Ever known a fool?

An old Christian proverb goes something like this:

"A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom."


Have you ever known someone like that? Someone who won't listen no matter what? You see them walking into disaster, something COMPLETELY boneheaded and try to warn them, but you might as well be verbally talking to Helen Keller. It's not getting through.

In fact that proverb makes it out that it's almost like a game to a fool... they find pleasure in their folly.

Not only have I known, and currently know people like this. I have been this person before, and I'm sure I'll do it again.

Anticipation...

At Blue Ridge we have baptisms just 4 times a year. Unlike most church ministries though, we make it an all day celebration rather than a funny little footnote on the end of a service.

Tomorrow will be a very special baptism service in my life.

Here's why:

#1 and most importantly of all... my son will be baptized. His choice, none of my pushing and he's pumped! It's been a cool journey watching him grow his own understanding of God, and begin a neat journey of his own. Tomorrow will put an exclamation point on that, and I not only get to see it, but I get to participate. Needless to say I CAN'T WAIT! I know I'll be a crying soppy mess, but it's worth it!

#2 this will be the largest student ministries baptism we've had yet. So far there are circa 30 people getting dunked. Out of those 30, 15 will be in middle school or high school. Out of those 15, 10 are in high school. We're seeing students take authentic steps of faith in all areas of their lives, and they're not doing it blindly or with washed brains. No, they're doing it with big hearts and excitement/love for God.

If you see me tomorrow and I'm floating a little... don't worry about it, it's absolutely normal. The anticipation is KILLIN ME!

Hard Stuff...

My life and job are full of times that I have to say hard stuff to people that I care about deeply. This week has been an especially difficult one with that dynamic of my life.

I know it's good, and I know its the best/wise thing for me to do, but I'm so spent right now.

My parents are staying with us this week, and my dad said something that is so relevant to this idea today.

"Common sense is lost"

This isn't a "I hate society" statement. Rather a "Culture is changing" statement.

Common sense is uncommon, and SOME, not ALL of the conversations that I have with people should just be common sense. Honestly, that then wrenches my heart and upsets me.

Then I remember... I do stupid stuff all the time too. I quickly calm down and become grateful for the people in my life that have and do say hard things to me, and have helped me to gain what I have come to recognize as common sense.

I'm glad for people like this, and hope I can be that person for someone else.

My Love Affair...

I love words... a single well placed word can say so much. I honestly feel sorry for people that feel like they need to fill every open hole in their sentences with an expletive. It's as if the language part of their brain never developed past that of an infant.

I digress...

This started with me as a child... loving to read, loving to be read to. From there it developed more and more into my late childhood to early teens. I can remember a specific instance where I realized I liked words more than most. I was 11 years old and I had just purchased a new bike with money I had saved from my paper route. It was a bright blue Dyno D-Tour with white tires.


I had picked it special from the bike shop and saved for about a year. I can remember riding it the first time in my neighborhood over to my friends house. As I was doing a brake stall at his front door while talking I was explaining to my friend how fast my new bike was. I said "It's as fast as the proverbial wind." My friend looked at me with a face that said "WHAAAA?"

Granted I didn't use that word exactly right. I guess the wind is infamous in it's own way, but the love affair began there. I actually began reading the dictionary. Words were fascinating to me. I even started trying to use a new word a day in a conversation. I'm a freak I realize, but I was in love.

So, if I ever use a big word... I'm not trying to look smarter than I really am. I'm just a kid in love.

TIME...

Time is a sly invention.

We all have a set amount of it, and we're not getting anymore. In fact, I'm losing time every second... they just tick, tick, tick away. Time is something we all want to learn how to use better, but are afraid many times to really answer questions like "What did I do today?" or "What did I do this year?"

We make promises to ourselves to "get in shape" this year. Or finish this statement how you last did "I'm going to start..." working out, reading more, studying really hard, spending more time with my family, calling my mom more, eating breakfast. Our intentions as pure as they can be, and yet we fail ourselves.

And if you're anything like me... you realize that you've not done what you wanted to do as time goes by and then you try to make up for your lack of follow through by doing one big push. Me... I say "Oh crap! I haven't been working out consistently" and then I will go at it really hard for one day in the hopes of getting back to where I was when I left off. It doesn't work as you know... I end up hurting myself, or being so sore that when the next day comes around for my workout... I can barely move.

Here's what I know... Small investments of time over long periods gain cumulative results!

So instead of asking "What time is it?"

Start asking a new question...

How am I spending my time?

Because all of the time we are given in our lives will be spent, but will it be used in a way to bring value to our lives?

I don't think I'll ever look back and wish I didn't spend the time eating dinner with my boys... where will you invest small chunks of your time over a long period to bring a cumulative value to your life?

Funny how life changes

in the last 5 years my life has shifted dramatically. Not necessarily all for good, or all for bad, just different.

In high school, college and beyond my life was pretty much centered around music. I was always singing, playing instruments and around people who were like that. I played the sports and stuff, but music was my deal. I loved to sing... still do. I loved to create music with playing the piano and trumpet for many years. Writing songs for our senior show to commemorate people we lost that year. Later, learning to play the guitar and singing favorites like John Mayer, Dashboard Confessional and others.

Then something happened... not sure what, but something. I know my job change affected it to some degree, because music was not a core part of what I "do" anymore. Consequently though I've grown to miss it.

I guess I'm getting "ferclept" because I'm sitting in my basement, looking at two guitars that are covered with dust like old books in an antiquities part of a library. I dream from time to time of getting up like I used to in front of crowds and singing my heart out. Spilling out my soul for everyone to see and walking away feeling more whole than when I arrived. To some it is scary, to me it was fulfilling.

But, alas... that is not my path.

Now I speak, something I would have never seen coming. I'm still uneasy on a weekly basis thinking about it. Stomach churning, mouth getting dry... stuff I never experienced singing. It makes me ask why many times, but I always come back to the same answer.

Singing was easy... Singing is easy... Easy was never promised to me. That almost feels masochistic and I guess in some way it is. I'm losing "my life" to gain "real life"

So, I put that down again... walk away from it... will sing with my heart and let go of the rest.

Be who you are and nothing else

I'm not a home improvement guy... that has been made VERY clear to me. This week I dove into a project head first only to find myself drowning. A great friend and a fellow guy who loves teenagers as much as me came to my rescue. Tim Davidson, after spending 13 hours at my house yesterday helping me put a new shower/bath in my bathroom made me think about the following:

I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it.

Thanks Tim for being the right arm of my body... I'll treasure working with you yesterday FOREVER!


PS... if you're wondering Romans 12:3-10 The Message

Criticism ROCKS!

For the past year I've been the only communicator for High School at Blue Ridge. Some of my friends from college are thinking "duh" right now, but for me that's a stretch. Not where I'm going guys... keep up!

So, during that year-a-thon (mixed a time frame with a marathon) I've learned a lot about communicating to and with a large crowd of people, and believe I've grown as a communicator. It's been SUPER helpful to have someone as frank as Jeremy helping me along with encouragement and helpful criticism.

The latest criticism needed no assistance.

On Thursday at our teaching team meeting we were talking about the recent talks, and the question was asked "How long have they been?" I answered "Well, they've been a little longer than normal, but nothing big." Jeremy responded with "Well, look at the podcast, it will tell you exactly."

I thought nothing of this, as really I believed myself to only have gone over say 10 minutes.

As iTunes loaded we chatted, and I was unafraid of the result. How foolish of me.

I went to podcasts, opened the Fusion podcast to find that the last two talks were over 50 minutes long... GOO! That's horrible! I was shooting for 25-30 minutes and I went WAY over!

So, now I have been sitting here on this Saturday night... CUTTING. REMOVING. SLASHING. This problem must be resolved.

Tomorrow will be a different day... this thing will be concise!

Grateful for criticism!

You spin me around

One of the coolest things happened today! I started my day by dropping my car off with probably the most trustworthy student I've ever known. Kevin Martin, or K-mart as I call him. K-mart grew up Mennonite and I love the story that he is now at Blue Ridge, because those thoughts don't normally fit together.

K-mart is a mechanic at 18 years old and a darn good one from what I hear. He and his friends have offered their abilities and their Saturdays to take my '97 Mitsubishi Galant and make her road worthy once more. Notice I said offered... Kevin came to me... SO COOL! And such a show of their collective hearts.

Not only that, but I'm driving THIS:

Yes... that is a Volvo C70, and it is SWEET!

I LOVE STUDENT MINISTRIES, because I get to watch kids grow up. Kevin is a story of God. He's gone from not talking to anyone, to asking to fix my car and playing the electric guitar in our HS band.

I hope I can be a HS director until I die!

Learned something at a deeper level today

I've been explaining to people lately how as I get older, that the Bible seems to play out more and more right in front of me. Today, not only did I see it, but I felt it.

I've been working out and when I started I bought the armband for my iPod, but as time went on I started noticing how as humans... we are not connected at all. In turn... I was adding to this as I was sinking myself into my own ears whilst pushing weights around. So, I decided to ditch the iPod, listen to the horrible music they play in the gym and actually notice that there are people around me.

That's the set up... keep reading.

Today, as I was traveling from area to area I ran across an older gentleman that I had not seen before. He looked to be about 70, and seemed to be struggling just a bit with his current exercise. I smiled at him, nodded and continued on. Like I said I didn't notice any huge health problems with him outside of normal age wear and tear.

Later in my workout as I was sitting on the Pec Fly machine this same man walked by. This is when it happened. As he walked by, and really I mean as he pulled himself by me, I noticed that there was more going on then I had previously recognized. Apparently he had experienced a stroke, and looked like a sizable one at that. His entire right side was all but incapacitated. He was pulling his right leg, his right arm was basically limp at his side and his face drooped a little. As I'm taking all this in he turned in a reciprocal manner and smiled a crooked little smile at me.

In that moment... I saw my dad. My dad hasn't had a stroke. In fact my dad doesn't have really any health problems. But in his eyes I saw my dad, and my heart broke. Don't get my wrong... I felt bad for this guy on his own, but seeing my dad as my mind fooled me tore me up. I choked and fought back tears, and had to end my workout early.

This moment taught me at a deeper level what Ephesians 6 means when it says "honor your father and mother". Honor the memory of what they've done in the past. Honor the current people that they are. Honor the fact that one day they won't be with you any longer, and you should make the most of this time.

Thanks mom and dad for making my life a real life Cleavers episode... I was/am so blessed, and I'll ALWAYS honor that from this point forward.

STUPID TEST

I take this Myers-Briggs test about once a year in hopes that it will tell me something different. I know I am the definition of insanity "doing the same thing and expecting a different result". I just can't help myself. The following is what Mrs. Myers and Mrs. Briggs think of me.

You are frank, decisive, and assume leadership readily. You quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies, and develop and implement comprehensive systems to solve organizational problems. You enjoy long-term planning and goal setting. You are usually well informed, well read, enjoy expanding your knowledge and passing it on to others. You are forceful in presenting your ideas.

As if that doesn't sting the soul enough... the wrap up the savoir faire with who you're like:

Famous people with your same ENTJ personality include: Franklin D. Roosevelt (I'm OK with) , Harrison Ford (Indian Jones!), Steve Martin (funny), Whoopi Goldberg (uhhhhh ok), Sigourney Weaver (getting worried), Margaret Thatcher (the "Iron Lady"?), Al Gore (DANGER, DANGER... WHERE'S MY LOCK BOX?), David Letterman (not all that funny, and seems a little jerky) and Jim Carrey (Funny, but doesn't seem very relationally well adjusted).


That list to me looks like a "Who's Who of Loaners". I keep hoping my test will tell me that I'm warm, and caring and compassionate, and that little puppies cry when they see me. That everyone loves me, and that I'm perfectly suited for what I do. Yet again and again it says "You are unqualified".

Good thing I don't let a test be my determining factor for life. CRAP... that's my ENTJ coming out again.

Let's talk about the weather

In Men in Black 2 Agent J (Will Smith) is on a mission searching for the "Light of Zartha". He eventually has to go get his old partner Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) back for some help in this most important mission.

Now as is standard in Big Willie style movies... Agent J (The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire) falls in love with a beautiful woman named Laura Vasquez that just happens to work in a pizza shop. Totally believable so far. Agent J (Mr. July) decides to not "flashy thing" her keeping her memory in tact. And as the movie goes on we quickly realize that Laura Vasquez is not of this world at all. In fact, not only is she an alien, but she IS the "Light of Zartha" made evident by one of the coolest things. Her mood affects the weather.

This is where I'm going... Today I absolutely woke up wishing that it was raining so I could just sit in side, maybe sulk a bit, play some video games and let the world go away. How cool would it be if our mood affected the weather. Actually maybe all of our collective moods do affect the weather, and thats why it's so crazy! So, really I just want MY mood to affect the weather, but then everyone would know how I was feeling at every moment and their personal agenda of day might try to affect my mood.

Wow! This got crazy fast! I'll just go cheer up and finish my work now.

If clocks controlled time...

It's late... I'm sitting at my desk... I should be home, but still feel like there is STUFF to do. So, I glance up to see the clock. Yes, I have an analog clock that ticks and tocks on my wall. As I look at my tickety tock machine I see something that I wish were true.

It's stuck!

Along about 5:10 my clock decided that the battery in it didn't have enough juice to move the second hand anymore, and now that poor little second hand is struggling feverishly to make it up and around. Alas, that grapple will be won by gravity, but how I wish what I was seeing were true.

How I wish that clocks controlled time. For my life to be in stasis at 5:10pm for just maybe another hour... that would be more than splendid.

Again though... that grapple is beyond me... Clocks don't control time, and neither do I. Time moves on whether I like it or not, and writing this blog will not help it slow, let alone stop.

So, why am I still writing? I have a beautiful wife and two rapscallion boys awaiting my arrival with bated breath I'm sure. Or at least they'll be happy to see me.