Today has been a good day so far. I have changed the strings on two guitars, listened to two Matt Chandler sermons, and prepared everything for Sunday. I have been very productive. I am looking forward to this evening, because I have a hot date with my wife scheduled. I really like going out on dates with her. I mean she is the coolest person I know, and I like being around her. I think that we are going to see a movie, and maybe even eat dinner. I love our kids, but I also love nurturing the relationship with my wife that God has blessed me with. I think it is going to be a great evening.
I been gone so long, I almost can’t remember…
I know it has been forever since I blogged. I have had a really busy month of August so far. It has been a productive month though. I have started back to seminary this week, so all of that is getting under way. I think that it is going to be a great semester. I am taking four of the last six classes that I have to take for seminary. It is exciting, but crazy at the same time. At times over the past three years I have thought that I would never get finished, but it is actually here already. I will be graduating in May with a Masters on Divinity with a Specialization in Worship Studies. I cannot believe it. I will have a masters degree. How crazy is that? I am excited though.
Things are going great with the family. Both of the girls are doing great, and they are growing and developing so quickly. AG is so incredibly smart, and she remembers everything. (And I do mean everything.) But they are doing great. Kim is doing great as always. She is as beautiful as ever and as wonderful as ever.
Last night I started a new series with the youth about the book of Titus. I think that Titus holds some things that will truly benefit the youth and me as well. I just introduced it last night and we talked about Paul’s greeting to Titus. I think that it is time that youth get a better understanding of what it means to be a young man or woman for Christ. It does not mean that they float through life until they graduate high school or college, but rather they can make an impact for the name of Jesus even now. I think that it is important for our kids, and us for that matter, to understand that we are not really of that much consequence in the grand of the scheme of things. As teenagers, and as adults, we so often think so highly of ourselves, but really we are tiny people on a tiny little orb called earth floating through the vastness of space. However, we have a God who knows us by name, and He wants to have a relationship with us. He also wants us to shine Him to everyone that we come into contact with. I think that the series is going to be great.
I hope that everyone feels up to date. I hope that everyone has a great day.
We are family. All my brothers, sisers, and me…
I write those lyrics because Kim’s mom, step dad, brother, and sister are in town with us this week. It is fun having them in town though. I really like them a lot. I am getting really excited about youth camp next week. I know that it is going to be a blast both recreationally and spiritually. That is what I want to focus on tonight. I really am praying that camp next week is mostly about the spiritual blast that I am expecting. I wait with an attitude of expectancy for God to show up in a big way for the youth group. I know that we are going to have a great time during our free time in the afternoons, but the thing I am looking forward to most is the times when they all are quiet and God is whispering in their ears. I love those quiet moments when God begins to whisper and tug on the heart strings. I am praying so strongly that God will move in a mighty way for the camp as a whole, but more selfishly for the kids from Westside. I want them to grab hold of the passion and energy that comes from having a mountain top experience. However, I want so badly for it to not be a mountain top experience only. I want the passion and energy to stay at a maintained level for an extended period of time.
We have one more pre-camp lesson tonight talking about how God’s ways are so vastly different from anything that is done here on earth, but God’s ways are always the best way. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. It is also a fun day tomorrow because we are going, as a youth group, to play Whirly Ball. If you don’t know what it is you need to google it, and it will change your life. Okay that’s all for now. Have a great night.
Ain’t no cure for the summertime blues…
I know it has been a while, but I had a really busy week last week. This past Sunday I preached to the whole congregation. It went really well. The title of the sermon was “Are You Serving Leftovers to a Holy God?” My text was Revelation 3:15-22. I know, it was a bold text for my first sermon ever, but I wanted to share some things that God had been showing me recently. Most of it was spurred on by the Crazy Love study that I have been doing with the youth. God is worthy of the best we have to give Him, and yet so often we try to give Him our leftovers, spiritually, physically, and mentally. This is an offense to God. How arrogant of us to think that something on this earth is more important than the God of the universe. It went really well though. I was really nervous on Saturday, but on Sunday morning I was cool as a cucumber. It was really neat, because it was like God was saying to me, “Hey I can get you through this. Just trust in me and I will give you the words.” I think that the message was received well.
I also write today to inform you few readers that it is now to the point that at any given moment S could be born. Kim and I are really excited, and a little bit apprehensive. I mean it is a huge step going from one kid to two kids. I know that God will lead us through the adjustment process, though. I am really looking forward to meeting the little girl that I am already madly in love with even though I have no idea what she looks like.
I am glad that it finally feels like summer, however, I really wish that I had a pool that I could go chill out in. I don’t know why, but the past few days I have had an overwhelming desire to just go float in a pool and catch some sun rays. I love swimming, and I really want to go play in the water with AG some time soon. Alas, I do not know when that time will be. I guess I will have to go cut the grass this afternoon, and then play in the water hose instead.
Mercy Raining Down 