Parallel Universe

You Heard Correctly...

2007-03-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, you heard it right. Jennifer and I are moving to Russia next summer. If you haven't heard yet...Surprise! This has been a process of 7 or 8 months of prayer. It's exciting an scary and bitter and sweet all at the same time.

I'm so glad it's out now though. I feel like we can move forward freely and begin to prepare for the move. Thanks to all of our friends who have shown support and encouragement since you found out. That means so much to Jennifer and I. You guys rock!!

Yep, You heard it Right!

2007-03-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

well, the cat's out of the bag...the news is out and now I can breathe.

Back from the Motherland

2007-03-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back! This proved to be a great trip. It was good to see old friends and great to make some new ones. I met a really cool couple while I was there. Viktor and Tanya are youth pastors at a church in St. Petersburg. I look forward to spending some more time with them in the future. Tanya was one of our interpretors. I met Oksana and Igor at the discipleship conference we were having in Gatchina. They are youth leaders from the Ukraine and are in St. Petersburg now.

I was able to make a trip into Sosnovy Bor and visit with Andre and Olga. Seeing Leosha and all the rest of the teens was awesome. I always look forward to hanging out with all of those guys. It's a highlight of my trips. Here are a few pics.

Me an my friend Leosha

Some of the crew from Sosnovy Bor

Across from our hotel

A church in downtown St. Petersburg

Looking out the window from Mama Roma's in downtown St. Petersburg.

Broken Camera!?

2007-03-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

Two days before I leave for Russia and what happens...my camera gets dropped. I was like no big deal, it wasn't dropped hard. It did however jam the lens motor making it inoperable. AAAAHHHH! So I take it to Click to get it repaired. Their response: We have to send it out and Kodak usually takes about 10 weeks for repairs...oh yeah, and it'll cost about $150. I was like what!?

I hate to buy from stores but I'm leaving tomorrow and couldn't stand the thought of going without a camera. So...I broke down and bought a new camera. I looked and looked for one that was comparable to my Z700 at about the same price I paid.

I decided to go with the Kodak Z650. It's actually a better camera than my Z700. I'm just not happy about having to spend the money on another camera. Oh well, I'm digging the extra features that this one has. So I'm off tomorrow with a camera in hand...

Russia Bound

2007-03-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

I'm off to Russia on Tuesday. I'm stoked about making it back there. I miss my friends. Then I found out that my friend Denis will be here in the states next month...Rock on! The cool thing is that I will be able to make it to Sosnovy Bor for a couple of days. Man, I miss those kids. They're so cool.

This trip will be a little different than the last couple of trips I've taken. I will pretty much be on my own. We are doing a conference in St. Petersburg but I am going to Sosnovy Bor by myself. That's cool by me but it will be a bit different. I'm just glad to make it back again.

I asked my friend Leosha if he needed anything and his reply was: drumsticks...and more hardcore music. I got him hooked on Demon Hunter and Staple the last time I was there.

So yeah, this will be a good trip and I'm really looking forward to it.

Closed Eyes and Palm Trees

2007-02-13T15:27:00.000-08:00

It's like a blizzard out...I'm listening to Norah Jones...I can close my eyes and be swept back to the Cayman Islands...good times.

My Opinion

2006-10-05T13:42:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry it's taken so long to post my opinion about the last entry. I'm bad about posting regularly.

I look at it this way: I could care less. Yep, I know that might throw some of you into hysteria. But this is my opinion. Some people couldn't handle the truth if they were sedated to the point of being lethargic. They would freak out and start wide spread panic. "The Russians are going to nuke us! Quick, let's pillage and plunder before we fry!"

At the time it was a race between Russia and America to see who could make it to the moon first. Whoever made it first would be considered to have the upper hand in the nuclear arms race.

It brings to mind a conversation by agent J and agent K in the movie Men In Black "Why the big secret? People are smart, they can handle it." Agent K's response: "A *person* is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it."

Do I believe in conspiracies? I would have to say yes. Do I agree with all of them? NO. Nor do I think they are all right. Do I believe that some are necessary to preserve our way of life in America? You betcha. If Some people knew about what went on in our government to keep them safe and secure, they would go all "Matrix" on us and talk about how it's better to be informed and know everything than to live life in an illusion. Some people should just leave the white rabbit alone and take the blue pill.

Try to take away my rights to protect my family and my country, we have a problem. Try to protect me from the idiots in our country that would panic by keeping them in the dark or making them think we still have the upper hand...I'll support the fact we went to the moon, whether it was 250,000 miles away in space or 2200 miles away on a Hollywood movie lot.

If You Believe...

2006-09-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Now, Andy did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch?
Hey Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby. Are we losing touch?
If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon.
If you believe there's nothing up his sleeve, then nothing is cool.

REM...Man On the Moon

REM made the stament "If you believed they put a man on the moon..." There is a conspiracy that the United States never made it to the moon. That it was all fake. I've known about this for quite awhile but I watched this video about the theory just the other day.

Do I believe the conspiracy? That's a loaded question that some may not like the answer to.

But first I'd like to get some thoughts from blogland. Do you believe that the United States went to the moon?

Empty lot = Memories

2006-09-08T17:35:00.001-07:00

What is this you ask...

It's a piece of my past. There used to be a house that sat here. Now there's just an empty lot.

There used to be a band that played in the garage. We were called Astaroth. We would play for hours defining who we were through our lyrics. We totally sucked but we were on our way to being rock stars. Plus, the chics dug musicians.

Gun's N Roses and Tesla could be heard from the windows of the house as a few teens would bang their heads and sing along while playing air guitar.

The scent of chicken and noodles would come from the kitchen as Mom would be getting supper ready.

Bob would come over with his iced coffee. At the time I thought it was nasty, never knowing that it would later become my favorite drink.

Sean and Phil would come knocking on the door and we were off to roam the streets with no plans or cares. We would let the evening take us where it wanted to. Sometimes we would just sit on the steps and let the summer sun set while talking about girls, music and life.

Looking back, there are things I miss about my childhood, things that I wish I could live over...not do over, but live them again.

You see an empty lot...I see alot of memories.

A Legend Dies...

2006-09-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

"WHAT!? NO WAY..." Were the words that came out of my mouth when I heard that Steve Irwin died. "Not the Crocodile Hunter, I thought he was invincible." He exchanges heroic escape stories with Superman and Wolverine. He can't be dead.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Not that I knew the guy or anything, but he has been a part of our culture since I graduated from high school. he's my son's favorite(next to Jeff Corwin.) And he was killed by a stingray! I was just holding one of those things about a week ago in the Cayman Islands...creepy!

Looking at what he did for a living always made me wonder when his number would come up. I mean, you can't go jumping on alligators backs and wrestling with pythons and expect to live forever. But this was somewhat of a freak accident. The stingray barb just happened to hit him in the heart. I still can't belive it.

So as all of the newspapers and television stations cover his death, we will pay homage to the man who inspired us to wrestle the reptiles. Even if all I can handle is a ghecko...

We're Back!

2006-08-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

I'm glad to be back from our trip but we had a blast! Here are a few pictures. If you want to see more you can go to My Flickr and see the set. I have more to post but I ran out of space.

We found this place on the beach in Cosumel...great guacamole!

Jennifer and I near the beach.

Yep, the sign says it all...Welcome to the Cayman Islands.

In Galveston Bay.

Our ship in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Hope you enjoyed the pics. I got to scratch something off of my goals list on this trip. I snorkled off of a coral reef in the Cayman Islands. That's something I've wanted to do for a long time. Now all I need to do is to get my dive certification...then it's off to Hawaii.

2006-08-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

2006-08-18T17:05:00.000-07:00

Sail Away!

2006-08-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, Jennifer and I are going on a cruise for our 14 year anniversary. A little gift we decided to give each other this year. We are leaving for Galveston Texas in 2 days. WOOHOO!! Carribean here we come! We sail out on Sunday On the Conquest and will be out to sea for 7 days. I am so stoked about this trip. I have always wanted to go on a cruise but have never been able to until now.

We will make stops in Montego Bay Jamaica, Grand Cayman Islands, and Cosumel Mexico.

I am looking forward to some snorkleing and swimming with the stingrays. I also want to go into the port cities and do some sight seeing. Other than that, I'm going to be on the beach or on the deck next to the pool...doing absolutely nothing at all. That is going to be bliss.

Keep the Net Neutral!!

2006-08-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, as some of you already know, our internet freedom of surf is in danger. Some of our friends have already posted on this topic. If you are still unsure about what "net neutrality" is then let's look to the all wise Ask a Ninga to enlighten us. Speak out and save our way of life. This calls for a REVOLUTION...or at least some dirty looks and funny faces towards the telco companies. Make a call or write a letter to your state representatives. That's it...hand me the phone. I'm callin my Governor. KEEP THE NET NEUTRAL! I have spoke my mind...

My Space!?

2006-07-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

What is it about Myspace? I have been pondering over this question for a bit. A friend of mine says I should get one and now I am wondering if I should. I'm finding out that quite a few people have one and they are closet Myspacers.

I have not been a fan of Myspace in the past...too many banners and junk I guess. I am curious however about the whole network thing though. It's like an entire community. Of course David Karesh had a community too and we all know about that little mishap in Waco. And then there are the Lemmings, who thoughtlessly follow their leader to the death. And then there were those folks that tried to hop on the comet trail and ride off into the sunset. I guess what I'm trying to say is that a sense of community isn't always a good thing.

So...to Myspace or not to Myspace? That is the question...

Did I just say something?

2006-07-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back from camp. I thought we would never get there. We were running into problem after problem trying to pull this trip off this year. Man I hate transportation issues. I can't wait until we get our own bus. That will be a happy day. It was one of the best years though, I can say that. The best was when my team won first place in the games...but that is a selfish reason for it being the best because it was all about ME!!

This year went to a whole new plane with God. It definately jump started me. I love getting a jolt from camp. It's so inspiring. I always come back different. It's all good.

It has been an up and down status for me in the blogging community. Why is it that I have a million things dancing around in this little brain of mine, but when it comes to typing them out I draw a blank canvas. That frustrates me. I think of really cool things to blog about and then I forget about it by the time I get around to the blogosphere.

Like I remember this really funny thing...
...
...
Wait...What was I talking about again?

See what I mean...

LET"S PARTY!!

2006-06-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

Well, we are gearing up to launch our first annual out of school bash tonight at AE. Man, this has been alot of work. I can't wait because this is going to be a blast. Live music, food, games, movies, no sleep...aaah life in youth ministry.

I am hoping to be able to post some pics some time next week. I need to step out of the office and take care of some last minute details. So I'm off for now.

I'm Alive!!

2006-06-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

I guess the end of the world never came. Blogger however, suffered a maintenance breakdown yesterday. I'll bet they got scared...because we all know that if blooger dies...so does the rest of the world.

The End is Here!!

2006-06-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Did you know that today is the end of the world?! Yep...so say good bye to your friends and family because tomorrow there will be nothing. I think that some fanatics get a kick out of spreading fear into the hearts and minds of the naive masses of aimless sheep we have in this world. Some people will believe anything. If you didn't know, there are people that are claiming that since today is 6/6/06, our world is going to end. Some people should be flogged for their stupidity...numerous times.

To me, it's my wife Jennifer's birthday. And believe me, she is not happy at all that the end of the world is going to happen on her birthday. Not only does she turn ## today but she has to hurry up and celebrate it before the world blows up...or whatever fate is in store. So wish her a happy birthaday while you still can...before you burst into flames...or before a meteor falls on your head...or whatever.

I say we gather up all of the individuals and groups that are spreading these viscious rumors tomorrow morning and drop them off in the desert. We could just tell them, "well, we figured that since you were not even planning on waking up today we would take this opportunity to get rid of a few more idiots. No hard feelings." And when they say something like, "but we were wrong. It's hot and there's no food or water out here. We want to live" we can say back to them...

"Good luck with that."

Writing History

2006-05-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."
Sir Winston Churchill

I would like to have that much confidence in myself to believe that I can look to the future and make history. I bring up a way too often used cliche by saying that I want my life to count. I find that I am generally lazy and a procrastinator. These are faults that I am trying to correct. I am like most dreamers in that I want to be a part of something big. But I don't just want to be a part of it, I want to create it. I want to be part of the process that is responsible for not only its conception, but also its implimentation. I dream big but fail to understand how to make my dreams become reality. I can write the future in my head but cannot figure out how to bring it into exsistance.

I believe anything is possible but then the realist in me wins by saying "it's been done before and failed" or "that would take way too much money to pull off."

I see things in my mind that have never been done before in our community (at least not to the degree that I see them being done) and I feel like I'm missing it. I believe I am where I am supposed to be but I feel like I am not being faithful in the small things.

Sometimes finding the launching point is hard. I hate the confines of the four walls of a church building but I am shy by nature...yeah me shy. Funny isn't it? I want to have the boldness that Tommy Barnett had when he put his desk on the front walk of his inner city church so he could be a part of the community. He's one of the whitest guys I know of. That's boldness! Where does this confidence come from? I want to harness it and bottle it up so I can pour it out on me when I feel like crawling in my shell (or my office) to retreat from the world. I want to make a difference...
...
...but how??

Drool...Drool

2006-05-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

The moment we've been waiting for will soon be upon us...well, at least it's a bit closer than it was yesterday. We still have to wait until 2007 for the release of Halo 3 but a little teaser never hurt anybody. I'm not so much excited to see the graphics although I'm sure they will be very vibrant and top notch (even if they are a bit shiny as Josh points out) To me the beauty of Halo's graphics lie in the colors and the particle effects. And it's not the single player that sells me on Halo. It is the multiplayer maps and the freedom to create game modes that makes it so much fun. Whether you love it or hate it...it finds a way into your heart.

I remember when Halo 2 came out. I just wanted to stare at the screen and drool all over myself. But I'm more interested in the online maps and the new weapon assortments. You can visit Bungie Studios and check out the announcement article. So yeah, I am definately looking forward to some Halo 3 multiplayer.

Halo+Friends+Hot Wings=Good Times

Drowned Alive

2006-05-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

Some people say he's an idiot while others say he is the closest thing we've seen since Houdini. Whether you think he's insane or a genius, you have to say one thing about David Blaine. He's got guts. So he didn't quite make it all the way on this one(nine minutes was his goal) you have to admit that 7 minutes 20 seconds underwater is pretty impressive. Not to mention the fact that he spent 7 days submerged before he went without air.

I actually heard a news anchor say this morning that he's just wanting the attention. HELLO! He's a performer. Just like an actor or actress. It's what he does. This is his bread winner. I'd like to see anyone else stay under water for that long. Plus, even though he didn't break the record, he's still going to bank a pretty penny for this stunt.

Insane...probably
Genius...I wouldn't go that far
Good performer...definately

Fallen Comrades

2006-05-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

I came across these pictures today and it reminded me to keep sending shout outs to those men and women who are still serving over in Iraq. It seems so easy to forget when the ones that are close to you are home safe. I salute you...those who have served and are back from the battlefield, those who have fallen, and those who face the battle as I write these words. THANK YOU! I cannot say enough to commend you.

These pictures were awarded first and second place at the picture of the year international this year. There is something emotional that stirs up inside of me when I see pics like these. It also makes me proud to be an American. I've served next to men that have seen the battlefield firsthand. I can't say that I have. Maybe if I did, my opinions would be different. then again, maybe not...

First Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac. During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as one of the most powerful in the process: "See the people in the windows? They'll sit right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home," he said. "They're going to remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should."

Second Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. "I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it," she said. "I think that's what he would have wanted."

Blue October

2006-04-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

I think I have found, in my opinion, the most creative band that has come out in awhile. It's really hard to pinpoint the sound of Blue October's music. It's kind of like The Cure, Peter Gabriel, and some other forms of alternative rock all wrapped up in one package. They have four albums out already...how did I not find these guys until now?

The writing is brilliant and the lead singer doesn’t appear to have any qualms about expressing his feelings about depression, mental illness, suicide, relationships, breakups and religion. He is even quoted as saying that it is almost embarrasing to bear his heart so bluntly. It is honesty at its best.

It has been awhile since a music video has almost brought me to tears. The last one I can remember would be Johnny Cash doing the song Hurt. Blue October's video for Hate Me is an emotional work of art.

I am impressed and would have to say that this is the best band I have heard in awhile. The music has changed slightly from their first album The Answers but the quality is top notch from the beginning to the brand new album Foiled . Check them out if you haven't already.

ICU Contemplation

2006-04-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

I visited a man in the hospital yesterday. He has sickle cell disease and is in ICU. It's kind of sobering to see a 26 year old man, who just weeks before was working, playing, laughing, and apparently healthy.

It makes me realize how frail and short life really is. This has in no means got me depressed or contemplating my surroundings. It did however make me think I want to live my life to the fullest. I want to experience every culture I can. I want to try food from every nook and cranny of the world. I want to have friends that span the globe.

I want to love the unlovable, care deeply, and trust without reserve. I want to serve without motives, step forward without fear, and lead with integrity. I want to see the best in people, look past their faults, and find their inner beauty that only God can bring to the surface.

I want to do more than just "be" a child of God, I want to live it...and I want the world to know that I am different. I want it to be apparent that I have something they don't. Not by the way I dress...or by the way I look. I want them to see purpose, joy, peace, and love in my eyes. I don't want to get to the end of my life and say "I wish I had..."

Back From Tulsa

2006-04-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back from our trip to Tulsa. I know, some of you are going...I didn't know you were going to Tulsa. You can blame that on the irregular posting in my blog. Some of the AE staff went to a conference at Oneighty (who built an amazing 14 million dollar facility.)

I was impressed by Doug Fields session titled "important...more important." I feel like I could have been sitting accross a desk talking face to face with some of these guys it hit so close to home.

Another great part of our trip was being able to go over to Arkansas and spend some time with Josh, Sabrina, and Aaron. we were able to go to Keypoint Church and sit through one of their services. It was really cool.

Here are some pictures from our trip:

3am and Agent Mulder

2006-04-04T03:15:00.000-07:00

It's 3am and we leave for Tulsa in 21 hours. Why am I up at 3am you ask? Because I am going to sleep all day tomo...I mean today. We are leaving at midnight so I am trying to get my body used to staying up all night.

I am a night owl to begin with so this is not all that difficult. I was up until 5am yesterday. I have watched 3 episodes of X Files and a bunch of reality TV. I have come to the conclusion that reality TV is just down right hilarious. Watching Dog the Bounty Hunter tell a bounty that he is 100% fortified is just funny stuff.

There is a new series out called Mr. Personality. The concept is that a bunch of guys get together and try to win the affection of one woman. Oh this has been done you say. But while they are trying to win her affection and admiration, they cannot remove the mask that they are wearing. Yep...the mask. The girl cannot know what they look like or what kind of a job they have. Her choices are based solely on their personality. Although it is kind of creepy with the whole mask thing (watch an episode and you'll see what I mean) I am intreaged by the whole concept. I was drawn in and now I want to see more...very interesting.

Poetic Justice

2006-03-30T15:40:00.000-08:00

Staven and I went to Cedarville last week to hear Don Miller speak. He is the author of the book Blue Like Jazz and Searching for God Knows What. Anyway, he made an interesting point. He was explaining how he believes that God uses poetic justice throughout the Bible to express more deeply the feelings of the people involved.

In otherwords, sometimes you aren't reading the exact words that the person said. God showed the writers the emotions that they were feeling and gave them the words to express those feelings.

It makes sense. I mean, it's not fiction but at the same time God shows us the emotions that Job felt when he was being torn by what was going on with his life.

I really enjoyed hearing Don Miller speak. He wasn't your average inside the box Christian. What he says makes you think. He takes everyday life and shows you profound simplicity. On top of that he was hilarious. I was surprised that Cedarville invited him. They are known for being very conservative. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak, I would highly recommend you to go. You won't be dissapionted.

OK I've Been Tagged...

2006-03-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry it took awhile to get to this. I have been so busy. James tagged me so here I go

Four jobs I've had:
* U.S Navy Seabee Batallion - Heavy Equipment Operator
* Honda of Marysville Plastics Division - I trimmed bumpers
* Stevensons Heating and Air - HVAC Installer
* SBC/Ameritech - Infrostructure Maintenance Splicer

Four movies that I can watch over and over:
* Breakfast Club
* 12 Monkeys
* Unbreakable
* Mystery Men

Four places I've lived:
* West Bend Wisconsin
* Spring Texas
* San Diego California
* Winter Harbor Maine

Four TV shows that I love:
* CSI
* Cold Case Files
* Dog The Bounty Hunter - Don't ask why...I'm not really sure
* Iron Chef

Four places I've vacationed traveled to:
* Canada
* Mexico
* Russia
* Guatemala

Four of my favorite dishes:
* Jennifer's chicken - that stuff is like crack
* Mariachi Chicken from Los Mariachis
* Sushi
* Chili Rellenos

Four sites I visit daily:
* aelive.com
* Flickr
* Everyones' Blog
* That last one counted as at least five or six...so we're even!

Four places I would rather be right now:
* Russia
* Traveling across the country in a motorhome with my family
* Scotland
* On my motorcycle - well, if it wasn't so cold

Four bloggers I'm tagging:
* Sorry...no tagging from me. I think all of you have aleready done it. If not, then TAG YOU'RE IT!

Where A Kid Can Be A Kid

2006-03-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

I took the kids to Chuck E Cheese the other night. That place is utter chaos but the kids like it.

Simple Prayer

2006-03-15T16:52:00.000-08:00

"Lord fill me so you can use me. Mold me and shape me into who you want me to be. Show me how to love as much as you."

Fists of Fury

2006-03-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK NORRIS!

Don't forget to pay homage and give a shout out to our good ol buddy Chuck Norris. He turns 66 today.

Reflection...

2006-03-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's just hard...
Refelection can be an avenue to improvement...
Or a window to discouragement...
And sometimes you have to go through one to get to the other...
I think I'm seeing that now...

Whitewashed Christianity!!

2006-03-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

I got this from a book I'm reading right now:

"We have spread so many coats of whitewash over the historical Jesus that we scarcely see the glow of his presence any more. Jesus is a man in a way that we have forgotten men can be: truthful, blunt, emotional, nonmanipulative, sensative, compassionate-so liberated that He did not feel it unmanly to cry; so secure He could engage anyone head on and deal with them right where they were. Underneath all our coverup is a man exquisitly in touch with his emotions and uninhibited in expressing them."

In the book of Luke, Jesus stopped a funeral procession where a woman's only son was being carried off to be buried. It said that when Jesus saw her, His heart broke (another translation says that He had compassion on her) He acted on that emotion and raised the boy from the dead. It wasn't because the boy was dead...it was because He saw her tears and His heart ached for her. That's pretty cool.

It's kind of sobering to think of Jesus in this way. It puts a different spin on christianity all together. When we see the son of God dealing with human emotions it brings Him closer to our heart. Knowing that He not only created emotions but also experienced them firsthand makes me realize that He know exactly where I'm at and how I feel at any given moment. I guess I can say that makes me feel safe...

Enemy At The Gates

2006-02-23T16:03:00.000-08:00

Forgiveness has been a big thing on my radar lately. Not wanting it but giving it and the lack therof. I read something a few weeks back that hit home for me. I stopped reading this book to pick up another one. (I am known for reading 2 or 3 books at one time...must be the ADHD in me) Anyways, I picked this book back up and forgot where I left off so I opened it up to this page and it hit me just as hard as it did the first time I read it.

"Just when I think I know, I find out I don't know. What seems most obvious is seldom what's really true. What I don't know is almost always more significant than what I know.Compassion leads to forgiveness when we understand where our enemy cries."

Ouch! Do we see the sins of each other as opportunities to pray for one another or do we see them as a way to make us feel holier about ourselves? "At least I don't do that" or "I never act that way."

Do we see a man down as an opportunity to lift him up and make him stronger or do we see their situation as a way to gouge at a wound that is already tearing at their heart?

Where does our enemy cry? Think about that the next time we are quick to judge...I don't know where that came from but for what its worth, it spoke to me very loudly.

Springfield

2006-02-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

This is pretty freaky. I had a new subscription to my flickr site yesterday. So I went to Ty's site to check it out. It inspired me to go and take some pictures of the city. It was one of the reasons I baught my camera for in the first place. So I took some pics and went home and cleaned them up a bit. I go back to Ty's site to check his stuff out again and I was like "what the heck!?" We both took pics from the same area. Oh well, here are some of the pics that I took with my new digital camera. Thanks for the inspiration Ty. I promise I wasn't copying...lol

Girls and Paintball!?

2006-02-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

OK, here's some more random funniness. I was talking to one of Jennifer's friends at the house the other day. We brought up the subject of girls playing paintaball. Jennifer proceded to tell her that she should go out and play paintball with us some time to release some of her frustration and anger about her present "guy" situation. She said "what's better to release some anger than being able to shoot a man in the face leagally." Jen however deciced that it wouldn't be a good idea for her to play with a bunch of guys because pistol whipping is not allowed in paintball...

If that went over your head I apologise but I cracked up when Jennifer said it. Leave it up to my wife to come up with something totally off the wall like that. Vengeful women would change the sport of paintball forever. I can see it now...the headlines would read: Pistol Whipped Paintballer Screams "Stop her rampage!"

Gone Digital

2006-02-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

I finally broke down and bought a digital camera. I have been using a Chinon 35mm for quite awhile now. I bought a Kodak Z700 and I love it. It take great pics and I like the dock that came with it. I will post some pictures from it here soon.

Dead Man Flying

2006-02-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

It seems that recently there have been planes flying really low over my house. A few of them actually sound like they are going to land in my living room. Jen said that one flew over the other day and it shook the house.

I then came to the conclusion that being in the bathtub while a plane flew into your house would not be a good experience. Don't ask how this came about. We are talking about my thinking pattern here. It would take way too long to explain. Anyways, I thought it would be alot better not to die while naked.

Depending on the angle of entry for the plane, I might end up on Plum street. Then there would be a naked dead guy in the road. That would be kind of a disturbing sight. Especially for those who happen upon this. Now in my vision of this, I saw no blood. There was no mangled carcass. Nope, just a naked dead guy in the street. At least I would be clean.

Hence the title of this post because Jennifer has this odd sense of humor where she makes up Indian names for people. Now mine is Dead man Flying.

Hitler and Random Thoughts

2006-02-15T12:40:00.000-08:00

"Obstacles do not exist to be surrendered to, but only to be broken." These words were spoken by Adolf Hitler. Isn't it odd how you can find wisdom even in the words of a madman?

Hitler was brilliant if you ask me. I mean, he was evil and a bit off of his rocker. But he was brilliant none the less. He led millions of men in an attempt to "purify" the world, killing everyone in his path that got in the way. However appalling it is, it is interesting to think of how he got so many to follow his crazy plan.

I asked Jen the other day, "what would make an ordinary man want to follow someone in carrying out a plan of such destruction and death." He understood the importance of leadership to fulfill his mission. The fact that it was a phycotic plan didn't matter. Once the ball was rolling it was too late for those who were involved in the whole mess. I'm sure many men looked back after it was all over and thought "my God, what have I done?"

My point? There is so much corruption and chaos and so many obstacles in this world that sometimes we need to think like the enemy to defeat him. Hitler also said "What luck for rulers that men do not think."

"Lord, I pray that you put in me the mind of Christ. That I may be thoughtful of my actions and that my words will encourage those around me. That I will be aware of every move the enemy makes in my life. And that I will apply your word to break the holds that distract me."

Is that a jelly doughnut private Pyle?

2006-02-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

Ok...Toys R Us was going out of business so I got a few more of the military guys that I am collecting. I'm trying to catch up on the ones that have been out for awhile. I have a few more on order. Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sgt. Hartman would be proud. Yeah I know...I'm addicted.

Falling

2006-02-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

You in your shell
Are you waiting for someone to rescue you, from yourself?
Dont be disappointed when no one comes

Dont blame me, you didnt get it (X3)
I already told you that

Falling is easy, its getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
If you dont believe you can find a way out
You become the problem
Become the problem

You, all alone, are you waiting for someone to make you a home?
Cant you see, arent you tired of this dysfunctional routine?

Dont blame me, you didnt get it (X3)
I already told you that

Falling is easy, its getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
If you dont believe you can find a way out
You become the problem
Become the problem (X2)

Falling is easy, it's getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
And if you believe you can find a way out
Then youve solved the problem
Youve solved your problem

I love this song by Staind. The last chorus makes me think of Romans 8:1 where it says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. It goes on to say that God sent his son in the likeness of sinful man as a sin offering. He condemned sin in us so that His law could be met in our life. That is cool. Sometimes we fall off of the horse. It's good to hear that we are not hated by God for it. The way out is Jesus. You've solved the problem. Not for anyone in particular...just encouragement for us all.

2006-02-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

There is a new Xbox 360 game coming out called The Outfit and it is looking to be quite a blast. It's kind of like GI Joe meets the game mercenaries. I can't wait to play it. I am giddy just thinking about it. Here are some screen shots. Yes, I am a game geek. Don't hate me for it.

Are You Willing?

2006-02-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

I read a statistic yesterday that stated that teens spend over half of their time with their friends and only five percent with either parent. Yet parents have the greatest influence on the decisions that a teenager makes.

This got me thinking. I want to be as involved with my kid's lives as I can. If we are the greatest influence to our kids then it is fair to say that the more time we spend with them, our influence on them will become greater. It made me think of all of the field trips I have been on with my son. He looks to me for my approval when he attempts something. I fail him at times but I know he still loves me. He still looks to me for the answers. He still looks into the crowd to make sure I am at the school play or an award ceremony.

The time I invest in my kids now will draw them to me in the future when they are faced with obstacles in their lives. That's a big responsibility but one I am willing to put the time and effort into.

Halo 2 and Prophecy

2006-01-31T16:00:00.000-08:00

Ian: "Die!"

Bobby: "I think Ian just prophecied over me" as Staven was hunting his prey (Bobby) on Halo2.

There is something about late night Halo 2 fun. Staven instilling fear and anger into Bobby and Ian. Good times...

To Be or Not to Be...

2006-01-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

I once posed the question: When exactly does the post modern church become the church of yesterday? I came across this article in Relevant magazine. There were a few of quotes at the end that really stuck out to me.

"Let’s not forget though that in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he called the church both to fluidity and order. To truly be effective we need a blend of both the modernist and postmodernist perspective, we need to be transformists—both fixed and fluid."

"The postmodern mindset has brought with it much freedom. Many churches are in desperate need of more involvement, story, community and round table discussions. However, as with any movement, we can go to the other extreme."

"The modernist needs to focus a bit more on packaging. They need to loosen up a little more on form and method. The postmodernist needs to remember substance. They need to remember that the message never changes."

"It’s kind of funny, but Christ was all about packaging and substance. In fact, He went back to that whole love God love people thing. That was the substance. As far as the packaging, we’re it. He said by our love, all people would know we’re His disciples. "

This was a great article and answered my question pretty well. As long as the Church is always changing with the culture while never changing the message then we will always be the "postmodern church." It's only when we stop being relevant to the community that we will be the "Church of yesterday."

From Russia With Love

2006-01-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

I have never posted any pics from our Russia trip. Actually to tell you the truth I didn't say much about it at all on my blog. I will have to take a few posts and tell you about some of it. There is something about Russia that tugs on my heart. It has to be God because you have no idea how much I hate cold weather. I keep asking Jen if God is calling us to start a ministry in Hawaii yet. Her answer is always no...Oh well. Anyways, here are a few pics from our trip.

Something About Me...

2006-01-20T15:20:00.000-08:00

There's something that most of you might not know about me. I love military stuff. All kinds of military stuff. And when I found out that Todd Mcfarlane created a military series I got all giddy inside. So I went out and started my collection last night. Now to some of you this might seem kind of childish...yeah I know but ain't they cool. They are so realistic. I didn't even realize that these exsisted so I have some catching up to do. Thanks to tax time I might be able to accomplish that. And no they are not dolls...they're figurines! I thought I would share my first two with you.

Natural Legacy

2006-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

I went to Cedarville University yesterday to hear Dave Rahn speak. He said so many things that hit home with my life right now. One thing he talked about was leaving a natural legacy.

We've all answered the question: "What legacy do you want to leave behind?" Dave put a different spin on it though. He called it "the camera's eye" Think of it this way: There is something behind our eyes that operates like a continuous video camera...capturing images and video clips of everything we experience. If I mention someone we all know...let's say Prozac for instance. Those who know him will automatically begin to play clips of him in our mind. Experiences that we have had with him. Some may be good and some may be bad. Some clips may cause us to laugh uncontrollably (most of them do in his case) and others may stir emotions that bring us to tears. Either way the clips play in our minds without our control most of the time.

What clips are played in the minds of those who know us? How will we be remembered if we were to leave this earth tomorrow? Man, that was a hard nugget to swallow.

"Lord, I want to leave a natural legacy where you are evident in my life. Forgive me for my apathy, harshness and unforgiveness. Move in me and create a life that is molded by your Spirit. Let me see people through your eyes and love them with your heart."

Airless Tire!?

2006-01-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

Time Magazine selects Michelin Tweel One of the most amazing inventions of 2005." That is quite a hefty claim to make but this is pretty cool stuff. Michelin has created an airless tire. It looks pretty odd but I am intrigued by it. It has been given all kinds of awards so far and they are looking into applications for them. The website had mentioned wheel chairs, construction equipment, and military vehicles. Check out this video to see the tweel in action. Pretty freaky stuff!

Staple's New Site

2006-01-12T11:20:00.000-08:00

Staple has a new website and I love it. I am a big fan of WWII stuff as it is so this just really clicked for me when I saw it. It definately fits with the theme of the album. And I would have to say that this is my favorite album from them so far. It definately pierces my heart when I listen to it. Great stuff!

Buenos Amigos

2006-01-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful to God for the friends that I have. And now I have friends that span the globe...from Russia to Guatemala. My friends Andy and Bobby came over last night for dinner. I am wishing more and more that Andy would not go back to Guatemala. I wish he could stay and work for us in AE. I love hanging out with him. He is so real. I love it when a christian is confident enough in his walk to be real around people. I'm not saying perfect...I am saying confident. There is a big difference. I would love to get to know him better and find out more about what makes him tick. He has a warped sense of humor which fits in great with our warped crowd. He loves the Lord but is not religious in his thoughts. And best of all, he is true to himself. I can see God doing some amazing things through him. Aquí está a los buenos amigos.

New Look

2006-01-05T16:02:00.000-08:00

I decided that it was time to retire my other template. I like this one. What do you think? I actually used a template not created for Blogger but I made it work. It would even be nicer if one of my graphic designer friends would make me a cool header to jazz it up a bit. Don't make me beg...it's unbecoming of me.

D&D and good friends

2006-01-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

It's great when you can have friends that will agree to disagree with you. Case in point: We were discussing the inner workings of D&D the other night, which I used to play. Hey, don't blame me for being a product of the 80's. Anyways, I came across this video that just cracked me up. Dedicated D&D players have been known to be a bit over the edge at times and this proves it. So I am dedicatiing this video clip to Prozac. I hope you like it!

So I was Thinking...

2006-01-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

I was recently faced with the question: "what is your holy discontent?" When I heard this question I had to sit and think about it. Why? I am a pastor. I run a ministry. I should just be able to spout this out without even thinking about it. If I can't then why am I in ministry? (I tend to beat myself up about things like this) But as I thought about it I began to remember why I am in ministry in the first place. I am not perfect (far from it as a matter of fact.) I posed this to our staff the other night and got some great answers.
...
...
Ok, let ME begin with sexuality in movies and tv. This drives me nuts. It's everywhere and in everything. The one that gets on my nerves the most is that stupid commercial about the male enhancement drug. You know the commercial you love to hate. The one where the guy has this big cheesy smile on his face all of the time. What is that all about? Let's see...there's Nip Tuck, Sex in the City, The L Word. Should I go on? OK, then you have The OC, Temptation Island, The Love Cruise, Charmed (a show about sexy witches??? Come on)

This paralyzes us men because we are drawn towards sex whether we want to be or not. This is where we need to be guarding our hearts. If networks put boobs on the screen we either choose to turn the channel or stare at it in amazement as if we have never seen them before, drooling the whole time. If you don't look at it that way then you are either very very very holy...or you're lying! That is just me venting.

So I was thinking about the holy discontent thing. Mine is that the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy...and he is doing a good job at it. All the while packaging it in a pretty box called the mass media. As a result, Our teens are drawn into a world of sex, violence, and deceit. And we sit by and mutter the words: "Do not be conformed to to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind," not understanding its meaning. We as the church (meaning individuals) need to combat this by packaging God in a way that is real and life changing. Don't get religious on me. I am not trying to be blasphemous. What do you think Jesus meant when He said, "I have become all things to all men?" So I ask you...What is your holy discontent? What is the one thing that drives you to say "something has to change."

Santa's In The Klink!

2005-12-29T10:37:00.000-08:00

Well, the madness is over. Actually I would have to say that people were overall pretty respectful during Christmas this year. I mean, I didn't have one case of an old lady trying to beat me up for the perfect stocking stuffer. Last year the blue haired gang was out in full force and they were vicious. But one good thing about those ladies is that they have a pretty high turnover rate. Their life expectancy is not very high if you know what I mean. Anyways, for those of you that got only coal for Christmas (or nothing at all), this is probably why. Poor Santa!

I Want It All!

2005-12-22T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again. Actually it is past that time of year and I am running behind a bit. It is budegeting time. Everybody say YAY! So I am sitting here with a cup of delicious Russian tea. I have come to love tea. It is so relaxing and yummy. Anyways, I have been working on this budget for about a week now and I have come to one conclusion: I want a whole lot more than I did last year. I know God has all the money in the world, but I also understand that God is no sugardaddy. XBOX 360, PS3, more of this and more of that. Gimme, gimme, gimme. Me likey this and me likey that. I want to go here and I want to go there. Ministry costs money.

I actually have had people say that we are wrong for having video games in our youth room. "The Holy Spirit draws people, not video games." I agree 100%, now let's give them a reason to make the decision to show up. I mean come on, that freedom to chose thing gets in the way all the time. I'm a pastor and I have to die to my selfish wants every day. Are ya getting where I'm coming from?

So here I sit...sipping tea and plotting my plan for ministry domination one dollar at a time. Spending it is alot more fun than planning how it will be spent. I guess it's good that I have to ask for it first. I could see it now. "Pastor Larry, what need do you have for a private jet?" Reply: "Have you ever tried to charter a bus!"

Wake Me Up In April...

2005-12-20T12:34:00.000-08:00

Today I feel kind of "BLAH" There are things that weigh heavy on my heart and I am feeling worn out. I know that these things shall pass. I haven't lost my joy by any means but I am feeling kind of tired. It might just be a lack of sleep as well. I just need to rest. Jennifer and I are planning a trip to Pittsburgh here soon. I am looking forward to that. It is work related but we will stay over a day or two and relax. That will be nice. IKEA here we come...lol. Russia was great but it wasn't exactly a break. I am the type of person that needs down time. I go and go until I crash. The problem is that I feel like I can't go as long as I used to before I crash.

I wish people could hibernate. Yes, I think that would be great. We just crawl into a hole and go to sleep for a month or two. Wake up in the spring refreshed and ready to take on the world. I could just hang a sign on my front door that says " Do not disturb. In hibernation. please do not wake until April." Yep. That sounds grand...

Am I still in Frankfurt?

2005-12-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

Josh R. has been on the edge of his seat wanting to hear about our trip. I haven't posted since we were in Frankfurt Germany. I have so much to say that is almost overwhelming and I don't know where to start. I guess I will start with the relational stuff.

I would have to say that this trip was better than the first one...and we came back with all of our cameras. I really missed Sasha so it was good seeing him again. He is so funny to watch. He gets so fired up during service. I saw some of the people that I met last year. Nastya, one of the girls that came to our youth conference last year was one of our interpreters this year. Jennifer got to know her pretty well and they became good friends. We held a couple youth services while we were there and we had a blast. Rachel even spoke at one of them. She did an awesome message on anger. Way to go Rach! I recieved an email from one of the students that was there and it was so encouraging. I know that going over there is fun but it is nice to hear when you make a difference in someone's life. Here is part of the email he sent.

"You know, the week you were with us, changed my life and my heart! It’s really! I don’t know what is going on, but I’m sure that God is doing something with my heart. I don’t know, but I feel it. Larry, thank you very much for this visit to Russia! I hope that you were glad to be with us."

That makes it all worth it! I already can't wait to go back. Jennifer and I are talking about staying for a few extra days just to visit and travel. Hopefully by then my Russian will be better.

I will post a couple more times on this trip. I didn't want to make one long post. I am compiling a list of things I have learned from the Russians. Should be informative and amusing...

Almost Home

2005-12-07T02:27:00.000-08:00

Well, I am bitterly dissapointed because I wasn,t able to do an audio post from St. Petersburgh. But other than that the trip was awesome! We are in Frankfurt Germany right now waiting for our flight to Washington. I will post again when I get home. We had a great trip that I will have to wind down from before I can post all that happened. Till then, see you when I get home...

2005-11-28T05:41:00.000-08:00

Russia Bound

2005-11-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

Man, three days and we will be in the air headed for Russia. It seemed like this trip was never going to happen. I am so excited to see my friends Dennis and Igor, as well as the rest of the people that I met the last time I was there. I am probably not going to get much of a chance to get on the internet so I am going to try the audioblogger thing. I hope it works out well. Keep checking back for some audio posts. I will try to post at least every couple of days. These pics were from our last trip. I thought I would put them up here for nastalgic purposes. What do you think Josh...bring back memories?

It's Here! It's Here!

2005-11-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

The XBOX 360 is here! I have played a few demos and I am very impressed! I can't wait to get mine. I think I have to wait until tax time....ugh! I will have to rely on the frequent stops to Best Buy to play their 360 demos. I can see it now. "Jennifer, I need a fix. I'm gonna run to Best Buy and play some Call of Duty."

He Did it Again!!

2005-11-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

Man, I can't even really put this weekend into words. Amazing is the closest I can come without watering it down. Alternative Edge had our annual fall retreat this weekend and I would have to say that it was one of the best that we have had yet! We walk away from it every year exhausted commenting on how God did it again and this year was no exception. I am always blown away with God's faithfulness. It makes me go "YEAH, that's why I am in youth ministry!" Snot covered floors, tears, and a heart on fire to serve our God is what it's all about.

Yes, another succesful year! I came home and slept for 12 hours. I was that tired. The game we played at 2 am probably didn't help any. Thanks to all who participated in that. 4 contestants and 20 victims...good times. Here is one of the funniest lines of the weekend..."James! James! I need your pillow man, it's do or die!

So let's do this. Comment with some memorable lines of the weekend so we can all laugh at the comedy that goes on during our stay at wonderful Camp Ohio.

Stupid Christains...Pickets are for Legalists!

2005-11-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

I heard this on the radio this morning and I had to rant for a moment. There was a church (I don't really know where because I was half asleep when the news first came on.) But they decided they were going to purchase the pumps and pay for .50 of the gas prices for a few hours or something. The pastor's reasoning..."God cares about your everyday lives...even how much you pay for gas." Great reasoning, and this is where the rant begins. Another church in the area picketed this outreach quoting "this church is trying to market their own congregation and attempting to market Jesus" all the while holding picket sings that read "Jesus cares about your sins not gas prices."

This infuriates me! The thing that really hacks me off is that the world will see the idiots with the picket signs before they see the fact that this church was doing something good for the community. I am really tired of stupid legalistic christians that are more worried about the rules and regulations than they are about serving the Lord or reaching out to the lost. What!?...we are allowed to give the hungry food but not allowed to give the cash strapped a relief from price gouging at the pump? It makes no sense to me. I wonder how many people gave their lives to the Lord because of the picket signs...hundreds I'm sure (sarcastically speaking of course.) I could go on more but this is where I will stop. I have had it up to here with legalism. It sickens me! And that is my rant...

If anyone happens to find an article on this unfortunate christian blooper (or blunder and great attemp to make fools of themselves) please let me know. I would love to read the whole story.

Is It Too Late?

2005-11-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

I went out and hung out with some students at the skate park yesterday, and I got some great pics.

I got an itch! I busted out a board that Josh gave my son when he left. Yep, I borrowed my son's board and headed out to the park. I am definately not as nimble as I used to be. So, maybe picking up a board at 32 is suicide but it was so much fun. My tailbone still hurts. Those little kids make it look so easy. All we had when I was a kid were picnic tables and curbs...living out a piece of childhood could be quite enjoyable...or get me a trip to the emergency room.

Good Stuff!

2005-11-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not usually one to take things from other people's blogs but I had to make an exception here. Steven posted this a couple days ago and I am still laughing. I had to get this around our circle of friends. I know you all have a warped enough sense of humor to appreciate two old guys duking it out. The fact that it is in another language makes it even funnier. If this link doesn't work, let me know. This is the first time I have tried to post a video clip.

Back to the Relative

2005-11-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

OK, I said I would give my take on this whole moral relativism thing so here it is. I have heard some say that you can interpret the Bible to have different meanings. So somewhere along the line things got blurred and out of focus. God's word is taken to interpretation. Right and wrong gets fuzzy until we have found ourselves in a situation where we can't decipher between what is right based on God's word and what is wrong based on how we interpret God's word.

What's right for me may not be right for someone else. Let's look at Hitler. He thought that killing all of the Jew's was the right thing to do. Indem ich die Juden töte, kämpfe ich um den Herrn. Do you know what that means? "By killing the Jews, I fight for the Lord." Those very words came out of Hitler's own mouth.

Moral relativism is tolerance and tolerance is for those who believe in nothing. Am I being intolerant? YES! Because God's word is absolute truth. Commmen sense should tell us that we live by absolutes every day. My name is Larry. It was Larry yesterday and it will be Larry tomorrow, and the day after. Columbus is East of Springfield. I know this because it is on the map. It's not going to change.

And Jesus said unto his disciples, "Go into all the world, teaching all men to live any way they want, and urging each to find his own path to God. Let not any one of you make someone feel inferior or victimized because of their beliefs. Above all, be tolerasnt. Verily, verily I say unto you that what you believe and how you live do not matter, so long as you are sincere." Taken from "Be intolerant, Because Some Things Are Just Stupid." by Ryan Dobson.

I'll end with this: Moral relativism doesnt work, at least not in my eyes. It is a broken belief that contradicts itself at every turn. It just doesn't hold up to the commen sense of everyday life. And if the structure of a belief system doesn't hold up...it might come crashing down on your head. That is a simple man's viewppoint. Take it or leave it.

Huh?!

2005-10-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

I'll bet you don't see this every day. I wonder whose life would suck more...the cow for falling on a car, or a human trapped in his car under a cow? Yep, I agree...it would suck for both!

Everything is Relative

2005-10-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the confusion. I am reading this book right now and it has got me thinking. Let me put the definition of what moral relativism is exactly. It is a way of looking at the world that says what is right or wrong for you depends on what you think is morally right or wrong. In other words, everything is relative. Now, apply this definition to the questions posed in my last post.

Moral Relativism?!

2005-10-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

Here is another random question for ya: Can you be a moral relativist and a Christian at the same time? And is moral relativism an effective way to minister in the church as a whole? Shoot me some comments...I will give my opinion in my next post but I want to hear from the masses first.

A Collision

2005-10-20T15:25:00.001-07:00

Emily was telling me how awesome the new David Crowder Cd was so I had to go out and buy it. David Crowder is such an amazing musician. He is so innovative it is scary. I think he is the only man that can be outside of the genre of blugrass, perform a blugrass song, and get away with it. AND...have you slapping your knee to the song wishing the whole time you had a whiskey jug to blow a tune into. Yes...I love it and am thouroughly enjoying it! Thanks Em for the insight.

Quote to Think About...

2005-10-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

I read this the other day and it just made me think.

"Whenever I meet a Buddhist leader, I meet a holy man. Whenever I meet a Christian leader, I meet a good manager."

Don't get me wrong. I am not against managers or good management. I have been learning alot about this lately. But management alone is not enough to fulfill the calling that God has placed on our lives, let alone enough to inspire the people we lead. It goes deeper and far beyond being able to manage people and programs. I am learning to allow God to manage ME so that I can effectively manage others. This can be a tedious process seeing as how thick headed and stubborn I can be at times.

Are we managers with Christian jargon added to our job descriptions or are we leading the way Crist led? I had to ask myself this question...and I really didn't like my answer. I love when God leads me to an answer..even if He has to shake me a bit to get me to see the big picture.

The Rest of the Story...

2005-10-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

I told you I would get some more info about the last post...well, here it is!

Metrosexual or Ubersexual? How to Spot the Difference

* Both are passionate, but the uber is passionate about causes and
principles, while the metro is mostly passionate about himself

* The uber spends more time grooming his mind than his hair

* Both treat and respect women as equals, but the uber considers other
men, not women, his best friends

* The uber is more sensual and not at all self-conscious; he doesn't need
other people to tell him he's sexy -- nor does he plan his errands
around which shop windows offer the best reflection

* The metro gets design tips from the Fab Five; the uber gets them from
his travels and interest in art and culture

* The uber knows the difference between right and wrong and will make the
right decision regardless of what others around him may think; the metro
knows the difference between toner and exfoliant -- and worries that
he's using yesterday's brand

Hmm, very interesting...

Uber Sexual!?

2005-10-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

From what I hear there is a new phrase going around. It's called uber sexual. Yes, you heard me right. It is kind of like meterosexual but a bit different. This fascinates me. Why can't we just be men? Women are always trying to label us, placing tags on us like at the GAP or something. "Oh honey, you don't want him...he's pyrosexual." "PYROSEXUAL!? What does that mean?" "Oh, that means that he doesn't feel fulfilled unless he's blowing stuff up. If you want to date him, you need to take a firearms course and learn how to detonate C4 before he'll even bother with you." That's not true, guys just like to see things explode!

I might be blowing this way out of proportion but it just kind of scares me as to what's next. MEN, we are being blindsided and the women are out to suck us into this whole categorizing thing. Don't fall for it...IT'S A TRAP! They will get you to believe that you are something you're not and pretty soon you will be wearing pink shirts and oversized belt buckles. They have already gotten to a couple of our close friends. Don't let it happen to you!

We as men are simple creatures. If you start messing with our psyche you will disrupt the fragile balance of our existance. This is dangerous! I will fill you in on another post to find out if you will be targeted as an ubersexual and how to avoid it. And to those of our comrades that have fallen to these tags, backup is on the way.

Man in Uniform!

2005-10-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

Lima company is home! It was so awesome seeing my friend James home safe. I couldn't imagine all that he has seen and felt. I was thinking how differently people will look at him. We went out to lunch Sunday and a women left a card on the table labled only "To a Marine". It was a gift certificate and it said "from a grateful citizen" I think. How cool is that! His eyes have seen war firsthand. That is something not very many of us can say. Even as a veteran of a foreign war, I feel almost ashamed to have the ribbon that I wore to show that. I never saw battle...not even close. I was just enlisted during the Gulf War. My friend has been there, lived it and came back with a different outlook on life. I have so much respect and appreciation for what he has done.

My daughter Eve was blown away with him when she saw him in uniform Sunday morning. She kept hiding behind Jen and commenting on him when he would walk by. She would say "Mommy, there goes the man in the suit again." She was also commenting on how shiny his shoes were. When Jennifer asked Evie if she would like him to come over, she just giggled and got this big smile on her face. I have never seen her react to an adult like that before. She was really taken by him in uniform. It was so cute!

Words cannot express how proud I am of James and what he has done for our country.

Are We There Yet?

2005-10-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a question for ya: When exactly does the post modern church become the church of yesterday?

Me Likey!

2005-10-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

Nokia is really pushing the envelope here. I think this is stuff that I used to see on Bond movies. Now the everyday Joe Shmoe can think he is an operative for the CIA. How cool is that! I can see it now...Yuppies all over the world peering around making sure no one sees that they are getting ready to send a text message on their new wrist phone. I think this is definately a meterosexual thing. I'm sure that they will launch with lime green and pink as their primary colors. But you have to admit...they sure are cool. I want to be a spy...I want to be a spy. That's what I think of when I see these things.

Biking and Shrooms!

2005-10-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Jennifer and I took Eve and Carli on a bike ride Saturday. We rode to Yellow Springs and back. Man, that was quite a ride. It was such an awesome day though and we wanted to take advantage of the great weather.

While we were on our bike ride Saturday, we saw some puff ball mushrooms so we went back today and picked some. Jennifer found the biggest mushroom I have ever seen in my life...and yes, it's edible. This thing could feed a whole flock of people. Anyone for mushroom soup?

Proper Flushing Technique

2005-09-25T01:11:00.000-07:00

So I was Talking to a couple of my friends and students the other day when a nifty litte conversation came up. This is one of the reasons I love being a youth pastor, and also one of the reasons I hang around people with the same warped brain as I have. Anyways we were talking about something...you see, that is the funny thing. I can't even remember what we were talking about that led up to this conversation. But somehow we ended up talking about flushing habits at the urinal. This would have been alright but the girls (who had to go into the bathroom to change one evening) were commenting on the the oddness of a male urinal. So we proceeded to go somewhere that most men like to generate towards in this instance...potty humor. Well, not really potty humor per say but we will call it proper flushing technique. You see, different people have different ways of flushing a urinal. There is the elbow shrug, where I guess they figure the elbow is the dirtiest body part so why not get it dirtier. Then there is the karate flush. This one I don't really get. It might be due to the fact that I am short and I don't do yoga so I can't get my foot up that high. This one is for tall people only...short people, do this at your own risk. Then there is the lean in flush. This techniqe only works on urinals with the flush button in the front. This is my personal fav and I use it on a daily basis. Then of course there is the full contact, I'm a man and I probably won't wash my hands, then I'll go out and touch the lettuce at Meijers flush. Why do I say this you ask? Because it is a pet pieve of mine when I see nasty rednecks wearing bibs and a trucker hat that says "I'm with stupid" shake it, touch the flusher(GAG!) and then walk out without washing their hands. Maybe it's just me, but it grosses me out. Then last but not least there is the just walk away flush. I like this one. It only works with automatic urinals but it is great because you never feel like you have to touch something that is unpleasant to think about...well, let's be honest. How many people actually wash their hands after flushing. Plus you can pretend that you are Luke Skywaler and you are using "the force" to do the flushing. Hey, if you have gotten this far in this long post you are here by your own choice. So there are some proper (or improper) flushing techniques. Why? Because it is 1am and my gears were turning...

Teamwork!!

2005-09-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

As you probably have been reading in my blog lately, the direction of our ministry has really been on my heart. Today I was reading something about the success of a ministry and it used the analogy of a bobsled team. Picture a group of people running like crazy to get up to speed and then jumping into the same sled and then hanging on passionately as they careen down an icy slope. The success of the race depends on two things: (1) each person doing his or her personal best, and (2) everyone working as a team. I love it!

Change is Good!

2005-09-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

I was reading Neil's Blog and he was talking about change. I have been thinking along the same lines. Trying to change some things to start a forward momentum. Some things are easy to change and then others it feels like you are trying to change the rotation of the earth's axis. People are like "whoah! Slow down there parter, you're talking about disrupting the time space continuim!" Dang, I just wanted to add hot pockets to the cafe menu. I don't know why some people are so afraid of change. The way I see it is if something is not working...change it! I understand giving something time to catch on. But if it feels like that thing is like trying to catch a moving train...stop running after it, catch your breath and move on to something that works while not trying to reinvent the wheel. I don't know...just someting I have been thinking about lately.

In memory of my dog Chester!

2005-09-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

In memory of my dog Chester
Originally uploaded by tank_lo.

Here is a random post for ya...I was going through some of my pics and I came across this one of me and Chester. (It is one of Jen's favorites pics of us) Chester was a great dog. He was a 160lb German Rotty. My daughter would try to ride him like a horse and my son would wrestle with him. Anyone who says that all Rotties are vicious surely has never had one. They are one of the most loyal breeds I know. The meter maid would actually go in the back yard and play with him. He loved the kids in the neighborhood. The only thing he did not like was cats. I think they were the devil's spawn in his eyes. And there was one cat that would actually taunt him by laying on the sidewalk across the street and just roll around as if saying "na na na na na, you can't get me." I should have let him out one and see if cat's really have nine lives. Why a long post about a dog? Because there are some pets that deserve an honorable mention...

Truth!?

2005-09-15T11:53:00.001-07:00

Something to ponder:

Thanks to postmodern thought, the debate is no longer about what the truth is. The question has become "Does truth exist?" Yet to say there is no truth is self-controdictory. The statement, "It is true that nothing is true" is nonsense because it is an absolute statement.
Saying that Truth is whatever an individual chooses it to be for himself does not work in the real world. The world created by an LSD experience says that one can fly. However, jumping from the tenth floor window will prove fatal every time! In countless ways, we show that we know the meaning of truth: the plane either crashed or it didn't

I love this book I am reading...good stuff!

Onward AE!

2005-09-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight we begin our shift from inward to outward thinking. We have been gearing up to start going out into the community on Wednesday nights. With all of the chaos going on down in the Gulf Coast, I thought it would be good to go out and collect some non perishable foods. This gives us an opportunity to get out and meet some of the people in the neighborhoods where we will be sending our bus when we get it. It also gets the teens thinking about giving when needs arise. This is one step in our journey as a ministry. This is new ground for me. I mean, I know that God called us out into the neighborhoods but I think that as ministries we get too inward focused and lose sight of what God is really wanting to do. I want to remedy this, at least in my own life. And as a youth pastor, I would like to take those with me that God has entrusted to my care. To lead this generation to live and breathe the gospel, not as a textbook example but as a real life model. Like the human body models in science class. You can see the heart through everything else. I know that is an odd analogy but it is how I see it. So onward we go, pressing towards the prize. What is the prize you ask. If you don't know me, drop me a comment or IM me and we'll talk...my info is in my profile.

Crap and Stuff!

2005-09-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

Someone brought something to my attention the other day and it made me laugh so hard. Why is it that when we are talking about other people's things it is always referred to as crap, but our own things we refer to as stuff. Like if I say "Hang on let me get my stuff out of your way." But if something of yours is in MY way I would say, "Hey, move your crap!" I don't know. It doesn't really make any sense. I guess one man's stuff is another man's crap. I know, not a very deep though but it sure made you think for a moment didn't it?

God Has a Sense of Humor

2005-09-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am amazed sometimes how God shows himself in our daily lives. I was getting ready to get some work done just minding my own business when I said, "I need a new notebook from my file cabinet." So I proceed to go to the file cabinet and I open it up and what do I find. There were like 2 boxes of large paperclips just dumped out in there. So as I proceeded to say in a loud voice "OMG how in the world did someone dump these in here?" I was grabbing a box of something to move it, the box flips out of my hand and dumps all over the inside of the file cabinet. "Well, I guess that is how they got dumped in there." So here I am laughing at myself because I felt like God was saying, "Hey dummy, that's how they got dumped out...now quit whining." Call it coincidence if you want. I call it God showing up saying, "Here's yer sign."

At leat I cleaned up the mess I made. That's more than I can say about the paperclip vandaliser...curse them! Shame on their vile, unrepentant disregard for paperclip placement.

Prepare for Departure

2005-09-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am on a launching pad, getting ready to depart on a journey. I have been in youth ministry for 7 years, 3 of which I have been a full time youth pastor. Until now I have felt like I have been trying to fill some pretty big shoes (many times failing miserably at it.) Or trying to create things that I see as a success in other ministries. Now I feel like we are coming into our own, if that makes any sense.

I read something today that I have to share..."The church is not a building! It is people in relationships, with a vision to grow spiritually and to challenge others in their relationship with God."

I am going to write about the progress of this journey so you can drop comments or suggestions along the way. I am hoping our website will be up again soon so we will be able post our events and info.

Stay tuned for the progress, successes and failures. We are Alternative Edge Student Ministries...and our journey begins here.

Mac Mini

2005-09-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

Mac Mini
Originally uploaded by tank_lo.

I haven't posted yet about my new mac. I baught a Mac Mini for the office and I would have to say that I love it. I couldn't go for the bottom line one. I had to get one with a superdrive. It just sounded cool (the DVD burner was a plus). It also came with bluetooth so I had to get a wireless keyboard and mouse. Another one of the things that sold me is that it came with Mac OSX Tiger and I am really liking it.

I love all of the new features.

Apple has done it again

2005-09-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

ipod nano
Originally uploaded by tank_lo.

Well, I believe Apple has gone and done it again. Enter the ipod nano. One thousand songs and so so small. Just when you think it can't get any better...it does...Way to go Apple!

This is a Change...

2005-09-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read something that just totally changes the direction of your thinking? I generally try to read as much stuff as I can. I am not a very deep or theological person and I never have been. Alot of christian books bore me because they are so dry and well...theological. I try to steer clear of those books. Most of the time they tend to disturb me because they try to sound educated and point out how much they know about the Bible. I think there is a fine line between teaching me something and telling me how much you know. Don't get me wrong, there are many good christian writers out there. I have read alot of good stuff. I'm just saying that I have gotten ahold of some that probably had some goods info in it if I didn't feel like I was reading an episode of TBN if you know what I mean.

I wish they wrote all books in magazine form. It would be great for those of us who have ADHD and can't sit still for very long unless there are flashing pictures or movement in front of our eyes. Give me little snipets of information that will go straight to the brain and deposit itself deep within my cerebral cortex. That's how I like it. Anyway, I have been reading this book that is slowly changing my philosophy of youth ministry. At least, the way I am doing youth ministry. God has been dropping some things in my heart for some time and getting ahold of this book is just a confirmation. I am really excited to see where God is going with this. Sometimes we try to talk over God and don't listen to what He has to say...I have found that I do alot of that...

Raise the Titanic

2005-09-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

Titanic Bow
Originally uploaded by tank_lo.

Jennifer and I went to the Titanic Artifact Exhibition at COSI today. If you didn't know, I have this odd fascinition with sunken ships bordering on the obsessed. So when I heard that this was at COSI, well I about peed myself. Now I don't think you understand...I was like a little kid in this thing. It was so incredible. You see, one of the things I want to do before I die is to dive down to a sunken ship. I told you it was borderline obsessive. Call it a hobby. I love to stdy sunken ships. It's not just the ships themselves but the history of them and the people who were on them. One of the many cool things aboout this particular exhibit is that they give you a ticket stub of an actual passenger that traveled that day. Then at the end of the exhibit you get to find out if the ticket holder you have lived or died. Morbid I know but oddly enough you find yourself anxoiusly awating to find out the fate of your passenger. It's like you form a bond with them because all throughout the thing you are looking to find pictures or some kind of mention or artifact from that particular passenger. It really draws you in to the whole thing. Sad to say all of our passengers died except for Evie's. She was like..."That's not my name, I'm Evie." You just have to laugh at her. She IS only 4 after all. I would give it a 10 out of 10. I was totally blown away and I would go see it again if I could, but alas I went too late and Monday is the last day...bummer. I did buy a 3 foot blueprint of the ship though. That will go in my office. Yes...it was a good day.

Back To The Blogosphere!

2005-09-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, Ok I will reenter the blogosphere. I have been flying low on the radar in cyber space. Not really sure why. I think I just needed to take a break and collect my thoughts. Man, this blog thing is starting to become like a marriage. You start neglecting her and she begins to drop comments that you haven't been paying enough attention to her. When I started getting comments like "Hey chief... you still alive?" and one from my own wife that said "You need to update your blog punk" (she is so loving) I figured I would start posting again.

I have had so many crazy things rambling around in my thick skull, I couldn't put them into words. I felt like I was always having a brain fry and I would get fidgety and couldn't write anything. So I would pick up my guitar and jam. My wife calls it ADHD, I prefer to call it...well...ok, maybe I am a little bit ADHD but I think all youth pastors are. It's like a pre-requisit or something. "I'm sorry Mr. Smith, we can't hire you because we are looking for someone a bit more disturbed than you. I just don't think it's going to work." BYE BYE...I think there should be a TV commercial that describes some of what we do. I mean it's really hard work being a youth pastor. Anyway, the commercial would go something like this. One man...in a world full of chaos...he vowed never to grow up...and then it would show some guy surrounded by a bunch of junior high kids with marshmallows stuffed in his mouth trying to mutter out the words..."Pull my finger!" Hey, I told you that I have some crazy things rattling around in there. I will try to collect them and put them on the pages of this thing in the next few days. But for now, I am out of here.

Back From Guatemala

2005-08-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am back from Guatemala and I would have to say that it was an awesome trip. Here are some random thoughts from our travels.

1. God is awesome. (I know that is a given but I thought I would stress it)
2. Guatemalan car riots are crazier than any american trffic jam I have ever seen.
3. Storms in the jungle are no joke.
3. Howler monkeys sound like Sloth from the goonies.
4. It amazes me that villagers have no furniture but they have a t.v, a stereo and a cell phone.
5. Prayer is a good thing to do when you have to use a public restroom.
6. Tu quirres wakala and me das asco are really funny phrases to say. (if spelled wrong...they are still funny)
7. being afraid of snakes, scorpions or bugs does not help for a good night's sleep.
8. Guatemalan Chinese food is not that bad.
9. Drunk Guatemalans act the same as drunk Americans.
10. The world is bigger than I am. (and I would love to see as much of it as I can)

Well, there are some things that went through my brain. I will post more if I think of any. I will also post some pics if I can.

Back!!

2005-07-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

Dang...it has been a decade since I last posted. Jen and I went on our anniversary thingy. It was great. I will get some pics posted soon. Then camp was coming up and it consumed all of my time. Anyway, camp was awesome! I will share some more on that also. I just wanted to post something since it has been so long...

MOH New and Improved!?

2005-06-22T06:22:00.000-07:00

I downloded most of my mod patches for Medal of Honor the other day. Last night was the first time I got to play with them and I am still trying to decide whether I like them or not. I could take or leave the blood mod(maybe there is a better one out there) I downloaded a bunch of skins, which I must say are pretty cool. I like most of the new weapon and artillary sounds also. I am still however trying to decide overall though. I mean, one of the draws to MOH for me is the weapon authenticity. There is something about the true sound of an M 1 rifle firing. I am also trying to decide whether I like the explosions or not. I was getting killed so much last night because I was so focused on the new stuff...well, at least that is the excuse I am using. I will give it a few more plays to see whether or not the mods stay or go. All MOH fans sound off and give me your views and or opinions on some of the mods.

Oh, and it was cool to find out that one of the guys that I play MOH online with is one of Josh's friends in Arkansas. It is cool playing with ya Landshark. Shifty...I saw you bail out as soon as I logged on. I know who you are and where you live... Hopefully you can find some time here soon to play again. I'd like to share a nade with you...lol

2005-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I will go blog surfing. You know, when you click the "next blog" button on your browser. I have found some pretty interesting people out there in blogland. I have however noticed that recently the interesting people are getting few and far in between. Not saying that I am all that interesting. That is not the directtion I am heading with this. I am pointing out my personal opinion that I hate clicking the "next blog" button only to be confronted with a "Hey, buy my product" blog. I would much rather read a dark morbid blog about a broken gothic chic who is mad at the world, because that has feeling to it. People expose their lives like an open book pouring their heart and their tears onto cyber pages. But it is at least their personal experiences and opinions whether we agree with them or not. I feel like we are being overrun with products and how to blogs that ruin my blogging experience...that's just my opinion.

Anniversary

2005-06-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

Jen and I celebrated our 13 year anniversary on Sunday. 13 Years! Man, it seems like it was yesterday that I was late to my wedding stuck at the tracks on Bechtle ave because of a train that took, I kid you not, a half an hour. Man, our lives have been like a rollercoaster. So much has happened. now, 13 years later, 2 kids and a ministry I am looking at where I am at. I have been all over the United States. I have been to 4 countries. I'm a veteren!! I don't feel like I am getting old and yet I have seen so much in my lifetime. I can dig it...and it's only getting better.

Jen and I didn't really do anything special Sunday. We are going away next weekend. Just the two of us. We have a nice suite reserved for the weekend. We are going to head down to Cincy and go to a couple places. Then we are going to head back up to Columbus and hang out for a bit. It is a much needed getaway...much needed indeed.

Turn The Tides

2005-06-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

All rise,
abandon your shadows
and cut ties to your selfish pride
Fix your eyes on the sun
Get burned on the inside
and turn these tides

I just thought I would throw in a chorus to one of my favorite songs. I started listening to this cd again last week and I can't put it down. It is just so good!