Glad to be home

I just returned from Denver City late last night. You know the Mac Davis song in which he sings "I thought happiness was Lubbock in my rear-view mirror?" I understand the inspiration. Spend days in small dried up oil towns in Far W Texas and you'll be more than happy to be back in SE Texas. I also missed everyone Wednesday and look forward to Sunday.

More than cliches

I saw another stupid church sign yesterday on my way to Denver City. What is it with those things. "The purpose of baptism - Acts 22:8" Yea, like I have time to stop on the side of the road, get out my Bible and read. Furthermore, I'd think the ones you might target with a church sign would be non-Christans. I'm sure they have Bibles in their vehicles, take the time to look up the verse, and are convinced. Just imagine a room full of people at worship on Sunday morning giving their lives to Christ because of a dumb sign.

Last night I was at Highland and Cope was speaking. He shared a quote by Robin Williams when Williams referred to a group of angry Christians holding up signs. One sign said something like "You want be in the kingd of heaven." Williams commented saying "I don't know where this kingdom is, but if it's got people like that I don't want to be a part of it."

Whatever happened to humility, gentleness, compassion, love. Those are the things that are the marks of our faith. Not stupid sayings on signs.

Leaving town today

Please keep me and my family in your prayers as I'm travelling to Lubbock today to attend my gramdmother's funeral. My mom will be coming home with me so please especially keep Deana in your prayers. It's always a little more stressful when she's here. But Deana is amazing with her. She has more patience than I do.

Ok..yesterday I wrote some thoughts that included cheesie church signs. For example, I often see on church signs - "Do you prefer your eternity smoking or non-smoking?"

What are some of the worst or cheesiest Christian cliches you have seen?

Significant moments

This morning in my quiet time my mind drifted to people. I began picturing the different students that I know at BCA and in our student ministries. I began thinking about the small seemingly insignificant moments shared. As I was thinking about these moments I began to realize that although small at the time, all these moments in their totality have made a large impact on my life.

I specifically thought of a recent moment with one of the students in our chuch family. The other night as I was downloading some music videos to use she popped her head in my office just to say hi. The smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes immediately told me she was at a good place in her life.

She began talking about her weekend and about being with a group of students that made her feel accepted immediately. She then lit up and said "we should be like that." I went "Yes!" inside. I could tell she really meant it. She got it. I love those moments when a student sees something outside him/herself. That was a brief moment in which hope stirred in me. For I know this person and her desire to be authentic. I pray for many more opportunities like that, not just with her but with other students. So, I hope that any of you students who might just read this will occasionally just stop by to say hi. We'll go bowling or get a coke (or Starbucks) and talk. I love you guys.

Questionable songs

Last night a friend and I were talking about questionable songs -- not songs with questionable content, but song titles that were questions. Songs like "Whose bed have your boots been under." That got me thinking about the 80s, the decade I lived my teenage years. I know I'm probably wrong, but it seems that during that decade more styles of music hit the mainstream airwaves. I'm not saying that there were more styles of music, but that more of them were found on top 40 radio stations. You had the early 80s transitioning out of the 70s with the sounds of those like Hall and Oats, to the original boy band sounds of groups like New Kids on the Block in the mid-80s. The early 80s were filled with techno-pop sounds like those of Men at Work and The Cars alongside pop sensation Madonna who burst onto the scene around 1984. Then there were those bands that insisted on incorporating brass instruments -- bands like Chicago, and Huey Lewis and the News. Although rap had been around, artists like LL Cool J, and DJ Jazzy and the Fresh Prince brought it to the forefront of mainstream music. You also had the explosion of the hair bands led by groups like Twisted Sister. Other groups would soon hop on board and this seemed to dominate much of the air waves. I shamefully have to admit that one of my teenage favorites was Guns-n-Roses. They were ingenious to be honest. They weren't simply copy cats of other hair bands. Musically, they were original.
Of course, you had others who transcended from the 70s. Bands like U2, Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, and the Rolling Stones. Although they weren't products of the 80s like most of these others, they didn't fade into oblivion like the Bee Gees or Beach Boys. In fact it could easily be argued that Micheal Jackson was the single-most influential artist of the 80s, if not one of the biggest in North American history. His music video, Thriller, continues to be at the top of almost every list of best music videos of all-time. His concerts were innovative paving the way for artists such as Paula Abdul and others to choreograph performances and music videos. MTV provided a fresh new medium for the masses all across Northe America. I think I agree. Anyways, there really is no purpose to this entry except to say that, musically, it was very interesting growing up in the 80s to wtiness such diversity find its expression in the mainstream.

So, anywyas, what are some other questionable songs?

Scary noises

Last night at about 11 I was awakened with the words "I hear a strange noise coming from the water heater!" Not "Sorry to wake you" in a soft voice or gentle nudge; instead the voice had a sense of panic and desperation in it. When this happens, your heart tends to race and the blood pressure rises. So, I got up, grabbed my sandal and went looking for the roach. My wife explained that it wasn't a roach to which I thought "yeah right..." until I heard the noise. She was right, it wasn't a roach. It was a helium-filled balloon caught in the ceiling fan in my oldest daughter's room. The funny thing about it is, today I'm giving an AP biology test and one of the questions is about factors that stimulate the heart and respiratory rate -- one of which is the release of epinephrine from the adrenal gland when a person becomes frightened.

Good to be home

It was good to finally have a normal day yesterday rather than a day filled with unexpected phone calls, dilemmas, and bad news. I even had time to read a book I've had for quite some time but have not had the chance to read. I couldn't put it down. It was recommended to me by a friend last summer and I'm finally getting around to reding it. I couldn't put it down. In Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller articulates a spirituality with skin on it. His stories and experiences provide an expression of faith that is authentic and relevant. Unlike books that talk about spirituality and the Christian life, you experience it through his writings. It's real and raw connecting our spirituality to our daily living. I love it.

My family

Thanks for your continued prayers for my family. I'm not sure the prayers should be for my grandmother as much as those family members who are hanging on so tightly. My grandmother's future is secure. This is simply the threshold to something far greater than my mind can comprehend. If the Lord wants her to live, she will live. He did it 2 years ago when your prognosis for pancreatic cancer was not good at all. He used those two years to change several lives around her. But, this may also be her tim. My faith is in God's leading. My prayer is that her life be used right now to bring glory to his name. That could be by bringing her out of this, or it could be in her death.

There are others in my family who live in fear, fear that they (or her) can never be certain of their destiny. They're constantly asking "have I been good enought?" or "have I done enough?" How sad it is to me when we, who love the Lord so much, live in such fear rather than claim the victory that's already been won. Please keep my family in your prayers during this uncertain time.

Thursday, April 14

Thanks for all your prayers concerning my grandmother. Some words from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment are resounding with me right now. "We are not made of steel, we are made of dust. And this life is not crowned with life, it is crowned with death."

However, that death is only the beginning of our new life, the life we're destined to live.

The best plans

"Life happens while you're planning." I think that's how the phrase goes. I think this is truer on some days more than others. As I was preparing for the rest of my week and preparing my Equip training notes, I found out some things that have changed all those plans. Today I found out how cruel life can be. But at the same time, I'm powerfully reminded of how God's reign breaks into our daily existence.

This morning I learned that the wife, and mother of two passed away from ovarian cancer in College Station. She left behind a husband, college-age son, and high school age daughter. This family took us under their wings during the early years of our marriage while I was a graduate student at TAMU. While on the one hand, life seems unfair, I knew this godly woman well enough to know that her hope never lied in the things of this earth. She lived a victorious life and has claimed that victory. My prayer is that her family can rest firmly in the hope of Jesus Christ.

This evening, I learned that cancer has returned to my 84-year-old grandmother. She is having surgery tomorrow which is very risky. I have made plans to be in Lubbock this weekend with my mom, aunt, and uncle no matter the outcome tomorrow. When she was first diagnosed two years ago, doctors didn't give her much time, but I see that the Lord had a plan. For she rededicate her life to the Lord in the wake of that and has been an amazing follower ever since. So, my trust is in the Lord to bring glory through all this come what may.

Our God is an amazing God who works in the midst of these moments. It's in these moments that I see him most clearly. It's in these moments that hope wells up ion my heart because I know with every cell in my body how real he is and what this means for me.

Broomball

Last night our students discovered one of the greatest games ever created for youth ministries - broomball. Although the games itself isn't new it was new to our family. It was so much fun. From the youngest of us to the oldest (me), we ran around on a hockey rink hitting a rubber ball with broom handles ewuipped with a rubber paddle-like object on one end.

Every person had a great time laughing at one another, encouraging each other, and checking one another into the plexiglass walls in the name of Christ. We all then adorned ice packs and went home. I look forward to playing again. Maybe next time we'll have even more people. I love all of you more than you can know. Thanks for making last night so much fun. Thanks for loving each other the way you do. May that only increase.

Thinking about Julia

Today I once again took my 6-year-old daughter to school. During the 3-minute drive there she kept practicing her K sounds, talked about her friends Meagan and Natalie, and mused about the blue bonnets in some yards. her voice never waivered; it never grew quiet; she never stopped talking. The other day, she asked my wife about periods (not the dot at the end of a sentence either).

One day, these questions may come to an end. Well, she'll at least stop asking us those questions. One day, she'll be more hesitant to discuss her friends. One day, whe won't talk the entire way to school or home from school.

I pray that she always finds safety, security, the love of Christ, and support from her dad. Then maybe the questions won't stop coming no matter how difficult they are.

Great day

What a great day! Read the paper this morning and found out Pettitte pitched a great game for the Astros. Had a lot of fun at school with the BioII kids. Then ate lunch with my wife who likes it when I wear Obsession. I've learned that it doesn't matter what clothes or cologne I like. My wife has better taste in that area than I do. Plus if she likes it, then we're all happier.

no harm, no foul

"Love does no harm to its neighbor." - Romans 13:10

I was spending some time with the Lord this morning when this verse hit me right square in the face. If love does no harm to its neighbor then why am I sometimes jealous of someone who has that "better" job? Why am I tempted to join in the gossip about one of my brothers or sisters in Christ? Why am I tempted to label people and judge them based on appearances? Why do I show favoritism to my better students? I'm afraid that I haven't learned to truly love. I want to elevate my daily living to the level of wanting what's best for others over what's best for me. I want to be able to put an end to any jealousy that creeps in, any desire to spread gossip, any favoritism I show. Instead, I want to always look out for others just as Christ has done for me.

What if...

I haven't blogged in a while for several reasons. First, the past several weeks have been some of personal reflection. These past several weeks I've been wrestling with many things on a very personal level... purpose, theology, priorities. So many things that not only affect my vocation, but my daily living. Second, rather than spend time blogging, I've used the time to reconnect with God. With the birth of Jenna came a major adjustment to my lifestyle. I'm just now adapting in a way that I feel my priorities are beginning to align with God's. Some things had to go. Third, I've needed to focus more on relationships. I've got the greatest job on earth. I have the privilege of sharing in the lives of young men and women genuinely trying to make sense out of life. It's something that I haven't spend enough time doing these past several months. So with that in mind, here are some questions I've been considering the past several days.

What if we...
saw in every encounter with a person an opportunity to love them?
expected more out of each day when we wake?
took the time to listen intently to another person?
woke up every morning expecting God to return?
refused to settle for what we see?
no longer did things just to do them?
chose the things we do based on whether or not they bring God glory?
slowed down long enough to catch our breath?
spent more time with our families than we do in activities?

Maybe instead of thinking what if, I ought to be just doing.