so this hair thing …

Since deciding to take part in this “No shave November” thing, I’ve become acutely aware of hair.  It is incredibly weird where that stuff grows on your body.  Take these for example…

Eyebrows … how weird when you stop to look at your face and you see these two patches of hair that just sprout and grow in the middle of all that skin …

And then as you are looking at your bushy eyebrows, you realize that there is hair sticking out from the end of your eyelids too … WEIRD.  These little guys just chillin’ there on your lids … not that we haven’t “noticed” them before, I mean there are entire empires built around trying to make those lashes look longer, curl more, “thicker, bolder, more beautiful” … but when you look at them, its just weird.  It’s kind of like when you say the same word over and over and over again, it tends to feel weird/lose it’s meaning.

And of course, well at least for me, the little puffs of hair on my fingers and toes . . .weird.

Anyway, as I was realizing that I’ve got another 30 days before I can shave again, I was noticing hair, and really how weird it is (anybody keeping tabs on how many times I’ve said “weird” in this post) I have nothing profound to say about this post, and I will stop it here, because, well that’s as far as we need to go with that ….

Reading/Listening

This is what I’m currently reading/listening to.  What about you?

Reading:

Un Christian by David Kinnaman

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper

Listening to:

Jason Gray: Acoustic Storytime

Christy Nockels: A Few Days in February

Patty Griffin: Children Running Through

New do … and No Shave November

Sorry I’ve been absent the last few days!  But I’m back, and with a new haircut as well!  I go to Heather at

Main Street Salon in Nixa.  She’s great, you should go see her.

Also, have you ever heard of “No Shave November?” I hadn’t until recently when some friends of mine said that they were doing it.  Apparently it is where you just don’t shave during the month of November … bet you couldn’t have guessed that one huh?  Well, I had a few people that told me they thought I wouldn’t be able to do it, and one thing you’ll learn about me, is that I don’t do well when someone says they don’t think I’ll be able to do something. SO, I’m going one better, I stopped shaving last week! I’ll be posting my progress as I go through No Shave November … The longest I’ve ever gone without shaving prior to doing this was 10 days, and that was on a hiking trip in the wilderness of Colorado, but I can do it …

Anybody else wanna join in?  Here’s a pic of the new haircut, and one of the progress on the beard.

if you need me …

If you need me on Saturday, I’ll be here.

Our Africa team is spending the day together doing some team-building excercises, training, etc.  It is going to be a great day of learning each others strengths and growing as a team.

I continue to become more and more excited as the trip approaches.  I was realizing just earlier today that in 2 months from this weekend we’ll be headed to Mali.  It is still a little hard for me to imagine/believe.

Pray for us tomorrow as we are on the challenge course all day 9-5!!

Lethologica …

The word “lethologica” describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want.

Ever happened to you?  Man its frustrating.  It’s like the word is on the tip of your tongue, but your brain just won’t let you spit it out.

It happened to me just yesterday, and then today I came across this word: lethologica.

How much you wanna bet I’ll have lethologica (not even sure if that is the correct way to use it in a sentence) next time I try to tell somebody what the word that describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want.

Hope your day is filled with words that you actually remember!

Two dollars…

There is a little cafe in our store and I spent $2 on my breakfast this morning … pretty good right?  I mean I got a whole plate of biscuits and gravy and a drink. Pretty cheap meal anyway.

Well, when I got to the church today I was confronted with a reality that I am preparing to experience in person in December.  I came across some information on Mali West Africa today that took me back just a little:

In 2006 the United Nations Development Program did a study on 177 countries, and Mali ranked 175th out of 177 obviously making it one of the world’s poorest countries.

The population of Mali in 2003 was 11.6 million people.  In that same year the national average YEARLY income was equivalent to $290.

75% of people there live on less than $1 a day.

90% of people live on less than $2 a day.

I didn’t even think twice about it as I ate my $2 breakfast this morning, but to consider that 10.5 million people in Mali are living on less than the cost of my breakfast today FORCES me to think about it.

It causes me to be so thankful and to realize how blessed I am to live in the US, to have been afforded the things that I have, but it also challenges me to think about what am I doing with my wealth?  How am I making a difference for those who are less fortunate around me?  Am I being a good steward of the resources that have been given to me?

If I didn’t pay for breakfast at the store on the mornings that I work I could save approximately $520/year … that is almost 2 times the average national income in Mali, could send nearly 40 orphans to school for a year at my friends ministry in Sudan …

Here’s an interesting website … go, type in your annual income and see where you rank on the Global Rich List.

I’m the 569,942,529 richest person on earth! Discover how rich you are! >>

We’re stinking rich huh? What is something you can with your wealth?

NLQ and some random thoughts…

NLQ

I get to spend this weekend (Friday and Saturday) with some of my favorite people in the world.  No Longer Quiet.  For nearly 6 years I traveled as part of this ministry that sought to build relationships with students.  We would travel to lead worship at retreat weekends, camps, conferences, rallies, etc. all the while our focus was on pointing those students to Christ and encouraging their relationship with Him.

During that time I built relationships and friendships with my fellow members of No Longer Quiet that will last a lifetime.  Not only that, but we also built relationships with students that are continuing to grow, and those students are continuing to grow closer to the Lord.  As we grew older, and we started having other responsibilities in our lives, we’ve begun to pass the torch to a new generation and to equip and empower them in ministry.  I’m super pumped about the group that is now traveling as No Longer Quiet.  Several of these young people were students that we had at retreats and camps and have kept in touch with, and continued to encourage throughout the years, and now they are answering the call to share the love of Christ through this ministry that has meant so much to me.

Here is a picture of the NLQ THEN (minus the wives and Jared … I couldn’t find any better pictures on my computer) and a picture of the NLQ NOW (minus several of the new ‘now’ members) … so maybe these pictures aren’t a good representation … and maybe that means we need to take some this weekend!

Regardless, I consider it a privilege that I get to minister along side these people this weekend and to continue to develop these new friendships while we are pointing another new generation to Christ (maybe some future NLQ’ers?…)

THEN:

NOW:

Some Random Thoughts

What is the ultimate goal of Christianity?  What is the reason behind our existence?  Who is Christ, and what was the reason for Him to be here?  What is my role/responsibility in all of this?  Why did God create?

I think it all boils down to one word:  Glory

I believe the purpose behind everything is ultimately for the Glory of God.  The ultimate goal of Christianity, to me, based on my limited knowledge, is to give God glory, to use our lives to bring Him glory, that is why we exist.

Christ is the image of God in human form.  He is here and was sent for the glory of the Father, to live His life and ultimately to give His life for the glory of God, so that His name would be magnified, and lifted high.

My role in all of this?  To become more and more like Christ in my everyday life (its easy on Sundays). Becoming a “little Christ.”  In doing this, I need to understand and recognize that my ultimate responsibility is to five glory to God.

God is, does, created, gives, takes, loves, teaches, corrects … all for the glory.  For His glory.  To make His name famous.

Is. 26:8 “Yes Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown (fame) are the desire of our hearts.”

How will you/have you give(n) Him glory today?

Seasons…

Ephesians 3:17b-21
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
I became a “runner” a couple years ago.  And by runner, I mean that when I first started, I sometimes went outside and went around the block a few times at a pace a little faster than a walk, and eventually worked up to finishing the Chicago half marathon last year.  But I just enjoy getting out of the house and living.  There is something about the fresh air, the rhythmic thump on the ground as my feet fall against the pavement.  It clears my mind of all the clutter and brings me to a point where my senses are more aware, and my thoughts are clear.

I often run the same route down by the Nature Center, and over several weeks during the beginning of last fall, and even over the last few weeks, I’ve watched as the leaves on the trees along the route start to change colors.  From bright green leaves full of life and offering a canopy of shade from the sun to a myriad of brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red, announcing the change of seasons.  Then something strange though . . . as the days passed I begin to notice the vivid colors had faded, the once beautiful leaves were now dull and brown and falling from the branches they had known as their home.  Leaving the tree plain, bare, naked, exposed, it’s branches still reaching to the sky with the expectation and the hope that new life will come again soon.

I started to think about the part of the tree that I never see, it’s foundation, it’s root system.  For months it may seem as though all life has been robbed from that tree, but all the while the complex system of roots continues to grow deep into the soil soaking up nutrients and water to help it grow and flourish.

I think my life is sometimes like that tree.  I wear the seasons of my life like the leaves on a tree.  Sometimes I seem to thrive like the bright green leaves of the spring and summer.  Yet other times I am more like the brilliant colored leaves of the fall, putting out a beautiful cover to try to mask the inevitable “fall” that is about to occur.  Then still other times I seem to be the dead leaves that are tired of trying to cover up what is really underneath, so they fall and leave us there . . . plain, bare, naked, exposed . . . vulnerable.  Maybe that is where I find myself right now: the leaves are falling, and it is exposing a lot of anxiety, questions, doubts and uncertainty, and I’m frustrated because I’m seeking God in all of it, but I’m not hearing Him.  So, I feel vulnerable, and it isn’t fun.  I guess this is a good place … it’s where I am weak, and He is strong.  It is where I really have nothing to rely on except my foundation, and that is where I need to be.

I know it is in these times that I  can experience God’s love in its grandest form.  The grace of an all-knowing, all-powerful God reaches deeper into the soil of my life and gives the spiritual “nutrients” I need, and the living water I thirst for to keep me alive and growing.  In Him I have hope for new life and new growth.  Understanding that, there will be challenges in my Christian walk, and I will experience different seasons in my life.  But, I have found the source of life. . . my foundation is in the One who created me for His glory!

What season of life do you find yourself in right now?

p.s. I ran 3 more miles yesterday!

Super cool Sunday…

I took the month of October to volunteer in our All-Stars area (k-5th) as a teacher on Sunday mornings.  So, this month we’re talking about determination …. “deciding it’s worth it to finish what you’ve started”. Last week we talked about Paul, and how he had determination when following God was hard . . . today we talked about Noah and how God blessed him when he followed what God wanted even when other people didn’t … but really that’s besides the point…

So, I’ve still been leading worship on Sunday mornings (since our all-stars are in the sanctuary for worship time) and then heading back with the kids for class.  The last few Sundays we’ve been promoting a Baptism Sunday coming up.  Well, one of my all-stars mom’s stopped me this morning before class and said that her daughter, Peyton, was asking questions about baptism, but that she didn’t think Peyton was even a Christian yet.  So, after church I asked Peyton if she had questions about baptism, and she did (she thought that was how you asked God to forgive you), so I told her that it was a symbol that showed everyone else that you have already asked God to forgive you, asked Jesus into your heart, and that you were choosing to live your life for Him.  She said she hadn’t done that, so we talked about it a little, and I explained it the best that I could, and she got it … Peyton prayed to receive Christ today!  Awesome!  It was cool, because she SO understood it all.  It wasn’t just something that she was trying to do just to get baptized.  God is really cool, and we have a new sister-in-Christ!

SUPER cool Sunday.

… ran

(my feelings after a run)

Well, I decided that before the “urge/inspiration” left me, I’d better go for a run, or else it might never happen!  So, I just got back from 2.5 miles down by sequiota park/nature center.  I love the run there.

*note* If, during the next few days, I don’t show up somewhere that I am supposed to be, it is likely that my legs have turned into jello, and I’m unable to move …

oww, ooh, aah, pop …