Come on Man? Go Get a room!

I came to Starbucks today in search of a place outside of my house to write and still be warm. I thought about riding my mountain bike today, but I must admit that the cold weather makes me a little lethargic. I went to the garage and began pulling my bike out then I thought to myself, hey you are never gonna finish any writing project if during your times where you can write you just go ride your bike. (At least that is what I am going to claim.) So, I ran one errand for my wife and then I drove to the local Starbucks around the corner from the house.

I got out of my car and was greeted with two people sucking face. Two very large people sucking face. When I say sucking, I mean they didn't come up for air, ever. If mouth to mouth was still part of doing CPR I would think that he was trying to revive the poor girl. She was sitting in the front seat of the car and he was on one knee in full on make out mode. They continued while I walked across the parking lot and passed the car. I was sitting there thinking, "Really, at least the back of your head looks like that of an adult." I walked in ordered my hot chocolate looked out the window and saw the car was still there and they were still there in going at it. I began to think I should probably get my watch out and put a timer on it. Or, I could pull my iPhone out and discreetly take a picture or even better a video of the event going down in the Starbucks parking lot. Then, I looked and saw he was a pretty good sized dude so I better keep the iPhone put away. Well, I got my Hot Chocolate and realized as I was going to find a place to sit down that the car was gone. I was kinda disappointed. I wanted to see the super kissers in person.

It reminded me of the first young couples even Marge and I attended after we got married. I don't think anyone who reads this blog was attending that event but I could be wrong. If it brings back memories that are not so, I apologize in advance. We were attending this church that had an amazing young couples group. You could tell they all cared about each other and had real community amongst them. We showed up and enjoyed the food. (Which by the way is probably the second most important part of any good church event, first being the presence of God, and yes that is a pastor answer.) Then they began to play some games that were fun but geared at couples. I really don't remember most of them. I just remember one, The Kissing Contest. I am sorry, but as important as food is to as church event, kissing is probably just as important a church event killer. I don't care if you are married. Trust me, it isn't because I don't enjoy kissing my wife. In fact, I hope everyone enjoys kissing their spouse as much as I enjoy kissing mine. I just don't want to see people kissing others for a prolonged period of time. Well, that was the game. They lined up all the couples and said, "On your mark, get set, go!" Everyone except my wife and I commenced kissing. We just kind of stood there in awe of the situation in disbelief. I knew we had no chance at winning this game because my wife just starts laughing when she has to give me a peck when we are in front of people. Then, we got to the last couples, lets just say none of us wanted to see them kissing. It is a picture scarred in my brain forever. I just believe anything longer than two seconds belongs in private. Here is a list of times it is appropriate for prolonged kissing in public:

1. End of your Wedding (I think it may even be considered cuter if it is just a peck in this case.)
2. When a spouse comes home from a long time gone (i.e. soldiers coming home from war, coming home from a missions trip, etc.)
3. If you are an Aggie, then after they score a touchdown, but only if you are an Aggie.
4. When you win millions in the lottery. If you kiss more than a peck in public after you win a $2 on a scratch off you need to be punched in the face.

I think that is about it. I hope you french kiss your spouse daily, but just do it where we can't see it. I know the Bible says greet em with a Holy kiss. Just keep your spit to yourself. I understand this entry today is probably not my most pastoral but, every once and a while some of us just need to be reminded. Come on man? Get a Room!

Wait, I still didn't get any book writing done and I need to go pick up the kids. Should have rode my bike.

Brussels (Part 2)

The building projects are coming along. We have only one full day of work left before we go to Paris for our final day of fun. Let's see, we have completely gutted an apartment that is for visiting pastors when they come and visit. We began putting all of the stuff back in. I feel sometimes working on it like I am on a HGTV show trying to get the stuff done for the big reveal. Tomorrow, we still need to put floors in, plum the bathroom, put in Kitchen cabinets and paint. We have taken apart and rebuilt over 2/3 of the fire escape to the building (this is kind of worrisome since we are staying on the 3rd floor). We have taken 6 layers of old roofing off of the warehouse part of the building and prepped it for the new roof still to be put on. It has been a busy 6 days here in Belgium. The team is in good spirits but like any missions trip things don't go your way the entire time.

The roofing material didn't show up until today at 4 pm. It is only daylight here until 5 pm. So, the guys didn't get to work on it long. Even though it has been ready for that roof since Saturday. Someone, I don't want to mention any names but he is a youth pastor, measured wrong and caused some mistakes on the fire escape. Different things happened in the apartment to put us up against the wall from finishing. All this creates some team tension. Our team leader, Dave Sekula, looked at me and shared something we should all remember, not just in Brussels but everywhere.

He told me, "It will all work out and God has placed everyone on our trip". I think we forget that in life so often. God placed everyone we know in our lives for a reason. It may be for you to be stretched. It might be because that person needs to see you be real as a Christian. It may be because that person needs to hear your story. God has a purpose for putting everyone on this trip and in our lives. We just need to remember that, when someone or some situation wears on our last nerve. God has a reason for you to be in that relationship.

Brussels: Part 1

I left last Tuesday to fly to Brussels Belgium on a missions trip. I know Europe is not a usual missions trip place for many. It certainly isn't a place that many of us think of as a place that we need to go do building projects on. Well, my pastor decided it seemed like a great opportunity for us to bless the people that bless others. Convoy of Hope Europe is a pretty new ministry and yet they are based out of a 40 year old building. I went in one room that had a plaque which said it was dedicated in 1975, I promise that room has hardly changed since they dedicated it.

When we arrived we talked to the director of Convoy of Hope Europe, Michael Mcnamee. He is a hilarious little Irish man that when he talks it is like you are listening to the Lucky Charms leprechaun. He told us about the problems they have run into here in Brussels and really throughout Europe. It has broken my heart that a place so rich in church history and that has seen such great moves of God in History is so spiritually lifeless. I believe it is a God thing that we have come to Brussels because I never really understood when people say, "If you look at Europe that is how America will look in 30 years". I have heard that so many times before I just haven't seen what it was like here.

4 of us went out on the first night to find some place that served coffee. We thought it would just be a nice trip to meet some of the people since most of our time here is going to be spent working on a building and not really intermingling. We would look at people and smile no one ever really looked back and smiled at us. I didn't really know what to think of that but we have learned that the people are very private here. I find myself with real struggles about this place. I hurt for these leaders because they are here fighting what seems like an impossible fight. I also know the struggles that we will one day have if we continue down the path that we are on as a nation.

It is a blessing to come here and help this team that is beginning to make an impact on this continent. I hope they stay with it because God is going to bless them for carrying a torch in this part of the world. I don't know how but I believe there is coming a day when they will see revival in this land again. It wouldn't surprise me if it started at a convoy event.

Some thoughts about Halloween, Boo!

My wife went at the beginning of October with my kids and spent 60 bucks on Halloween costumes. In my head, I am thinking, "you did what!?!" And then I begin to realize we would have bought them any how. I know they would dress up for Halloween and last year because we waited so late Cooper had to wear the old school cheesy TV Batman costume. It was bad. So, I moved on. I think part of my problem though is this contradiction I have to Halloween.

As a kid, I knew this was the "Devil's Holiday". I dressed up with stuff we had around the house. A few times, we went to the neighbors and trick or treated. We went to the mall and walked around for candy maybe a couple of times. It was never a big deal enough for my parents to go get us costumes. Then on top of that in the 80's we had the big candy scares. People were putting razor blades in apples and poisoning tootsie rolls. I remember thinking why would anyone even think of doing stuff like that. Then, I was reminded. It was the Devil's Holiday. I knew kids that made a night out of it. Their parents took them to parties, then to trick or treat, and what seamed to be a night of great childhood adventure. It made me jealous to think of the fun they were having. I still always had the fact in the back of my mind, it's the Devil's Holiday. I know I sound like Bobby Boucher's mother in the Waterboy. I can't help it.

Today, we try to have a more balanced approach to this day. We don't glorify the holiday that is Halloween. We let our kids enjoy the fun stuff and not letting the Devil have an entire day to celebrate himself. We send our our kids to the church for Fall Festivals and with games and candy. We understand the joy of coming together and having a good time. We don't let the devil keep us from having a day. It reminds me of once as a young kid's pastor I wanted to have a Easter Egg hunt at my church. I had an adult Sunday school teacher tell his class the evils of this and talked his class into boycotting the event. He was raising a stink that was unbelievable. I didn't understand. I was trying to do an outreach in our community but I had people in our church saying what we were doing was pagan and once again of the Devil. I remember my pastor's response to all of this. He said, "If you believe that then you are not balanced in your thinking of life". I find myself wondering the same things about Halloween though.

I am glad we have events on halloween and we can sit and understand that even if this is a day of celebration for the Devil. It is the day the Lord has made. We need to rejoice and be glad in it. Not because it is Halloween but because it is a day that God made for us to worship him. It is a day we can have a good time and get pay our dentist's bills. It is a day we shouldn't worry about the devil because we know who wins.

Growing Up Pentecostal

Yesterday evening, I was leaving church with my family and bunch of our friends. We were talking about everyone's experiences at church that day. I was talking about how great Kid's church was. Talking about the plan for our Christmas production this year. A couple of the folks were talking about their experience in care cell that evening. Evidently they were asked to pray for the people next to them. A few of the spouses found it difficult to pray for their wives and really kind of said some awkward things. It was a funny story and everyone was cutting up about it. Someone asked me what I would pray for my wife? I looked at her standing there and said I would just start praying in tongues for her. Everyone kind of chuckled and laughed. I then proceeded to say, "you know it is like 'who stole the key to my honda' really fast". The lady who was telling the initial story came up to Margaret a little later and told her that from now on she will be skeptical any time she hears someone speak in tongues. I felt like a heal. The fact is growing up Pentecostal has made me some times take the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for granted.

I even know as a teenager we would listen to different church peoples prayers and mimic their cadences when talking about a church service. As a Bible college student when one of my friends would take a girl out. We would pick at him and ask if he spoke in tongues on his date. I will let you figure out what we were talking about. I can think of tons of different example of things where in our daily life we joked about something we believe so strongly in. Why would we do this? Why do I do this? I don't have a great reason other than I grew up Pentecostal.

I don't think what I did was right or wrong but many of us have thought about it. We have questioned not the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit's work in someone's life. Be honest. I know I need to repent from judging. Okay. Done. I always found it funny when in high school or even as a pastor when someone I thought I needed to witness to would give a message in tongues. It is that kind of thing that makes us cynical. I don't think growing up Pentecostal makes us cynical to the Holy Spirit but it does make us cynical to the people we see operating in the gifts. Why does God use knuckleheads? I have no idea. I ask myself all the time why God is using me in different things. I don't think I am worthy of. It just always confirms to me that God uses us in spite of us.

As a parent and a children's pastor, I have to remember what it is like to grow up Pentecostal. Make sure that kids see that when the Holy Spirit works in my life it is pure and true. I have to teach that the Holy Spirit and its gifts are powerful and holy. I also have to keep reverence toward the Holy Spirit is kept in priority. It is thing that makes us who we are. We should be proud of the gift that God left for us. I hope I remember this even when I feel a moment of sarcasm come upon me.

Lest We Forget

I wonder how much we forget? I had a friend this week say he didn't know what plagiarizing was. I asked. "Um, didn't you ever write a paper in high school?" HIs response was a simple, "Yeah, but I just didn't remember." He may even think that I am plagiarizing now that I didn't give his name. I don't think I am. I won't mention his name to protect his privacy. It also allows me to continue to make fun of him and not worry about every body else joining in and him getting offended like the time I made fun of his pink shirt(s). The question remains, how much do we forget? I do remember that a professor in college of mine used to always use the phrase, "Well that guy has forgotten more than I have learned". I know, I am not looking forward to either of my children taking algebra and trying to remember how to answer stuff and show work. Do we have this massive case of Alzheimer's? How is it that I can remember that Carlos Baerga is the only person in the history of baseball to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same inning, but I can not remember to take out the trash on Tuesday morning when all the houses on our street have trash cans on the curb? Do we mean to forget stuff? Is there some sub conscience affect that obtains our brain on things we don't want to remember? What was the point of this blog anyway?

Let me tell you where we are going.

Over the past several weeks (months really), I have been watching the different candidates posture for nomination of the Republican presidential candidacy. I don't know who I am rooting for. Every time I start to think I have a guy in the race his campaign falls apart. I guess I should keep being a kid's pastor and not worry about being a political prognosticator. I look at stuff in my own life and ministry right now and I keep thinking the person that wins has to be the person that best communicates his or her vision for our country. Leadership has to begin with vision casting.

In my family, if I effectively communicate to my wife or kids what I want to do and how they will benefit from it then they are more likely to jump on board and be a part. I can tell my kids all day long hey go clean your room. They will go to their rooms and work and get distracted and piddle and my wife and I will get frustrated and a simple chore will become a pain in the butt situation for all of us. If I say, "Hey, a clean room gets you out to do something exciting like a trip to the toy store or a friend coming over". Then my kids are more likely to get it done in a timely manner. They need to catch the vision for cleaning the house quicker.

In my job as Pastor, I need to promote and sell a change or where we are going as a ministry to both kids and leaders to get them excited about what is going to happen. The more buy in for each event that I get on the front in, the more success an event will have. It is my job to promote cast a vision to kids and leaders in such a way, they don't want to miss out. One time, I had this idea for an event at my church, it was a multi church kids rally. We were going to have games and a service followed by pizza and several churches bought into the idea. The night came for the event just one other church showed up and only 5 kids from my group came. Evidently, I didn't cast the vision for the event in a way that was appealing. I got no buy in from volunteers or kids for the event. I had to change the way I promoted to kids and leaders. For kids, I realized that I needed to sell events to parents. Kids want to come to everything. Everything is an opportunity to hang out with friends and have fun. Parents needed to understand the logistics of an event and what they got out of it. I needed to show my leaders that each event they were needed for success. It was a tough lesson to really understand the greatest things we do are because other people are involved. It just showed me that vision casting is effective depending on not just what you are casting but to whom you are casting.

The Bible has all kinds of stories of people casting vision. Moses talking to the nation of Israel about leaving Egypt. Jesus getting the disciples to follow him. Paul leading Timothy through being a young minister. I can name off tons of others. Casting vision is the place where leadership begins. It is the place where you get people excited. It is the gun going off at the beginning of the race. It neither maintains nor finishes. But just like the old baseball saying goes, "You can't win the game in the first inning but you sure can lose it."