Well, 9 days ago I dislocated my right shoulder playing soccer in a local indoor league. Maybe I'm not so lucky after all. Everything is fine now, and I seem to be recovering well. I see the doctor in two days, so I'm hoping he will give me good news and a good plan for rehab.
It sure makes normal tasks difficult if you only have one hand. Try driving, cooking, doing laundry with your non-dominant hand.
To make things better though, I'll be in Missouri this next week and see my family, which I'm really excited about. I'll be doing the CIY thing, evaluating the conference last summer and looking at next summer's theme and ideas. I'm really honored and excited. I'm trying to get ahead so I won't have to stress about lesson plans and all that. I think I'm almost there. This first year continues to be a mixture of good, new, hard, stressfull, and a lot of mixed feelings. I was looking at pictures of the OCC soccer team today on Facebook and it got me missing it. Also the dorm life and cafeteria life is just so special. However, there are plenty of good things here. I also am confident this is where I need to be right now. I just need to get over the stress of planning trips many months out, and trying to decide on themes for retreats and such. It's all going to be okay.
Well I guess it's time to go back home and watch football and take notes on Exodus. Untill next time...
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
I'm just lucky I guess
This past week I've found out about two really cool opportunities. First, I've been invited to be a representative at a conference to promote a new book. This is a conference that I already wanted to go to, but it gets better. They are going to pay me $100 to go and volunteer. The only thing I'll have to do is adjust my day off at work and go. It will be pretty cool.
The other thing is a CIY planning session for the MOVE summer conference. I've been invited to help plan and evaluate so next year will be better. What's so great about this is that CIY is located in Joplin where my family lives. I'll get to see them again, plus many Ozark friends that I miss. That will be really neat. I just have to make sure my bases are covered at church. That shouldn't be a problem--I already have preliminary plans.
Beyond that, I continue to grow and be stretched. Last night after youth group a girl asked "You said that God wins in the end. Does Satan know he is going to lose?" That made me wonder where in scripture points to that fact. Sometimes ministry is hard. Alot of the time I just hope that what I am doing is accomplishing what I intend it to. I just want these students to grow up into mature Christian adults who know how to take care of their own spiritual lives. I want it to be so much more than just something we do on Sundays because we've always done it. I want it to be so much more than just a Lion's Club. Our communities need to be intentionally focused on Jesus.
Tonight I plan on going to a JV football game and then on to my soccer game. Life continues to be good even though there is so much that is also hard and stretching. Well, untill next time.
The other thing is a CIY planning session for the MOVE summer conference. I've been invited to help plan and evaluate so next year will be better. What's so great about this is that CIY is located in Joplin where my family lives. I'll get to see them again, plus many Ozark friends that I miss. That will be really neat. I just have to make sure my bases are covered at church. That shouldn't be a problem--I already have preliminary plans.
Beyond that, I continue to grow and be stretched. Last night after youth group a girl asked "You said that God wins in the end. Does Satan know he is going to lose?" That made me wonder where in scripture points to that fact. Sometimes ministry is hard. Alot of the time I just hope that what I am doing is accomplishing what I intend it to. I just want these students to grow up into mature Christian adults who know how to take care of their own spiritual lives. I want it to be so much more than just something we do on Sundays because we've always done it. I want it to be so much more than just a Lion's Club. Our communities need to be intentionally focused on Jesus.
Tonight I plan on going to a JV football game and then on to my soccer game. Life continues to be good even though there is so much that is also hard and stretching. Well, untill next time.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Good Quote
"The world needs you to find the hero within you. The real battle is not between good and evil but between less and more. Most of us don't choose the worst life; we just don't choose the best. We can't afford for you to sleep through your dreams. . . Very few are meant for a life of notoriety, yet all of us are meant for a life of significance." --Erwin McManus
That has been a lot of what I've learned in my first three months here in GA. Alot of people, alot of the time just get by and live an okay life. I don't want to be them. I want to live the best possible life I can!
That has been a lot of what I've learned in my first three months here in GA. Alot of people, alot of the time just get by and live an okay life. I don't want to be them. I want to live the best possible life I can!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Life and Ministry
Well, just to catch up on what's been going on recently. Today I woke up at 5:30 to leave at 6:00am for the hospital in Atlanta to see one of our youth group girls who was having a procedure. She was really glad that I was there. It was definitely an investment in my ministry, but a short night. My attitude about it started out good, then changed to aggravated, but then changed back to good after I got back about 10:00. They gave her "loopy medicine" which took awhile to take effect, but once it did, it was really funny. At one point, she turned over from lying on her back to getting on her hands and knees on her bed and putting her face into the pillow! Lot's of fun.
Last night was also a first for me. I led the youth band for the first time. Things went well. No major problems. My microphone lost battery power right at the beginning, so Jennifer ran and got new batteries and replaced my mike halfway through the first song. We've only practiced twice, so I was overall pleased.
Also, last night I had a video chat session via skype with 1st floor Williamson. That's the floor I lived on for three years in College and was RA for two of those year. I really loved that place and those guys. It was really cool to see them.
Other than that, just still learning and adjusting to life in GA. It's familiar now, yet still new. It's home in most ways, but still new in many as well. I'm going to dive back into an N.T. Wright book now. Wish me luck!
Last night was also a first for me. I led the youth band for the first time. Things went well. No major problems. My microphone lost battery power right at the beginning, so Jennifer ran and got new batteries and replaced my mike halfway through the first song. We've only practiced twice, so I was overall pleased.
Also, last night I had a video chat session via skype with 1st floor Williamson. That's the floor I lived on for three years in College and was RA for two of those year. I really loved that place and those guys. It was really cool to see them.
Other than that, just still learning and adjusting to life in GA. It's familiar now, yet still new. It's home in most ways, but still new in many as well. I'm going to dive back into an N.T. Wright book now. Wish me luck!
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