Odd ducks fly together

Weather in the end of the year is confusing. It just seems that you can expect a cold snap in the middle of December that lasts a couple of weeks letting you know that Winter is definitely here followed by really mild temps. That's kind of what we've got going on now. It was crazy cold for the last week and a half and now it's almost Spring-like (early Spring anyways). Most of the snow is gone except for the stuff on the north sides of houses and the huge piles in mall parking lots. Since I was a lot younger, I can remember times like this where the weather just decided to play tricks on everyone and do something completely out of the ordinary, like warm up to 60 in the middle of winter! Oh well, I guess it's not all that out of the ordinary since this warming thing happens almost every year. I'm glad I'm a youth minister and not a meteorologist so I don't have to explain why stuff like this happens to folks like me. Of course, I have to field questions about God and eternity and other religions, like that's an easier alternative! So I guess the weather man and I have something in common.

Proverbs 30:5-6 say, "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Say you're a medieval knight going to battle. You've got your chain mail, your helmet, your sword, and your shield. If the opposing army shoots a bunch of arrows at you, would you rather have a shield that has a bunch of holes in it and is poorly made, or would you opt for a shield that is solid and strong? I think most of us would choose the strong solid shield. With all the options of things to believe in the world, this statement stands out. God's words are flawless. He is faithful and true. This gives us encouragement to know that if we trust in those words, they will prove trustworthy and able to protect us from the falseness that the world offers. Of course, one ought not try and put words in God's mouth. He's very capable by himself, thank you very much, and doesn't need help from you and me. In our attempt to add something to God's word, we will be shown for what we are: exposed as unruly, lying, and caniving. Like it or not, or know it or not, we are in a spiritual battle for our souls. God is ready and willing to protect us from the things that war against us. Take him at his flawless word and fight knowing you are protected by it.

Sr. High Retreat registration deadline Sunday Jan. 2.
CIY Discipleship Conf. registration deadline Sunday Jan. 9.

Later...

A little behind schedule

Well, as it turns out, I'm behind. No big surprize, but this time I started that way. Laura sent me to a sight yesterday with a checklist of things that we needed to have done by certain points prior to the wedding. Since we're getting married in a little less than 5 months, we're 7 months behind schedule! Of course, this assumes a year long engagement, which I don't know how anyone could survive through, but I guess it's done more often than not. 5 months is just fine for me. We'll be super busy this spring with planning for youth group, school, spring and summer (camp, trips, fellowships, VBS, etc.), getting myself and her moved, honeymoon, and all that is on top of the actual wedding plans!!! *Whew*! I'm excited about it. I don't feel overwhelmed (yet), however, she might be. I just have to work hard to get myself realistically caught up, stay ahead of school and church planning, and then be a good, supportive fiance' to my future wife. It's do-able. I'll keep you posted on how things go.

Proverbs 29:6 says, "And evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad". Have you ever tried setting a mouse trap and gotten your finger caught in it? In all my times setting those silly things, I am happy (but with great reserve and humility) to say that I have not. I have come close several times, though. I know the thing won't kill me or cut off my finger or anything, but it's unnerving to think about it. While setting the device, my heart races, I'm nervous, extra careful, and borderline impatient. I don't even like setting them off (unless, of course, there is a mouse in it)! I think if we viewed sin in the way I view mouse traps, we would all be a lot better off. Sin is like a trap that we set for ourselves. We know it's dangerous because we've seen what it can do to others. While doing it, if we're not already too hard hearted and jaded, we are nervous, careful not to get "caught", and certainly in some senses impatient. It's not that we simply ought to be careful around sin, but we should avoid it altogether! It's a trap! Satan tries to lure us in with things that seem attractive, like cheese to a mouse, only to have us give our lives in pursuit of something that will kill us in the end. But to be free of that is something to rejoice about! I just remembered the song the mice in An American Tail sang on the way to the US that went: "There are no cats in America". They were filled with hope that they could be free from that threat of death. Even though there obviously are cats in America (remember Fergus, Molly, Tracy's Mr. Spanky), we can still have hope of a righteous life without the traps of sin. We just have to get into our heads that we no longer desire to set traps for ourselves and seek out the Lord and his promises. Until we do, we will live in fear of that next thing that will snap shut with us in it. And our finger prints are on the trap.

Big Deal tonight @ 7.
Sr. High Retreat registration deadline Sunday Jan. 2.
CIY Discipleship Conf. registration deadline Sunday Jan. 9.

Later...

Dum Dum Dee Dum!!!

It's official!!! If you weren't at church yesterday (at my church) or I haven't talked/called you yet, you missed the big announcement. I'm getting married! I asked Laura on Thursday and (obviously) she said yes! I'm all bubbly inside. She really likes the ring but it's too big so we'll have to get it sized down. I've had the thing for a month and a half so I'm glad it's out of my hands and finally on hers. We got to spend the greater part of three days together at the end of last week. She came over on Thursday morning, through snow and wind, to see me. We worked on getting final preps made for heading to see my parents in Newton. By the way, I had a pipe freeze and burst under the house late on Wednesday evening (so I didn't have any water until Thursday afternoon). She made a wall hanging with pictures she collected from my sisters and I for my mom. I wanted to take her on a carriage ride through the park and ask her there but they didn't run it I guess due to the cold and snow. So I was forced to improvize. I had been singing Winter Wonderland most of the afternoon. When we got to the park, I had to find a snowman to be "Parson Brown". So when I got to the "You can do the job..." part, I asked her if she was getting the allusion yet. I asked her if she loved me enough to spend the rest of her life with me and knelt down in the snow and gave her the ring. That's how it went! We drove home separately for the next hour and a half (which I wouldn't recommend to anyone!) because she had to drive home on Saturday. We told my parents at dinner and most of our families on Friday either personally or by phone. I went to visit her family on Saturday in an unexpected twist of events. I then drove home in a snow shower on Saturday night. I have a few more personal calls to make but other than that, the important people know (In reading this, you qualify as 'important people'!).

Proverbs 27:6 says, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses". Kind of make you wonder, with friends like these, who needs enemies? That's not quite the point this verse is making here. Verse 6 draws from 5 which says "Better is open rebuke than hidden love". Five simply says being corrected in public is better than love that is kept secret. That helps understanding 6 in that the wounds being talked about is this open rebuke. See, if a friend really loves you, if they are a true friend, they won't spare hurting your feelings a little if you are in the wrong. In the long run, if YOU are a true friend, you'll realize that this was to your benefit and you will be better off. Now, an enemy's 'kisses' are deceitful. I'm sure we have all known someone who's not afraid to kiss a little tail now and then to get what they want. And after they get it, they're gone, usually leaving the "kissed" in a state of unbelief and pain. An enemy will do this multiple times, which if for no other reason, is probably why they're an enemy! So, as my mom used to say, choose your friends wisely. I think we can learn a lot about ourselves and other people if we try and live this out. We'll be better friends to others, we'll be able to discern people's motives more clearly, and we'll not put up with things that are blatantly wrong, in our own lives nor in others'.

We will be having Big Deal and Youth Group this Sunday and Wednesday.
The deadline for the Sr. High Winter Retreat at Camp Illiana is Sunday the 2nd.
The deadline for the CIY Discipleship Retreat (for Seniors and Young Adults) is Jan 9.

Later...

Chalk up another one

I got another mouse last night. I think it was more like early this morning because when I picked up the trap to take the thing out (it was pretty big) it slumped over the edge. So it hadn't been there long enough to stiffen up, because the room it was in is pretty cold too. So, with the one in the office, and everyone else accounted for, that's about 6 on the year. Hopefully, the rest of the mouse population of Brazil has bedded down for the winter and won't be looking to relocate soon. Sure, it's a buyers market now, but that really shouldn't matter much to mice I wouldn't think.

Anyways, does anyone have a copy of Merry Christmas Charlie Brown? I need it for tonight. If not, I'll have to rent it. Not too exited about that but I'll survive. Speaking of surviving, I have to survive just one more day and Laura will be here! She's coming over tomorrow and will be here through Saturday morning. I didn't think that we would be able to spend any Christmas together at all, but she got it worked out with her family and jobs. For the first time really ever, I'll get to pamper her for a day. She ought to be pretty sold on me after the day is done!

So, another mouse slain, party tonight, girlfriend tomorrow...Life is good...(God is good!)

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Traditionally, this verse has been somewhat of a fair-weather friend of parents raising kids. It can be encouraging to those trying to raise their kids right and assuring when they misbehave. But what happens when those good kids turn out to be hellians when they get older? What then? I learned in Hebrew class last year that this verse has lost a bit of its original meaning over the years of translating. This way sounds good and has a lot of merrit, but when all the hard work of child rearing seems as if it was for nothing, it leaves a parent wondering if they did enough or made a mistake. The Hebrew reads something like "Train up a child in his way...". Think about it this way. What would training up a child in his way look like? It would look a lot like how many kids are being raised today: no discipline, getting their own way, they rule the house, never having to do without. When a child is raised according to his or her own agenda, they will act like that throughout their lives: lazy, always expecting everything on a silver platter, undisciplined, unruly, etc. So, this can be somewhat liberating to parents if they are raising their children correctly. A parents' first responsibility is to raise their kids and to raise them to do the right thing. That's holding up the parents' end of the deal. If that happens, and the child responds positively to this, the kids will be healthy adults. Even if the raising was good, if the child chooses to reject this, it is not ultimately the parents' fault that their child is a scoundrel. This doesn't make parenting any easier, because parents are still responsible to raise their kids to the best of their abilities, but I believe it will lighten the load of parents thinking they will be the ones to fail if their kids don't make the grade.

Tonight: a Big Deal Christmas!!! Good food, fellowship, gifts and games. Bring your White Elephant gift and wear your favorite Christmas gear! Celebrate Christ tonight, the real reason for the season (Yeah, that last part's cliche, but it's true!)

Later...

Start the clock a'ticking!

I have a busy start to a short week ahead of me today. This morning we're having staff meeting at 10:30, so that will take up about 1/2 hour of my morning. After that, I have to prepare for my lunch meeting with the youth sponsors over lunch. This afternoon, I'm driving to Oblong to take the Christmas presents to the Children's Home and might stop in Terre Haute to runs some errands on the way through. Those last two events will be the greatest part of my day. So, it will seem like the day has flown past at about 4 this afternoon. That's ok though. On Thursday of this week, Laura is coming to town!!! We're going to spend the 23rd and 24th with my family in Newton and Oblong. We didn't think we would be able to pull anything like this off but she got it worked out at her jobs and here we be! Just a couple more days and we'll be able to spend some real time together for the first time since early October or late summer. Let the countdowm begin!

Proverbs 20:6 says, "Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?" Is the love you claim to have as deep as you say it is? Are you as faithful as you say you are? These questions ought to cause us to stop and think for a bit. Being completely commited is difficult in this world, with all there is trying to get our attention, but it is possible. This verse speaks on many different levels. Dating and marriage relationships, friendships, jobs, family, and so forth. Faithfulness takes a minute by minute decision making process. When opportunity arrises to be unfaithful (on any of these levels above), will you decide to stick to your guns and remain on the path you know you are supposed to be on, or will you stray and decide to lay the object of faith aside for a little while? Faithfulness must be maintained and practiced in order to be strengthened. There is no other way. For there to be faithful people in the world, each of us must first be individuals of faith.

Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)...Mack...tell anyone you see at school to remember this!!!

Later...

Sorry about yesterday

Well, I had another one of those mishaps with technology yesterday. As we've been recently networked in the office, Cathy's computer is the hub for it. It has to be on so the other three can work online. Well, as I was getting ready to publish, she had restarted her computer after updating it. As I navigated away from the page, I lost everything. Oh well. I was going to tell you about a close call I had on the road on Monday. I was driving through Springfield when a girl pulled onto the interstate and into my lane. I slowed and veered left and she finally saw me and swerved to the right and overcorrected sending her across the median into the ditch on the other side of the road. She and I were both ok, which could have easily been a much different outcome. Praise the Lord! So, that's all I was going to say.

Proverbs 16:5 says, "The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished". I had a conversation about pride with a friend of mine just last night. It's a subject that many people deal with on different levels. Some are obsurdly proud about everything they are and some just on certain areas of expertise. We usually find that people affected by pride in the Bible are on a road to destruction. King Saul, Nebuchadnezzar, the Pharisees all fell victim to it. There isn't a really easy answer to the question of pride in our lives. But I think that we can start to overcome it by realizing what Scripture says about us personally. The world is the LORD's and all that is in it (Psalm 50:12), "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3), "Do not think of yourselves more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you" (Romans 12:3). These are starting points for overcoming pride. If we see that everything we have and all that we are is from God, it will be harder for us to see ourselves as superior, and easier to act appropriately.

Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church (HEY, this starts at 2, be at the church at 1:30. If you're reading this at school, tell anyone you see!)
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later.

The last leg

It's here! The last Monday of my school semester. This really isn't a huge landmark in the sense that I still have somewhere in the realm of 8 semesters to go in my grad-schooling. However, this has been a challenging semester mentally with a good deal of grunt work involved. I was better prepared for this semester as far as planning for regular class work goes. My next big project is to work in time for big end-of-the-semester projects. Case in point: as soon as I get done with this blog entry, I will pick up where I left off at 2 am this morning on a research paper on the philosophy of eternity. It's a tough subject but I seem to be making due (Much grace as been extended to me. Thank you Lord!). I'm also quite motivated because if I get the silly thing done, I get to spend more time with Laura this evening! There's something about that girl that makes me better. What ever it is, it's having a profound effect on me. Anyways, I can't be much longer. The last leg is not yet finished and I must push through to the line.

Proverbs 13:5 says, "The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace." The two parts of the verse function well by themselves. I will try and bring a bit of connection between the two. The first part of this verse is a good summary statement of all that is said about the righteous. The righteous seek truth, goodness, virtue, and justice. In these things there is nothing false. Falseness is a perversion of the truth, so righteousness and falseness are opposites. On the other side of the comma, "the wicked bring shame and disgrace". Not hard to imaging, no? Shame and disgrace exist where one has strayed from what they know is right. It is not only present with the guilty party, but also with his/her family, friends, and loved ones. If shame and disgrace come from doing opposite of right, then the wicked do not do what is right. If the wicked do not do what is right, then the wicked pervert the truth. If the wicked pervert the truth, then they are not righteous. I hope this makes sense (I hope I've stated it right!). In doing the right thing, that does not mean to do right some of the time, or most of the time. You rarely do things you hate. If you are seeking to be righteous, why then would you do something false? Don't subject yourself and those around you to undue pain by bringing about shame and disgrace. Be true to them and yourself. Hate what is false. True, true.

Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...

"Tisivor"

If you've seen Cinderella, then you know what "tisivor" refers to. Remember when Jacques finds Gus in the trap? When he went to tell Cinerella, he yelled, "Tisivor, tisivor", which was a spooner for "visitor". Ok, you're all caught up now. So, I had a visitor last night. I got home from the Northview Christmas program a little before 9 and ran back into town right after that. After running that errand, I got home at about 9:45 to be greeted by a car...in my driveway. And it was empty! This was a little startling, because the car had been driven trough the yard from the church's gravel lot and left at a weird angle in front of the house. I drove around looking the place over and called 911. I didn't really have anything else to do! I gave the plate number and a description of the car and the scene and a deputy came out about 10 minutes later. He looked over the scene, I checked out the house, he told me my options, and he took off. Basically, I was left with either leaving it there or having it towed. Once again, I didn't know what to do. I called around for some advice, and about the time I was headed into town again, there were more headlights in the drive. The guys who owned the car had come back with a tank of gas because it was out. I'm thinking to myself, "Maybe you should have looked at your guage to see how full it was before pulling into some dude's yard!" Oh well. They apologized for the inconvenience and drove off. I was left in a state of unbelief! I went to bed thanking God but also asking what the guy was thinking in the first place. Anyways, that chapter in life is over. The mice are still in the office however. That's what really matters.

Proverbs 10:5 says (NASB), "He who gathers in the summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully". Laziness is something that plagues many people in America. I think we've had it so good for so long that many of us have become soft in our work ethic and our resolve to see results, both in our work and in our lives. Now there are a lot of people who are somewhat divided in their laziness. They will work like gangbusters to please a boss or make a buck, but at home or in their personal lives, they are lazy. They don't keep themselves in good shape, they settle for second or third best spirituality, and they invest in quality relationships. This son who acts wisely goes beyond what is required of him at the time. There is really no immediate need to gather crops, wood, fuel, food (whatever) in the summer because these things are readily available. But in the winter, when these things are in short supply or the price has gone up, he'll be ready. On the flip side, the lazy son sleeps in the harvest time! The last chance he has to store up for winter is passing him by while he is soundly tucked (or untucked) into bed. That's absurd! That kind of thing brings shame on the son as well as the family he represents. We all need to take a lesson from these fellows. In working (and working ahead whenever we have time), in seeking God, in making bad relationships good and good relationships great, we need to make the most of every opportunity we have . We can't afford to miss a chance. If we are lazy, chances will pass us by left and right, but we won't be awake to even see them.

Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...

Mouse Hunter II: Office Hours

Have you ever noticed that the subtitles on bad movie sequels are usually really cheesy? In the spirit of all 73 Land Before Time movies, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, and any of the new Star Wars movies, I present to you Mouse Hunter II: Office Hours. Yes, the story of Joe's quest to rid the world (at least his part of it) of vermin continues as he and the mice take the battle to work. The scene unfolds as Joe is sitting quietly in his office one day and, out of the corner of his eye, he sees his sworn enemy scurrying along the floor from the back entryway to the hallway closet. Wanting to bring a quick end to this, Joe follows it to find definite "evidence of habitation" (again, if I have to spell this out for you, you've never had mice...and I still hate you). Unable to do anything at the time, Joe vows that his archenemy won't be there long. Cathy, the secretary catches wind of this and jeers Joe, which makes his resolve to hunt and eliminate go even deeper. She says, "Use poison, I hate emptying traps!" As an act of diplomacy, Joe places two poison packs in strategic locations, along with the trap he set. How will this thriller end? Will this be the end of Apodemus sylvaticus? Will there be rest for Joe? Will the door be left open for a third installment? Stay tuned to find out! (Rated PG-13 for descriptions of graphic violence and strong, musty odors)

Proverbs 9:5 says, "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed." Ok, you'll have to do a little grunt work on this one. You really need to read at least the first 6 verses to understand what this means and how it fits. Wisdom is inviting all those who will come into her house to be her guest. I know some really great hostesses, ladies who thrive on welcoming and entertaining people in their homes. I've been on the recieving end of that kindness and generosity on several occasions in my life. This is the view of Wisdom we need to have here. She invites the simple and the wise to come and gain to whatever degree they will. The food and wine she offers is like the cookies and milk, or banana bread and hot tea (getting hungry yet?) that the hostess offers her guests. It stands for the good things she has to offer: knowledge, wisdom, common sense. She offers these things in abundance. Like a good hostess, she will never let your glass go dry nor let your plate go empty with out offering more. Wisdom's house is a good place to be. Opposed to this is the woman Folly. She opens up her house and invites people in, too. Although her door is always open, the things she offers do not fill, do not last, and ultimately kill. The end of 9 describes her as "loud and brash". Her delicacies are stolen, not made with love, and her guests have gone to the grave. It's our choice who's house we visit. Wisdom or Folly. Life or death. Assurance or shame. Be wise and choose the "Hostess with the mostest".

Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...

Hey Austin!

Just a reminder to Austin and everyone who knows him: YOU HAVE SNACKS TONIGHT!!! So if you see the man today, let him know. The poor guy was sitting too close to me on Sunday when I remembered that I needed to get someone to bring snacks this week. Chan was there and I asked her, "Who has done snacks this semester?" Then she looked to her right, right at Austin and said, "He's never done snacks!" So there it was. Hopefully, Austin's sweettooth and my sweettooth see eye to eye and we'll have some good munchies tonight.

Proverbs 8:5 (NASB) says, "O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom". Once again, the call has gone out from Wisdom, the personified character here in Proverbs, to all those in the world who need her. Both of these things, prudence and wisdom are needed by all. We have talked extensively about wisdom, so let me talk a bit about prudence. Prudence is a handful of times in the Proverbs in conjunction with wisdom and knowledge. Prudence is basically common sense and good judgement. As we all know, there are some people in the world who are just deficient in this area. The might be a straight A student, have all the book-smarts in the world, but just don't have a shred of street-smarts. I don't think that this verse is condemning these folks, although I think it's safe to say this verse suggests one would be "wise" to try and do better here. I don't understand how, but some people manage to look truth in the face and still turn and to something else. They know what they ought to do but choose to do otherwise. These are the people the verse speaks loudest too! We've seen elsewhere in Proverbs that some folks just won't turn, just won't break, from their foolish and evil patterns in life. While this is true, Wisdom still calls out. There is still a chance for all of us to turn and do right. Common sense is a great tool to have but it's useless if it is ignored. Use what you've been given (in what ever amount) in the way it is supposed to be used.

Wednesday 12/8: Big Deal is back on its regular schedule this week (Austin B. has snacks this week. If you see him, remind him!!!)
Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...

Calling

I went a'calling this morning. My uncle (dad's brother in law) is at Union in Terre Haute today having a heart catherization. He's been feeling bad for some time, just not up to par. So he got checked out and found that he had an "abnormality causing irregular bloodflow". So, they're going in to see what they can see. I was delighted to get to talk and pray with them today. They were surprized to see me but were grateful. It was a good opportunity to see family and learn a little more about one of the essentials of the ministry: hospital calling. It's almost a lost art. I vaguely remember it coming up in school, although we were required to go on one during our internship. I'm not so sure that there's anything in the grad curriculum I'm taking that requires it or teaches it. Anyway, it just has to be done. The whole practice is rewarding. It benefits the family, it benefits the patient, and it's honestly beneficial to me (or anyone doing it). So, all you future YM's out there, take note. Calling must be done and it must be done well. May that be a lesson to us all.

Proverbs 6:5 (NLT) says, "Save yourself like a deer escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net." "Right... save myself from what?", you might be asking. This verse comes on the heels of some advice concerning other people's debts. A cosigner is a person who will sign off on a loan that another person takes out. If that person fails to repay the loan, it is the cosigner's responsibility to pay it back! This is a bad situation to get into! The writer uses vivid language to stress the importance of not doing this in the first place, and if you have, to get out quick. Not many of us ever get put into this situation, but it may come up someday. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Here and now, we can be encouraged to not get ourselves into situations where we would get pulled into a bad deal or drag an otherwise good name through the mud. It's easy to get pulled into situations where a "friend" or other classmate may lie or cheat. Or even if you have lied or cheated and know it (it's hard to do either of those and not know it!). Maybe you have agreed to something that you know isn't a good thing to do. Whatever the situation, it's time to turn things around and make it right. First of all, don't help the loser out, or don't be the loser! Secondly, if you have done something like any of these, get the thing stopped. It may, unfortunately, involve a punishment of some sort, but that will be better than a guilty conscience and a record. It all comes back to "Do the right thing", and life, your's, mine, and everyone's around, will be better for it in the end.

Wednesday 12/8: Big Deal is back on its regular schedule this week (Austin B. has snacks this week. If you see him, remind him!!!)
Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...

Strange trust

I got a call yesterday from a friend of mine that lives back in Knoxville. She and I had not talked since I wrecked my bike at the beginning of the summer. She let me know how she was and what all was going on in K-ville. It was exciting to hear her talk about what she was doing in her church and some other things that were going on there. I was a little shocked when I heard about who was doing the youth ministry there now. I know the girl who's working there and can see how she would do a good job in that setting but just never in a million years would have thought that she would have been doing youth ministry. Just to clue you in on why I'm a little surprized: 1.) She has a degree from U of Tennessee in International Business with a minor in Italian. 2.) She's never been to Bible college. 3.) She grew up in that church. Along with a handfull of other things, its strange to think about (I can only imagine what was going through her mind as she was starting out!) but it works! And it evidently works well! She has a lot of resources and people around her to help fill in the gaps where she lacks experience. But she knows her people and the enviroment in which she works and, most importantly, she is letting God lead. So as my friend and I were talking about our business-major-turned-youth-minister friend, I was just assured of what, interestingly enough, I'll be commenting on below.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Ok, since I've started commenting on Proverbs, I've been excited about doing this one. I'm not sure, but this just might be the most popular Proverbs known to man. Like I said, I'm not sure. It's popularity doesn't make it any easier to live out, though. In fact, it probably makes it a little harder. People toss this passage around like a baseball expecting it to be the end-all and be-all of Biblical pick-me-ups. But when you're on the receiving end of these well-intentioned wise words, it's a hard pill to swallow for a number of reasons (none of which I'll discuss here). It's hard to let go of one's life. To trust in the Lord with all your heart is a hard thing to do! It's not a normal thing to do. We are so used to doing things in our own way, according to what we know. But this proverb tells us not to lean, or rely on, our own understanding of life to guide us. We are to rely on the Lord to lead us. To acknowledge him in all our ways is to consult his will for the answers. When we are faced with a decision, big or small, we go to the Word or we go to him in prayer saying, "Lord, you know and I don't". Know that he's there and know that his will is best. When we do this, we are assured that he will direct the course of our lives. On the few occasions when I have accomplished this, I have been amazed at how well the situation worked out. I would have never thought that that was the way it would happen, but God knows and I don't. It's true that life would be so much easier if we could all get the idea that the Lord knows best and we would have the faith in him that we ought. We would save ourselves from so much heartache and worry we would need to take up another hobby or two because of all the free time we now had. Don't think I'm trying to throw around warm fuzzies here because I know more than anyone how hard this is for me. But if we will all take life moment by moment and allow God to work in each of them, then we will see how our lives will change and our faith in him will grow.

Sunday 12/5: 7 week LIFE group fellowship dinner-no regular Youth Group (come hungry!)Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...

In Review

Well, the thing in Bloomington last night wasn't quite what I expected it to be, but it was nonetheless good. To refresh, I took the youth to B-town to Sherwood Oaks CC for Pure Passion, with Ryan Dobson and a performance by Slingshot 57. The band was pretty good for what they were (kind of a punky-youth-alt-rock sound...if you need an explanation, you won't like it!) but we really couldn't understand the words. On their behalf, this was partially due to where we were seated in relation to the spread of the speakers. Anyhow, Ryan Dobson spoke, and was he funny! I really liked his style of humor. Very animated, lots of sarcasm. He was slated to speak on abstinance but didn't really talk about it directly. There was a video of college students responding to questions about pre-marrital sex and its rightness or wrongness that lead into his talk, but he never referred to it. Basically, he made two points in the two big stories he told. 1.) Girls, for the most part, don't understand that how they dress greatly affects how guys look at them and react to them. As an add on to this point was a subpoint directed at parents. If you [parents] are not setting the example for your kids in your relationship with one another as to what kind of dating relationships your kids will have in the future, and dad's, if you are not "dating" or treating your daughters in the way they ought to be treated by a future mate, you are not doing your jobs as parents. So, girls, cover up; parents, make sure they do; dads, date your wife and your daughter[s]. 2.) He talked about truth and right vs. wrong. He told of an encounter with a guy on a plane who thought truth was relative to the person. Through a series of hilarious illustrations, he helped this guy start to realize that there are some universal truths. Both of these subjects can be related back to abstinence, he just didn't do it. So, in summary, Slingshot was a 6 out of 10, Ryan was a 7, and we all had a pretty good evening out.

Proverbs 2:6 says, "For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Knowing what we do about the book of Proverbs, this verse fits right in line with what we would expect from God. The book is full of his wisdom, his words. It's only fitting to think that if we seek after it and ask for it that we will find it and get it! This goes right along with Jesus' words in Matthew 7, "Ask...seek...knock...". I think it is important to note that this wisdom and knowledge comes from God's mouth. It follows that relationship with God is needed in order to recieve the fullness of God's wisdom. If we only turn to God when in a fix, we have a very shallow understanding of who God is and what he's about. We assume he's there just to get us out of jams and be a super-holy "Ask Jeeves" site. But if we pursue God to something deeper than what most of us know now, we'll start to know him as he wants to be known and be able to exclaim, like Paul did in Romans 11, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen," (11:33-36). That's knowing God! And when we know him that way, his wisdom will be in us.

Sunday 12/5: 7 week LIFE group fellowship dinner-no regular Youth Group (come hungry!)Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...

Big Plans

I'm excited about what we're doing in place of Big Deal tonight. I got a flyer in the mail last week promoting an event at Sherwood Oaks CC in Bloomington called Pure Passion. Ryan Dobson, son of Dr. James Dobson, will be speaking and there will be a band (Slingshot 57) and games and such. HOPEFULLY, this will be a great thing. Tonight, Ryan will be speaking on teens and sex. It's a touchy subject for some folks, but for most people in the world, you can't get away from it. Our society, shoot, our world is obsessed with it! It's in the music we listen to, on the TV shows we watch, in the way we dress, everywhere! It will be refreshing to hear what he's got to say about the subject. Apart from the topic of the event, I'm looking forward to spending a couple hours in the van with the youth. Really. Hopefully, they'll talk...to me and to each other. It will be a good opportunity for fellowship. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Proverbs 1:5-6 in the NLT says, "Let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance by exploring the depth of the meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings and riddles." If you don't already, I would like to invite you to make it a daily practice to read one chapter of Proverbs a day. The wisdom for life that are included in this book really do make a difference in a person from day to day. The constant appeal of the book is to get wisdom. If you don't, you will suffer. It's basic to life that the wise amongst us try to get wiser and the fools amongst us, you guessed it, just seem to get more foolish. Why is that? Scripture makes it clear to us that wisdom and folly are polar opposites, thus, so are those who practice each. The wise can see the folly of the fools of the world and want nothing to do with it. In fact, it drives them closer to wisdom. The strange thing is, the same is true of the foolish! They see the wise and, for some reason or another, want nothing to do with that!!! They just go on their way, doing their own thing, and reap the fruit of their foolishness. It's is so strange, but the foolish are only doomed in their folly if they remain there. Wisdom offers several calls to the foolish to come and get wisdom and leave the destructive path on which they walk. The calls are all over the book. Do yourself a favor and get into this book. Learn to live by these principles and just see how different your life can be when guided by the Lord's wisdom.

Pure Passion tonight: leaving @ 5, back at 9:30 (eta)
Sunday 12/5: 7 week LIFE group fellowship dinner-no regular Youth Group (come hungry!)
Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

That's all folks

Later...