Archive - June, 2007

Gadget Envy

June 29, 2007 in Technology with 0 Comments

I’m suffering some serious gadget envy today since it is launch day for the iPhone. There are so many great reasons to live in the country, but technology isn’t one of them. We really only have one company around here that has decent cell service and that is U.S. Cellular. Unfortunately, they are still on the old CDMA network and they don’t offer any of the cool new phones. So I am stuck with my $0.01 Nokia brick phone while the rest of you guys in big cities are using smartphones and iPhones. I know envy is a sin, and maybe envy is not the right word. Because even if I could get an iPhone, I don’t know if I could afford one. I’m definitely a gadget nerd, so I’m looking forward to being able to check all my Google stuff, Google calendar, gmail, and Google Reader, all straight from my phone. Maybe one day …

Just in case any of the U.S. Cellular management stumble across this blog, I want you to know that you have good service and good coverage, but your phone selection stinks! Now that I have got that out of my system, I feel much better. And maybe even a little less envious.

Transitions

June 27, 2007 in Church Related with 0 Comments

Life is full of transitions and changes and I am in the middle of a big one. So far, everything is falling into place. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together (sorry for the little A-Team humor there!) Seriously, I love it when you see confirmation from Scripture, from others, and from the peace in your own heart. If you would have asked me a couple of years ago what I would be doing now, I would not have guessed being pastor of a church. It’s exciting when you see God at work in the lives of others, but it’s downright scary sometimes when you see him working in your own life.

So while I’m busy setting up my schedule and trying to decide what to focus on for the first few weeks as pastor, I think God is laughing while watching me squirm. There is so much to do, but thankfully I have a peace and I am not anxious or overwhelmed yet. I’m can’t wait to start meeting with all the different ministry groups and families to see how God is already working and to share where we are headed as a church.

So it’s time to start creatively solving problems and transition my engineer design skills from designing machines to designing and developing processes and relationships that will enable people to know and grow in Christ!

Why Youth Retreats Change Teens

June 23, 2007 in Church Related, Youth Ministry with 1 Comment

I remember reading a quote from Mark Batterson that a change of pace and a change of place equals a change of perspective. I think when we get away from the craziness of everyday life, God can really speak to our hearts.

We just got back from a 4 day youth mystery retreat. We didn’t tell the youth where we were going, we just got in the van and started down the road. We did tell the parents when we left so they knew how to get in touch with us. We ended up in Isle of Palms, SC near Charleston. It’s a place we have been to quite a few times. It’s funny how all of us in the mountains always go to the beach to get away, while everyone on the coast goes to the mountains.

We had some weird things happening with our housing accommodations. We had a block of hotel rooms reserved just in case. Then we found a cheap beach house to stay in that we could rent directly from the owner, so we canceled the hotel rooms. We then got an email 2 days before we left that the house had been hit by lightening and had serious electrical damage so we couldn’t stay there. We then called Island Realty who is located down there and they came through for us in a big, big way. They hooked us up with a house that looked like it was going to work good for us. When we got there to pick up the keys, they let us know that the power had been cutoff to that house and they were going to have to put us somewhere else for the same price. We ended up here, in a huge beach house a block off the beach. The place had 7 flat screens. They put a group of teenagers in one of their nicest houses, what were they thinking? But I have to give them a huge shout-out, because they took care of us. That is some serious customer service. So if you are ever going down to the Charleston area, check them out.

Our trip was really incredible. The only challenge we had was not letting our house get in the way of our retreat. Having 7 flat screens is not ideal when you are trying to focus on God. But the teens really stepped up to the challenge. The purpose of our trip was really training for a community outreach that we are planning for July. So while we there, we helped another youth group with handing out fliers for a community outreach at a housing project in North Charleston. We also read and studied through 2 books of the Bible while we there, 1 John and Philippians. And of course we had time to shake and bake at the beach and play outdoor laser tag. All in all, it was a really good trip for the youth to get to know each other better and connect to God. I’m expecting big things through these guys and girls in the future, and that’s why I love retreats and mission trips so much. It allows them to focus on God and His will for their lives.

change of pace + change of place = change of perspective


One Crazy Week

June 16, 2007 in Church Related, Family with 1 Comment

Well, where do I begin, because it’s been one of those weeks. This has definitely been a week of new beginnings. Tuesday was my unofficial last day as a design engineer. It’s tough leaving a job after 11 years. I feel like I have been able to do my job well and still represent Christ in the way I live. I’ve worked with a good group of people there, and it’s always bittersweet when God moves you to your next assignment. I’m excited for what God is doing in my life, and I can’t wait til get started. But I will always be a faith engineer, but instead of designing exercise machines, I will be solving problems and building bridges to connect people with Christ!

I had planned on taking a few days off this week and getting some stuff done around the house, but instead, I have been busy getting some insurance stuff out of the way, preparing for a sermon tomorrow, and preparing for a 4 day youth mystery retreat. We’ve been having a lot of fun with the youth group because we’re taking them on a trip and they don’t know where we’re going. So I’ll break the news here on the blog tonight. We are officially going … South. And that’s about all the info I can give.

I haven’t blogged much lately, but it’s not for a lack of things going on. Since I turned in my laptop at work, I have purchased a new laptop. I’m still waiting for it to arrive, but I have switched over to the dark side. Yes you read that correctly, mr. PC has bought an apple macbook pro. I’ll post on my reasons for doing so in a few days. Hopefully I can find a computer and wifi access during the youth retreat and post some updates. If not, you’ll see a ton of posts pop up around the end of the week. I’ve got to make up for my lack of posting…

My Newest iPod Toy

June 12, 2007 in Technology with 0 Comments

Jenni was wanting a way to hook her iPod up to our Honda minivan so I came up with the cheap and easy fix. We could have bought one of the adapters that plugs into the cd changer port on the back of the factory radio, but it’s a serious pain to pull out the radio and wire it up. I found this neat cassette adapter from Belkin and it is actually pretty cool. Check out the review of the tunedeck at ilounge. It’s a iPod Nano dock that plays through the tape deck in your car. I bought 2 for under $75 from Newegg, one for each of our cars. And Jennifer even approves of how it looks!

Harvesting Your Journal

June 6, 2007 in Church Related with 0 Comments

About 8 or 10 years ago, I heard David Jeremiah speak on journaling. One important principle he taught about was “harvesting” your journal. He shared the joy he got from reading back through old journal entries and “harvesting” the joy from what God had done in the situations.

So today I was cleaning up my laptop from work and I ran across my journal that I started right after I heard David Jeremiah teach. I kept it going for several years, although there were quite a few gaps. Today God just blew my away while reading back through the entries. It was incredible to see how God has worked through some of the situations I wrote about. Some he worked out in ways I was hoping for, others were completely different from what I was praying, but God knew what was best. Time gives you perspective that you don’t have when you are in the middle of the storms in life.

I have struggled trying to journal off and on over the years. I know it is important, but I haven’t really stuck with it. This blog has helped, but i still need a personal journal where I can really pour my heart out. Reading back through my journal entries has re-emphasized the importance of writing down what I am learning, as well as what I am struggling with. And at some point in the future, I will read back through what God has done, and realize that my perspective is way too small! And that God is bigger than all my problems. I am going to journal as I read through the New Testament this summer, and I’m looking forward to God rattling my cage through it all.

Happy Anniversary From the Youth

June 6, 2007 in Youth Ministry with 1 Comment

The youth at church found out it was our 12th anniversary last Sunday, so they did something very special for us. They took up a collection and sent Jenni and I out on a date. They even had Faith babysit the kids. But that was not all they did. They decided that our house needed a little decorating. Our neighbors haven’t kicked us out of the neighborhood yet, but they may be thinking about it after this! Thanks guys, it’s nice to know that we are loved, even if you did put my light-up deer on the roof.