Openness

One of the things Shauna and I discovered when we first announced we were having a baby was how open dozens of folks instantly became in giving advice. I stiff armed it at first. And then, last week, I approached and gave unsolicited advice about which "pack and play" we decided to go with because of the reviews...I did this to a complete stranger who was about to load a Graco in her cart.

Yeah, pathetic. As soon as I offered my advice, I instantly felt that sting of idiocy and intrusion. Lucky for me, the lady was grateful and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. After all, we have already purchased, returned, and purchased different pack and plays...and we're not even parents yet.

I became the advice giver...and I know nothing. I find we do this in a lot of areas of our lives, especially in adolescence. We want to offer something, we want to be intelligent, and we want others to know our value and how society would crumble if we weren't around...at least, that's how I think sometimes.

So, I'm pondering these things, about how the advice isn't such a bad thing and about how receptive I can (should) be to good wisdom. Now, that being said, not all advice is good. I have been given some ridiculous advice from good people (you know who you are).

Me and Shauna will be good parents, and I am sure of that. We won't be perfect, we won't be able to give Lucy (that's her name, btw) everything, but we will love her and, if our marriage is any indication, Shauna will give the most love.

So on to advice and openness: do you have any words of wisdom for us? If it is bad, we'll thank you anyway and I promise we won't point it out. But if it is beneficial to us, we'll celebrate it!

So, whatcha got? Any wisdom? Any advice? Any book suggestions? I have been reading these: Boundaries with Kids, Growing Kids God's Way, What to Expect When You're Expecting, and What to Expect the First Year. I also watched a DVD of a live birth; it traumatized me.

A Rolling Stone Gathers No __________

I love my job. I really do.

Tomorrow, I get to teach in a series called, "God and Bob", and I'm using the song, Like a Rolling Stone. I am excited about this. I love the fact that we are taking one of the most iconic writers and performers of our time and paralleling the echoes from Kingdom thoughts. I'm also a dork, because I did WAY too much research about that one line that everyone knows: "like a rolling stone."

Another thing I really appreciate about my church, is that we have a dream of where we want to be (some people call this vision). When I arrived, a little over two years ago, one of the main things on my plate of responsibilities was our website (which, at the time was a PDF newsletter). I am very energized by vision. We created vision for our website. Now, not everything is in place and the dream is still being realized, but, doggone it, we're taking some exciting steps.

In the last four months, I have been on a journey with our web team and the great folks at Plain Joe Studios out of Corona, Ca (esp Peter and Julie, you guys rock). We've been on a journey that led us up to the release of our new site this past week. I am extremely proud and delighted that our new site release brings a lot of interaction, information, and clarity to our online presence as a church.

Check it out, search through it, and interact. I bet you'll find some things you like (and a few typos if you look hard enough, but that's what updates are for). It's exciting to take a next step, and this was a big one for us.

If I were creating a boy band...

This clip reminds me of a passage from my favorite book, Under the Unpredictable Plant, by Eugene Peterson:

"A successful writer will discover a workable plot and write the same book over and over all his life to the immense satisfaction of his readers. The readers can be literary without thinking or dealing with the truth. Prostitute writer.

A successful pastor will discover a workable program and repeat it in congregation after congregation to the immense satisfaction of her parishioners. The church members can be religious without praying or dealing with God. Prostitute pastor."

Kind of harsh, but true nonetheless.

So, who wants to fall into a template (gotta admit, it is catchy LOL)?

Deleted

Today I wrote out a whole blog. It was based on this commercial:



I made this statement: "Every kid doesn't deserve a baseball trophy in little league."

I deleted the blog: on purpose.
It was funny and I couldn't post it, even though it was planned and well researched.

Sometimes, you just need to make a judgment call.

I am talking about the stuff from this deleted post at ALC this weekend. Hope you check it out in person or on the web.

People I love: David

First, a history lesson:
David and I were roommates at an apartment on a golf course while in college. We both were what you would call "outsiders." Neither of us really participated in campus activities. We both worked in the restaurant business, and we both enjoyed a great meal (to this day, I implicitly trust David's suggestions regarding restaurants and great places to eat; he has never let me down). We were ego driven and elitist in our own eyes (maybe we still are... lol).

In college, no one ever expected David to do anything with vocational ministry; he was, after all, a business major. He had been a pastoral ministries major, but switched. That kind of move will get you ostracized from other ministry majors, btw. For some reason we remained friends: even when we were kicked out a restaurant in Tampa, even after I moved out of our apartment early and broke the lease, even today when I returned to him his car that he let me use while visiting the Chicago area.



Now, the cooler part:
David finished undergrad and then completed his MBA with a specialty in non profit work (the plot thickens). Over the years, he has worked in executive positions for non profits and other charitable organizations (like the Salvation Army). Currently, he is the finance director for a non profit called, Esperanza Community Services, close to downtown Chicago, and he is one of the key leaders for Global Family Rescue.

Later this year, David will be moving to Tanzania to work on the field with villages to better community, education, and social development. He is being sent out. He is doing much more with his life than many (dare I say it) other 30 year olds who went into ministry ten years ago. I am proud of David. I am proud he is my friend. Heck, he was even in my wedding.

David, I am praying for you, man. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past few days of being able to hang out, dream, and (in theory) change the world. Good luck to you in Tanzania. God is really denting up the landscape with you and your gifts. It is so exciting to hear the passion in your voice, but also to see the fruit of the work you do. Thanks for changing the landscape of what it means to shepherd and pastor. Thanks for reaching an unreached people group. Thanks for having the passion of Jesus and the Kingdom in what you do. Thanks for not considering the job done until people see Christ in what you do. Thanks for encouraging me and keeping my gaze wide.

I'm glad your my friend.