Happy Trails

Lots of things happening so I'll report quickly...

1) Our book discussion on Christianity Redicovered is continuing and I think is starting to get interesting and should sharpen up. You can join us or be a squatter here.

2) My tour of the Northwest (okay only Boise and Nampa, Idaho) is coming to a close as I type this. It has been a good visit. I have never been to this part of the country and so I enjoyed being here, being with the people and seeing some friends - like Mike and Sandy Kipp and family - that I hadn't seen in quite a while.

3) Which means I'm off to Ohio. I hope to hook up with Jim, James and Tevis at the least. If I'm lucky, I'll wear my Michigan hat, talk emerging church stuff, start a bunch of fights and leave! Actually I just hope to join a party, give a few gifts, tell a bunch of stories and make some friends. So if you're out there, give me shout and we'll hook up later Monday night.

4) Confessions of the day...
- I just picked up the Da Vinci Code and hope to knock it out on these lovely long flights.
- Idaho is beautiful, but doubt I could live there.
- I miss my family.
- Quote of the day that I also own, "At this point I had to make the humiliating admission that I did not know what the gospel was." (Vincent Donovan, "Christianity Rediscovered" pg. 24)

Idaho and Ohio

I'm heading to Idaho on Thursday. I'll be in Nampa (near Boise). I've never been. I know I'll be meeting a few folks for some great conversations. I also know that there are some cool emergent bubblings coming from Idaho these days.

Then it's to Ohio and Mount Vernon. That's a short trip but probably will have some time Monday night to turkish leg wrestle or just enjoy a hot beverage and conversation (Tevis if you're out there...).

Control is an issue

God is really working on me lately about how much I like to be in "control". It's all an illusion I know and I know that I should turn things over to him and let go, but knowing it in my head and doing it in my heart are two different things. I'm learning that he is preparing the way if I can just let go enough to enjoy it and allow it. I don't know where this comes from, but it is quite obvious to me right now and I'm not sure how to wade through it.

God has been working as only he can - through conversations, light and heavy, with friends, close and far, and with his leanings, clear and murky.

One of the passages read today at midday is from Exodus 14. It tells the story of Moses stretching out his hand, the sea parting, the Israelites fleeing the Egyptians on dry land and the water crashing down on the Egyptian army. God the God of faithfulness and freedom.

God help me to trust you as the deliverer and the one who brings freedom.

Christianity re-discovered ch 2.

If you haven't jumped into our discussion yet, but are even slightly interested, let me encourage you to go for it. Even though we are in chapter 2 and heading to chapter 3 by Friday, the chapters are small and it is an easy catch-up. We're running it through Josh's blog... at the very least, link over and check it out.

Making Friends

Spent some time in St. Louis with some new friends, Xavier and Diane DeHoyos from the Texas Oklahoma Latin District. They were in STL to see the convention center and hotels and stuff for NYC. They are great people with huge hearts for kids and for the kingdom. It was great hanging out with them!

Also made some friends at the Mid-America Nazarene University - MAX event. It is another of the regional events for High School students and it was great to meet new friends, see old friends and share with people about the huge party I'm throwing next summer!

I'm also making some new friends through our book discussion group on Vincent Donovan's "Christianity Rediscovered" at Josh's blog. And there is a really interesting discussion at Jeff's blog about alliteration, preaching and how we are "saved". It's all pretty light stuff really:)

Beautiful day here so i'm heading out to play with the kids!!

Christianity Re-discovered - Intro

We're beginning our discussion today of Vincent Donovan's book "Christianity Rediscovered". You can join our comments here! It should be fun...

Trying to get fired...

Yesterday I went to a meeting. I went in trying to get fired. I was just going to say exactly what I thought was best and not really pay much mind to the fall out. So I did. I wasn't unkind or mean, but I was honest and wasn't afraid to tell the emperor that he had no clothes. And...

It was really well received. I told Carol when I got home, "God must really want us here, because today I tried to get fired and instead people loved it." Which means either I'm (a) going where God has gone before, or (b) getting really soft and am not controversial at all. I'm really hoping for option a, because if its b then "bummer". All this to say, where's my courage? I should have been saying these things all along with no fear. Not that I've been tip-toeing around trying not to get noticed. I just haven't been going to meetings and places where I could say those things.

God give me light to see where I should step and courage to open my mouth and the words to say when it opens.

Stations of the Cross

I grew up Protestant and all that goes with that. I don't begrudge that history of mine, but there I had to "discover" some of the great things of Christian church history and tradition as I've grown into my own faith. One of those practices is the "Stations of the Cross".

There are a couple that are particularly super on-line that I've stumbled upon. My friend Josh and his youth group put it up in the church for their church (great to see the youth leading the church to the cross, yes?!?). You can join them here. Be sure to scroll down and see them all.

Also of great value to me is Spencer Burke's "Stations" from the ooze. You can journey through them here.

Our church commissioned an adult and a youth/child to do a painting on each of the stations. They put them up around the church and had a guide to walk you through them. We did it as a family and it was great. To use a term Tim uses often, "the time was pregnant with God's presence". Here is a pic from one of the stations.

No matter if you do it online or at your church or somewhere else, I'd just recommend taking the time to do it, to pause and reflect at each one, to listen to what is being said to you, to stumble upon where you might be in the story and to find the question that is being asked of you and your life at this time.

I think the question coming to me again and again is, "who is your neighbor?" Interestingly there is a great post on Mark's blog that tells a story and in its own way, begs this question.

Spring time is here

Thunderstorms are rolling through the Kansas plains, baseball has started (anybody been to a game yet?), the weather is warming, I worked in my yard... and Easter is coming up.

I love Easter. I haven't always. I used to wonder why it was really that special. I knew about Easter. I knew the story. But I didn't really get it. Then I started reading about Jesus, his culture, his ways. I was blown away by all that was really going on at Easter, grasped by the Jewish festivals and their meaning and the ways they told the bigger story. Easter became more than just chocolate, dress-up clothes and church services. Easter became a movement to me. I hope Easter is moving you too these days.

If you don't know much about Easter, or if it bores you, or if you think its only about big breakfasts (Yeah Steelmans from Bel Air... you do a really good big breakfast!), then let me encourage you to research a little bit on the Passover, the Festival of Wheat, the Festival of First Fruits. Let me encourage you to connect one story to your story to the bigger story.

If this has intrigued you a bit and you'd like to hear more... let me know. Maybe I'll do a week long Easter week post blogoseries.

The Life of a Nazarene youth pastor

This article is just awesome! The only thing better is the whole site. If you are a youth worker, were a youth worker, or have thought about it... this is for you!

It all comes back to me...

In a bit of an odd turn of events, I have been recently been united with some great friends!

First, Tiz got in touch with me through this blog of all places. Weird, I know. Mike and I have spent many a night trying to fish amidst thunder, lightning, hail and tornados and many a day on the golf course chasing my shots all over God's green earth (and sandy earth and watery earth, etc). Oh, and we also worked together for years.

Next, I got to meet up with Josh and Andy B. We went to college together and sometimes maybe went to class. We often were found in fine hang-outs like Bray's, Donut Land, and "the moon". (our favorite Bray's waiter = Billie - she was great!)

Its been truly wonderful to visit with them, catch up a bit, and tell stories. How great!

God is good!