getting ready...

...for New York!

nine wonderful...

...years! I know, I know, I'm supposed to say that, but it is true - they have been wonderful. Last week Jen and I celebrated our nine year anniversary. It's crazy to think I got married so young, but hey, Jen was younger than me. In those nine years we've lived in 5 different places, served in 4 wonderful student ministries (two part time, two full), driven 6 different cars (not a boasting...you haven't seen the cars we drove), went to seminary, taught in three different school systems, and had two wonderful daughters (some would call them Georgia peaches). Who said getting married is settling down? I would disagree with that statement.

Sure we're a lot like transients, but I guess that's what Jesus meant when he was telling his followers they won't know where they're going to lay their head.

Anyway...we celebrated our nine years by going out and getting a Wii. That's right, we got the coolest game system in the world. How cool is my wife...pretty dang cool if you ask me. She was totally into going out and getting the Wii. Jen's actually gotten pretty good at it. Next...Wii Fit. Just think how fit I'll be after the next nine years.

All I'm saying is I have a great family and I'm excited about the future. I'm praying I won't be moving in the next nine years (don't you think 5 times is enough), but I'm also praying for God's guidence in my family.

Who knows what God has in store, but I'm thankful for what He's in our past.

leaving a...

...mark with a coffee cup is one of those no-no's that will get you in trouble with your great-grandmother, one of those people who receives applications, and the person who does your laundry. If you do you're own laundry then you have no one to be mad at but yourself. I love Starbucks, but one of my favorite places to drink coffee is the Cracker Barrel. For some, I have just blasphemed the name of the little god that's in charge of making coffee beans grow, but for my readers 50 and up (I don't think I have any), you're just excited that someone is talking about your hang-out spot! Cracker Barrel coffee is actually pretty good. The smell of barn, mixed with fire, mixed with coffee...it doesn't get a lot better than that.

At this fine dining establishment, they now have different colored coasters for decaf and caffinated coffees. This way you have to look under the cup to see what someone is drinking...go figure! Every now and then an over-zealous server with 5 stars on her apron will pour your coffee. She talking about how her grand-daughter just took her first steps and whoops, there goes coffee all over the table and your new seersucker shorts. After tending to your new (uncomfortable) 2nd degree burn you pick up your cup and there's a ring of coffee that has been left on coaster. The fact remains, the coaster and shorts will never be the same. The coffee and it's little-to-friendly caregiver have left their mark.

Isn't that what God's asking from us? Aren't we supposed to be leaving our mark on our culture? What are we doing to change the world? We must do more! We must leave our mark on our culture, church, and future. If we don't like the direction the ship is going in, then we must turn the wheel and leave our mark.

Here's to leaving a stain that's hard to get out!

the simple...

It took me a while to actually find the time to sit down and write some stuff out about beach[ed] camp, but here I am and I want to make sure the words written here express those genuine emotions and processes which are in my head. As in any student ministry, there's this dreaded time of the year that will take away needed sleep, time and energy...that event is called camp. I don't know what it is about these 5 days in summer, but it's enough to make any youth pastor want to crawl in a cave and hybernate for 4 months until it's time to start planning for next year. Some of us don't even get four months - as I sit here I'm waiting for a phone call about next years destination. It's already begun for 2009!!!! Are you kidding me?

But this year was different. Sure, the loss of key needs in my life were the same, but this year, I didn't want it to end. New location, new elements to camp, a lot of change...I didn't really know what to expect. We can complain about food and ticks, but we can't complain about the moving of God in this ministry. If you missed it, then I'm sorry that you missed it. I don't say that in a sarcastic or demeaning way at all, 'cause I really am sorry you missed this encounter with the One True and Living God! I'm sorry you weren't there to see God move in the lives of 4 students bringing them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I'm sorry you missed being ushered to the throne room of God in worship. I'm sorry you missed learning about everything becoming simple in the blood of Christ. It is my hope that our students lead you there every day.

In the chaos and confusion of planning worship, getting checks written, collecting money, doing rooming assignments, writing material, working on videos, working on shirts, laminating name tags, buying candy, buying supplies for [ed] groups, collecting forms, contacting Making Malorie and David, packing all the stuff for camp, making multiple trips to Staples and Wal-Mart, wanting this to be the best beach camp they've ever been to (always my desire), I caught a glimple of the simple. There's nothing in that list that was simple...sure you could pick one or two, but the problem was we were doing them all at the same time. But in all of this stuff, God showed me the simple fact of it is all done to bring Him glory. I could absolutely sit here and boast of all the things that I did, or the team did, to make camp work, but the simple fact remains - It was all done for four students. Four students bringing glory to God, because He saved them from death.

There's no doubt that life changed happened and many people were drawn to God, but four students found out that Christ made the sacrifice simple. Four students found out what it truly means to be loved. Four students can now be called family!

God moved...it's that simple!

tying up...

...loose ends! The worst part of student ministry - at least for me. These are the things that must be done in order for your event to be better. Better than last year, or the year before. Better than a student expected...that kind of better. I hope you don't misunderstand, I want camp to be better than last year, but it's the little stuff that simply dances on my spine. If you know anything about me, you know I'm a big picture guy. I don't enjoy the details. I don't enjoy going to hobby lobby and buying fabric, or Wal-Mart and buying finger nail polish. These things aren't normally on a youth pastor's list of things to make camp better, but our camp isn't your normal camp. It's those little things that get our students involved and our leaders in "relationship building mode."

So tomorrow, I'm packing up the family and running around Maryville to make sure every Eagle Scout is satisfied with the granny knot I'm about to tie on all these ends. Believe me, I lay awake thinking of all these little things and I'm looking forward to getting a good nights rest. That probably won't happen til July 6th, but maybe tomorrow will help a little.

So here I am, 5 days away from something that's been on my mind since July 6th, 2007. I'm ready to get it going. I'm ready to see what God has in store. I'm ready for students to get it. I'm ready for students to live like they love their salvation. I'm ready for it to be over, so I can start all over.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves...I need to practice my granny knots!

no reservations...

...in the heart of my three year-olds. It's always a great feeling to be accepted without hesitation. One of my favorite things used to be watching the Cubs. I grew up watching them after school. This is really why the Cubs have so many fans across this nation. When kids would get home and turn the TV on to watch cartoons or a rerun of Bozo the Clown, more than likely the Cubs were playing. Let's also remember they didn't have a night game until 8/8/88, so until I was 11, that's pretty much all that was on. I guess I need to move beyond the history of the Cubs and back to me watching the Cubs. I shared in a previous blog that I used to TiVo the game and watch them when the girls would wake up in the middle of the night to eat. That's just how much I like my Cubbies.

Now, one of my favorite things to do is watch the Cubs with my girls. I know they don't understand what hitting for the cycle is, or what Theriot to DeRosa to Lee means, but in my mind I still think they enjoy it. They may not stay in my lap for a complete inning or even a full count, but great thing is they keep coming back to my lap to get their next Cubs fix. Now as a father, there's no greater feeling in the world than your children sitting in your lap and lovin' on you. It'll probably be a little awkward if they do it when they're 16, but I'm going to enjoy it while it last.

The cool thing about them crawling up into my lap is they have no reservations. Nothing is holding them back. When they want to be with their daddy, all they have to do is crawl up and get situated. Milayla likes to "make numbers" with my phone and Meredith likes to look at me and giggle (I'm getting a little self conscious about that one). I simply love the fact that nothing keeps them from loving me. Nothing keeps them from feeling comfortable with me. Nothing keeps them from feeling accepted. They have absolutely no reservations.

What is it that keeps us from having this kind of relationship with God? If we understand that He is just, right, holy, love, and peace, why do we not feel this comfortable with God. I understand that God is not moved by His emotions, but He has to love it when His children come to His throne with no reservations. I see it every Sunday morning and Wednesday night. God's children unable to worship their Creator because of something they haven't released into God's mighty hand. That same something that makes them reserved in their pursuit of the God who is above all gods.

May that be our challenge today! May His children pursue Him without reservation!

sweat...

...King's Island is all about the sweat. Or so says the 11 year old boy walking around with a dish towel around his neck. Let's just say he was really serious about the roller coaster. Earlier this week I had the privilege to take some of our seniors to King's Island. I hate the fact there was another senior trip going on with one of our high schools, but there was really no other time to plan it.

It was the perfect day to go. Overcast, a little bit of rain, and early in the season so the longest we waited for a ride was about 30 minutes. You can't beat that with an ugly stick. I would explain our itinerary, but it's a theme park, what do you want me to tell you that you don't already know. So what I'll do is rank the rides...so here we go:

1. The Beast: I rode it a while back and hated it...this time, I loved it!
2. Flight of Fear: It's one of those non-stop roller coasters and it's inside. The fact that no one can see the vomit coming out of someone's mouth is a bonus too.
3. Vertigo: We started with this ride...not the one to start with, but it was really good. It's just difficult to start your day off almost blacking out.
4. Scooby Doo's Haunted Adventure (or something): One of those rest rides you should take advantage of.
5. Drop Zone: Who doesn't like a ride that takes 15 minutes for your stomach to catch up.
6. Racer: a lot like the Great American Scream Machine, but much shorter.
7. Vortex: I remembered it being a lot better than it really was.
8. Some sort of spinning rocking thing: It was actually a very good ride...just not enough to remember the name I guess.
9. Flight Deck: Simple, but fun.
10. Avatar: Simple, but fun.
11. Son of Beast: That was rough...not a fan.
12. FireHawk: Absolute worst ride ever...If your big boneded like me, there is an overwhelming fear that gravity is going to win.

So there's my list! Not like it matters, 'cause my list is totally different than Zeke's or Julienne's. All I can say is I had a great time with my students. I know most of them are sticking around to go to college, but I'll miss them nonetheless.

Thank your seniors for sharing your trip with me!