In the Funk

Well…  as you can tell I am not a true blogger.  For the last 8 days I have been in the funk with pneumonia, ear infections, and upper respiratory infection.  My kids at school probably think I am never coming back.  I shall return on Monday. 

The last view days have given an opportunity to think and reflect (in between hackings). A thought came to mind concerning medicine.  In our world today it seems that we have more medicine available to us yet more and more people seem to be coming down with more and more infections and disease than just the typical common cold.  How amazing would it be if all the Rite-Aids and Kroger’s OTCs really “healed” all the ailments we seem to take meds for?  What if all doctor’s office visits “insured” that when we walked out the door after 4 – 5 hours, we might actually feel better? 

There will never come a day when all our aches and pains are healed or cured in the form of a pill, a shot, or a cough syrup.  In the search to fill our lives with stuff we have left our self prey to illness.  Meaningless in their worth upon our lives…….what greater worth do we give to living for Him.  The world is in the funk and the only, holy cure is Jesus. 

It may seem clique…but what can make me whole again….Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Long Time No Post…

Yes… I am the world’s worst blogger.  The only reason I am probably blogging right now is because I am home sick from school today.  For the past four days I have progessively gotten worse.  Sickness comes as one of the “joys” of teaching. 

Things are starting to get very busy around school and church.  As Thanksgiving is now less than two weeks away, Christmas is coming into view.  Did you happen to notice that most of this year’s “holiday” commercials are actually using the word “Christmas”.  I am amazed that just a year or two ago stores were quick to state that they did not want to “offend” anyone by using Christmas in their advertising or store signage.  Well… I thing the overall population spoke and the stores have listenened.  Its amazing to me how a small, minuit, not even a handful of people can dictate the “consensus” of the whole of America.  We as Christ followers  need to have that type of impact.  If persons who didn’t believe in Christ were able to have Christmas taken off every sign and commercial a couple of years ago, do we as Christ followers not see the value of us speaking up and having that same thought reversed (like it has been this year)?  Let’s leaving a lasting impact on our world by not only proclaiming Christ as Savior and Lord but living out our lives as Christ followers who have been transformed into the very hands and feet of Jesus.

Consistenly inconsistent

If you have not guessed by now I am the world’s worst blogger.  I am on-line all the time but just don’t take the time to write.  Will try to work on that.  To check you up to speed; school started back and I love my 5Th graders!!! I am back in school and it is kicking my rear end.  I am stoked to see what God has in store for Breakaway Student Ministries this year ( had 40 Wed. night….we’re not about #s though.  Still loving my new house (just not the mortgage payment).  Looking forward to being “off” for Labor Day tomorrow (yeah right, I have to cut grass, weed-eat, and leaf blow the driveway).  Yippee.

It’s almost over….

My summer is officially over.  Yesterday (Fri.) I was called in to school for a special in service day.  I can’t believe that I go back to work Monday morning.  The summer now seems as if it has flown by.  I’ve been able to accomplish a good bit over the past couple of months.  God has done some awesome things with our small group of dedicated students at PGBC.  They blew me away during EORO 08.  The students stepped up in a big way and I am so proud of them.  They have also begun an extreme makeover of sorts of our top floor.  The game room, cafe, and student room are all getting a much needed facelift and many of the kids and our youth workers gave up their tax free Sat. to help paint.  The game room will be known as “GAME OVER” and has a city theme (graffiti wall, suspended bridge, black and white city photos) type flair.  The cafe will be known as “THE BEAN” and will resemble your neighborhood coffee house (we’ve gone with a brown, green, and burnt orange color scheme).  The student room will be called “PUZZLED?”  and will feature our new name and logo, “BREAKAWAY”.  I’m really ready for all the rooms to be finished just so we can see the finished product.  Isn’t that just like humans….we are never content to see the pieces come together, we want to jump ahead and see the finished work. 

Time away from my classroom has also allowed me to spend more time at my office at church.  I have really enjoyed those hours spent in study and planning for the new upcoming church year.  The time allowed me to secure a spot for our group to attend Student Life at the Beach next July where Louie Giglio and Chris Tomlin will be leading worship for a week.  The students are stoked!!!  Well…..to be honest..I am pretty stoked myself. 

We are also in the process of revamping our Sunday morning program and our layout on Wednesday nights.  Beginning in September we will begin a one Sunday night a month gathering called “IGNITE” which will ignite a student’s passion for the reality and need of God in their everyday lives. 

Lots of work ahead but I am so excited about it.  Let the madness begin!!!

Philosophy on the Mountain

I’m sure by now that most of you can tell that I am not a consistent blogger. Sorry about that.  This past week was very interesting.  I spent the entire week on the “mountain”of Liberty University’s beautiful campus in Lynchburg, VA.  For those of you who may not know,  I am currently working toward a Master’s degree in Christian Education from Liberty.  My degree plan requires 9 credit hours in residency before you can graduate.  I had hoped to be able to take all three needed classes but they were full and I ended up with one the one course.  The class was Historical and Philosophical Foundations in Education.  The class was incredible!!  It was taught by Dr. Todd Campo who is a “jack of all trades” kind of a guy.  He is a former Marine Fighter Pilot, a manager of the largest, most successful fitness clubs in America, a former LAPD officer who at 41 graduated first in his class, a LAPD detective, a professor, and now the Superintendent of Liberty Christian Academy.  He made the class most enjoyable as did the 21 classmates I had the privledge to meet and work with.  Lynchburg itself is a great city and the LU campus is fantastic.  I can’t wait to go back!!

What makes a muskrat guard its musk….COURAGE

Well, I officially stink at blogging.  I thought, “Hey, this is something that I will stay on top of and make posts everyday”…..WRONG!!!  Maybe over summer break I can become more consistent. 

The week to this point has been a very trying one (to say the least).  This is the last week of my current semester at Liberty (taking two classes at one time, working full time as a teacher, working as a full time sound tech and full/part time as a youth minister can kick you in the blessed assurance).  I am not and do not want to complain.  Now seems to be the time when I will actually need to start writing things done in  a date book.  I’ve always been able to remember everything that I need to do but the old memory is not what it use to be (remember… I turn 30 in October).  But I am graciously blessed and need to do a reality check once in a while so that God doesn’t have to smack me in the head to knock me out of my pity party. 

Now, back to what transpired yesterday.  I had the amazing opportunity to speak at my school’s (job school) Chapel service.  The theme for this Chapel was courage.  What could be a better subject to talk to 3rd-5th graders about than that! I used a clip from “The Wizard of Oz” featuring the Cowardly Lion.  I just love him!!  He is the epitome of most people in our society.  All talk…no action.  They talk a big game but when its time to step up to the plate, they run for the locker room.  The students and teachers were very receptive to the message and I was encouraged as well.  Throughout the Bible, God has shown how he empowers His people to do awesome, mighty, miraculous things through the courage that only He could place within them.  For such a bummy week, Chapel made it all worth while!! 

Tale as Old as Time…

Well….most of you (if there are any “you”s out there) who read this may have thought I fell off a cliff somewhere.  Not so, I have been extreeeeeeemly busy over the last couple of weeks.  I have something HUGE in the works but I can’t discuss it right now.  The other half to my “fun-filled” two weeks involved running the sound for Colonial Hills Christian School’s production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”.  This show was a massive production to pull off.  The cast did a fantastic job all 3 nights.  Everyone is extremely exhausted due to all the extra day long rehearsals and dress rehearsals.  Everyday except for Wed. I had to stay at school from 7:00am – 11:00pm (no…I did not get to go home and then come back).  In the end though, the late nights, early mornings were well worth the passionate effort put forth by the students.  The upcoming week will prove to be just as hectic but exciting all at the same time.  Tune in next time……………………………………

Paradise found in Kansas???

A friend from church sent me an amazing link to the most profound worship gathering that I have ever heard of.  The gathering is called Paradise and will take place on May 25 in Kansas.  The gathering is solely to magnify, proclaim, and to fame the name of Jesus Christ.  Over 60 musicians and worship leaders will lead worshippers yet they will be off-stage and unseen by those in attendance.  The reason… simply to come together as the Body of Christ to worship Him and Him alone. 

I would LOOOOOVVVVVEEEEEE to take our student and college ministry to this event.  I pray that we will be able to attend.  Check-out their site www.paradise08.com.  What an opportunity for this generation to awaken to the holiness of Christ. 

A Different Difference

Difference:  Webster defines this word as

Main Entry:

¹dif·fer·ence 

Pronunciation:

\ˈdi-fərn(t)s, ˈdi-f(ə-)rən(t)s\

Function:

noun

Date:

14th century

1 a: the quality or state of being different <the difference between right and wrong> b: an instance of differing in nature, form, or quality <noted the differences in color and texture> c: archaic : a characteristic that distinguishes one from another or from the average d: the element or factor that separates or distinguishes contrasting situations2: distinction or discrimination in preference <timing is often the difference between success and failure>3 a: disagreement in opinion : dissension b: an instance or cause of disagreement <unable to settle their differences>4: the degree or amount by which things differ in quantity or measure; specifically : remainder 2b(1)5: a significant change in or effect on a situation <it makes no difference to me>

The definitions which suite my idea of the word “difference” best are in bold and italicized.  Lately I have questioned whether I have surrendered my life where God can work through me to make a “significant change or effect on a situation” or more importantly lives of those I encounter?  Am I letting go of all of me so that I can be consumed by all of Him?  Is the life I live for Him “distinguishable from another or the average”?  Just some puzzling thoughts from my week. 

Students Rock!!

I had a reaffirmation of how great the students are that I get the privilege to work with at The Grove.  What’s so amazing is to see how God has become so real in their hearts and their lives!!  Of course He’s always been real but to see tweens and teens come to that realization in our current culture is amazing.  God is raising up a great generation of Christ-followers and I get to go along for the ride on this awesome journey!!