Month: January 2006

  • Biting my Tongue is Starting to Hurt

    That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. Ephesians 2:19, The Message

    I think I was the only one blown away by this at the Bible study this morning. Four people sat around my breakfast table… they all read this and only one was blown away. To hear those words "you belong here" may be the most powerful thing that the church offers but we just take it for granted.

    How I long to look across the table and know that everyone feels like they belong.

  • Mel Gibson Rocks!

    Melgibson_1 OK, so Mel Gibson has a new movie coming out about the end of Mayan culture called Apocalypto. Well, it’s a pretty serious film, but he snuck this little beauty into the trailer. It’s only a frame or two, but it’s a blast.

  • Burning Down the [Road]House

    Texasfire Kristen and I were enjoying a nice dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Hall Road. Suddenly, after we’d finished and were in the process of paying… we heard a commotion. I was convinced that it was that annoying birthday thing where everyone screams and claps to embarass someone on their birthday.

    Nope! Those workers at the restaraunt were shouting "Fire! Everyone get out." There wasn’t much chaos, but there was a sense of urgency.

    A few moments later we were out in the parking lot… amazed that we’d been a part of a building on fire. I looked up on the roof and sure enough there were flames coming from the roof. Sadly, within a few minutes the parking lot was empty and many of the people there were happy to get something for nothing. What a weird way to start a date!

  • Congrats to new parents

    China08 Two sets of friends recently travelled to China to adopt a baby. Tom and Sharon and Craig and Sue. I don’t know if they crossed paths, but they were in nearly the same places doing the same things at the same time. With Ray Pritchard also recently in China, I’m feeling jealous. Never really wanted to go to China before, but so many people going I really want to see it for myself.

  • End of the Spear review

    EndofspearI’ve still not seen this movie, though Kristen and I may go Monday. But there is a nice review over at Relevant Magazine that is worth reading. [Read review] Just to correct Pastor Bob from this morning, yeah… this is the story of Nate Saint, not Jim Elliot.

  • De-Troit Basketball!

    PistonsTonight I will be going to the Pistons game with my buddy and fellow YMX staffer Todd. Should be a lot of fun. I don’t really like the Pistons, but I do like hanging out with friends and I like sports.

    A fun sidenote: A big part of the Piston’s experience is the PA announcer John Mason’s saying to fire the crowd up "De-Troit basketball!" My kids have made this their own. They run around saying "B-ball basketball, put them in the water." Yes, they are my kids!

  • Eavesdropping at Big Boy

    Today I am working a little at the Romeo Big Boy. I know, that may sound funny… but they offer free wireless and I’ve found recently that I can work better in a busy place than in the solitude of the church. Go figure!

    This hardly qualifies as eavesdropping, but I can’t think of a better term. But there was this woman behind me who spoke entirely too loud about her business that she is trying to get going. She was basically talking about how much money she will be making (Note: The forward thinking aspect of it and not the actual profitability now!) and some of her start up expenses… she said "I just spent $3500 getting a website set up and it’s taking about a year." I thought… are you serious? I guess there are a lot of suckers out there!

    Why on earth would people start-up a brick and mortar business with all of the start-up costs she was talking about. Just my rough estimate from what she said so loudly… $10,000 so far and she hasn’t even gotten a single client. Wow! She was saying this and I was thinking… there really is a better way to do what you are talking about…

  • No looking back

    Turnback

    Remember this old hymn? Billy Graham has this going when he does his invitations. It’s lyrics are haunting:

    I have decided to follow Jesus
    I have decided to follow Jesus
    I have decided to follow Jesus
    No turning back no turning back

    The world behind me the cross before me
    The world behind me the cross before me
    The world behind me the cross before me
    No turning back no turning back

    Though none go with me I still will follow
    Though none go with me I still will follow
    Though none go with me I still will follow
    No turning back no turning back

    Though none go with me I still will follow
    Though none go with me I still will follow
    Though none go with me I still will follow
    No turning back no turning back

    I wonder how many of my friends are looking forward and not backwards. Day by day we need to count the cost, pick up our baggage, and follow. Not hard, but not easy.

  • When life just makes sense

    How come we don’t see people write articles about how great life is? How come everyone wants to talk about "what sucks" and doesn’t want to talk about things being great, or even just normal.

    Can I be honest? Life is pretty good for me right now. I know that isn’t newsworthy, but it is what it is! Light Force is going well. Church is going well. Relationships are going well. My kids are doing good. Kristen is happy. The dog and cat are getting along. YMX is going good… yeah, so that’s it Mr. Journal. Life is good.

  • 3 Reasons Why the COP&P Rocks

    Pizza Tonight was our monthly Concert of Prayer & Pizza night. Once Wednesday night a month, instead of our regular youth group, we take the entire night to worship and pray. So anyway… long story short here are three reasons I think COP&P rocks.

    1. It’s 100% student led. From the ideas to the execution, it’s the students who do it.
    2. It’s goes places. This thing isn’t stuck in repetition and it doesn’t just do easy stuff.
    3. It’s respected by everyone. This is our 2nd year doing it and I’ve never heard negative feedback about it.