My Heart Smiles...

I hope everyone had a wonderful, celebratory, reflective Easter weekend. Mine was really good (even if I'm still kinda whooped...but our church office is closed today so I can hang some today...). Friday did the annual Good Friday Six Flags pilgrimage. Jeremy Camp was excellent, and was very worshipful (a welcome departure from past Good Friday concerts, due to the magnitude of the day...). And pigs are flying: for the first time EVER, I voluntarily rode NO RIDES at an amusement park (if you know me, you realize that's pretty strange). Yet, it was a good day: great weather, good reading, music, conversation...

But, my heart is smiling so much due to the joy I have in relation to Jackson's response to our Easter gift to him: a children's Bible. Missy and I certainly drop the ball on our spiritual raising of our son more than we'd care to admit (especially since I work at a church, challenge the families I serve to be godly influences on their kids, etc.), but I have been pleasantly surprised to see Jax so excited to get a Bible. It's all he wants to read. Even can find the David and Goliath story without help. He got cars, clothes, candy, etc., as well, but it's the Bible he wants to be with (well, the candy is fighting for attention, too :-)). So happy!!!!!!

My NCAA 2008 Tourney Picks

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Been pretty busy. Just got back from a surprisingly restful and relaxing family spring break trip to houston. Not that we never get to relax down there, but let's just say I must have needed rest/sleep more than I realized...

Now, to the picks. I will just use one post for all this year (as opposed to my attempt at nearly daily ones last year...that petered out quickly). Not too many late surprises as far as big teams not in final four, but a few minor ones and some first round upsets...

Second Round
EAST
UNC, Indiana, G. Mason, Wash St, St Joe's, Louisville, Butler, Tennessee

MIDWEST
Kansas, UNLV, Clemson, Vandy, Kansas St, Wisconsin, Gonzaga, Georgetown

SOUTH
Memphis, Oregon, Michigan St, Pitt, Marquette, Stanford, St Mary's, Texas

WEST
UCLA, Texas A&M, Drake, UConn, Baylor, Georgia, West Virginia, Duke

Sweet Sixteen
EAST
UNC, G. Mason, Louisville, Tennessee

MIDWEST
Kansas, Vandy, Kansas St, Georgetown

SOUTH
Memphis, Pitt, Stanford, Texas

WEST
UCLA, Drake, Baylor, Duke

Elite Eight
EAST
UNC, Tennessee

MIDWEST
Vandy, Georgetown

SOUTH
Memphis, Texas

WEST
UCLA, Duke

Final Four
UNC, Georgetown, Texas, UCLA

Final
Gerogetown, Texas

And the winner is......





(sorry Aaron): Georgetown

Let me know yours....

Planet Wisdom 2008 Recap, Parenting Ministry News

(By the way, I'm posting a bunch this morning, and this early, due to it raining all night long, and at this moment...I have been running every morning around 6 am and it feels GREAT...but alas, I am stuck inside for now...)

Well, another Planet Wisdom...another great time (maybe my favorite of the four I've been to????). We took a record (for us) number of folks, and all came back jazzed up. Not as many "responses" as in past years ("new Christians", or folks needing to recommit, etc.), but that's fine, as the overall makeup of our group this year seemed to be ones that are ready for the next "leap" in their fillowing of Jesus...and I'm excited. Really, before this weekend, I was about as excited as I've been in a LONG time about doing youth ministry...and now, even more so...

The theme was "Becoming More", using pottery-making (complete with a demonstration with a pottery wheel and everything that was a perfect visual metaphor) to show us the tension (often good) that exists between God, our creator, and ourselves, with water used to shape the clay representing grace. It was really cool.

Mark Matlock, the main teacher, was really "on". I mean, he's always been great, but man he just nailed it this year...as did the always hilarious, thought-provoking SKIT GUYS! In fact, they won a contest for Southwest Airlines, producing a commercial...here it is (love it!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEuAwj2imbY

Anyways, wonderful time. On a side note, Mark, while speaking at a youth leader "only" meeting, brought up a new vision for his Generation hope parent seminars (and actually name-dropped me-hahaha, saying it was the Weatherford conference, along with other conversations he and I had, that were a big part of this new vision), involving the training of 100 youth ministry vets to actually become a team of Generation hope seminar leaders...able to REALLY spread out and effect thousands of families, as he can only do a few such conferences a year. Needless to say I texted Mark "sign me up for this parenting thing",as he was speaking, and right after he left the room I got a, "U got it" return text...it will involve training prior to a 2008 Youth Specialties Convention, and the target "launch" date is 2009... One aspect I actually liked is that the idea isn't for me to lead a seminar at my home church, but rather other churches...and focusing on "follow up coffees/discussions" at home base. I like that, as while I sense I have good relationships with most of the families I serve, I do think some would have trouble getting past the "goofy youth guy" leading a parenting seminar...but at another place? Sure...

I truly feel like this is becoming more a part of my calling: ministering to families as a whole. I still focus on teens, but increaingly am in conversation with parents, and who knows, maybe after youth min is "done", I can transistion into a more "family-wide" dynamic... We will see...

Could it be? Maybe????

....or am I jinxing it? :-)

I write because I have been unable to experience any frozen precip this year :-(

Yet, seemingly out of the blue, it is SUPPOSED TO SNOW tonight!!!!!!!

We will see...and if so, get ready for some fun!

overall, the game was a success

We made it to the middle of the 5th inning, which after talking with some folks around us at the aforementioned TCU baseball game, was quite a success, especially since we got there about 30 min early to boot. It was a struggle at first (Jax fell asleep in the car, so was groggy and grumpy for a bit), and he did NOT want to sit in our upper deck seats for the first few innings, so we ate pop-pop (aka popcorn) for awhile down on one of the first base-line picnic tables (pretty good seats actually). Jax finally started chatting up the neighbors (mostly Fullerton fans in our area) who were all gracious and patient with him. Then, after many attempts, in the 3rd inning or so proclaims, "I wanna go to our seats now." Yes sir...

Only other "iffy" thing is it was WINDY as crud... Not even that cold temp wise (close to 70), but gusty winds made it chilly for all. Yet, a fun day.

Frogs won 4-2.

excited to go to our first "family baseball game"!

Well, tomorrow at 2 pm, Jax, Missy and I will attend our first family baseball game: TCU vs. Cal St.-Fullerton game! Jax has been to two Cats games (minor league baseball), but was very young and slept most of the time. he has been to a couple TCU football games, once again both at a young age, a couple Weatherford high football games, and some middles school football...but not a planned out outing like this (tickets just bought). Jax is WAY excited. Both are highly touted this season, and in Fullerton, a perennial powerhouse (was in last years' CWS). So, I'll tell you how it went tomorrow...

GO FROGS!

I Really am Ok...

Just letting any readers know that despite my last post, I'm doing alright attitudinally...in fact, there are some cool things going on. I guess I just feel the need to share some concerns, thoughts, challenges, etc., every now and then. My blog wouldn't be an honest one if I didn't, and once I begin to over-sanitize, it's time to stop (not that I don't attempt to use some discretion...even if just a little :-)

There are exciting things going on, to be sure. Any time a teen (or adult even) shares something God is doing, or even just acknowledges a lesson, conversation, or book recommendation that is messing up their soul a bit (in a good way), my heart leaps. And it does happen (did this week!).

So, some things I'm looking forward to in a great way and with much expectation of seeing God work include:

*** Planet Wisdom in 10 days
*** Our second annual Spring Break Road Trip to Kerrville (some new faces will be there, and will surely add to the good times)
*** CTCYMs looming this summer...
*** The summer theme of either "ReBoot" or "Remodel"
*** Looking ahead to a re-boot of Elevation for fall...