Tuesday, May 26, 2009

My Newest Tattoo

I bet you can imagine the questions that I get being a High School Pastor with tattoo's. Not that that isn't enough; I keep getting them. And, between you and me, I have no plans to stop getting them (I have to note that I have no plans to get sleeved or any on my neck). I just love the fact that someone has the ability to put my ideas on my body.

Most of my tat's have been well thought out and that is the case with this one also. I just kept thinking that I want something to remind me every morning of what my feet need to do and that is what this tat is all about.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

Thursday, May 21, 2009

High School Grad Night

Last night was our High School Grad Night and that was tough! Three of the boys in this picture have been in my small group for three years and one of them I have had for five years! If you didn't know, the National average for a youth pastor right now is 9-18 months at their church. Charity and I are going on 5 years here at South Hills.
These guys are so amazing! I feel truly blessed to work here with the students that God has placed us around. I love seeing their lives change and have had some amazing talks with them. I will miss all our students who are graduating.
I had a girl, who is very special to my wife and I, ask me last night "Why didn't you cry?" I thought about that question and realized that I am so confident that this class will do well and I know that we have done all we can to set them up for success that I am just excited to see what God is going to do in their lives. I will probably cry when they leave, but right now and I am just so proud of them!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

How to Read The Psalms

Here is a great line in the book I am reading, How to Read The Psalms, by Tremper Longman III
"In the Psalms, however, the negative always leads to the positive. Doubt leads to trust; anger toward God turns to love; sadness to joy"

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother's Day and I took the time to spend with Charity. I didn't really know what to get her. About three weeks ago at church, when I was doing the welcome, I asked people to come and give me ideas. Their ideas were good, but it wasn't my idea. I wanted to get Charity something that I had thought about, not just something that I jacked from someone else.

It took some time to think and some time to make. Charity kept asking that Sophie and I make her something. I thought about that, but that would mean that the corners would be crumpled from Sophie pulling on the them and a possible rip.

I ended up staying late on Friday night and instead of doing all my homework I chose to take some time to make something for my wife that I knew she would love. Charity is very crafty, I am not, but I know how to use Photoshop and here is what I gave my lovely wife.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Battle of the Sexes

Our Middle School Ministry, Ignite, started a new series about 10 days ago called Battle of the Sexes. Chase Fiendel did amazing at getting this event going and the passion to teach kids the truth about sex and sexuality. Here is a video of night one where I spoke (for some reason I always do the sex talk).

Thursday, May 07, 2009

LIFE

Last night we started a new series called LIFE.
This will be a six week teaching series on life and the pains that students have to deal with. Last night I opened the series with the reason behind the series and why we are doing this.

Here is the six week plan:
Week 1: Intro
Week 2: The Sanctity of Life
Week 3: Life in Transition (Senior Night)
Week 4: Gossip
Week 5: Anger
Week 6: Lying
Week 7: Materialism

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Some Learnings Lately

Lately I have been in a season of personal growth and that is not always "easy" but I learn that when God brings me out of these seasons I tend to look back and see how much I have learned. This time I thought I would get a head start and start laying some of them out:

1) I need a Sabbath!

This is the one command that I feel like we break all the time and no one really seems to care. I want to write a separate blog on just this and hopefully will one day. Josh Griffin just wrote a quick ditty on this from Pastor Rick's talk and I totally needed it!

2) I need to spend more time with Jesus
Not like in a weird way, but since Sophie was born my time with Jesus has been reduced. I think its because I don't sleep as well as I once did and because Seminary is pretty tough right now. I have noticed, and Charity reminds me, that I am a much person when I spend time with Jesus.

3) I need accountability
I have a finish line group (FLG); which means I meet with a friend weekly out here. We confess our sins, pray for each other and drink coffee. I really like the drinking coffee but sometimes its hard to confess my sins, but I need to and when I have my FLG I just feel like I am living how God has called me to.

4) I need a date night
This is another thing that has changed since having Sophie. Our date night, or day, needs to be more flexible. Charity and I try to have some alone time out of the house without Sophie weekly. That is hard! We have to get a sitter and be intentional about spending time our marriage. We need to have a healhty marriage.

This is what I am thinking about in my spare time lately...