Settling Down

Well, we are finally starting to settle down in our new place. This past weekend was a blur with the signing on Friday, moving the majority of our stuff from the 'Mitchell Mansion', going to the football game and 5th Quarter, then moving all of the heavy stuff on Saturday and now getting it all unpacked and put in the right place according to Elizabeth's instructions. I am beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

I want to gratefully thank Roy Swann, Jerry & Cindy Jamar (+ Kassidie), Berrilynn Daniell, Karla McCoy, Thomas Levens, Jasmine Nelson, Allan Stanglin and Sean Luke Henderson for helping us haul and lift heavy things! You guys saved me from a herniated disk!

I also want to thank George and Brad Offutt for all that you have done for EL and me! You are great! Where would we be without you guys?

EL and I now can't wait to have someone over to the new digs!!

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Now I am looking forward to spending some time today with our newly hired minister, Greg Neill. He is coming into town with his fam to househunt and see the sights here in Marble Falls, America! I am going to show and tell what I know.

So Excited!

Elizabeth and I are so excited!! Tomorrow morning we will sign the closing papers on our new house here in Marble Falls. After that, we will be busting it to put all of our stuff from the 'Mitchell Mansion' over into the new house.
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There will be a brief interlude of the football game (now across the street) and the 5th Quarter (hosted by Guy and Ruth Ann N.) in the Youth House.
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Then we will be back in the new house getting it ready to live in.

Saturday, we will be inviting everyone from the church to help us move the rest of the stuff out of storage with us.
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Another brief interlude of door knocking with the new Spanish Ministry for a few hours...
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Then back to the new house to try to get it somewhat settled! Man, we can't wait!!!

Quote Of The Day

"Here is a word for our churches. Every foreign country is our fatherland—we belong to Korea, Paraguay, Angola, Bulgaria, and Mexico. All countries are honored. All need Jesus. We belong to them all because God loves them all and all are in need of the kingdom of God.

But at the same time, every fatherland is a foreign country—even our own, even America. We do not trust it to solve our most substantial problems or look to it to fill our greatest needs. We do not assume it is always right or always good. And we do not consign to it our hopes or our future. Our future belongs only to God who is the ruler of all nations and who grants us the extraordinary rights and privileges of living as citizens, not here, at least not for long, but forever in his glorious kingdom." - Jack Reese

Chaotic

Today has been a crazy day and I am unable to blog much further. I am having all of my numbers and accounts changed for the big move this Friday. I am also meeting with David G and Brian J. I have had luch with George Q and my sweet wife, Elizabeth. There is also a baptism this evening. All good news this day but it has left me reeling!!

Be back later with more information...

Ministry In A Nutshell

"I have a special pass. The kind that gets some people into every athletic event for their school or that permits some people to park wherever they want.

Only my pass allows me to enter into the holy places of lives.

I’m a minister. I’m one who speaks the Word of God, one who shapes worldviews, one who challenges, chastises, encourages, teaches, forms, unforms, and guides. And because of that — ill-formed though my life often seems to me (dogged by doubts and shortcomings) and ill-prepared though I’ve always felt (despite those many years of Greek!) — I’m given a pass that permits me to walk into sacred places.

Places where vows are made. Places where last words are spoken by best friends before walking out to make vows. Places where grieving widows or widowers say one last word at the casket after everyone else is gone. Places where parents hold their breath and beg God, waiting for the latest MRI to come back. Places where people speak their secrets, needing reassurance that God still loves them. Places of grief, relief, sorrow, joy, fear, and ecstasy.

What would I say to a young person who’s considering ministry?

Well, let’s be honest. It isn’t always easy. (What job is?)

But it’s a privilege, a blessing beyond blessings. My pass lets me weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. And when that happens, I feel fully alive. Even with those hidden doubts and shortcomings." - Preacher Mike

That just about sums it up for me. I love doing what I do! I love ministering to not only the teens and tweens, but people of all sizes and shapes (and Ages).

I have always wanted to help this world in some way and I can think of no better way of doing it than sharing the love of God and His son Jesus Christ with a fallen race. It is my prayer that I continue to be melted down and reformed into His image as I reach out to the lost and the hurting.

Thank You, Lord for loving us and giving us Your Spirit to guide us in this place! Thank You, God, for making us in Your image and giving us the tools to spread Your good news to the ends of the earth!

Quote Of The Day

"Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self." - St. Augustine

Mold Me and Shape Me

This morning, I visited the High School to hear the Ladies Varsity Choir under the capable direction of Director Bryce Gage. They have come a long way from last year-the difference is night and day. Needless to say, I am extremely excited about the concert this coming Monday night!!

This afternoon I am starting a premarital counseling session with a couple that I will marry in October. This is my first and I am looking forward to getting to know them.

After that session, I will be counseling a teen from my youth group.

In between and afterward, I will be working on my sermon for this Sunday evening.

Looks like I have a full plate today.

You know, I asked God to mold and shape me into the leader that He wants me to be and He is answering my prayer by loading my days with good, hard work for His kingdom.

Realize this: God answers prayer in ways we can't always foresee!

Service For Him

I am really excited about my youth here in MF! One of my teens is going to set a regular time with me each week to accompany me on my visits to the members here in from the congregation. Last week, David and I visited with Jim and Helen Dobbs before his forthcoming surgery. This week, we were able to help with a struggling, young mother of 2 pay for her medication at the HEB Pharmacy. OK, so it wasn't our money but we did do the middle-man work and it felt good, just the same. Every week on Wednesday, we are going to set aside some time to do something to lift the spirits of our flock, peers or community members. I love doing this!

Random

OK, I am back. Where was I? Oh Yeah, this morning I accompanied a parent and a teen for a counseling session. Now I have returned to finish recounting the events of this past weekend.

After the Faith Academy game (or slaughter), I got ready to take the teens to Hamilton for an Acapella concert. We had a great time rocking out and then filling up on Storm's burgers and fries. We left at 4:30 and got back home at around Midnight.

I got up early Sunday morning to look over my class materials and spend time in prayer. Elizabeth and I got to eat lunch with a ministerial candidate and som other interested families.

That afternoon, I prepared the songbooks and ice chest for a great time of devotional that evening at the home of Chris and Julie Bridges. After filling up on good Julie Bridges food, we jumped on the trampoline, played street basketball and wrapped up the night singing, praying and studying around a campfire. It was perfect weather for it, too!

Yesterday, I subbed in High School Algebra and then held Meat Eaters last night in the Youth House.

This afternoon, I am going to look over a sermon that I have completed because I may be preaching this Sunday evening.

Tonight, I am going to the Middle School to take part in a Teen Suicide Prevention Seminar.

Only 10 more days before E and I get to move into our new house! We can't wait!!!

Only a little over 3 more months before a new life enters the Mitchell household. God, help us to be ready! Can you ever be ready to raise a child?!?

Here

It has been a blur over the past few days!

Saturday morning, Elizabeth and I caught the football game of Faith Academy vs. West Columbia Christian. Clayton Bridges made a TD and a great interception! The game lasted only about an hour, though, because Faith won it 48-0.

My ride is here so I will return in about an hour. I will tell you more about it when I come back.

Quote Of The Day

"I can't think of a more urgent need than enabling young people to understand their faith and preparing them to defend it against the onslaught of secular thought they encounter in their schools and in popular culture." - Charles W. Colson

Jim and Helen

I have just returned from the home of Jim and Helen Dobbs. They were tearfully overjoyed!!You see, last night 26 from the Youth decided to make a little DVD for him before going into surgery on Friday. We sang some songs, read some Scripture and individually told him that we were thinking of him and praying for him to get through this surgery. I took them the DVD and prayed with them for this difficult time.

Jim Dobbs is a well-loved man. Many from the church here are going to show their support on Friday by praying and being there. His brother, Buster Dobbs, is coming into town this coming week to be with him and his daughter, Ann, is coming a little later to help him in his recovery. And all of us will be here lifting him up to our God.

Please continue to pray for Jim and Helen in this time.

Thoughts

Jim Dobbs, our minister emeritus in Marble Falls, is going in for surgery this Friday and I ask that you keep him and his wife, Helen, in your thoughts and prayers. He is a hard worker for the Lord and His kingdom and has brought many to a deeper understanding of God and our walk with Him. His love and intelligence seem to know no boundaries. He is a great example to me.

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Today, Elizabeth, David G and I are going to visit 2 homes. The Dobbs and the Hahns. I am excited about talking and praying with Jim, Helen, A.L. and Imogene. Good, quality time with brothers and sisters in Christ. I love it!!

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Tonight, I have something planned for the youth, but I can't let it out of the bag until this evening! It is going to be good.

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"To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives. The closer we come to the heartbeat of God the more we see our need and the more we desire to be conformed to Christ...

James says: ‘You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions’ (James 4:3). To ask ‘rightly’ involves transformed passions, total renewal. In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God’s thoughts after Him: to desire the things He desires, to love the things He loves. Progressively we are taught to see things from His point of view.” - Richard Foster

Quote Of The Day

"The general human failing is to want what is right and important, but at the same time not to commit to the kind of life that will produce the action we know to be right and the condition we want to enjoy. This is the feature of human character that explains why the road to hell is paved with good intentions." - Dallas Willard

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!

Elizabeth and I were thrilled with the news yesterday that our baby girl is going to be just fine. She is still due on January 9th and everything is great! The Amnio results came back healthy and normal! Thank you for your calls, letters and prayers. We love you all!!

On top of that, we closed on the sale of our house in the Village on Wednesday and we made an offer on a house here in MF yesterday. The offer was accepted with a possible closing date of October 6th! I can't wait to have devotionals and 5th Quarters this season in my own home!!

We just can't find a better church family anywhere than the one right here in MF! They have been so supportive and have helped us through all of the worry and pain. God bless them and all of you for what you have done!

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Now it's time for me to get ready for the Faith Academy game (with Clayton Bridges playing) @ 5:00, the reception at the Bridges that will follow, the Homecoming game (with John Bird and Zane Rogers playing-also David Griffin is up for Homecoming King) at Marble Falls @ 7:30 and the 5th Quarter that will follow at Bryce's house. From now to Midnight I have quite a bit to do!

Quote Of The Day

"Finally this morning, let me encourage you over the weekend to spend some time reading in Ephesians. It's hard to miss Paul's resolute desire that the identity of the Ephesian Christians would be formed by their connection to Christ and Christ alone.

Too often these days, we qualify our Christianity. "I'm conservative." "I'm liberal." "I'm progressive." "I'm traditional."

But spending time reading Paul reminds me that his calling card was "I'm Christ's person" nothing more, nothing less. I pray that my identity might be so singularly focused that, as was the case for Paul, others might see Jesus in me." - Jim Gardner

Even More

Tuesday came with a great time of fun for the High Schoolers. In the evening, I got to ride along with the Marble Falls High School Choir and the their director, Bryce Gage, in the Homecoming Float Parade. It was exciting to drive along and see all of the eager parade watchers and look on while the teens threw candy and gum with sprays of silly string at the members of the town. We then headed to the Johnson Park Pavilion for an uplifting pep rally getting us pumped about our Homecoming game this Friday against Del Valle. The band played, the choir sang, the cheerleaders cheered, the starlets starletted and the audience applauded! It was a great night!

Several More Things

David Griffin, one of my teens, is in my office right now. We are having a great time talking about life in general. You know, he is royalty-soon to be the Homecoming King!

When we were through with S3, Jasmine, David, Karla, Allan, Carrie-Anne and Elizabeth helped me and BOB move furniture and stuff out of the seemingly neverending Penske truck into the storage unit. Thank all of you for helping and making it so easy and quick!! You are awesome! Then on Sunday we...

Welcomed our new members in a New Member Luncheon in the large fellowship hall. It was good to get to know the newbies here in Marble Falls. We ate good that day and then rested up for...

The HS/MS Devo later that night at the home of Kyle and Marti Futrell. Swimming, Catchphrase Jr., Trampoline Jumping and a great time of singing with an outstanding devotional talk by Coach Futrell were the highlights of the evening! The next morning we...

Got ready to take BOB to Austin to return the truck and to depart for Benton, AR on a Greyhound Bus.

I even have more for later.

Several Things

Well, it has been a whirlwind over the past 4 days and I will bring you up to date on Marble Falls happenings.

First, my dad, Big Ol' Bear, came into town with a Penske truck full of our furniture and stuff from the house in AR. He got in on Saturday morning at 4:30. We got up around 10, had a great breakfast cooked by my sweetheart, and took it over to our Storage Unit. I left him at 1:30 to...

Begin the first ever S3: Second Saturday Servants here in Marble Falls, TX! This is anyone in the youth group that is able to come on the second Saturday of the month to serve this community in any way possible. 8 of us from the Youth Group packed up in a van and headed over to Gateway Villa, an assisted living facility here in town. We sang classics like: I'll Fly Away, In The Garden, Be With Me Lord, etc. then we shared some of our songs with them: As The Deer, A New Anointing, Sanctuary, etc. When we finished singing, we all sat down with the 25-30 ladies and shared our stories and listened to theirs. It was a perfect time to do it because Grandparents Day was Sunday and this week is Assisted Living Week! We then...

More To Come

Quote Of The Day

"What the gospel does is to administer a sharp jolt, to shine a bright light, to kick-start the brain, and the moral sensibility, into working properly for the first time." - Tom Wright

Out Of The Woods

We are relieved to say that there has been no damage to the baby due to the Amnio! Thank You, God, for an answer to our prayers!!

Now, we wait with baited breath for the results from that procedure that come in less than 2 weeks. These will let us know if our baby has Downs Syndrome or any other abnormality. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Update

Just thought I would let you know that Elizabeth has felt only a few mild cramps from the Amnio and the little baby is moving around all the time like always! That is giving us hope that we will make it past the 48 hour mark. Just 3 more hours to go!

Thank You

First of all, thank you for all of the calls, kind words and prayers. You don't know how much they are appreciated!

Elizabeth and I traveled to Austin yesterday for our appointments with the Texas Perinatal Group.

Our first appointment was the Advanced Sonogram-It went very well and there were no markers for chromosomal abnormalities. The Doctor said that was a good sign but that it was still not a total certainty that our baby did not have Downs.

The next appointment was Genetics Consultation-The counselor told us that the results from the new Sonogram brought our chances down to .5% of having a baby with Downs. That is not even 1%! We were left with the decision to either go home without truly knowing or have an Amniocentesis to know absolutely.

It was Elizabeth's decision and I am fully supportive of her. We had the Amnio done. It was pretty quick and painless. Dr. Ridgeway had me sit down because they have had more trouble with husbands when the needle is produced than with the actual patients! Thought that was a hoot! Anyway, it was done in a wink and relatively painless. We are not out of the woods for another 24 hours due to the Amnio, so keep that in your prayers.

We will know for certain in a couple of weeks. I will let you know when I know more. Thank you so much for all that you have done.

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"Put your hand in the hand of The One who stilled the waters
Put your hand in the hand of The One who calmed the seas
Put your hand in the hand of The Man from Galilee!"

At The End Of The Day

I am now home and able to blog. It is the very end of the day and I am exhausted!

Here's how it played out:

Elizabeth and I got up before the sunrise and left for Mesquite, TX where her mom, Mary, picked her up and took her back to HSV, AR to meet up with my dad, Jim, and pack up the rest of our stuff in the old house. We are supposed to be out before the 15th and this was a good weekend for all of them.

I came back in time to get ready for the football game of Marble Falls Mustangs vs. Llano Yellow Jackets. The game was an upset for me with a score of 41-10 Llano. It was not all that bad, though! I got to sit by the whole Stanglin clan and the Whittles. I also got to see a lot of the teens and hang with them.

After the game, several of us went over to the Lewis house for a 5th Quarter. It was great to shoot the breeze and play Catch Phrase!

Now I am getting ready to go to bed and sleep the night away!

What a great day.

Prayerful and Hopeful

I am coming very near to a place many like to call "Wit's End!" Elizabeth and I have been looking up and down for a place here in Marble Falls, TX to live and we are having 0% luck! We are both extremely exhausted and know that Donna C., Brad O. and Carrrie-Anne S. are tired out as well as they have been scouring the town with us. I am so appreciative of these loving hearts, but I am astounded that the search has become like 'looking for a needle in a haystack.'

At the same time, we are going in for a more advanced Sonogram because the first one did not deliver the results needed to figure out the reason for abnormalities on the blood tests. We have 3 appointments next Wednesday: one for the Sonogram, one for Genetics Counseling and possibly a 3rd-an Amniocentesis. We are strongly soliciting all the prayers we can get for Elizabeth and the little one.

Please keep us in your prayers as we try to overcome these hurdles while keeping a steady grip on God's unchanging hand.

God In Us

I was touched today to read the blog of one of my students. His life is a testament of freedom, true freedom in Christ, to me and many others. Please take a look at this blog of David Griffin. It will touch you.

Quote Of The Day

"I commend cheerfulness to all who would win souls; not levity and frothiness, but a genial, happy spirit. There are more flies caught with honey than with vinegar, and there will be more souls led to heaven by a man who wears heaven in his face than by one who bears Tartarus in his looks." - C.H. Spurgeon

Quote Of The Day

"Thirsty hearts are those whose longings have been wakened by the touch of God within them." - A.W. Tozer

Closer

"Some years into our spiritual journey, after the waves of anticipation that mark the beginning of any pilgrimage have begun to ebb into life's middle years of service and busyness, a voice speaks to us in the midst of all we are doing. There is something missing in all of this, it suggests. There is something more.

The voice often comes in the middle of the night or the early hours of morning, when our hearts are most unedited or vulnerable. At first, we mistake the source of this voice and assume it is just our imagination. We fluff up our pillow, roll over, and go back to sleep. Days, weeks, even months go by and the voice speaks to us again: Aren't you thirsty? Listen to your heart. There is something missing."

And with these first 2 paragraphs, Brent Curtis and John Eldredge begin a journey to draw closer to the heart of God in their book, The Sacred Romance. And just these beginning thoughts pricked me to the very core. I don't know where you are on your spiritual journey today, but this intro caught me off guard. It spoke to what has been happening in me as of late.

I have felt the same tug in the middle of the night.

I have cried at the weakness of my own spirituality.

My relationship with God has been lacking. And God's not to blame. He is right where He's always been. I am the one who's moved. I have grown far too comfortable with my life and my things here on earth.

I want to get back to my 'first love!'

I want the joy that I first felt.

The passion and the energy to grow within myself and reach out to others in world changing ways.

Where has it all gone?

If you have struggled with this, send me some thoughts about how you were awakened and what brought you closer to the heart of God.

Eating It Up

I am so proud of the teenagers here in Marble Falls, TX! They have a hunger and thirst for the knowledge of God and they long to share what they know with their friends. They have decided at the start of this school year to live lives of true purpose. Lives that commit to picking up their cross and following Jesus daily. I have seen that spirit growing in each of them over the summer and it is coming to fruition now. It just thrills me to see them bringing friends to class, worship and youth activites. But, even more so, I have been blown over by watching their friends bring friends! I shout AMEN to that. With that joy welling up inside of me, I would like to give you something (one of my earlier blogs) to eat while you "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (II Peter 3:18)

What do you feed your soul with? How do you fill up? Everyone needs to fill their soul with something and it shouldn't be just anything. What does it take for you? I recently read a quote from Jamie Lee Curtis about this. In the December 27 issue of USA Today, Curtis wrote "You can have all the money in the world. You can have everything under the tree that you ever wanted. And if you're sitting there alone, you are the saddest, loneliest human being on the planet, and there is absolutely nothing that money can buy that will fill your soul."

Interesting. A talented, famous, rich actress looks on all that she has and realizes that none of these earthly possessions will fill a person's soul. Our souls long for something that cannot be gained through earthly wealth or fame. The human soul longs for something else. Something that will last forever. None of the aforementioned things last. They all fade away with time and change.

But there is something that will last for eternity and that will fill the soul to the brim. Just 2 words: Jesus Christ! He is the only constant filler in this ever changing world we live in.
Do you have Him? Is your soul sufficiently fed? If you are using wordly things to fill up, you will constantly be hungry and lean. But if you fill up on Jesus, you'll never go hungry again.

Quote Of The Day

"According to one well-known saying, this book [The Gospel of John] is like a pool that's safe for a child to paddle in but deep enough for an elephant to swim in." - Tom Wright/N.T. Wright

Posted

Elizabeth and I were relieved to find out that, according to the sonographer, there are no visible abnormalities with our baby. That takes a huge load off of our minds and we will be able to sleep well this evening unlike the past few nights.

Our little bundle in the womb is very active and is 20 weeks and 6 days along. A little further than we thought! And the baby is a truly active little one! The only thing we don't know is the sex. We are still oblivious. We were told not to paint the room a certain color just yet!

Thank you for all of your calls of concern and prayers! They were heard and answered.

Just thought I would keep you posted.

Anticipation

I did not blog yesterday because I was scatterbrained. Well, more so than usual! Elizabeth and I are going to find out how our baby is doing. You see, we found out this past Friday evening that her testing came back with an abnormality and we don't know what that means. We will find out this morning at 11:00. Please keep us in your prayers this morning. We are a little nervous about the abnormalities. I will keep you posted.

Great Singers and Performers

The drive back from Austin yesterday got me thinking about great musicians and the music that has left lasting impressions on many people. Being a singer myself, more precisely a light, lyric tenor, I usually listen more to the vocal prowess or lack thereof in the singer rather than the guitar riffs and piano licks. I am going to list some of my all time favorite singers and musicians(be it Rock, Pop, Jazz, Opera, etc.) and I want to hear from you. It can be vocalist or instrumentalist. Whoever has left an indelible mark on you.

1. Freddie Mercury from Queen. Wow! Amazing voice.
2. The Beatles.
3. Roy Orbison. Quite an outstanding range.
4. Fritz Wunderlich (Opera). Beautiful Lyric Tenor.
5. The Eagles.
6. Alison Kraus.
7. Louis Prima.

This is just a few of the greats in my book. There are so many more, but the blog would go on for days. What do you think? Who do you like?

More To Say

The class last night was a smashing success!! It went over so well that the class ended well past its 7:50 stopping point. We wound up closing in prayer beyond 8:30. Many came to me thanking me for allowing them the chance to share what the Lord has done in their lives and to grow closer to their Christian family as they begin this new school year. Even some of my tougher critics were impressed with the openness and honesty of the evening. I am glad to see God in the hearts of these young believers.

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This morning my colleague, Allan S, and I drove Mandy, Trae and Tori G to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The preacher man and his family are now gone to California to start a new work. It was hard to watch them go as we all waved a fond, tearful farewell. May God bless the Gardner family as they embark on this new journey. I miss them too much already!

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My buddy, Allan Stanglin, is a pretty cool guy. I think I can stomach working with him for another stretch. Maybe!

Please keep the Marble Falls Church in your prayers as we look for someone to fill the shoes of Jim Gardner and keep us moving in a strong, positive direction.

Truth Or Dare

Tonight in class we are going to do something that I learned from a fellow youth minister: We are going to take part in a Truth or Dare Worship. Each of us will have a card that states we must tell a Truth (what God has done in our lives, what we like about Christian fellowship, etc.) or take a Dare (read our favorite Bible verse, lead our favorite song, etc.). It should be a very encouraging and uplifting time of worship! I can't wait!!

Prayer Requests

Please pray for Elizabeth and me as we await the results of our baby's Spina Bifida and Down's Syndrome tests and as we look for a place to live here in Marble Falls! We want something that will hold all of our stuff from the house in the Village and that will be great for raising a baby. We covet your prayers!

Explosion Of Thought

Well, I was unable to access the internet while I was away. I am sorry that it has been so long since my last blog. Elizabeth and I had a great time visiting my sister, mother, brother-in-law and 2 nephews. They were very gracious hosts and had many stories to share. I miss them already. I am not too sad because I know that they will be coming this January to see the newborn and share in our new beginning!

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We hit the ground running when we got back to Marble Falls! We had a great class Sunday morning about blessings that continually come from our heavenly Father.

Sunday evening we had a night of singing praise and reading from the Word followed by a great game of "Scene It"-the DVD Trivia Game.

Following that, some of us headed over to watch our own Ryan Smith play in the Community Coed Championship Softball Game at Johnson Park. Man, Ryan, you are a hard and great player! Good hits and catches!

And then yesterday morning, a group of teens traveled to the #1 Waterpark in the nation: Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels. We spent our last day of summer freedom swimming, floating, sliding and boogie boarding before school started back up today! We stopped by Taco Cabana for dinner on the way back and then proceeded to come home and crash at around 9:00 last night. What a great day of fun!

During all of that, Elizabeth and I were able to sell our house in Hot Springs Village, AR. The perfect ending of a perfect time.

Now I am finally back in the office to play catch up on all of my emails and messages.

I will be back today with more blogging. I feel that I should make up for lost time.

Greetings From LA

I send this blog post from a room in the La Quinta Inn in Baton Rouge (Red Stick) Louisiana. Elizabeth, the Belly, Peanut and I are en route to Tallahassee, FL to visit my sister, Misti-my mom, Jean-my brother-in-law, Jeff-and my nephews, Kameron and Brenden. It will be a great time of R and R for both of us before we come back ready to hit the ground running once again in our Marble Falls ministry. We will be out of pocket for a week and I will try to blog as much as I can. Please forgive me, though, if they are sporadic for the next days.

In The Aftermath

I feel very strange because my friend and colleague of many years has left and his absence is now weighing on me.

I miss Jim Gardner.

When I came into full time ministry, he took me under his wing and guided me to be the best. I was truly wet behind the ears and he dried that off quickly.

When I didn't quite grasp the Word I was reading, he had thought provoking insight.

When I started to understand that churches come with bureaucratic red tape, he was there with uplifting words of wisdom.

When I was ready to get married, he was a listening ear to my thoughts.

When I was hurt by friends and family members, he was a shoulder to lean on for comfort and encouragement.

Whenever I needed a true friend, he was always there.

Now, he is not there. And I wonder if I will ever get to spend quality time with him in the future. I am having a difficult time in the process.

More on this later...

Kadesh

I have rested up a little bit from this past week. I am still a bit tired.

On Sunday the 23, I took a group of teens to Camp Kadesh at ACU. We got back in town this past Saturday from a week of strong renewal and service. For 6 days we prayed, studied, worshiped, laughed, cried and worked in the community in various service projects. Each of us slept for about 5 hours every evening - at most!

I have come back a changed man, though, and every day this week I will recount on this blog the wonderful life-altering events of Camp Kadesh in ACU.

It was, in the words of one of my teens, 'one of the most spiritual events in our lives.'

A Funeral-A Wedding-A New Birth

This afternoon the Marble Falls Church of Christ honored the life of W.R. "Dub" Kelso. Dub had lived to the ripe age of 86 and many of his friends and family gathered to recall with fondness the memories that he had indelibly imprinted on their hearts and minds. May God bless the Kelso family as they grieve their loss and look forward to seeing him again in the future.

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This past Wednesday I took my sweetheart to the airport so that she could spend time with her family in Arkansas and be with her sister, Katie, this evening as she enters into wedded bliss with the love of her life.

I will not be able to see her for the next week as she will be in AR and I will be with some students in Abilene for some spiritual renewal and Christian service.

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Now for the part that I have been chomping at the bit about for the past 3+ months or so.

My sweet wife and I are having a baby!!!!

We have been holding the news from almost all of our friends because we did not want to steal the thunder from Elizabeth's sister Katie and her special day. Well, now that she has tied the knot, I am able to let all of you readers out there on the Information Super Highway that we are having a baby: Due Date January 9th!

My dad's birthday!!

Isn't that crazy?

It is still too early to know the sex of the baby, but I will keep you updated as the trimesters progress. All we know is that it is healthy and growing at a normal rate.

Whew! I am glad that I can finally write about this! I will keep you up to date.

Quote Of The Day

"Should we not see the lines of laughter about the eyes are just as much marks of faith as are the lines of care and seriousness? Is it only earnestness that is baptized? Is laughter pagan? We have already allowed too much that is good to be lost to the church and cast many pearls before swine. A church is in a bad way when it banishes laughter from the sanctuary and leaves it to the cabaret, the nightclub and the toastmasters." - Helmut Thielecke

How To Clear Out A Swimming Pool

Our fun activity this afternoon came to a screeching halt. As 30 4th-8th graders swam and wrestled in the Marble Falls Community Pool, a loud cry brought our excitement to an end. The cry announced that someone had lost control of their faculties and let slip some fecal matter. We hurriedly jumped out with great dismay and watched in shock and awe as the lifeguards netted out some brown lumps from the shallow end. All of the diving, dunking and cannonballs were over. A quick way to clear out a pool! Hopefully tomorrow's activity will be uneventful, so to speak.

Silage and Other Juicy Morsels

Today was a first!! We began our First Principles Day Camp this morning and we were overwhelmed with more young, passionate students than we had prepared for! 35 came to sit around the table and study God's Word intensively for 2 hours this morning. Jim, Allan and I were shocked and overjoyed to see so many young thirsty hearts come in search of God's will for their lives. I pray that we will see even more tomorrow.

I will have pictures to share with you at a later date.

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I have been out of pocket for the past few days. It has turned into one busy month. Thursday morning, I traveled with my friend, Chris Bridges, to pick up the students that had spent 2 weeks growing closer to God and each other at Camp Bluehaven in New Mexico. We drove up Thursday-spent the night in Las Vegas, NM-and traveled back on Friday with a van full of tweens/teens and a trailer hitched on the back.

The next morning, Elizabeth and I got up to take 13 teens to Krause Springs for swimming and fellowship.

Yesterday was full of great worship and some awesome football in Johnson Park after evening services.

And, as I mentioned earlier, First Principles started today.

I am meeting with around 15 teens this evening to finish out the book of Genesis in our Meat Eaters class that meets each Monday night.

Whew! I am kinda tired right now.

Maybe things will slow down soon. Oh, who am I kidding! I am a Youth Minister. Things never slow down!!!

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While traveling to New Mexico with a great guy; I learned something new. I saw some strange things on the side of the road in an unnamed cow town that I could not quite figure out. Being somewhat of a city slicker, I have a lot to learn about farming and other rural events. As we passed by these stragne mounds, I asked Chris if he could tell me what they were. Happy to oblige, he told me that they were mounds of Silage.

A new word in my dictionary.

According to my friend, Silage mounds are piles of Hay (among other things) that are covered with plastic and left to sweat and (I guess) ferment. This Silage is then fed to the cows, causing them to produce more cream.

Cool! You learn something new every day!! And I love to learn.

Thank you Bridges family. Because of you, I now know about Silage and Javelinas!!

Quote Of The Day

"Let us, before all words, astound them by our way of life." - John Chrysostom

The Remedy

Last night I was disheartened because we (the Youth and I) were unable to have our weekly Meat Eaters evening devotional due to summer jobs, illness and other engagements. That made me sad.

Today was a day of unattractive bureaucracy. No one would think that bureacracy exists in the church, but, oh my, it does!

I have had a few run-ins with people who have a different approach than me and, even though the issue is settled, we all come off as a little impatient.

This day has gone that way for me.

Granted, these days are few and far between in my life, so by no means am I unhappy, But, when they come, they try to bring you down.

What is the remedy for days like today?

In the words (loosely quoted by me) of our Associate Minister, Allan Stanglin-Faith in our Awesome God!

Why does it seem that when we truly get down to business we think we have to come up with all the answers on our own?

Shouldn't we be seeking Divine Guidance?

Isn't our God big enough to handle all of our troubles?

Why don't we let Him do it, then?

That's the remedy!

Quote Of The Day

"Expend your energy not in fretting over what you cannot control but in opening yourself to the inbreaking of God." - Jack R. Reese

Significance

In a world full of supermodels with good looks, sports legends with physical prowess, business tycoons with billions of dollars, etc. you here in the real world find yourselves second guessing your almost on par with average existences. You wonder why you are important. 'What is so significant about little old me?' you might ask.

This brings many of us down. Our sense of self worth takes a nose dive. We lose confidence and our self-image plummets. We look in the mirror and do not like what we see. Then depression knocks at the door.

Last night in class we discussed how important we all are. Society may never come to the realization that we are special. Those around us might not 'get it.'

But that doesn't really matter.

You see, God made you with your own distinct set of blueprints. No one that has ever lived or that will ever come into existence shares those with you. The Psalmist writes that you are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Jesus said that what society values and praises is detestable to God. (Luke 16:15) Paul wrote in Ephesians that you are God's handiwork.

No matter what the world around you places on the throne of pop culture, there is Someone in a higher position that values you even more! You hold special significance.

How can anyone feel low if they are reminded that the all powerful, all knowing God put special time in crafting them? How amazing is that? The ultimate Creator and Judge took some time out of His busy schedule to create a unique human.

And that unique human is you!

Contact Revisited

I was reading the other night and came across this passage that truly relates to the student mission work in Tulsa. It put into words every thought that has raced through my head about Contact and the great work that its members are doing. I simply cannot pass up the opportunity to share this with you, faithful reader.

"On these streets are spoken the tongues
of many lands and still we understand
what people are saying. Here some of
the refugees of the world have found a
safe place to lay their heads, cradle their
babies, and sell their wares from folding
tables and tiny stores. Here the dement-
ed can still wander in and out of our shops.
Here some places have been made for the
young and the old. Here the broken are
received and the sick healed. Here the
Gospel is being preached and here, faulted
as we are, with our own griefs heavily
upon us, we are bold to say that God calls
us his people and we know that his name is
God-with-them." (Elizabeth O'Connor)

Relevant

"Many people these days feel an absence in their lives, expressed as an acute desire for "something more," a spiritual home, a community of faith. But when they try to read the Bible they end up throwing it across the room. To me, this seems encouraging, a good place to start, a sign of real engagement with the God who is revealed in Scripture. Others find it easy to dismiss the Bible out of hand, as negative, vengeful, violent. I can only hope that they are rejecting the violence-as-entertainment of movies and television on the same grounds, and that they say a prayer every time they pick up a daily newspaper or turn on CNN. In the context of real life, the Bible seems refreshingly whole, an honest reflection on humanity in relation to the sacred and the profane. I can't learn enough about it, but I also have to trust what little I know, and proceed, in faith, to seek God there." - Kathleen Norris

Quote Of The Day

"In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountain start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise."
- W.H. Auden

Contact Pics

Here are some of the promised pictures of the amazing trip some teens took to work with the less fortunate in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am so proud of all the hard work that the youth put into this last week!

Withdrawal

As tired as I am and as raspy as my voice is (It never fails to go out-whether it be Summer Camp, VBS or Mission Trip my voice just packs up and heads south every time); I am having an unusual amount of withdrawal. With Camp, I had maybe a small period of loss, but this is quite a bit bigger than that ever was.

I miss Sweetwater, Contact and Park Plaza!

I miss being on the road with excited teens.

I miss gathering in a circle and processing what we learned while serving others in the name of the Lord.

I miss shooting hoops with Bones, Isaiah and Cameron.

I miss the enormously huge Brit doing DDR on PS2 and getting a Perfect score every time.

I miss Blair's deflated mattress and hidden sleeping bag and pillow.

I miss the singing!

I miss Big Chris: a 6'4'', 350 lb. 13 year old.

I miss the Russian children and families at Normandy.

Oh, there are too many things to count that I miss!

I am going through withdrawal. Help me!!

Memories: New and Old

This past week has been full of new adventures and rekindling old friendships.

I have been blessed to forge a bond between Blair and Melanie Gibson, the couple that formerly worked here ministering to the youth in Marble Falls. They are now in West Texas at a little place called Sweetwater. What great servant hearts these people are! Such examples of faith and love like these two are few and far between.

The MF group was able to work with such passionate people as Bob, Ron, Chris, Matt, and others that love our God at the Contact Church of Christ.

Aaron Loney was awesome for allowing us to stay in the youth room and young adult room at Park Plaza Church of Christ. What a great facility for students to get to know God and each other!

At the same time that we were getting to know new people in Tulsa, I was surprised to see old friends and acquaintances from the past. I was happy to work with Chris, the cousin of my Harding roommate Chad Joice, who is presently working with the Contact church in Tulsa.

The Office Manager of Park Plaza remembered me from when I was in elementary and middle school. He and his wife had worked at Green Country Christian Academy when I was a mere pipsqueak, I mean pupil.

When we were done with our work in Tulsa, Elizabeth and I were able to take some of the teens over to Shawkat's Deli and Grill-voted as Tulsa's number one Mediterranean restaurant. It was not really for the Hummus, Baba Gannouj, Tawook, Baklava or Gyros-even though they are oh so delicious. I knew the teens may not be so hot on the new flavors. The main reason that I took them is because my Uncle Taha and Aunt Connie are the owners of this great establishment on 41st and Sheridan. Some of the kids from Contact were treated to a great meal. Wow!! It was great to see them and my cousin Bud with his daughter again. And to partake of some good eats once more.

Great times in Tulsa!! Pics forthcoming.

A Glimmer of Hope

This blog is going to be brief because I am just plain pooped out.

We have had quite a week working with the young children and families that have been pushed to the outskirts of society. Kids whose parents beat them or neglect them. Parents who have painfully watched it all fade away as they battled addictions and lost. Grandparents who have undertaken the raising of grandchildren because the parents want no part in the lives of the child they birthed. The hurt and the longing of the poverty stricken inner city.

It has been such a joy to see their eyes come alive with appreciation and hope for a better tomorrow as they see and feel the love of Christ through the teens and adults that have worked so hard with them each day. Tears have come to my eyes on numerous occasions as I heard the young children ask if they could home with us.

Jesus has worked in and through the teens and adults of Sweetwater, Marble Falls and Tulsa. Praise be to God!!!

Homey G

What's up, dog?!? Peace out, Homey G! These are the phrases that my buddy Kyle B has told me to pass on to the blogger world. So there it is, Playas!

Anyway, I want you to know that our Sidewalk Church went better today than yesterday. We had more time to set up and get the young 'uns gathered together. We had more kids today. More kids that could focus on the singing, puppet show, crafts, games and lessons today. They were extremely excited at the end when we pulled out the Slip and Slide for the water games. Quite a few parents came from their apartments to join in. It was great to see the love and appreciation in their eyes as we showed them Jesus.

The Normandy Apartment Complex had a few Russian families and they were more than happy to share their language with the teens and sponsors. Being a lover of languages, I was excited.

Tonight, we take young children from the Contact Church to The Incredible Pizza Company to share more time with them and to fellowship.

Tulsa

I am truly sorry that I have not blogged since last Wednesday and before that it was sporadic, to say the least. I have been greatly distracted by preparations for yesterday and this week. Please forgive me. I know now that I must get on the ball!

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It is 4:26 and our first day working with the young Tulsa city kids is over. 10 of us made the trip for Tulsa, OK yesterday after morning worship service. With a train, 35W traffic and Ihop, we made it to our intended destination in 10 hours.

Here is a list of the culprits that have made the journey: Jasmine, Brian, David, Carina, KK, Kellie, Laura, Kyle, Elizabeth and Yours Truly.

This evening, we are going to hold a video scavenger hunt with the combined groups of Marble Falls and Sweetwater groups at the Woodland Hills Mall. Tireless energy!! We have had about 4 hours of sleep and we're still running on full steam. I have a feeling that we will have a bunch of weary, bleary eyed teens in the morning.

It was great to see and love on the young children today and watch the teens from Sweetwater and Marble Falls work with compassion and care.

I will keep you updated this week from wireless Net in Tulsa.

Tonight's Lesson

This is a former blog that I would like to reissue since it is my lesson to the students this evening:

"...what constitutes a hero. Is a hero someone that is impervious to pain? Someone that is super strong? Someone that is faster-than-a-speeding-bullet?

Well, those traits are more seen in comic book domain.

I am talking about a real, human hero. What is that person made of?

I sometimes think that we try to attribute comic book powers to real people. Even ourselves. When we try to be impervious, all-powerful we tend to shut out emotions. We close ourselves off from the possibility of being hurt or crushed by others. At the same time, we close ourselves off from being loved and embraced. We become our own burden.

Is that a hero? No! A hero is not afraid to take a chance, knowing that maybe they will fail. A hero gets back up after a hard fall and continues making the journey. A hero is not afraid to love openly and deeply. A hero will admit fault and say "I'm sorry." A hero will take care of those who can't take care of themselves. A hero is someone who has bruised and scabby knees from kneeling and looking to the Source for their true strength.

That is a hero."

Quote Of The Day

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it." - C.S. Lewis

Our Beloved Preacher

It is with much pride that I present to you our beloved preacher man: Jim Gardner! We wound up with a grand VBS total of 169 so it was necessary for him to fulfill his part of the deal. I have never heard so many squeals of delight from so many kids and adults combined as the lights dimmed, the spotlight came on and Jim came out in full regalia to wave and perform the hula dance! his coconut top got a little sideways and needed adjustment every now and then. I think that is what he's doing in this pic. This is for everyone that has ever wanted to see the Gardner in hula attire.

Finally

Finally I am able to blog. Blogger has been having some technical difficulties for the past two days. Well, here it is now!

Here is a recap of the great Vacation Bible School that we have had this week in Marble Falls. SonTreasure Island is a place where the Son is always shining! Jennifer Burdett and Kate Schumacher are some great, hard working ladies. I am amazed at the caliber of this VBS. So many have worked so hard to bring this to fruition and it shows.

VBS Monday - 129

VBS Tuesday - 137

VBS Wednesday - 148

VBS Thursday - 150

VBS Friday - ?

It is gonna be so great to see Jim in the coconut top and grass skirt!! I can't wait!!

One Of The Wilson Brothers

While gassing up the van for the 6th grade Blessing this past Sunday evening, I looked over at the guy pumping gas next to me and realized that I was in the presence of Hollywood royalty-Luke Wilson.

As an admirer of many of his films (Legally Blonde, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Family Stone, Charlie's Angels and Rushmore), I walked over to him, shook his hand and talked to him for the length of time it takes a slow pump to fill the tank up to $ 70 dollars. We talked about golf, my ministry and the beautiful area of Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay.

What was cool is that he was really laid back and easygoing. For 6 or 7 minutes we shot the breeze. I asked him how he knew about the place and he told me that his family is from the Dallas area and that he frequently traveled from L.A. to relax and hit the greens down here in this beautiful place.

Elizabeth is really upset because she was not with me and he is one of her favorite actors. My Youth Group went nuts and asked me why I did not invite him to the devotional that night. I just don't know what I was thinking.

How many of you out there have seen or met somebody famous?

YEAH!!

137, Baby!! 8 more than yesterday. It is creeping up to the 160 mark. Jim, the coconuts and skirt are calling your name. Yeah!!

David, Thomas, Kellie and KK: I am glad to hear that you have gone over your script for tomorrow 20+ times!

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Last Sunday evening was a special time for all of the young children that have graduated into the 6th grade: Youth Group Territory. After being kidnapped and driven to a mysterious location a Blessing was held for the honored guests that included a talk about spiritual growth, the partaking of pizza, jumping into Kyle and Marti Futrell's pool for a swim and singing songs 'til the sun went down! It was a great night of beginnings for the newbies.

VBS

Today, we kicked off the first day of VBS: SonTreasure Island with a bang!! We had 129 in attendance ready to learn more about God and His love. This morning we learned that God's love is giving! I am happy that we are able to have som of the teens help out this week. I am also so proud of David G, Kellie U, Kara Kay S and Thomas G for performing in the plays this year! A special thanks to the leaders of the pack-Jennifer B and Kate S!! You have worked so hard and it really shows. Allan, you are cool! Jim, you will be in the grass skirt and coconuts before the week is over! I can't wait 'til tomorrow morning.

Lyrics For Every Day

"Are we teaching the truth in love?

Telling it like it is?

While holding pure motives

And showing that we care

Are we teaching the truth in love? " - Acapella

We are just blowing alot of hot air on others faces if we are not motivated by love. Whether it be with our family, friends, fellow churchgoers or those we barely know-we should make sure that our driving force in anything we say or do is love. Without it, the Apostle Paul writes, we are nothing more than a "resounding gong or clanging cymbal."

Quote Of The Day

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." - Mignon McGlaughlin

Mawage

Jeff Bearden's surgery went well!!! Thank you, God, for being the Omniscient Answerer of prayer!

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Now, let me finish my story from yesterday. Where did I leave off when Scott came by for lunch (which lasted quite a long time, by the way. We just kept talking and talking about everything under the sun - from the Nephilim of Genesis 6 to the Heffingtons of Marble Falls)?

Oh yes, now I remember!

We were at the Quarry Market. A great place, by the way. We decided to catch a movie. Then we traveled over to one of my favorite places-Borders. I could have been in there for hours but we both got hungry for dinner and decided to eat over at Joe's Crab Shack-a place that I knew about and had always wanted to try. Good food! Elizabeth had the Coconut Shrimp and I had the Louisiana Platter. We walked away with full bellies and a couple of T-Shirts.

Great times with a great woman by my side. I could not ask for anything more.

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Speaking of that great woman-Today is our anniversary.

As of 1:30 today, we will have spent 3 years in wedded bliss! In those 3 years, we have lived in 4 different houses, we have been given a Beta fish that did not live very long, we bought other fish that did not live very long (there must be something to that), we have been given 2 little animals: a Schnorkie (Schnauzer/Yorkie mix) we named Peanut and a kitty we named Gabbi(surprisingly, they have lived!) and made one big move from AR to TX.

I love Elizabeth with all my heart and look forward to what the next 3, 6, 9, 20, 30, 50 years bring with them as we travel through life as one.

Elizabeth, I can't wait for what the future holds with you and me walking side by side through this journey. You are my song and my heart. You truly do complete me. I hope that you are as happy today as I am. I pray continually that God will help us to grow ever closer as the days progress.

I am going to end this with some words of wisdom stolen from the Princess Bride:

"It’s wot bwings us togeder today.

It’s that bwessed awangement.

It’s that dweam wifin a dweam.

Mawage.

Tweasure your wuv."

First of all, I ask for your prayers for my Jeff Bearden, a friend both to me and Jim Gardner. He is in surgery as I type this. Please take a moment out of your day to lay his needs before god's throne.

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Yesterday, my sweetie and I were able to get away to the beautiful city of San Antonio. We went to the zoo and spent some quality time with the animals there. After 4 hours of birds, hippos, leopards, okapi and the like, we traveled to Quarry Market. What a cool place!!

OK! Gotta run. My friend, Scott, and I are going to lunch. He has arrived and is ready to spend time in fellowship. I will return with more of the story later...

Verse Of The Day

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)

Quote Of The Day

"The most infuriating aspect of radical faith is its adamant refusal to be impressed with the obvious...and [its] steadfast adherence to an alternative reality: God reigns." - Daniel Smith-Christopher

New Pics

I am excited that I finally figured out how to post pictures on the Church website. Not all of the pictures are up yet, but if you would like go ahead and take a look at it.

Tan the Man

Every Monday through Wenesday, I get to spend around an hour and a half with Tanner W. We study together, talk about boxing, video games, music and basketball. I am with him right now as I type this blog. Great times!

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This evening in Meat Eaters, we will be honored with the presence of Jim and Helen Dobbs. Jim is going to share with us the life of Isaac. He is a genius and a great servant leader in God's kingdom. I look forward to tonight!

The Royal Telephone

Yesterday, Allan, Jim and I met together in Allan's office to prepare for an evening of singing Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. We talked and reminisced about old favorites that are not in our new book. We looked at newer songs adored by the youth and many adults. We discussed the backdrop of history during the writing of many of these songs and how it has changed considerably. Then and there we decided to make it an evening of just those songs: old favorites that did not make the new book and new favorites that had not been included in the book.

One of the songs stood out to all of us, though. An old song that we came across in a compilation from 1947. We laughed so hard that we nearly cried. I would like to share some laughs with you today. Here it is-The Royal Telephone:

"Central's never 'busy', Always on the line
You may hear from heaven, Almost anytime;
'Tis a royal service, Free for one and all,
When you get in trouble, Give this royal line a call.

There will be no charges, Telephone is free,
It was built for service, Just for you and me;
There will be no waiting, On this royal line,
Telephone to glory, Always answers just in time.

Fail to get the answer, Satan's crossed your wire,
By some strong delusion, Or some base desire;
Take away obstructions, God is on the throne,
And you'll get the answer, Thru this royal telephone.

Carnal combinations, Cannot get control,
Of this line to glory, Anchored in the soul;
Storm and trials cannot, Disconnect the line,
Held in constant keeping By the Father's hand divine.

Chorus
Telephone to glory, O what joy divine!
I can feel the current, Moving on the line;
Built by God the Father, For His loved and own,
We may talk to Jesus, Thru this royal telephone."

Post a comment or email me with some other hymns that you find to be interesting or funny. I would like to read your thoughts on this!

Senior Banquet

Last night, 60+ friends and family members toasted and roasted this year's graduating seniors-David Barr, Mackenzie Lewis, Hannah Love and Kyle Smith. The night of irreverent honors took place in the Live Oak Room at the beautiful Balcones Springs camp and retreat center. After sufficiently filling ourselves with delicious fajitas catered by Balcones Springs, we had an evening full of fun.

We were blessed to have the multi talented Scott Payne as our entertainment. A great singer, songwriter and worship leader, Scott brought the house down with sweet songs followed by some crowd favorites. He even lead the audience in a rousing rendition of "It Is Well With My Soul." That started the banquet off with a blast.

Next came the roasts of the soon to be grads. Whew! No punches were pulled. I am so glad that I was not one of the roasted. The juniors and sophomores had a ball tearing into the guests of honor. Nothing was taboo. All bases were covered: From female underarm hair to Manly Weed Whacker School for Dummies. No holds barred!!

The night was not only about fun and games, though. At the end of the evening, there was a slideshow of the seniors-past and present-followed by some touching words of wisdom and love from the parents. Eyes were misty as, one by one, parents stood up and read from a letter that they had composed for their son or daughter.

The evening was a success. I pray God's blessing on each of these young men and women as they start this new lg of the journey.

MISC

I am having technical difficulties with posting pics on the website. It is not going as planned. Still trying!

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I had lunch today with Scott and Brent Payne. Scott is an extremely talented man who is on fire for the Lord. His singing and songwriting abilities are out of this world. His brother, Brent, a missionary in New Zealand, is here visiting with family. Scott has agreed to entertain (with both funny and sentimental songs) for the Senior Banquet tomorrow evening at the Balcones Springs' Live Oak Room. It is sure to be a night to remember. I will blog more on that later this week.

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This evening Elizabeth and I will be accompanying Jim and Mandy Gardner to celebrate their daughter Trae's 8th birthday! Grammy (Trae and Tori's Grandmother, Sherry) will be in attendance. It will be a great time of fun and fellowship.

Marble Falls High

I am subbing today for Coach Futrell (a great guy that I will blog about at a later date). His classes are very well behaved. Well, I say this but it may or may not be true. Subbing for HS is just a world away from MS. You see, at the MS, if the kids are not doing their work, it is evident. As a matter of fact, my blood pressure has risen while working with a certain 7th grade class! (Suffering short periods of high BP is just one of the many facets of my ministry!) HS is a different story. If they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, they are either too tired or too cool to make much spectacle of themselves. The difference here is night and day.

I write this with total humor and joy for there is nothing else I would rather do than get to know all of the young students in this community. I love the energy and excitement that youth brings with it! It is a great perk of the job. It helps me reminisce about my past and look forward to the day when I raise children of my own!

More blogging to come...

What?!?

What's up with Chris getting kicked off last night? I am in shock with the rest of the world out there! I think Taylor and Kat are great. I was so sure that Chris would be in the top three. Never did I think that Elliot would make it there, though. I am not saying he's no good. I just believe that Chris brought with him a breath of fresh air. And I still believe that his albums will sell hotter than the remaining 3. Wow! I am still reeling.

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Elizabeth and I will be helping out with a birthday party this coming Monday evening and, due to a large amount of requests, we will not be canceling our Meat Eaters meeting. Instead of meeting on Monday we will meet this Saturday evening at 5:00.

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Something happened Monday that kept returning and returning to my mind throughout the afternoon, the evening and well past the midnight hour. It bothered me. It riddled me with anxiety and frustration. In fact, it pressed on my heart and mind so much that I finally fell into bed at around 4:00 a.m.

This is not the first time something like this has happened to me and I am certain that it won't be the last, but I kept wondering why. Why do thoughts like this beset my walk with Jesus? I wanted to know what it's purpose was in my life as a follower of God. Where did it fall in my Christian journey?

Life is full of questions and struggles that hold us in their grip for long periods of time. That keep us up at odd hours of the night. That make us sad. That make us mad. That crush our spirits.

But some verses came to my heart and mind and set those emotions to rest. Verses that let me know that I am an unfinished product that is being shaped and molded to be a strong instrument for God by these events. He is not through with us yet! Here they are:

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well developed, not deficient in any way." - James 1:2-4

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." - I Peter 1:6-7

Intersection

My internet connection to my laptop has been repaired and is finally up and running. We're back in business! Sorry for the long hiatus.

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Last night 15 from the student ministry traveled to Intersection, an area-wide youth rally, held at the Westover Hills congregation in Austin. We spent the evening in praise and devotion to our God. Scott Baird led the worship for the night. It is awesome to hear 450 youth singing their hearts out to God. The speaker for the night was Scott Wood. he shared with us the difference between a life in Christ and a life without Him. He spoke of the pain and struggles he faced when trying to live for himself. Finally, he told of coming into a relationship with Jesus and how that totally changed his life. The devotional time was a great time for all of us to draw nearer to our Lord.

After we spent time in worship, we played Bingo and Let's Make A Deal. Two of our students walked away with a prize. Kylie Ann won 21 dollars and Natalie won the grand prize-a Fender guitar!

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This evening we will be discussing the life of Abraham, Sarah and Lot in our Meat Eaters study. Make sure that you come to eat - of food and the Word.

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I will be posting pics of devos, Meat Eaters and Intersection this week on our church website.

My Top Idol Picks

I am here to tell you that Chris, Katherine and Taylor are the top three American Idols. I know that each of them had a bad number tonight, but they all redeemed themselves with the other tune. Chris' rendition of Renegade, Katherine's You're Not The One For Me and Taylor's Something all had my utmost attention. They are truly the ones to beat. As for who should go home: Paris Bennett. Email me or post a comment with your picks for the top slots.

More

Here are the other pics that did not upload the first time. Man, have I been frustrated lately with the screwed up internet provider. That is part of the reason that I have not blogged very much in the past week. I can't get the blog out fast enough before it shuts down on me. AARGH!!! Oh well, maybe things will go back to normal or get better soon. Please let me have the patience to stand it.

Youth Pics

I realized over the weekend that I have not yet posted pics of my new youth group for you, dear viewer. Here are some shots of them hanging out, playing Assassin, Kiss & Tell and Red Rover. This a great group of students.

Quotes Of The Day

“Thomas Aquinas, who knew a great deal about education and a bit about motivation, once said that when you want to convert a person to your view, you go over to where he is standing, take him by the hand, and guide him. You don’t stand across the room and shout at him. You don’t order him to come over where you are. You start where he is and work from that position. He said that’s the only way to get people to budge.” – Alan Loy McGinnis

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"But if we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way!" - Casting Crowns

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"Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”
- Jesus

Quote Of The Day

"The word philadelphia means 'human affection, brotherly love.' It means being an affectionate friend. Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote a poem titled 'Youth and Age' with the line, 'Friendship is a sheltering tree.' That is a wonderful word picture. Friends are those whose lives are like branches. They provide shade, they provide refuge from the demanding, irritating, and searing rays of the hot sun. You can find comfort by them. you can find strength near them. They are tree-like in that they bear fruit that provides nourishment and encouragement. Isn't it interesting that when something occurs in your life and you are alone, you pick up the phone and call a friend? You want to connect with someone else. Few things are more lonely than going through a sudden test or joy and having no friend to call." - Charles Swindoll

Courage

One of my friends and former elders in the church, Rick Northen, recently traveled to Vietnam and took part in an illegal worship service. He and his wife, Gail, have decided to spread the word to those in Cambodia and surrounding areas that need to hear the message of Christ. I cannot even fathom not having the freedom to assemble and praise our God. Join me in prayer for these servants of God as they carry out the Great Commission.

Bereshith

Alright, so I was a bit audacious. I somehow thought that we could zip through Genesis chapters 1-11 in two hours at our Meat Eaters study last night. I prepared 7 pages of material to get us from Creation to the Tower of Babel in record time. I was pumped!

Needless to say, this did not happen. As we proceeded, I realized that there is just too much good, juicy stuff to pass by at a clip.

We got through chapter 3. That is as far as we could go in the alotted time. I guess you can say I learned my lesson.

I am still pumped, though! The excitement will not wear off. A great core group from the student ministry is eating this up every Monday night. There are 10-12 students that long to be deeper in the Word. I love it! Someone pinch me-I think I'm dreaming. I couldn't ask for more than this.

How are you when it comes to cracking open the Good Book? Are you what one might call a student? Or are you merely a casual observer? Know this-God wants you to want to know Him. He desires that you learn and grow from constant Scripture searching. He wants the intimate relationship that it inevitably brings.

The Nelson Family

Elizabeth and I were invited over this past Friday evening to the home of Guy and Ruth Ann Nelson to eat dinner and get to know the family. It was great! Not only were there beef ribs and sausages (my favorite!) hot off the grill for our dining pleasure, but we had a great time of getting acquainted with each other around the dinner table.

I wish that I had brought a camera, though. After we ate, we walked out in the back yard (about 4 acres), looked in at Jordan's living quarters, flew through the air on the swing and, best of all, wrestled with Gizmo the Goat. It was a little scary at first-watching this goat, horns and all, rear up, grunt and then come after you with head lowered. Elizabeth never quite mustered up the courage to wrestle with Gizmo. Matter of fact, she did not want to be anywhere near Gizmo. It was pretty funny!

At the end of the evening, we sat out on the back porch talking about everything. When darkness came, we went into the kitchen for some yummy Banana Pudding and more conversation. Nelson family, I want you to know that we had a great time!

I promise to post a pic of Gizmo in action soon.

Bitter Scroll

This blog is in correlation with the quote from yesterday and Wednesday the 5th. Reading the Bible is so important in the life of the Christian. And I don't mean only turning to the passages that are near and dear to us. I mean going there and beyond. Looking also at the passages that stretch us. The passages that maybe we don't yet comprehend. The good, the bad and the ugly must be given equal amounts of air time. We must allow ourselves to eat the full text without fear of the sour stomach to come. This is something that we don't do quite often enough. In his book, Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell sums it up:

"The ultimate display of our respect for the sacred words of God is that we are willing to wade in and struggle with the text-the good parts, the hard-to-understand parts, the parts we wish weren't there.

The rabbis even say a specific blessing when they don't understand a portion of the text. When it eludes them, when it makes no sense, they say a word of thanks to God because of the blessing that will be theirs someday. "Thank you, God, that at some point in the future, the lights are going to come on for me."

The rabbis have a metaphor for this wrestling with the text: The story of Jacob wrestling the angel in Genesis 32. He struggles, and it is exhausting and tiring, and in the end his hip is injured. It hurts. And he walks away limping.

Because when you wrestle with the text, you walk away limping.

And some people have no limp, because they haven't wrestled. But the ones limping have had an experience with the living God.

I think God knows what he's doing with the Bible. But the better question is, do we know what we're doing with the Bible?"

Quote Of The Day

"Reading, as it were, puts the solid food into our mouths, meditation chews it and breaks it down, prayer obtains the flavour of it and contemplation is the very sweetness that makes us glad and refreshes us." - Guigo the Second

Friends

My colleague, Jim Gardner, has returned from a nice visit in our old stomping grounds-the Village. He was able to spend some time with our friend, Jeff B, who is going through radiation and chemotherapy for cancer. Jim had a surprise ready for his visit with Jeff. Take a look at Jim's blog and see a pic of the two men together.

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Tonight is Pringle Party Night. Since there is no school tomorrow for the students of MFS, we will have a devotional followed by games and a movie. Everyone is asked to bring their own Pringles cans for munchies and, most especially, to help VBS. Don't worry, though. If you have not read this before tonight, there will be time for grabbing some Pringles cans and other food for chowing down.

Digging Deeper

Last night several eager students joined together with Elizabeth and me to dive deeper into God's Word. It was the beginning of a Monday night group of Bible students appropriately entitled Meat Eaters. Each night we will study a portion of the Bible more in-depth than a usual Sunday morning or Wednesday evening Bible class. There will be a time for study, devotion, contemplation, meditation and prayer. A small gathering of spongelike hearts and minds ready to soak up the precepts and promises of a loving Creator. Needless to say, this is a minister's dream!

What I thought would liberally be a small group of 6-7 turned out to be 12. We ate some pizza, sat in a huddle on the floor of the youth house and opened the Book for study! We began with a surface level overview of the entire Bible-it's authors, languages, dating, writing styles and overarching theme. It was successful in my eyes and I was glad to hear the positive feedback from the students.

I look forward to seeing these young disciples grow in the faith and mature spiritually as they continue, like Ezra, to devote themselves in study to the God's Word.

Quote Of The Day

"Those who believe they believe in God, but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God himself." - Madeleine L'Engle

Sunday In The Park With...

Last night, those in the student ministry had a nice time of devotion to our God. We read from Psalm 19 and spent time in our Father's beautiful creation. We packed up some meals, loaded the cooler down with drinks and headed over to Johnson Park to truly enjoy the handiwork of our Creator.

The weather could not have been more perfect. While some played touch and tackle football, others threw the frisbee. Still others decided it would be refreshing to smash cans on their heads. Crazy people!

We made friends with a young girl named McKayla who was out with her grandmother, Joyce, to spend some time on the monkeybars, playground and swings. We hope to see them again real soon.

The evening reminded me of how glad I am to be in this profession. I love to see and share in the unbridled energy and passion of youth.

Too Tired

Yesterday, I was in a bad mood for the better part of the day and I think I know why now. My sleeping cycle has been off for quite a while. I just can't go to sleep at night! No matter how I try, that 'reconciling peace that rest begets' will not wash over me. It leaves me in a funk for a long time.

Because I was so sleep deprived, I droned on and on in class last night and the students could feel that I just did not have it in me. Just one of those days, I guess. Sorry to put you through that.

Well, that was remedied today because I rested more today than I have since I have moved to the great state of Texas. I feel like a million bucks and I am ready to take on the world!! I am no longer too tired. How great that feels.

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Jim, I hope that you are having a blast back in our old stomping grounds. Say Hi to everyone for me and tell them that I miss them so much!

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Village youth, it is so great to hear from you through emails! Keep them coming. I miss you and pray to God for you to get a great new youth guy. How are thing in J'Ville, Fountain Lake and the Village? Also, if you start a new blog, let me know by commenting here or emailing me so that I can post you on this site.

Quote Of The Day (and then some)

"But caveat lector: we do not read the Bible in order to reduce our lives to what is convenient to us or manageable by us-we want to get in on the great invisibles of the Trinity, the soaring adorations of the angels, the quirky cragginess of the prophets, and...Jesus." - Eugene Peterson

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I can't wait for the benevolence pantry workers to get a great surprise this evening, thanks to the youth group!

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Yesterday was a big day for me. I started out by subbing for the Middle School (I had a really wild, unruly class and came really close to losing it, by the way). I then drove to the office and held a counseling session with a young student. Afterwards, I emptied out all of the pantry items that the youth had collected the Sunday night before. When I was ready to go home and veg in front of the tube, I went with my sweetie pie to the gym to lift and do cardio. I was worn out emotionally and physically by the time I got home. On top of all of that, I could not get any sleep last night. Maybe that is why I am in such a grumpy mood today. Seems like everything someone says to me is twisted up and taken the wrong way. Have you ever had a day like this?

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Some friends of mine (former and present students) are starting up their own blogs. When I have their addresses, I will post and link them.

Scavenging

Last night, we had a great time in devotion to God at the home of Chris and Julie Bridges. Thank you both for opening up your home and feeding us some of the best Sloppy Joes that I have ever tasted. In the words of Chris, it had a certain 'more-ish' taste!

After a great time of singing, David Griffin spoke to us from his heart about how we invest too much time in the things of this world and too little time working and reaching out in our true calling as disciples of Jesus Christ. He sharedwith us the lyrics of a song that spoke to this and pricked his heart to action. The question was raised "why not start now?' and that is just what we did! We split up into groups and went on a door to door scavenger hunt asking for unopened jars of peanut butter, cans of tuna, canned vegetables, etc. to provide for families in need. It was a blessing to see the arms of Christ's body reaching out through these young hearts! Thank you, David, for your timely message.

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My compadres are out of the office today catching the Texas Rangers season opener. I am here holding down the fort with our secretary, Ann.

The Griffin

One of the young men in my student ministry has started a blog. Check out the new blog from the sensational David Griffin. I will also add him to my links.

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Today was the first day that my wife and I subbed on the same campus. Ithought it was pretty cool to know that just down the hall a ways my wife was teaching Music Theory and Music History while I was teaching French I and II! I know, I know-little things make me happy. I just think it's cool. We do it again tomorrow, but this time we get to wear jeans!

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I gotta run. We are having an Elders/Ministers meeting in a few. I will be back soon.

You Might Be A Member Of The Church Of Christ IF...

This is just too humorous to pass up. Those of you that have been in the Church of Christ for a while will have quite a chuckle when you read this.

You Might Be A Member Of The Church Of Christ IF...

you know exactly what song I'm talking about when I ask you to turn to number 728b.

you could recite all the books of the Bible before you could even read them.

you know the first and third verse of nearly every song.

you actually know what a "ready recollection" is and have been thoroughly "guide-guard-and-directed" all your life. (If you're really a member, you know that "guide-guard-and-directed" must be followed by "and-bring-us-back-at-the-next-appointed-time.")

you can actually read shape notes.

you recognize any of these ministers by first name alone: Landon,Reuel, Prentice, Rubel, Norvel, Flavil, Furman or Batsell.

you think your chosen pew is "sacred" and no one else should sit in your spot.

you think the Bible questions on Jeopardy are way too easy.

you decide which Bible translation to use based on how Acts 2:38 reads.

you immediately reach for your wallet when you hear the phrase, "Now, separate and apart from the Lord's Supper"

you know all the words to all the verses of Trust and Obey.

you've ever ridden a JOY bus. (And, of course, you know that JOY stands for "Jesus" first, "Others" second and "Yourself" last.)

when you're happy and you know it, you clap your hands, stomp your feet and shout "Amen!"

you've ever wondered who Ebon Pinion was.

you've been to a wedding or a funeral where "the invitation" was offered.

you've stood for 13 verses of Just As I Am with the last stanza sung softly.

Brownie Points

Keep those emails coming. Boy, there are many highly literate people out there reading this blog. I had better step things up a notch! Arika, you are the winner with the first correct definition. I give to thee these much coveted brownie points.

Fun Bumper Sticker

Brownie Points to the first person that gives me the definition of this one. Ready? Here it is:

"Eschew Obfuscation."

What do you think?