Quotes by my pregnant wife (Pt. 2)

“How did you get to be such a dork?” (this is said to me quite a bit lol)

“You kill me.”

“I don’t think I could date someone while being filmed.” (granted, while she was watching a dating reality show on ABC)

“I was only in there for like, 20 minutes.” (66 minutes was the actual time in Wal Mart while I was in the car)

“You’re gonna be really outnumbered.” (this after finding out we were gonna have a girl)

My First Rated R movie experience

This post is dedicated to Fun Dip. I love Fun Dip. It was the premier candy for every 12 year old...and I would eat one of the candy sticks before I shotgunned the candy powder...and then I would eat the second candy stick.

It was 1992. I was wearing Reebok Pumps. I may have drank a Crystal Clear Pepsi that afternoon. I remember that Saturday vividly (well, ok not vividly).

My friend, Barry, and I wanted to go to the movies. I still love the movie theaters. There's something about getting lost for a couple of hours in a story. I love it. This particular afternoon, Barry's mom offered to take us to the movies. We both jumped at the notion. We didn't know what we were going to see, but it was the movies, right? Let's go!

So we load in their awesome Ford van (I think it was when the Windstar first came out?), drove down 24/27 in Albemarle to the Eastgate Cinemas (they actually have a website now LOL). Now, the Eastgate Cinema was the only option in Albemarle at the time. I don't know if they have another option today, but the one we had was run by a lady who reminded me of Kathy Bates in Misery (see right, and you can obviously see I have seen move rated R movies since 1992 LOL), but add about 30 years. She was mean. She was the lord over the 6 screen theater. She always wore a dark mid calf cotton skirt that made a "hissing sound" when she walked...that added to her meanness.

So we get there, and Barry's mom looks at us and says: "I am going to see The Last of the Mohicans. You two can come and see that or go see something else." The opportunity to see a rated R movie was both exciting, scary, and exhilarating to me, a 12 year old "churched kid." In fact, it was so scary, that I remember walking in the theater with my FunDip and Cherry Coke wondering if anyone would see me and tell my mom. I would have probably acted like I walked into the wrong theater or something stupid, but no one knew. I always wondered if mom knew, though. I figure now that she probably did, but I felt a sense of accomplishment nonetheless.

So we're there...watching Daniel Day Lewis and his brother and father continue the Mohican legacy. I remember the emotion and fear I felt when he shot the translator in the head so he wouldn't have to be burned alive (spoiler). I was in amazement. That movie was so good. Since then, I have watched it several times, and it still makes me reminisce of the "newness" of real movie magic for the first time.

I remember, at 12, thinking: "Man, that guy (the translator) saved everyone's lives. He actually sacrificed himself for everyone! He did something like what Jesus did!" No lie...I made that connection (like I said, I was a "churched kid"). I also thought about how awesome it was that the one chick threw herself off a cliff at the end (no redemptive thoughts there, but a spoiler if you haven't seen it).

Since then, I have seen, maybe over 100 different phenomenal movies. Tonight, we watched District 9 on DVD. It is always an experience and I am always a bit taken back when I see redemptive themes in art. I like to think that, even at age 12, I noticed some important things in the movies. It certainly makes me grateful for good art. Excellence in art can, most of the time, weave redemptive messages and themes in its message. Many times, these themes show glimpses of God's Kingdom.

I am grateful for folks like Tim Stevens who write books like Pop Goes the Church. They make me confident that I do catch glimpses of redemption (and the content of this book makes me feel that I'm not crazy). I can see God in all of creation. I always have a choice to make, a picture to interpret, and a journey to experience. So, I wonder...what have you seen lately, either in a theater or in the comfort of your own home, that has spoken to you? What music have you been listening to that stirs your soul to something big? Maybe your experience points to something deeper...Maybe you can find traces of redemption in your own movie history...

Random quotes by my pregnant wife (part 1)

Tonight, my wife made some statements that I found funny. Part of the humor here is that there is really no context...they just kind of "happened"...mostly in the car ride home from dinner.
I may have more in the future...I don't know. But for now, enjoy:

"I'm gonna need you to just love me while I'm wild and weird."

"We're gonna be parents like, forever."

"I'm gonna lean back and give the kid some room."

"I'm a lazy walker."

Just Asking...

I am an a coaching network led by Tim Stevens at GCC that meets monthly until May (we began last fall). Today, we were talking about vision, and Mark Beeson was leading one of the discussions. He was talking about the excitement and thrill of answering the question" "What would it look like if God answered the prayers for the direction of our church?" We then discussed the notion of open sourced vision casting, per Mark's passionate descriptions.

I thought about that quite a bit since I heard it. I have digested it, and wonder, what WOULD it look like for God to answer not only the prayers for our church, but our community as well? What if we (the church) open sourced vision as the church to answer the prayers of the community around us? What if we listened to what they had to say? What if we leaned in past where we're comfortable? What if the Kingdom of God was more audible? What if we put our ear down to the ground and intentionally discovered a new rumble? What if we really organized our church in a way that brought the Kingdom of God and answered prayer?

One thing I am proud of regarding this whole discussion: our church is very involved in answering some prayers. I'm not indicating we do everything right, but we are definitely making a dent. We're housing the homeless this first week of February. If you go to ALC, you have an opportunity to make a dent. Volunteer...go here and let us know you're available. Just put your info along with "I want to help with Winter Relief" in the message box. We'll get in touch with you quickly.

What if? Open sourced visioning. Think about it!

Haiti

Images show the crushed dreams and lives of a nation swallowed by devastation. Our prayers are with the Haitian people and so should our sacrificial support. Will you consider giving what you spend on one meal? That adds up to $18 Chinese take out for me and Shauna tonight. Pray about it, you may even give a week's worth of meals. It isn't more money being paid, it's more sacrifice.

You can give here at our ALC website. All contributions go directly to Convoy of Hope, who has an already strong presence on the ground (you can also give directly at their website). I have personally worked with Convoy events in the past, and have full confidence in their partnership. Make sure you indicate Haiti Relief in the giving information section. Of course, you can also visit organizations like World Relief and Red Cross. Anything you give to these orgs will be awesome.

I don't smoke marijuana and I don't want to...

This is seriously one of the funniest clips I have seen in a while.
I love the final 3-4 secs.

Boundaries and Gratitude

Happy new year. This is my first blog of 2010, and I have some high hopes. I feel like I am on the edge of something very cool...in every way.

I have never been very good at setting boundaries for myself, but I have done well with boundaries. Confused? Here's what I mean: I don't really disengage very well. My job and my home life seem to overlap a lot. And I am okay with that. I really can't segregate my life into different sections (husband, pastor, bill payer, sexy beast, etc.). I have to be the same person all the time. In the same way, though, I have become very good at (I believe) managing my time and setting boundaries regarding time with my wife and friends. I really think I have a great balance for me that makes no sense for anyone else. I really am happy with how it is all managed.

Now, let's throw a kid into the mix! In June, we'll welcome our little one into this world, and my boundaries are sure to be tested again. To set myself up for that, I am beginning a new habit regarding my time (thanks to some teaching by Craig G.): meetings that can't be scheduled during the work day are scheduled PRIOR to the work day...early mornings. I am two weeks into this new discipline, and (right now, anyway) I am really digging it. I am determined to make sure my son (or daughter) has a father in the evenings, and only I can hold that sacred. I am going to do my best!

Today, I had a great early morning meeting with DJ. DJ is our new director of arts at ALC. She is taking on the leadership of four major teams in Creative Arts. I am excited. DJ is solid, and I believe she will bring a fresh direction for us while affirming everyone around her...she is a natural nurturer.
So, I am grateful...this early morning thing has some good omens so far : )

And, again...Happy New Year twelve days late.

After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
2 Corinthians 12:14

BTW, I hope Conan goes to FOX and makes millions.