Today is my last full day to be here with my friends and family. Elizabeth and I have been going nonstop this last week trying to say our goodbyes, pack up, get the Uhaul, clean out and clean up my office and thank my colleagues for all they have done.
I have just today seen my Dad, Mother-In-Law and Sister-In-Law. We are going to spend some time together before I head out tomorrow.
Tomorrow is a big day. After class and worship, there will be a potluck and then we will say a final farewell and head down the road to Marble Falls, TX. There we will start a new work with a new youth group.
I love and will miss everyone in AR greatly!
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Clean Up
Today is the designated office clean up and out before I leave. It is really a bittersweet day for me. I am really excited about beginning a new work and continuing a strong relationship with my friend Jim Gardner. At the same time I am sad to leave the family and youth I truly love and cherish in my heart.
I will be taking a group of 7-12 graders out to lunch today for the last time and I am praying that I will get through without bawling my eyes out. They don't know just how much they mean to me.
Keep me, Elizabeth and the family here in your thoughts and prayers.
-------
Thank you, Diane! Our talk this morning means a lot to me.
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Mama Milligan, hang in there. I will miss being able to talk with you every day. It was a joy to work with you. God bless you and Johnny.
I will be taking a group of 7-12 graders out to lunch today for the last time and I am praying that I will get through without bawling my eyes out. They don't know just how much they mean to me.
Keep me, Elizabeth and the family here in your thoughts and prayers.
-------
Thank you, Diane! Our talk this morning means a lot to me.
-------
Mama Milligan, hang in there. I will miss being able to talk with you every day. It was a joy to work with you. God bless you and Johnny.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Quote Of The Day
"[S]ome...think that God is a Wizard-of-Oz or Sistine-Chapel kind of being sitting at a location very remote from us. The universe is then presented as, chiefly, a vast empty space with a humanoid God and a few angels rattling around in it, while several billion human beings crawl through the tiny cosmic interval of human history on an oversized clod of dirt circling an insignificant star. Of such a "god" we can only say, "Good Riddance!" - Dallas Willard
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Letting Go
Think you're in control? Think again. I can't stand it when someone thinks they are in control of others lives, let alone their own. I get mad at myself when I have the gall to believe that I am in control of others or myself. The hard truth of the matter is we are not in control of much in this life.
God is!
When we finally stop spinning around from the backlash that comes from our desperate attempts to do things our way, we will settle down and see that He, and He alone, is in control of everything.
He molds.
He shapes.
He leads.
He calls.
He guides.
Why? Because He is the only omniscient being and everything would just go to garbage otherwise. When we think we know best, we don't. Our heavenlyFather needs to be given the reins. Folks, it is so much better that way.
God is!
When we finally stop spinning around from the backlash that comes from our desperate attempts to do things our way, we will settle down and see that He, and He alone, is in control of everything.
He molds.
He shapes.
He leads.
He calls.
He guides.
Why? Because He is the only omniscient being and everything would just go to garbage otherwise. When we think we know best, we don't. Our heavenlyFather needs to be given the reins. Folks, it is so much better that way.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Salt Bowl
Yesterday, I was given the honor and privilege to lead 500+ teens and adult chaperones in worship. It was the first of many Salt Bowl Ministries formed by Northside church in Benton and Bryant church. 37 from the Village church drove over last night to the brand spanking new Northside Family Life Facility to worship and fellowship with other Central Arkansas teens and tweens. Mike Knappier spoke to us about the life of deditcated, celebratory Christians. The Sandstone drama team S.W.A.T. brought some great Christian skits and the singing groups Free Indeed and One Spirit put on an awesome concert. And, of course, Pizza was provided at the end. Here are some pics of the night.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Funny
Just a little something funny that most of us can relate to:
"Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide my car needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only 1 check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.
I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered. I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.
I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day:
----the car isn't washed,
----the bills aren't paid,
----there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter,
----the flowers don't have enough water,
----there is still only 1 check in my check book,
----I can't find the remote, ----I can't find my glasses,
----and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.
I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail."
"Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide my car needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only 1 check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.
I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered. I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.
I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day:
----the car isn't washed,
----the bills aren't paid,
----there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter,
----the flowers don't have enough water,
----there is still only 1 check in my check book,
----I can't find the remote, ----I can't find my glasses,
----and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.
I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail."
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Unforgivable?
Last night, we tackled a subject that is not only difficult for the teens in the group, but for me and many adults as well.
The forgiveness of sin.
More specifically, the forgiveness extended to abominable people. People that our society has written off or deemed beyond forgiveness. People like Jeffrey Dahmer whose sins/crimes include murder and cannibalism, to name a few.
The question posed was this: Can people like Dahmer, Hitler and Manson be offered the same forgiveness by God as you and I? After all, we are "normal" and they are not!
One of the teens spoke up with the right answer: Yes! He later followed up by stating that "people like that shouldn't be given" that same forgiveness.
Isn't that how we feel sometimes? Not everyone is as good as me or my friends. We should be offered something better. Our slate should be wiped fully clean while the others should still have tally sheets with some sins remaining. They don't deserve to be made white as snow!
Guess what, none of us do. The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We are all sinners in the same boat. God offers the same forgiveness to us all whether we cheat on a test or commit heinous crimes.
All we have to do is seek His offered forgiveness and do His will. Isn't that amazing?
The forgiveness of sin.
More specifically, the forgiveness extended to abominable people. People that our society has written off or deemed beyond forgiveness. People like Jeffrey Dahmer whose sins/crimes include murder and cannibalism, to name a few.
The question posed was this: Can people like Dahmer, Hitler and Manson be offered the same forgiveness by God as you and I? After all, we are "normal" and they are not!
One of the teens spoke up with the right answer: Yes! He later followed up by stating that "people like that shouldn't be given" that same forgiveness.
Isn't that how we feel sometimes? Not everyone is as good as me or my friends. We should be offered something better. Our slate should be wiped fully clean while the others should still have tally sheets with some sins remaining. They don't deserve to be made white as snow!
Guess what, none of us do. The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We are all sinners in the same boat. God offers the same forgiveness to us all whether we cheat on a test or commit heinous crimes.
All we have to do is seek His offered forgiveness and do His will. Isn't that amazing?
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Clay For The Potter
"Change my heart, O God
Make me ever true
Change my heart, O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart, O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart, O God
May I be like You"
The words of this song resound to me and were imprinted on the minds of several youth that were able to give themselves over to God to be shaped and formed by His loving hands this past weekend at the annual Set Your Sights Retreat in Hot Springs. It touched my heart to see many young hearts open up to their youth leaders, their friends and God for renewal and reshaping. Several from my group had tears in their eyes as they professed their love for Jesus and their determination to be fully back in His loving arms.
Ahh, the openness of youth! If somehow we could never lose the soft hearts that we had when we were young. Guess what, we are never too old to be changed and formed by our Maker. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I strongly beg to differ. At any age, one can let go and let God do His beautiful work within us. Pray that we will always remain clay for the Potter.
Make me ever true
Change my heart, O God
May I be like You
You are the Potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray
Change my heart, O God
Make it ever true
Change my heart, O God
May I be like You"
The words of this song resound to me and were imprinted on the minds of several youth that were able to give themselves over to God to be shaped and formed by His loving hands this past weekend at the annual Set Your Sights Retreat in Hot Springs. It touched my heart to see many young hearts open up to their youth leaders, their friends and God for renewal and reshaping. Several from my group had tears in their eyes as they professed their love for Jesus and their determination to be fully back in His loving arms.
Ahh, the openness of youth! If somehow we could never lose the soft hearts that we had when we were young. Guess what, we are never too old to be changed and formed by our Maker. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I strongly beg to differ. At any age, one can let go and let God do His beautiful work within us. Pray that we will always remain clay for the Potter.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Back In The Game
Yesterday I was down for the count with sickness. Today, after plenty of rest, I am back in the game. This evening, I will be taking 13 kids over to the annual Set Your Sights Retreat here in Hot Springs over by Lake Catherine. The theme this year is "Pass the Salt." It is there to remind us that we are the salt of the earth and that we must hold on to our God-Flavoring to reach the lost world.
How is your seasoning?
Are you God flavored and set apart?
Or are you going with the flow of this world?
As Christians, we must always be seeking to better ourselves through constant Word study, prayer and fellowship. By doing so, we 'up' our salinity levels for the preservation of the lost in the world.
How is your seasoning?
Are you God flavored and set apart?
Or are you going with the flow of this world?
As Christians, we must always be seeking to better ourselves through constant Word study, prayer and fellowship. By doing so, we 'up' our salinity levels for the preservation of the lost in the world.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Procrastinating
The following is the beginning excerpt from Paul Graham's work on good and bad procrastinating. This is a must read for all teens and parents out there that like to put important things off to the last minute.
"The most impressive people I know are all terrible procrastinators. So could it be that procrastination isn't always bad?
Most people who write about procrastination write about how to cure it. But this is, strictly speaking, impossible. There are an infinite number of things you could be doing. No matter what you work on, you're not working on everything else. So the question is not how to avoid procrastination, but how to procrastinate well.
There are three variants of procrastination, depending on what you do instead of working on something: you could work on (a) nothing, (b) something less important, or (c) something more important. That last type, I'd argue, is good procrastination.
That's the "absent-minded professor," who forgets to shave, or eat, or even perhaps look where he's going while he's thinking about some interesting question. His mind is absent from the everyday world because it's hard at work in another.
That's the sense in which the most impressive people I know are all procrastinators. They're type-C procrastinators: they put off working on small stuff to work on big stuff.
What's "small stuff?" Roughly, work that has zero chance of being mentioned in your obituary. It's hard to say at the time what will turn out to be your best work (will it be your magnum opus on Sumerian temple architecture, or the detective thriller you wrote under a pseudonym?), but there's a whole class of tasks you can safely rule out: shaving, doing your laundry, cleaning the house, writing thank-you notes-- anything that might be called an errand."
If you would like to continue on in the reading, go to www.paulgraham.com
"The most impressive people I know are all terrible procrastinators. So could it be that procrastination isn't always bad?
Most people who write about procrastination write about how to cure it. But this is, strictly speaking, impossible. There are an infinite number of things you could be doing. No matter what you work on, you're not working on everything else. So the question is not how to avoid procrastination, but how to procrastinate well.
There are three variants of procrastination, depending on what you do instead of working on something: you could work on (a) nothing, (b) something less important, or (c) something more important. That last type, I'd argue, is good procrastination.
That's the "absent-minded professor," who forgets to shave, or eat, or even perhaps look where he's going while he's thinking about some interesting question. His mind is absent from the everyday world because it's hard at work in another.
That's the sense in which the most impressive people I know are all procrastinators. They're type-C procrastinators: they put off working on small stuff to work on big stuff.
What's "small stuff?" Roughly, work that has zero chance of being mentioned in your obituary. It's hard to say at the time what will turn out to be your best work (will it be your magnum opus on Sumerian temple architecture, or the detective thriller you wrote under a pseudonym?), but there's a whole class of tasks you can safely rule out: shaving, doing your laundry, cleaning the house, writing thank-you notes-- anything that might be called an errand."
If you would like to continue on in the reading, go to www.paulgraham.com
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Just A Little Talk...
This morning, I was blessed to have one of my mentors, Rick Northen, visit with me in the office and spend some quality time in prayer with our Father. How great it is to be able to have someone(other than a spouse)to share, vent, dream and talk to God with. Before Jim Gardner left for Texas and Rick left for Cambodia, we would meet together early every Sunday morning to talk with one another and God. This morning all the great memories came flooding back as we bowed before the throne to bring words of praise and supplication. Rick, thank you for stopping by and lifting me up!
How many of you out there have a prayer partner? If you don't, I encourage you to find a confidant that will kneel with you in communion with God through Jesus. Start the year out by building a relationship with a brother or sister in Christ and refreshing/renewing your life conversation with God. There is no better way!
How many of you out there have a prayer partner? If you don't, I encourage you to find a confidant that will kneel with you in communion with God through Jesus. Start the year out by building a relationship with a brother or sister in Christ and refreshing/renewing your life conversation with God. There is no better way!
Monday, January 09, 2006
Quote Of The Day
"God wishes to be seen, and he wishes to be sought, and he wishes to be expected, and he wishes to be trusted." - Julian of Norwich
Youth Devo
Here are some pictures of the youth devotional over at the home of Jim and Susie DuBose. Last Sunday evening we loaded up and headed over to the house to eat chili and have some devotional time with God. It was great to have 40+ there to meet and greet the new minister and his wife. Their children, Tim and Emily, were there also to get to know the youth and parents.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Amazing!
There are no other words that come to mind. Vince Young is simply amazing! I could not sit still last night as I watched the #1 team, USC, duke it out with #2, Texas. How many times did the lead change in the second half?!? What a nail-biter! But in a crunch, Young showed the stuff that sports legends are made of. What a player! I bet old Jim Gardner is eating yesterday's score prediction from the spoon of overjoyed Texans right about now.
Since I am soon to be moving down to the Austin area, I guess I will have to become accustomed to wearing burnt orange. I look forward learning to hook 'em horns, to singing the fight song and to living in the land of champions.
Since I am soon to be moving down to the Austin area, I guess I will have to become accustomed to wearing burnt orange. I look forward learning to hook 'em horns, to singing the fight song and to living in the land of champions.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
2006
For those of you that are attacking 2006 with resolutions, change and the honing of mental and physical health I have a suggestion. Read the following article by Mike Cope. It puts to words what has been on my mind for the last few years better than anything I have read lately. Here it is:
"For a better 2006 . . .
STOP SPENDING MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE
The gap between what you really need and what our consumer society shouts out that you really need is growing rapidly.But that gap wouldn't matter if people couldn't pay to stretch themselves too far. And that's where credit cards come in. Enjoy now. Pay later. Slide the card. Take out the loan. Borrow just a bit more. And we ministers see the broken results all around us. People are in debt up to their eyeballs. They aren't free to do the things they want to do like respond generously when they see others in need because they have no financial margin.So here's the difficult truth: your children don't need cell phones; you probably don't need a cell phone; you don't need a health club membership; you don't need an expensive vacation; you don't need an SUV; your kids don't need the latest fashions; your family can survive without high-speed internet and cable. I'm not saying these are wrong. If you can afford them while living with generous hearts, then great. But they are not worth living without financial margin.
STOP DIETING
Wacky diets continue to come and go. Stop the starve-and-balloon diet process. Eat right. Don't overeat. Cut back -- WAY back -- on fast food. (If this is hard for you, check out "Supersize Me" and watch it every couple months. That should help.)Veggies. No secret there. Veggies, fruit, beans, nuts, lean meat (most of the time). But enjoy a steak. Slap on the butter when you want it. Just eat reasonably most of the time. Party on Friday.
STOP OBSESSING ON THE LAST TEN POUNDS
When anorexic models are plastered all over the covers of magazines, it's easy to obsess on getting rid of those last ten pounds. To be honest, that isn't very reasonable for people who are over 30 and can't hire a personal chef and don't have four hours a day to work out with a personal trainer.For health reasons, keeping weight down is usually good. But it's a huge leap from that to our obsession with being perfectly fit and trim. Part of what happens in a health club is, well, healthy; but much of it isn't.Find a work-out routine that works for you. Something to get the heart rate up a bit: jogging, climbing stairs, biking, walking, etc. Get into a regular routine.The goal here isn't to ditch those last few pounds (though if it happens, you won't be offended!) but to get your heart pumping a little harder. That releases energy that tends to spill over into other areas of your life."
"For a better 2006 . . .
STOP SPENDING MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE
The gap between what you really need and what our consumer society shouts out that you really need is growing rapidly.But that gap wouldn't matter if people couldn't pay to stretch themselves too far. And that's where credit cards come in. Enjoy now. Pay later. Slide the card. Take out the loan. Borrow just a bit more. And we ministers see the broken results all around us. People are in debt up to their eyeballs. They aren't free to do the things they want to do like respond generously when they see others in need because they have no financial margin.So here's the difficult truth: your children don't need cell phones; you probably don't need a cell phone; you don't need a health club membership; you don't need an expensive vacation; you don't need an SUV; your kids don't need the latest fashions; your family can survive without high-speed internet and cable. I'm not saying these are wrong. If you can afford them while living with generous hearts, then great. But they are not worth living without financial margin.
STOP DIETING
Wacky diets continue to come and go. Stop the starve-and-balloon diet process. Eat right. Don't overeat. Cut back -- WAY back -- on fast food. (If this is hard for you, check out "Supersize Me" and watch it every couple months. That should help.)Veggies. No secret there. Veggies, fruit, beans, nuts, lean meat (most of the time). But enjoy a steak. Slap on the butter when you want it. Just eat reasonably most of the time. Party on Friday.
STOP OBSESSING ON THE LAST TEN POUNDS
When anorexic models are plastered all over the covers of magazines, it's easy to obsess on getting rid of those last ten pounds. To be honest, that isn't very reasonable for people who are over 30 and can't hire a personal chef and don't have four hours a day to work out with a personal trainer.For health reasons, keeping weight down is usually good. But it's a huge leap from that to our obsession with being perfectly fit and trim. Part of what happens in a health club is, well, healthy; but much of it isn't.Find a work-out routine that works for you. Something to get the heart rate up a bit: jogging, climbing stairs, biking, walking, etc. Get into a regular routine.The goal here isn't to ditch those last few pounds (though if it happens, you won't be offended!) but to get your heart pumping a little harder. That releases energy that tends to spill over into other areas of your life."
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Quote Of The Day
"Good equippers do it like Jesus did it: recruit twelve, graduate eleven, and focus on three." - Lynn Anderson
----------
For the next few weeks I am going to be focusing on a great group of teens and tweens in the 7-12 grade. I will be passing the baton on to them as I leave. I am so proud of the strength that they exhibit. Now, more than ever, it is time for each and every one of them to use the gifts that they have been given for the edification and building up of the body. They have been given the challenge to be encouragers that are constantly positive and to know that the future holds great things.
I look to the strong guidance of Jim DuBose, John Kirk and Mike Sykora, along with others, to lead and aid the continual spiritual growth of the youth in the Village. The men listed here and the other young parents are highly capable mentors in the faith and I know that the youth will lean heavily upon them in this time of transition.
I also look forward to what God has in store for this group in the next leader. So many blessings are coming this way!
----------
For the next few weeks I am going to be focusing on a great group of teens and tweens in the 7-12 grade. I will be passing the baton on to them as I leave. I am so proud of the strength that they exhibit. Now, more than ever, it is time for each and every one of them to use the gifts that they have been given for the edification and building up of the body. They have been given the challenge to be encouragers that are constantly positive and to know that the future holds great things.
I look to the strong guidance of Jim DuBose, John Kirk and Mike Sykora, along with others, to lead and aid the continual spiritual growth of the youth in the Village. The men listed here and the other young parents are highly capable mentors in the faith and I know that the youth will lean heavily upon them in this time of transition.
I also look forward to what God has in store for this group in the next leader. So many blessings are coming this way!
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