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Posted:
January 6, 2012
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Commerce
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bilbo

I imagine there was once a time when gas stations didn’t have the Minnesota Department of Commerce regulating the accuracy of their pumps.  I’m also guessing that long ago the discovery of dishonest merchants prompted the formation of this regulatory agency though probably not as dramatically as Daniel Larusso breaking a clay weight in half.  To be honest I have never considered a gas station might be cheating me while I dispense their black gold into my car.   Though that’s probably true more out of ignorance than seeing this sticker the other night.

We don’t give a second thought, or a first thought for that matter, that we have many things watching out for us in life to protect us:  The Department of Commerce that keeps us from being cheating, the Food and Drug Administration, wellness checks, smoke detectors, Tornado sirens, Tsunami warnings, Emergency Broadcast System, and stop lights just to name a few.  I have little doubt we could compile a list of thousands of unseen or unknown regulators, rules, authorities, and systems that keep disaster and harm in check so we can live freely and safely.

Why is it that we don’t give a thought or complaint to these checks, but we balk at any spiritual checks in our lives?  We find out what the MN Dept of Commerce does and we say, “Thank you.”  Someone calls us on our attitude and we snap, “Don’t judge me” like Bilbo Baggins at Gandalf.

Jesus makes it clear that harm to our soul is far more damaging than harm to our bodies (Mark 8:36-37; Luke 12:4-5).  Surrounding ourselves with regulators, rules, authorities, and systems to keep our spiritual lives in check is essential for anyone following Christ.  We can truly live in freedom when our fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) is in check (Luke 6:43-44).

So what kinds of “fruitcheck” do you have in life to guard your soul?  Feel free to comment below to encourage others.  Don’t stop at just having one or two.  Create as many as you can to have the same type of thoughtless worry-free freedom that comes from that sticker on the Holiday station gas pump.

Posted:
January 5, 2012
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Noisetrade.com

I’ve known about noisetrade.com for a while, but haven’t really explored it much until tonight.  If you’d like to discover new music as well as some hidden well known gems, you have to check out the website.  It’s all free music with an email and a ZIP code.  There’s also a way to tip, tweet, or purchase the album via iTunes or Amazon if you so choose.

Three albums popped out right away for me:  Collective by High Society – A collaborative hip-hop project, Absence by Paper Route – An alternative band from TN, and a sampler by Sleeping at Last.  Not to mention local musicians like Andre Rodriguez, a new song from Five Iron Frenzy (for real) and a worship album by Matthew Reed.. no relation and no endorsement.  Swing on over to Noisetrade and check it out!

Posted:
January 4, 2012
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That’s Tempting

We are the suckers who are tapped on the left shoulder and look to the left.  We’ve sized our hands up to our face to see if we have cancer.  We’ve tried to find gullible written on the ceiling.  We’ve looked down to see if our shoelaces are untied.  They’re the oldest tricks in the book, but we still get fooled.

The devil works the same way with us.  His methods of temptation stay the same, but they still work on us.  In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul uses the temptations and sins of the Israelites as an example to say, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience” (vs 13).  Why is it the same old story?  Because God alone is the Creator.  The devil cannot create, he can only distort.

The Greek word used for temptation in the New Testament implies that when we are tempted, our character and integrity are being tested. When testing metals for ship’s hull, the best alloys bend but don’t break. That’s the same promise God gives us when He says He won’t give us more than we can bear. We may bend, but by God’s grace we will not break.

We must recognize temptation in its smallest form. James says its conceived in our selfish desires, but soon gives birth to sin. It can quickly transition from a thought that pokes us to an uncontrollable desire that seizes and destroys us.

God is faithful and He will always create a way to escape. The devil is an unimaginative copycat who wants to destroy us. When we see the escape route, run to it.. reveling in the greatness of God. That’s tempting… the opportunity for great joy, the building of our character, and the promise of the crown of life if we endure it all.

Posted:
January 3, 2012
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The Inception’s on You

If Inception was thirty seconds longer, you would have seen the top topple.  When I first saw the movie last summer, the collective gasp of all of us in the theater foretold the endless debate that was to follow.  It was all based on the question, “Was Leonardo DiCaprio still dreaming?”

I watched it again and am fully convinced that he does in fact make it back to reality and is reunited with his kids.  When Christopher Nolan ends the movie with the spinning top, he has just “planted” an idea in our head… a doubt that makes us question whether or not Dom’s world was real… he successfully pulled off inception on you, the viewer.

Nolan is known for mind-bending plots and creating movies you don’t just watch, but you experience.  The key evidence is within the climax of the movie where Dom reveals that inception is possible because he did it to his wife.  He planted an idea in her head… a doubt that made her question which world was real.   The inception was successful by spinning the top inside vault in the dream world… a scene that ends, you guessed it, with the top spinning.

Of course I can’t ultimately prove it because there’s no evidence, but believe me it’s true.  You’ll just have to take a leap of faith.

Posted:
January 2, 2012
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Oklahoma City Memorial

A couple months ago I had the opportunity to visit the memorial in honor of the victims of the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing.   From the reflecting pool to the survivor tree, every element was fascinating and full of meaning.

The museum was particularly moving.  Seemingly every detail was thoughtfully included.. timelines, evidence, video, audio recordings, and even the axle of the Ryder truck used in the bombing.  Near the end of the exhibit, families donated photos and a personal belonging of each victim.  It was painfully touching to see a pacifier encased representing one of the infants killed in the daycare center.  With that the goal of the memorial was achieved.. that we may never forget.  A lasting reminder of the suffering and hope from a horrific tragedy over a decade ago.

Posted:
January 1, 2012
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FirstStepsBible

First Steps Reading Plan

This past October we started a 28-day challenge in youth group featuring the First Steps Bible Reading Plan.  The challenge was to spend 28 minutes each day broken into 7 minute chunks of reading, praying, and journaling.  It went so well that I continue to send group texts and post the daily challenge on Twitter and Facebook and we just started over with the plan today for 2012 starting with Genesis 1.

I love the First Steps plan because it’s a lighter portion of reading that focuses on key chapters each day.  It allows anyone more time to soak in what they’ve read.  I recommend starting the year off right by following a plan on youversion.com.  You can create your own account online and even get email reminders with the daily reading.  You can also download their app for your smartphone which allows you to follow your plan anywhere you go.

Spending time with God every day is a great way to stay in His will.  With these plans, there’s no guilt or shame in missing a day or two either… just pick up with the next daily reading that you find time for.  There’s no greater investment in your life than taking time read God’s Word and pray.  It’s a way of saying, “God, I can’t do this on my own… help guide my way in 2012.”

Posted:
November 1, 2011
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Day Trip to Duluth

With my mom in town last week we decided to take a quick trip to Duluth on Thursday.  We went to see the Split Rock Lighthouse, Gooseberry Falls, and downtown.  We couldn’t resist dinner with Grandma at Grandma’s either.  Elliot seems to enjoy the day and didn’t mind the cold at all.  Thankfully Grandma had a nice red hat to keep him warm.

Posted:
July 28, 2011
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God doesn’t have Grandchildren

I’m nearing the end of Senior High camp in Alexandria, MN and God has been doing some incredible things all week in the lives of teenagers.  Eric Samuel Timm (twitter/web) is speaking all week and shared a great message on Tuesday night.  The heart of the message was that God doesn’t have grandchildren… only sons and daughters.

The idea is that you can’t experience God secondhand.  As a teen, you can’t rely on the faith of your parents to carry you into heaven.  Your faith must be your own.  We need to push through the walls of clutter (things that steal time away from investing in our relationship with God) and really dig deep into the Word of God.  In Eric’s words, you have to read the Bible with “a shovel, not a rake.”  We need to spend time with God and experience him firsthand for ourselves.

As a leader it’s easy to read the latest book written by great pastors and neglect deep study of the Bible.  When we experience God secondhand all the time we can miss out on the personal direction God wants to speak to us through His Word.  We are His sons and daughters, not His grandchildren.  I pray for a renewed hunger for God’s Word in my life and the life of all those who I’m partnering with in ministry.  Remove the walls that keep you from spending quality time with Him.

Posted:
July 6, 2011
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Elliot’s First Taste of Real Food

A couple days back Elliot had his first taste of real food other than milk and cereal.  He seemed to really like his carrots… both in his mouth and out.

Since then he’s tried beans, squash, and sweet potato and he likes his veggies.  He’s making progress on many fronts and I think he’s getting pretty close to crawling.  He can hold his own bottle, but most of the time I think he’s just lazy and would rather just let us hold it.  We’ll post some 4-6 month pics at the end of the month.

Posted:
June 20, 2011
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stoplight

This is a Courtesy Honk

You’re at a stop light while the light is red.  While you’re waiting for it to turn green, you’re buckled in, your car is running and you’re anticipating the moment the light turns green.  If you’re like me, you probably anticipate it so much that you occasionally inch forward out of turn thinking you have the lights timed right.

The most annoying thing in the world is waiting behind someone who doesn’t move when the light goes green.  There’s a driving school next door to my office and I’m thinking that they should teach new drivers some sort of courtesy honk rule.  A rule that defines how long to wait before honking at that person.  I usually count to three before tapping the horn, but I’ve seen other drivers with less patience.

Are you wondering about God’s will for your life, looking for direction, or maybe facing a decision?  You might be feeling like you’re at a stoplight waiting for direction from God… a green light or green arrow… something to show the way.

The more I grow in my walk with God, the more I realize I need to be faithful in the little things.  If God prompted me to pick up a penny in a parking lot and give it to missions, I should probably pick up that penny.  It’s a small thing, but still it’s something that God has asked me to do.  How many times in the “real world” do we trust someone with more responsibility only if they’ve proven themselves faithful in small tasks?  God works the same way.  Luke 16:10 says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”  I like to say, “Trust God with what you know, and He will take care of the unknown.”  In other words, what little things have you neglected or put off… forgiving someone?  Thanking a friend?  Giving to someone in need?  If we are faithful in the small things, God will guide us along the right path.  We get so concerned about that big decision, that we forget to take care of the little things.

We have been taught that God answers, “Yes, No, or wait.”  It’s either a red light, green light, or Do Not Enter sign.  While that’s a decent observation, it unfairly makes us believe that green lights are rare.  The truth is that the Bible is filled with green lights… Forgive, Love, Confess, Trust, Honor, Give, Believe, Go, Pray… things we know we should do.  We look to God for direction in the huge decisions of our lives, but we’ve forgotten the things we’ve already been told.

You’re looking for sign from God… sitting at the stoplight waiting for it to turn green.  Look up again.  You think you’re at the red light of a huge decision in your life, but I’d be willing to bet you’re still sitting at a green light… a green light God gave you a long time ago.  This is your courtesy honk.

Do the little things you know you should take care of.  Odds are that once you get going, you’ll hit another green light, and another, and another (unless of course you live in Woodbury).  Before you know it, you’ve flown through a green light on that big decision because you’ve allowed God to guide your path.  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.

Posted:
June 11, 2011
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My Place in Space

I’m sitting on the roof looking at Saturn just to the right of the moon and to the left of the Big Dipper while waiting for the space station to make its fourth visible appearance of this day.   The Twin Cities are fighting for my attention but are beaten by the furious blinking of the two television towers Jill and I used to live by. A little track five Death Cab on repeat sets the tone for thoughtful reflection on this life, this world, this universe, these cities and my place in all of it.

Have you ever had that dream where you needed to run, but you couldn’t get your legs to move? Do you ever feel like that in life? It seems like there’s so much to do, so much to accomplish, but you just can’t move. Circumstances, doubt, fear keep you stuck in time, yet you know time is short.

Many times my confidence is shut like my mouth, fearing the consequences of what might come out. I usually fail to see the positive ends. My biggest regrets in life aren’t what I’ve done, but what I haven’t done.  I’m reminded this night that in the end I will not answer to man. Days like these awaken my soul to eternity and the ever so small place in space and time I now occupy.

The space station has now passed… visible for just one minute. To see it I had to keep my eyes on the northeast sky at exactly 11:31pm. I had to pay attention and follow directions or else I would have missed it. In this life, delay is the enemy of purpose. That’s my place.. a minute in eternity… I don’t want to miss it.

Posted:
June 7, 2011
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Youth Group Games Pt 1

Finding games for youth group is usually more difficult than putting together a worship set, small group questions, or even a message.  We all know there’s a ton of resources for great games, but so many of the games are a little lame.  Games that work for us are highly active, involve everyone, and have a false sense of danger.

Four that have been successful lately for our group (20ish) are good old fashioned Kickball, Protect the President, Torpedo, and a game with a bunch of tennis balls and an exercise ball.  You can find Protect the Pres and Torpedo at The Source for Youth Ministry.  I found the tennis ball game on YouTube (where I find many other games as well) by watching this video from another church’s lock-in.  Low cost and lots of fun… Enjoy!

Posted:
June 1, 2011
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Despicable Me

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” Have you ever wondered what a wretch is?  I’ve always thought it sounded a little like a small bird or something in my toolbox.

Doesn’t it seem strange to sing that?  The dictionary defines wretch as “a despicable, or vile person”.  Maybe for fun we should change it to: “…that saved a despicable me.”  At first this sounded a little extreme because I’m not in the same category as Gru or any other villian/criminal for that matter.  “I’m not THAT bad”.  “I haven’t made THOSE mistakes.”  “At least I haven’t (fill in the blank).”

It’s easy to make ourselves look good and feel better by pointing fingers, but if we were honest with ourselves.. truly honest… we’re just as self-centered as everyone else…  We’re all in the same boat… Billions of wretches on the earth like ants on a lawn and we all need amazing grace.

If we all spent more time working on our selfishness than focusing on others, we’d change the world.  The ONLY way to change others is to change yourself… Admit you’re a wretch like me and start giving out grace to family and friends.  that’s humility… that’s grace.

Posted:
May 24, 2011
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Sun Country Wing It

Every Tuesday night I swing over to suncountry.com to check out their wing-it fares in the hope that the dates and price will line up perfectly for a spontaneous trip somewhere in the US.  They offer cheap fares every Tuesday night for upcoming weekend flights.  It brings me back to 2007 and the inadvertent overnight day trip to New York City with the Jollys for $99 round trip per ticket.

It was a surprise for Jill who had no idea what we were doing. It was an amazing 24 hours that included Ground Zero, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, and a very memorable cab ride (as illustrated by the above pic of Shannon). Watch the video to see the whole story.

Posted:
May 23, 2011
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I Swear It’s the Tooth!

This little boy of ours is speeding right into teethdom.  He’s just shy of four months and yesterday we discovered his first tooth coming it!  It seems weird that he’s getting a tooth when he doesn’t actually chew anything yet.  Those days are fast approaching, so I’m just enjoying each small change, while still savoring the charming sameness of Elliot.

Posted:
May 20, 2011
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mediaManager

Our Sins and the Minnesota Twins

I love the Minnesota Twins.  I know sometimes my Tigers hat throws people off, but that’s more about home representation than being a fan.  I come from a sports-watching family (see “Sports Moments” post from ’08), but with my busy schedule the last couple years, I’ve limited the number of teams I completely follow (every game, stats, etc.) to one… the Twins.

The Twins have been disappointing lately with the exception of Liriano’s no hitter and the current three game win streak, but I remain a loyal fan.  I know the potential the team has and I know they can turn it around and still win their division.

Consider your favorite team and ask yourself why you get frustrated with them?  The heart of your frustration isn’t the errors, fouls, penalties, strikeouts, air-balls, or breaking of the “rules” of any particular game… after all, when a team wins the championship, all of those this are forgotten.  What disappoints us most is that they could have won… they could have been great… we know they had the potential to win the game, but didn’t pull it off.  And even after losing moments, like any good fan, we don’t give up on them… we still love them and believe in them.

I think that’s a glimpse of the way God views our sins.  It’s not that He’s disappointed just because we broke the “rules”… It’s because in our moments of sin, we could have won… we could have been great… God sees our potential and He hates anything that keeps us from our plan, our purpose and an abundant life.  He’s our greatest fan… he doesn’t give up on us.  He still loves us and believes in us.

Quit feeling bad about breaking the rules… that only will bring you guilt (see Pastor Trent’s message from Sunday)… your thoughts will be consumed by sin and you’ll get caught in a losing streak.  Give your sin and guilt to God and focus your thoughts on His plan and the potential in your life to do great things for Him.

In life, as in any game, one will stand and one will be defeated… it’s either you or sin.  Get used to winning.

Posted:
May 16, 2011
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Endeavour

Goodbye to Good

This morning Jill and I watched the Space Shuttle lift off with Elliot.  Next month’s launch of Atlantis will mark the end of the Shuttle fleet as it retires into spaceflight history.  It’s strange to think that as Elliot grows up, the Shuttle will be one of those relics we tell him about from the good old days… joining rotary phones, transparency machines, Twins championships, and Facebook. Read more…

Posted:
May 15, 2011
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Spring is in the Air

After a week of hitting close to 90 degrees and then dropping into the 40s, today the sun was shining and a great opportunity for some outdoor shots.  The family pictures are from Easter.

Posted:
May 14, 2011
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Burnt Out on Burnout

When I was in high school, my dad overheard me telling someone that I got “yelled at”.  He later corrected me, because, as he pointed out, he didn’t actually raise his voice at me.  I explained to my dad, a school teacher, that being “yelled at” only meant I got in trouble.  The phrase had transitioned from the literal meaning of his generation to a very loose figurative form of speech that now meant everything from getting caught breaking the rules to being asked (even kindly) to clean my room.

“Burn out” has met a similar fate.  Recently it has been used without restraint in almost every context I find myself… online, on television, in print, among friends, and at church.  When in doubt, call it burn out.  Of course we all agree that no one wants to burn out, nor do I wish anyone to burn out.  I personally want to avoid it at all costs.. but what exactly are we referring to?  It can mean anything from me being burnt out from typing at 3am to its most true form found in those who are emotionally wrecked, struggling to find purpose in life and lacking strength to carry on… when I think of the latter, my little 3am blog post seems less like burn out and more like cop out.

So it goes with all of my attempts thus far to claim burn out in serving God… every time my fire seems to go out it’s brought back to life by what I’ve seen in the world and read in the Word.  I remember the smiles of the poor in Nicaragua, the Sunday School teacher serving faithfully every week for years, and the homeless orphans of Romania inviting me into their “home” in the sewer.  I read about the disciples asking Jesus, “Increase our faith” and about Paul being “pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”  When I’ve reached the end of me, the God of beginnings takes over.  My capacity to give and serve increases as I return to the truth that I must work with God, not just for Him.

I guess what I’m proposing is that we call it what it is.  I certainly don’t take it lightly.  If it’s truly burn out, there are many people including myself who will come alongside you and get you the help you need.  In our socially connected world, no one needs to burn out or even get close.  You’re not alone!

But If it’s anything less, call it what it is. Clearly define it within the broad definition of burnout… boredom, lack of focus, lack of accountability, the need for personal growth, the need for rest, neglecting time with God, neglecting time with family, unused talents, misplaced priorities, over committing, over reaching, loss of perspective, negativity, or even poor choices driven by good intentions… whatever it is, let us be honest before God and do what we need to do to get the fire burning again.  He is an infinite source of strength, peace, passion, hope and life.  He has a clear purpose for each of us and it’s not to stop fulfilling our purpose.  If we only realized a hint of the potential He sees in us… truly nothing would be impossible.

So feel free to share this, facebook it, or tweet these words to anyone you want… I promise I won’t correct you when you tell them I yelled at you.

Posted:
May 13, 2011
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29 Months Pregnant

It was three years ago this month that Jill, Beth and I went skydiving in San Diego.  It was our “extreme” weekend when we also learned how to surf.  Since then we’ve shown our skydiving video in church a couple times to illustrate a message.

We showed it this past September for one of our series and afterward we had a number of people concerned that Jill had gone skydiving while pregnant.  It was nice to know they cared, but I couldn’t understand why they thought she had been pregnant for 29 months.

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