So it isn't quite day three of my week of Thanksgiving...but, hey, I got excuses.  My grandfather (mom's dad) finally passed away after battling cancer for a little more than a year.  Just when we thought he had beat the system and statistics he took a turn for the worse... worst to be exact.  His troubles progressed rather quickly over the past few weeks.

 Despite this loss in our family, I can't help but thank God that his grace is always upon us.  That, no matter who we are, where we are or what we are up to, we are never too far to experience the saving grace of our God.  It simply amazes me...

 But, aside from this amazing grace, I'm thankful for the jobs that both Sara and I have.  In this time of economic uncertainty I am thankful that I have a consistent place of employment.  And beyond that, I'm thankful that I am called to serve in full-time ministry.  I love seeing people experience the love of our God and helping them to take their next steps in/toward Christ... whatever those may be.

 Sure, it's not always peaches in church ministry.  But, I am so thankful for the opportunities that God has blessed us with in this work.  I can't complain a bit...

 Also, before I get outta here, I ask that you pray for the Owens family.  While I've not ever met them in person, my prayers are with them as they deal with the reality of their son's disease.  So, yes, please pray for them.  I can't imagine their situation and what they are going through...

 Blessings...

I realize that I missed my "day two" of a week-long series here at two10eleven. I had a very early morning this morning as I had to run to the hospital to be with one of our fathers from the church as he was having an emergency quadruple bypass.  I never knew 2:45 AM could roll around so early...

 So, I'll cut right to the chase.  For day two I am thankful for music.  Isn't it amazing how God has created us with the creativity of music making and enjoying.  There is just unreal about the way music can connect with one's innermost self and soul.  To stop and think about it truly amazes me.

What is it about music?  Some like only a certain genre while others enjoy most of it all.  I am one of those.  I tend to like them all...  Country, rap, classical, West African, Thai, reggae, jazz, R&B, "Christian" and non...

For me there is something magnificent about the way I can see God, feel God and hear God through a lyric or score.  And for that, I am thankful...

I'll leave you with this clip of an Arlo Guthrie song I heard yesterday while driving home from my dad's house for Thanksgiving dinner.  Yes, I even like the creativity of this song...

So, what are you thankful for today?

So, obviously it has been a bit since I've graced your internet presence.  I'm busy, yadda yadda, but hey, we're going to try something here...

I want to share with you a week's worth of what I am Thankful for.  We'll see how it goes.  I figured that since Thanksgiving is all but here, I should spend some time saying thanks.  Feel free to join in as you feel led...

Tonight, on the eve of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for a supportive, loving family.  My parents were divorced at a young age.  In fact, my mother had me during her Senior year in High School.  Surpisingly, my life was way too similar up to that same point.  It's by God's grace that I didn't find myself in a similar situation.

My parents, despite their divorce, have always been relatively close.  Both have since re-married and we've all spent afternoons on Dad's boat on the lake, gone out to dinner and even come together to decide how to punish me when I smashed mailboxes during my freshman year in high school.

 Never have they not shown love for me.  Sure, my family isn't perfect.... far from it in fact... but, we can't deny the fact that they love me and want the best for me.  Dropping out of pre-med my first semester in college strained my relationship with my dad... but I never second-guessed his love for me.  Moving to my dad's house during that same freshman year in college strained my relationship with my mother... but I never second-guessed her love and her longing for the very best for me...

So, tonight, the night before the official Turkey Day...  I thank God for my loving, supportive parents...

What are you thankful for?

(by the way:  I now have freedom to use this font above now that Brad has done a redesign on his site.  Thanks Brad!)

Alright, I'm back.  We've been sans-internet for a little more than a week here at the house.  Our beautiful child (i.e. puppy) happened to destroy our last internet device.  Lovely!  So, anyways, we're back in action and running with the fastest internet you can get living in the middle of nowhere-- satellite internet.  But, anyways, enough of that...  I will invite you back around here with this.

 
(ht: Ken)

It's the final countdown...

 

So, I broke out my camera the other day to document my new nasty face beard I've been working on.  I joked about wanting a beard on here not too long ago and decided...  why not?!  Anyways, here's a shot.  For the record, I don't really grow facial hair well or quickly.  But, we're going to give it a shot.  At least until my wife approaches me in the middle of the night with a razor blade to shave it off... yeah, she likes it that much...

 So, what's your crazy face look like?

 

 Sadly, this isn't a new photo.  I took it over a year ago, but it does make me want to set up my lightbox again...

 Happy Lazy Photographer Day!

 

 Ok, so this is my first time jumping onboard the Positive Post Tuesday bandwagon.  I've been wanting to join in the positivities for a while and, well, now I am...

 One sad thing I struggle with is that I find myself overly critical of churches at times.  I mean, it's kind of an occupational hazard for me.  I have an undergraduate degree in "church", live for the Church and plan on travelling the world to see the Church expand to unreached peoples of the world.  With all of this running through my mind, I often see how we are failing our communities and our people...and it is all to easy to point fingers (mostly at others, but sometimes myself).

 This is why I have come to dislike board meetings at our church.  I feel like we run through the motions and seldom get somewhere important by the end of the meeting. "Maybe next time" I think to myself.

" So what about those positivities" you ask?

 Well, tonight we got somewhere.  We discussed the future of our church and its role in impacting our communities around us.  We got beyond the run-of-the-mill meeting topics and dreamed.  And, honestly, I needed that.  I needed to see the passion and hearts of our church leaders.  It was a great reminder of the time they have given, the passion they lead with and the concern and hope they have about our church's future.

 I sit here tonight proud to serve at the church I do.  While we may not have it all together or all pointing in the right direction, we do have good hearts and a willingness to follow Christ.  We have leaders who are willing to try something new.  We have trusting leadership in our elders who truly care about our church, the Church and the lost/hurting people in our communities.  I serve alongside a Senior Pastor who has devoted his entire life to this church and this community.  I serve alongside an Executive Pastor who is supportive of new ideas, willing to think outside the box and has an amazing creative talent.  I serve alongside a Youth Pastor that is talented in so many areas, has given hours upon hours of his time to helping our church embrace new technologies for use in worship and has an unbelievable heart for missions and helping young people travel the world for the first time in serving Christ overseas.  I serve alongside an extensive team of volunteers that believe in our mission at our church and our family ministries and give of their time and money to help families experience Christ in a new way.

 I also serve alongside an amazing wife who is 1,000 times better at being a children's pastor than I will ever be.  A patient woman who gives sacrificially towards our ministry and is supportive in my half-baked, crazy ideas that sometimes cross my radar.  She is simply the most amazing, beautiful person I have ever met.

 So, yeah, it's not Thanksgiving yet, but tonight I find myself thankful for the blessings of those around me.  Despite my critical attitude, God has reminded me to look at the other side of the coin.

 And to those of you reading this, thanks for being a part of this small community.  What's God been telling you lately?

 

I was reading about this idea over at a buddy's blog this evening.  It wasn't all that long ago (just a few weeks now) that we saw young kids running down the streets of Thailand without shoes to wear.  It's not that simple shoes are expensive in Thailand...but, without even a few bucks extra to spare on shoes, many go without in order to buy rice or something to drink.  That's why I am happy to get involved with this in whatever way I can.

 Soles4Souls has a simple mission: To impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes.  Now that is something I can get behind.  What a great idea!

This organization is currently looking to raise the money for 50,000 pairs of shoes in 50 days...and they are looking for your help.  Just $5 will provide two pairs of shoes for kids around the globe.  It's pretty simple really.  Give what you can to this good cause and watch how people get to experience God's love through the gift of shoes.  Please pray and give according to that which you are comfortable with....then, give more!  Give sacrificially....  Give to this cause and let's allow people to experience the love of God in a new way...sometimes for the very first time.

If you can't give, help spread the word.  Post it on your Facebook, MySpace, blog, send it in mass SPAM text messeages and emails...  Whatever you can do, get the word out.

But seriously, just $5 is all that they ask.  But, hey, skip that Big Mac, and give a few more pair of shoes...  It's worth it...  Sara and I have given from what we have been blessed with and please consider doing so yourself.  Let's see what we can come together and provide as this blessed body...

So what do you want for Christmas?  I know, I know, it's way to early to be thinking about it, isn't it?  I mean, you DO have a little over 49 days and 9 hours until IT happens.

I'll tell you what I want.  I want a beard like this guy to the right.  I've never had a beard.  My face is still pre-pubertic meaning that  I have patches of skin between my nasty reddish facial hair that does grow.  But you know what?  I'm gonna give it a go.  I'm growing a beard.... a nasty, scraggly, wife-hated beard.

But, back to Christmas and you, what are you hoping Santa brings?  A new tech gadget for you guys?  A shiny, new Taylor Guitar for you musicians?  A car that gets 100 miles/gallon?  A Hello Kitty backpack for the kids?  How about something simple for you couples?  Say an evening away with your loved one?  Or, for those of us who are in the middle of moving or looking for a new home, how about Santa brings a fix to this housing crisis?

So what it is?  Live a little...  

 

I can't deny the fact that I am glad this election race is over.  It has been a brutal, divisive,  and nasty race.  I've had my spirit crushed, argued with friends and nearly lost my job (kidding....kind of) due to this election.

I voted on my convictions and what I felt led to do between myself, God and that voting machine.  It breaks my heart today, after a great night with friends last night watching the election coverage, as I read responses on Facebook, blogs and Twitter about how the United States is going to hell in a hand basket.  The saddest part is that most of these responses come from Christian friends and collegues who feel led to "speak out"... although it seems they are speaking from emotions and ignorance, which is sad.

I read today on a pastor friend's blog that he had a friend of his come into the church today to announce that he was leaving the church because my friend had voted for Obama and couldn't attend a church where the pastor voted for Obama.  This breaks my heart...

I'm glad the election is over.  Now, can we stop this nonesense and come together?  Can we come together to pray for our next President?  Please?

One of the best posts I have read today comes from Brad Ruggles.  Please go and read it.  It'll mean more to you than this post...

How can we come together?