These are a few of my least favorite things…

I hate MOVING!!!!!!!!!

ok, now that I have that out of my system, I can explain.  I love the excitement and expectation of a new challenge ahead.  I love being able to form new relationships.  I love knowing that we are in the center of God’s will for our lives.

 But I hate putting all the trappings of my life into little carboard containers, stacking them like legos and staring at blank walls all around me.  I hate the pain of setting up new utilities and cell phone numbers.  But most of all I hate the stress that accompanies all of it.  I know that most of the stress is self-inflicted, but it’s stress nontheless. 

So here’s my prayer for you (and for me)

Lord, allow me to always be in the center of Your will, and may that will include never packing another box the rest of my days! Amen.

Goodbye’s

I HATE saying Goodbye.  I would rather undergo a full round of rabies injections than to have to tell people that I love goodbye.  I know, I know, it’s not really goodbye, it’s see ya later.  But we all know that things are never the same.  Circumstances change, relationships develop, life gets hectic, etc…   Rachel and I just sang our last special together at Anna First.  It was a song we had sung countless times here before called “Fairest Lord Medley”.  It’s a medley of Fairest Lord Jesus, Tis so Sweet to trust in Jesus, and It Is Well.  While singing it, I had a very real sense of peace that we were doing the right thing, but the right thing is not always easy, especially when you look into the faces of those that you love.  Pastor Tony was very kind to me at the end of the service and said that during my time here we had transitioned from singing songs about God to singing TO God.  If that is true, I am very blessed that God chose to use a broken vessel like me.

Cautiously Optimistic

This weekend marks the official beginning of a die hard football fan’s season.  The first three rounds of the NFL draft took place yesterday with the remaining four to come later today.  My beloved Chiefs took some players that appear to have some upside, so I’m cautiously optimistic.  I really wish they would have addressed offensive line needs though.  Both Joe Staley (T) and Ryan Khalil (C) were available when the chiefs picked in the first round.  Both could become pro-bowl caliber players.  After losing Willie Roaf and Will Shields we’re desperate for quality line help.  It makes me fearful for our running and passing attack.  To paraphrase…Where there’s no Will, (or Willie) there’s no Way.

what’s happenin?

Some of you are kind enough to frequently check in on this little online journal of mine.  What’s new in your life?  Anything exciting?  Anything God’s doing in your life lately?  I’d love to hear from you!

God is SOOOOOOOO Good!

We are in the process of packing all of our things so that we can move 200 miles away to a new ministry field.  Only one problem, we had no idea where we were going to live!  But God has been so Good!  I got a call this morning finalizing our rental of a home that was exactly what we wanted.  God is so gracious that He not only gave us our needs, but He provided for us in an astounding way.   I can never even begin to deserve all the great things that He has done in my life, but it never fails to amaze me that He is so extravagant in His love!

Exit Stage Left

It’s a simple stage direction that means to exit off the stage to a particular side.  The last time I was in a musical, it was my final move.  I simply walked off the stage and never returned.  Tonight I read my letter of resignation to my church family here in Anna.  It was difficult, emotional, and heart-breaking.  I am as sure of my calling to a new place of ministry this moment as I have ever been, but stepping away from people whom I have woven my life together with for the last four years is going to be far more difficult than I was willing to admit to myself.  I have heard it said that a Pastor makes everyone in his church happy…some when he comes…some while he’s there…and some when he leaves.  While that may be true, it’s also true that a Pastor often experiences every emotion with the church he serves.  We go through times of excitement and enthusiasm, pain and loss, perseverance and victory, hurt and disappointment.  It is my prayer that the church I will be leaving will be better off for my having been a part of it for these past four years, I know I am better off because they were a part of me.  I may be exiting  stage left, but I know the play will continue for years to come.

Great Sadness

I can’t begin to share the sadness that I feel for the families impacted by the tragedy in Virginia today.  Their loss and desire for answers that will make it all make sense will be overwhelming.  What greater prompting do we as followers of Christ need to remind us that life is fleeting and we MUST share the Good News every day, in every situation possible. 

RAMBLINGS

All Right, All Right, I know it’s been a while.  The truth is there are sometimes when your mind is so jumbled you have a hard time expressing your thoughts.  So now that they have all “Un-Jumbled”, here they are in no particular order.

1.  If I ever see another human appendage in the jaws of an alligator, it will be too soon.

2.  The statements of those closest to you help more, and hurt more than statements made by others.

3.  The greatest thing that the Cardinals could do this year is trade Pujols for pitching.  I know, I’m a huge Albert fan too…that’s why this is the year to trade him.  He has the market value this year to bring two starting pitchers and a corner outfielder.  You move Duncan to his natural position at first base and the team is made stronger for a longer period of time.

4.  Having a 4 & 5 year old is the best!  I can act like a kid and get away with it.  ( I didn’t have toys nearly this cool when I was a kid )

5.  It’s not knowing what God’s will for your life that is hard, He’s a really great communicator.  It’s obeying it that’s hard.

6.  Regardless of age, we all want things the way we want them.

7.  It IS possible to form a personal connection with a chicken.

8.  It is not difficult to go ahead and eat the chicken anyway!

9.  Cat + Chicken in box = endless entertainment.

10.  Regardless of how your day goes, one smile from your wife can make it all melt away.

11.  If growing up means getting so set in my ways that I can’t respect others…I hope I never grow up.

12.  D’oh! is the greatest multi-use statement that any homersapien can utter.

13.  Whether he’s 7 or 77 a good fart joke will make any guy laugh.

14.  I have a body that was built for speed…It just wasn’t calibrated for this particular planet’s gravitational pull.

15.  Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re doing good, or just good at “doing”.

16.  There’s nothing worse than a list that stops at a number divisible by 2, 3, or 5.

17.  Why do I always wait until the last minute to do my taxes? 

18.  If I had a nickel for every time someone disagreed with me, I’d have spent them all by now on things that they didn’t think I should have bought.

19.  I like blue.