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.

My First Halloween at 30

I felt a little strange walking out of the house with my wife and a jack-o-lantern in one hand and my son dressed up as a St. Bernard in the other. It seemed as if as I was doing something wrong, almost unspiritual.

I am a Christian isn't Halloween the devil's holiday?

Our family waited at the stoop with our porch light on and two big bowls brimming with sweet tasty treats.

Nothing calls kids like candy.

Shortly after, families and kids started to stream to our door. It felt really good to hand out candy to the kids. I told them they can take a hand full. Hey, this is how Italians do Halloween! Mangia! (thats italian for eat more).

We met a really cool young family down the road with a six month old dressed up as Yoda. Needless to say I liked them immediately.

They introduced themselves and said how nice it was to see another young family in the neighborhood and that we should get together sometime. (we will.)

Then it hit me...why the in the world do Christians make such a big deal about Halloween?

You meet your neighbors.

You hand out candy.

You have friendly conversations with people who you would probably not have otherwise.

It's a can't miss opportunity to be a blessing, to be salt and light and maybe alittle milk chocolate thrown in too.

I grew up in that great 80s Christian tradition of locking your door shutting the lights and pretending that you are not home (when everyone knew you were anyway) so that God forbid you don't have talk to your neighbors or be nice to the kids, or "give the devil a foothold."

I think I would rather give the devil a double take to know that his holiday has been taking over by Christians who will use it to further God's Kingdom not his.

Walking around the neighborhood felt good, it felt like the first time we were part of our community. And to be honest the houses that were dark and locked seemed more scary than the ones with the orange decorations.

This may be backlash from days as a kid of not being able dress like Spider-Man and having bad memories from Hallelujah parties (its a christian alternative party in a church, I was a bible with two black poster boards and myself as the bookmark dressed in a yellow sweat suit. I did win a prize ha ha).

I have seen other Christians starting to cross over the Halloween party lines and dress up their kids too and get into on this "taboo" holiday.

I think Halloween is what you make it to be, much like anything else in this world.

If you want to make it about evil spirits and witchcraft and all that than I am not a fan.

If you make it about the kids, than I am a fan...

and from their perspective isn't it just about dressing up and getting candy?

Christians can we just stop overspiritualizing things and really be all things to all men and keep it about the kids.

You might just make a new friend.

You might just bring someone new to church.

And that would be pretty sweet.

Things Happen For A Reason & John Cusack

I don't like to gamble. Probably because I am bad at it.

Every time I change lanes in traffic to speed up I slow down. When I am in a rush and switch lines at the grocery store, you got it, the guy in front of me either has a million coupons or paying with a check. (and who pays with a check these days anyways.)

Even my fantasy football team (no money involved, just pride) is dreadful.

When it comes to chance, I am not a fan.

When it comes to fate. I am a believer.

I cry at sports movies that highlight the underdog. (Rudy & Field of Dreams 'nuff said...tear.)

I am a sucker for a good chick flick where two people who never should have met... do. (Serendipity or pretty much anything with John Cusack)

I was recently talking to a good friend of mine about how he meet his wife how it was a series of events that brought them together.

They met at a wedding.

They both were in the bridle party.

They both hit it off.

The interesting thing was that before the wedding he just declined a job position that would have landed him in Oklahoma.

Far away from the girl he just met at the wedding.

Far away from the girl that would become his wife.

I love stories like that, I believe in stories like that.

Even the story of how I met Marisa was anything but chance.

I recently had a week that changed my life.

It was a one of those weeks that can send your life into a different direction in an instant.

Planting a church is all about faith. I always thought as my self as a person that has alot of it. After all I believe that everything happens for a reason...you gotta have faith to believe that you can raise 30,000 in a year.

I had two big conversations with two pastors of two big churches, who I thought were going to be a big help to our church plant.

It was a big disappointment.

We got no help.

Needless to say I felt crushed.

One pastor I met even suggested I should put my resume out there, that maybe this church planting thing wasn't for me.

I did a lot of driving that day, I did a lot of praying.

And alot of venting...after all Im Italian. We love to vent.

The next morning was rainy and dreary, but it was a beautiful day.

After I dropped my wife off at work I had the Pandora Hillsong United station playing in the car, (by the way I love pandora who needs FM radio).

Seriously, every song that played was like a message from God.

Songs of God being in control, about not giving up, about hope.

I was balling.

If a car pulled beside me at a red-light, Im sure I would make for a good youtube video.

Then something inside just clicked.

I emailed my pastor saying I wanted to be more involved at church even though I am not a full-time staff member.

I called my brother, I said I was not about to give up on the dream to plant a church even though things have not gone the way I expected.

There was a feeling that I had that is hard to put into words, it was if I was on Holy Spirit Red Bull.

What happened next really gave me wings.

Upon returning home I checked the mailbox to find a letter from a friend. Enclosed was a note that read how his family has been praying for us, how he believes in our vision to reach the Towson/Baltimore area, and there was also a check for $5000.

I cried... again.

The timing was perfect.

The timing was God.

I can understand why the bible says "The God of your fathers and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" a combination of 31 times throughout the OT and even the NT.

We need to be reminded of what God can do.

We need to be reminded what God has done.

We need to be reminded that God is our source.

I believe that everything happens for a reason.

This church plant is happening for a reason.