Thursday, October 30, 2008

I thought I'd seen it all

ok I think the halloween candy industry has taken it too far.

Caption Please

Caption Please...

Break out your snow scapers

I woke up yesterday morning to this... man I am not ready for winter. It feels like a week ago that we took down the Christmas tree. ...What the hey - some Christmas music sounds good right now? Beka and I made a tradition when we first got married to get Chinese take out and listen to Christmas music on LP's while decorating for Christmas.
What's your holiday tradition?

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Please Pray

I usually try to be pretty positive but ther has been some tragedy lately among families that I am close with. Please pray for the Petty family in Galion after losing Brad (28 year old father) who was violent with his 2 year old son. After seeing what he had done to his son (thinking he killed him) commited suicide. Pray for the little one that has been unresponsive since yesterday.
Also pray for the Kruher family in Florida after losing their little girl from a head injury after falling in their backyard. I went to school with Aaron (the father) and cannot imagine what they are going through. Hold on to your little ones closely. They are so prone to danger and we must pray for hedges of protection daily.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Wearing a Brown Polyester Shirt


I was riding my bike today and passed through Cam's old preschool parking lot when listening to a Ben Folds song called "Still Fighting it". Here are the lyrics:

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Good morning, son.
I am a bird
Wearing a brown polyester shirt
You want a coke?
Maybe some fries?
The roast beef combos only $9.95
Its okay, you don't have to pay
Ive got all the change

Everybody knows
It hurts to grow up
And everybody does
Its so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
Were still fighting it, were still fighting it
And you're so much like me
I'm sorry

Good morning, son
In twenty years from now
Maybe well both sit down and have a few beers
And I can tell you 'bout today
And how I picked you up and everything changed
It was pain
Sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things

Everybody knows
It sucks to grow up
And everybody does
Its so weird to be back here.
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
Were still fighting it, were still fighting it
Youll try and try and one day youll fly
Away from me

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It was just ironic that's all. It was even more ironic last night when he actually spent more than an hour trying to write a song. Maybe he'll actually finish one unlike his old man!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Like the old days

I was in Marion today paying a speeding ticket. I brought my bike so I could ride some trails out by the quarry. I met some kids there up to no good in what looked like a castle. They were scaling down one of the walls by a garden hose that someone had tied up. It was like a 30 foot repel and I told them they were going to get hurt. They listened and wanted to show me the other "castles". I had a blast and felt like the old days with Jimmy and Eddie in Hartwell. I know some of you don't know Jim and Ed but I could tell you story after story about what we did as kids growing up in Cincinnasty. We were always in trouble but I wouldn't trade those days for anything.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Glass of Water - Free
Plate of Sushi - 11 Dollars
Burning through 3 layers of skin in your nostrils due to an excessive ammount of wasabi while catching up with an old friend - Priceless.

This is my buddy Nate Harmon. He is a worship leader at First Baptist in Medina.

I ride my bike through some trails on the north side of town when I can. Yesterday I had some trouble because there were a lot of big limbs down in the trail. I fell hard twice and normally would have cut it short but something made me want get up and keep going. It ended up being the best ride of the year.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Weathering some twists and turns

Journal Photo / Bob Thayer

Have you ever noticed that reverse tire tracks carve a similar pattern on the road whether through patches of tar or into light blankets of snow? Sometimes you have to go in reverse from a direction that you've been heading.

Here recently we have felt God calling us to plant a church and have made provisions for it for the last year and a half. Through raising a lot of support, to enlarging our network, to finishing an internship with a new church plant, to working a part time job at Starbucks, and gathering a launch and intercessor team, God has blessed and showed us completely what church planters go through and know fully that God has shown us that for a reason. In the future I will fully support new churches and their endeavor to reach others for Christ. About a month ago I sat down with two leaders of the conference I am involved with in church planting and they informed me that because of running aground financially that they were no longer able to make any further commitments to us. They encouraged me to try and continue raising the rest of our support through another network but churches have taken a very large hit because of the economy. Because of this we feel that it is apparent that God at this time is not calling us to stay in Marion any longer. Please pray for the people I have come into contact with this last year in Marion. I feel as if God's work will be completed but by someone other than me. Also please pray for us as we seek God's face in this matter and thank you so much for your prayer and financial support. We will keep you posted.

...Peter and John spoke with boldness...

There is a difference between the Apostle Peter before the death of Jesus and after the death of Jesus for that is when he received the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is easier to see why he denied Christ before His death. It is necessary that we are filled with the Spirit so that when we face opposition we can speak with BOLDNESS.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Book I'm Reading

I am reading a book by Watchmen Nee called Sit, Walk, Stand. Here is an excerpt I read this morning...
"When you fight to get the victory, then you have lost the battle at the very offset. Sometimes we pray, fast, struggle, and resist for days but nothing happens. Why? You are trying to fight into victory, and in doing so are relingquishing the ground that is already yours. It is said in 2 Thessalonians that the Lord shall slay the man of sin with the breath of His mouth. The thought came.. It will need but a breath from my Lord to finish him off, and here I am trying to raise a hurricane."

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Funny Story

Beka and I have a friend here in Galion. She goes to church with us and her kids go to the same school our kids go to. When I was on this morning I saw her updated status that said "Natalee is so wishing I could have stayed in bed and listening to it rain but I have things to get done today!!!" So when I saw her at school dropping her kids off I asked her about it being that her post was only about an hour old. On the way out I saw her again and asked her if she wanted to go to bed... ... ... She said "wh-wh-whaaat..?" And I thought she didn't hear me so I asked her if she wanted to go back to bed which wasn't any better. After I figured that I had shoved both feet in my mouth with room for all ten toes - I digressed.

So when was the last time you did something like that? :)) (double chin smily)