the sudden my story becomes your story and your story becomes my story because both stories are telling the story of God. God's story is lived out through us when we tell of our struggles, weaknesses and pain. See this is God's story because "at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died" for us.

Everything changes as our stories that include so much heartache and suffering turn into this beautiful picture of redemption. Christ changes everything.

As I sat and listened to the stories these students told yesterday, my heart broke for them. I was feeling this pain with them because its part of the role we were called to by Christ. It is essential to put ourselves in suffering alongside others because it is exactly what Christ did for us when he left the perfection of Heaven to come to earth and bring the hope of God's redemption. In coming alongside these guys to walk through their struggles, part of their story had become my story.

My story is God's story because at just the right time, He saved me. This is true for any other Christ follower. And to take that a step further, as Christ followers, our stories intersect at the cross. This is where our redemption takes place. We are made new in Christ. No longer are we defined by the pains, trials and brokenness of life, but we have a new story to tell.

When our stories intersect in such a beautiful way as that of the cross, your story becomes my story and my story becomes your story because our story is God's story.

Living in the Background

Here recently, its been evident to me that God is really trying to speak to me in a specific area of my life - following Him no matter what the cost. See I don't think I'm alone in the way I tell God that I'll follow Him and surrender to Him and give up everything I am in pursuit of all that He is...but so often I find that I'm only halfheartedly committing to Him. Rather, what I'm showing God through my actions is that I'll do whatever He wants as long as it works for me.

As long as I'm comfortable.

As long as it doesn't interfere with my schedule.

As long as I'm still financially secure.

As long as what I think He would want me to do in life is actually what He wants from me.

Kyle Idleman recently taught on this topic in a sermon at Southeast Christian Church. During this sermon, Kyle said something that made a lot of sense in my life - in fact I'm pretty sure he had me in mind when he wrote this sermon. In so many words, he said the way we approach following God's will is like this: "God I want what you want as long as what you want is actually what I want."

And I'm sad to say that I've found myself in this boat a lot here recently. From the decisions I've made at work to how I've handled some situations with friends and family, its become increasingly evident to me that I'm not only selfish in a lot of ways, but I've failed to let God guide me in those situations. I've gotten in my head only a few possibilities of what God needs from me in my life and I'm content to exist in these few possibilities because they are comfortable for me.

Kyle goes on in his sermon to say that God is so much more concerned with the "who" rather than the "what." That is to say He is more concerned with WHO we are than with WHAT we do.

If we are totally committed, all in and sold out to following him.

If we are men and women who are after His heart.

If His love for us and our love for Him are the motivating factors behind everything we do.

All of these factors play into more of who we are rather than what we do. Again, I have to say that when looking at my own life, I'm more concerned with the what rather than the who - that is to say I would rather know more about what God wants me to do rather than who He needs me to be. I think I'm beginning to find that the reason behind this is because when I focus on the WHO, I find that I'm failing miserably.

See I'm starting to discover that when I focus more on who God needs me to be rather than what He wants me to do, I realize that I have a lot of work to do. I have a lot of my life that needs to be surrendered, and I need to live in the BACKGROUND rather than in the spotlight.

The words to the LeCrae song Background - linked above - resonate so strongly with where I am right now. I'm realizing  that so many desires I have in life are there because they're what I want - and what I think God wants - for my life. However, I'm seeing that what God wants is not always exactly what I think it is. I'm finding that when I focus more on being the man God wants me to be, the more He'll be able to use me doing what he needs me to do - whether that is ministry in the church or in the Y or wherever else He leads me.

As I've been seeking God's will and what he wants me to do in life, I'm finding more and more that if I would simply die to myself - surrendering everything I am to find everything He is - I will find He has something so much greater in store for me than I could ever imagine. As I start to live in the background and let God take the spotlight, I'm content with the idea that what I want may not necessarily be what He wants for me. And as I'm continuing to die to myself, I'm more comfortable with saying to God: "Whatever you want - even if what you want isn't what I want."

Awkward Family Pictures

First, I cannot claim this idea as my own...no I have to thank my friend Charlie Landis for this glorious burst of creativity!

In the program that I run at the Y, we are getting ready to start a new lesson series titled IDENTITY. The whole idea of the series is understanding who we are as people and all of the different dynamics that are in play in defining who we are as people. The first lesson in the Identity series is titled "All in the Family," which explores the role families play in shaping people's outlook on life.

After lunch yesterday, Charlie gave me the great idea of finding awkward family photos to show as part of the lesson. We are going to use these as an intro to illustrate that all families are different. These are so hilarious, I thought I'd share some of the better ones the internet has to offer. Hope you enjoy!

We're all special...in our own ways.

"Mom, I've gotta pee!" "Well we're taking the picture anyway...whether you're in it or not!"

Did they realize the creepy man was in their picture?

Wait a second, we forgot to invite Goldilocks for the family picture!

Can we get a consensus on the dress code, please?

4 generations of mustaches

Dad, I'll look angry while you flex!

Can you hurry up and just take it already?

Do you have a special someone in your life?

If you're going to act like that, we don't want you in the picture.

Grandpa: "Well if you'd cut your hair, then we'd be able to see everyone in the picture!"

Let's see your best lion look!

"Mom, I tried to tell you there's something wrong with dad!"

"Look back at me mean. Like a...like a dragon"

As I was saying, we are using these pictures to illustrate the differences in family dynamics and how that feeds into who we are today - and lets be honest here - they are hilarious!

Since we all come from different family backgrounds, its good to recognize the things about our families that make us unique. So what is something strange, quirky or otherwise bizarre that your family does? Better yet, do you have any family pictures that rival these for the most awkward of all time?

Tension strengthens community

Man, it's been a while since I've updated this hasn't it?!? It's been exactly one month today. Its been a crazy busy month, but hopefully life is balancing out a bit and finding a sense of normality...which also means I'm going to try to do a better job of updating this more often!

As I said in my last blog post, I write an editorial every month in the newsletter I publish for the program I run at the Y. In the editorial, which is titled Community Corner, I try to write about ideas that encourage and strengthen community. Here's November's Community Corner:

At the beginning of October, I was able to go to the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Catalyst is a unique conference in that it combines leadership development and spiritual growth in a way unlike any other conference I’ve been able to attend. The theme for this year was “The Tension is Good.” At the conference, every workshop and main session speaker addressed how tension exists everywhere in life and is essential to human existence. This got me thinking about how tension relates to community.

When looking at life in community, one cannot help but notice the tension that exists – its evident everywhere! Tension between balancing work and family time. Tension between paying bills and using money on something fun or donating money to those in need. Tension between who we are and who we want to be.

The list could go on and on because if you think about any aspect of life, chances are there is tension.

Sometimes tension has both negative and positive aspects to it. An example of this can be found in a recent event that took place in my life. My grandfather – who is 85 years old and one of the toughest, stubborn, yet caring men I know – recently underwent major open heart surgery. At first, the doctors weren’t sure if he would make it out of the surgery, but he has recently turned a corner and seems as though he will make a full recovery. In this situation, negative tension was obviously present, as the surgery was a tough event for my family and me to handle. However, it also brought my family together in a way in which they have not been in a long time. It was beautiful, really, to be able to laugh, cry, grow and do life with my aunts, uncles and cousins – with whom I was able to have more meaningful conversations than I’ve had in years.

In the case of my grandfather’s surgery, tension brought life to what could have potentially been a dead situation. See, the cool thing about tension is that we can approach it in one of two ways – we can run from it or we can embrace it. When we run from tension, it usually catches up to us and has the potential to destroy us. However, when we embrace the tension and allow it to guide us, it will eventually make us stronger. Tension causes us to see the need and have the desire for authentic relationships with others – which leads to a beautiful picture of community.

As I’ve said so many times before, we were created to live in community with one another. The tension that exists and actually works to strengthen community is also by design – God fully understands that we need tension to grow closer to Him and to other humans. Romans 5:3 – 5 (NIV) perfectly illustrates how we grow in tension:

“…We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Tension is an essential, God-created way of helping us to grow closer to our Creator. Tension elevates the human condition when it is understood and properly channeled. To live in community, we must also live in a tension – community and its importance are impossible to understand without it.

A quote that really had an impact on me at the Catalyst Conference is this: “It is impossible to love people and avoid tension at the same time.”

Will you join us in embracing the tension? Don’t run from it because the tension is good! It is in this tension that we are truly able to experience community.

Friends who challenge you

I work at the YMCA as an Outreach Coordinator and run a program called the YMCA Community Action Program. We reach out to high school age guys who are struggling in a variety of ways, including socially, mentally and academically.


I publish a monthly parent newsletter for the program in which I have an editorial section called Community Corner. In this section, I attempt to strengthen community bonds by sharing stories and encouraging students and parents to find ways to connect with others in meaningful relationships.


The following is the latest editorial I wrote for Community Corner.

Have you ever had a friend who challenged you to do something that, when looking back, you think “That could have gotten me killed!?!” Now I’m not talking about doing something that is just blatantly illegal, ignorant or foolish. I’m talking about the type of friend that challenges you in a healthy way, one that pushes you outside your comfort zone. A friend who is willing to challenge you so that you are both happy to be alive, yet feel like you have had more life breathed into you because of your experiences with this person.

I recently had this type of experience with a friend of mine named Ryan. Ryan is the program director for the National Youth Project Using Minibikes at YMCA Camp Carson, and is a far more experienced dirt bike rider than I am. When Ryan and I go for rides on our own – without any students present – he really likes to explore, push the envelope and find trails that have tighter turns, steeper hills and more obstacles to maneuver around than a what the average NFL running back faces on any given Sunday. To be completely honest and transparent, Ryan’s willingness to push the envelope leave me a little nervous, slightly scared and wondering why in the world I’m riding with him!

However, Ryan knows my riding ability. He knows what I am capable of doing. He will not take me on a trail that he knows I will not succeed in riding. Ryan also knows that in challenging me, he is making me a better rider. For these reasons, when Ryan says to me “Hey come check out this new trail I found,” I always follow him. I trust Ryan.

And this brings us to community. In order to engage in true community, I am convinced that we need friends like Ryan that are willing to push us. To make us slightly uncomfortable. To break us of our need for the familiar.

See without a friend like this, we are content to be comfortable. When we are comfortable, we are more concerned for our own wellbeing rather than going out of our way to see the needs of others. As a society, we are much more inclined to choose personal safety over selflessly serving the needs of others.

Without selflessly serving the needs of others, we cannot engage in true community. To take this a step further, I believe that until we are challenged to go outside our comfort zone to the point that we need to rely on others, we cannot truly understand the importance of community.

I have not found a better example to support this need to be challenged than in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived radically different than anyone at the time. He challenged those who would follow him to live outside of their comfort zones. He called them to live in such a way that they were completely dependent on God to provide for them. He showed them how to live in a way that put the needs of others first. He showed them what it was like to live in community.

The cool part about this is that the offer Jesus extended to those who would follow Him years ago is still available to us today. When we have a relationship with Jesus, we automatically have that friend that will challenge us in a healthy way, ask us to step outside our comfort zones and allow us to engage in true community. Jesus is waiting to find adventure with us, to show us how to really come alive. To show us true community.

Over the past year, I have written about experiences that define community, and through that we’ve been on a journey. I’m convinced that there is no better time than now to continue on this journey to community. To break from the familiar and challenge ourselves with the unfamiliar. To put the needs of others first. To be challenged. Will you join us as we continue on this journey to experience community?

Don't forget...

My dad is always a good source of unique trivia, weird quotes and advice with which I'm not quite sure what to do. Don't get me wrong, he has passed on lots of "fatherly wisdom" to me that is invaluable - however, he also has a unique way of phrasing things and leaving me scratching my head wondering what he meant by what he just said.

For example, since the time I was in middle school, my dad would get this goofy grin on his face as he left me with one phrase before leaving for work everyday - "Don't forget..."

My answer was always "Don't forget what?"

He would reply - as the grin grew bigger - "Just don't forget..."

Huh?!?

For years this phrase has left me scratching my head. I've pondered and mused and engaged in deep thought over what I should not forget. I'm constantly wondering what I'm forgetting. I'm obsessing and losing sleep at night over what I could have possibly forgotten - and I already don't have the best short term memory!

Ok maybe its not that bad - I'm not losing sleep, nor obsessing - but it has left me with something to ponder.

Now, as an adult, I am still a little apprehensive when my dad approaches me with the same goofy grin and says "Come here for a minute. I need to show you something!"

This was the case earlier this week. It was about 10pm as I followed my dad outside to see what he "needed to show me!" As I walked out and waited as my eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness, my dad told me to come over and look through the spotting scope that he uses for target shooting. When my eyes finally adjusted, I could see my dad had the spotting scope pointed toward the sky.

As I knelt down and looked through the scope, I saw 5 glowing blobs in the night sky. One was noticeably bigger than the other four.The larger blob has rings wrapping around it and appeared to be giving off a purple glow or haze around the edges. The four smaller blobs sort of look like stars, but there was a noticeable difference - they weren't twinkling like stars.

My dad then informed me that it was Jupiter and its moons that I was viewing. Apparently Jupiter is the closest to the Earth that its been since 1963, and here I was - looking at the largest planet in our solar system! 

I looked through the scope, studying and pondering and wondering. I'm not even sure how to explain how I felt at that point. Awestruck. Amazed. In wonder. Incredible.

See in that moment, as I looked at Jupiter, I had a feeling of how big God really is, and how small and insignificant I am. As humans, our lives are but a blip on the radar of time - a small speck of light in the vast expanse of the universe.

And yet God - the creator of the heavens, of earth and all creation - loves us enough to desire us each individually. God has the whole universe, yet He calls us each His child. He is responsible for EVERYTHING in existence, yet his heart yearns for a relationship with each of us individually! In Mathew 10:30, we are told that "the very hairs on your head are all numbered."

Amazing!

The God of all creation loves us enough to know something as seemingly minuscule as how many hairs are on our heads. There is only one thing that can motivate that type of knowledge - God's unfailing love for us!


As I stood with my dad looking up at the night sky, it was as if my Heavenly Father was looking at me saying "Adam, don't forget..."

Glass doors we don't see...

Here recently, I've been overwhelmed by work. Its honestly nothing new, as work seems to somehow sneak up on me and smack me in the face - similar to when a little kid runs face first into a glass door he didn't see. It seems I go through seasons where more needs to be done than at most points in time, and it never fails that I'm not prepared for it in the least bit. You'd think I'd start anticipating or planning ahead before entering these times, but I haven't done very well in that department either.

On a side note - I am the person that, as a little kid, ran full speed into a glass door.

Yeah I went everywhere in turbo speed without looking around to see my surroundings.

And I learned my lesson...very painfully.

This leads me to wonder how often I allow myself to go through life without noticing the things around me or anticipating what's to come. How often am I running full speed ahead - not looking up - and BAM! I hit the glass door that I didn't see...

Whether that glass door happens to be work or relationships or simple moments where God is leading me to be still, I wonder how often I am missing out because I'm not taking the time to look around? I wonder how many times I feel overwhelmed because I'm not realizing that Jesus has been there carrying the burden with me the whole time?

As difficult as it is for me to admit, far too often I move through life living like I am the source of my strength. Far too often, I become overwhelmed - simply because I'm running so fast that I'm not noticing God saying "Adam slow down. Lets do this together. I'm the one who makes your life possible. Come and rest in me."

I'm thankful to know that I serve a God who provided a Savior in whom I can find rest and solitude. I'm thankful for the promise that in Christ the "yoke is easy to bear, and the burden...is light." (Mathew 11:30, NLT)

I'm thankful to know that in Jesus, we have access to our Creator. Its awesome having the promise that we can come to the Father and ask anything, all because we are redeemed through Jesus.

"At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." (John 16:23 - 24)

In my life, I'm praying that I can slow down and realize that God is going through it all with me - that he's bearing the burden when I feel overwhelmed. I'm praying that I can live like I'm alive in Him - live like I've already been redeemed.

And last, but not least, I'm praying that God gives me the vision to see the glass doors ahead of me - both literally and figuratively - before I face plant in the door and have to scrape my body off the floor!

My first Lunchable

It had been a long walk through the woods from my friend Corey Stout’s house until we finally reached his treehouse. Corey had a legit treehouse too - it was built onto the side of a tree and even had a rope ladder. It was inside this treehouse that my childhood meal desires were changed forever, because when we reached the top of the treehouse, Corey pulled out a square plastic container. I peeled back the top of the container to reveal sliced round lunchmeat, slices of square cheese, round crackers and, my favorite, a candy bar! I was about to experience my first Lunchable - and have my world rocked!

After that point, and for the next 5 or 6 years, I desired a Lunchable for every meal. It was the best thing ever! I was convinced that when God sent manna down from Heaven, it was it came in a square plastic container, which contained round slices of lunchmeat, square slices of cheese, round crackers and a candy bar.

There was only one obstacle to that - it was 4 foot, 11 and half inches tall - it was my Mom. Rarely would she give in to my constant nagging to buy a Lunchable. In fact, she frequently told me she would by a box of round crackers, lunchmeat and cheese, and I could make my own Lunchables. She never seemed to understand that it just wasn’t the same as opening up a square container and peeling off the top. She always insisted that we didn’t have enough money to buy the actual thing.

Over the course of my friendship with Corey Stout, I found there were a lot of things his parents could afford that mine could not. See, Corey had everything. He even got a pinball machine - yeah, like the one you find in an arcade - for Christmas from Santa. I’m sure my mom had a great time trying to explain to me why Corey Stout’s Santa could afford a pinball machine, but mine couldn’t…especially when there’s only supposed to be one Santa!

Over the course of our friendship, I also experienced several other firsts at Corey’s house.

Legos - I first played with Legos at Corey Stout’s house. To this day, I have not seen a Lego collection as big as Corey’s. I’m pretty sure that he once built a full sized replica of his house out of Legos.

Video Games - The first time I played video games was at Corey’s house. I didn’t have video games until until I was 14 or 15 because, you guessed it, my parents couldn’t afford it!

Trampoline - My first trampoline experience took place in Corey’s front yard. Who knew one could jump that high, all because of springs and a nylon surface?!?

Tonight, as I ate slimy, round slices of lunchmeat and cheese - which I’m convinced isn’t really even cheese - on round crackers, my thoughts drifted back to the first time I ate a Lunchable. Its amazing how some things just don’t seem as special when you’re older - things change as you grow up. My Lunchable that I ate tonight didn’t even have a candy bar in it!

Even though experiences, and the way we perceive them, change, God does not. The way we perceive God can change and the way we understand God definitely changes as we grow, but God does not. He is faithful and loves us despite our brokenness and hurt and pain.

“Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace…”

Hebrews 13:7-9 (NLT)

Even though my perceptions of Lunchables have changed, it is amazing to know that my Savior doesn’t change and loves me the same no matter what.

On a side note - I still love Legos, video games and trampolines!

And it continues...

It all started with a Tumblr account and now I'm hooked...I swore I would never become addicted. But its happening now. I think I'm developing a problem. I think the social networking addiction that I said I'd never get is happening to me now.

I resisted Facebook for years out of fear of this same addiction, but look at me now! At first a Tumblr blog seemed innocent enough, but now BlogSpot as well? I'm not even sure if I recognize myself anymore!

Hi, I'm Adam and I'm developing a social networking, more specifically, blogging addiction.
(Everyone repeat in unison, "Hi Adam")