The only thing better than a good deal is..

a great deal! So offerings have been a little down and that is pretty much when everything breaks! We lost the bulb in our video projector in Children's church last week. So we ordered a new bulb at the good price of $200. But that didn't do it! Turns out something else was wrong that caused the bulb to burn so I went out on Saturday just looking at prices. So it turns out Best Buy has good prices on them and had sales to boot. After looking at Staples I decided to head back to Best Buy. There wasn't really anyone to help me out and I decided on an unit that was $649 (down from $749!) so I started looking for the box. When digging around the bottom shelf I came across an open box marked down to $359.99! Jason on the phone, googled it and it turns out to be one of the highest resolution model they have and was originally sold for over $1000!!! I love it when God works!

The image looks grate and can even be seen with all of the lights on. The old one was so dim we had to kill all of the lights just to see our presentation.

Our greatest not so small small group!

These guys really showed us how much the appreciate us...by punking us! They called Jason and Myself to come to a small group meeting because they had something to talk to us about. Everyone sounded SOOOO serious and really had us worried. When we got there their fearless leader met us at the door with his eyes all watered up. Then after beating around the bush they handed us both letters with how much they appreciate us as Pastors.

So now we have to figure out just how to appreciate them back!!! Any ideas!

finishing up Jonah

So we just wrapped up a great series on the book of Jonah. I am amazed at how much we can learn from 4 short chapters. I think the kids had a blast and really got the messages! Here are a few pictures from week 4:

you never know what you will find in a giant fish!

Boat load 1

boat load 2

and boat load 3!

We put rockers on the bottom of the boat to make it move. (thanks Todd, for the idea!)

I don't know if we can top this during our Christmas series!

Sometimes I love being me...

But hate having to be me! Do you get that? Let me start by tell you a little story: Over the past few weeks it seems like everything is breaking, little stuff mostly but it was really adding up. This started to really stress me out due to an number of things like: no time to fix stuff, no money to pay to have it fixed and really needing some of these things to work NOW. So I did what anyone else would do...I started fixing other peoples stuff! Yes, other people had stuff break also and I decided that because of my needs and frustrations that I really know how THEY felt, and the frustrations that they are having. Now my things are starting to get done little by little but my stress about them dropped! I am not worrying about a leaky roof (may be fixed) or the door knob that will not open (temp fix) or the dryer that isn’t drying (stuff will dry eventually on their own) and the $1200 air compressor not working ($14.00 fix). I am not worrying because in my giving of my time and talents, God has freed up some time AND some cash for me to fix my stuff. Now I don’t think a time tithe is in the Bible but over the past few weeks God has worked in my life through the giving of my time.

I do not tell you this to boast! I have nothing to boast about! Instead I tell you this to encourage you as the “busy season” approaches. In all of the hustle and bustle that is coming I ask you to slow down the selfish wagon and reach out to others that may be in need. Find the strength to hold fast to your commitments and to honor you vows. December is a time when we really could use a few extra hours in the day and a few extra dollars in the bank. Take this time to use your stress and worries to really help you understand your neighbors stress’ and worries and do something about it. Meet a need, lend a hand or give a dollar. That will be the best Christmas you can give!

Now why my opening statement of “Sometimes I love being me...But hate having to be me!”. Let me tell you: God has place me in situations that allows me to know some things about fixing stuff. I hate that because I would rather never have to get dirty, weld something, rewire, rebuild, build, and repair stuff. I sometimes would just rather have the means to go out an buy a new one. BUT I love it at the same time. There is no better feeling than fixing that thing that you were cursing the day before not to mention just knowing what to look for and how to fix it in the first place. The air compressor that I use to power tools and stuff in the garage stopped working on Monday night in the middle of fixing a friends car. After pulling it apart, testing a few things and googleing some other stuff, I figures what the offending part was and ordered it. So the next day for $14 I had my compressor up and running. That is a lot better that taking it to a repair shop and I don’t charge myself for labor! Same with cars, I would love a brand new car that I never have to work on but I also love being able to fix my clunkers.

Pray that this next car in my garage can be fixed on the cheap and that the repair is a success. I am having to pull the transmission out to find the worse leak ever. So far the car is being a bit stubborn.

So I will close with the same statement in reverse: Sometimes I hate having to be me...But love being me!

fight of the year

too cool

Just when you thought juggling couldn't be done any better or any more creative. This is a great lesson on mediocrity. Just because your talents or skills are "normal" doesn't mean you cannot strive to be better at them. Don't recreate the wheel, just perfect it.

so you mentioned the troops at church on Sunday!

whiphid di do! Words are weak!

Our teens actually went out on Saturday to serve them! Don't get me wrong, it is fine to give some time from the pulpit to honor our troops but it is even better to give up you day off to make them cards, crafts and pack some gift boxes for them. Action people! I am so proud of Crosslink Teens (our youth-group) for coming out with so much enthusiasm to do this. They all want to go back and do some more.

Sometimes there is just too much talking and not enough walking. These kids have never turned down the chance to serve. I learn so much from them.

Crosslink: We love you and thank you for caring.

We as a church were so proud that we paid for some of the cost of the fund raiser shirts for each teen. So they each got a shirt and the "Give To The Troops" got some money to buy more stuff.

Glad to be a part of Discovery! Thanks Kim for organizing this!

working on Jonah week 2

Week one was great! We talked about taking the wrong boat: the "mad mom boat" and not doing what we are asked. We can always find a boat headed in the wrong direction if we look.

Here are some shots of the activities from last week:

They kids had a boat rock'n good time.

Oh Whale!

Line up for the review!

Check our Asa with the attitude!

See you guys should come to Children's church! we have so much more fun!

Our Costumes for the PARTner dinner at church

We decided to go biblical and way back to the beginning:

btw, tonight I may be turing over a new leaf!

Why and I so stoked about:

Jonah? It is our new series at Discovery Church starting this Sunday and running for 4 weeks. One chapter a week. Maybe it's the children's pastor in me excited about a cool Bible story. Or maybe it is just a great lesson on God's love and Justice (which go hand in hand). Either way I am stoked and looking forward to it.

Here are some props to add some visuals to the lesson:

The boat is for Children's Church aka The ROCK. It will have some graphics painted on it to liven it up a tad. I will try to post the finished product for you all to see.

If you are in the Greenville N.C. area and haven't checked us out, you need to stop by and find out about second chances.

impartation part 7

These are my final notes from the IMPART event

Your betrayers will eat your bread! “John 13:30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.” Jesus allowed Judas to eat, knowing full well what he was about to do. Let them eat.

Don’t unload on her: Don’t come home from work and dump all of the negative crap on your spouse. I assure you that is not what she has been waiting for all day. Sit in the car and unload. Plan on giving her the goods not the garbage. BTW: she will not tell you to stop! But I just did. Be a blessing (see my honor post)

Are you hanging on to what God has rejected?: “1 Samuel 16:1a The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?” [yeah I know there is not “a” and “b” but then again there was a time when there was no “16” or “1” either, so back off You Pharisee!]

Who do you need to cut? Who is emotion hanging onto that stewardship has let go? Let them leave, what have you lost? Build on what remains. Your destiny is never set by those who leave but only by Jesus Christ.

Well that is my very mixed thoughts on this amazing event from over a week ago. My mind is still trying to unwrap some of this stuff. I hope you can grab a nugget here or there from it. I know I got a whole 10 pack!!!

impartation part 6

These are my notes from the IMPART event

Think inside the box: Thinking outside of it is frustrating. Don’t recreat the wheel when you have perfectly good ones. Work with what you have and what you are good at. Focus on the wins! Don’t play to not lose. Play to win till the end.

If you cannot recruit them for free, you probably will not be able to pay them to do it well. Believe what you are doing and sell it whole heartily.

When you find who you really are, you release what God has in store for you. Stop being “them” and be you. You are already good at it, just give it a try.

We don’t create momentum, we just ride it. Well some of us try to stop it but we should be onboard. It’s a much better ride. Protect it and harness it. It works (get it: it works?) Build your next initiative out of that momentum.

Blessing is God’s department, preparation is mine!

God calls those not wiling to work “lazy”. God calls those not willing to rest “disobedient”. Take a break! Naps rock! Sleep rulez! Rest is best. Hey go out and do something you enjoy, God talks then too.

impartation part 5

These are my notes from the IMPART event

The shortage is in our capacity Not God’s ability. Get more jars!

The Widow’s Oil

"2 Kings 4:1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a little oil.”

3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

5 She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing."

If you cannot pay them cash, pay them attention! It actually last longer! And you cannot put a price on it! See my post on Honor!

impartation part 4

These are my notes from the IMPART event

If you are not giving to your church, you probably are not giving anywhere. If you are not giving anywhere, you may have an idol problem.

Simplicity: do one thing and do it well. Golden Coral attitude always leads to mediocrity. Sure there is a little bit of everything but nothing really sticks out. Simplicity enables excellence.

Sometimes you need “an Old Yeller anointing”. If it isn’t working: take it out back and shoot it. It may hurt, you may miss it but it will allow things to move forward.

Dress for the wedding: planning for the future may sometimes look out of place until you get there. Like stopping for gas in a tux! After all how do you think Noah looked building a huge boat on dry land when it had NEVER rained before. Prepairing for the future ALWAYS looks stupid to the one’s without vision.

God’s may send you on a detour but that doesn’t mean He changed the destination. It may take longer to get there but there was a reason for it. BTW account for a possible detour when planning the trip in the first place and you will not be upset when you see the road closed and have to turn.