Advent: Joy

“Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”
-Mother Teresa





My son Keane always smiles.

To say that he is a happy baby is an understatement.

He can turn a bad day into a brilliant day.

Life gets busy, the ministry can be discouraging, and people can let you down, but he doesn't care about that. He just loves me and wants me to love him too.

You might say he is too young to understand the concept of love, I don't believe that is so.

I think love is the first thing babies learn (after all the first time he smiled is when I held him in the NICU and asked him if he knew I loved him, he smiled).

He doesn't care about how much money is in my bank account.
He doesn't care about what I look like (especially when my hair is a fro).

He wants me.
To be in the moment.
And notice him.

The biggest curse that is upon America is the curse of being busy.

When you are busy you miss the moments.
When you miss the moments you lose your joy.

Jesus understood the importance of the moment...

"9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15.9-11 NIV

Did you notice that Jesus says remain three times.
Actually he uses the phrases "remain in my love" three times...then you will have joy, complete joy.

People smile when they are not busy, they remain in the moment.

Jesus is always in the moment, we are the ones that miss it.

Jesus is never to busy for me, he has all the time in the world. He smiles.

And so does Keane.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Advent: Grace

I don't always get it right.








I like to think that I am work in progress.

I was never consistent in school (although I did always manage to get C's).

Think about it, I am trying to blog everyday for Advent and the day after I blog about discipline I miss an entry. So why not blog about grace today (hehe)?

My grades in school fluctuated from A's to well...um...D's and ya maybe an F here and there. So from that you get C's...or I got C's. Hopefully you did better than me.

Nowadays, that philosophy can come back to haunt me.

As you do well in something there can be a tendency to ride that wave, but all that happens is that you return back to the shore.

You never go farther when you just coast.

To go farther you need to fight against the stream.

It's tiring to always fight upstream (I don't know how salmon do and still taste so good).

The biggest current of discouragement would be in relationships.

I want people to have a lot of grace with me, and yet I have a hard time showing grace to others. To go even deeper it's easy to act like I am cool with someone while at the same time thinking about how they hurt me.

Sometimes I just need to get over it.

And honestly, since I'm going there, I can be a bit sensitive. (but I'm not a mama's boy)

I need to have grace with others.
I need to be patient.
I need to be ok with not getting my way.

I like how Jesus talks about the rhythms of grace.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of GRACE." Matthew 11.28 MSG

The key word there is learn.
People are not just gracious as a personality trait.

Grace is a learned behavior, there is a rhythm to it.

Great dancers make it look easy but they practice a lot.

It doesn't just happen.

Grace doesn't just happen

It's a process...

After all this white boy can't learn how to dance over night.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Advent: Discipline

I have a hard time saying no.








Food is good.

We love food.

It looks good.
It tastes good.
It makes us feel good.

We even watch food...after all who doesn't love the Food Network. (Are you ready for a throwdown...ok maybe not)

Lets face it, eating is what Americans do best.

Seriously are any of you out there still chowing down on Thanksgiving left overs?

And Christmas is just around the corner. I would bet people gain the most weight from November and December than from any other time of the year. (I do anyways)

That being said, I probably think about my weight too much.

I used to be fat in middle school (or as my mom would say husky) and middle school is not the time of your life to be overweight.

I got teased and my friend always got the girl.

One summer I just lost the weight and things changed. (it's amazing how different people treat you when you lose a little weight.) Turning thirty this year my fears are coming back. Pizza Hut definitely goes to your gut.

I have come to the place in my life where I have to be disciplined in how I eat.

Its not easy saying no.

Especially when I am on the road a lot and finding a healthy lunch spot is tough to do. (the mcrib is always a tasty temptation)

The funny thing about discipline is that it carries over into other areas of your life.

If you don't eat on impulse you wont spend on impulse.

If you watch what you say you will watch what you eat.

During this Christmas season I want to practice the subtle art of Discipline.. Because there is a subltle humility and grace to it... I like how The Message phrases Jesus' words on discipline.

"When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don't make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won't make you a saint." Mark 6.16-18

A small time celebrity would be cool (definitely not a reality tv star).

Sometimes it may mean putting down the donut.

It may just mean I need to put a hold the lattes.

I might get better at being me and loving Him.

It may sound cheesy, but who doesn't love cheese.


-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Advent: Love

Jesus is love.

All you need is love.

Christmas has an aroma of love.

You can feel it.

You can see it.

You can drink it. (mmm starbucks peppermint mocha anyone?)

You can miss it.

The same with love.

It can be all around you and miss it. (a pic from a recent blog post)

I miss Jesus.

I miss my wife.

I want to miss less and love more.

I think that's why we love Christmas and Valentine's Day, (its funny how both those days are the same) these holidays help us get it.

We love our neighbors a little bit better.

We love our families a little bit better.

We love better.

Recently I was driving the morning commute with my wife and son, and the Christmas Song came on the radio, (Nat King Cole's version, the best version.) and I just started to cry.

It just hit me. (not a car, the song, the moment...you know.)

I am blessed.

I wish things could be better.

We all have fears, I have fears.

Fill in the blank for whatever fear is on your mind of late.

We all have fears... but we are all blessed.

I am... blessed.

My wife is an amazing mom and doesn't even really realize it, I don't think many moms do.

(Maybe thats why there are dads to remind the moms how awesome they are, and how us dads are trying to do a good job as they do.)

Marisa does everything at 100% and does it well.

She is an administrative assistant at a high school and does more than whats required of her and helps everyone around her.

There are even students who hang out in the office just to talk with her. (Thats a big deal, think about it, the bad ones are the students who are usually in the office.)

She has always helped me in the ministry and because of her, she always takes it to the next level of awesomeness.

She has a blog too. (click the link)

Thats right, my wife blogs.

Its a fashion blog with some personal tidbits thrown in there too.

This past week she hit a huge milestone of reaching over a 100 followers. (Thats more than me, and I think that rocks.)

She said I can talk/(blog) about it if she ever hit a 100.

Her blog is brilliant, I love it.

It's something we do together. I take the pictures and she takes care of the rest.

It helps us slow down and connect, and she has been able to connect with others as well.

At times she has given advice to the other gals in the blog world. (not just fashion advice but some personal helpful stuff).

I guess thats the thing about blogs, holidays, Christmas.

They helps us to slow down and connect, to love.

One of my favorite verses lately is a verse that weaves together my two loves, Jesus and Marisa. (trust me the father and son blog is coming soon)

"I am my beloved’s,

And my beloved is mine." Songs of Solomon 6.3

Is this a verse about Jesus?

Is this a verse about Love?

Yup.

Is Christmas about Jesus?

Is Christmas about Love?

Yup.

Advent: Intro

It has begun.

The countdown to Christmas.

The Advent of the birth of Jesus Christ.

I love this time of the year. The Christmas music playing on the radio (really the only time I listen to radio during the year as I turn off my iPod and Pandora). Watching those memorable holiday movies that play every night during the month of December, brings back the feeling of being a kid. (love rudolf)

Even the smell is great, yeah, this time of the year has a smell, (or maybe its just the fact that I have a big nose).

Its a great time of the year, maybe the most wonderful time of the year.

You generally feel good.

Busy, but good.

After all, busy is what American's do best.

But is busy...good?

George Costanza is busy, well...not really busy he just looks busy, and remember a George divided itself cannot stand (ok enough of the Seinfeld references).

This month I am going to try and practice the art and disciple of the Advent.

This December I will blog every day something about the nature character and overall coolness of Jesus Christ. Yes Jesus had coolness. Seriously anyone that can get under the skin of the religious pundits of the day is cool in my book; the walking on water wasn't bad either.

So today is the intro and tomorrow it begins.

Are You Afraid to Admit It...

My wife and I are just coming off an awesome weekend visiting with Pastor Sam Masteller in a crazy cool church in the middle of no where.

If you are ever in Gap PA not Gap in the Mall you need to check out this church especially the kids ministry area that was designed by a member from Sight & Sound. It looks and feels like Noah's Ark, minus the motion sickness, which is a good thing, oh yeah, and the animal smell. (Ever been to the ape house at the zoo...woah.)

It's one thing for a church to say they love kids, its another thing for them to show they love kids.

It's a blessing as we embark on this journey of church planting to have good people and churches to connect with and learn from. We definitely learned alot this weekend from Sam and the fam, sorry I like to rhyme sometimes, opps I did it again. (um, the Britney Spears reference unintended.)

On our travels back to Camp Hill, we had to stop for a pick me up at our favorite travel spot, Starbucks. (Like you didn't know that already)

Interesting thing happened in the drive thru.

The Barista (btw if you're a guy does that make you a baristo...baristabro, anyways) he asked us a simple question as we waited for our holiday lattes...

"What brings you into town today?"

With that being said we could've said a couple of things like "We are on our way home" or "Oh just passing thru" or how about, "We love the Amish countryside."

It was not the full reason of why especially the last one, but a reason to avoid an awkward exchange of informing this "Baristainator (yeah, that didn't work) that we are... gulp...pause...Christians.

Because lets be honest it is awkward to admit you are a Christian.

So, I went for it, I said it.

"Yeah, man, we are just coming back from church."

Time slowed as I expected some half-hearted smile, or snicker, or giggle (do barista's giggle.)

He didn't do any of those things.

He shared that he was in the Navy.

He shared that he just proposed to the love of his life.

He shared that he was afraid to tell her family of their decision to tie the knot.

He opened up.

I found out his name was Josh and told him I would keep him and his family in prayer, and he asked for our names too. He thought my wife said her name was Marista, thats kinda funny, makes me think of another Barista name...Manista. (ok this is turning into a bad parady of a Seinfield episode.)

In the time of getting our drinks we had as the old-timers say, a "Divine Appointment," or as the Emmergents would say, "We felt a vibe."

However you would define it we had a God Moment.

As we drove away my wife said, "people just open up to you don't they...?"

I laughed and then I tried to say something clever, but probably corny.

We are not the only ones out there who find it challenging to show our hand and throw down the C-card. Actually its only 23% of Christians who share their faith with unchristians in a 12 month span. That is not good.

I believe there are a lot of balanced Christians who love people with no agenda; who are not trying to sell (or buy) some funky prayer cross after 12am. (Que epic music)

There are Christians who are starting to understand that it is not about a glitzy gospel.

Let's be a generation of Christians who start the conversation.

Let's be a generation of Christians who will not shy away from those "God Moments."

Lets raise the 23%.

How Do You Measure A Successful Church...The Answer

It was a random tweet on a random Wednesday night...

RT @aldisal How do u measure a successful church bedsides counting who's in the pews and who's on the bank statement?

Some of the feedback that I received was...

People being discipled

People looking after each other

People growing in Christ.

Yeah, about that, people growing in Christ what does that look like anyways?

From what I've seen people growing in Christ is...

Automatic withdraw (Still trying to process that one)

Having your best life now (Im sure that would make a good book title)

Making sure people don't watch bad movies (Why do blue people always get a bad rap, remember the smurfs)

I want to be careful because I believe these are all well intentioned men, trying to do what they think is right. I get that. Im not here to criticize their convictions.

My question...

Is there more.?

Is there less?

What is church really all about or supposed to be all about?

Maybe Francois Fenelon was on to something when he said...

"To read the bible, attend church, and avoid Big Sins- is this passionate, wholehearted love for God?"

Going back to my tweetversation (is that even a word), and waited for some more responses, I re-tweeted a comment that I didn't even think was connected until another friend (tweep) asked if it was.

RT @Gesese Yo...I just helped this homeless guy out and led him to Christ. You don't even know how good that felt.

It was not a tweet from a famous pastor, it wasn't from a pastor at all (not yet anyways).

It was a comment from a former student of mine who is in 11th grade.

It was inspiring on many levels.

This was a student that always had my attention. He is good at basketball and loves Kobe. Needless to say, lots of good sports discussion to be had. Plus he has cool hair. He is a leader.

The knowledge of the bible that this student has would rival many of the adults in the church (and mine), he always kept me on my biblical toes. (I love that about him.)

He wouldn't wear his bible on his sleeve, not an easy thing for a student who goes to Christian School. Yes, it may sound like an oxymoron but if you ever attended a Christian school you would know what I am talking about.

However, this student nailed it. (think thats punny?)

What makes the church great is not what happens on a sunday. It is what happens on Monday to Friday (and sometimes on Saturday depending on your Sabbath and what BCS team is playing. Boise St Rocks!)

Let me put it this way, what happens on sunday is like practice. Yes, Im talkin Bout Practice.

Church is practice and Chrisitians unlike Alan Iverson love practice.

It's safe.

It's controlled.

It's predictable.

Christians, when did we become so scared.

What happened to trusting Holy Spirit to speak a well timed word at the water cooler or praying for a stranger.

Christians, when did we have to control everything from movies to politics.

What happened to finding truth in everyday life, what happened to the power of the parable.

Christians when did two fast songs transitioned by a key change into three slow songs become a good worship service.

What happened to creating an atmosphere of worship not a formula for worship.

This student wasn't on a church sanctioned outreach event.

This student wasn't passing out tracts, (because everyone loves tracts right.)

This student wasn't in church.

He was at the supermarket.

He was making friends with a nobody, not trying to be a great somebody.

He was in the Game.

This week I have been processing what our church plant is going to be all about.

What we believe.

What core values to well, value.

What makes church.

I do not have everything figured out, especially church.

Quite frankly I mess things up more often than I get things right.

But I want to get it right.

I want to get into the Game.