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The next place....

Ashli graduated tonight.  She's a beautiful intelligent girl.  Tons of potential and a very bright future.  We love you Ash.  We'll be cheering you on as you take the next steps.

Slow down.....

OK, I want it all and I want it now!  It dawned on me this week that I've been planning and praying about systems that require PEOPLE to own and implement.  I've said it a hundred times, I must let go of things or I become the rate limiting step.  I DON'T WANT TO BE THE RATE LIMITING STEP!  So I'm going to try to put together a flow chart of the leadership positions we need and the order in which they will take priority.  As the leadership steps forward, we will train and release them.  Otherwise we will only do the things we can do consistently well.  I told Allison last night that we have two choices about how we respond to the next few months.  We can worry and fret over results or we can work to give God his due glory and enjoy Him.  God will give the increase we are simply going to sow, water, and work the fields.

Reading Romans 8  this morning.  (Note: If you haven't found BibleGateway yet try the link.  You can read from dozens of translations.)  Man is this chapter packed full of good stuff.  It's simply incredible.  Soak it in and soak in it for a while.  I'm loving this: 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[o] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  It just doesn't get much better than that.

The Party

OK I'm trying to figure out what would be the best way express to your "guest services" team what the Sunday morning experience should "feel" like.  What the average guest should experience.  Anyway I'm thinking it should feel like a party.  We've all heard it called a celebration but I can't remember anyone ever using the term party.  Here's my argument.  The elements of a quality party should include: fellowship, food, music, meaningful dialog, giving/sharing, fun, welcoming environment, you may dread coming but once there you are glad you came.  How do these elements translate to the Sunday morning experience?  So I'm suggesting we make it the best party these guys experience all week.  Something they look forward to.  I've heard experiences called everything in the world, so why not "The Party"?

King of the Hill

This is how Jake, my son, and Will, my nephew spent Memorial day.  Jake just finished his first year at UofArkansas and Will is starting kindergarten this fall.  I guess boys will be boys.... forever.....

 

Our Valedictorian

Luke graduated from Liberty Middle School last week as the class Valedictorian.  He's had a great run at Liberty both in academics and athletics.  He's a great kid with tons of potential.  Can't wait to see what God has in store for this big guy...  Love ya Luke.  Dad.

Losing Focus....

OK here it is.  I've had a crappy week of confrontation after confrontation.  I'm convinced it's spiritual warfare and I've been trying to do the fighting instead of letting Jesus clear the way.  That stops now.  Faith.  In the end it's all about faith.  I often get too busy worrying about protecting my business, my family, my future.... see the common denominator?  My, My, My.... and mostly my gets an exclamation point because I'm worried about what someone else will think, say , or do.  Furtick reminds us of Gal 1:10 today and helps me bring into focus that this battle isn't mine.  I may need to throw a few body slams from time to time but I'm through doing the heavy lifting.  God, I'm with you, lead on.

Where have all the manners gone?

OK, I think I'm going a little too hard lately.  It seems that one of the things that really irks me recently, are those people who insist on pulling out in front of you.  It's just plain rude.  It would be like we are walking up to a door and instead of stopping and hold the door for me, you speed up your pace so you can beat me into the door.  Today it happened.... TWICE in a five minute window.  I've come up with a solution.  I think I will invent a button for your car.  I will signal some electronic gizmo that shoots an electron blast at the person's car which causes their car to shut down.  I'm thinking for 5 minutes should be fine.  Just long enough for the person to know they've been caught being an inconsiderate driver.  A little time-out if you will.  I shared my idea with Allison and she of course thinks I'm insane but may be on to something.  One concern I have is that if my gizmo ever makes it to market, she'd find herself in a time-out zone pretty quickly, she likes to dart and weave.....   

Diversity

Today we were looking for some photos to blow up and hang in the children's area.  I found a great shot of an Asian girl praying and another of an African American mother with her daughter.   It crossed my mind that I love the idea of sending a message of diversity.  Coincidentally, I really don't believe much in coincidence, later I read this post on Swerve.  The reality that we can talk about diversity, and hang all the pictures on the wall we want to and still not be diverse really hit home.  What am I doing to create true relationships across all lines?  Do I really want to be diverse or just appear diverse on the surface?  What personal sacrifice am I willing to make to be a part of a truly diverse Body?  How about you Bod?

Church Planting

What an amazing process.  It's like being on a roller coaster and half the time it feels like we're off the tracks.  Things are really shaping up.  I'm thinking we can be ready to install sound and video in the next two weeks.  The children's area is almost trimmed and looks awesome.  I tend to get carried away once I get started.  I'll post pics as soon as we get it finished.  We ran into a small problem.  the slide is about 6 inches too tall for the ceiling.... OK we'll cut it off and move on.... I'll let you know how that goes.  It seems God is at work in the lives of lots of people around us.  Lots of buzz and it seems that musicians are being drawn.  Still haven't hooked the guy I want but I think we are getting closer.  I can't wait to get started.  I think we'll have a service in June, even if it's me, Jake, and Gray on the djembe.  Pray that God pour out supernatural wisdom on me as I lead.  Grace....

Irreverent

Today I listened to John Piper again on The Supremacy of God in the Life of the Mind.  Just the title lets you know I'm swimming in water over my head.  The thing that stuck with me today and that I seem to be locked on to is the idea of making the story of God boring.  The idea that we put so little effort into pointing to the glory of God in our story.  The idea that the church is so pathetically boring.  That fun should be had elsewhere.  The we should be "reverent" in God's house.  Well I'm with Piper on this one.  Irreverence is making God's story boring.  Irreverence is putting God in a tiny, restrictive, legalistic, managable, controllable, quiet package while you sit on the lid and frown.  God is too creative for that.  It's time to turn it loose and run...........