Thanks for stopping by. Christ follower, listener, leader, husband and father. When I'm not leading The Rock I enjoy good coffee, reading & writing, music & film, traveling and culture.
My wife, Michelle, blogs over at RainyMay.com and of course, don't blame others for things I say here.
If I don't get to your call or email today, here's why:
Giving 2 days a week for prayer, teaching prep, writing, etc. creates a log jam on Tuesday's & Thursday's. But it's worth it.
[Update at 11:41am: Just added a 6:30 appointment to review the progress on our new website.]
The saga in portable church land continues...
That's Kyle Duncan, one of our media techs, sitting up on the catwalk and Cole Meckle going into MacGyver mode. The cable that we would normally run from the MacBook Pro to the projector suddenly didn't work. So the guys went to plan b. Then they had to find a a solution for getting the audio signal back to the board because we had a Mother's Day video show.
I'm not going to lie...this stuff is driving me crazy but I also am so very proud of our guys for pulling off a great gathering! Thanks guys!
Everyday I get the privilege of partnering with the most amazing woman in parenting two beautiful human beings. But honestly, Michelle deserves all the praise.
She is an amazing mother! She knows when to be firm and when to be soft. When to be direct and when to listen. When to push and when not. When it's "yes" and when it's "no".
Happy Mother's Day babe!
Simplify'n Series, part 3
I'm an aesthetics guy. For me, the right kind of environment is everything. Just ask Starbucks. They spend millions of dollars making sure that every store is aesthetically in "Brand Sync" (I just made that up).
If you have a complex job, like pastoring, it's important to think about what kind of space you work in.
For me, I just created a home office (see this post) that is primarily dedicated to writing, reflecting...basically the creative stuff and my church office is for meetings and administrative details. Here's some pics of that space:
For what's it's worth, I work from my home office on Monday's & Wednesday's and the church office on Tuesday's & Thursday's.
1o. Scent of a Woman
9. Forest Gump
8. Scarface
7. Crash
6. Star Wars
5. Castaway
4. Rain Man
3. Raider of the Lost Ark
2. Braveheart
1. Shawshank Redemption
May 18th we're partnering with the Puget Sound Blood Center in inviting to the community to a BBQ and Bl0od Drive. We are inviting 1000 of our neighbors with this door hanger. Pray for a really favorable response.
I've taken over the bottom of my kids playhouse for my home office. The building is 120 sq feet times 2 so it has plenty of space for me to study, write and plan.
For the last couple months I've tried to move all of my recurring appointments to Tuesday's and Thursday's so that leaves Monday's & Wednesday's to work from home.
I'll post some pics tonight.
I don't often use my blog to personally rant or even let my most vulnerable side out but I increasingly want this to be a place that represents me, the real me.
Today was a rough day. Number one, I'm sick. And I suck at being sick. Really. I'm a horrible sick person. Number 2, my day started with one of those text messages that you hate to get. Not only did it feel like a sucker punch while blindfolded but my heart aches for others that the news affects.
I take comfort in the fact that I'm not alone. Jesus said,
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
I've chosen this evening to wrap up a sucky day with some words of my Lord. Tomorrow will be a new day. I will attack it with all my sick self can muster up.
I've always been a pretty early adopter of technology...me and Kip would get along. I joined Facebook about a year ago and started to connect with pastors and ministry types from literraly around the world. It's been really
fun to see these cyber relationships benefit my life.
But something weird is happening with my Facebook life now. I'm actually becoming "friends" with friends. People from my past. High school, old churches, you name it we're finding one another. Weird and very cool.
For the 2nd year the students of The Rock are participating in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine. Students raise money for World Visions efforts to feed hungry children around the world. It's not to late to donate.
Here is a pic that Matt sent me of their tent city in his backyard. I think they had a little contest. Way to go students. I'm proud of you!
Oh, and they can't eat for 30 hours! Only 8 more to go.
"How would you like that cooked?" Medium rare is my standard reply. I don't have to think about. I can be gazing into my beautiful wife's eyes, sipping on Cabernet and my sub-conscious responds:
Medium rare.
I like beef. Steak. Outback, the Met**, or just the backyard grill. I LOVE MEAT.
Just wanted to clear things up. I recycle and grill!
*Saturday Morning Post may turn into a weekly thing. If it does I promise all the useless info you will want to forget.
**I'll shamelessly receive a gift certificate to this place anytime.
I just took this brief (and free) personality test online. Link I've taken similar tests before. My favorite is the one that scores you as a animal. A beaver, golden-retriever, otter or lion. Anyone know what test this is?
My results:
I'm surprised by this honestly. But apparently I'm in good company. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, John P. Morgan, Norman Vincent Peale all have the same score.
In addition to leading and coaching my staff, I have the privilege of meeting twice a month with 2 separate groups of guys. Both of which invest back in me way more than I feel like I contribute to them.
First is our Council of Elders. There are four of us and we make up the official board of directors of The Rock Church. But these guys are way more than business. We pray for one another, shape the vision God has for us and manage the resources of His church. I appreciate how they share the burden for the mission of Jesus within our community.
Secondly, I have the honor of meeting with 3 other guys in what I have called a Leadership Development Group. We're reading though 6 books together until June then we plan on hitting the trail on a 40 mile back packing trip to celebrate our 6 month journey together. I have literally watched our reading and discussions influence some big life decisions. Awesome!
Thank you guys for your contribution in my life. I'm better because of you!
I just got my haircut and the lady (she knows I'm a pastor) asked me if I've "heard" of the book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I almost said, "Are you serious?" But I could tell she was.
This led to a conversations about church, Jesus, the Dalai Lama (he was just in Seattle), Oprah (seriously) and more. What struck me was what we already know is true.
To many, Jesus is one of many paths to heaven/enlightenment/whatever. But I see it a tad bit differently.
Many can do good. Many can inspire others to do good. Many can bring hope. But only one has risen from the dead.
And I'm with the guy who can do that!
[Simplify'n Series, part 2]
Many, if not most, of us carry some form of a calendar/schedule with us at all times. For me, it's my BlackBerry Pearl...a must in my mobile, office anywhere life. But just because you have your life at your finger-tips doesn't mean you should decide on the spot if you will give your life to that event 2 weeks down the road.
I have gotten myself in more trouble than I care to admit when it comes to managing my calendar. Most of the time I either double-book or over-book (too much on one day or in one week). Double-booking affects someone else and over-booking affects you.
As a result I've adopted a little personal rule when someone extends an invitation or otherwise requests my time: Delay. Delay committing to that event or request ensures my family gets my best and what's important isn't pushed aside by the urgent. This may seem simplistic but disciplining yourself to wait before committing will help to keep your priorities first and your emotional reserves full.
For the record, this is harder than it seems and I constantly struggle with it. I'd love to hear some other thoughts.
