What we talked about on 9.27.09:

#1 When we tell the story of Christianity, we too often forget to start the story and end the story with the Garden of Eden and God dwelling with man. See God created man and placed him in a garden, without sin, sickness, disease etc.

#2 We must tell the middle of the story too: ie. the fall, Jesus, and the redemption of mankind. But starting the story in the middle isn't telling the whole story.

#3 In Matthew 19:28, Acts 3:19, and Colossians 1:19 we see that Jesus, Peter, and Paul saw and told the story as a story of restoration.

#4 We must be careful because sometimes the way we tell the story leaves heaven sounding a bit boring.

#5 Seeing the story (Christianity) as beginning before sin and being restored to a sinless state changes the whole story. The story isn't about getting out of here someday, instead eternal life with God begins the moment you begin a real relationship with Jesus.

#6 Instead of attempting to create a Christian version of everything (ie. Christian bands, Christian bookstores, Christian schools, Christian malls, Christian movies, Christian coffeehouses, etc.) let's take Christ with us into the secular concerts, bookstores, schools, malls, movies, bars, and coffeehouses!

#7 Maybe telling the whole story would include a sinless creation, the fall due to a lack of trust in the creator, redemption through Jesus' death on a cross, and eternal life that begins now and includes the restoration of the garden of Eden - a place where heaven and earth are the same place - GOD DWELLING WITH MAN!!!

Well we got started painting the new youth room today

I hope to figure out the best way to fill the room with great video game systems and air hockey etc. Any suggestions?

Kennedy Space Center Today

Kennedy Space Center Today (actually a few weeks ago... 8/20/09 to be exact)

Well $199.28 for Chantae’ and I and the four kids. I still am not sure whether or not it is worth it. But there was plenty to see. We saw two IMAX movies, one was about the moon landings, and the other was about the space station. That space station is amazing. The moon landings movie had Tom Hanks as a narrator, and the space station movie bragged Tom Cruise.

Throughout the day I kept thinking about how amazing God is. Just think, God allows us to explore earth, the moon, and possibly even Mars in the next decade or two. If I were God – I think I would be too controlling to allow my creation to go all over the milky way, but then again I think the milky way is a big portion of God’s creation.

I can't explain how bad my cell phone carrier is....

Sprint PCS is absolutely terrible when it comes to customer service. I will share my current experience.

Today I made three calls to Sprint customer service, the first two ended with my call being disconnected when I was supposed to be transfered to a higher level of support. Each call was disconnected after an over 20 minute wait for assistance.

The third call ended after the customer service agent told me that my problem wasn't something she could resolve. Then I asked her to go ahead and disconnect my service, because I would be changing phone companies first thing in the morning. At that point she told me that there was something that she could do since I had requested to end my service. Now she could transfer me to the retention department. So I explained that the last two times I had been put on hold in order to be transfered that I had been disconnected but that I didn't get a call back.

So she asks to take my number down and call me back. I told her that would be fine.

I didn't expect to hear back from her at all. But then the phone rang. Much to my surprise, even though the first two customer service agents had failed to call me back, this time I did get a return call.

It was the retention department. After an additional twenty minutes or so with them, they told me that they couldn't do anything.

I had insurance on my phone with Sprint, but they couldn't fix my phone. I told them to go ahead and cut off my phones, they agreed.

That is the end of my relationship with Sprint.

I would recommend that others do business with someone else, Sprint PCS isn't very good in the hickory area and the customer service is well below par even in comparison to the overall horrible customer support world that we live in today.

The C Section

The C Section

I was at the pool today (8/21/09) with Noah, Adam, and Elijah and a 13 year old boy from the area showed up at the pool. Evidently he lives down the street a few blocks. I asked him where he was from and he said the “C” section. I thought… dude I didn’t ask how you got here, I asked where you are from or where you live.

He went on to explain that there are different areas in Palm Coast. There are sections of town where every street starts with a “C” and sections where every street starts with a “W” and so on. I found that an interesting piece of worthless information – don’t you?

Oh by the way, the boy’s name is Michael, and his parents just got divorced. He is living with dad in the “C” section and his mom lives on the other side of Palm Coast in the “W” section. Sadly he is representative of most families these days – broken.

The NFL is about winning

I have heard a lot of commentators this week (I wrote this in late July) say that the NFL is about winning. They have basically been asking the question – “Will Brett Favre help the Vikings win more football games?” But that isn’t the question that really matters to the Vikings organization.

What is the primary question the Vikings organization is asking – “Will signing and playing Bret Favre sell tickets?” The answer to that was a strong positive YES! I just heard on Sports Center how many season tickets and individual tickets were sold in 24 hours! I am afraid to write what I think I heard – did I just hear 3000 season tickets, and over 10,000 individual tickets?

Brett Favre sells tickets; that is a big reason he will be throwing a football in the NFL this season at 40 years old. Oh by the way, I think he is good too!

stumbled across something interesting...

I was searching through some of John Piper's stuff today as I prepare for our conversation (I would say sermon, but our sermons are more conversations than simply sermons) this Sunday. Anyway... I really enjoyed this read and was very impressed with John Piper's courage to talk about grace and freedom. I suspect if he were a lesser respected man, he would get blasted for talking like this.

Galatians 5:1-5

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness.

The text begins with a clear and refreshing statement of Christ's will for our lives. Sometimes we get bogged down in a quandary about God's will. And often we worry about decisions which are simply not a great issue with God (where to go to school, what job to take, where to live, etc.). We need to orient our lives on the clear statements of Scripture regarding God's will. And here is one: "For freedom Christ has set us free." Christ's will for you is that you enjoy freedom. Where you go to school, what job you do, where you live, etc., are not nearly so crucial as whether you stand fast in freedom. If they were, the Bible would have commanded those things as clearly as it here commands freedom. But it doesn't. So your enjoyment of freedom is much more important to God than many of the day-to-day decisions that fill us with so much concern. A good test of your priorities in life would be whether you are just as concerned about the command to enjoy your freedom as you are about other pressing decisions in your life. Do you exercise as much diligence in prayer and study to stand fast in freedom as you do to decide about home, job, school, marriage partner? It is a clear and unqualified command: "Stand fast and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." This is the will of God for you: your freedom. Uncompromising, unrelenting, indomitable freedom. For this Christ died. For this he rose. For this he sent his Spirit. There is nothing he wills with more intensity under the glory of his own name than this: your freedom. That's my message today. All else is explanation and incentive.

I felt like I should step in a stop a fight tonight!

Earlier tonight as I was walking out of aplacetotalk, I heard a man screaming. He sounded angry, so angry I was just sure he was about to hurt someone. Dean was walking out with me and I turned to him and asked if he would follow me and see if I needed any help. My first reaction was fear for the woman the angry man was getting ready to beat or kill.

How did I know he was yelling at a woman, well I only made out one word of his screaming - "whore!" Since I have never heard a man yell "whore" at another man, I assumed this was a lady in danger.

Dean responded "That sounds like a job for the police or sherif." Just as I was starting to call Ken Hopkins, I heard the yelling continue, and I began to listen closer. The voice was still angry, but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Then Dean figured it out.

"That's the tent up the street."

I couldn't decide what to do or what to think, my desire to protect someone being hurt was still there. I drove up the street intending to listen for a bit out the window of my truck, but once there I decided to walk out in the field where I could get a peep into the tent.

The "preacher" didn't sound like a good news preacher, but I am sure that he wouldn't appreciate that comment. The 8 - 10 people under the tent didn't look like they were hearing good news either. As I stood there in the field, my first reaction was to laugh inside. But I quickly felt sad and disappointed in myself for reacting as if the situation was funny. It was ironic, but certainly not funny.

I feel sorry for the preacher since he felt like he needed to hollar for an hour to such a small crowd, I wonder why he couldn't have sat down and had a conversation with the dozen or so participants.

I feel sorry for those being screamed at because they looked hot, tired, and bored. I wonder if they could've been happier fellowshipping (fellowship is the religious word for hanging out) with family or friends after work instead of dressing up and going to a tent.

I feel sorry for the guys who set up the tent, because I am sure they were hoping for something more when they put the sweat and labor into setting up such a large tent. (I bet the tent could sit 500 if the chairs were arranged tightly.)

I felt sorry for me, since my first response was laughter. I wish I were more compasionate than I am.

As I pulled away, I thought about a child who has learned to walk make fun of his little brother or sister who is learning to walk. That is sick, and evil. Most any father would rather the brother help his little brother as he learned to walk.

Then I began to wonder how I could lead the people of aplacetotalk to help that tent preacher and those who attended his tent. Then I thought about what others would think if we were helping a group who seem to be preaching law, anger, and I just assume that legalism follows. Then I thought well maybe we could teach them about the New Covenant that Jesus came to establish, a covenant of grace.

Then I thought... maybe I should get a tent and take a month and set it up in different places for 2 - 3 night at a time advertising a "tent meeting" 7pm each night. When people arrived I could talk to them about grace, and have real conversations about Jesus and His message of love, forgiveness, and freedom from the bondage of sin and sickness. I would assume that the type of people who showed up for a tent meeting would be the very same type of people who would be very confused by a message of love, forgiveness, freedom, and grace.

I just listened to Andy Stanley teach about a quote from Craig Groshell today... "To reach people that no one else is reaching we have to try things that no one else is trying." I want to try things no one else is trying... and truth is - I don't think there are many grace teachers out there trying to reach the religious extreme. Maybe I should seriously consider this... maybe, maybe not.

I love my life

I love my life, don’t get me wrong. But it is Wednesday of our week in Florida. I am starting to think about our vacation coming to an end. I have a taste of sadness. We will head home on Saturday morning, and meet at aplacetotalk on Sunday morning. Then I am back at school on Monday and the kids are all back to school on Tuesday.

I am glad that I am taking Graphic Design, I am excited about learning Dreamweaver and web design this semester. But at the same time I am dreading the long school hours. I don’t feel like I have enough time to put into church work as it is, but this semester I am at school a bit more. If someday I can be a graphic designer who plants churches and teaches at aplacetotalk on the side (totally voluntarily) that would be a great blessing. Or maybe I would get paid, but I could give away more than I am paid! That would be a great feeling.

As I think about heading home, I remember that I get to make another offer on a little house. This house is the perfect house to give away someday! I have always wanted to own a bunch of rental houses, and eventually be able to give some away! I don’t want to ever be like the US government though and give to people to the point that they become dependent and lazy.

Boy this was a rambling post, sorry.

Faith's Pet Cockroach

Remember the water cockroaches from the other day? Well Faith begged to keep one and we let her. I fully expect that it will die before morning, but for now she has a pet water cockroach. Of course she is still calling it a crab, but we aren’t sure exactly what it really is.

Anyway, I have never seen her enjoy something quite like this. She wanted to take it with us today when we went out to play shuffleboard. She played with it the whole time. She would tell us when it was sleeping, eating, etc. She has an average size bucket and she has decided which quarter is the kitchen, bedroom, etc. When the little cockroach goes there… she tells us what he (or she) is doing. Too funny!

Absolutes!

Absolutes!

We went to the beach today; it is about a five minute drive from our condo. It was a public beach and the parking was right up to the sand. Short walk beautiful beach. We caught probably 100 little crab like things. We were calling them crabs but we didn’t really know what they were. A lady walked by and saw them – her first language was Spanish and she said she didn’t know what to call them in English, but she said water cockroaches. They were so easy to catch; you could catch ten at a time by picking up big handfuls of sand. With a bucket if you scooped up sand in the right place you might catch twenty in one bucket of sand.

That public beach didn’t have lifeguards and did have quite a few rocks. They were large rocks and with Bill and Anna heading toward the states the water was somewhat rough. After about 10 minutes in the ocean I told the boys that this was the hardest waves I had ever seen. Just a few minutes later I realized that that statement probably wasn’t true but I had already spoken it. That got me to thinking…. Why is it that I am so quick to think, or speak in absolutes? What do you think? Is it our culture? Is it my sick competitive nature? Just a thought…

Speaking of absolutes, today Bret Favre announced that he would be quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings this year! Now how many times has he been absolutely retired?

I don't know what to think...

I was told yesterday about Obama's address to the public schools on September the 8th and I don't know what to think.

I read today where it is implied that Bush did the same thing, I can't remember or find whether that is true or not.

I remember the tension and fear of discussing politics in a spiritual world. But I fear that "the real church" has been too quite on matters of politics for too long. I am certainly no longer republican or democrat! I better say that again I AM CERTAINLY NO LONGER REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT! Today I see positives on both sides, when I work real hard not to only see the negative.

I understand the desire to go to war to protect people who can't protect themselves, and I understand the desire to bring the troops home before too many die or we run out of credit trying to finance the war.

I understand the desire to provide for everyone who can't provide for themselves but I also understand the belief that "if you don't work you don't eat."

I understand the need for health care, but I also understand the necessity of a free economy and capitalism.

I don't know what to think about about a lot of things... I do know that Jesus is in charge and nothing catches Him by surprise.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

I shared with the core group at aplacetotalk last night about our being rejected for membership into the local association, because we might consider allowing a group of people to use our building. (To understand that story read my blog title "REJECTED" from Monday.)

Anyway after sharing that story the core group discussed whether or not we even wanted to be associated with a denomination that would allow an association to reject a church on such a silly basis.

Today I am praying about which path we should take. Is this simply a decision or does this decision set us on a path?

Today I want to acknowledge God in all my ways and believe that He can make my path straight.

Wholly Guacamole!

Wholly Guacamole!

I have made chicken fajitas many times but I have never bought guacamole for my homemade chicken fajitas. I doubt I ever make chicken fajitas again without some guacamole!

The brand name I used this time was Wholly Guacamole, spicy. Wow was it good!

Not Rejected!

Well I heard today about Tony Campolo and how he wasn't rejected at a gay and lesbian event where he was allowed to speak, in fact he received a standing ovation. Of course he was immediately rejected and judged by the religious world, but not by the gays, lesbians, nor his good (conservative, may I add) friend Steve Brown.

Steve heard the entire story before judging Tony. Turns out the gay and lesbian group applauded Tony after he told them the truth about their sin and then began to weep about their situation.

I can't discribe how impressed I am with the friendship of Tony and Steve. Too bad more Christians can't disagree about various things and still have and show genuine love for one another.