Monday Top 10 List

I've seen these before, but it was a good laugh before bedtime:

TOP 10 THINGS TECHS WISH THEY COULD SAY TO THE MUSIC TEAM:

1. “I can’t break the laws of physics just so you can have more vocal in your monitor. I didn’t invent the laws, I just live by them. You might see if God will change them for you.
2. “If you had spent the last fifteen minutes tuning your guitar instead of fixing your hair, we wouldn’t be late starting soundcheck.”
3. “No, there isn’t a ‘muddy knob’ I can turn down to make it sound better.”
4. “Instead of using another mic for your voice, why don’t we use another voice for your mic?”
5. “Sure, I’ll run all the way down the stairs, across the auditorium and up to the stage to move your monitor three inches. After all, we wouldn’t want you to break a nail by doing it yourself.”
6. “Oh, never mind me. I didn’t want anything from Starbucks. I’ve only been here by myself for the last three hours setting all this up for you.”
7. “No, if you ask me to turn all the house lights down, I can’t make it so you can see the audience’s reaction during the songs.”
8. “No, the camera doesn’t add ten pounds to your face. You did that by yourself.”
9. “There is not a knob to make it sound more round, more blue, or any other shape or color.”
10. “Tell you what: you don’t tell me how to mix and I won’t tell you how to play – deal?”

Freaky...Monday?

Emilee and I watched Freaky Friday today - twice. Not the old school version with Jodie Foster, but the 2003 Disney remake. I had forgotten how much fun this movie is! It also brought up some of the classic communication issues that parents and teens struggle with - but in a very humorous way. Does anyone else see a bit of themselves in the movie?

I love how the actors portray each other in the "switched" bodies. They do such an amazing job with the body language, expressions, etc. I started wondering what it would be like to switch bodies for a day. If you had that opportunity...who would you want to switch bodies with?

The Emerging Battle

I had the opportunity last week to attend a one-day seminar by Reggie McNeal that was sponsored by the Missouri Baptist Convention. Reggie is an incredible speaker, full of energy and humor, and his thoughts on the "missional church" were right on target. He is not, by any means, an advocate of "traditional methods" of reaching lost people. That is one reason I was very surprised that the MBC would bring him in as a sponsored speaker. Nevertheless, the day was delightful, full of interesting conversation, and an incredible asset to all those who attended.

Now I read today some disturbing thoughts coming from several news reports. I had hoped that the executive committee had "turned the corner" and were open to conversations on how to reach more people through a missional mindset. Now don't hear what I'm not saying. I'm not advocating that every new idea (if there is such a critter) is a good one, nor am I saying that the MBC should adopt or even consider changing some of the foundational biblical ideology that pervades the organization. Most of us would certainly agree on the "non-negotiables."

What's this all about you ask? There has been a growing conversation about the relationship between the SBC and the "emerging church" movement. We could argue forever about the meaning of the word emerging, but the fact is, it's out there and we can't ignore it.

Start with this article from the SBC Pathway for some background. Then you can go to Dr. Mark DeVine's blog and read his thoughts on the subject and his response to the SBC. I'll let you draw your own conclusions, but if you'd like my thoughts, feel free to email me.

I would like to suggest however, that we drop the political rhetoric and focus on what Jesus called us to do in the first place - love people. Loving people doesn't mean isolating ourselves from those not like us. It also doesn't mean frolicking along the path with anyone or anything that suits or fancy. It's all about balance. Developing relationships with others while not sacrificing our values.

Change is inevitable (I'm not advocating that all change is good). We can embrace the future or hide from it. We can be barbarians or monks. We can find a way to work together or we can become isolationists. The world can be for us or against us (or heaven forbid we work together!), the glass half full or half empty. So many times it's a matter of perspective. Where do you stand?

It's Time to Edit!

One of the most important aspects of printed material (and one most often overlooked!) is the editing process. I am a stickler for details, and nothing drives me nuts more than a poorly edited printed piece. Of course, I have seen some very FUNNY printed pieces (i.e. the Dumpling Pot turned into the Dumping Pot!) as well. We do our very best to catch every single typo, misspelled word, out of place graphic, mis-aligned text box, etc, but our team does make mistakes from time to time.

Here are some great thoughts on editing from graphic designer Ryan Hollingsworth:

• Begin by taking a break and allow yourself some time between designing and proofing. Get up and walk away from your computer screen or work on another project. Come back to it when you have a fresh set of eyes and a clear head.
• Print out the piece. Errors are easier to catch and easier to highlight when its on paper.
• Look for left-out words by reading the piece out loud, focusing on every word as you read. Don’t let your eye move ahead until you spot each word. Also make sure you don’t have duplicates of any words.
• Develop an assigned group of detailed proof-readers (2-3) who look over everything that goes out.
• To minimize spelling errors, look at each word in the piece individually. Move from the end of each line back to the beginning to prevent skimming.
• Assign or accept the responsibility of being the “last set of eyes” that sees a piece before it is sent out the door. This develops accountability and responsibility if errors are found.
• Hopefully these tips will save you some sleepless nights waiting for your brochure to come back from the printer, only to find out that ushers will not seat latecomers, but instead eat them.

Dreams, Designs & Developers

In a follow up to yesterday's post, I want to give props to three people who have been helping me with our graphic design. These guys are very talented in their own right, and have contributed a great deal to our creative team.

(1) Joe Clauser. Joe was on staff at Meadow Heights Church for approximately 7 years (did I get that right Joe?), but also served as a volunteer long before that time. Joe created most of our early graphics, and when I came on staff he really helped ease my transition to the team. I appreciate his dedication and effort in all tasks that he undertakes - he is a definite workhorse!

(2) Stephen Emlund. Stephen is a former student of mine and a pretty darn good saxophone player! He has been attending Truman University and studying graphic design and development in several other areas as well. His skill level has grown tremendously in just the past two years!! Stephen is a class act, and his designs are quickly catching the eyes of many developers.

(3) Tim Smith. Tim is the owner/operator of Unique Ink in Fredericktown. I've only known Tim for the past few years, but let me just say up front - you won't find a better guy to work with! He has some incredible designs - very creative, unique (thus the name!) and eye-catching. Not only does he have a great graphic sense and style, but he is also an accomplished bass player and singer. Quite the talented guy!

Behind every creative concept are the artist who turn dreams into reality. I appreciate each of these guys and the talents they bring to the picture. Here's to dreaming with you!

Sermon Branding

I am going to shift the content of this blog over the course of several posts during the next few weeks as I focus on a few more of the practical aspects of my role at Meadow Heights Church. I will be talking about more of the practical applications I have experienced over the past few years. I will also be interviewing several folks in the near future who will bring additional insights to the realm of creative arts.

I want to start however with some thoughts from Mark Batterson. Mark describes the process his team goes through with a concept he calls "sermon branding." Mark is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C. and someone I have referenced on this blog quite often. I love his writing, and his book "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" is a must read.

Sermon branding is very similar to the process we go through with the programming of a new message series. Here are the main categories Mark's team goes through:

Seven Steps to Sermon Branding:

#1 Come up with a series title
#2 Create a series logo
#3 Design a series evite and invite
#4 Brainstorm Big Ideas
#5 Shoot a Series Trailer
#6 Design a microsite
#7 Add Sermon Props

Let me comment on how we approach the topics above...

We do pretty well developing a series title. We will look at several message series from other churches and then combine the best ideas with many of our own. Then we'll brainstorm a title that is creative, compelling and captures the attention of the audience.

We'll then create a series logo. Again, we use a lot of graphics from other churches, but we also use Photoshop to create our own stuff, often times with stock photos. We'll then take those images and create our e-vite on www.meadowheights.com. We'll also create some invite cards for folks to hand out to their friends.

Our brainstorming process usually happens much sooner than number 4. A lot of our creative energy is captured in a weekly programming meeting, and then we'll take those ideas and blend them together to create the branding for a series. Brainstorming big ideas is a huge part of our strategy.

Number five is definitely something we see ourselves producing in the near future. We try to come up with a series opener, but I really see us moving this area forward with more creative opening videos and "teaser" videos to promote upcoming series.

Designing a micro site is a very cool thing to do. We tried this for the first time with the "Larger Than Life Blog." We had nearly 1000 people over the course of three weeks take a look at our blog. It was interactive and a great place for folks to share their stories and experiences. This is definitely something we'll be doing again in the very near future.

Last, but certainly not least, are message props. We are definitely in favor of using props or visual illustrations. This can be done live or via video for effectiveness. Different types of people learn via different methods, and church should not be the exception to this rule. We love to teach by using all types of learning styles - from visual to aural to practical applications, this is a huge strength of our teaching team.

I'll spend time in a future post describing a typical week, not just on the branding front, but an in depth look at the processes we go through when developing all aspects of the weekend. Until then!

Hopeforthehokies.com

The guys at Passion have dedicated this site to those who died during the Virginia Tech tragedy. They have five songs that you can download for free including "On Christ the Solid Rock," "You Never Let Go," "Come For Me," "Rescue Is Coming," and "Amazing Grace."

Hair Today...Gone Tomorrow!

Beauty School Dropout?

It was an interesting morning around the Goldsmith house today. I think every family goes through the "cut my own hair" child syndrome. Our family has been no exception. Kayla cut her hair when she was little, but fortunately just the front part of her bangs. I don't recall if Seth every cut his hair - boys don't get into that as much.

And then today...I was cleaning the house up a bit when Emilee popped downstairs and peeked around the corner. I knew right then that something was up. She was supposed to be playing in her room - yeah right. I didn't realize anything was wrong until I went into her bedroom and found piles of hair. I quickly whirled her around and to my shock and horror, Emilee had cut the very back of her hair. Not just a little trim, but the whole middle section was cut all the way up to the center of her head! I have no idea how she cut only the back side, but she must have some power over the small set of scissors she used for the deed.

Thankfully Mary Jo, a good friend of ours, is a beautician and she opened up her shop on her day off and came to our rescue. A HUGE thanks to Mary Jo - you are our hero!!

Of course after all was said and done, it's kind of a funny story. But don't tell Emilee that. We're still holding it over her head (pun intended!) for a little while. Enjoy the pics!

From the Weird and Wacky Files

Sheryl Crow is getting lots of attention for comments she has posted on her blog. She suggests that to help with the "so-called" global warming and to protect the consumption of oxygen, that each of us should do our duty (pun intended) by using only one square of toilet paper per visit. Does anyone really know how much toilet paper we can make from one tree?

The environmentalist wackos continue to spread the propaganda...resistance is futile...we are one...save the whales...read Gore's book..........................................

The Ole' Tire Swing

For those of you who heard about the Fredericktown haunted "tire swing" during our gatherings this weekend, here are the specifics:

old Fredericktown rd off of oo hwy.

If you drive about a half mile down this gravel road and look off into the woods on the right side, you can see where there is a cleared off place in the woods and an old tire swing hanging from a tree. It is said that an old man and his daughter lived there many years ago until she was ran over by a train (the tire swing was hers.) If you stop in front of this spot at midnight and turn off your engine and headlights, weird things will happen. There have been reports of windows fogging up, cars not restarting, and the faint sound of a little girl laughing along with the sound of a train.

If anyone has been there or would like to go and give a report, please email me upon your return...if you return!

Whose in (gun) control?

My good friend Steve Marchbank has some great thoughts on "gun control" and the recent shootings at Virginia Tech and the NASA incident. Give it a read and then ask yourself, "Where do YOU stand on gun control?"

More Than I Can Handle? You Bet!

One of the best and worst things about working for a church is the amount of people you get to know. This can be said about any large organization, but with the church you tend to develop deeper and more authentic relationships. As I said, this is both good and bad - good because watching people grow in their relationship with God and others is an awesome thing to experience. Bad, because we live in an imperfect world where people experience the difficult circumstances of life.

We seem to be facing the latter during the past few weeks. We talked tonight about how things have been quite challenging since we entered and exited the 21 Day Challenge of prayer and fasting. Bryan taught about this concept again tonight - the myth that God won't give you more than you can handle. It was an awesome message, and I know many people were given some peace and comfort from God tonight. The truth is, God will give you more than you can handle because He wants us to learn to trust Him - not rely on our own capacity to deal with the junk in our life.

One of our own staff, Jeremiah Dietiker has been facing his own challenges lately. He's had a bout of pneumonia the past three weeks, then the doctors thought he had the flu, and now he's spending the night at Parkland hospital as they try to find out why he has been running a fever for the past 24 days or so and why he is having severe abdominal pains. So much pain that a guy who laughs at the every word has needed a morphine drip. Is God giving Jeremiah more than he can handle? In a word? Yes. But that's why Jeremiah has an incredible wife, an awesome church family, and some of the best friends in the world. He doesn't have to deal with everything by himself. Keep praying for him and Heather.

Does God give us more than we can handle? Absolutely. But He is also a loving Father who will help us pull through and conquer anything that He wants to overcome. God can work through anything and anybody if we'll just get out of the way and let Him. God's best is yet to come!

"Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it."

1 Peter 4:12,13,19 (MsgB)

It Is Finished!

It is finished! Those are some immortal words...but now I get to share them as well. After nearly two years, I have finally finished my very first reading of the Bible. Now this may sound like an easy feat, but my first Bible (given to me by my friend Derrick) was quite a challenge to get through.

When I first started asking questions about God, I had many pages of notes and thoughts. I love the fact that God is not afraid of our questions. Anyway, I had thought that I needed to be reading the New King James Version of the Bible. There is certainly no issue with reading this translation, but I can now say that I probably would not have started with this translation (for the record, I'd probably have started with the NIV). Not only is this a NKJV, but it is a John MacArthur study Bible. I loved reading this version because MacArthur provides detailed notes and explanation on most passages. While I did not agree with every single commentary, his explanation of certain passages (especially historical background) were invaluable. This did however, lead to a major increase in the time needed to completely digest this version of the Bible.

But I AM FINISHED!! Finished with this translation, but eager to start the next stage of my journey. I am very interested in Greek and Hebrew, and I would like to start looking into at least one of these two languages and doing some translations of certain passages myself. If anyone has any recommended resources, please email me or leave a comment. I look forward to the new path ahead!!

Tragic Events

Some terrible tragedies in the past few days. Of course everyone has heard about the shootings at Virginia Tech - a horrible event in the history of humankind. Tim Stevens (Granger Community Church) shares some poignant thoughts here.

There's another tragedy that has struck an everyday church in an everyday town just west of here. Our friends at Westside Community Church in Lenexa, Kansas will be going through some tough times ahead. Please be in prayer for their church and the people involved. Tony Morgan (NewSpring Church) has some great thoughts here.

Who (needs to) Let the Gunk Out?

If you're like me, sometimes you struggle with life. The less important stuff seems to edge out the real priorities in your life. If this describes any part of you, don't miss this post from Tony Morgan on how to "Stop Gunky Build Up." It's a must read!! And I love his closing thought:

"Don't delay. And, don't let yourself get in a funk because you're unwilling to deal with your gunk."

Your Future Awaits

Are you running from something or towards something? Let me explain...

Many of us go through the motions of every day life - most out of necessity, many due to "busyness," and still others because they have given in to the mundane. Still others are running "from" something in their life:

• We work feverishly because we are running from a debt-ridden lifestyle
• We become isolationists - living life vicariously through the internet because we are running from true and authentic relationships
• We let our kids do whatever they want to because we are running from our responsibilities as a parent
• We ignore our spouse because we are running from an intimate and loving relationship
• We selfishly cover ourselves in sin because we are running from a life-changing relationship with God

When you are running from something, you tend to keep looking behind you. It slows you down, it keeps your mind preoccupied, and life passes in an instant.

On the other hand, when you are running towards something, everything changes:

• You have focus - a goal in mind
• You develop expectations - you're expecting to arrive somewhere
• You're looking forward - the path is in front of you
• You develop vision - you have a mission and a preferred method of getting there

Do you tend to run from something or towards something?

Many people learn from the past. I want to challenge you to learn by dreaming about the future. Sure it's great to evaluate the past, especially to evaluate mistakes and to learn from them. But something extraordinary happens when you learn by imagining a preferred future. Leaders have done this for decades. Where are you now, and where do you want to be in the future. Then develop a plan on how to get there.

Of course, that was God's plan all along. From Moses in the Old Testament to Jesus in the New Testament - God was delivering us - not from something, but towards Him. He knows our best path in life, but so many times we are running from something instead of running to Him.

What's your dream? Or more importantly, what's God's dream for you? Embrace it. Run towards it. Don't look back; keep moving forward. Your future awaits.

A Moment's Notice

I'm having a quiet few hours to myself tonight. I'm in St. Louis to be one of many judges for one of the middle school/junior high music festivals. Yeah...eight straight hours of saxophones. What more could a person want?

It's been a crazy week. It took a full day (and more) just to recover from our Easter gatherings at our local high school. Then I was asked to officiate the funeral of the mother of my good friend John. I've never officiated a funeral before, but I need to say that it was truly an honor to be able to do this for the family. It was an experience I'll never forget. In the same day (and only thirty miles away) my father-in-law was having heart surgery. Quite the hectic day!

So I'm taking a moment to catch my breath, read a few blogs, watch Survivor online, and contemplate life in a moment's notice.

Thanks Mel, for helping to hold me together this week. You walked with my heart in your hands and brought great comfort to my restless soul. You are truly my warrior princess!

Terry Storch

If you haven't been following Terry Storch's new blog, don't miss it. Terry has some unbelievable ideas about technology - specifically tech in the church.

You can also preview LifeChurch.tv's new website (they'll be launching in about a week):

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Prayers and Thoughts

I'm still here. Lots of stuff going on this week. My prayers go out to John Howser and his family on the passing of his mother, Mickey. I will be attending the funeral tomorrow, so I'll be checked out of Bucketology for another day.

Good Friday Prayer

Greg Atkinson points us to a prayer sent out by Highway Video - a perfect prayer for all of us working so diligently to prepare for what God wants to do this weekend:

Father, quiet our hearts and still our souls.
We have done our best to prepare for this weekend.
We ask now that you do what only you can do.
Prepare the hearts of those that you have called to hear your message.
Remove anything that might distract them or keep them away.
Pour your Spirit out on our time of worship together.
Speak through what we have prepared.
Make any changes you deem necessary.
Help us to worship in Spirit and Truth.
Accomplish all that you have in mind this weekend.
We place our efforts before you now and leave them at your throne.
Only You can change lives.
Grant us the joy of seeing your hand at work.
All this we pray humbly in the name of your son Jesus,
whose death we remember with reverence,
and whose resurrection we celebrate with joy.

Amen.

Sanjaya or Bust?

For those of you who may be interested, Chris Sligh (former American Idol contestant) has a blog where he talks about his experiences and gives his insights on the current competition. You can also check out his band while you're there.

I'll go on record by stating that Sanjaya will NOT win American Idol. I've heard all the rumors, the speculation, the "vote for the worst" sites, etc. Sanjaya is only on the show at this point because the votes are still too spread out. Mark my words, Sanjaya will only be around for two more weeks. Next week I look for Phil to get the boot - not because he isn't a good vocalist - but he doesn't have a great public draw. The judges don't have too many kind words for him either.

Once the votes aren't as spread out, Sanjaya will go home. It probably won't be next week, but the week after...look out. It will be his time to go and America will celebrate. It will also depend on what type of outfit Haley comes up with in the next few weeks (thus the fitting title, "Sanjaya or Bust"). Once Haley and Sanjaya are gone, at that point that the competition will get intense. It will suddenly become a very real contest. There's no doubt that Melinda is the best vocalist, but her sheepish smile and occasional shoulder shrug have really started to turn me off.

Best performer and entertainer? Blake Lewis.

What will the future hold? Only America knows, but I see a Blake vs. Melinda showdown in the near future. But until then, it's Sanjaya or Bust.

It's A Bit Complicated...

I love this post by Mark Batterson.

Life is full of complications. This week is full of complications. But God complicates our lives to give us more blessings. Quite a different way to look at it. Are you a glass "half full" or a glass "half empty" kind of person?

I have a theology of complications. Sin complicates your life in negative ways. God complicates your life in positive ways. I believe that complications are part of God's blessing. Remember the parable of the talents? The reward for good work was more work. In other words, God complicates our lives! And it's a blessing.

~ Mark Batterson

Three Peat Baby!!

It's official. I have made an incredible comeback, and now stand as the "2007 Meadow Heights Office Staff NCAA Tourney Pool Champion!!" The THREE-PEAT has arrived! It was a tough haul this year, and Debbie gave it a great run, but in the end it came down to the final score of tonight's championship game. Thankfully it was a high scoring game which sealed the deal. Congrats to the Florida Gators!

It is such a busy week. A lot on my brain right now, and much to blog about. Unfortunately it will probably have to wait. In the event I have a few spare moments, I'll be sharing some thoughts that have been invading my brain cells the past few weeks. Stay tuned!

To My "Old" Friend (Pun Intended)

Here's to my friend, John Howser, who turns 64 years young today! In honor of his birthday, I have posted a pic of the finished (finally!) bathroom - complete with shower door!! You'll have to ask John for the shower door story...it's quite a lengthy one!

It will be great to have the Howser's home at some point in the near future - safe travels until then! Check out his blog for lots of pictures and many tales of adventures. Happy Birthday old friend!

The Road Less Traveled

Life is a journey. But most of the time we live it like a race.

Melissa and I along with our four year old, Emilee, took a few hours out last night to take a "Sunday afternoon drive" on a Thursday. I haven't taken time out to smell the aroma of the world for quite some time. I used to love to head out in the car, sometimes no destination in mind, and see what the world had to offer.

Last night our destination was unknown as well. We started down the highway, wind blowing through the windows and sunroof, hair blazing back like a crazy mane. Life was good. We stopped by an area known as Silvermines, took a walk down by the river and up the trails, and then hopped back in the car for a trip down a road less traveled - a gravel road. Not knowing where we might end up, this gravel road eventually landed us in a small community about 20 miles from here. We slowly meandered back to good ole' Fredericktown at mostly, might I add, the speed limit or under. Yes, you caught that right...I actually drove the speed limit! I haven't driven that slow in...I can't even remember when!

There are really three things that keep us from enjoying the journey of life:

(1) We're too busy. Life is always a race and we're determined to finish first. Tunnel vision ensues and life passes all too quickly.

(2) Distractions. We might start the journey, but for some reason we get distracted. Other passengers on the journey aren't going fast enough, we get frustrated, and ultimately we're distracted onto another more traveled path.

(3) It's not important. We have become intent and CONTENT on living life at a fast pace. Everyone expects us to accomplish certain things, to live a certain life, and to pass through as society deems appropriate. Simply put, it's not that important for us to live life like no one else dreamed possible. We're satisfied in an unhealthy way.

It's a huge challenge to break out of the race of life. Sometimes it's important to take a small detour, even if only for a moment, and expand your lungs with the freshness of what God has to offer. He always provides, if we'll only break free from our own thoughts and desires to enjoy His sweetness.

May you choose the road less traveled.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. ~Robert Frost (1874–1963)

Quotable Quote

"Google is not a search engine. Google is a reputation-management system. Online, your rep is quantifiable, findable, and totally unavoidable."

Chief Reputation Strategist for PR firm Weber Shandwick, Leslie Gaine Ross

Hoppin' and Shoppin'

Scott Hodge points us to an interesting site of two agnostic church hoppers! These guys (Brad and Erica) visit a different church each week and give their thoughts based on a "template formula" complete with rankings. While a bit unorthodox (no pun intended), this site serves as a great insight into the minds of those still searching for God. Churches take note!

Regional C3

I spent the day at the Regional C3 Conference from Fellowship Church. The hosting church was Faith Church in Fenton, MO. As always, it was great to hear Ed Young speak. He is a funny fellow, with lots of quirks and definitely his own style. Through the many jokes, he gave 10 reasons to be creative, as well as several great thoughts on delegation.

After lunch (a HORRENDOUS veggie burger from Ruby Tuesday's - NOT recommended!), we headed back for two breakout sessions. Session One - Worship and Media. I was really looking forward to this breakout, but unfortunately the staff member from Fellowship gave a more global philosophy of why we should worship God. I was hoping to hear some specifics on HOW Fellowship organizes their worship and media ministry, best practices, etc. We did get a few samples clips of several media projects, but only at the very end of the session when most people were leaving.

The second breakout was on assimilation, or more specifically on volunteers. Again, a good global session, but nothing really new. The best takeaway was the "volunteer tour" where a tour is given of every ministry - in action! I thought this was a great idea, and certainly a fantastic way to give people a glimpse of the different ministries available. By following up with "next steps," this is certain to increase the number of volunteers.

Overall, a great day to get away with the staff, but without a lot of new information. We're entering the stage of our organization where we have a specific vision, a focused mission, and the need to contact SME's (subject matter experts) to help us move to the next level. One thing is for sure - there is MUCH work still to be done!

Great Day to be Outside!

I'm in Nashville for the weekend visiting a good friend of mine. He just got married today!! Melissa and I came down for his wedding and it was a great experience. I'll post more once we return, but let's just say it was 87 degrees and sunny today - a great day to have an outdoor wedding!

I'm also getting a chance to relax and spend some time with my beautiful wife. The kids are at grandma's and we're taking advantage! I'm also catching some NCAA hoops action. My Jayhawks pulled out a close one against SIU, and tonight they will battle the tough UCLA squad. Rock Chalk Jayhawks baby!

TAG...You're It!!

I love how Mark Batterson describes church - it's a "tag team sport!" Here are his thoughts:

Church is a tag-team sport.

When you walk in, you tag me and say "go for it." And with the help of our creative team, I try to preach what God has put in my heart with as much creativity and authenticity as I can.

When you walk out, I tag you and say "go for it." And every NCCer is responsible for sharing their faith with everyone in their unique circle of influence. By the way, I read somewhere that the average person has 68 people in their circle of influence--family, friends, colleagues, roomates, etc. Not sure who came up with that number or how! But when I think about our potential impact as a church I don't think in terms of the people who actually attend. I think of our collective circles of influence!

Average Attendance x Circle of Influence = Potential Impact

Who are the 68 people in your sphere of influence? Can you imagine if the 650-700 people that will be at Meadow Heights Church this weekend became intentional about reaching their sphere of influence? We can absolutely rock the Parkland!! TAG, YOU'RE IT!!

The Multi-Site Resolution

We announced a few weeks ago that Meadow Heights Church would be launching a second campus by the end of 2007. This past weekend we announced our 2007-08 Strategic Plan to the entire church family:

Objective 1

To adopt and implement a multi-site strategy as a means of realizing our vision to “impact our world by leading changed lives into an increasing number of biblical communities.”

Objective 2

To launch a second campus.

Objective 3

To position our present campus for continued growth.

Objective 4

To acquire the necessary resources to fully implement the strategic plan.

There is much work still to be done before any of our strategic initiatives can be fully realized, but we are steadily moving forward. Our multi-site vision will become a reality! Here are some interesting statistics from the book Multi-Site Revolution:

• In 1990 there were only 10 multi-site churches in the U.S. Today 33% of all churches are currently considering the multi-site option.
• In 2000 only 5% of all mega churches in the U.S. had multiple locations. Today 25% of all mega churches have more than one site and experts are predicting that by 2010 that 50% of all mega churches will be multi-site.
• Currently 7 of the 10 fastest growing churches in the U.S. are multi-site churches.
• Currently 9 of the 10 largest churches in the U.S. are multi-site churches.

While Meadow Heights church may not fit all of the categories above, we are in the unique position to make an impact on our communities - small town communities. There are very few if any churches focusing on smaller communities (5000 or under). It reminds me of the Blockbuster strategy from a few years ago. Blockbuster had dominated the larger city market for quite some time, but felt the need to increase revenues. Their solution? To open a Blockbuster store in every community they deemed as "small town" - those numbering around the 10,000 mark. They accomplished a great deal of this goal.

What Blockbuster realized was that small town America is not that different from the larger metropolitan areas. People are still people. And last time I checked, God still cares about people. If Meadow Heights can fill this void in some manner and allow God to use us to reach smaller communities, then we are ready and willing to say "God. Yes. Amen." Some might call us crazy, some might call us a "niche," some have even said it can't be done.

We just want to be obedient. We'll do what only we can do, and we'll let God do what only He can do.

Day 3

Day 3 of the 21 Day Challenge...

Not having coffee in my system really stinks. Worse than that, but I can't really say what on this blog. I have had a headache for two days...it's finally subsiding, but now my joints and bones are aching a bit.

Enough of the whining...

If you haven't checked out the Larger Than Life Blog - why wait? When we first created this blog for the challenge, we wondered how many folks would actually use it. Well I am pleased to report that after two days we've had 278 unique visits and 1452 page views!!

Only 18 days to go...

ADDENDUM:

I forgot to mention how awesome the Reading Plan has been - the NLT version of the Book of John is amazing! The prayer guide has been phenomenal as well!

The Tourney Continues

Debbie, our Executive Assistant, is kicking everyone's tail in the annual NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge. After a dismal start (LAST PLACE!), I am currently tied for second place. With a LOT of help, it is still possible for me to win - can you say THREE PEAT BABY!?!

On a brighter note, the Kansas Jayhawks looked great today. The alley oops were off the hook! I've been a KU fan for as long as I can remember. You may have wondered where the term "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" came from. Here's what I found:

KU's world famous Rock Chalk Chant evolved from a cheer that a chemistry professor, E.H.S. Bailey, created for the KU science club in 1886. Bailey's version was "Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, KU" repeated three times. The rahs were later replaced by "Rock Chalk," a transposition of chalk rock, the name for the limestone outcropping found on Mount Oread, site of the Lawrence campus.

The cheer became known worldwide. Teddy Roosevelt pronounced it the greatest college chant he'd ever heard. Legend has it that troops used the chant when fighting in the Philippines in 1899, in the Boxer Rebellion in China, and in World War II. At the Olympic games in 1920, the King of Belgium asked for a typical American college yell. The assembled athletes agreed on KU's Rock Chalk and rendered it for His Majesty.

21 Day Challenge

WOW! What a great weekend! Bryan, our lead pastor at Meadow Heights Church, did a PHENOMENAL job this weekend. He cast vision for a "21 Day Challenge" to our entire church family. Here's what the challenge contains:

(1) 21 Days of Fasting (Daniel Fast)

(2) 21 Days of Prayer (with corresponding prayer guide)
(3) 21 Days of Scripture (read through the Gospel of John)

There was definitely an air of excitement and anticipation as we rolled out this new challenge. Most people were totally on board and pumped to see what God will be doing during the next three weeks leading up to Easter. This is gonna be good!!

Check out our resources and make sure to comment on our "Larger Than Life Blog!"

Larger Than Life

Lots of stuff happening today. We're getting ready for a three week series called "Larger Than Life" and I am stoked! We'll be asking everyone to participate in a 21 day challenge that looks phenomenal. I'll post more details and links when we officially go "live." We're also working on a blog for this series which will be a first for Meadow Heights. I can't wait to see how many folks interact with us. A great first step!

On a side note, it looks like my reign as the NCAA Bracket Champion (two-peat actually) is already coming to a halt. I am dead last this year!! From first to worst in two short days - yikes!! But on a positive note, my Jayhawks rolled today and are looking schweet. Too bad the game wasn't on CBS - someone seems to think that we are all Illinois fans around here!

Quotables: Rob Bell

Rob Bell's take on criticism:

Some people simply have questions, and simply want to discuss. Wonderful. But some people are miserable, and they use religion as a crutch to avoid dealing with their misery and their pain. And what gets masqueraded as Christian faith is not. And we need to be careful spending all sorts of energy engaging with people who don’t have any interest in coming along on the journey with us.

For a VERY GOOD listing of Rob Bell resources on the web, check out this link.

We're Not Normal

“I started preaching this life-change—this radical turn to God and everything it meant in everyday life—right there in Damascus, went on to Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside, and from there to the whole world.” Acts 26:20 (MsgB)

I was challenged by a blog I read the other day that talked about churches that were normal. Meadow Heights is not a “normal” church. Our attendance isn’t normal. We continue to grow because people experience God and their lives are impacted and changed forever. We’ve already baptized 33 folks and added 68 new members this church year. That’s not normal!

Our volunteers aren’t normal. They show up way too early and stay way too late. They work hard and are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish God’s mission for our church. And all of that with a humble heart and a fulfilled spirit. Our giving patterns aren’t normal. We’re not broke. We’re blessed. We give – sacrificially and joyfully. We have folks that give not because they have to, but because they get to. We give because God has blessed us and is showing us a vision that can literally change thousands of lives forever.

I challenge you to be here this weekend as we engage in a new series called “Larger Than Life.” We’ll spend the next 21 days getting ready for Easter and preparing ourselves for the miracles that lie ahead. I truly believe that God is preparing us in advance for what he has planned for our church and for each and every one of us. Things are getting ready to heat up around here!

That’s not normal. But then again, neither was Jesus.

A Wild and Crazy Guy!

This guy is absolutely crazy - but in a good way. Steven Furtick is the lead pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he tells it like it is in this recent post. I'm not sure that I exactly agree with HOW he says things, but I agree with WHAT he's saying. My favorite quotes?

If you’ve been attending Elevation for a while, and are a Christian who is already going to heaven, and are treating our church like American Idol, waiting to decide whether you will vote us in for another week based on whether you like the show this Sunday, please find somewhere else to take up space.

We need your seat.

Otherwise, roll up your sleeves, invite your unchurched friends, plug in as a volunteer, give financially, pray for God’s continued favor, and let’s rock this city.

This guy has some really great things to say. I encourage you to check out his blog, but be warned...religious people just might be offended at what he has to say!

It's Tourney Time Baby!!

It's that time again...NCAA Basketball Tournament Time!! I've always been a HUGE fan of college basketball and this time of year really gets me pumped up - three weeks of competition!!

We've had a "friendly" tourney bracket competition the past few years, and I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I've been the champion for the past two years running. This year I'm looking for the three peat baby! Will my Rock Chawk Jayhawks pull out a championship? Will the Gators dominate again this year? Stay tuned as I'll update the standings over the next few weeks!

To Those Who Have Come Before Us

Craig Groeschel, lead pastor of LifeChurch.tv recently asked five "twenty-somethings" five important questions:

• What do you think God wants to do through our church that I’m not seeing?
• What are we doing that stopped working two years ago?
• What should we be doing to reach people that we’re not?
• Where have I lost effectiveness but those closest to me are afraid to tell me?
• What vision do you have about ministry that no one will listen to?

As leaders, there are many opportunities for us to mentor the younger generations, but how often do we let them mentor us? I love the fact that Craig took time out to listen - something most leaders don't make time to do.

He also took time to honor those folks who had invested in to his life. You can read more about the questions he likes to ask those who have come before him here.

As I reflected on his post, I began to think about those people who have had a major impact on my life. Of course none of this would be possible without God. I am a different person today because of my relationship with Him. But it doesn't stop there. God created us to live in community with one another, or as we fondly call it at Meadow Heights - sharing life together. There have been lots of folks who have made a difference in my life, but I'm talking about those who have made a MAJOR impact:

John Howser
What can I say? John made an impact in my life the moment I met him. He taught me to love music and to love life, and for that I will always be thankful. We have always considered ourselves "soul mates" and we still love to share our thoughts on life (and a cup of coffee!). Life is good...and I hope to you as well!

John Patterson
While we only had the chance to spend about five years together, this other "John" taught me a lot about teaching others. His passion for students stemmed from his work in education and administration, and he took time out to share his knowledge with me. He's retired now, but I know the kids (and other faculty) still miss him.

Bryan Mills
Nope, not another John. I have no doubt in my mind that God totally arranged for Bryan and I to meet. There is also no doubt that I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Bryan. He spent countless hours answering my endless questions and helped lead me down an incredible path. Today I stand as a follower of Jesus because of those conversations, and I am so thankful to share in this new journey of ministry together.

My Family
Besides God, THE most important part of my life. I am so incredibly blessed to share life with my family!! I could write for days on the many experiences, joys, heartaches, worries, laughs, adventures and many, many more. To Melissa, Kayla, Seth and Emilee - thank you for loving me when I act like Jesus and more importantly, thank you for loving me when I don't. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!

My Mom
What list would be complete without your mom? But seriously, my mother is awesome!! She has always been an advocate for me, no matter what. She was strong in troubled times, shared a smile just when I needed it, and showed unconditional love. My life is a direct result of what she instilled in me, and I'm proud to call her my mom.

I know that this list is far from complete. There are so many I would like to give props to, but just like a good awards show, my time is limited and the music is playing. It's time to get off this stage. If you haven't put thought to those who have made a lasting impact in your life, why not? It's never to late to let someone know what they meant in your life, and you might be surprised at how much your thoughts will leave a mark on their life as well.

Techno At It's Best

There are some very innovative churches doing some cool stuff online right now. Check out these two links:

SatanHatesLife.com - a simple but effective website from LifeChurch.tv to support their new series. They have utilized websites similar to this in the past. By the way...their billboards are awesome!!

My Life Story - an incredible site from Granger Community Church! They asked folks to submit their life stories via postcard and they have posted them on this site. Very effective and VERY cool! Check it out!

I love how these churches are leveraging technology to reach people. Who isn't connected nowadays? What a great way to target an audience in an effective and creative way!

It's Sounds Diffi"cult"

From time to time we'll hear of someone labeling a church as a "cult." I've never heard anyone refer to Meadow Heights as a cult, but I'm sure those folks are out there. Perry Noble did some research on the definition of a cult, and he blogs about it here.

Here are the four main points he makes:

#1 - In a cult everyone is expected to talk, look, act and believe the same thing
#2 - In a cult people strive to keep things the way they are
#3 - A cult’s main concern are those who are insiders
#4 - A cult is passionate about man-made rules

What's interesting are the very "religious" claims that a cult makes about itself. These are the antithesis of what it means to follow Jesus. If you take even a glimpse at the life of Jesus and what He is asking the "big C" church to do, it looks totally opposite of the values of a cult. That sounds a lot like the "religious" leaders of the Bible- more focus on them than on God.

Is there anything in your own life that you focus on more than God?

Frustrated!

By the way...can anyone tell me why sometimes my posts are double spaced, but other times they are single spaced?? This is driving me nuts!! I can't wait to officially launch my new blog...stay tuned for more details!

May I Have the List Please...

Lists. It seems like everyone is doing a list these days. Here are some examples (funny...this is a list!):

• The "to-do" list
• The grocery list
• The Christmas list
• Forbes richest list
• David Letterman's Top 10 List
• Time's Most Important List
• Mr. Blackwell's "best and worst" dressed list

and on...and on...and on...

Churchrelevance is getting in on the action as well. They recently published the "Top 22 Churches In America." This list is based on 7 other lists (HEY! Another list! Kind of ironic isn't it?):

• 07 AMIC = Outreach magazine’s 2007 America’s 25 Most Innovative Churches
• 06 FGC = Outreach magazine’s 2006 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches
• 06 LC = Outreach magazine’s 2006 100 Largest U.S. Churches
  
• 06 MIC = The Church Report’s 2006 50 Most Influential Churches
• 05 FGC = Outreach magazine’s 2005 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches
• 05 MIC = The Church Report’s 2005 50 Most Influential Churches
• 04 FGC = Outreach magazine’s 2004 100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches

They also have a list of over 250 "churches to watch." Obviously they haven't checked out Meadow Heights (insert smiley face here)! The bigger question is this - why do people love lists? Do you enjoy reading "lists?"

For the record, there are many folks out there who don't enjoy lists. You can check out two from LifeChurch.tv - this post by Bobby Gruenewald, and this post by Craig Groeschel.

Can I get a list anyone?

The Best Is Yet To Come

I'm sitting here unwinding on the couch typing this entry. It's been a long weekend but I can't sleep. I think my body is in the "over-tired" mode where you're so tired that you can't sleep.

I had the opportunity to teach at our five gatherings this weekend (not to mention our CLASS night!), and as always, God works in incredible ways. It usually feels like God has taken me on an incredible journey, and while He might be impacting others, I come away feeling like He's given me so much more than I've given Him or anyone else. It's really hard to explain unless you've gone through that experience. It is both an awesome and humbling experience all at the same time. I learned so much today about the importance of miracles - it's been a recurring theme of our series - not the importance of the miracle itself, but having faith that God can do the miracle if He chooses. The REAL miracle, regardless of the outcome, is how our lives are changed as a result of our faith.

So as I prepare to drag myself into bed, I am thankful that God has given us the promise that despite our difficult circumstances, or the crisis in our life, or our unmet expectations, He is always working and that His best is yet to come.

Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.

1 Peter 4:12-13, 19 (MsgB)

The Umbrella Of Mercy

I remember teaching my Music Appreciation students about the subjectivity of art. I would always start by asking them to describe what they thought art was. Most would give examples from traditional forms of art such as paintings, sculptures, ceramics, etc. But then we would get into the discussion about other items such as chairs, tables, chalkboards, etc. Are these considered art? A great debate would ensue until we would all usually settle on the following:

ANYTHING can be considered art. Art is in the eye of the beholder.

My wife is setting beside me as I type, and I'm sure when she reads this that she'll get a good chuckle over the statement above. I mean, think of it this way. If God created us and anything is considered art then by definition, humans are all considered art (remember the old math adage a=b=c?). If that's the case then I'm sure God is the only one who appreciates this work of art (meaning me). At least I hope He does.

So what's the point of this discussion? Eric recently posted about the subjectivity of art. Eric is the Creative Arts Director at Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL (think Chicago!). Eric had me rolling with this description:

At CCC, we pretty much have a "free reign" policy on such matters. Everyone here pretty much says whatever the heck the feel like regarding someone's art. We often mock the concept of an "umbrella of mercy." We say things like "there are no bad ideas, only bad people." and one time, we shattered an umbrella, hung it in the corner, and treated it like an umbrella of mercy "shame corner" for when a bad idea was uttered. As I recall, by the end of the brainstorming session, creative types were sending themselves into the corner when bringing up an idea that falls flat.

During the creative arts meetings at Meadow Heights Church, we'll often unleash the "umbrella of mercy" before throwing out an idea. Eric's peeps take it to another level! But I love it! Make sure you read the rest of his post however, as he talks about how there are times a leader must make a decision. I love that about our church - we aren't afraid to talk about the concepts or ideas, but in the end, the leader makes the decision, and we all walk away with three things:

(1) Everyone knows the decision has been made
(2) Everyone accepts the decision and backs the leader 100%
(3) After all is said and done, we still love each other

You won't find too many environments where you can have healthy conflict, arrive at a solution that everyone agrees is the best decision at the time, and you walk away loving and respecting everyone in the process. Simply amazing.

I'm a Mac...No Wait...I'm a PC

I never thought I would say this...

I'm considering a Mac for my next computer. Eegads (cue Oklahoma music here).

I swore for years and years that I would never own a Mac. After many years of experience editing video, creating music, and creating graphics, I have come to the conclusion (and after much reading) that a Mac might be a better choice for my current career path.

I know, I know. You diehard PC fans (and I would still number myself among them) will spout fact after fact about how PC's are superior to the Mac, and how you can do anything you want on a PC. I used to agree. I'm not quite sure how I'll process the situation if it comes to fruition.

I did find an article on "switching" - one man's honest take on his journey from PC to Mac. You can read his thoughts here.

I'll close by asking the opinion(s) of my faithful readers - what are your thoughts on the PC vs. Mac? I'm anxious to hear from you!

Impotence (Keep Reading!)

Perry Noble has a phenomenal post on "impotence." Don't be too alarmed, the post will make sense when you read it. After reading the report on the rise of aethism in America, I loved Perry's take on the state of the church. Perry hits it on the head - it's all about passion.

Hit the Shower!

Tim Sanders hits on a topic I've posted on before - why your best thinking is done in the shower. Each and every morning I take a hot shower while my brain begins to percolate and ideas start to flow. I've always said that most of my best ideas have originated in the shower.

Here's what Tim has to say:

When you shower, your body produces chemicals such as DHEA, a powerful enzyme that boosts your ability to leverage your brain's capacity. I've visited a tech R&D lab that had showers as part of the bathrooms just because of this phenom...Take your shower at a time when you have loaded up your head with today's problems to solve. We get dozens of those a day. If you shower first thing, do your daily do list and circle the ones that require problem and solution thinking.

Tim addresses this further in his book, "The Likeability Factor." I haven't had time to read this book yet, but it's on my short list.

When do you do your best thinking? What types of things do you do to generate ideas?

I (Still) Need A Hero

I'd just like to say that Heroes is STINKIN' AWESOME!! This show ranks up there with some of the best ever. If you haven't had the opportunity to check it out - DO SO IMMEDIATELY! You won't be disappointed. The characters, plot development, special effects - all are top notch. Tonight's episode was unbelievable - next week's looks even better. Until then!

The US - A Religious Melting Pot?

A recent survey conducted by the Institute for Humanistic studies claims that "aethism" is increasing in the United States:

A new survey in the U.S. shows that the number of 18-25 year olds who are atheist, agnostic or nonreligious has increased from 11 percent in 1986 to 20 percent today. Meanwhile a survey of the United States and the five largest countries in Western Europe reveals that religious belief continues to plummet in Europe, with Italy being the only country with a majority believing in any form of God or supreme being. And even in these overwhelmingly godless countries, the young are still significantly less religious than their elders.

While I have not seen the statistics from the actual survey itself (or how they conducted it), I would agree that America is showing signs of becoming a religious "melting pot." The article continues:

Overall, the US looks a lot like Western Europe 30 or 40 years ago. At that time most Europeans still believed in a god, but younger generations were more atheist and agnostic than their elders. That trend has continued with religion steadily declining, generation by generation.

I have to say that I too am against "religion." You read that correctly. But I am for a relationship with Jesus. When we try to cram religious principles down the throats of the younger generation, their immediate reaction will be one of contempt. Religion didn't work 2000 years ago either. But when you build into a relationship while discovering what it means to follow Jesus, everything changes.

The Church (Big C) needs a wake up call. Fortunately, I firmly believe that many churches have already answered the phone. They are finding creative ways to impact their communities; discussions have been generated and technology has been leveraged. I don't know what "religion" will look like in a 100 years, but I do know that Jesus will never change...and that gives us all hope. Let the battle begin...

Beatboxing flute inspector gadget remix

For my buddy Jeremy, who loves the flute! Thanks to Greg at Church Video Ideas for the link.

Blogging In the Forest

Seth Godin poses an interesting question on his blog - "If no one reads your post, does it exist?" This is similar to the old adage, "If a tree falls in the forest..." Why do we write? There are very few blogs that have an active readership, so Seth's question is a valid one.

Here are my reasons for writing "Bucketology":

• It's an outlet for me to describe how God is affecting my daily life - as I mention in the description, they are snippets from my life experiences.

• I have never enjoyed "hand writing" in a journal, log, or other paper method. I enjoy leveraging technology in an effective way.

• I enjoy sharing what other's have written. What a great way to give props to the creative thoughts and ideas of others! Blogs are an incredibly effective way to learn a lot of information in a short period of time (unfortunately, because of Seth's insight, a lot of great information is buried in "cyberspace.")

• It's a way for me to leave a legacy for my family and future generations. Granted, it might not be much of a legacy, but it's mine, and for some reason, my family enjoys getting to know me.

Even if no one reads my blog, or reads it once and doesn't enjoy it, it's still a great way for me to "empty my head" and process what's going on in my life. A blog doesn't replace personal relationships or communication, but sometimes it's difficult to strike up a conversation at two in the morning!

So, is anybody out there reading this blog?

Volunteers - The Backbone of An Organization

Volunteers are a very important part of any organization. That's why we take great care to honor our volunteers and to let them know they're doing a great job. Of course we also hold them accountable when needed because we feel that God wants us to lead our volunteers and to help them discover their giftedness and unique contributions. Sometimes that means difficult conversations. Ultimately, we want to help our volunteers find their giftedness, in the area of their heart's desire, using their abilities, accommodating their personality, while building experiences.

While we find ways to recognize our volunteers throughout the year, we also have a special celebration once a year to give public recognition to all of our volunteers. This has been a great event in the past, but we are trying to brainstorm some creative ideas on how to celebrate with our volunteers. Mark Batterson describes how they honor their volunteers in this post. Very cool.

How do you recognize your volunteers? What are some creative ideas that you would recommend?

C3 - Turning What If Into What Is

Tony Morgan has posted his thoughts about the opening day of the C3 Conference. Several of us will be attending the regional C3 site in St. Louis in a few months. Ed Jr. is the main speaker, with an afternoon of breakouts. It should be a great mini-conference!

JT and the Virtual Memory Machine

Props go out to my buddy JT on his new blog, or what he fondly refers to as his "virtual memory." Jason has some incredible insights and his writing is phenomenal. Definitely check out his post on the recent miracle he experienced - it will blow you away!

Monday Funny

Mark Batterson points out some interesting differences between men and women:

A man will pay $20 for a $10 item he wants. A woman will pay $10 for a $20 item that she doesn't want.

The average man has four items in his bathroom--a toothbrush, an electric razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Holiday Inn. The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 437. The average man is able to identify four of those items!

A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

If Emma, Suzanne, Debra and Michelle go out for lunch, they will call each other Emma, Suzanne, Debra and Michelle. But if Mike, Phil, Rob, and Jack go out for lunch, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut Head and Useless.

Women love cats. Men say they love cats, but when women aren't looking, men kick cats.

Sean Michel

American Idol is about to heat up! The top 24 have been announced and I can't wait for it to get started. The field seems to be very even this year with lots of great talent once again. I did notice their isn't an "oddball" this year - the one person who stands out (good or bad) and sets themselves apart from everyone else.

You might have seen Sean Michel on the show recently. He made it to the Hollywood round, but unfortunately was cut. I loved his initial audition and his unusual look. Check out this interview with Relevant Magazine. You can also visit his MySpace page and listen to his band.

By the way, Chris Sligh (I posted about him recently) made it through to the top 24!

Catching Up with the Catfish

It's been a busy past few days. We had some friends from Illinois in for a four day visit. Catfish (a long time nickname), Angie and their three kids hung out, ate lots of food and played the Wii - we had a blast. Catfish and Angie have been friends of ours for 20 years. Angie watched my oldest daughter Kayla my freshman year in college and we've been friends ever since.

I was hoping they would come to church with us this weekend, but they just wanted to hang out at the house. Catfish did go to our Life Group with us, and I think he had a blast. Once again, our Life Group had some phenomenal discussions about God and life. We had a chance to digest some questions related to Miracles, our current series at Meadow Heights Church. I'm always amazed to hear how God is at work in the lives of people I love and care about. He is truly a good God.

Mission Accomplished

I just finished an email to an old friend. I miss our conversations. He has been through the thick and thin of my life, but always with a helping hand and a positive outlook. I love that about him.

It started me thinking about accomplishments. For so much of my life I was building a resume of experiences and accomplishments. The theory was that these accomplishments would help to further my career. I have always said that I had accomplished everything I wanted to do when I left the field of education. But then it hit me...why do we strive so much for our own accomplishments?

I posted a few days ago about how we accomplish something only to forget about it a short time later (it doesn't take others nearly as long to forget our accomplishments!). If we so easily forget what we done, it begs this question - What types of accomplishments last a lifetime? Is it really important to accomplish anything?

Too much of my life has been focused on me. What things can I do; what things can I experience; what things can I accomplish...When the focus is directed towards God and not towards self, everything changes. I am slowly starting to figure that out.

I think Jesus summed it up best in John:

"I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me." John 6:38 (MsgB)

Mission accomplished.