Where's the water?

I was driving down Riverside yesterday and there had to be 20-30 boats out in like a 1 mile stretch all getting there ski /tube on. I miss the water! I miss the beach. I miss the pier. I miss salt water, sand, and sun. I used to live right on the Hillsborough River in Tampa. I would do anything right about now for a trip to the beach or the lake or the river or the pool or the slip and slide...

Fruit

I preached on the fruit of the spirit tonight. I had a blast. It's always good when we can laugh while learning the Word. For some reason I'm going into this week with a short-timer attitude. I guess I'm anxious for the 4th and all of my fireworks. I pray it'll be a quick week!
As I talked about the fruit it just made me realize how much I still need to grow and stretch. Lord help me be not only fruitful, but full of Your fruit.
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One of those day

Today is one of those marathon Sundays. We have our Patriotic service, the church picnic, and Sunday night service. The picnic will be good because there will be lots of food and fun. I'll only stay for a little bit so that I'll have plenty of time to get ready for tonight. I'm preaching on the fruit of the spirit. I hope we have a blast.
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Saturday Random

- I watched the "Music City Miracle" on NFL network... unbelievable game!

- I think I'm finally over this summer cold

-It's too hot for a beard

- I can't wait to preach from Galatians 5 tomorrow night!

-My friend will be home from Ecuador tomorrow

- This is my 5th 4th of July in Clarksville...I'm still not used to being in one place this long

- I'll get to hang with my friend and mentor Mike Warren next week.

-Less than 39 days until the start of the NFL Preseason

Cornerstone

We are in Madison for Cornerstone Church's annual God and Country rally. The atmosphere is electric. There's over 1000 people here and church doesn't start for 20 minutes...and this is just the Friday night service. They'll reset and do it again Saturday and Sunday. I love it!
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Weekend Services

I've already shared my love for all things pyrotechnic. That being said, if you are in the Nashville area, you don't want to miss what has to be one of the largest indoor fireworks and laser light shows around. Cornerstone Church puts on a true celebration every year. I'll be going to the Friday night service. But they are also putting it on 2 more times after that. Click here for details. Also, we'll be having our annual Independence Day service on Sunday morning. Celebrate your freedom to worship by being in Church this weekend!

Sick and stuff

I came down with bug yesterday. I spent a good part of the day out of it. I think it's just allergies. The meeting Tuesday night was great. It was more then I excepted. I pray we'll see positive change flow out of these meetings.

We discussed all kinds of issues that the TN A/G faces in reaching people for Jesus. I'm proud to serve with leaders who understand that the only thing sacred is the message. The quote of the night was from Sis. Alice Jane Schafer Blythe. She said "Every change is a challenge, every challenge is a chance...for God to be God". Good stuff.

Off to listen

I'm headed to a ministers function tonight. In the Army we had these things called "sensing sessions". It's when the commander would pull all of the lower enlisted into a room and then let them express their thoughts, complaints, and desired changes. NOTHING ever changed after those meetings. I'm hopeful that tonight won't be like one of those...

Fireworks!!!

I can't wait for the 4th! This is my 4th stash...I still have half a box left over from New Years!
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Old School Monday

Today was an old school Monday. I did some sermon prep, website stuff, and spent the afternoon visiting. It felt like life before Master's Commission. That's not a bad thing...just different.

Our District Superintendent (the head of TN A/G) is having a listening session tomorrow night. I'm very interested to hear his vision for TN churches. I am also looking forward to participating in some healthy dialogue with my  leadership. Fo the record, I thing the TN A/G is the place to do ministry. The friendship, network, and support TN A/G ministers have is in my opinion the best in the nation. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I'll probably post some thoughts about the meeting tomorrow night.

I was glad when they said to me...

Here are some reasons why I love going to church:

- Family. Some of my dearest friendships where formed through a local church. I am closer to my church family then I am to some of my biological family.

- Worship. There is power when people come together to worship God. Can we worship alone? Yes, but God instructs us to not forsake meeting together.

- Growth. When you get around different people you will be faced with many challanges. One of those is change. Church creates an enviroment that fosters spiritual, relational, and personal growth.

- Love. My local church provides me an avenue to give and recieve the love of Christ. This comes through a variety of missions and ministry opportunities.

You can experience most of these things by yourself. But God created us for community. The local church is that community. It can be a house church, an orthodox church, or 10 people praying and being Christ-like together. Whatever it is...get plugged in to a local body of believers.

....let us go to the House of the Lord.
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Practice

I spent the morning working out with the worship team. I sure wished Aaron was here (he'll get that).
I've been playing drums since 1993...most if it with worship teams. I love it!
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Good day off

I love chillin at home. I'm kind of a hermit. I get that from my father. I like my privacy and the comfort of my own crib. I also like hotels, but that's another story. I really try my best to do nothing on my day off. I go pretty hard M-TH and on Sat nights. So a full day unplugged really helps me recharge. Back to relaxin...
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Thursday Thoughts

- Believe God!

- This week has flown by...but I'm not complaining

- I miss my MC students

- They'll be back soon enough and then I'll miss the summer! (JK)

- I can't wait for July 4th...I've got a ton of pyro

- Football season needs to start...I hate this time of the year for sports.

- Believe God!
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Prep day

I spent most of the day getting ready for tonight's service. I love preaching and I can't wait to preach tonight. Speaking of my love of preaching...I listened to 9 sermons yesterday (while I did paper work and stuff). I couldn't get enough. It really makes my week to hear a good word. I listend to 3 from Voddie Baucham, 4 from Herbert Cooper, 1 Mark Batterson, and 1 George Wood. It's all prep. It all makes me sharper.

Voddie Baucham

I have recently been introduced to a great preacher (not personally). I have spent the first half of the day listening to several of his messages. This dude is good. Check out his page here.

Hit the ground running

I hit the ground in a full sprint this morning. Lots to do. Lots already done. I'll be preaching Wednesday night from Acts 27. I  am fired up about that! I also have to tie up the loose ends from this past class of MC. Tons of filing and paper work (boooo!) I also plan to read a ton this week. I don't have MC students to work with for the next 11 weeks...I need to redeem that time.

I met this morning with a dear lady who just lost her husband last night. It's amazing how God can provide the perfect measure of grace in the hardest times. I was listening to a morning show and the host commented on the same thing. Instead of complaining, we should stop and tank God for everything that He's brought us through by grace. Sorry to sermonize so early in the morning. But after a week off, I'll preach to myself!

Last day

Today is also the last day of my week off. Its been a great and relaxing week. I have vegged out and it has been awesome. I've also been able to recharge and dream a little. I've got some new videos to make and lots of prep to do for Masters this fall. I'm also pumped about our young adults this summer. I love doing life with twentysomethings every Saturday night.
By the by, why is COPS such a great show? Whatcha gonna do?
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Fathers Day

Dad's day! In so thankful that for 14 years of my life I had a wonderful Father. Although he left this life early (for me), I know that before he was my father he was God's child. And I don't question how God handles his kids. After my father passed there where some great men who influenced me and mentored me: Coaches Orlando Grudes and Alex Albert, Pastors Pawlak(s), Lett, and Harwell, and Zach McCullers. What a blessing.
I'm thankful and humbled at the awesome responsibilty I have as father to my 2 sons. God help me to be faithful.
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Day 6 Random

- 24 Season 2.5 is awesome (aka 24 the Game for PS2)

-Not every hill is worth dying on

- I don't really care who wins the NBA finals...but I'll watch anyway

- my head aches

- I'm sad about Tim Russert...he was a legend

- I wonder who is preaching tomorrow night?

- I hope Next Level went great tonight.

- I'm ready to get back to work...or am I?
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Day 5 and a small rant

Had a great day. Saw Kung Fu Panda, ate some Blackend Cajun Trout, and played my new video game.
I might go to church tomorrow night in Nashville and then sleep in on Fathers Day. Gotta love Saturday night church! I believe that even on vacation you don't take a break from God or His house. However, I do believe that in order to get a break I can't go to my church...even if I am in town. Monday will be here soon enough...I'm chillin' this weekend!
For everyone who keeps posting depressing or "blah" blogs (this is not just one person)...would you please build a bridge and get over it. You are alive, saved, and you live in America. You are blessed enough to have a computer and a blog for goodness sake! Chill out! BE HAPPY...NOW!

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Sad news

I just found out that Pastor Olsen of Sunset Chapel in Miami passed away. He is my friend Johnny's Pastor. Check out www.sunsetchapel.com to get to his blog and read about their great church. Keep the family and the church in your prayers.

Day 4/Romans 5

My wife has been doing some summer school work so its been me and the boys the past 3 days. Today we'll all be together. It's been so hot...but we might head for some outdoor fun.
Romans 5 is an amazing chapter. I've read it 100 times if I've read it once, but today the words just jumped out at me.
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Day 3

I just had the most frustrating phone call in a long time. I'm glad it's over and I'm glad things went my way. Anyway, today is a no agenda day. Yesterday I watched a movie with the boys and we played some basketball (way too hot for that). I probably won't go out and about until the weekend. Gas is crazy right now! Isn't that the understatement of the year? I want to go to an MCIN function in Dallas next month, but at 4.05 a gallon...I don't know...
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Day 2

Much of the same today. I'll be buried in Clancy books today. I'll finish up Rainbow Six and then start either Red Rabit or Shadow Warriors. It's been 3 years since I parted ways with Uncle Sam and boy do I miss Army life. I was a lifer...but God had other plans. I always joke that when I'm 35 or 40 I'll reup as a chaplin (yeah right!)
Thankfully, there are enough not so nice Army/Iraq memories that snap me back to reality. Thank God for civilian life! I'll just keep solderin' in my heart and in the make believe world of CTU, Third Echelon, Treadstone, and Rainbow.
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First day

I've got one student on a plane, one on a bus, and 2 doing their own thing. Today is day one of some time off. This blog will be the closest thing that I'll do today. Let the chilling begin.
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One more time for the very last time

There will never be another today. Today we close the books on the very first class of Master's Commission Clarksville. There will never be another first year. Wow. I'm so proud of my God. What He did in and through us the past 9 months has been amazing. I'm probably going to go through some withdrawl in a week or 2. But we start back up in Sep with new first year students and some great second year students.
Tonight we'll praise hard. We'll knock our human video out of the park. We'll lead our church in worship MC style. And we will challange the people with the word one more time for the last time...as MCC 0708.
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Feelin hot hot hot

It is blazing outside! Thank God for A/C. I'm so ready for some time off. I'm not stressed or burned out or anything...I'm just ready to chill for a week. I'm keeping my plans on the DL so that I can drop off of the radar. We pastors have a hard time staying away from the phone and email. I'm going to do my best next week. I've got some Clancy to read, some Bourne to watch, and some Fisher to play. No better way to unwind then a little counter-terrorism.
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T-Minus 2 Days until "Graduation 08"

I'm fired up about graduation. I can't believe the end of our 1st year of Master's Commission is coming to a close. I almost got emotional looking at one of our graduation videos the other day. It's amazing to see what God can do in the lives of young people who are hungry for Him. I'm just thanking God for His grace and goodness that has seen us through 1440 journals, 9 states, 13 exams, 360 scriptures, over 60 hours on the road, 12 human videos, 3 Musical Dramas, and so much more...

Still chewing

Here are some great quotes I've been chewing on lately:

Leadership is influence. Nothing more. Nothing less. - John Maxwell

"You don't go to KFC for the biscuits...you go for the chicken! The chicken is the foundation of the meal. The sides are good. But you go for the chicken. It's the same way with the fruit and gifts of the spirit. The sides are good, but the foundation is love." - Paraphrased - Herbert Cooper

Lucy (to Aslan): I knew it was you all along, but the other didn't believe me

Aslan (to Lucy): Why did THAT stop you from coming to me anyway? - From Prince Caspian

"Those who keep using their gifts everyday will work themselves into a job." - Kim Miller

"What does it mean to be saved? Isn't it more than just a prayer to pray? (Isn't it) More than just a way to heaven?" - Israel Houghton and Michael Gungor

You know your an MC Director when...

...you look like this at the end of the day!
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Summer Supplements

Here are some that I am on and some that I plan to take this summer

You got what stuck where?

So yesterday I was sitting in the back of the church during Kids Crusade. A parent starts calling for me and I'm thinking "what's wrong?". Sure enough, this little boy got his arm stuck in a Hymn rack. You know, those little cubbies on the back of pews that hold the hymns, offering envelopes, and empty communion cups? Well he managed to get stuck all the way to his shoulder. (He was a little guy) So I had to unscrew the rack and then free his trapped little arm. The craziest thing is the kid seemed oblivious! He didn't have a care in the world! Maybe he's done it before. I don't know? But it does make me wish that I could be that calm under pressure!

Bauer, Bourne, and Fisher

I've been really intrigued by the inner workings of these 3 "superman" type characters. You've got Jack Bauer the patriot who keeps having the longest day of his life, Jason Bourne who is a one man wrecking crew, and Sam Fisher who despite his age, can't escape the loner life on the edge. What makes men go crazy for these guys? I think part of it has to do with our desire to be superhuman (and our desire to have cool gadgets). Other than their selfless service, none of these guys are exactly Christ-like. But I think I'm going to work on some spiritual themes that can be drawn from these 3 larger than life characters. There is already a good book out about Bauer (Jack Bauer's having a Bad Day). I'd love to see someone come up with something on Fisher and Bourne. Maybe I'll do it...

Army Mornings

I had an Army morning. I served Uncle Sam from 2000-2005 and just about everyday started somewhere between 5 and 6am. I hit my office at 6:30 today. We have our annual Kids Crusade (VBS) happening this week so we have to get in extra early. I came in early because our Master's Commission is helping the Children's department pull off this great event. I know I'll be feeling it a little bit later. I preached last night and it always takes a little time to recover after preaching.  We only have 6 days left until graduation. Lots to do...6am will be here before I know it...