The Plant of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

April 24, 2009 in lifestyle | 3 comments

As I was playing disc golf today I noticed my disc had landed near some poison ivy. You need to understand that I am a magnet for poison ivy. I’ve had it spread all over my body and usually at the worst of times, like when the IMT school year first started and I was meeting all of the new interns with a rash all over my face! I’ve taken everything there is to take to treat it and in the process I’ve learned everything there is to know about the demonic plant.

So when I noticed my disc had fallen near some ivy I took serious action. An ivy plant produces oil that most people are allergic to. This oil takes about 3 hours to bond to your skin and cause a reaction. So after I finished my round of disc golf I came home and immediately kicked off my shoes and took careful note of everything I touched on my way to the shower. After my shower I got out the latex gloves and cleaned the doorknobs, car keys, phone, wallet, water bottle, shoes, discs and I put my clothes in the wash. Christina was beginning to think I had committed a murder.  I can’t be too careful when it comes to poison ivy because I know all to well it’s potential.

It got me thinking. What if I feared the destruction sin can cause as much as I fear the itchy inconvenience of poison ivy? What if I realized how much sin had hurt me inwardly? (Aren’t we always so conscious of what affects us outwardly?  The things we can’t hide) What if I took such careful precautions to avoid the terrible effects sin can have on me?  What if I walked away from temptation like I carefully walk away from poison ivy?

Poison ivy oil can stick to your shoes and can still attach to you after a year if it’s not washed off.  Like sin, you can’t get away from it unless it’s cleansed.

If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say…

April 17, 2009 in just my opinion... | 1 comment

I’m sick of negativity.  It’s everywhere.  Criticism and cynicism sometimes get a free pass because those that spew it say “I’m just being honest”.   Honesty is good, right?  Yes but the Bible goes further. It instructs us to speak the truth in love. “But I do love that person I’m degrading”.  Maybe, but the question is are you speaking in love?  Another excuse: “I will say it to their face”.  I believe you, but will it hurt them?  Because if you will say something to someone’s face knowing it will hurt them….you’re a jerk.  You’ve got darkness in your life.  I understand the need to confront but it must be done in love and with a genuine desire to help (not to complain).  Negative people also claim that they only want the best out of people and can therefore criticize them in the name of “excellence”.  The problem is that critics tend to 1) focus on the bad and forget the good  2) criticize constantly, even when it is unwanted   3) fail to recognize that mistakes are a part of the learning process and  4) forget that they make plenty of their own mistakes.

There is a group of people, however, that never get criticized.  These people are the ones that never try.  They never do anything to stand out.  They stay in the safe zone because of, most likely, fear of criticism.  It makes you wonder though, if there were less critics would more people step out and try the things that are in their heart?  Check out one of my favorite quotes:

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”  -Theodore Roosevelt

Here’s some good things to think about BEFORE you open your mouth:

What will I accomplish by saying this?

Would I say it directly to that person?  (If not, DON’T SAY IT!)

Would it hurt them?

Are you genuinely trying to help them?

Is it really necessary to say these things in the presence of anyone else?

Every Student Pastor Must Be Good At It

April 13, 2009 in ministry | 1 comment

My Pastor Fred Richard once said, “How can you be a youth pastor if you aren’t any good at ping pong?” That’s coming from a true legend of ministry and ping pong (he’s beaten us all). And so a great tradition at Northwood Church has been carried on. I laugh when I think of how serious we take ping pong sometimes. I love it that we don’t stick to the formal rules of table tennis choosing instead to play by “street rules” or as Matt Gilbert would call it “Prison Rules”. As if there are gangs out there partaking in borderline criminal ping pong. But maybe there is some truth to the theory that you can lose “street cred” from a teenager if he kicks your butt in ping pong.

more about “Ping Pong: Legends“, posted with vodpod

Skiing Wolf Creek

March 31, 2009 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

more about "Skiing Wolf Creek", posted with vodpod

I Was Blessed to Have Such an Amazing Vacation

March 31, 2009 in Fun | Leave a comment

Where’s the Passion?

March 6, 2009 in lifestyle | Leave a comment

Many times an entertainer will explode onto the scene because of their passion for their art form. Then, when fame kicks in, they lose touch with what they used to know so well (real life) and they can’t produce like they used to because they aren’t as passionate as they used to be. And then there’s those that make a comeback. John Travolta. Robert Downey jr. Even Britney! (for some reason I’ve always rooted for Britney) Their careers sank so low that they rediscovered what real life is about (or somewhat real life – I guess you could say they experienced struggle again). And then they regained their voice and their art form. Sometimes its like this with christians. When we first get saved we are filled with passion.  We are like sponges soaking up God’s word.  Can’t wait to get to church.  It’s a lot like a honeymoon.  Then after time, we sometimes forget what we were saved from.  We can forget how much we needed God in the first place.  We start thinking the grass might be greener on the other side.

If you’ve lost passion or know someone who is going through that, how can you rediscover your first love?  Here’s just a few of my suggestions:

  • Take a trip with no baggage.  Get away with God and pursue a genuine relationship with Him and forget about the little things
  • Serve somewhere or someone.  Giving has a way of opening your eyes to things you haven’t seen in a while
  • Leave behind the things you are ashamed of.  Get free and lose the guilt that causes bitterness and kills passion
  • Find an accountability partner.  Agree to be honest and ask for the cold hard truth

Columbine

February 28, 2009 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Recently a Denver newspaper called the Rocky Mountain News had to close down.  The newspaper had a web site that was a favorite of mine.  I started out getting updates on the Broncos but also read the rest of the news going on in Colorado.  

On the final days of the web site they posted the most memorable moments from “the Rocky”.  I started reading a story about the Columbine shootings and was immediately taken back to all that had happened.  It was incredibly sad but powerful to read the messages parents left to their kids who were killed.

This is what I thought as I was reading the stories: If you are a parent, small group leader, teacher, minister or anyone that is doing something good in the world, keep on doing it because you are very much needed.

Columbine: Letters from Parents

Old Faithful

February 26, 2009 in Uncategorized | 3 comments

Discovery: diet and exercise are the keys to losing weight.

Amazing right?  Yeah I guess that’s not news but why are people looking for new methods to get in shape?

I’ve been shopping for some golf clubs lately and I discovered that there are tons of used clubs in good condition.  Why?  Because golfers think they will do better with new clubs when the ones they had were probably just fine.

I’m the same way with golf discs (or “frisbees”).  I’m always looking for new discs when my old ones worked fine.

For many christians, the Word of God has become like a set of old golf clubs.  We sometimes look for answers everywhere but neglect this gold mine of truth that has worked so faithfully for us.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  -2nd Timothy 3:16,17

I love promise books.  In fact, I have so many different promise books on my desks my “friend” AJ Rankin keeps making fun of me.  These are books that are like topical indexes for the Bible.  If you need wisdom about finances you can find a collection of scriptures about finances in a promise book.  Or relationships or temptation or prayer, etc.  You should get a promise book, especially if you are a small group leader or minister.

For My Mom

February 10, 2009 in Family | 3 comments

Today is my Mom’s birthday and she deserves to be celebrated.  Here’s why she is so special to me:

Her kids are everything to her.  She would do anything for us

She always had good snacks around the house.  She went through long phases of: whoppers, bite sized twizzlers, tootsie roll pops – especially the orange ones, 5th Avenue candy bars (I can’t even name all the coffee drink addictions)

She became healthy.  Now her snacks are: almonds, apples, Kashi bars and weird liquid peanut butter

She was the only one to ever detangle our dog Sissy’s hair

She taught me what it means to love Jesus.  She always had a passion for God and for reading the Bible. When I was in high school she gave me her leather Bible cover I always liked so much

She taught me how to make excellent nachos

She endured taking me to the ER many times

She is incredibly positive.  She can see the good in any person and any situation

I can talk her into anything, including movies in which she played a country singer in a parody of “Tombstone” and she also starred as the Grandmother version of Galadriel/Ms. Hannigan in a “Lord of the Rings”/”Signs”/”Annie” parody

Every now and then I convinced her to play basketball with me, but never after she had just eaten (“I need to let my food digest”)

Because of her I enjoy using a video camera.  She always kept the camera rolling even if us kids were fighting or she was being attacked by a Blue Jay.

She demands safety

She drove her kids around everywhere.  When I turned 16 she let me drive her car everywhere

She is understanding

I especially enjoyed my Mom when I was in Kindergarten for a half day.  While everyone else was still in school she would play toys with me, take me to movies and to QT for an Icee.  She also made me nachos and watched “Mannix” and “Emergency” with me

She is the most encouraging and loving person you’ll ever meet.  Love you Mom

A New Tribe in My Life

February 2, 2009 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

I just started leading a group called “Conquerors” at the Northwood Academy high school.  The Bible study takes place from 12:20-1pm on Mondays during the students lunch time.  Today was my first one and there was about 12 guys that showed up ready to press in to God.  These guys really impressed me.  They have started their own tribe!  They wanted to use their own lunch time to grow in their relationship with God so they put this group together themselves.  When a leader can’t be there one of the students steps up and leads the group!

This is one of the best parts of my job.  I love community, accountability and discipleship.

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