So excited!

Just ordered Pop Goes the Church… hurry up mr mailman and get me my book!

I hate, oops dislike, taxes!

It’s tax season and Jennie and I have never left taxes this late… a little more completed this year – moving across the country, two different states, employers, sold and bought a house and our tax preparer is in Indiana. Spent all day pouring over numbers, receipts, HUD documents, more papers, excel spreadsheets… but I think we’re finally done! Goes in the mail tomorrow. I’m exhausted. Thank the good Lord that Top Gear is on tonight.

It’s spring?

Woke up to 3″ of snow this morning. Someone forgot to tell the weatherman spring is here.

I’m tired

Twice this week I’ve worked til 1am… and it’s only Thursday morning. I sat so long at my desk yesterday that my legs seized up. That can’t be good. I did get to take my kids to the park last night for like 15 minutes… at 6:30pm it gets cold and we had to climb over a mound of snow that circled the park… but hey we did! Then went to Starbucks for hot chocolate to warm up (it’s almost April, c’mon!).

God’s up to something in Albany.

What a weekend and Monday. God blew me away at our Easter Weekend Experience. Close to 400 in the building and 10 people crossing the line of faith. I’m so grateful to all the volunteers, kidzone team, first impression team, worship team who worked so hard to make Easter so unique and special. The lesson for me yesterday was that in spite of us God moves and touches people’s lives. Thanks to everyone who served and made a difference in ten people’s lives yesterday.

On Monday I had a great lunch with Josh Brower from the Lifechurch.tv campus in Albany. God’s doing great things at lifechurch.tv and it was great to hang out with Josh. I greatly respect lifechurch.tv and Josh. I’m looking forward spending more time with Josh.

I love the 80’s. Context & Content.

So there’s a lot of churches out there doing “I the love 80’s” series (though I think VH1 started the whole phenomena). Anyhow I’m at the gym this morning and I got distracted. I’m working out and in walks a true ’80’s icon. Not the manufactured 2008 “Target” or “H&M” kind. No, this guy was a true icon, the real deal… note the black socks with the 80’s plastic white sneakers; the black wife-beater vest tucked into the gray sweat shorts pulled up to his chest; note the size of those head phones. I had to get a picture. The moral of the story is this… and it’s one my papa taught me (through observation): If you hold on to things long enough they will come back in style (eventually).

Unfortunately in church culture we often hold on to things long enough that they actually go out of style for a third and fourth time. There are absolute non-negotiables and core values rooted in scripture and theology that should never change, however our context should be defined by the culture we’re in, and the culture we’re in is always moving forward, always changing – it’s a river that continuously flows (suggested reading on the subject “An Unstoppable Force” by Erwin McManus). Remember Jesus always used His context (the culture around him) to articulate and communicate His content (Farmers – wheat fields; Fishermen – nets and fish etc).

Stumped by an 8 year old

So I’m hanging out with my kids at our favorite Mexico joint while Jennie does her women’s Bible study at the church… somehow the kids start talking about the fact that God is three people and one person all at the same time. I wish I had a camera to capture the look on Sophie’s (6) face. Then Sophie asks “what does heaven look like?” Aidan explains that the only people to see heaven are those who have died and gone there. Sophie then asks if we can cut her head off so she can go see (that was a great moment to talk about making sure Jesus lived in your heart). All the while Mads (almost 4) is singing “Jesus is God” at the top of her voice. A memorable evening.

Anyhow as the conversation progressed Aidan (8 1/2) mentioned that when Jesus died he went to hell for three days because he took all of our sins. “That’s right” I replied. Then came the question that stumped me. “Dad, if Jesus went to hell for three days after he died, why did he tell the thief that he would be with Him in paradise this day?” Great observation. I love the inquisitive nature of young minds. I love the fact that Aidan is seeing things from Scripture and asking great questions.