F5: REFRESH

Ok, I skipping church (the Sunday meetin’) today… because I need to.  I have felt like I’ve been more or less running on fumes for a couple weeks now.  You know, you work all week, and spend every evening dealing with kids’ homework and showers and lunches (oh my); add in a home group meeting and/or a band practice; plus on-going various and sundry chores… go to a work conference over a weekend… repeat the race from the previous week plus my wife has the week from hell at work…  ahh, life in these United States.

Anyway, little to no Sabbath over the course of about three weeks= body, mind, and emotions start grinding gears, marraige gets strained, responses are snippier, parenting is less patient… you know the drill.  Solution:  Stop.

 

Listen the the signs (um, no pun intended… maybe) that your soul and body are giving you, and hit F5.

I was able to get in touch this morning with the fact that, though I have walked with God, done my daily prayers, and tried to keep up, that my focus has drifted… drifted away from the Center and onto all the STUFF zipping by, flying in my face, and urgently bouncing in front of me.  This morning I have told the Lord that I am giving myself to him and to the mission for which He has called me.  I’m not here for working a job, or going to church, or doing this or that (or this or that); I’m here for the mission, for “planting a church” (whatever that will look like), for the gospel, for the kingdom.  Yep.  There ya go.

Ever need to hit F5 in your life?  Refocus the purpose?  Tell us about it if you want.

Tuesday Night Update

My message came together well for Sunday; it was called “Kingdom Communion.”  (Listen here if you wanna. Based on 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.)  It was an interesting message to give; communion is not a common thing to teach/preach on, and it can be something of a hot potato… but I think I went the right route.  I plan to post the high points here starting tomorrow or Thursday.

Meanwhile, the small group thing will still be happening, but is kind of in a wait and see mode.  The host we were planning on did not work out, so rather than have a date in mind and try to find a host in a hurry, we’re taking the angle of see who is actually interested in a group in the area into which we want to go, and see if there’s a host that emerges.  If it doesn’t all come together this Fall, that’s cool.  We really want to do what God is doing… kind of the trying to do what God is blessing rather than trying to get God to bless what we are doing.

Cool stuff is happening at work, thought I can’t share exactly right now.  Ok, time to finish watching George Lopez on Nick at Nite.

It’s Official!

North Carolina driver’s licenses:  about $64.

North Carolina license plates:  $430.

Vehicles inspections:  $60.

Being official North Carolina residents:  Priceless.

Birthday Money Update (29)

I was very blessed with getting some money for my birthday (THANKS to my all my parents!!), as I mentioned in a previous post.  This has allowed me to get some things for myself that finances have not allowed for some time.  Here’s a brief run down of some of what I got to get (can I say, “got to get”?  Probably not!):

• IPOD downloads:  several U2 songs, 2 Evanescence albums, 3 Switchfoot songs, and a handfull of American Idol performances of Beatles songs (how cool is David Cook’s “Eleanor Rigby”?)
• Amazon:  bought Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren (because I just have to read this to see if it’s worth all the hype), and three CDs that I’ve ben wanting for seems like forever:  Paranoid (Black Sabbath), and Abbey Road (my fave) and Sgt. Pepper’s by The Beatles.  Of course, I would have gotten those three CDs on iTunes if they were available, but someone somewhere doesn’t want people like me to be able to do that….
• New clothes:  Me and the Fam all went to Goodwill yesterday and bought a ginormous bag of clothes for $73 bucks.  I got like a dozen nice (practically new) shirts and my kids (who seem to keep growing) got several pairs of nice jeans and shirts.  Awesome!!  Praise God!!  Threw in a couple pairs of new jeans for me at Target….

Other news:

• Some of you may remember that I was possibly going to be filling an interim pastor position at another local church ’round here.  Well I found out Friday evening that I was NOT selected for that position.  They thought I was over-qualified and had excellent references, but that the Spirit was leading them toward another person.  This was disappointing to us because it seemed like this was the place Giod was leading, but we will continue to plug along on the path that we’re on.
• Abbie is doing very well at her childcare during the week, playing and working on letters and numbers and such.  She will be very ready for Kindergarten!!
• Noah just got a great report card… and just finished the last of the Harry Potter books.  I think it was all seven books in about 2 months (or less?).  Holy moly, Batman!
• Da Jobs:  Mine is going well, but customer is not my long term cup of tea.  I think I’m doing a good job, but not loving it.  At least I get to listen to internet radio and my iPod most days!  Tracy is still doing well at her job, but again, it is a job.  My wife has so much more to contribute than what she’s doing right now!

Okay, that’s the latest and greatest.  Peace and love from up above…

UPDATE 28: Prepping for the new week….

Random flotsam and jetsam from my life and thoughts:

1.  I saw the latest Rambo movie on Saturday;  I enjoyed it, though, indeed, pretty intense and probably the most graphic war-type movie I’ve ever seen.  Unfortunately, probably also the most realistic.  I hope to blog more about this movie this week…

2.  I preached today at the Raleigh Vineyard, covering Genesis 40 and 41 in the Joseph story (which really means that I talked about DREAMS because that’s what’s in those chapters).  Response to prayer time was pretty cool; people are hungry to hear God’s voice!!  You listen to the message by clicking here.

3.  I am heading into week 3 at the new job, and feeling more and more comfortable.  It’s a good job.  And, I get paid this week!

4. Our kids are in Indiana with grandparents for Spring Break, so Tracy and I are spending the week investing in our relationship and relaxing as much as we can.  What a blessing, and the kids are having a fantastic time!

5.  I am speaking at the Crossroads Fellowship singles ministry on Tuesday night at their monthly service.  I am blessed to have this opportunity to serve and connect with other parts of the Body of Christ! 

6.  I got some birthday money!  So I will be buying some books (including Pagan Christianity) and downloading some new music ASAP because I haven’t been able to for so long.  I’ll keep you posted… just because I can.