This Is Crazy

I watched an incredibly inspirational video this morning on Good Morning America about a family that sold their big house, bought an RV and go around the country trying to help people.  (Click Here to watch the video, there is a commercial at the beginning).  On the outside of the RV the words “Crazy Love” are painted.  Crazy Love is a book written by a great pastor from California, Francis Chan.  Visit his website by clicking HERE and poke around a little bit… he has really cool videos too.  I loved his book.  It challenges the way we live life these days, always seeking more and more and never truly finding satisfaction.  He asks the question,

Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical solutions?

I believe the family Good Morning America’s report was about is truly answering that question with a resounding “YES!”  You can visit their website by clicking HERE.

What would you find yourself doing if you could let go of everything holding you back and step out in tangible and even radical solutions to the problems of life you are passionate about?  What would you desire to do so that people around you would say, “this is crazy!”

Dream big and share your answers!

Colorado Weather

So, this morning the TV stations are going crazy reporting on our latest snow event. It is forecasted for our area that we can expect 1-4 inches of snow! Fun, fun. I actually enjoy it when it snows, but I find it very annoying that we live in a state that expects snow in winter and when it does snow it seems to be such a big deal. I know places further North of us are supposed to get more snow that we will here, so when local school districts cancel for the day for snow that hasn’t even fallen yet I find it humorous! When I came into work this morning – late I might add – there was no snow on the ground, no snow falling from the sky, and the prediction of 3 inches by the end of the day. Not sure that means we should shut all the school districts down and act like it is some huge deal. If you live in Colorado and can’t handle a few inches of snow, doesn’t that make you a Texan?

Just sayin…

Maybe it will snow and snow and pile up like crazy and prove me wrong, insensitive, and foolish, but come on, we live in a snow state, put on a coat, buy some good tires, drive slower, brake sooner, and suck it up!

The Gap (Brought To You By Ed Stetzer)

As I have had some time to process the experiences we had at the Colorado Baptist Convention last week, I thought I would share a couple things that have been weighing on my mind.

The first day, Ed Stetzer, a nationally knows expert on church planting, revitalization and writer spoke to the pastors at the convention.  I loved what he was saying about the need for us to take notice that the things that used to work in the church world, no longer do in the ways we understand them to, and we have to refocus to revitalize.

he suggests we ask these questions: “What is the best expression of a New testament Church in our context?” and, “what do we need to do to best reach out to the community?”

He did a really good job encouraging all of us to think differently about how to lead churches in this day and age.  The funny part to me was the rest of the time we were there… It is like Ed packed up, headed out to his next thing and took all his ideas and thoughts with him.  We were left right back in the same place with people asking for the same things; more time, more people, more money, to do things the same way…  and we know what that way leads to, decline…

One of the best phrases Ed used that I heard before is, “People don’t change until the pain of change outweighs the pain of staying the same.”  So the motivation for all of us that lead churches needs to be, “how can I leverage the pain of staying the same to hurt more than the pain of changing?” That means we have to take a good, long, realistic look at what will happen if we do nothing, put it in words, and be sure we constantly refer to it during the hard times – not ignore it like it really doesn’t exist and by doing so widen the gap between decline and revitalization.

If we want to be a church that is reaching people who haven’t been reached – we better make sure we keep a healthy eye on getting comfortable and doing what we have always done.  Let’s stretch the limits, watch God show up, and see what putting ourselves in a little pain might lead to, my bet is it will be worth it.

Her Story (A Must Read)

My niece – Trish’s sister’s daughter (so maybe my niece in law,) – has a place where she is writing about her battle against cancer.  She is a beautiful writer and give us a ton to think about.  I love the way she writes and think you will too.  I only wish I had half the courage she does!

Join me in reading her journey by clicking HERE

Study & Prep Day

I have a busy day of studying and preparing for the weekend today.  This week’s message is going to be harder to prepare than last – sometimes that happens!  But I am excited to see how it will all work out.

This week at the college age group meeting we have called 20Somethings, they were all anxious about mid-term tests and projects… Last night one of my kids was complaining about studying all the time…  I had to laugh because that is what most of us do all the time as adults!  We have projects, presentations, research, reports due all the time!  It seems like it is something we all get to be involved in – so here was my advice compassionate as it is, “get used to it!”

What kinds of projects, presentations, research, reports do you do now as part of your weekly schedule?

What is your favorite way to prepare for those things?

Week In Brief

So it has been a few days since my last post, I apologize… I am determined to write several times a week, so when I go for nearly a week between posts it frustrates me…

Here is what has been going on.

Last week two kids were sick pretty much all week.

Friday we all got to go to the mall with Trish’s niece and support her while she had her long hair cut short.  (the doctors assure her that it will fall out with the chemo, but it is easier to watch short hair fall out then long hair)

Saturday we had a Flu Shot Clinic at the church, but the roads were really icy so we had a really low turn out – thanks to Maxim Healthcare for providing the clinic anyway.

Sunday was our Enter class, for people interested in joining our church, and we had 7 people there (my kids were there too, so that is 11, they had never been through the class!)

The other exciting part was that the Twin’s Grandpa found them cars.  He buys the first car for all of his grandkids, (like 13 of them!  so he has 6 to go!)  They will be 16 in a few months, so they were not expecting it at all.  It was quite a surprise – we all waited in the garage and opened the overhead door to see them parked on the driveway.

Thank God for Grandpa’s!

Monday and Tuesday were typical work days, and I cannot believe it is Wednesday already!

I have a ton of stuff to do, so I am going to go, but here are some pics you might enjoy…

(I forgot to mention that the younger grandkids (16 and under) were taped for an ad that their Grandpa’s stores are running to celebrate their 20th anniversary.  I included the picture of the taping too…

Hobby

I need a hobby.  Something that I can get absorbed in for a few hours a week to keep my stress level down and stop thinking so much about the church and other things going on around me.  I like to play golf, but it can get expensive and the only way to get better at is it to spend a lot of time playing…  Plus I would like the hobby to be something Trish and I can do together.  She doesn’t like golf.  We go to movies together a couple times a month, but that isn’t really a hobby.  Bowling is lame in my opinion, so that is out.  I wish I was handy like my Dad, he has a wood shop and I would love to be good at making wood things – but my projects always wind up looking like something a kid makes at a Home Depot Son & Dad workshop.  I am not good at thinking of hobbies, so I need your help.

What kinds of things do you do as a hobby, what do you do as a couple that has been fun?  Have you heard of something you would like to start as a hobby?

I am sure you will come up with creative and fun ideas, so share away!

Stop & Question

Okay, so like my closet, I allow my life to get cluttered.  Every season change I have to go through clothes and figure out what I need to purge because it doesn’t fit, the style is out, or is just plain worn out.  I need to do the same thing in my personal and professional life too.  

Lately I have been asking myself some of the hard questions;

“is this working?”

“Is this the best use of my time?”

“Does this fit in with the calling God has placed on my life?”

“Is this sustainable?”

“Is this a priority?”

“Why am I doing this?”

“Does this need to continue?”

“Is there someone else that could do this?”

Asking these questions is a relief because I naturally take on more and more things that crowd out the really good things.  So I am working from a different venue this morning in response to asking my priority question.  If I go into the office there are so many things that distract me from doing the one thing I know MUST be a priority in my life, spending time with God.  I am sure the next few days will be difficult and frustrating and even misunderstood as I question everything else, but I know in the end, I will be a better person and leader because of it!

Take a minute and think through these questions in your own life… Anything hit close to home?  Anything need to change?  Share with us if you can!

Connecting To People

Sunday we talked about how important it is not to become inwardly focused.  When we are satisfied and comfortable with having our group and we stop looking to connect to people outside our group.  This can be extremely dangerous for a church, and it also is somewhat selfish of us on a personal level.  So I am including tips to connect with others in this post as I shared with our people Sunday morning.  I would love to hear your stories of how you go out of your way to build relationships too…  (The inspiration for these suggestions came from David Foster’s blog, check it out! (his site is having some technical issues I am sure it will be back up soon))

You may need to:     Start something new

Start a new hobby

Take them to coffee

Join a club

Find a common interest

Take a class together

You may need to:    Ask a different question, like:

1. What are you excited about today
2. What are your concerns today
3. What fills you with joy during the day
4. What gives you energy to get out of bed in the morning
5. Are you fulfilling your life’s calling

You may need to:   Do something about their pain…

1. Depression
2. Discouragement
3. Difficult life situations
4. Finances

Batteries Don’t Last Forever

Earlier this week I posted on my Mac problem.  I thought I would give you an update…

After they did a quick diagnostic inspection, the specialist determined that all I needed was a new battery.

Not bad for a two year old machine!