School Lunch

Last Thursday, I enjoyed eating lunch with my son at his school. I had wanted to do this for some time but had worked to find a day when my schedule would allow me to eat a school lunch on Pizza Day.

Interesting thing. School pizza, rectangle and all, is just as you remember it. But pizza was just the main course of the meal. I enjoyed my rectangle cheese pizza with a side order of mashed potatoes, cheesy broccoli and cantaloupe. I topped it off with a chocolate milk. For the record, I usually would not eat mashed potatoes and broccoli with pizza. As it turns out, once you worked through the thin layer of film on the scoop of potatoes, they were actually quite tasty. Same goes for the broccoli.

Two other items of note:
1. School lunch for an adult now costs $3.75.
2. My son eats lunch each day at 10:35! But, hey, to eat lunch at school with my son and to get to eat rectangle-shaped school pizza, you do what you have to do.

With Honor

Last week, I attended the graveside service for the father of a member of our church. As a result of the man having honorably served as a member of the United States Armed Forces, he was given a funeral with full military honors. To honor the man, a local group of military veterans, the Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard (www.milhonors.com), was in attendance at the graveside and provided a 21 gun salute along with the playing of taps while also offering a brief eulogy.

Several of the men in the Honor Guard who were in attendance that day were WWII and Korean War veterans. Older men. Some seemingly quite frail. But they were there to respectfully honor another veteran. A man, who like they, had bravely served our country.

The Honor Guard has provided this service to military veterans and their families on over 3800 occasions. With honor. Always with honor.

Five Years in Full-time Ministry

Yesterday was an anniversary of sorts as I completed my 5th year of serving in a full-time ministry position at Sevier Heights. And what an amazing journey the last five years have been! Originally brought on staff to coordinate recreation ministries, I've seen my job duties change significantly since September 2004.

But one thing that has not changed is that I am fortunate to work on a staff with individuals who truly love Christ. I'm blessed to work with people of integrity who desire to follow Him and serve Him with their lives. People who are the same in the office on Tuesdays or Thursdays that they are on Sundays when lots of people are around.

God is blessing our church and I am very fortunate to be a part of what He is doing.

Fun on Friday- Parking Lot Issues That Bother Me

1. When people without handicapped plates or tags park in handicapped parking spaces

2. When people carelessly park their car and take up two parking spaces

3. When people purposely park their car and take up three parking spaces because their vehicle either cost some ridiculous amount of money or because it's been tricked out

4. When people leave their shopping cart randomly in the parking lot; maybe worse yet is when people push their cart to the corral and then leave the cart on the outside of the corral

5. When "special" people park in the fire lane because they are just going to "run in the store" for a minute; because somehow them "running into" the store to get a gallon of milk is so very different from people like me who park in the parking lot and go in the store to buy some milk

Bezalel

In the Old Testament book of Exodus, reference is made to a little known man named Bezalel (chapter 31:1-11). There are several things that I find striking about Bezalel, the man he was as well as his relationship to Moses:

1. God gave the command and the direction for how the tabernacle should be built to Moses but He gave the skill and knowledge on how to actually build it to Bezalel (v.11).

2. Moses we've heard about, but Bezalel, not so much. Moses was a leader of people but he was not a builder as Bezalel was (v. 3). However, God used both of them, just in very different ways.

3. At the moment that Bezalel was selected by God for this special purpose (v. 2), it's very likely that Bezalel was simply going about his daily business. He probably never gave any thought that he might one day have his name included in Scripture. But he was living his life in such a way that God could, and did, use him.

Here's The Point: Bezalel was not known as a preacher, teacher or worship leader. But he was filled with "the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" (v. 3). Each of us should use the skills that God has given us, whatever they may be, in His service.

Friends Becoming Parents

It's only been in the last three and a half years that Tonya and I have been connecting with young married and engaged couples through Bible Fellowship and Small Groups. Both have been wonderful experiences. But another super thing is beginning to happen. Some of the couples for whom I have conducted their pre-marital counseling are beginning to become parents. That is so cool!

To have played a small role in helping these couples try to get their marriage started well, and then to try to help encourage and mentor them and ultimately to see their marriages thrive, it's now doubly rewarding to see God bless them with children!!

Congratulations guys!!

In Times of Struggle

Taught through Romans chapter 7 on Sunday. In verses 13-25, Paul (the author of Acts) writes of the struggles that he continually faced in his daily life: v. 18 and 19 (NIV)- "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do- this I keep on doing". Paul's honesty is very encouraging. To think that the Apostle Paul, the author of much of the New Testament and the carrier of the Gospel to much of the world had struggles is, in many ways, very helpful. If Paul, a man of great faith and conviction, had struggles, it should come as no surprise that we will as well (I mean Paul is like a Major League Hall-of Famer; I often feel like I'm in the low minor leagues).

Here's The Point: We often think that everyone who attends church, reads their Bible, etc. has everything all figured out. With no struggles. No rough days. No difficult times. No spiritual battles. To know that Paul had struggles helps me realize that you and I are not alone. And the answer to Paul's struggles is the same answer for you and me: v. 24b and 25a- "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God- through Jesus Christ our Lord".

Living Debt Free

Been teaching through the book of Romans recently. In studying through chapter 6, although I have read it many times before, verse 7 really jumped out to me: "For he who has died has been freed from sin". Couple that with verse 23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the (free) gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". Wow, to know that I can be free from my sin debt because of the payment of Christ on the cross. What an amazing thought that I am free!

Tonya and I work with lots of young married couples. Many of them are saddled with school loan debt and/or credit card debt. Last Sunday, I challenged them to think of how they would live if they were financially debt free. Some might buy matching furniture. Some would buy a house. Some might try to start a family. One couple just purchased a new washing machine and is done with the laundromat forever. Being financially debt free is a really good feeling.

But being spiritually debt free is an even better feeling!

Here's The Point: For those of us who are Christ followers, our sin debt has been paid. We are debt free!! But do we live as if we are free? Do we live in the joy that comes with freedom? Or are we held down by previous bad choices and poor decisions......ones that Christ paid for on the cross? If you've allowed Jesus Christ to take your sin debt upon Himself, you're free. Be thankful and live like it.

Ambiguity Breeds Inefficiency

Ambiguity breeds inefficiency.

When an organization spends an exorbitant amount of time trying to determine who is supposed to be doing what, the what that needs to be done goes undone.

Fun on Friday- Fun in Englewood

A couple of fun pics from our Englewood trip:

This first picture is a great example of creative rednecktivity at work. The Gulf of Mexico was so calm during much of our stay that you could literally float in it like a swimming pool. This picture is of a $1.00 Dollar Tree noodle taped together with duct tape to make a floating ring. And, yes, it worked.

A close-up of the ring:

Oh, how I love cola Slurpees. Wish we had a 7-Eleven in Knoxville:

Flawed Shells

As mentioned in the previous post, the sea shelling in Englewood, Florida was the best we had ever experienced. There was a great diversity of styles, shapes and colors and the shells were plentiful and easily accessible. It was difficult to work through which shells we wanted to keep and bring home and which ones we would leave behind.

Walking along the beach and seeing all the shells, we were very selective and kept only the best shells. The rest we threw back or did not keep. Because they weren't good enough; they were flawed in some way.

Here's The Point: Aren't you glad that God is not like that? Thankfully, he sees His created beauty in each of us. He thinks we are extremely valuable (John 3:16). He doesn't throw us away or leave us behind just because we are flawed.

10th Wedding Anniversary Trip

Back in June, Tonya and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary with a dinner/date night at Ye Olde Steak House. We're not big steak eaters, but once in awhile, and only on special occasions because it's not the cheapest place ever, there's no better place for steak than Ye Olde.

But since 10 years is a big deal, a mark for which we are very thankful, we decided to go away for a long weekend, just the two of us. We checked our schedules, found a great deal with Allegiant Air and we stayed at a beach house some friends of ours have in Englewood, Florida. Englewood is not a major tourist attraction, it doesn't even make an inset map on the back of the AAA Florida state map. But it was perfect for us.

Summer in Englewood is the off-season. You can be on the beach and not have anyone within 100 yards of you (very different from a Myrtle Beach family vacation). Located on a thin strip of land between the Gulf of Mexico (with its peaceful waves and beautiful sunsets) and Manasota Key, Englewood is the home to Stump Pass State Park. While it may not have the most compelling name ever, Stump Pass was an awe-inspiring gem. It is also a great destination for those who enjoy seashelling. I'll write a bit about that in my next post. For now, here are a couple of photos:

What the Words Mean

A couple of days ago, I was called to go visit a family in our church who had to take their son to the ER at Children's Hospital. I waited at the check-in desk in the ER behind an Hispanic couple who had brought in their young son who was no more than two years old. The young boy was obviously not feeling well, was crying and his nose was running. The nurse trying to check them in could not understand their Spanish and the couple's English was very poor. She asked them to sit to the side until they could locate an interpreter. After I checked in and waited for the family from our church, I couldn't help but feel for the young Hispanic family. There they sat in the middle of a hospital waiting room surrounded by health-related posters and fliers that detailed hospital policy as well as common hygiene information. Cable news channels were broadcasting just over their shoulder, providing current health-related information as well as updates regarding the H1N1 virus. Yet none of this information was helpful to them. Because they didn't know what the words meant.

That same evening, Tonya and I were involved in a meeting for the parents of kindergarten students. The teacher explained how the children would be learning to read as the year progressed. As I looked around the room at all the display boards and posters and screens, I realized that for many kindergarten students, all these words were no more than slashes and marks and lines of ink on a page. Because they don't yet know what the words mean.

Here's The Point: If you are reading this post, you are obviously able to read. It's also likely if you are a reader of this blog that you are a Christ-follower. Wouldn't it be a travesty for us to have access to The Word (God's Word, the Bible) and not know what the words mean? To have access to a bound copy that we can carry (openly and publicly); to have access to online copies of multiple versions of scripture that we can study and compare; to have the ability to use numerous commentaries and Bible studies; and to still not know what the Word means, would be wasting a wonderful gift.

The NINES

If you are interested in learning insights from lots of church and ministry leaders, I'd encourage you to check out the attached link and register to attend the free online event "The NINES". It occurs on 9/9/09 beginning at 9:09 AM and is sponsored by Leadership Network.

http://www.thenines.eventbrite.com/

Be Our Guest (a $16.95 value)

In recent years, as a Christmas gift from Tonya's parents, our family has been blessed to receive a yearly membership to the Knoxville Zoo. If you don't have children, you're probably thinking "I went there once, that was enough. Why would anyone want an annual pass?" I used to think the same way. But with two young sons who are enamored with animals, it has been a great gift for our family.

This morning, we went to the zoo and arrived just as it was opening. There was a line out front at the ticket window as several people were waiting to purchase tickets and Tonya mentioned that we needed to "choose a guest". It was then that I remembered that we've been fortunate for the last couple of years to "add a guest" to our family membership. It costs only a little more but allows us to take a grandparent or one of the boys' friends to the zoo with us. Sometimes, Tonya takes a new mom and her young child with her as an encouragement to the mom (and because our boys love meeting babies). But on those days when we go to the zoo without a prearranged guest, Tonya is always thoughtful to find someone in line, a stranger, and offers to save them the price of admission by asking them to "be our guest". It costs us nothing, but saves our "guest" $16.95.

Here's The Point: It's always a good feeling to surprise someone with free zoo admission. Today, we asked a local grandmother to be our guest. As we walked her through the entrance gate, she shared that her grandchildren were in town for the weekend and that they had never been to the Knoxville Zoo. Maybe she spent some of the money she saved on slush puppies for her grandkids?

Fun on Friday- Types of Facebookers

If you're on Facebook, you're probably like one of the types of Facebookers described in the linked article (actually, you're probably like two or three of the types of people). But you will most certainly have a friend who is the Obscurist or the Town Crier.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/20/annoying.facebook.updaters/index.html

Dirty Laundry

Last night, the WALK, a main emphasis of our church's college ministry hosted the first WALK service on our church campus for the fall semester (last week the first WALK of the semester met on the World's Fair site in downtown Knoxville). To begin this semester, our College Pastor Tim Miller, is leading a series called Dirty Laundry, looking at things in our life that we try to ignore until we finally have to deal with them. To try to vividly attempt to help "change the way you view church" (a slogan our college ministry promotes to students), over 300 volunteers in our church had agreed to wash a bag of dirty laundry for a college student. For free. For a stranger. Just to help them.

Only 50 or so students actually brought bags to be washed. Some people may see that as a disappointment, as if the number of bags washed was somehow the measure of success or failure of the Dirty Laundry campaign. But I see Dirty Laundry as a huge success: over 300 people volunteered to help someone they didn't know, offering to help meet a need; two small groups and one bible fellowship class helped with processing the laundry from the students to the "washers" and then receiving the clean laundry back at the church; members of the church's disaster relief team set-up their laundry trailer and were prepared to wash laundry all night long if necessary and, while they weren't called into service, dozens of people toured the trailer and learned about this unique ministry; and 200 or so people showed up at church at 9:00 PM "ready and willing" to wash laundry but were able to go home and get to bed much earlier than they otherwise would have.

The best thing about Dirty Laundry: over 900 college students were worshipping together at the WALK last night.