No Blog November?

It seems that the best made plans are really worthless unless one carries out those plans. And . . . so that pretty sums up my blogging habits this month. I always plan to update the blog and then distractions and busyness creep in and well . . . I end up apologizing in the first blog post back.

I headed to Dallas the weekend before Thanksgiving for the Youth Specialties conference. It always proves a good time meeting with youth leaders and catching up with old friends. Being back in Dallas was good too, although we were downtown. Much has changed in Dallas since we moved away in 1989. It was good to run in few areas that I ran in long ago and the weather was nice.

I took the week of Thanksgiving as vacation and thoroughly enjoyed the time off. I played golf one day; raked leaves in an exercise of futility (the yard looked great for about 4 minutes); and, enjoyed basically being a bum.

Thanksgiving was simply wonderful with my dad and nephew, Mark, Shelbi and Morgan home and many friends over for the big feast. It is such a blessing to be around family. We are blessed to not only love one another but to like each other as well, so the drama and stress are extremely low. I did a little 5k race on Thanksgiving morning and ran pretty well for an older guy. The weather was good and the course was a little hilly but overall a good time. On Saturday, we loaded up and went to see Skyfall (new James Bond movie) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am a sucker for Bond anyway.

This week has been busy with work and DCA Wildcats basketball games in the evenings. I love announcing and watching ball so it is not hard work but getting up early after vacation and staying out for ballgames has made me a little tired this week. Big fun though. Last night Sondra and I went to McGavock High School's Christmas Choir event and it was very good as usual. Our long time friend, Mitch, directs the choir there and just does an amazing job getting students to do more than they think they ever could.

This weekend will be filled with more DCA basketball; Christmas decorations; and a quick trip for work to Atlanta. This next week will be busy with our State Youth Leaders here Tues-Thurs and lots of work before the Christmas holidays.

How Fun is That?!

The past couple of weeks have included less work travel so that has allowed for more family time on the weekends. And that is good. I love what I get to do work wise, but I am most fulfilled when I get to hang out with Sondra and the rest of our family.

I know over the years I have had to remind myself that what I get to do work wise does not determine who I really am. I have repeated that to myself many times and have shared that with many people I come in contact with in life. Our culture can deceive us into believing that real success is based upon how much you are "out there making a difference". I know that that if I am "out there" making a difference and my family is sucking wind and crumbling, then really I have taught our kids how to gain the whole world and lose their own soul. Definitely not something I want to be indicative of me.

A couple of weekends ago we headed to Rome, GA to hang out with Mark and Shelbi. Morgan came home from Union, we jumped in the car and made our way to GA and had a great weekend. How fun to see our kids embracing young adulthood and making a difference in others' lives. We slept in, ran some, hiked some, napped, shopped, ate, and watched some football; slept some more, attended church and headed back home. No earth shattering events but just big fun.

This past weekend, Sondra and I jumped in the car and headed to Knoxville (Maryville actually) and hung out with our friends, Ronald and Tami Kooch. They have been great friends of ours for many years even though we have not lived in the same city for over 16 years now. Ronald's company supplied us some UT/MIZZOU tickets where we experienced a football game like I never have before. His company owns a sky box so I was in way over my head. It was fun to spend time with them and the MIZZOU win was actually a lot of fun for me but not so much the rest of the people in the box we were in. I cheered quietly most of the time. It was fun to see UT coaching legend Johnny Majors and to meet past UT basketball coach, Bruce Pearl who did a lot for the men's basketball program before getting into some NCAA trouble a couple of seasons ago.

So thankful to spend time with family and friends these past couple of weekends. Looking forward to Thanksgiving this next week after a trip to Dallas and Youth Specialties this weekend.

Lessons from Four-year-olds

Yesterday was my turn to work in ETC at church and once again, I learned alot. I am not really sure if I am working with older 3s, younger 4s, and I think there were a couple of 5s in the mix. Regardless, there were a bunch of them and yesterday started out  mild and then got cranked up. . . cranked up in a hurry.

Our Bible study was based on Elijah praying for rain and I thought it would be awesome if we mixed in some water balloons for special effects. The kids were pumped but we settled for water colors instead. The two other adults in the class overruled us all. (I went down fighting.)

I won't mention names of kids, in order to not break any laws unknowingly. They are an eclectic bunch. Some of them I have learned who their parents are but the majority of them are just kids that I know through that one Sunday a month connection. I see them in other areas of the church at other times and we acknowledge each other, but most of my interaction with them is in the "Purple" classroom one Sunday a month.

There are the quiet kids; the not-so-quiet kids; the toy players; the lap sitters; the ones who love to use me as a jungle gym; those that like to play by themselves; and those who need a lot of attention. Much like adults actually. I always walk away from the room with at least these two thoughts; 1. Thank God Sondra and I do not have a young one in our home constantly at this point in life. Not against kids by any stretch, but they flat out wear me out. 2. Every person needs Jesus and I have the privilege and responsibility to do all that I can to help them discover who He is.

Not all people discover Jesus the same way. All of us have a tendency to learn differently; to respond differently; to need for someone to accept us the way that we are, just love us too much to leave us that way.

I have so much to learn. I have One to present to everyone I meet and know.

Twenty Years and Just Getting Started

As crazy as it sounds, I began year 21 at LifeWay this week. I would have never imagined that God would allow me to serve Him through one place this long. What an incredible ride and storied past. I began as an editor for some discipleship resources; transitioned to managing the youth discipleship section; became a consultant in discipleship; ran back to the student area as an editor and most recently as a specialist helping student leaders minister to students and their families. What an amazing run and what a great ministry like LifeWay that has allowed me to grow and stretch and learn and help others.

I am excited about a new opportunity that LifeWay is allowing me to influence and guide. In September, Eric Geiger announced a new strategic emphasis for our World Changers and P2 Missions (PowerPlant) ministries called “Change the City, Change the World”. (You can read that announcement here.)
The impact of the cities upon the culture of the world is powerful.

So . . . God is allowing me to be a part of His work of mobilizing students on the front lines of missions in cities for multiple weeks a summer.  World Changers and P2 Missions have done an incredible job of ministering to communities through North America and I am glad to join them in their ministries. I have much to learn. I am excited and overwhelmed at the same time. I will be thinking and planning strategically to come alongside and partner with local churches including new church plants to better meet the needs of their communities and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


I covet your prayers.