Pale Blue Dot

This weekend I'm using the classic Voyager photo called "the Pale Blue Dot." Looking at this photo makes me see how small we really are compared to the universe. And then to consider the size of the universe with the size of God. Incredible! Tends to make my problems, house or otherwise, seem pretty small.

Home ownership

I know our story is among many with the recent heavy rainfall, but last night when I got home around 8:45, I worked until after 11 cleaning up and temporarily fixing a problem in our basement. I'm not a plumber but it has something to do with the drain of our washer. I'm guessing some previous owners didn't fix it exactly right. Whatever it is the washer drained onto our basement floor. This after a separate problem of water in the basement on Monday.

Anyway, as I was sloshing around in water I was reminded of how much fun home ownership is NOT sometimes. I was also reminded of how I HATE not knowing how to fix something. I can't begin to describe the feeling of staring at a problem and not knowing what in the world I need to do about it. So I try a couple things...they don't work...and then I try again...and they still don't work.

Oh well, time to get some professional help. That's what they are there for right? Still don't like it that I don't know how to fix it.

Ethan's 11

Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday! I can't believe it. It seems like yesterday he was introduced to the world in Greensburg, IN. He and Ben now would be the only native Hoosiers in our family now. Ethan is also starting the 6th grade today. Can't believe that either. Even though he has already started participating in the Student Ministry, it's hard to believe this new phase of his life has started. He is so completely in that phase where he is holding onto things that children like to do, yet he is drawn to older kid things. I look forward to what God is going to do with his life.

bobbyjackson, comedian

So bobbyjackson preached for the first time yesterday. Apparently he felt the need to dog me out...I can't imagine why he would feel the need to poke fun at me...hmmm? You can here his little attempt at humor here. It's about 5 minutes into the message.

Of all the good things we learned yesterday, the biggest is that the man can preach! Hope we can talk him into getting out from behind his guitar again.

The times, they are a changin'

For awhile now our 3rd service has suffered a little with low enough attendance that it just "felt" empty. Even though we would have 150-190 in attendance, the space is so large it made that number not look very big. So, some gravitated towards the 2nd service and made it even fuller. We struggled with what to do and were not looking forward to Bear's season which makes the 3rd service even worse as fans attend an earlier service so they can be home in time for kickoff.

Anyway, we decided this week to go with some earlier times and I was inspired to make a short advertisement about it. Just for fun.

World Vision's AIDS Experience

I just got back from World's Vision AIDS Experience at Faith Church, in Dyer. This traveling walk-through exhibit let's you get a close to first hand experience of a child in Africa who's life is affected by AIDS. By wearing headphones you are immersed into the world of a child who is struggling just to live. The experience culminates at a medical clinic where you discover whether or not you have AIDS. It was a moving experience. I encourage everyone to walk through it. I'm going to get Sheila and Ethan through it tomorrow hopefully and encourage as many others as possible.

You can click here to learn more about the experience and schedule a time to go through it.

It's my hope that out of this experience and others Suncrest can join other churches that are joining the mission to help those who are helpless as a result of the AIDS pandemic.

$100 challenge garage sale

When our community groups director challenged us with the $100 challenge (each Suncrest community group was given $100 to multiply in some way and bless someone's life) our group's first thought was to make it personal. Not that we would be opposed to giving it to an organization, but we wanted to do something for someone that was personal...for someone we had or would have a relationship with. So we prayed...and prayed...and finally God brought someone to my wife's attention. It was a family who we had just started getting to know and who had fell on hard times. It seemed like a clear sign.

Our project was a garage sale. It was something Sheila knew a lot about as we had one annually and typically had a bunch of stuff to sale. So we gathered our stuff and our group member's stuff and then as if God was confirming our effort, we received a bunch of stuff from two other families not connected with our group. The result: we were able to give away $600!

Sheila delivered the money in a card along with some other items that had been given to the family from our group yesterday. She didn't say anything about what was in the envelope, letting the card say it all. 5 minutes later the family was on our doorstep thanking us. All thanks go to God though because he made the garage sale successful beyond what we imagined. It's always a blessing to be a blessing to someone else.

Bobbyjackson, worship leader

So bobbyjackson, Suncrest worship arts pastor and who's name I write and speak as if it is one word because it sounds funny, is always talking about how I talk fast. He seems to derive some sort of base humor out of it. I suppose there is some truth to the matter...okay a lot of truth to the matter. However, it appears from the following video that he doesn't have much room to speak.



And then there's this. When he came on staff he said he was an authentic worship leader in that he could only sing stuff that he really meant. I guess this video really speaks volumes about bobbyjackosn's true identity.



All kidding aside, bobbyjackson is a great leader of worship and great addition to Suncrest's staff.

Leadership Summit reflection

Spending a few moments this morning reflecting on my experience of the Leadership Summit. I wouldn't call this one the best one ever (I've only attended 3) but it had some good stuff. Bill Hybel's last session at first glance didn't strike me, yet this morning as I am reflecting on the summit, I do think he had some of the most practical things to say. His talk was on how to stay inspired so you can inspire others. Instead of re-writing all of them here I will just point you to Dave Ferguson's blog who wrote them all down. Good stuff.

3 I need to pay attention to:
1. Pay attention to health - have let that slip since running the marathon last year.
2. Be around exceptionally inspiring people - this may come through books or intentionally seeking someone out who is inspiring.
3. Pay attention to work environment - Kinda let my office get stacked up and messy. That's very de-motivating to me...so this afternoon I organize and clean.

The most inspiring moment above all though was seeing the story of Patrick Henry Hughes. A gifted musician who was born without eyes and the ability to walk. It was discovered as early as 5 years old that he could had natural ability to play the piano. Now he is in college at the University of Louisville. He actually is in the marching band there where his dad wheels him around during practices and performances. To be able to make all the practices his dad works a graveyard shift at UPS. What an inspiring dad! I love this quote by Patrick:

"I was born blind and not able to walk, big deal! God has given me gifts that I can use."

Leadership Summit Day 1

Attended a great leadership conference today. Highlight for me was from author Marcus Buckingham (btw, a very funny guy even though you can't tell from his "magnum" pose.). I've read his Now, Discover Your Strengths. Key thought: Even though we are taught and ingrained with the idea that when it comes to our strengths and weaknesses we should play to our weaknesses, that is, focus our energy on our weaknesses to improve them, by focusing the majority of our energy our strengths we will be much more effective. Here's some myths and truths he presented:

Myth 1: As you grow, your personality changes.
TRUTH: As you grow, you become more of who you already are.

Myth 2: You'll grow most in the areas of your weaknesses.
TRUTH: You'll grow most in the areas of your strengths.

Myth 3: A great team member puts aside his strengths and does whatever it takes for the team.
TRUTH: A great team member volunteers his strengths most of the time.

I was challenged when I read the book, but am inspired to do more from listening to him. His follow up book, Go put your strengths to work is in my reading queue now for sure.

Changing hearts

I was reminded today that God is in the business of changing hearts...even hearts of pagan Kings. I was reading Ezra 7 and read about how God made King Artaxerxes, grandson to Esther (which also makes him grandson to Xerxes, shown to the right from the movie 300), favorable towards Ezra and the Israelites. They were essentially still in captivity but he basically gave him permission to return to Jerusalem to teach God's Word to the people there and stocked him up with all the stuff he would need including sacrifices for worship and gold. It just made me think that if God can change the heart of a pagan king, he can change the heart of anyone for His purposes. This is encouraging because Suncrest is involved in an initiative where we could really use the favor of town and city leaders. So that is what I am praying for...that he would change hearts to make them favorable towards us.

Third Place!

Ethan and Daisy participated in the Illinois Kid Golf Foundation (formerly Hook a Kid on Golf) Saturday. It was a skills challenge. Daisy participated in the S.N.A.G. competition which is a starter program for kids. Not sure if she will take to it like Ethan, but she had fun. And we were stoked to see Ethan get third. They competed at Rose Hill Farms in Sugar Grove. A fairly prestigious golf course which will host the 2009 Solheim. Got to see Peter Longo as well. He is a well known trick golf shot artist although this was the first I had heard of him. He was good.

Great Times in Indy

We had a great time in Indy. Great conversation with Ron of Mission Indy and a great time having some fun. The first pick is at Great Times. 2nd pic is the bladder buster Sheila picked up at a gas station. Now that is super size.

An official welcome to the blogging world

This is the official welcome to the blogging world for fellow Suncresters Greg, Tim and Lynn. Greg of course is the lead pastor of Suncrest. Tim is a college student at Lincoln Christian College and currently doing an internship in southern illinois. Lynn is a saint and vital volunteer at Suncrest. Great to have you guys commenting in cyberspace.

Ministries that get it

I have been blessed to connect with a few ministries that really get it. Get what you say? Get what it means to be Jesus in the world. One of those ministries is Mission Indy. This is a great ministry that is doing so much good for God. The good they are doing for Inner City Indy and those who participate in their weeks is unmeasurable. Essentially what they do is bring in Jr. High and Sr. High students from around the nation to spend a week working hard in the inner city and worshiping God. The other side of the ministry is that they have become a connector to the ministries in Indy. In an area where a lot of churches have abandoned the Urban environment for the comfort of the Suburbs, several churches and ministries are sticking it out and doing their best at reaching people. Mission Indy has been a catalyst for great things even starting an Urban Institute for mission minded leaders to learn about ministry in the urban environment.

I'm headed down there the next two days to connect with the director and my friend Michael to glean from the director how he built this ministry.