On Saturday, I was working with some of my kids. We were working for the Nativity that we are doing for the second service of Christmas Eve. As we were working through our stage plots and reviewing our lines, one of our kids kept talking about Joseph being Jesus’ father. At first, I didn’t think much of this. But, this topic kept coming up. So, I thought I might want to check and see what these kids knew. Turns out, they all thought Jesus was the son of Joseph. Well, Joseph served as Jesus’ earthly father, so they are technically right. However, they’re wrong. So, now I have a predicament. How do you explain this topic to ten and eleven year olds without using the language adults would use? I can say the phrase “virgin birth” all day long and they have no clue what I am talking about. They just don’t understand. I am very thankful they are so innocent. I wouldn’t want it any other way… but, this detail is so important. It is the KEY to the Christmas story. So, here I was, talking to these little ones about Jesus’ birth on a Saturday morning. So, here we go.
It was obvious that they didn’t know what I was talking about at first. So, we started with the Trinity. I explained what each part of the Trinity does and then we put it into perspective of the Christmas story. After we determined what God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit does for each of us, we then moved to the miraculous birth of the Baby Jesus. Basically, this young girl had her “tummy” touched by the Holy Spirit and a baby was formed. That’s incredible!! I think they understood this… I think. J Then we talked about how Mary and Joseph were engaged. One kid said, “So, that’s why they couldn’t have a baby? They weren’t married.” Yes, of course that’s it. J So, this took a little explaining, but we got through it. We discussed how God is the Father of Baby Jesus. If you think about it, that’s pretty hard to understand. How many of us truly grasp what that is? That’s incredible and goes well beyond our realm of comprehension. But, it’s essential for us to have some understanding of this to have a relationship with God.
If Joseph was Jesus’ father, as Christians, we’re in trouble. Jesus had to be both fully God and fully man. So, as one of my kids said, He was two people in one. This is absolutely true. He was man and grew up as a man. However, He was God and performed miracles that only God could do. Talk about mind blowing… Our God, came as a baby, grew up, and died as a sinless, perfect sacrifice for me!! If I think about all the people that God would do this for, my name doesn’t come to mind. Why me? I don’t deserve this at all!! This season is so important. I’m thankful that these kids have helped me refocus and truly think about the Christmas season!!
-Just my thoughts…
About Me
- Andrew
- I am married to the best woman in the world and she's way out of my league. Way to go, me. I love being the father of our little boy, Romey. We were blessed with him on July 8, 2010. My daughter, Paisley Joy, brings me so much joy. She joined our family on July 23, 2012. We also have a dog, Sasha, our Shiba Pug. I wear many hats as a music pastor while Courtney works as a music teacher in Kettering. Life is Good!!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Never Easy
Yesterday, I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life, to this point. Due to unknown intestinal problems, I had to have my sweet dog, Ike, put down. Ike was the best dog in the world. I know a lot of people say that about their pets and we're all a little biased, but Ike was the best.
Ike was my buddy from day 1. He was so sweet and so gentle. I loved him so much. He was part of my family. I struggled as Courtney and I had to make a decision. He was beginning to suffer. I don't understand why. He wasn't even 10, yet. In my mind, I knew we had a few more years together. In fact, I had just told Ike he needed to get better because we had plenty of living left to do. He and I talked a lot. Well, I talked. He just looked at me with his soft eyes and wagged his tail. :) We walked around outside and talked about things going on. We did this everyday. He was more than just a pet. I got Ike when I was 17. I had almost 10 years with him. It wasn't long enough. But, I guess it never is...
The hardest part of this decision was I chose to put him down... It was my choice. I was doing the right thing. I was being responsible. I was doing what was best for him... But, I still chose to do it. That's where I'm stuck. I'm struggling with that decision. I loved my buddy very much and I can't help but feel that I took his life from him. Don't get me wrong. I understand it was the right thing to do. I couldn't let him suffer. He was suffering. Dogs can't tell you they don't feel well. They can't tell you where it hurts. When they get sick, they want to go hide. It's just the way it is. I couldn't fix him. I couldn't make it all better. All I could do was love on him and take away the pain.
One of Ike's favorite things was to eat. We called every meal breakfast. I would fill the mug with food and take it to his bowl. He would spin around and circles and get so happy that he was getting fed. We called it his breakfast dance. Everyday he did this. Part of him getting sick involved him not being able to keep food down. In fact, it wasn't even getting to his stomach. It would go in and it would come back out a few hours later. Yet, everyday, he got so excited to eat. I miss that. I missed that this morning. Today, I only fed Sasha. Today, I walked Sasha and talked to her. Sasha is Courtney's pug mix. I love Sasha, too, but Ike was my buddy. I miss him.
I want to think of the happy times. I think about when I first got Ike. I think about the fun we had outside. I remember falling asleep with him. I think about playing fetch... although he never understood he was to bring the ball back. I remember he and Sasha wrestling. I remember going downstairs and having him knock me over trying to beat me. I remember happy times. I also remember times I ignored him. I remember not making him a priority. I don't like those thoughts. I regret not spending more time with him. I regret not putting him first when I had the time.
In a lot of ways, I equate this with our Heavenly Father. Even though I didn't always focus on Ike and even though I got angry with him at times, he loved me unconditionally. He never held a grudge. He never wanted me to leave, but I had to go to work. He would be sad, but he would be so excited every time I returned home. I know I do that to God all the time. I walk away from Him. I don't love Him the way I should. I get angry with Him. I push Him aside because I'm busy with something else. Yet, He loves me unconditionally. That's something that goes far beyond my realm of comprehension. That's a lesson that I'm still trying to learn. I think I have a glimpse of God's love because I've had Ike in my life.
Maybe that's too far of a stretch, but it makes sense to me. I really do miss my Ikey. I know it will get easier, but nothing will ever replace him. Ike was special. He really was the world's best dog. There will never be another. I may have another dog someday, but that dog won't be Ikey. Ike will be missed so much by the family.
-Just my thoughts...
Ike was my buddy from day 1. He was so sweet and so gentle. I loved him so much. He was part of my family. I struggled as Courtney and I had to make a decision. He was beginning to suffer. I don't understand why. He wasn't even 10, yet. In my mind, I knew we had a few more years together. In fact, I had just told Ike he needed to get better because we had plenty of living left to do. He and I talked a lot. Well, I talked. He just looked at me with his soft eyes and wagged his tail. :) We walked around outside and talked about things going on. We did this everyday. He was more than just a pet. I got Ike when I was 17. I had almost 10 years with him. It wasn't long enough. But, I guess it never is...
The hardest part of this decision was I chose to put him down... It was my choice. I was doing the right thing. I was being responsible. I was doing what was best for him... But, I still chose to do it. That's where I'm stuck. I'm struggling with that decision. I loved my buddy very much and I can't help but feel that I took his life from him. Don't get me wrong. I understand it was the right thing to do. I couldn't let him suffer. He was suffering. Dogs can't tell you they don't feel well. They can't tell you where it hurts. When they get sick, they want to go hide. It's just the way it is. I couldn't fix him. I couldn't make it all better. All I could do was love on him and take away the pain.
One of Ike's favorite things was to eat. We called every meal breakfast. I would fill the mug with food and take it to his bowl. He would spin around and circles and get so happy that he was getting fed. We called it his breakfast dance. Everyday he did this. Part of him getting sick involved him not being able to keep food down. In fact, it wasn't even getting to his stomach. It would go in and it would come back out a few hours later. Yet, everyday, he got so excited to eat. I miss that. I missed that this morning. Today, I only fed Sasha. Today, I walked Sasha and talked to her. Sasha is Courtney's pug mix. I love Sasha, too, but Ike was my buddy. I miss him.
I want to think of the happy times. I think about when I first got Ike. I think about the fun we had outside. I remember falling asleep with him. I think about playing fetch... although he never understood he was to bring the ball back. I remember he and Sasha wrestling. I remember going downstairs and having him knock me over trying to beat me. I remember happy times. I also remember times I ignored him. I remember not making him a priority. I don't like those thoughts. I regret not spending more time with him. I regret not putting him first when I had the time.
In a lot of ways, I equate this with our Heavenly Father. Even though I didn't always focus on Ike and even though I got angry with him at times, he loved me unconditionally. He never held a grudge. He never wanted me to leave, but I had to go to work. He would be sad, but he would be so excited every time I returned home. I know I do that to God all the time. I walk away from Him. I don't love Him the way I should. I get angry with Him. I push Him aside because I'm busy with something else. Yet, He loves me unconditionally. That's something that goes far beyond my realm of comprehension. That's a lesson that I'm still trying to learn. I think I have a glimpse of God's love because I've had Ike in my life.
Maybe that's too far of a stretch, but it makes sense to me. I really do miss my Ikey. I know it will get easier, but nothing will ever replace him. Ike was special. He really was the world's best dog. There will never be another. I may have another dog someday, but that dog won't be Ikey. Ike will be missed so much by the family.
-Just my thoughts...
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thanks Living
That's the theme of this week, right?? I was thinking about this week a lot. We all have our own Thanksgiving traditions. Maybe you sit around your table and tell everyone what you are thankful for. Maybe you spend the whole month of November focusing on what you're thankful for each day. Maybe you get together with family and reconnect. Maybe you're more concerned with the fact that not only are the Lions playing this year, so are the Raiders!! What's the NFL going to do next?? :):) Obviously, you can see where my head is. :) Regardless of tradition, this is a special time of year.
Courtney and I were able to reconnect with my family yesterday. And, in typical Nicholl fashion, we met at Ruby Tuesday's for a quick lunch. It was quick because I was late and I had to leave early. This is also very typical. While I hate to be late, so many things happen out of my control that I can't always help it. Anyway, our short time together was wonderful. Not everyone was able to make it, but it was still a good time together. It's important for us to get together and talk... to let each other into our lives. Life is to short to go through it alone. So, we get together to show how much we love each other. That was Thanksgiving #1. Thanksgiving #2 will be on Thursday with Courtney's family. That will be a special time as well. We have not been together as a family since last January. Courtney's grandma and Scott, Courtney's brother-in-law, won't be with us. However, it's going to be a great time.
But, is this what Thanksgiving is all about? Is it about family, and food, and quality time, and fun, and you name it...?? Yes, absolutely. So, why do we only worry about taking care of this stuff when it's a holiday?? Why do we let a calendar year dictate how we show love and affection to our family and friends?? There are a lot of excuses that answer this. But that's just it, they are excuses. We are busy. We all have plenty of stuff that fills our plates. We all have schedules that are not our own. That makes this difficult, but not impossible. We need to live lives that reek of thankfulness. Everyone that we encounter should be blown away by our thankful personalities. We've been given so much. We have no reason to keep it to ourselves.
-Just my thoughts...
Courtney and I were able to reconnect with my family yesterday. And, in typical Nicholl fashion, we met at Ruby Tuesday's for a quick lunch. It was quick because I was late and I had to leave early. This is also very typical. While I hate to be late, so many things happen out of my control that I can't always help it. Anyway, our short time together was wonderful. Not everyone was able to make it, but it was still a good time together. It's important for us to get together and talk... to let each other into our lives. Life is to short to go through it alone. So, we get together to show how much we love each other. That was Thanksgiving #1. Thanksgiving #2 will be on Thursday with Courtney's family. That will be a special time as well. We have not been together as a family since last January. Courtney's grandma and Scott, Courtney's brother-in-law, won't be with us. However, it's going to be a great time.
But, is this what Thanksgiving is all about? Is it about family, and food, and quality time, and fun, and you name it...?? Yes, absolutely. So, why do we only worry about taking care of this stuff when it's a holiday?? Why do we let a calendar year dictate how we show love and affection to our family and friends?? There are a lot of excuses that answer this. But that's just it, they are excuses. We are busy. We all have plenty of stuff that fills our plates. We all have schedules that are not our own. That makes this difficult, but not impossible. We need to live lives that reek of thankfulness. Everyone that we encounter should be blown away by our thankful personalities. We've been given so much. We have no reason to keep it to ourselves.
-Just my thoughts...
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Go Big or Go Home
That phrase is something I say a lot... especially when playing a game. It's a phrase that can be used as smack talk when playing a sport, or it's something that can be viewed as a challenge, but for me, it's a way of life. Go big or go home... or, if you're not going to do your best at something, don't bother doing it at all. It's a rather simple concept, but it's not necessarily easy to put into practice. Earlier this week, I woke up very tired for my workout. I didn't put my best into it. My numbers were decent for the day, but I didn't do my best. As a result, I felt unfulfilled for the rest of the day. That seems so trivial, but it's true. I was disappointed in myself for not pushing harder. I was disappointed in myself for not focusing. I was disappointed in myself for not Going Big!!
Going big can be difficult. In our human minds, we often rank levels of importance for the circumstances that we face. By determining what matters most, we often skip out on pouring our hearts into the stuff we don't really like to do. Is that right? Is that wrong? Is that just how it is?
We all put value rankings on what we do. For instance, I play in a fantasy football league. A lot of us are very competitive. My buddy, Alex, and I are probably right at the top in terms of competitiveness. It can be very frustrating when others don't share the same passions that we do. We actually just talked about this subject over the weekend. If you're going to do something, put your heart into it. Putting a little effort into something, I feel, shows a lack of committment. That's just a personal feeling. But, if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right. While others in our league may not make changes in their lineups or even remember to update their roster, we have to recognize that it's not a priority for them. That's just the way it is. I'm not wired that way. I want to see myself succeed in everything I do. It's important to me.
So, what does that mean for me? I could temper myself and try to be more relaxed with what I do... But, I think that would leave me unfulfilled and stuck in complacency. At least, what would feel like complacency. In everything I do, I wanna do it BIG!!
GO BIG or GO HOME!!
-Just my thoughts...
Andrew
Going big can be difficult. In our human minds, we often rank levels of importance for the circumstances that we face. By determining what matters most, we often skip out on pouring our hearts into the stuff we don't really like to do. Is that right? Is that wrong? Is that just how it is?
We all put value rankings on what we do. For instance, I play in a fantasy football league. A lot of us are very competitive. My buddy, Alex, and I are probably right at the top in terms of competitiveness. It can be very frustrating when others don't share the same passions that we do. We actually just talked about this subject over the weekend. If you're going to do something, put your heart into it. Putting a little effort into something, I feel, shows a lack of committment. That's just a personal feeling. But, if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right. While others in our league may not make changes in their lineups or even remember to update their roster, we have to recognize that it's not a priority for them. That's just the way it is. I'm not wired that way. I want to see myself succeed in everything I do. It's important to me.
So, what does that mean for me? I could temper myself and try to be more relaxed with what I do... But, I think that would leave me unfulfilled and stuck in complacency. At least, what would feel like complacency. In everything I do, I wanna do it BIG!!
GO BIG or GO HOME!!
-Just my thoughts...
Andrew
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
It's Not About Me
What a weekend!! It was completely and totally exhausting... On Friday, Courtney and I enjoyed a wonderful evening with Drew and Kim (and their kids). Saturday, we had choir rehearsal in the morning, a quick lunch break, Courtney taught private lessons, Saturday evening rehearsal, Saturday evening service, Saturday evening cleanup, and then a late dinner with friends. Sunday, we enjoyed two morning services, a lunch date for the two of us, a quick stop at home to change clothes (and see the Steelers were beating the Vikings), back to the church for Uprising set-up, Uprising rehearsal, Uprising service, Uprising cleanup, and then finally home to be with my wife... for about 30 minutes before she fell asleep. It was super busy and exhausting.
So, what did I learn from this weekend?? Well, Uprising turned about to be a struggle... for me... I struggled with the way we sounded as a band. I struggled with the attitude that came with the band members. I struggled with how unprepared we were as a group. I struggled with being a leader. I struggled. It was bad enough, I ended up staying up late to process through what happened and what my role is supposed to be with this group. I want to help. I want to lead. I want to worship lead with these youth. I want to train them. I want to teach them about God. I want to teach them about worship. I want to do so much with them. and... I feel like it's not going anywhere. My efforts go without result. So, I blamed myself. It's my fault they're complacent. It's my fault their apathetic. It's my fault they don't play in tune. It's my fault we fell on our faces Sunday night. It's my fault.
Then God reminded me of a verse in I Corinthians 15... "be enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, because nothing I do for the Lord is ever useless." Once this verse came to mind, I was able to fall asleep. It took a long while to get to that point. But, if it wasn't for God's grace, I may still be awake trying to figure all this out. Once this verse hit me, I realized that it's not about me. It's not about what I do. It's not about my efforts. It's not about my energy. It's not about my plan. It's not about my teaching. It's not about what I know. It's not about what I want to pass on. It's not about anything other than God. I believe that--- or so I thought I did. I realize now that understanding the "it's not about me" principle is a lifelong journey. I can't force things. I am only responsible for who I am and what I do. I can only answer to God for me. On that day, I will be all alone. So, it's not about me, it's up to me. God has surrounded me with godly friends who are helping me through this journey.
It's not about me...
-Just my thoughts...
So, what did I learn from this weekend?? Well, Uprising turned about to be a struggle... for me... I struggled with the way we sounded as a band. I struggled with the attitude that came with the band members. I struggled with how unprepared we were as a group. I struggled with being a leader. I struggled. It was bad enough, I ended up staying up late to process through what happened and what my role is supposed to be with this group. I want to help. I want to lead. I want to worship lead with these youth. I want to train them. I want to teach them about God. I want to teach them about worship. I want to do so much with them. and... I feel like it's not going anywhere. My efforts go without result. So, I blamed myself. It's my fault they're complacent. It's my fault their apathetic. It's my fault they don't play in tune. It's my fault we fell on our faces Sunday night. It's my fault.
Then God reminded me of a verse in I Corinthians 15... "be enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, because nothing I do for the Lord is ever useless." Once this verse came to mind, I was able to fall asleep. It took a long while to get to that point. But, if it wasn't for God's grace, I may still be awake trying to figure all this out. Once this verse hit me, I realized that it's not about me. It's not about what I do. It's not about my efforts. It's not about my energy. It's not about my plan. It's not about my teaching. It's not about what I know. It's not about what I want to pass on. It's not about anything other than God. I believe that--- or so I thought I did. I realize now that understanding the "it's not about me" principle is a lifelong journey. I can't force things. I am only responsible for who I am and what I do. I can only answer to God for me. On that day, I will be all alone. So, it's not about me, it's up to me. God has surrounded me with godly friends who are helping me through this journey.
It's not about me...
-Just my thoughts...
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Busyness
Well, it's been a little while since I last wrote... but there's a very good explanation. I promise. Last Saturday, my little sister married Kirk. If you've ever put time into a wedding, you understand how busy things can become. It has nothing to do with the actual work, just all the thinking and planning that go into it can drive you absolutely crazy. However, I didn't have much to do. :) I did a few pieces of music... playing keys, singing, playing trumpet... but nothing too crazy. Things, for the most part, went very smoothly. I, with my wife and older sister, got to do the music. We had a great time together. It was good to see old friends, meet new people, develop and nurture relationships, and most of all, get to meet my Uncle Kim and Aunt Donna!! I had a great time with them and am looking forward to many more opportunities to spend time with them.
More coming later... (Keep praying for Lamar and Grace. Grace really needs to feel Jesus right now)
Life is Good.
-Just my thoughts...
More coming later... (Keep praying for Lamar and Grace. Grace really needs to feel Jesus right now)
Life is Good.
-Just my thoughts...
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Prayer
Friends-
Please pray for my friends, Lamar and Grace. They were both burned in a cooking accident with Grace receiving very serious burns to her foot, elbow, and throat. Here's their blog. http://lamarandgrace.blogspot.com Please shower them with prayer
Andrew
Please pray for my friends, Lamar and Grace. They were both burned in a cooking accident with Grace receiving very serious burns to her foot, elbow, and throat. Here's their blog. http://lamarandgrace.blogspot.com Please shower them with prayer
Andrew
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Accountability
So, in light of my recent leg injury, I have placed my running shoes back in their box and called it "quits" for 2009. A little disheartened, but I'm okay with it. Because... I just started a new workout program. Well, it's not entirely new. I did this program about a year and a half ago, and have decided to do it again. The program is called p90x. It stands for Power 90 Extreme. Basically, for 90 days my butt gets kicked around and at the end I'm in great shape. These workouts may be the most insane thing I have ever done. Each workout is about an hour long. There's pullups and pushups, jump training, weight lifting, yoga, lunges, kenpo, cardio, abs, and just about every other imaginable exercise. It's hard, but it's awesome!!
This week I started this workout program with Courtney and my friends, Chris and Matt. Courtney and Matt are doing this for the first time. Chris has gone through this a couple of times and is basically serving as our coach. The great thing about the way we are working out is we get to keep each other accountable. Every morning, I have thought about Courtney, Chris and Matt while I exercised. Every time I wanted to quit, or not finish a rep, or take an extra break, or not follow the nutrition plan, or whatever else, I thought these three. Plus, we talk to each other. We send each other texts and emails. We check in with each other... We are all very sore right now, but we're in it together.
Accountability is such an important aspect of our lives. The reality of life is we are not alone. We get to do life together. God wants us to keep each other in line with His plan for us. He wants us to have strong friends who will help us through situations. Some days, the hour long workout is the hardest part of my day. But, it's easier knowing that I'm not doing it myself. While I may be the only one hanging from the pull up bar, or the only one screaming during bicep curls, I'm not alone. These three are going through the same thing. We can encourage each other, bounce ideas off each other, criticize the stuff we're not doing right, and help each other make it through these 90 days. It's awesome!!
This just like our daily lives. Some days are the hardest days we have to go through. Some parts of the day are the worst things we ever do. Let's be honest. Some days suck. BUT, when you know you're not alone, it gets a whole lot easier. My friend Ryan and I get together weekly to do a Bible study. We are reading a John MacArthur book entitled, "The Book on Leadership". Each week we assign a new chapter. It's our homework. I know Ryan is going to ask me about my opinion of the chapter I read. I better have spent the time reading it. If Ryan and I weren't doing this together, I probably would never finish the book. Just look at the stack of books in my office and the one at home that I started reading and have not finished. I'm also working on my ordination for the C&MA. Jim serves as my mentor. We have set a two year schedule to complete this process and we meet monthly to discuss my progess. I know he is going to ask me how I am doing. Plus, he's going to want to see results. There is a lot of work to do and I must remain faithful to the tasks assigned to me. This 2 year project will not happen if Jim doesn't hold me accountable.
Accountability is a wonderful thing. It makes the load a whole lot easier to carry. Plus, you develop great relationships with people who are living your life with you. It's awesome!!
Just my thoughts...
This week I started this workout program with Courtney and my friends, Chris and Matt. Courtney and Matt are doing this for the first time. Chris has gone through this a couple of times and is basically serving as our coach. The great thing about the way we are working out is we get to keep each other accountable. Every morning, I have thought about Courtney, Chris and Matt while I exercised. Every time I wanted to quit, or not finish a rep, or take an extra break, or not follow the nutrition plan, or whatever else, I thought these three. Plus, we talk to each other. We send each other texts and emails. We check in with each other... We are all very sore right now, but we're in it together.
Accountability is such an important aspect of our lives. The reality of life is we are not alone. We get to do life together. God wants us to keep each other in line with His plan for us. He wants us to have strong friends who will help us through situations. Some days, the hour long workout is the hardest part of my day. But, it's easier knowing that I'm not doing it myself. While I may be the only one hanging from the pull up bar, or the only one screaming during bicep curls, I'm not alone. These three are going through the same thing. We can encourage each other, bounce ideas off each other, criticize the stuff we're not doing right, and help each other make it through these 90 days. It's awesome!!
This just like our daily lives. Some days are the hardest days we have to go through. Some parts of the day are the worst things we ever do. Let's be honest. Some days suck. BUT, when you know you're not alone, it gets a whole lot easier. My friend Ryan and I get together weekly to do a Bible study. We are reading a John MacArthur book entitled, "The Book on Leadership". Each week we assign a new chapter. It's our homework. I know Ryan is going to ask me about my opinion of the chapter I read. I better have spent the time reading it. If Ryan and I weren't doing this together, I probably would never finish the book. Just look at the stack of books in my office and the one at home that I started reading and have not finished. I'm also working on my ordination for the C&MA. Jim serves as my mentor. We have set a two year schedule to complete this process and we meet monthly to discuss my progess. I know he is going to ask me how I am doing. Plus, he's going to want to see results. There is a lot of work to do and I must remain faithful to the tasks assigned to me. This 2 year project will not happen if Jim doesn't hold me accountable.
Accountability is a wonderful thing. It makes the load a whole lot easier to carry. Plus, you develop great relationships with people who are living your life with you. It's awesome!!
Just my thoughts...
Friday, October 2, 2009
Back on Track
Well, today is Friday. It has been a long week. Friday is a great day to be in the office. Basically, very few staff members work on Fridays. This means, I get a lot of quiet time to get my work completed. In fact, right now the office area is empty. With much to do, today should be a good day.
Every six months, each staff member draws up goals to accomplish within each area of ministry. When we talk about goals as a staff, we are referring to the items that go above and beyond our weekly responsibilities. In the past, I have thought through things that need to be accomplished and made them my goals. I would look at the overall ministry and look for the "extra" stuff. Those would become my goals. Often, those goals were not met within the six month timline. This time, I changed the focus of the goals. First, I wrote out my weekly responsibilities with basic information about them. Then, I wrote out goals for each area of responsibility. In my mind, this seems to make a lot of sense. Plus, all of the goals appear to be attainable. That's the point of a goal.
So, next week, we will all get together and talk through our plans. This is an exciting time for us because we are embracing the visions that God has for us and pursuing His leading. If each one of my goals is reached, I think there are twelve right now, this ministry will explode. But, it's not about me. These goals are thought out, written down, talked through with the mindset that God is going to allow all of this to happen. That's why this is so exciting!!
Just my thoughts...
Every six months, each staff member draws up goals to accomplish within each area of ministry. When we talk about goals as a staff, we are referring to the items that go above and beyond our weekly responsibilities. In the past, I have thought through things that need to be accomplished and made them my goals. I would look at the overall ministry and look for the "extra" stuff. Those would become my goals. Often, those goals were not met within the six month timline. This time, I changed the focus of the goals. First, I wrote out my weekly responsibilities with basic information about them. Then, I wrote out goals for each area of responsibility. In my mind, this seems to make a lot of sense. Plus, all of the goals appear to be attainable. That's the point of a goal.
So, next week, we will all get together and talk through our plans. This is an exciting time for us because we are embracing the visions that God has for us and pursuing His leading. If each one of my goals is reached, I think there are twelve right now, this ministry will explode. But, it's not about me. These goals are thought out, written down, talked through with the mindset that God is going to allow all of this to happen. That's why this is so exciting!!
Just my thoughts...
Thursday, September 24, 2009
My "Job"
First of all, I love my job!! What I love even more is my ministry. There are a lot of "cool" jobs out there. Like the guy who gets paid to live on a beach and monitor the coral reef. That's a pretty sweet gig. Or, the freelance trumpet player in Orlando that makes 6 figures playing for Disney events when needed. That'd be awesome. But, my job is different. The hours are long. The weekends are non existent. The pay, well, it is what it is. The vacation time is limited... BUT, I love what I do. I do what God has called me to do. I think I am beginning to understand what I need to be doing in my short time here on earth.
I get to worship God and teach others how to worship. That's freaking awesome!! I've been at Fairhaven almost 5 years now and I'm realizing that I have a huge responsibility to the kids and students I work with weekly. We talk about worship. We practice worship. We look in the Bible for ways to worship. We do, we do, we do. Here's the kicker though... They are watching me. These students and kids watch me on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. They want to see if I'm for real. They want to know if I'm all talk or if I actually believe what I am telling them. They want to see my passion written all over my expressions. They want me to be real.
This is a tough challenge. Everytime I fail in my spiritual journey, I realize I am not just letting myself down. I have to be better. I have to be a role model... Really?!?! Me?!?! I know the unread chapters of my life. I know my struggles. I know when I fall short of the expectations that God has for me. I'm a screw up. I'm a sinner. I need grace.
But... I am an example. I have to be. I've been called to this ministry. It's important to me!! And when a student (or group of students) start to show glimmers of worship, I weep. I can't help it. It's so awesome to watch these kids worship our God!!
I have a group of kids that are my "favorites". Not that I love kids more than other kids, but this particular grade was my group when I got here. These kids were in 4th grade when I got here. I was in charge of the 4th and 5th grade group. No 5th graders from that group still go to Fairhaven. So, these are my kids. They are now in 8th grade. They lead the MSM Praise Team on a weekly basis. Wednesday, 2 weeks ago, I started realizing how much they've grown. One of the girls on mic was worshipping God during rehearsal. It wasn't fake. It wasn't put on. It wasn't a show. I looked up to the front of the room and she was worshipping!! I lost it. I couldn't control it. I started to cry. Here was one of "my kids" leading her peers in worship. This is awesome!! It was one of coolest things for me!!
That one moment makes my "job" the coolest thing in the world. There are so many moments like this... everytime I get an encouragement card from one of these kids, it comes at a time when I need a little spiritual pick-me-up. These students get me excited about what I do. This ministry is freaking awesome!!
Just my thoughts...
I get to worship God and teach others how to worship. That's freaking awesome!! I've been at Fairhaven almost 5 years now and I'm realizing that I have a huge responsibility to the kids and students I work with weekly. We talk about worship. We practice worship. We look in the Bible for ways to worship. We do, we do, we do. Here's the kicker though... They are watching me. These students and kids watch me on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. They want to see if I'm for real. They want to know if I'm all talk or if I actually believe what I am telling them. They want to see my passion written all over my expressions. They want me to be real.
This is a tough challenge. Everytime I fail in my spiritual journey, I realize I am not just letting myself down. I have to be better. I have to be a role model... Really?!?! Me?!?! I know the unread chapters of my life. I know my struggles. I know when I fall short of the expectations that God has for me. I'm a screw up. I'm a sinner. I need grace.
But... I am an example. I have to be. I've been called to this ministry. It's important to me!! And when a student (or group of students) start to show glimmers of worship, I weep. I can't help it. It's so awesome to watch these kids worship our God!!
I have a group of kids that are my "favorites". Not that I love kids more than other kids, but this particular grade was my group when I got here. These kids were in 4th grade when I got here. I was in charge of the 4th and 5th grade group. No 5th graders from that group still go to Fairhaven. So, these are my kids. They are now in 8th grade. They lead the MSM Praise Team on a weekly basis. Wednesday, 2 weeks ago, I started realizing how much they've grown. One of the girls on mic was worshipping God during rehearsal. It wasn't fake. It wasn't put on. It wasn't a show. I looked up to the front of the room and she was worshipping!! I lost it. I couldn't control it. I started to cry. Here was one of "my kids" leading her peers in worship. This is awesome!! It was one of coolest things for me!!
That one moment makes my "job" the coolest thing in the world. There are so many moments like this... everytime I get an encouragement card from one of these kids, it comes at a time when I need a little spiritual pick-me-up. These students get me excited about what I do. This ministry is freaking awesome!!
Just my thoughts...
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
"It Only Takes One"
Sunday night, after Uprising, I talked to one of the kids not in the band yet. He's a drummer and he'll be playing with us soon. Let me give you some background on him. He's the guy who leads from the floor. He's the guy who forces himself into the middle of the room just so kids will clap with him. He's the guy that doesn't care about what others think about him. He's the guys who closes his eyes, opens his hands, and worships our God. He's the guy that gets "it".
So, after the deal, he and I are talking. I wanted to know what it felt like in the room. I wanted to know what it's going to take to get our students to worship God and not care what it looks like. I asked him what we needed to do to get them to have fun. What's it going to take to get these kids on fire for God and to openly worship Him with complete abandonment. His response was simple. "It only takes one." Wow!! That's awesome. See. He gets it. But, how does that translate? What is "one" going to do to leave an impact.
So, I've been chewing on this since Sunday night. How does one student transform this ministry? I immediately thought of a ripple on a pond or a lake. This is a good visual. But, how does this look with students? And when it looks like it is working, is it real or fake?
There is so much to be done in this ministry. Here's my focal point. I want to see these students love Jesus with everything that's inside of them. I want to see them worship Him because He is God. No other reason. I don't want to see them doing it for me, or for their parents, or for their friends. I want them to love God for God. It's not about me. It's not about the music. It's not about the leadership team. It's not about anything more than God. That's got to be understood. If they can get this, God will do amazing things with their lives.
One student can understand this... one student can use this to change this ministry. Here's the reality. Nothing I say or do is going to make them decide to do this. I can tell them how to worship. I can show them how to worship. I can teach them about worship. I can't make them worship. What will make them worship is when they realize they need God. The most important thing for me to do as a worship leader is to get out of the way. It's not about me. It can't be. One student can get this and change the way students view worship. If one student chooses to love God and show it publicly, not because he/she wants to be seen- but because they can't help but love God through music, other students will catch it. They have to know there is nothing to be afraid of... but first, they have to get to the point of loving God because He is God.
Can one student do this? I believe so. The Bible tells us with the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. A mustard seed is the smallest seed. WOW!! So, if we're not moving mountains, we must not have that much faith. That totally blows my mind. I have faith, right?? Of course I have faith. How much do I have? That's a tough question. Am I moving mountains? That's a challenge. God never said that this life was going to be easy. What I do know is, I love God. I can't wait to see what mountains these students are going to move for Him. It only takes one!!
Just my thoughts...
So, after the deal, he and I are talking. I wanted to know what it felt like in the room. I wanted to know what it's going to take to get our students to worship God and not care what it looks like. I asked him what we needed to do to get them to have fun. What's it going to take to get these kids on fire for God and to openly worship Him with complete abandonment. His response was simple. "It only takes one." Wow!! That's awesome. See. He gets it. But, how does that translate? What is "one" going to do to leave an impact.
So, I've been chewing on this since Sunday night. How does one student transform this ministry? I immediately thought of a ripple on a pond or a lake. This is a good visual. But, how does this look with students? And when it looks like it is working, is it real or fake?
There is so much to be done in this ministry. Here's my focal point. I want to see these students love Jesus with everything that's inside of them. I want to see them worship Him because He is God. No other reason. I don't want to see them doing it for me, or for their parents, or for their friends. I want them to love God for God. It's not about me. It's not about the music. It's not about the leadership team. It's not about anything more than God. That's got to be understood. If they can get this, God will do amazing things with their lives.
One student can understand this... one student can use this to change this ministry. Here's the reality. Nothing I say or do is going to make them decide to do this. I can tell them how to worship. I can show them how to worship. I can teach them about worship. I can't make them worship. What will make them worship is when they realize they need God. The most important thing for me to do as a worship leader is to get out of the way. It's not about me. It can't be. One student can get this and change the way students view worship. If one student chooses to love God and show it publicly, not because he/she wants to be seen- but because they can't help but love God through music, other students will catch it. They have to know there is nothing to be afraid of... but first, they have to get to the point of loving God because He is God.
Can one student do this? I believe so. The Bible tells us with the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. A mustard seed is the smallest seed. WOW!! So, if we're not moving mountains, we must not have that much faith. That totally blows my mind. I have faith, right?? Of course I have faith. How much do I have? That's a tough question. Am I moving mountains? That's a challenge. God never said that this life was going to be easy. What I do know is, I love God. I can't wait to see what mountains these students are going to move for Him. It only takes one!!
Just my thoughts...
New Week
Here we go again... My week often starts on Tuesday. Due to the amount of energy poured out over the weekend, Mondays have become my Sabbath. I take Mondays off to recover from the business of weekends and to prepare for another week.
This past weekend was a great weekend. I spent Saturday at the WPAFB marathon. Courtney, and our friend, Dave, ran the half-marathon. We were up early and spent all morning on base. Both of them ran very well and finished with strong results. From a personal note, I was very proud of them. They had great times!! I have to admit, it was tough watching all the runners finish. This marathon running was my idea, but I'm injured and couldn't run. That was hard. I had spend months training, only to see it not happen right now. It was disappointing, but there will be other races to run. I just have to focus on getting my knee better.
Saturday afternoon, we took a nap. Being up at 4:30 was not easy, so our sleep was much needed. Courtney's parents had come in for the marathon, so it was good to be with family. Because of the business of the morning, I took Saturday evening off. At Fairhaven, we have a Saturday evening service. Because of that, I am tied up most of the afternoon and evening every Saturday. This time it was nice being able to stay home and spend time with family. I think this was the first time I stayed home when the in-laws were in town. Aside from being tired, it was a good time together.
Sunday was a long day. This day always starts early. Generally, I am at the church by 7:15 every Sunday morning. This week was no different. Two services and a rehearsal make for long morning of worship, but it was good. Accountability was the theme from David's message as we spent time in the book of Hebrews. It was a great reminder that we need each other to make it through this life. We can't just depend on our own personal time with God or in the Bible. We will find the strength through each other. It's when we are connected that we are able to grow. Great message!!
Sunday afternoons become very rushed. I usually get out of the church by 1:00. After the service, we had a quick lunch together as a family. I changed my clothes, said good-bye to Courtney's parents (and Courtney for that matter) and headed back to the church at 2:30. OUr Sunday night deal is the high school time. We call it Uprising. We just added the high school band to this thing and it's awesome. In order to make this happen, it takes a lot of work. We do a complete platform changeover from 2:30-3:30, sound check from 3:30-4:00, rehearse from 4:00-6:00 and do our thing at 6:30. It was a great night. We have a lot of growing we need to do as a band, but we are only going ot get better. The theme for the night was on authenticity... learning how to live from the inside out. We all struggle with showing what's really on the inside, but this is a great focus for our students. Don, our youth pastor, hit the nail on the head this weekend. Our students will get it. They are great kids. By 9:00, I made it home to my wife. Exhausted, we were in bed by 10:00.
So, Monday came and went. I relaxed. I didn't do too much. I ran some errands, did a little around the house, had an early dinner with Courtney when she got home from school. This was a much needed restful day. I am thankful for my Mondays. I love alone time. This is how I recharge. I love sitting down and being with my thoughts. But now, Tuesday is here and there is much to do. Today is going to be a good day. God is good!!
This past weekend was a great weekend. I spent Saturday at the WPAFB marathon. Courtney, and our friend, Dave, ran the half-marathon. We were up early and spent all morning on base. Both of them ran very well and finished with strong results. From a personal note, I was very proud of them. They had great times!! I have to admit, it was tough watching all the runners finish. This marathon running was my idea, but I'm injured and couldn't run. That was hard. I had spend months training, only to see it not happen right now. It was disappointing, but there will be other races to run. I just have to focus on getting my knee better.
Saturday afternoon, we took a nap. Being up at 4:30 was not easy, so our sleep was much needed. Courtney's parents had come in for the marathon, so it was good to be with family. Because of the business of the morning, I took Saturday evening off. At Fairhaven, we have a Saturday evening service. Because of that, I am tied up most of the afternoon and evening every Saturday. This time it was nice being able to stay home and spend time with family. I think this was the first time I stayed home when the in-laws were in town. Aside from being tired, it was a good time together.
Sunday was a long day. This day always starts early. Generally, I am at the church by 7:15 every Sunday morning. This week was no different. Two services and a rehearsal make for long morning of worship, but it was good. Accountability was the theme from David's message as we spent time in the book of Hebrews. It was a great reminder that we need each other to make it through this life. We can't just depend on our own personal time with God or in the Bible. We will find the strength through each other. It's when we are connected that we are able to grow. Great message!!
Sunday afternoons become very rushed. I usually get out of the church by 1:00. After the service, we had a quick lunch together as a family. I changed my clothes, said good-bye to Courtney's parents (and Courtney for that matter) and headed back to the church at 2:30. OUr Sunday night deal is the high school time. We call it Uprising. We just added the high school band to this thing and it's awesome. In order to make this happen, it takes a lot of work. We do a complete platform changeover from 2:30-3:30, sound check from 3:30-4:00, rehearse from 4:00-6:00 and do our thing at 6:30. It was a great night. We have a lot of growing we need to do as a band, but we are only going ot get better. The theme for the night was on authenticity... learning how to live from the inside out. We all struggle with showing what's really on the inside, but this is a great focus for our students. Don, our youth pastor, hit the nail on the head this weekend. Our students will get it. They are great kids. By 9:00, I made it home to my wife. Exhausted, we were in bed by 10:00.
So, Monday came and went. I relaxed. I didn't do too much. I ran some errands, did a little around the house, had an early dinner with Courtney when she got home from school. This was a much needed restful day. I am thankful for my Mondays. I love alone time. This is how I recharge. I love sitting down and being with my thoughts. But now, Tuesday is here and there is much to do. Today is going to be a good day. God is good!!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
What the??
Yes, it's true. I've been sucked into the world of blogging. Why? Not sure. I know I have stuff to say. It runs through my head constantly. Maybe I just need to type it out and see what happens. At least it will clear a little space in my head. :)
So, what does embracing opportunities mean? About a month ago, I've been challenging myself to ignore the obstacles we face and embrace them as opportunities. You know what I'm talking about. We all have to face situations where we don't see the end result... or the end result seems impossible to get to. Practical example: You have a pair of pants you want to get into, but your physical shape keeps you from getting into them. This can be viewed as an obstacle. One response could be that you're not ever going to fit so don't try. Now you've given in. Any positive thought has been sucked out of you. Another response is to decide you're going to find a way to get into those pants. You start watching what you eat, exercising regularly and focusing on your goal. Before you know it, you can get into those pants and everything else you've wanted to get into it.
That story was mine just a year and a half ago. One Sunday morning, two Christmases ago, I realized I had one pair of dress pants I could fit into. Then I realized I had worn them the previous two Sundays. As a music pastor who is often on the platform in front of the congregation, this is a problem. But, I had no other options. Or, so it seemed. I had to do something. I was determined I was not going to buy a whole new wardrobe.
My wife had bought me a pair of pants right before this moment and there was no way I was getting into them. I hung them on my closet door as my goal pants. Then, through the help of my awesome wife and my friend Chris, I began working out, balancing my food intake, and developing the mindset I had weight I needed to lose. You know what happened, two months later I could fit into those pants. Two months after that, those "skinny" pants were too BIG!! Wow. I couldn't believe it. Diet and exercise actually work!! :)
From there, I began running a lot. Nine months ago I began training for a marathon. Never saw that happening. One sprained knee later, I'm not running right now. I'm also not running my marathon. This is another obstacle. Does this mean I'll never run a marathon? No. It means I won't be running the one I thought. I'll get to it. When I'm better. My sprained knee has allowed me to spend more time focusing on my ministry with the kids and youth of Fairhaven Church. These guys are awesome. I can't imagine my ministry without them. These guys are not the future of our church, they are the present.
I guess this is where we'll start. I'm sure there's more to say, but we'll get to it.
So, what does embracing opportunities mean? About a month ago, I've been challenging myself to ignore the obstacles we face and embrace them as opportunities. You know what I'm talking about. We all have to face situations where we don't see the end result... or the end result seems impossible to get to. Practical example: You have a pair of pants you want to get into, but your physical shape keeps you from getting into them. This can be viewed as an obstacle. One response could be that you're not ever going to fit so don't try. Now you've given in. Any positive thought has been sucked out of you. Another response is to decide you're going to find a way to get into those pants. You start watching what you eat, exercising regularly and focusing on your goal. Before you know it, you can get into those pants and everything else you've wanted to get into it.
That story was mine just a year and a half ago. One Sunday morning, two Christmases ago, I realized I had one pair of dress pants I could fit into. Then I realized I had worn them the previous two Sundays. As a music pastor who is often on the platform in front of the congregation, this is a problem. But, I had no other options. Or, so it seemed. I had to do something. I was determined I was not going to buy a whole new wardrobe.
My wife had bought me a pair of pants right before this moment and there was no way I was getting into them. I hung them on my closet door as my goal pants. Then, through the help of my awesome wife and my friend Chris, I began working out, balancing my food intake, and developing the mindset I had weight I needed to lose. You know what happened, two months later I could fit into those pants. Two months after that, those "skinny" pants were too BIG!! Wow. I couldn't believe it. Diet and exercise actually work!! :)
From there, I began running a lot. Nine months ago I began training for a marathon. Never saw that happening. One sprained knee later, I'm not running right now. I'm also not running my marathon. This is another obstacle. Does this mean I'll never run a marathon? No. It means I won't be running the one I thought. I'll get to it. When I'm better. My sprained knee has allowed me to spend more time focusing on my ministry with the kids and youth of Fairhaven Church. These guys are awesome. I can't imagine my ministry without them. These guys are not the future of our church, they are the present.
I guess this is where we'll start. I'm sure there's more to say, but we'll get to it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)