Guest Blogger: Jason McMurry (the Mac Daddy)

Top 5 Most Inspiring Sports Movies

I love movies with heart, purpose, and that share a story of making a difference - you add a sport to it and what a powerful package! To nail it to a “Top 5,” that’s tough, because I have 36 movies on my blog (www.coach-mac.blogspot.com) that have inspired me. But the “Top 5” in my opinion are the following:

5. Glory Road

I love how the coach in this movie thought outside the box, looked past the color of a man’s skin and looked at the heart and raw talent of an athlete as he recruited a history breaking basketball team in the NCAA. This movie is about the importance of “Team” and breaking racial divides.

4. Remember the Titans

A great movie about breaking racial divides brings two races together against their will, through a lot of adversity from within the team and from the community; the team eventually becomes a tight family unit (a Team) that experiences some success with the game of football. This team was able to re-educate and model for their town how different races can come together and appreciate each others difference and become a Team. Not just in the game of football but in the game of life.

3. Miracle

This movie reminds me of the movie “Hoosiers,” but instead it is about hockey not basketball. I love the methods and ideas this coach uses to break down his team, and how he was able to build them back up into an Olympic Gold Team for the USA. This coach stuck with his beliefs even when no one else believed in him, but in the end everyone loved him.

4. Hoosiers

Redemption for a coach who had some regrets from the past and gets an opportunity for a fresh start. I admire his methods and ideas in developing “Team Unity” in the game of basketball. In the beginning he was hated - in the end he was well loved by his team and community.

5. Rocky

This movie is my all time favorite about overcoming all the odds that may be against you. This movie displays a lot of heart, determination, and the will to win. I love the focus and raw authenticity of Rocky. This movie inspires us all to not give up on our God-given dreams, but to pursue it with a vengeance. My favorite Rocky quote from the new movie, "It ain't about how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." And you can’t leave out the analogy of “The Eye of the Tiger,” which is that focused, determined look in your eye to win that comes from the depths of your heart.

All these movies have a great message of teamwork, overcoming adversity and the odds to make a difference, sticking to what is right even if you are all alone, that it is never to late to put action to a dream that is in your heart, strong character, and a heart of determination (The Eye of the Tiger). That is why these movies made my “Top Five.”

Significantly Challenged

ChurchRelevance points us to this article by the Barna Research Group. The Barna group asked parents to identify the most significant or challenging issues facing teens today. Here are some of the statistics from their research:

For Teenagers

• 42% listed peer pressure
• 16% performance in school
• 16% substance abuse
• 15% behavioral issues
• 6% values development
• 5% college choices and acceptance
• 5% attitude
• 5% media use
• 3% listed challenges related to their teen’s faith

For Young Children

• 26% listed school performance
• 24% listed peer pressure
• 10% behavioral issues
• 6% attitudes
• 6% media use
• 5% family-related struggles
• 5% health-related struggles
• 5% issues related to maturation
• 3% listed challenges related to their child’s faith

Whether you agree with the validity of these statistics or not, it's important for us to recognize that our kids face some incredible challenges today. What's funny is that I would highly doubt this list (with the exception of the media portion) is much different than 50 years ago.

I wonder what it would look like if we listed the top challenges we face as adults? How would that change the way we relate to one another? What challenges are you facing?

Do You "Verve?"

Professional and amateur musicians alike will enjoy this new creative project from Kyle Yugawa. It's simply titled "Verve,"[link courtesy of this guy] but it's so much more than that. Users are able to select from various instruments such as the acoustic guitar, piano, percussion and more. That's where the fun begins.

As part of the creative expression, you can create, record and edit a composition based on sound, shape and motion. A very unique site, beware...you could spend many hours enjoying your creation!

NOTE: Verve is currently in alpha; some features are not yet enabled

I Have Difficulty (Part 4 of 4)

I have difficulty with perfectionism. It creeps up in some crazy ways sometimes and often without warning. I used to struggle with this continuously, but God has really helped me in this area.

Here are some ways I battled perfectionism:

• Making everything a contest - my project, idea or way had to be the best; I was always competing with something or someone

• Not trusting others to do work I should have handed off to them in the first place
  

• Always thinking that I can do it better and faster then anyone else
  

• Wanting everything to be 100% - even if I sacrificed God, my wife, my family or myself to get it done

Ultimately it comes down to a pride issue. Will I continue to do it my way or God's way? How have you struggled with perfectionism?

Designing Your Life

Here's a great little exercise courtesy of Zen Habits. You can read the entire post here.


Designing Your Life

What would you be doing tomorrow if you retired today?

Let’s say you had a blank day staring at you. You didn’t have to work. You could do anything at all (although money is still a limiting factor). What would your perfect day be like?

These questions are more than just hypothetical questions to ask for fun or idleness. It’s an exercise meant to get you thinking about designing your life.

Here’s the process:

1. What’s important? Ask yourself what is most important to you. Regular Zen Habits readers know that I ask this question in many articles, but that’s because any process should start with this, whether it’s a process of simplifying, of productivity, of frugality, or of becoming happier. What do you love doing? Who do you love spending time with? Make a short list of 4-5 things.

2. What is your passion? What do you love doing the most? Can it be a way you make your living? If you can make a career out of doing something you love, you will love your day. Dare to imagine that this could come true.

3. Design your day. Start with a blank slate, and design your perfect day. Incorporate the short list of 4-5 most important things above, to ensure that you are spending your day doing what’s most important to you. Also include time spent working at your passion (from item #2). Include an ideal routine, including a morning and evening routine, and everything in between. What time would you wake up and go to bed?

4. Figure out how to get there. What changes would you need to make in your life to make that perfect day a reality? Be willing to consider drastic changes if necessary. Come up with a plan to get there. It might be a plan that will take 6 months, a year, two years or 5, but you can get there eventually, if you want it enough. Dare to make it a reality.

5. Start making some changes immediately. Some of the changes can be done right away, especially if the changes are under your direct control. The time you wake up and go to bed, for example, are probably under your control. Your morning and evening routines are another example of things you can probably change immediately. Spending time doing the 4-5 important things on your list might also be an immediate possibility. Notice the things you normally do that aren’t on the list of 4-5 important things — consider eliminating or minimizing the time you spend on the non-important things to make room for the important things.

6. Start making long-term changes now. Longer-term changes might include things like doing your passion for a living, or where you live, or getting out of big commitments that don’t contribute to your happiness or are not on your short list of 4-5 things. But while these kinds of changes might take longer, they can still be done. Start on them today, set them in motion, and dare to believe that you can change these things. Make a plan, and set it in motion.

7. Keep the end in mind. Print out your perfect day, and keep that in mind as you begin to make changes. This is the life you designed, rather than the one you’ve fallen into. You are in control of your life, and you can have that life, if you want it enough.

I Have Difficulty (Part 3)

I have difficulty staying organized. It's not the organizational part that I actually struggle with, but the amount of "stuff" that hangs around all the time. For some reason I am more organized at the office than I am at home, although some would call this a stretch! The home front plays victim to "piles" of stuff that never gets sorted, or as my wife likes to make reference - the "pack rat" in me.

I have read this book which gave me some great ideas on becoming more effective through organization. The trouble is that I don't have enough margin to implement the strategies! I have started reading this book - we'll see what insights come from this one.

My wife has started the "declutter" movement which is now becoming very popular. Many sites like this one and this one have some great thoughts and strategies. I think the most difficult part of getting organized is just getting started. Overcoming the mindset of the seemingly enormous task that lies ahead. Breaking the task into smaller, more manageable pieces seems to help as well, and gives everyone a shot in the arm when those little projects are completed.

Do you struggle with organization? What strategies have you found for overcoming this?

Buckets Are In the House

A crazy kewl weekend...

You can read about it here and here.

Buckets are in!

Guest Blogger: Stephen Emlund

I'm Stephen Emlund, a graphic design student at Truman State University, and past student of Goldie's. I've had a blog since before they were the cool thing to have. It's probably been four years since I started my first blog at Xanga.com. I want to break down the most popular blogging sites out there, to give you an idea where to start if you are new to blogging.

Blogger

Blogger.com is a service by Google, so you know it's got to be good. I was quite impressed with how easy it was to make posts and publish them. They have a nice WYSYWIG (What You See Is What You Get) when it comes to changing the layout and color scheme of the blog. This is a great place to start if you are new to things.

Blogger doesn't have built in statistics (although Google Analytics can be used). Google Analytics is a separate service that allows you to view many statistics about your visitors. Setting your blog up to get these stats takes some time to figure out though. Also, when photos are uploaded, they are automatically resized and linked to a larger version.

Words of Warning: Text formatting and photo uploading problems can occur and it's very difficult to fix them without some HTML knowledge. The best thing to do when this happens is to just start over with a new post. Also, your blog URL will be " username.blogspot.com" It's short and easy to remember - granted IF you choose a short username.

Wordpress

This blogging service is for the advanced user who knows a lot about HTML and PHP. It is totally customizable and you can put it in your own domain (ie: www.yourname.com). Hosting Companies like GoDaddy.com offer a free service to install Wordpress for you. It's a lifesaver if you have never done it before. Statistics of your visitors are also available within your Wordpress account. Wordpress also gives the option of signing up with them and getting a domain such as: username.wordpress.com.

My current blog is using wordpress: http://stemlund.wordpress.com Within two hours I had the website looking identical to my portfolio website: http://www.stephenemlund.com.

Words of Warning: With the free hosting at wordpress, you don't get options to upload photos to your posts and you have to pay $15 to edit the CSS file (A CSS file is the main document for changing the look and feel of your website)

Typepad

I have never used Typepad, but from what I can tell it is very similar to Wordpress, with one downfall. It costs money. I recommend using a free blogging service when you first start out. The cost is $50 a year. Typepad seems to have a lot of features such has WYSYWIG editing. This is perfect for a user without much HTML experience. Typepad is also very customizable and has the same photo uploading features as Blogger. They allow for Video uploading also, which is nice for those users looking such a thing.

LiveJournal

I have also never used LiveJournal. From the looks of it, LiveJournal is similar to Blogger. Blogger doesn't have a networking system or search engine to find others with a "Blogger" site. LiveJournal does have a sense of community and networking with their search tools. You can find other blogs by people with the same interests, career, etc. LiveJournal only costs money if you want to fully customize your blog, just as Wordpress does.

So, there it is. A break-down of the biggest names in Blogging.

I have a reason to love blogging... my girlfriend (and future wife ;) ) found my blog before we even met and we began talking about Truman and such before the school year began. A few months after first seeing each other's blogs we began dating.

My Naked Pastor? YIKES!

I've heard of the "farting preacher" but this one's too fun to pass up!

[from mynakedpastor.com]

The lead pastor, Troy Gramling, at Flamingo Road Church is getting naked! No...not that kind of naked, a new kind of naked. A nakedness that isn’t embarrassing; a nakedness that God would say is cool.

On 9-9 @ 9PM, Troy will be on a 24-hour webcam for five weeks in four locations: house, car, hotel, and office. Every day, all day, we will see his life in a fishbowl - the good, the bad, the great, the ugly.

Why? Well, first, let us tell you why not--it is not too exalt him. Rather, to realize with him, that we are all fish in a bowl. The more transparent (naked) we get, the more God can do amazing things through us. We weren’t created to be people in hiding, concealment, or shame, we were created to be real, naked and unashamed.

Can you say "naked Bryan?"

[link courtesy of these guys]

I Have Difficulty (Part 2)

I have difficulty saying no. I'm definitely getting better at this, but there are still instances when I don't know when to draw the boundaries. It typically happens with something very little, or seemingly an innocent task that goes awry. Trying to please people and overestimating what I can get done in a short amount of time are also the culprits.

So how am I learning to work on this challenge in my life? I try to live by the following "order" of importance:

(1) Does it honor God?

(2) Does it honor my wife and my family?

(3) Does it honor my values and strategic plan for my life?

If I can't say "yes" to all three of those questions, then I'm learning to say no. Having an established set of guidelines makes it so much easier to say no to begin with and ultimately saves a big headache in the long run!

Do you have trouble saying no? What strategies do you use to keep things in balance?

I Have Difficulty (Part 1)

I have difficulty keeping my mouth closed when I get angry. Now granted, I don't get angry very often. I'm typically a "happy-go-lucky" kind of a guy. But when my buttons get pushed or my emotions get fired up, I tend to let my mouth get ahead of my brain. Usually I cool off and go back and apologize for my behavior. I only wish that I would learn to walk away and cool off first!

Here are a few scriptures that I found helpful:

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.
Ephesians 4:29 (NCV)

Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Proverbs 4:24 (NIV)

Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think.
Ecclesiastes 5:2a (Msg)

Does anyone else struggle with this? What are some strategies you have used in those situations?

The Inner Soul

There's a new book coming out about the life of Mother Teresa. The book is a series of letters from Mother Teresa to her confidant, Rev. Michael van der Peet. There has already been much discussion around the publishing of this book - you can read an article here and another fascinating one here.

The quotes from the letters suggest that Mother Teresa struggled with her relationship with God. You'll have to read for yourself, but don't we all struggle with our relationship with God? I think of Paul who spent so much time in prison, or beaten, or without food. Didn't Paul struggle with his situation? But yet he never came away denying God. Just maybe God allows only those who are strong enough to be the incredible warriors in situations we could never understand. Mother Teresa was one of those warriors.

There is no doubt that she gave much to God. She also gave much to the world - much more may I remind everyone than any of us has given. As we read these quotes from letters written long ago in situations none of us could possibly understand, remember that God had a plan and that His love is a personal one; to be comprehended by each individual in a way specific to them. [check out this very insightful post for more]

Mother Teresa had the courage to ask for help, to share her inner soul with another who could help carry her burdens. That's what life is all about. And that to me is loving God in a very, very humble way.

The Fumigator

God's timing is crazy!! As a follow up to my last post, check out this post by this guy. As always, he nails it again!!

Projects 'R Us

I'm in the middle of three major projects:

• Technology Project - for our current campus and first launch site
• Branding Project - logo development, website, print media development
• Film Short - for our upcoming campaign

These three projects have been incredibly exciting and awesome to work on, but they have also consumed a great deal of time and energy. My wife can sense those times when I seem to be running on empty after a long day. When I came home the other night she handed me a piece of paper and told me to keep it and read when necessary. Here's what it said:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (Msg)

That sounds like some pretty incredible advice!! Many of you have heard that passage before, but I encourage you to find comfort with the words of Jesus when you find yourself tired at the end of the day, worn out from a stressful situation or looking for that freedom that has eluded you for so long!

Guest Blogger - Melissa Goldsmith

Let me start by saying I'm honored that anyone would invite me to be a guest blogger. It makes it even more special that it is a request from someone I respect and love dearly. I have had a couple of days to think about what I might write. It's pretty easy to whip things up and drop them on your own page. (I'm not even sure more than 2 people read my blog!) It's a little overwhelming writing on someone's page when you know a lot of people might read this. So here goes! I was asked to talk a little bit about how I started blogging and what it means to me.

Let me start by saying, my blog page was accidental. I had the opportunity to spend time with a friend I had not seen in years. When we parted ways she gave me her "blog address". I did know at that time what a blog was because Michael was blogging. Anyway, I checked out her site and was attempting to leave her a message and it asked me to have a login. I filled out all the info and before I really understood what was going on I had started my own blog. I really wasn't sure what I would have to say but right now I'm up to 29 posts and going strong! The evolution of my blog has been very interesting to experience. My blog address is amazingfreedom.blogspot.com, that phrase has been my anthem of sorts for 2007. I started the year really wanting to grow in my relationship with God, my family, and my close friends. In January I sat down and wrote out my Life Plan and in March I started my blog. I went back last night and read several of my posts. I realize I am a very emotional blogger. I'm not sure if that's more a female perspective or it's just my personality. I love writing about how God's growing me as a person. One particular post stood out. I wrote it right after I returned from the Women of Faith Conference. The impactful point of that post was a verse I read during my quiet time. It rocked my way of thinking even though to anyone else it might have been such a small detail they wouldn't even have noticed. The verse said, "They agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the women included..."(Acts 1:12,13) I have spent my whole life with all this crazy baggage about never measuring up to people's expectations. That verse was like a lightning bolt, a catalyst for change. It gave me a strength in ministry I had never experienced before, it said women were included. My husband will tell you I say what's on my mind. That's true! I'm thankful to have my blog be a positive outlet for who I am. I feel very strongly that God's preparing me for something down the road. I've had opportunity for spiritual growth over the last several months and I have taken it all in no matter how painful or difficult.

I promised God and myself that when I started this blog it wouldn't be a place for me to rant about things that made me unhappy. It would be a place where I would be honest and vulnerable. It would be a place to share information and life. To me it has been a blessing and I realize that my blog was not "an accident". See, God knows my heart and my gifts and where my strength is. He knew that I would be careful before posting anything, unlike my mouth which blurts out things sometimes before I can stop it. I read posts a minimum of 10 times before I post anything. I'm obsessive about writing, it has to be correct. Thankfully that gives me the time I need to get my thoughts in order. Even if I am the only person that reads my blog I realize how okay that is. Going back and reading my posts again showed me where I've been on this journey and what I've learned. I love that there are some really amazing women that are blogging. I get some great insight from their words. Women in ministry like Nancy Beach and Kim Meyer. Women I live life with like Elaine and Ragen. An exciting new discussion blog called "Church Planting Wives" was started by women to help empower women whose husbands are in ministry. It's a whole new world! I'm excited to stand beside my husband and look forward to what God has planned for our lives.

The "Big" Announcement!

Okay...so here it is - the "big" announcement.

Starting tomorrow Bucketology will be hijacked. That's right. For several posts a week I will be having "Guest Bloggers" here at Bucketland. I've not placed any restrictions on the guests. Sometimes I have asked them to talk about specific areas, other times I've let 'em loose. You won't want to miss them!

Who will be first out of the gate? Tune in tomorrow...same Bat Time, same Bat Channel!

'Round and 'Round

It's Monday and I promised an update from last week, so here it is:

Tuesday - meetings...and more meetings...

Wednesday - worked from home part of the morning and then hit it hard the rest of the day including a leadership team meeting and then music practice the rest of the evening.

Thursday - major work day and prep for our a/v consultant. Small video editing project as well as a LARGE visual arts project (props to Melissa and her team for pulling this off!!)

Friday - prep for the weekend followed by the arrival of our consultant (this guy was the bomb!)...oh yeah, I played in the Fredericktown World Softball Championship (man were we spanked!)

Saturday - up at 5:30am to get work done for the weekend followed by spending the entire day with our consultant (did I mention this guy was the bomb?). We visited a potential location for our multi-site campus. Then a music rehearsal followed by our two weekend gatherings. And finally a debrief meeting with our consultant. Arrived home and in bed at midnight.

Sunday - up at 5:30am again and headed to music rehearsal. Three Sunday gatherings and I was totally wiped out. The afternoon was a bit better - some fun time followed by a 30 minute nap! The evening? We had a much needed "family meeting" to establish our mission statement and vision for the future.

Monday - up early to get some work done. Tear down of our visual arts from our youth kickoff event and then a rushed trip to St. Louis to return some gear. Return home for more research to prepare for staff meeting in the morning.

As you can tell, there hasn't been a heck of a lot going on (and if you believe that...I'll come up with some land in Florida for you to purchase)!! Since life is somewhat hectic, I'll have a big announcement tomorrow so stay tuned - you won't want to miss it!!

Still Crazy After All These Years

Yes...I'm still here. It's VERY RARE for me to go more than a few days without a post. It's certainly NOT because I don't have something to say!!

I'll have more details later, but look for something "new" starting Monday!! Until then...have a great weekend!

Beating the Odds

I can't think of a better way to return to the blogging world today...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MELISSA!!

Melissa and I have been married 20 YEARS today!! It's really hard to believe. There were so many "nay-sayers" back in the days. Those folks who told us that life was too hard, the obstacles too great and that our marriage would never last. Guess what? They were wrong! I love to fight for the underdog, but I have no doubt that God had this plan in mind all along. What we have learned and shared over the past 20 years is invaluable. Those experiences have allowed us to impact other lives - the real power of living life.

There were many times we thought life was all about us. That perspective has changed drastically. We love to share our thoughts and challenges with marriage because we've been there. We've lived it and we certainly didn't get it right most of the time. So why not save others the trouble?

I joke a lot of times that the secret to a long-lasting marriage is this, "Yes, dear." But in reality there are no secrets to marriage. It's just plain hard work! It's about loving my wife even when I don't want to. It's about sacrifice and sharing and hurting. It's about laughing and listening and persevering. But most of all, it's about God and what He is teaching us through Him.

If being humble is thinking about the other person first, I pray that our marriage stays humble to the end. I am so thankful that Melissa is in my life. We have a great relationship with great kids and a family that has "beat the odds." After 20 years, I can honestly say that I am more in love with my wife today than I have ever been before, and I am looking forward to sharing the next adventure!

I love you Mel!

Have Coffee, Will Travel

It's 1:30am...

The coffee is wearing off and my eyes are drooping a bit. I have been hard at it for two straight days now trying to put together some organizational structure to the Creative Arts Ministry that I lead. We are off for a staff retreat at 7am this morning and I am still not quite ready.

Pandora is running strong in the background...

I miss my family already - they are visiting my mom for a few days. The timing was perfect however as I have pulled my kitchen table into the living for better access to my work. The house is a mess, I've eaten anything and everything as the past two days have literally vanished.

There may not be any internet access at the place I am heading, so I might be out of the "blogosphere" for a few days. Updates to come!

The Digital Revolution

Mark has some great thoughts on the "digital revolution" and the church. Here are a few key thoughts:

Podcasting is circuit riding at the speed of light.
Blogging is digital discipleship.
Video technology turns screens into postmodern stained glass.
Websites are virtual front doors.
Email is word of mouse.

As new technologies emerge so do new distribution channels for the gospel.

You can read the entire post here.

Surprise #2!

I don't know if word got out that my wife and kids are gone for a few days, but I had another incredible surprise just a few minutes ago:


These are some fresh baked chocolate chip cookies straight from the Minson oven! For those of you who don't know Scott and Tonya, they make some of the best desserts this side of the Mississippi. I was the lucky guinea pig for a new type of recipe they were trying, and I must say that I don't mind playing the part!

Thanks Scott and Tonya for a great conclusion to the day!

A Pleasant Surprise!

I had a nice surprise tonight - a visit from my very good friend John. And not only was it great to see him, but he brought a little present with him:



John and his wife Marsha just returned home after several days in New Orleans. You can read about their adventures and see many marvelous pics here. I was salivating at the thought of some Cafe du Monde coffee and beignets when the knock at my door brought the happy sights of a gift bag! Thanks John!

So I'll continue my work (late into the night) with a delicious cup of chicory coffee!

From Good to Great

My wife and I ate at a nearby "Huddle House" after my gig the other night. If you've ever eaten at a Huddle House, you know that at 11pm it becomes the cultural hub of any community. Even at that late hour, we had one of THE BEST waitresses I have ever had at any restaurant (and I like to eat!). Here's what I learned from my experience there:


Good Customer Service vs. Great Customer Service

GOOD
"Hi. I'll be right with you."

GREAT
"Welcome to Huddle House. I'm so sorry I couldn't take your order right away."

GOOD
Stopping by to ask if you want more to drink.

GREAT
Bringing another glass of your beverage BEFORE you've run out of your current one.

GOOD
Checking to see if you need anything else.

GREAT
Checking to see if you need anything else, checking to see how your food is cooked, apologizing again for the delay in serving the food.

GOOD
Bringing your check to the table.

GREAT
Bringing your check to the table as well as several to go cups "just in case" you wanted to take your drinks with you. And then pouring them in the glass for you.

GOOD
Thanks and come back.

GREAT
Thank you SIR and we hope to see you back at Huddle House again. Have a great night.

Are You Interested?

Tony shares his thoughts on folks who believe in God but just aren't that interested. It reminded me of a friend of mine (actually several) who, in my opinion, shares that philosophy. Three thoughts from Tony's post:

• He's not looking for religion. (And, I don't blame him.)
• Though he doesn't have a relationship with God, his comments suggest he believes there is a God.
• There are times when he even practices the discipline of prayer even though he doesn't have faith that those prayers will be answered.

What's refreshing to me is that Meadow Heights Church is trying to develop relationships with the people described above. It's our mission and focus. We're not trying to discount folks like this, but working desperately to cultivate authentic relationships built on real life practices and not the "religion" that has turned them off in the first place.

It's not our job to "assimilate" them to God - we're simply here to point them in the right direction as we experience the journey with them. We'll do what we can do and then we'll let God take care of the rest.

Who do you know that fits in this category? And what is the next step in your journey together?

Kickin' Cancer to the Curb!

Another win for coffee!!

The data shows that coffee drinkers were 41 percent less likely to have been diagnosed with liver cancer than people who don't drink coffee. For every daily cup of coffee people drank, their odds of having been diagnosed with liver cancer dropped by 23 percent, compared with people who never drink coffee. People who drank a lot of coffee were 55 percent less likely to have been diagnosed with liver cancer than those who didn't drink any coffee.

You can read the entire article here.

30 Days To Live

LifeChurch.tv is launching a new series called "30 Days to Live." It looks very interesting. Here's a snippet from their series blog:

Do you ever wonder what you would do if you were told you only had a few days left to live? The 30 Days to Live message series, as well as this website, were designed to challenge you with that very idea...You’ll discover practical approaches to apply as you begin to live in the moment, live for eternity, leave a legacy, and fight for peace. Also, you can read about how others are planning to live as though they were in their last 30 days.

This looks like it's going to be good!

Searching the Past

I just spent several hours going through old cassette tapes. WOW! Did those things bring back some memories! I heard everything from songs taped off the radio to my senior recital to tapes of several of the school bands I used to teach.

We're in "de-clutter" mode at the house. I learned a lot about decluttering from this guy. We're trying to simplify our house and ultimately our life. I'm finding it hard in stage one to let go of the memories from the past. It's funny how attached we become to things that happened so long ago. I hadn't pulled out those tapes for years, but they instantly brought back memories.

Where has life gone? It seems like yesterday when I was making those crazy cassettes and now I'm wiping off the dust. I guess I'm getting ready to enter a new stage of life but I haven't quite gotten over the old stage. Change is difficult, but I have found over the years that once you settle in to a new routine, the past distances itself from the future.

So the next few weeks will bring much "change" and hopefully I'll be ready for it! Any advice out there?

Thoughts @ 3:40 AM

It's 3:40 in the morning...

I just returned home from the hospital where I had the opportunity to sit with a family as they prepare for the passing of their mother. It was a new experience for me, but one that I will not soon forget.

I have the utmost respect for nurses that help people during the final stages of their life. I talked about this a few weeks ago with a message on "Love Is Kind." During the message, I talked about my wife and her thoughts on being a nurse. I know I am biased, but I cannot think of anyone else I would want to be with me during my final stages. Not just because she's my wife, but because she is a kind-hearted and loving person who deeply cares about people. That's her way of showing God's love - by sitting, listening, and simply letting people know that they are not alone.

Love is kind...but love is also action. We show love by doing, and tonight God gave me the opportunity to share Him in those few precious moments. For that I am grateful, but I am also reminded of the temporary status of my own life. While the party will be rockin' on the other side, there is so much more love to share before it's my time.

I'll close with a question you have probably heard before, but one that deserves an honest response:

"If you walked out into your community today, would people know you follow Jesus not by what you say, but more importantly, by what you do?"

Zen Is At It Again!

Leo from Zen Habits has done it again. To help with the launch of LifeRemix (a network of personal enrichment blogs) Leo wrote this post titled "100 Great Tips to Improve Your Life." He compiles some of the best tips from the network of blogs.

As you know, I'm a huge Zen Habits fan, but this compilation is well worth the time. It will take some effort to make it through the list, but I promise you will not be disappointed.

Which one(s) appeal to you?

The Blogging Church Group

For you Facebook users out there, Terry has created a new group to help those of us who blog connect with one another. I have already read some great posts by some interesting folks I had never met before!

Check it out here.

Hegemonic Teens vs. Subaltern Teens

Tim points us to a VERY interesting article by Danah Boyd titled, "Viewing American Class Divisions Through Facebook and MySpace." You can read the entire article here.

I'll repost part of the article:

The goodie two shoes, jocks, athletes, or other "good" kids are now going to Facebook. These kids tend to come from families who emphasize education and going to college. They are part of what we'd call hegemonic society. They are primarily white, but not exclusively. They are in honors classes, looking forward to the prom, and live in a world dictated by after school activities.

MySpace is still home for Latino/Hispanic teens, immigrant teens, "burnouts," "alternative kids," "art fags," punks, emos, goths, gangstas, queer kids, and other kids who didn't play into the dominant high school popularity paradigm. These are kids whose parents didn't go to college, who are expected to get a job when they finish high school. These are the teens who plan to go into the military immediately after schools. Teens who are really into music or in a band are also on MySpace. MySpace has most of the kids who are socially ostracized at school because they are geeks, freaks, or queers.

This is a very interesting article on many fronts. First of all, Danah draws some great conclusions from the data she has collected. Secondly, one could make a gigantic leap and assume that there are more followers of Jesus that utilize Facebook than MySpace. I know in the past few weeks that I have engaged with Facebook, a "mini-revolution" has exploded in the Christian community, especially among pastors, church staff and other bloggers.

I realize that Jesus came to "save" all of us, but don't we read in scripture that Jesus hung out with the "wrong" crowd most of the time? If that's the case, then isn't it safe to assume that Jesus would be hanging out on MySpace and not Facebook? This begs an important question: "Where should we be directing our thoughts and energy?"

See You At the Pool 2007

WOW!! What a great weekend! First, our lead pastor Bryan was back to bring it all weekend - it was good to have him "back in the saddle" again. Then, to top it all off, Meadow Heights had their annual "See You At the Pool" event at our local park.

This yearly event keeps on getting better and better every year! We have some amazing volunteers and leaders who help make this a phenomenal event. From the BBQ to the kids stuff (this year a GINORMOUS water slide!) to the baptisms, SYATP is always a highlight to the year.

All total this weekend we baptized 13 folks, including one lady who decided to follow Jesus this morning and then another young boy who was impacted by his brother's baptism earlier today! INCREDIBLE!! That brought us to a total of around 55 baptisms this year.

While it's not about the numbers, it is a good benchmark to see how God is impacting lives, communities, and of course, our church. We're hoping to blow that mark out of the water next year!!

It was great to hang out with a lot of good friends, eat a lot of good food and see how God is blessing our community. There's so much more in store and I'm pumped to see where we are headed next! Stay tuned!

UPDATE: I'm sure my buddy Jo will have some pics of this event on his blog - check it out!

Drive On In!

Melissa and I traveled with friends to the movies last night. And you're probably asking yourself, "What's so important about that?" I'm glad you asked! We actually went to a drive-in movie theater! I haven't been to a drive-in since I was a teen (or perhaps before then? my memory is fading!) but it was a very cool experience!

We saw "Transformers" and I must say that if you're looking for an action movie, this is probably one of the best this summer. I am anxious to see the new Bourne movie however.

Here's 5 Reasons to visit a drive-in for your next movie:

(1) Sitting outdoors under the sky and the stars while the moon shines just enough to see the twinkle in your spouse's eyes.

(2) Watching families hang together - playing Frisbee, talking with one another, tail-gating...

(3) The nachos!

(4) You can pass gas and nobody will hear or even notice!

(5) Kicking back, relaxing and hangin' in your favorite lawn chair!

Sharing the Golden Rule

I'm still not quite finished with the book "Getting Things Done," but I am learning tons of new organizational ideas. Whether I can put them into practice is a whole other ballgame...

We're in a series at Meadow Heights called "Summer of Love." We've spent the last three weeks talking about the meaning of love through God's eyes, etc. I have posted about the blog "Zen Habits" before, but today's post hit home. Leo gives us 18 practical tips on living the "golden rule." Some ideas we've already mentioned, ideas to spur additional actions, but more evident is God's reminder about how important it is to love others.

Scripture Snafus

I recently posted on the power of laughter. This guy shares some funny (although not in the moment!) moments on what we'll call "Scripture Snafus." Enjoy!

Baby Brynn

Melissa and I just returned from seeing Brandon and Kary Leach's new baby - Brynn Ellen Leach. She was born yesterday at 6:03pm and weighed in at an incredible 8lbs 14oz!! She is a VERY pretty baby, and as you can see has LOTS of hair!! Congrats Brandon and Kary!

What's All the Hype?

If you haven't been using Facebook, why not? Bobby [via the Swerve blog] gives us the lowdown about the "hype" behind this social device.

What Makes A GREAT Logo?

Meadow Heights Church is getting ready for a re-branding including taking a creative look at our current logo. Church Relevance has posted their thoughts on what makes a "great logo." They have also included examples of their Top 20 here.

What factors should we consider when developing a new logo? Who are some innovative designers out there?

Saddle(back) Up!

Saddleback Church has long been an innovator in the church world and Rick Warren is widely viewed as one of the most respected teachers in the business. Saddleback has been using on-campus venues for many years now, but they will soon be launching a very interesting multi-site strategy. It will work in three phases:

(1) Backyard Saddleback - for small groups of 30-60 people.

(2) Saddleback Satellite - a mid-sized gathering of 100-300 people in a neutral location.

(3) Saddleback Campus - a regional campus of 500-1500 people.


You can check out more info at Matt McGill's website. Some very interesting stuff!

Sweet 16

Author, speaker and pastor David Foster posts about 16 things he'd look for if he were planning on attending a church. While I don't necessarily agree with his top 16, some of them should make us question how we approach each weekend gathering. What questions should we be asking? Here's David's top 16:

If I were looking for a church to attend in the morning, here is what I’d look for:

1. When I enter do I hear laughter?
2. Are people greeting me as a job or a joy?
3. Does the place look like they were expecting me?
4. Are people buzzing as they greet each other?
5. Is there spirited music playing as people gather?
6. Does the music move me?
7. Do the people on stage look real and engaged?
8. Are the announcements short, strategic, and to the point?
9. Is there a printed outline with Scripture already printed on it?
10. Does the pastor smile?
11. Does the message title promise a relevant topic I am interested in?
12. Does the pastor speak with humility and authority?
13. Do I feel the presence of God?
14. Are people listening and engaged?
15. Is the service no more than 71 minutes?
16. Does it pass by fast?

[link via this guy]

Consumed

I've noticed our Summer of Love Blog has not been receiving much traffic. If you haven't checked it out click here. We simplified the blog in an effort to get more participation. One paragraph with one question. Simple.

Maybe simplicity isn't always the answer. People need a reason to respond to a question. Our first blog, Larger Than Life, was a huge success simply because people were engaged with the subject. They wanted to know more about something that was new to them. Response was dictated by a need for more information.

Interestingly enough, our two latest blogs (Who's Kidding Who? and Summer of Love) have generated very few responses. People have an enormous amount of knowledge in the area of raising kids and of course, with love. It's quite possible that we already feel equipped in these areas and therefore are not as inclined to participate in discussions.

We seemed consumed (and I'm using that term on purpose!) with getting more information but when it's time for us to give back we hesitate. Are we afraid that others will not value what we have to say? The web is full of "lurkers" but not as many that will "engage." We have the potential but not the product. Our desire to get is larger than our desire to give.

What's holding us back? Only us.

Face(book) Time Does Matter!

This Facebook thing is getting interesting. I have to admit, it's a bit addicting. Even though I only have four friends. I must have hit the big time however (I'm going to name drop...prepare yourself) because the Simply Strategic guy himself, Tony Morgan asked me to join his friends list.

Did he possibly hit the wrong button? Or a bad case of the gas cause him to relate that smell to me? Why Tony? Why?

Nevertheless, I am cranking on Facebook. Feel free to contact me if you want to be on the infamous friends list.

Now I need your help. I am in search of the best add-ons for Facebook. What are the top apps that you use? What are the apps to avoid?

Laughter: the Best Medicine?

Anyone that knows me will agree that I'm a practical joker. I especially like those "one-liners" - you know, the kind that make people groan out loud, but really they think it's incredibly funny...they just don't want to show it - it might encourage you.

Our church staff crack each other up on a weekly basis. Actually, it's more like daily. While we work as hard and as serious as anybody else, we also like to let our hair down and party awhile. Laughter can often be the best medicine. Check out this post on laughter and the church.

It reminded me of Disney's film "Monsters, Inc." Whether they knew it or not, the Disney folks are really imitating God. The monsters tried to get energy from scaring people - bottling up their fear. But in the end (spoiler alert!) they found that laughter blew the roof of the energy meter! Laughter made their world go round!

Churches have found themselves in those two camps as well. Camp One - the church that is made up of the "glass half empty" folks. They try to control everything and fear is their greatest weapon. If you're having a good time at church, then there must be sin in your heart (or as the popular song says, "if there's hair on your ears, there's sin in your heart...or something like that).

The other camp? The church that worships God for who He is - a loving and FUN God. God has a sense of humor!! Don't believe me? Observe people. They're hilarious (names withheld to protect the innocent...er, guilty?)! Why can't we serve and worship God and enjoy it at the same time? I think that's the essence of how God has created us!

Which camp do you find yourself in? How do you worship God? In fear? Or with the sounds of laughter in your heart?

Opening Pandora's Box

I've mentioned several online radio type sites in the past, but there's a new site out called "Pandora Radio" that has a very slick interface and intuitive features. Click here to try it out.

You can set up different "stations" based upon the type of music and/or artist you like to listen to and Pandora will find similar artist that you might like. You can then select whether you like the tune or not and it will adjust your "station" accordingly. A very cool and effective way to listen to music online.

Free registration will allow you to listen as long as you would like . Check it out and let me know your favorite stations.

[site from this guy via this guy]

MO Youth Honor Choir

I'm hanging out in Jefferson City, MO with my son and four other boys who made the MCDA Honor Choir. We had a great time yesterday, with stops at the outlet mall, our hotel and then all 24 of us from Fredericktown who asked to be seated together at Applebee's! And guess what...they did it!

The guys are in rehearsal all day today, with a performance this evening at 7pm. Then we'll be on the road back home!

Facebook Anyone?

So I've now created a Facebook page. I'm not sure really what to do with it, but here's my profile. If anyone wants to add me as a friend let me know. Where will this crazy technology lead? Who knows...

UPDATE: I now have one friend...and his name is Steve.

Back In the Day...

This should be fun...

Check out these pics and these pics by this guy...

Those were the days!

Weekend Wrap Up

• Speaking at Meadow Heights this weekend was incredible!! I love our team and volunteers - they are top notch!


• Handing out duct tape to 450 people can be a challenge!


• The videos for this weekend made a huge difference - thanks to Jeremy, Jeremiah and Elaine for their contribution.


• Having my wife pull me aside and pray for me before the first gathering on Saturday night left me speechless. I must be the luckiest husband alive!!


• Seeing Steve Osborne today made my entire weekend - this guy is the real deal and we miss him!


• We had tons of guests today! Summer tends to bring a lot of guests or just people who are checking things out.


• I had a great time with some friends on a quick trip to St. Louis this afternoon. We went to check on a friend in the hospital. Along the way we took a detour to deliver clothes, nearly had an accident, made another detour for a different accident, stopped for "extra" gas, saw an incredible hospital garden area, laughed a lot, and had my first meal at "Red Robin!"


• I still don't have our pool up and running. It's now officially a race - will the pool be up and running or will the summer end? My wife assures me that the pool WILL be up and running! :)


• I'll be working on my day off tomorrow so that I can travel to Jeff City on Tuesday and Wednesday to chaperon my son and two other boys. They auditioned and were selected for the MO Youth Honors Choir. I'm proud of you Seth!


• I saw an iPhone live and in action today. I have been downplaying the phone and telling myself that I wouldn't want one. Hmmm...now I want one! Jealousy is clinging to my soul! Good thing we'll be talking about that next weekend!

Show and Tell

It's approaching noon on Saturday and I just finished up the message for this weekend. I normally get pumped up for the weekend, but for some reason I am really stoked about this message. It's foundational to what God has commanded us to do - "to love Him and love others."

St. Francis of Assisi shared some wise words:

"Preach the Gospel...and if necessary, use words."

Would people know you are a follower of Jesus simply by what you do? Notice the word "do." Too many times we fall into the trap of "telling" people what it means to follow Jesus. God says to "go and tell" but not only that, I think he's commanding us to "show and tell!" Brings us all the way back to kindergarten doesn't it!!

It's time to stop, reach out and help! Kindness is love in action!

Trekking the Trail

It's been a long night (after a long day). Our four year old has been up every 30-45 minutes violently vomiting!! Melissa finally went to bed at 2am leaving me to trek the throw-up trail. Mac talked last week about how we'll sit with our kids when their sick - not because we want to, but because we love them. How true that is!

Here are some posts that have struck me in my sleep-deprived state:

Slowing Down - This gal writes on the busyness of life - this has to affect every single person I know!

2:00 In the Morning Lessons From God - this guy writes about how we cry and whine sometimes. Maybe I related due to the title?

Slow Food - this wikipedia entry talks about eating slow. I don't like to eat slow. I didn't even know there was a "movement" for this! I eat fast for my own movement! :)

Whatever It Takes!

It was a busy day again today (surprise anyone?). Jeremy, Jeremiah and I shot a video for this weekend's message - @ 6:30 this morning!! YIKES! You know what I love about those guys? The fact that they will do whatever it takes to make an impact in our community. Even if that means getting up at the crack of dawn to shoot a video!! I love those guys!

Mac said it last week - don't miss this weekend at Meadow Heights Church - it just might be one of the most important messages in this series! I've been praying all week that God will show up and that people will "get it." Not just agree with God's truth but truly be impacted in their hearts and souls by what He has to say. It's that important.

We'll also be launching the "Summer of Love Blog" this weekend. It will be a great way to share your thoughts on this weekend's message and what God is saying to you during this series. I'll post the link as soon as we go live.

It's Movie Day!!

It's a Goldsmith Family tradition that we always go and see each Harry Potter movie the day it comes out. Today is that day. I had never even read a single page the first time my kids talked me into going to the show. But as an avid film buff, I enjoyed it tremendously!

This evening we'll embark on another chapter of the Harry Potter viewing saga - sans my oldest, Kayla. Never fear, she caught the 12:01am showing in Orlando, and thus became the first of the Goldsmith's to see this movie.

Butt Paste????

This guy cracks me up. See his latest post on "Butt Paste" - I'm sure you'll crack a smile!

I've Got Big Buzz...

There's still a lot of "buzz" out there about the iPhone. With over one million proud new owners, the iPhone is THE hot ticket today. Mass hysteria? Worth the hype? One thing is for sure - people are talking about it and the BUZZ IS HUGE!!

How does this relate to the church? Check out this post by Perry Noble. Some great insights!

Where's Your Hiding Place?

I rarely have a total "holy hangover," but today I am dog tired!! It's been a long past four days - the visual arts for our new series "Summer of Love" kicked our tails, but it looks great. Thanks again to the team for the incredible transformation.

It was also difficult to come into this weekend mentally prepared after our Worship Concert 2007. Our lead pastor, Bryan, made a great point during our Creative Arts Team meeting last weekend. He noticed that while our team brings it every weekend, during the Music Concert we brought it on steroids. His point was this - why can't we bring it on steroids every weekend? That's a great point.

It's not so much that we have to be bigger and better every week (Or maybe it is? See this post), but God does ask us to bring our best. If we come into the weekend with a mindset of "it's just another weekend," then we probably aren't going to be bringing our best. Jeremiah nailed it on the head when he set up the song "Unashamed Love" this weekend - quiet our minds and find a hiding place. Yesterday is gone, but today is here. Worship Him every day because He is worthy.

To quote a recent theme, what are you going to do with the "here and now?"

You're calling me to lay aside the worries of my day
To quiet down my busy mind and find a hiding place
Worthy, Worthy

Buzz Audio

Mark Batterson and the peeps over at National Community Church have released the audio files from "Buzz Conference '07." You can download the files here. Videos will be released in the near future.

I HIGHLY recommend downloading these files - they will rock your world!!

Summer of Love

We're getting ready to launch a new series at Meadow Heights Church this weekend. Don't miss the opening weekend - you'll be amazed at the transformation of our auditorium!! Our visual arts crew have been working overtime getting this one ready.

This series focuses on one thing - LOVE. There are many trite phrases and cliches with the word love, but if we go to THE source on love we find this:


And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

We think this is so important that God wants us to talk about it for the next eight weeks. But don't think it will be boring - we hope God will radically turn you upside down with a fresh look at this concept. We'll be providing lots of tools for you, great music as always, and some incredibly practical challenges for your daily life. Don't miss it!

Let's start with this: go to this post and think about the article in terms of love, lost people and the church. Then come back, leave a comment and let's start a discussion about how we can change the world!

Animated Creator

We've all taken personality tests at one point or another in our lives. Well, here's another one!! It's very accurate and some new categories not found in normal tests. My results?


Click here to take the test.

Click here to see my full results.

[link via this guy]

The Burnout Bug

I think every leader has been hit by the "burnout bug" at least once - that phase of life when everything is overwhelming, nothing seems to be going as planned, creativity has stalled, and forward progress seems like a trite phrase rather than a philosophy.

It seems no one has wanted to own up to it, let alone talk about it.

There's a new book coming out by Anne Jackson entitled "Mad Church Disease (thanks to Terry for the link)." I love the title - it's creative, descriptive and definitely has the "buzz" factor. But Anne needs our help. If you are a ministry leader, a family member of a ministry leader, or a volunteer, Anne is asking all of us to take this survey. I completed the survey in less than five minutes.

I can't wait to see the results. I know others struggle with this and just maybe this book will help us all engage in a long overdue conversation.

It Is For Freedom He Set Us Free

Happy Fourth of July!! Here are some links to other comments on this holiday:

• Fireworks - Steven Furtick
• Separation of Church and State - Perry Noble
• 4th of July - Jo Hall
• Independence Day - Mark Batterson

Have a safe and Happy Fourth!!

The Life of Freedom

Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.

Galatians 5:1 (Msg)

MH Worship Concert 2007

WOW!! What a phenomenal weekend!

As I mentioned in the last post, we had our annual "Worship Concert" this past weekend, and the team was rockin'! We're all worn out, but God really moved and the place was electric. BIG props out to all the teams that helped pull off this event - music teams, tech team, visual arts team - you guys are top notch!

I mentioned that I would post the top 10 from the weekend, so here ya go!

We currently have 5 weekend experiences - 4 we'll call "contemporary" and then 1 "traditional" (southern gospel, etc.). Both lists are represented above. Our programming team noted that about 70% of the songs made the list for the first time. That's certainly a testament to the quality of music that was written this past year. I also noticed that a majority of the contemporary tunes were slower. It seems that more people are enjoying songs that pull at their hearts; an introspective look rather than a motivational type of song that we may have seen in the past. This also seems consistent with what we are seeing in society in terms of an increased interest in spirituality.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the top 1o selections. Feel free to comment or email me.