MONDAY

This is going against everything inside of me and against all of my being to blog tonight, and I guess it'll be that way all week. We can't get wireless at the church building so I'm sitting at the *GASP* Starbucks up the street. AND since I felt guilty about coming in and using their wireless I was compelled to buy something, but since I HATEHATEHATEHATE anything coffee, the only thing I could really stomach was a strawberry smoothie...OH so masculine....now on to the news of the day.

We made it in last night about 6pm local time after a great night in Little Rock and an excellent Easter service in the hotel. However we did have a tremendous situation that occurred that may be one of the funniest things I've ever heard in my entire life. Just ask Kaitlin Snapp, it had to do with the alphabet game, she'll know what you mean.

We got up bright and early and split into 2 teams today.

Team 1:Lauren Peyton, Christian Barker, Kaitlin Snapp, David Roney, Franny Reimler, Ethan Robinson, Hannah Mountjoy, Lauren Bailes, Lori Harris, Kaitie Wood, Tab Evans, Justin Wilson, Nate Deaton, Gavin Mahan, Ty Short, Tyler Crowe and Heath Mountjoy came with me, Teresa, and CIY Brittney (all CIY adults will be described as CIY and then their name, that's just the way it's going to be. We had 2 jobs today.

1) We went across Dallas to the North Texas Food Bank and folks, this is an amazing operation. The basics of what we did today was sort foods that were donated by grocery stores because they were damaged and couldn't be sold. All of this food went to feed families in need in the area surrounding Dallas. We worked from 9:30-11:30 and sorted and boxed over 14,000 lbs of food, for over 12,000 meals, which feeds 4,000 people for a day. That's cool.

2) We went to a super friendly and really cool elderly lady to paint her house and clean up her yard. Everyone worked well and we were able to accomplish quite a bit through the afternoon.

Team 2: Kaile Short, Hunter Mountjoy, Paige Anderson, Caitlin Camic, Whitney Baker, Emma Ditto, Alexa Burks, Alex Grigsby, Nate Crowe, Rachel Ditto, Wes Salyers, Josh Lyons, Austin Reid, Cody Cooper, Julie Higginbotham, and Kenzie Wood went with Tim, Tony, Judy, and CIY Ben.

They spent the entire day clearing a jungle (not exagerating) that had grown in an elderly man's yard. This man had been waiting on the People Helping People list for help for 5 years for someone to help him clean his yard. Well...if all goes to plan, it will be finished tomorrow, this group worked outrageously hard.

Keep praying for us, especially Judy Short, she has a brutal sinus infection right now.

I will blog about more when I get a chance.

Sat Night....and so it begins...

Pretty much all I can say IIIIIiissss....and so it begins.

Everything is just fine, we got into the hotel at Little Rock about 9:30, some swam and some did homework. Yes parents, your kids did homework, I won't disclose who did what on this one, but just assume your kid did they're homework and all is well.

But what began was connection and conversation. Just spend and hour in the hotel lobby with 15 students talking Bible and answering Bible questions. It's going to be a good week and we are all excited.

Tomorrow...on to Dallas.

We leave for Dallas in about an hour...hopefully.

Last night I was thinking about just how many trips I have gone on as either a youth minister or a youth ministry volunteer. So I went back in the deep recesses of my brain, which for some reason found a lot of empty space, and to the best of my knowledge, this will be the 53rd trip in 11 years. That's a whole lot of teen, let me tell you. Not only that, I have a WONDERFUL and SUPPORTIVE wife who gives up her time with me to be with teenagers. That's awesome, and you should tell her that too.

And there's always a point for every trip, and I'm in it right now, where I'm just like, uh oh and little bit overwhelmed by it all. Ranging from being responsible for kids safety to asking questions like, did the luggage trailer door get shut at the last pee stop?

But one thing I can say, is 52 out of 52 times, God has shown up, as if He was gone anyway. He's protected, He's taught, He's disciplined, He's given wisdom, and over all, He's loved.

I'm very excited to spend time with these kids, and above all, I'm excited to spend more time with our Creator.

Be praying about all this, and check back with how it's going.

Whoa Whoa Whoa!!! Let's not spend too much time blogging, since it's been oh...months since I have?

I know all 4 of you are wondering why I haven't blogged, I could give you the real reason, which is simply I no longer have internet at my house and all my best ideas come at around 11:45 pm. But the blogger side wants me to say something...deep...something that will help someone with your day. So I give you this...

Let this be a warning to you, WATCH YOUR FACE!!! We never know when attacks will come from a spiritual standpoint. It could be from the front or back, but most likely, from within. Be ready.

Also, this is the spot for mission trip updates, so follow, favorite, book mark, or whatever, and I do promise to blog more if you'd like and no longer use outrageously long sentences.

Be sure to laugh too...

Wait...

I've often wondered about the emotions Jesus' disciples went through after the crucifixion, the fear, guilt for some, disappointment, the doubting, I imagine they experienced 3 days of it all.  But the joy after His resurrection must have been indescribable, the comfort during the 40 days of teaching before He ascended into Heaven, the unbridled enthusiasm of wanting to tell the world...all of these, some of them at once I'm sure.    

In Acts 1, we read that Jesus gives some final instructions before He is taken into Heaven.  He said to the Apostles in Acts 1:4, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but WAIT for the gift my Father promised..."  

Now we know today that the gift that Jesus was referring to was 2 fold, 1) the special outpouring on the Apostles that gave miraculous powers to those 12 and 2) the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit received at baptism.  

But there's something deeper for us to get from this today as well, not anything earth shattering of Gospel changing, as I'm not about to do that (see Galatians 1:8).  But sometimes, God just needs us to wait.  For us to learn, to listen, to pray, to be prepared.  

That even though we want to go and do, we need to stay and grow.  As a youth minister I'm very privileged to teach and lead some amazing students, several of whom have already committed themselves to overseas missions, and if they had the chance, they'd leave today.  But it's just not their time yet, there's work for ahead of them, preparing them for what's coming up, and there's work for them to do here, leading and teaching other students and even their families.  

Many times we need to wait, but let this not be an excuse to not do the things Jesus commissioned us to do while we are waiting, teaching and baptizing others, that's ALL of our jobs at all times.  

But for you, what do you need?  What are you waiting for?  And more importantly, how are you pursuing what you lack?    

Something New

Of course the picture here has nothing to do with being new, in fact, it's from the 1984 movie "Breakin 2."  But I guess when you think about it, was new in 1984.  

Go ahead, look at the picture again and laugh...

There's been something that's been on my mind for a while, for a few years actually, and it's something that I've been trying to figure out what it should look like today.  Something that all Christians want to be a part of, but I'm convinced that few, me included, actually get.  Sure, some are further along than others, but in all honesty, it seems that most don't really care or have a clue.  

What I'm talking about is being a true New Testament Christian, being a part of the Church (with the big 'C') that is described in Acts.  That sounds like fun doesn't it?  

So, this is what we're going to do, we're going to go through Acts and check out words that stand out to me, ways that we can live and be the Church of Christ.  

First and for most, you cannot be apart of the Church without accepting Christ, in case you were wondering.  Second of all, what this comes down to is an overused word...LOVE.  It comes down to the greatest command, loving God and loving others, if we do these things, following God is not an issue and helping others is also not an issue, we just do it because we WANT to.  

So as we go through this journey (haha overused church buzz word) together, there will be days that I will randomly do write something else, and also this won't happen everyday, so keep checking in.  

So let's get started, our first word is found in the first verse of the first chapter and it's simply, 'began.'  "I (Luke) wrote about all that Jesus BEGAN..."  

This word BEGAN is the key to the entire book and the entire Church that we are now a part of.  This word BEGAN joins us to Jesus' work.  

I know for me, 2000+ years is a long time ago, it seems so far away that it's almost untouchable, until you view Acts and Jesus' work through the word BEGAN. Jesus' work did not end when He left, Jesus' work is not for others who are long dead, Jesus' work is for us today, it BEGAN with him, and it ends when He returns.  In the mean time, it's up to us to do the things He BEGAN.

What are those things?  So in being the church today, we need to understand and realize that we are part of this beginning, we have a role in this situation, we are involved and connected to Jesus' ministry.

It's been a while...

I know I'm not the only one, but sometimes you just don't feel like doing something, and I haven't really felt like blogging for a while, which makes me think, 'what else do I not feel like doing?'  So, here's a list...

1) Showering.  I know, I know, and yes I do everyday (except for Shower Free Thursdays).  But I have grown to hate being wet, I hate swimming, I hate water hoses, I hate rain, and I do not enjoy taking a shower.  To me it seems like such a waste of time, it's just an annoying necessary evil I suppose.

2) Getting gas.  I hate having to stop what I'm doing or where I'm going to feel up the gas tank, it just takes me away from what I feel like I should be doing, which is moving toward my destination.

3) Mowing my stupid yard.  It doesn't get much lower on the totem pole for me folks, I hate my yard, I hate grass, I hate having to take the time to mow my grass.  

4) Spanking my kids.  My first question to myself is why do they have to do something in order to be spanked?  Why, why, why?  But it doesn't matter, it has to be done otherwise they'd go plumb wild.  

5) Getting up in the mornings.  It's no secret to those who know me, I'm a night person, not a morning person.  But in order to be a 'responsible adult' one HAS to get up in the mornings.  

But in all honesty, I could go on and on and on with things that I hate, but what's the point?  I mean, isn't this LIFE?  Life is full of stuff that we don't want to do, hate to do, don't want to take the time to do, but it's necessary.

For Christians, how many of us HATE to share the Gospel with the people we know?  How many of us would rather do something, or anything than go to church on Sunday?  How many of us will do anything we can to avoid the service we are called to do.  The reaching of the lost, giving of our time and money, searching for 'the least of these.'  

But just as showering is a necessary part of life, spanking is a necessary part of parenting, mowing is a necessary part of home ownership, and getting gas is part of driving (or riding), serving, telling, committing are necessary parts of Christian Life.

By the way, I picked up Mute Math's album Flesh and Bones Electric Fun and it's off the hook.  If you love music, you'll love Mute Math.