What a great day and opportunity to help someone in need. Our Youth and Families Pastor Mike Lehew came across a code enforcement officer in town that contacted us out of the blue and asked if we would be willing to help clean up an elderly couples yard. We said absolutely! When we got there it was in really bad shape. overgrown with weeds, brush, car parts, broken down limbs from big trees, cars, a boat, you name it, it was probably on the property. The everyone who helped did an excellent job, worked hard and did not complain.     We completely filled the largest industrial trash container I have ever seen. They could probably use 2 more container s full of debris before the entire yard is cleaned. 

It was a blessing to us that we could help and also to the couple who are elderly and the man is taking care of his wife who has cancer. What do I have to complain about? This opportunity today was a reminder to me that we need to help each other. When we see a need, if we can help, we need to rally the troops and jump in to help. Thank you team for your help and time as you gave of your time and resources to make this possible. You all did a fantastic job!

Christmas Perspectives

Wow. Our people did such a great job tonight on Christmas Perspectives. From the acting, to helping with the stage building, set-up and tear down, to the tech stuff, we had a great evening. My daughter Mikayla was in the play and did a great job. I am so proud of her and the young women she is becoming. It is hard to believe I have a teenager, but alas it tis true. 

Anyway, it was a blast for me watching our people do what they are passionate about in the arts. Telling their perspective of Christmas through each one of the characters. Our Drama Team Coordinator wrote the script and the people acted it out-way to go everyone!

I am sure I will encounter many different perspectives this year, but one recently has sorta rocked my thinking  and I wanted to take a moment and share it. I was listening to Steven Furtick on his website and he made this statement, "People worship the resource and forget to worship the source". That statement hit me between the eyes! I am am still wrestling with it and wondering when in my life I have done this. How does that tie into Christmas Perspectives? Well, Christ came and was the gift. But how many times do we focus on everything but the gift. We have the tendency, I have the tendency to focus on everything but the gift of Jesus Christ.  He is the source. He is the life. Worship the source not the resource. This is what I am wrestling with. Maybe when you read this, we can wrestle with this together and discuss. 

One of a million Christmas Perspectives...

 

New Playground

When the Christian School that had been in our facility for 5.5 years moved and purchased another building, they also took the playground they had installed. Fair enough. No hard feelings. We had a couple of years where we didn't have a playground. If you have priced them lately, they aren't cheap. So we prayed and started a giving opportunity called, "Phase II". Well...Phase II involved purchasing and installing 2 playgrounds for our preschoolers and children at RBC. The kids are excited to have such a great place to play. I think they will be even more excited when it warms up outside. :) It has been in the 20's-30's this past week and we are ready and due for some warmer temperatures before we officially start Winter which will be December 21.  That day sounds vaguely familiar. Oh yeah, its because that will be my 35th birthday. Oh my! Anyway, we will look at posting some pictures of the new playgrounds either on the blog or on Facebook. The point is we will get them online for all to see. The parents and children are excited to see that when we work together, we can accomplish much!

Songwriting

Love, love, love writing songs, especially ones that people enjoy singing where they can connect with God. Some of the most memorable times were just God, me, my Bible and a guitar or keys and listening to Him. Typically I have written worship songs/choruses or even songs based on a message from God' heart (I guess they all are, huh?) but you know what I mean...anyway...it may be a time of entering a season where the style of the songwriting is changing and maturing. Hopefully it will be a helpful tool. I will be entering a time of getting with people that are more seasoned than myself and I see that as a great way to learn! I am so pumped!

Anyway, through all of this, I have been praying about opportunities of meeting with local worship leaders who enjoy writing and begin collaborating on songs. So, a few opportunities have presented themselves through building relationships over the past few months to do this such thing. If you are reading this, and you love to write songs, then send me a message on Twitter or Facebook. You can reach me by both of those technological mediums fairly quick. Just look to your right on this page and click on one of those links and it should take you there-if it does not then let me know. 

Well, I am enjoying a day off and can't seem to get away from the computer. Doing some email, listening to new artists, can't decide if I am going to delve into some recording or not today. Its nice being off! 

The People Are The Ministry

Well...the title says it all.

What a blessing and challenge it can be to mentor someone. Mentoring the life of another comes highly recommend! I was mentored, challenged and shaped for doing ministry at a level different than I had experienced before. Today was an opportunity to revel in the work that God has done in a young mans life that I admire. His name is Ryan. Ryan traveled from out of town to visit with his family, friends and show off his new fiance Aimee. I told him he was definitley marrying up! :)

I am sure it was difficult for Aimee to meet so many new people in such a short amount of time. However, she did well and it will be exciting to see God work in their lives as they serve together in ministry.

I was excited and blessed all at the same time when Ryan began to talk about the ministry he is a part of and I could see the growth that has taken place even in the time that we have been a part. At the end of our conversation, Ryan mentioned that he has been so focused and busy that he doesn't have time to build relationships. I reminded him that the people are the ministry and if we lose sight of that we have to refocus. This dialogue was a reminder to me not to lose sight of our focus. Yes, the people are the ministry.

Today in the One Year Bible, Paul talked about being, all things to all men, that I might win some." Melissa and I discussed this in the car on the way back from getting a "Goldies" hamburger. What does that mean? Building relationships and love people.

Might I make a suggestion?

Ask God to help you truly love people. How?

1. Make an effort to build relationships by getting into their world
2. Take opportunities to mentor (even the lost).
3. Stand back and watch God move in incredible ways.

Long Time No Blog!

Hey Everyone, it has been a while since I have blogged for the BSB and our family. In fact, it was so long ago that I had another blogspot account and could not remember how to access it, so I started a new one.

Well, we have had an interesting year of delving back into the local church and working diligently to train and develop volunteers and teams. All the while, God continues to do a work on the Band and its members. Chris our drummer has had 3 surgerys on his ankle. (its a long story) We look forward to his healing very soon! Tim is working hard and playing Bass at a great church in BA. Jake is doing great and becoming an even better player. I love to hear the different licks he comes up with on his Tele. J Firey started his new group Newfire and he and Aly are on the road with Warren Barfield and other great musicians that I cant think of right now.

Melissa (my helpmate) and I are continuing to seek God for next steps, writing songs and spending much time in prayer in the mornings and at night after long days of work and taking our three boys to football practice. Did I mention that Mikayla has Tigettes (dance squad as well?) Make sure you don't make the mistake our youngest did and call it "cheerleading".
Mikay will deliver a lengthy explanation of why it is not called "cheerleading".
However, she sees her mission field and is bringing Christ to the unbelievers.
I love seeing her excited about that. Micah is involved in disicipleship and training for helping in InnerMission (our new childrens Sunday environement) and the younger boys are coming right up helping Dad when they can. Pray for us that God will reveal our next steps.

We desire to love God and lead our family the same way.

Currently listening : Cannons By Phil Wickham Release date: By 2007-10-02