Girls' Ministry Video Worth Seeing

This is a video that was produced by our team at LifeWay and does a good job of creating discussion with parents and leaders in your church. Thought I would post it here for those who may be looking for some help in that area.

The Boston Marathon

It has been a busy week for sure. Last Saturday was Morgan's Banquet/Prom and it was big fun for sure. She looked beautiful (that is a dad speaking, but really, the girl is beautiful and so is her sister) and Ethan looked pretty good too. They enjoyed all the pictures, food, dancing (I am not even sure they danced), bowling, food, and the company of the other DCA students and dates.

Sunday morning early I flew to Boston, hit the expo, got the packet, shirt, walked around the expo exhibits, climbed in the car and headed to the hotel. Made contact with Ron Kramer, my BAA friend who takes care of me on race day, and Allyson Clark who was wonderful and provided transportation to the start and took me back to the hotel after the finish. She was a wonderful asset to the whole experience. Now let's talk the race - it is mostly downhill the first 16 miles, a series of 4 hills through mile 21 including the famous Heartbreak Hill, and then more downhill from 21-26. I felt decent at the start (the starting line that is) and by mile 4 knew that this was not my day. It seemed the more I tried to get my legs to turn over and do that 8 min/mile pace the more futile it became. The half was respectable (1:49ish) and about 4 min off of pace but I knew I was tired and could push and get really frustrated. I ran with a young lady from Toronto for about 10 miles starting around mile 10 and bid her adieu about mile 20. She smiled and kept going. She was 36, coming off an injury and I remembered the Downtown Y mottoes, "Everyone for themselves" and "there is no shame in losing to a girl."

In the imfamous words of my friend Ron Kramer, (mentioned above), Sometimes Boston jumps up and bites you in the backside - he chooses to use the word that also can be used for knuckleheads and donkeys. Boston bit me. It was great to be able to run. The crowd, the volunteers, the race crew are all top notch and make Boston a great experience regardless of one's personal performance. I am thankful and blessed to be able to run.

I had meetings on Tues in Boston and Weds was a travel day to Metro Youth Ministers meeting in Destin, FL and a great dinner w/ friend Chad Childress at NAMB. Great guy and strong encourager. Presented this morning to the Metro guys, had lunch w/ Jared Gregory who is the youth minister at Village Baptist in Destin and now boarding a flight to home via DFW. Ready to see my bride and sleep in my own bed.

Now if Any of You Lacks Wisdom . . .

James 1:5 is a verse that has come to mean a lot to me over the years. I find myself asking God for wisdom over and over and yet, it dawned on me recently that many times I ask for wisdom, so I will be right. Hmmm. How self-serving is that? Scripture is clear that He gives to all generously and w/o criticizing. I am thankful for that promise, but really have been focusing on making sure that I am asking for wisdom for His glory, not just so I will be right. I like being right, but that is a form of pride if I am not yielding to Him.

Today is tax day and that is never a fun day. I grow weary of paying so much to a entity/government that does not represent the people it says that it does. So very thankful that my hope and trust is in Christ and not any political party or leader. Scripture does not instruct government to be our source of hope and provision, but for Christ to be our all in all. That is a lesson I seem to have to learn over and over.

Lots of hulla-ba-loo right now about our President canceling the National Day of Prayer. Actually, he is just not having an observance at the White House. Not the end of the world. Wish it was different but it is not so I do not think that changes anything for Christ-followers in America. It is important that we pray for our gov't. leaders. God will be glorified in what believers do, not in what non-believers don't do.

Sunday night was a good night of celebrating the DCA Lady Wildcats basketball season. They finished up their season last month losing in the state semis which is the farthest any DCA women's basketball team had ever gone. Sondra was the banquet organizer and in my unbiased opinion, it was wonderful. She got all the administrative skills in our house and uses them well.

This week has been one where I am in town all week. Yea! It has been final taper week for Boston and I have enjoyed less miles and more rest and sleeping in my own bed. Saturday night is Morgan's Jr./Sr. Banquet and she is going with some boy (that is what dads call guys who take their daughters to these things) who actually is a pretty good guy. I will post pictures after the event.

Sunday am I fly to Boston, do the expo and race packet pick-up and toe the start line for a 10a start on Monday. Should be fun. We will see. On Tuesday, I have a couple of meetings with churches and the state youth leader in Massachusetts and Weds/Thurs I am in Destin, FL and on Fri/Sat I am in Jacksonville, FL. Looking forward to a good race, good meetings and plenty of tired.

Where Have You Been?

I used to get this question from my mom every once in awhile when I was a kid and had disappeared for a couple of hours. It is a good question to ask periodically. I have been a few places since last week but all in all they have been good places to be.

We finished up our vacation in Orange Beach, AL and drove home on Sunday. It was Easter and was quite weird for us to not be in church on Easter of all days. We did worship with a few folks on the radio as we traveled through Alabama. A couple of good sermons and then one that I am sure would have been good but the delivery was so distracting that I had a hard time hearing what the preacher was saying. Suffice it to say that if you know Dennis Swanberg and have heard him impersonate some southern preachers, well, . . . i spent too much time laughing. Not proper I know, but . . . okay, enough of that.

This week has been good. Flew to NM and met with Sam Swann who is the state youth guy for NM and doing a great job there. He is one of those guys that I have known for about 4 years, but it is like we have known each other all of our lives. He loves Christ, his family, and students. Our hearts resonate.

I am in Ft. Worth right now and attending Youth Lab. I have reconnected with many friends and made many new student ministry friends. Had dinner on Thurs with Nick Jones who is a FUGE staffer and a new Southwestern Seminary Student. Great guy. Ross Waddell is a student here as well and it was good to see him. He was on the Romania trip I led in Dec. One of the funniest guys I know and reminds me so much of my good friend Mitch Fuller. Very gifted guy. Also got to spend some time with Tan Flippin who used to work at LifeWay. We were hired on the same day back in Nov. 1992 and he serves a church in Denison, TX now. So good to catch up with him. Always good to reconnect with the SWBTS faculty and then got to spend some time w/ Allen Jackson from NOBTS. Very blessed to have so many of these folks influence my life.

Headed home tonight and in town all next week. Morgan has banquet  a week from tonight and then the next morning I fly to Boston and run the marathon on Monday, 4/19. Ready to get that done but excited about the opportunity to run it again.

Early Spring Break Report

We traveled on Tuesday down to Gulf Shores, AL (the whole family plus two girls who are like our own family) and spent the night at a friend's hotel. On Weds., we made our way over to the beach and to our condo that we have until Sunday. (Thanks again Joyce for your generous timeshare points).

We have been laying out, eating, napping, running a little, and just enjoying ourselves. Looking forward to two more full days on the beach and also dinner with friends on Saturday.