Search results for: “good news”

Last night some friends of ours took us out on their boat. We put-in in downtown St. Clair and moved north to Port Huron and even a little out into Lake Huron. [Picture above is the Blue Water bridge, one of the busiest connecting points in the country between Canada and the U.S.]

This was my first trip on the river or on Lake Huron, so obviously it was new to the kids as well. We had a blast as it was a perfect evening. The weather was gorgeous, the waves on the river weren’t bad, and the company was the best. Dick and Cathie are fantastic hosts, I had never seen them in this role before!

A good break

With all that is swirling around us for the next 24 hours, this was a welcome break. Yesterday was a whirlwind of a day with golf in the morning, looking at houses from 9:00-1:00 PM, making an offer on a house, and then this. Today I have normal church responsibilities. But, I also have to go out to lunch with a visiting missionary family and entertain, head down to my in-laws house to pick something up, [A 2 hour drive round trip!] and set up for tonight’s bonfire. Holy cow it is going to be a long day.

No news is _____ news

We don’t know yet whether or not our offer on the house has been reviewed. So at this point, we’re just waiting. We have until 10:00 PM to hear anything from the seller. Tick tick tick tick.

Another look
Well, we haven’t given up on “this old house” but we are looking at other places in our price range. [At the same time, we’re also doing the loan so that when we find our dream house we’re good to go.]

This house may be a sleeper. Another good neighborhood, another nice lot. It’s got most of the major stuff taken care of so any money we put into upgrades would be much more beneficial to the family. New roof, new bathrooms, etc.

The waiting game
With the Northern Ireland mission trip on the horizon and our family vacation scheduled for next week… I can see this house hunting going into the fall. This is a already a crazy summer… but the fall looks worse!

I’ve been joking with Kristen that I’d like to get the house bought and everything signed so she can move us in while we’re in Ireland. That usually gets me an evil stare!

In other news
Today is our 8th wedding anniversary. 8 years, we’re still alive and kicking! It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long at all. It seems like only yesterday that we were cutting cake and escaping to Kelley’s Island for our honeymoon. How are we celebrating? Well… We get to take 30 7-12th graders to Cedar Point this Friday. How’s that?

In the past 3 months we’ve been running Media Shout 2.5 for worship, we’ve had limited problems. That streak ended today as it crashed in the middle of our worship service.

Since it was the first time this has happened, we didn’t really know what to do. The operator just kept clicking on things until the program just bombed out. (If it was an older PC it would have shown the blue screen of death!)

I’m sure I’ll take hell for that from PB in the morning.

In other news
Tonight is our first Bonfire of the year. This is a little postmodern thing I put together. We meet at a families house, eat some goodies, hang out a little, do some community prayer time, and do a spiritual discipline. Tonight we’ll be experimenting with the Centering Prayer. Should be interesting.

The bad news is that there are storm warnings all over the place. It could either storm or be fine. We’ll have to wait and see.

Church news
Today a new part time worship leader started. I think it could be either really good or really bad. Along those lines we’ve offered another part time position to a young couple looking to learn how to be in ministry. If it all goes through, they will be leading our children’s ministry.

This is about how I feel
OK, so we don’t have a rickshaw… but we did get “one of those” bike carriers that I hook up to my bike and we pull the kids all over town.

It’s so much fun to hear them squeal with glee as we fly down Tillson Street or to hear Megan say “You can do it daddy!” as I struggle to pull them up a hill. Of course the biggest thing they like while on the bike is for daddy to go faster than mommy. Megan gives minute by minute updates on whether or not we are winning or not.

In other news

• I got my new glasses yesterday. I was a bit early for my appointment but managed to squeeze in early. (The guy working at Lenscrafters was a “recovering youth pastor” between gigs.) I like the new look. These frames are a little bit more square than the others. I was half tempted to go with the “Rob Bell” look but didn’t want to try to look to hip. It just wasn’t me!
• Played a very good 18 holes at Romeo G&CC this morning. If I had been able to putt at all I would have torched the front nine. At one point I had hit 7 greens in a row. I almost drove the 300 yard 6th hole too. But I managed to double bogey the nasty 8th hole and squeek out a par on 9. I finished my round where I began… 3 putting a par 5. But I did strike the ball very well and can’t complain about a 79. (Of course, some of it was due to the course being set up pretty easy with all their outings the past two days.)
• Had a great time going to a kids birthday party. Little Deiter (one of Megan’s friends) turned 4 this weekend. As the weather was in the mid-70s… it was a perfect day to be outside enjoying friends.

This is where I spent most of my day today. At Comerica Park, home of the 2005 All Star game. It was a good reminder that our new pastor is coming out of a world unlike the church in any way… he scored his law firms 6 tickets at the 2nd row behind the dugout.

The bad news was that the Tigers got beat by the red hot white sox 4-3.

Man, those were some nice seats. Too cool. I’m for certain never going to score like that again.

The youth group continues to roll on in a positive and loving environment. One of the things I am really proud of is that we continue to be content driven and not hype driven.

The vibe of the group has really been amplified in the last 6-8 weeks. Since we’ve been concentrating on making everyone feel like they are part of the family… Put that together with the church feeling better about yourself, and it would make sense that we are ready to grow.

In Other News

Tigers Game
Today me and the SP are taking a few guys to see a Tigers game. This is half schmoozing new people and half schmoozing old church members. As we put those two type together on purpose… We can only hope for a connection.

Grad school
I took an incomplete on my last class. The main problem is that I was too busy to care about a class that was such a waste of my time.

In my present class, I’m on fire about it. It is hitting areas that I can completely see as valuable to my current ministry. I’m passionate about equipping people for ministry so Equipping Strategies is right up my alley. It’s funny that the class uses tons of Sonlife lingo and support information without actually using Sonlife as the reference. OK, maybe I just think that is funny. Poor Sonlife, they give all the good stuff and get none of the credit.

The Story

A few years ago there was a star running back coming out of college. He had done the right thing, avoiding an early entry into the NFL draft after his junior year, he finished his senior year and graduated from a well known University.

As the draft day neared there was lots and lots of buzz. He had all the right moves and the right size and excellent speed. Since was a star in college it looked as though he would be a superstar in the NFL. The fact is… Career-wise he may have put himself in a bad position because he was so good. His talents had elevated him beyond the “good teams looking for the final piece” and into the part of the upper part of the draft that was reserved for the truly desperate teams looking for any talent…Even if it was just a spectacle that sold a few tickets.

As usual for those in the NFL Draft, he went to the combines, he impressed the scouts, and he did a lot of talking to GM’s. On draft day 2002 he was picked 2nd overall. He was excited, his new team was excited, and the fans were besides themselves. As the new season dawned everyone thought this was the beginning of a dynasty career.

It wasn’t to be. While the Running Back had been a man among boys on the grid iron of Division I football, he met his match in the NFL. He played hard and did well. But he wasn’t what everyone was expecting. Not himself, his coach, the GM, his teammates, or the fans. The biggest problem was not even himself… It was the Quarterback. The old cagey veteran QB saw himself as a passer and refused to hand off the ball to the Running Back more than a few times a game. The Running Back was disappointed, but he accepted his new role on the team. Afterall, this was a team sport and he knew it couldn’t be about him. After the 2002 season he reflected on his successes and failures. He had some solid numbers (lots of yards, some TD’s, but also some notable fumbles and miscues.) He was hungry for more. He wanted to see his team win. He knew it wasn’t 100% up to him, but he wanted to contribute to taking his team to the playoffs… Maybe even the big game.

It wasn’t to be. At the end of the first season the quarterback made a big deal about “this punky kid who always wants the ball” and demanded that the Running Back be traded. So, in less than a year, the Running Back was traded and sent to another team.

Now this next team was on the rise. In the 2001 draft they took a QB high in the draft and in his first 2 seasons his arm had carried them deep into the playoffs. Sure, he made mistakes, but he was a winner. The team loved him and he loved the team. Together, the Running back and the young QB were a powerful duo. Everyone was besides themselves as they entered the 2003 season. Immediately, the QB’s arm combined with the Running Back’s skills elevated this team to the stratosphere. They blitzkreiged the football world with their abilities and they dominated the games. The fans were happy, the owner was happy, the GM was happy, the coach was happy, the QB was happy, and the Running Back was happy. Halfway into the season the newspapers were alive with talk about “a new dynasty” and that it wasn’t a matter of “if” these two would lead their team to the Super Bowl Championship, it was a matter of how many Championships they would win together.

It wasn’t to be. About halfway through the 2003 season the QB was hurt badly. His leg was broken so back and his neck was hurt that the young QB was left with no other choice but to retire. The team was devastated. The fans were besides themselves. While they still came to the games, they hardly cheered. The Running Back was hurt by the loss of the young QB. He kept saying to himself “Why me? Why can’t I just be on a winning team?” The coach and the GM managed to keep the Running Back’s head in the game. While the team lost a lot of games that year… The Running Back had a phenomenal year. They put the ball in his hands and he didn’t disappoint. For the rest of the 2003 season they didn’t win a game.

As the 2004 season neared, the team was still left without a QB. They had hoped to bring in a QB just like the last guy… One who could inspire the team to victory and impress the fans with his playmaking ability. The GM and the coach looked to free-agency to replace the young QB. In fact, at one point they thought they had superstar. They offered him a contract, the Running Back was excited about it. It looked as though the team would soon be back to it’s winning ways.

It wasn’t to be. The free agent superstar walked away from the deal and went back to his old team.

The 2004 season was terrible. While the Running Back had a solid season, he had a hard time hiding his disappointment. He knew that his skills and talent could only take his team so far… afterall… He knew his place as a running back. He couldn’t be a QB and he wasn’t the coach or the GM. Things got so bad that he considered retirement. Retirement after only 3 years? That wouldn’t be retiring… It would be quitting! He even thought about changing positions.

After a disastrous 2004 season, despite a less productive but solid season in the NFL, lots of injuries and lots of infighting, the team couldn’t wait to leave camp at the end of the year. The only good thing about the tumultuous season was that the 2005 NFL draft was looking good for the Running Back. He knew that the #1 pick would assure them a talented QB.

Draft day came and just as expected… A fresh new QB was selected. This one had plenty of talent too. The Running Back was excited as the 2005 season neared. He thought to himself, “Finally, all of the nonsense is behind me, now I can get back to running the ball and helping my team win. The pressure is off of me… We can share the pressure.”

It wasn’t to be. Early in the season, despite some great wins, the Running Back wasn’t happy that he wasn’t getting the ball like he was used to over the last 2 seasons. He was still productive, but it wasn’t the same. He kept thinking to himself, “Use me to open up the passing game.” But the QB and the GM and the coach had decided to pass the ball first and only run when needed. Instead of the “featured back” the Running Back could see that the mood had changed… “They want me to be a utility back!”

This spent the Running Back spinning emotionally. He knew he could be a superstar. He knew it was merely a matter of getting the ball in his hands and making things happen. It was humiliating to think of himself as a just a utility back. While he was still the starting running back for an NFL team, he had to deal with lost dreams and aspirations of greatness. While this new QB might lead them to the Super Bowl, the Running Back would never be the MVP as a utility back. The Hall of Fame… Forget about it. His dreams are over.

It just wasn’t to be. To make matters worse, after a few games the coach, QB, and GM pulled the Running Back aside. He knew it wasn’t going to be a good time. He just felt it. The young QB talked. (Who lets a rookie QB talk?) He said, “Now that this is my team [who gives a rookie the team?] I think we don’t need a running back anymore. Heck, I think you were a wasted trade, if I were here we wouldn’t have taken you.” Then the GM went on to explain that the team had decided that since the rookie QB didn’t need a running back anymore, maybe the Running Back should think about becoming a wide receiver, or a clipboard carrying back-up QB.

This is where our story ends. With the Running Back, in his jersey, on the sidelines holding a clipboard and wearing a headset. The Running Back thinks to himself, “Do I need to be traded, do I need to quit, or do I just swallow my dreams and take the stupid clipboard and be happy that the owner still writes me a check?” He calls the signals and a tear runs down his face.

Football is life.

A Difficult Battle
This whole thing with Terri Schiavo is very strange to me. To say that it is a difficult thing to comment on would be an understatement. Of the blogs that I regularly visit, Pastor Ray has touched on it while all the rest seem to be ignoring it.

As I look on the whole thing I have to admit that I am pretty ignorant of the major issues. The whole “I believe this” and “I believe that” all seems to be awash because Mrs. Schiavo didn’t tell anyone and didn’t have a document detailing her wishes. For over a decade people have been trying to put words in her mouth so that they could get their way. Then here in the last 12 months or so it has become a national news story. All of a sudden the same names and faces that pop up over right to life issues nationally start to speak out about a case where they know what you and I know… the media stories. From where we sit we look at this case as a “Roe vs. Wade” type of thing when in fact it is not. It should be a private family matter.

A Personal Battle
The reality is that since Mrs. Schiavo didn’t have her wishes in writing (we wouldn’t have even heard of this case if she had) no one knows what she really wanted. Her husband says that she wouldn’t have wanted to live like this. Her parents say they should keep her alive for as long as it takes. The courts are taking what the husband says and what the court appointed doctors think and are trying to make a difficult decision. If I had to put my two cents in about it I would say that it is a personal decision that should be left to the husband alone. If I had to make the choice I think I would try to error on the side of life but it is not up to me. When the Schivo’s got married they became eachothers help mates. He should know her better than anyone and it seems fair that he should be able to speak for her.

Fair Warning
I have resolved inside myself to not be Terri Schiavo. Perhaps this will be a good “teachable moment” for the church to step up and say “we all should have a plan for these types of things” and point to someone who can help people get living will or some document like that.

A Stark Reality
I work with “the invinceable” adolescents of the church. It seems far fetfched that they “get this case” or it’s importance since most of them have no cognative ability to see that someday they too will die. That they too may end up in similar circumstances as Mrs. Schiavo. So maybe this whole this is just a personal reminder for Kristen and I? That’s more like it.

With another fresh coat of snow yesterday, the golf nazi’s are in full effect. My personal goal of starting my golf year in March is now officially dead. While I could go to one of the many golf domes in the area… It is hardly the same.

In other news:
Last night’s Napoleon Dynamite nite was a lot of fun, but a failure. It turns out one of the classes at the school put their movie night at the same time. That’s a real bummer for me since it wasn’t on the school calendar at all. I generally never ever do that… But I just didn’t know.

In still other news:
I’ve had a good week with the two problems that I had to address earlier in the week. In both instances it wasn’t pleasant, but it was dealt with swiftly, appropriately, and in love. Nothing in working with students is harder than issues of personal sin or sexuality. Eeks.

I think I am at the point where I would like to start separating myself from the evangelical powerhouse James Dobson. At the same time, there are many things that he does and says that I still embrace… Here’s an idea of what I mean.

Issues where we part company:

1. Becoming a PAG. It is putting the nail in the coffin to step down from Focus on the Family and create a political arm. He will soon be the Stuart Little of the 2000’s just like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. I have no doubt that he will run for president in 2008 and never make it to the New Hampshire primaries.
2. Making absolute truth a faith issue. This is “modern evangelicalism’s” inability to cope with the reality that we live in a post-modern society that believes in graded-absolutism at best and absolute relativism at it’s worst. The reality is that Christianity was born out of relativism and only embraced absolutism in Colonial times. Do the research!
3. Picking homosexual marriage as the “Little Big Horn of Christianity.” I just think he is fighting a battle that will ultimately be lost. Homosexual marriage has been defeated everywhere it has come up, it is based on a complete lie of secular humanism, (Born gay? Show me one sliver of research to back this up! There isn’t any but millions believe! Eerily similar to the idea of “separation of church and state.”) My opinion is that Christ can thrive in a United States that embraces homosexuals. It will be ugly, but the church will survive.
4. His allegiance with the home school movement. As I’ve shared in All Blogs before, it is my opinion that the home school movement is 100% wrong for Christians beyond the primary ages. It does not make sense that Dobson wants to change society without beingi involved in the educational process of children. He should be imploring universally that believers pour themselves into public life and public schools, but he has aligned himself with something that will sink the ship of many local churches and enter them into complete irrelevance.
5. His talking head status. I am tired of seeing him on CNN, FoxNews, and MSNBC. Does he not see that he is the goat of the conservative agenda? He looks like a fool in that he always says yes. It makes him seem as though he is interested in the fame of Hollywood.
6. The church has a responsibility to be political. I thought our responsibility was to disciple believers? Certainly an aspect of that is to teach truth that will cause action (such as social change) but we should not be endorsing a political party in such a way that violates our sacred duties.

Issues where I will always agree:

1. Abortion is infanticide and a black eye to the United States. Abortion on demand must stop… We will agree on that. The wholesale slaughter of unborn children under the title “human choice” is reprehensible at best and criminal at worst. The American people have turned their cheek to it and not realized that it has become a business venture and a perpetuation of racism. Why is it that over 75% of Planned Parenthood clinics are in African American neighborhoods?
2. Homosexuality is a sin. Yep, and so is any kind of sex outside of a marriage relationship. There is no doubt about this… The Bible could not be more clear on the issue. Even if people were “born gay” they still have the choice to act on this behavior or not act on this behavior. We are all natural born sinners. But if we are born to do something (such as alcoholism or addictions) we still have a responsibility to act according to what the Bible instructs us. Porn with a predisposition to something does not give us license to embrace it… Tell that to a cancer patient!
3. Parental responsibilities and discipline. I love and use Dobson’s books in raising my children. If he would “Focus on the Family” and not politics, I would still be embracing him!
4. Embracing these things could lead to real culture wars and the fall of the United States. I couldn’t agree more. Yet the Christ will still remain. Unchanged and unchangeable.

Postlude: Perhaps there are 2 people who will read this. It was not written for a mass audience. This was written to crystallize my own viewpoint as an evangelical and a pastor. My responsibility is to shepherd my flock… Which includes leading them to good water, leading them to good food, and keep them safe. It is my opinion that to do this best is to steer them away from the PAG that James Dobson has become… Hopefully after his failed attempt to run in 08 he will double back and focus on the family again! In the meantime, we can embrace portions of his ministry while steering clear of his political action.