Sun Bathing in February?

It's 72 degrees today in Denver. Tomorrow it's going to be 74 degrees! What a difference a week makes, as last Monday it was in the teens!

We are also glad for the great weather because Adah has jaundice. Her skin is nice and yellow! The Doc wants her in the sun three times a day for 15 minutes each time to help get rid of the yellow in her skin.

This is first sun bath! Let the pampering begin!

Esther 2:18 - 3:15

This week I had the extreme privilege of partnering with one of my co-workers Trevor Lee on Sunday (2/26). He prepared the message for Esther 2:18-3:15 and then taught it to our high school students. I spoke with him briefly and he said things went well. Funny story - When he got up to teach one student came right down to the front and immediately went to sleep! Welcome to the club Trevor. He focused on the three characters in the story: Haman the antagonist, Mordecai the supposed protagonist and God the real protagonist of the story. If he posts a blog on his experience I will link you to it.

Here's what I learned from Trevor this week. He wasn't just filling in for me. He served me. The servant attitude is the exact opposite of the filling in for me attitude! The servant attitude is what every organization needs if they are going to grow personally and as an organization. Here's a summary of Trevor's servant attitude.

Trevor asked if he could teach. Trevor asked to teach in the series to keep the flow going to stay in step with what I have planned for the rest of the semester. Trevor met with me on Monday to talk about what I had done in the first two messages. Trevor met with me on Thursday to go through his outline. Aside - here he taught me humility. I am not the greatest teacher or Bible scholar for that matter but he sat down and walked through his outline to get my feedback. He was respecting me as the shepherd of that certain group of people and wanted me to know where he was headed. Trevor signed up for this all the while still doing his work for the Reclamation. Trevor asked me if I had any announcements for Sunday. Trevor asked about time, multimedia, etc... Trevor stopped by the hospital on Saturday to see us!

Trevor made work a joy this week. So here's what I learned. In any organization, if you believe in the people you are working with, they have proved themselves competent at what they do and you all possess a servant attitude, your organization will grow from the inside out! It's not all about you and climbing up the ladder to be successful. Rather, it's all about you and helping build the ladder for others to climb up so you all can be successful.

Adah's HOME!

We finally have pictures of our kids with the color pink in them! Adah is loved by her brothers!

We had a great day on Saturday as several people came to visit us. Julie really enjoyed the room service menu as she was able to order anything for each meal! She had a huge helping of Texas French Toast each morning! Eryn brought Denver Ted's Philly Chesse Steak sandwiches by! Oh, they were amazing! We also enjoyed just having time to talk as the baby was in the nursery.

Noah and Josiah stopped by on Saturday too! Noah brought her a fuzzy dog and Josiah brought her a doll. They both made her cards. Josiah's was hard to figure out what it was. Here's what was on Noah's card to her in his own words, "I made Adah Jane a card with a big airplane and a lot of shooters (guns for the layperson)." Very thoughtful!

Everything is a go with this beautiful addition!

Adah Jane

It's a girl! Adah joined our family at 7:33 on February 24, 2006 - HER DUE DATE! She was 7 lbs and 18 1/2 inches long! Her name means, "beautiful addition!"

We arrived at the hospital at 5:00!

We had everyone and anyone that you can imagine here for the birth. Banes, Coombs, Lords, Fishes, Hodges, Will, Al & Laura, Emma, Kellen, Maddox, Logan, Noah, Josiah, Bob and Debbie.

Adah is doing extremely well. She is in great health! Her apgar was a 9. I have to brag for a minute.

Our pediatrician came in and said, "First of all, your daughter is so beautiful. There are six girls down there right now and they are cute, but yours just stood out to me!"

The beautiful addition indeed!

The Due Date & A Funeral

Today is an interesting day in my life. I am presiding over the funeral service of a friend's mom at 11:00 a.m. I am honored to be a part of this service for my friends Paul and Stacy. Stacy is Chris' sister. Chris is married to my wife's sister, Lisa. Paul lost his mom on Saturday.

Not to mention today is the due date of our child. We think the kid is coming today, we are just praying it isn't during the funeral.

I will talk more on this later, but this day could be a day filled with emotions.

A Beautiful Prayer

I was surfing some random blogs yesterday (I hardly ever do it). I came across a post from an OBGYN Doc who described an incident she had with a patient who prayed right before her operation.

True Beauty Post

What I loved about this post is the picture it paints of what I believe a true follower of Jesus Christ looks like living in this world!

I want the students in our ministry to live like this.

High School Bracket Time!!!!!!

Tonight it's time to bust out the brackets for the Boys State Basketball Tournament! The 4a and 5a brackets are out.

Here - 4a

Here - 5a

Here are the 4a schools that made it to the tournament that are a part of our ministry:

D'Evelyn, Ralston Valley & Golden. D'Evelyn is #1 in the state in 4a! We have students in our ministry that play for D'Evelyn.

Here are the 5a schools that made it to the tournament that are a part of our ministry:

Chatfield, ThunderRidge, Dakota Ridge, Bear Creek & Columbine. We have students in our ministry that play for ThunderRidge, Dakota Ridge, Bear Creek & Columbine!

I can't wait to get to some games next week after the baby is born! One cool side note, my good friend Cory from Noah's Ark will be a referee throughout the tournament and at the D'Evelyn home game on Saturday night at 7:30!

Blog Rage

I knew it would eventually happen. I had my first bout of blog rage last night. I came across a blog that was ripping on John Piper.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! He wrote a piece entitled "Don't Waste Your Cancer." This was his personal response to the news that he had prostate cancer. The blogger had a problem with his points.

The blogger went on and on about how Piper throws Bible verses out in painful situations and probably has horrible bedside manners with people who are dying.

I just can't understand how using Scripture to answer life problems is a problem. I love what John Piper says in this piece. Suffering is a part of God's plan. It was for His perfect Son Jesus and it is for His imperfect son, Dan. I love how Paul encourages God's children in Romans 8:17 "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

If I want the glory then I am asking for the pain. And the pain is nothing compared to what I will inherit.

Walking the road to Calvary isn't in flip-flops, wearing Oakley's, listening to the David Crowder Band on your Ipod while drinking a fruit drink out of a pineapple. It's about calculating each step, find the sovereignty of God in each breath and longing for the glory of the life that is to come. As Paul concludes in the next verse, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

When I got up with Josiah in the middle of the night I was still thinking about how I could only throw Bible verses at myself to comfort me and help my wounded heart.

Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture - 2

I love how Walt starts this book out quoting a Tom Petty song and encouraging us to make the words of the song our prayer for this generation of students.

"Lost Children"

To conclude his first chapter Walt takes a hard look at the movie Thirteen. It was written by a 13 year old girl! It's the story of a cute, straight A student morphing into a rebellious teenager. He uses the following phrases to describe the crying and dying culture that Thirteen depicts exists within our culture and then expands on each of them.

"We're changing, confused, and vulnerable."

"Our support systems aren't working and they are stressing us out."

"We need a place to belong."


"We're hurting, and hurting deeply."

"Will you be here for us."

I like Walt's challenge and rebuke towards the church at the end, "Sadly, some in the church disapprove of films like Thirteen and the world it reflects, retreating back from its messy reality into the safety of a cloistered existence. After all, if we don't look at the ugliness, it won't be able to do anything to us and we won't have to do anything about it."

Then end of this chapter has challenged me to ask myself a few questions, "Will I look at the ugliness? Will I let the ugliness affect me? Will I listen about the ugliness before I speak into the ugliness?"

It's interesting to note that herein lies a tension as it relates to working in the church with families who want cute, straight A students. How do you families embrace the reality of the world their teenagers live in and see it as their mission to equip their teens, who possess knowledge of the TRUTH, to make a difference for eternity in the lives of their peers?

Or maybe we need to ask another question first, "How many of our church teenagers feel the exact same way as the girl in Thirteen and have no one to listen to them?"

Today's My Pick and Here's the Boys' Pic!

Today is the day I picked for the baby to be born. I picked it for no other reason than all of our kids birthdays would be 2 days apart (17, 19, 21 and in order of kid)! Nice! So here is Noah and Josiah waiting anxiously for their new brother or sister today. Noah's official take is a girl and he thinks we should name her Emma. Josiah's official take is a boy and he thinks we should name him Kellen. To bad for them that our friends (the Hodges) already used those names for their girl and boy!

The Emergent Peter?

I have really enjoyed reading Scot McKnight's blog! I am really interested in something that he started today and I thought I would pass it on. He is looking at the book of 1st Peter "...as a reflective theology and a set of churches in an emerging situation!"

The first post is here.

I am really interested where this study is heading for my own personal growth in the Word.

Esther 2:1-18

"God's Choice for Queen of Persia!"

Chapter 2 of Esther has to be one of the most fascinating narratives in the Old Testament. We dove head first this past Sunday into finding out how Esther became God's choice for Queen.

In a land that hated God and his people we find God moving behind the scenes again here in chapter 2. Why doesn't the King replace the Queen with someone of nobility? Why does he bring in 400 virgins from all over the land?

We meet Mordecai and Esther in this narrative. Mordecai adopts Esther after her mother and father died. Can you imagine being orphaned in a land that wanted to get rid of your kind of people? Can you imagine being taken into the Harem of the King that wanted to get rid of your people? It's interesting to note in this narrative that the passive voice is used in several Hebrew words as it relates to Esther. We find a woman who is very passive and is simply the result of other peoples choices.

So how is this Jewish girl going to be out 399 other virgins to win the King's favor? Outward beauty & a night with the King?! No way! God doesn't use those things to bring about His will, does He? He uses men like Joseph who resist temptation. He uses men like Daniel who don't obey the King.

Here we find Esther gaining influence with the eunuch in charge of her and ultimately with the King himself! She wins! God wins!

It's interesting to note in this narrative the clash of two Kings, Almighty God and Xerxes. We find this out about Xerxes in chapter 1: 4, "For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty." Notice how Xerxes is flaunting himself! He truly believes that the story is all about him! But there is something he doesn't know! There is a King that is above all KINGS and we find out about him in 2 Chronicles 29:11 "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all."

What Xerxes doesn't know is that there is a God working in the land. There is a God who will not forget the covenant with his people and wants nothing more than to provide a way out when the deck is stacked against them. He will use any and all means necessary to accomplish HIS MISSION.

I think it's so hard for us to live with this tension. That God doesn't always use moments like Daniel and Joseph had to accomplish His will. He uses moments like Esther, and if we were completely honest with ourselves we would admit that we see God using us more like he did Esther rather than Joseph! Not literally, but with the sense that He is somewhere behind the scenes working all things for His good.

I closed our time with a story of two college kids getting drunk and then having sex 33 years ago in a college dorm room. It was there first and only date. Why is this significant? It's how my life started!

And somehow, in some mysterious way, God is using it to bring glory to himself!

Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture - 1

I've started reading this book and I am quickly finding out that it is a book that I am going to read real slow. My hope is to post a lot on the truth in this book and its challenges. Today will be just one small part of chapter 1!

Walt Mueller has a great website - CPYU, which is a great resource of information for those who are looking to bridge "Teen Worldviews and Christian Truth," the subtitle of this book.

The book is divided into three sections. The first section is his analysis on the postmodern worldview and the world teens live in. The second section (which I am really looking forward to) is going to deal with the phenomenon of our culture and how followers of Christ are called to approach it. The third and final section is going to map out a strategy for engagning the soul of the youth culture!

In his first chapter (additional resources for this chapter HERE), "Reality Bytes - Snapshots of a Crying and Dying Culture" he gives a great picture of the crying and dying that is taking place in the home. After speaking in a seminar a mom came up to him and read a poem her daughter had written. Things had been going well in their relationship until she turned twelve and it all began to unravel. The mom was lost. So was her daughter. Listen to her daughters words, "Somehow I lost my mouth. Somehow you lost your ears."

I want to ask you, which came first? Did the daughter lose her mouth, or did the mom lose her ears?

Walt suggests, and I believe it, we have lost the capability to listen to teenagers. Listen to his words, "Instead...of leading the young to soul-satisfying 'bread of life' (Jn. 6:35) and 'streams of living water' (Jn. 7:38) we may have unknowingly locked the bread box and shut off the water valve through our inability or unwillingness to hear the nuances of their unique worldview and experience before attempting to answer their cries." - I love this sentence!

When we aren't connecting with teenagers our first look needs to be off of them and in the mirror at ourselves. Are we locking the bread box and shutting off the water valve because we aren't using our ears twice as much as our mouths?

Here's a thought when it comes to engaging the soul of youth culture. To you students, we as your leaders, parents and teachers will start evaluating our effectiveness with you based on whether or not we listened more to you rather than talked down at you!

There's no question our youth need guidance, but how can we guide them if we haven't heard them?

Last weekend as a father of 2!

More than likely this is my last weekend as a father of 2. Julie is scrapbooking with a bunch of her friends on Friday and Saturday. All of the dads are watching the kids. Sunday will be a day of relaxation and getting a few more things ready for the baby.

It's weird to think that next weekend I will probably be a dad of three, as our due date is Friday, and we went early with Josiah! I have really enjoyed my boys. They are so much fun and both very unique. I can't wait to see if we are having a boy or a girl. It's been fun thinking through the dynamics of three boys or the boys having a younger sister!

I am so excited to see how God will grow our hearts to love another child! Julie's excited...she will have another kid to put in a scrapbook!

Out of Solitude

I have been reading through Henri J.M. Nouwen's book, Out of Solitude. One little part has been on my heart this week. Oh, does this rock me to the core!

Mark 1:35 "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

"I want to reflect on this lonely place in our lives. Somewhere we know that without a lonely place our lives are in danger. Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure. Somewhere we know that without a lonely place our actions quickly become empty gestures. The balance between silence and words, withdrawal and involvement, distance and closeness, solitude and community forms the basis of the Christian life and should therefore be the subject of our most personal attention."

Silence, withdrawal, distance, and solitude are almost foreign words to me. I need to start paying more attention to these words.

The Big Moo - 1

Stop Trying to Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable! That's what Seth Godin is promoting in the book he edited which contains 33 different authors who give their thoughts on how to create the BIG MOO!

A big moo is something remarkable, something that completely changes the game!

The book has a website - The Big Moo.

All of the authors are donating the proceeds of this book.

You can learn more about the 33 authors HERE!

I love how Seth states pursuing the Big Moo.

"There isn't a logical, proven, step-by-step formula you can follow. Instead, there's a chaotic path through the woods, a path that includes side routes encompassing customer service, unconventional dedication, unparalleled leadership, and daring to dream. Is this a path worth staying on? Only if you want to grow. Only if you're tired of being a cog..."

I wonder which chaotic path this book will take me through? I wonder how I will grow personally? I wonder what I will find out about my student ministry? My church?

I can't wait to grow!

Worship as Wonder

I really like this book. My friend Frank recommended it to me a couple of years ago. Thanks Frank!

My senior pastor reminded me how much I liked it when he quoted one of my favorite parts of the book in his sermon on Sunday.

“Too much of our time is spent trying to chart God on a grid, and too little time is spent allowing our hearts to feel awe… There are things you cannot understand, and you must learn to live with this. Not only must you learn to live with this, you must learn to enjoy this.”

“At the end of the day, when I am lying in bed and I know the chances of any of our theology being exactly right are a million to one, I need to know that God has things figured out, that if my (theories) are wrong we are still going to be okay… I don’t think there is any better worship than wonder.”

My heart is wandering towards the wonder of birth. As we wait for the arrival of our third child in the next 10 days my heart is captured with wonder...and it's worship! There really is nothing better!

No Medal...NO PROBLEM for Kelly Clark!

A big thanks goes out to my GUIDO for putting me on to this article written by Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post today while I was studying Esther 2!

Clark Refuses to Hide Her Faith

Apparently Kelly Clark who took fourth last night in the half-pipe loves Jesus!

If you missed her run it was out of this world. She was getting HUGE air as she flew down the pipe! She busted out a 900 degree spin at the end of her run that got me off the couch! I was like, "NO WAY!" She just missed her landing for what would of given her a Gold Medal and a run that would not be forgotten!

When responding to taking fourth she said, "I love Jesus. It's more joyful knowing him than all that snowboarding stuff. And so being able to snowboard for him is amazing."

Snowboarding for him is amazing! How many of us do what we do for him? Snowboard, teach, preach, sell shoes, wait tables, run powerpoint, clean the house, love our kids...you name it, it's all for Him! Thanks for the reminder Kelly, on the biggest stage in the world, you made it all about HIM!

Esther 1:1-22

"God's Invitation to a Raging Party"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Esther chapter one is filled with materialism, partying, drinking alcohol and treating a woman like she was a piece of dirt! Our focus was specifically on where is God in the midst of a story where His name is never mentioned, a prayer is never uttered, a miracle doesn't happen and there is no vision? Did God get an invitation to Xerxes 187 day bash? Why does this book of the Bible start out with a raging party that doesn't seem to end?

Even though God isn't mentioned in the text we can see his fingerprints all over the story. Our focus on Sunday was on the fact the fact that God is in all the details of life, even in the raging parties. We talked about Him being present even when it doesn't appear that he got an invitation. He uses the ordinary things of life to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. Too often we look for God in the burning bush and we miss him working in the lives of those who don't love Him.

Our community knows how God uses the horrible things in life for His good. We saw God's grace and purposes through the death of several students at Columbine several years ago. We saw God use the actions of boys who apparently didn't love Him for His glory! \

Even when God doesn't seem to be present...HE IS! God is using the King's partying and the dismissal of his wife as Queen to set the stage for Esther. God is taking a man who wants to display the vast wealth of his kingdom and the slendor of his majesty throughout the land and making him subject to the real King whose majesty is beyond compare.

We closed with a quote from Bono's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. Even though Esther 1 wasn't the text he spoke on, he echoed the message of Esther 1 as he talked about the heart of God being in the everyday horrors of some people's lives as it relates to the aids crisis,

"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house… God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives… God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war… God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. 'If you remove the yolk from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom with become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places'"

There is no question for most of us that God is with us when we feel Him during the good times, but we must not forget that He is just as present with us when we don't feel Him or see Him. He is right there in the midst of our loneliness, our pain, our disappointment. He is working all things together for His good!

He's right in the middle of a book of the Bible where His name isn't mentioned!

I can't wait for Esther 2!

Seth Godin Makes Me Think

I don't know who turned me on to Seth and his work but I am grateful for the recommendation! Seth makes me think. His work has been mainly read (I am assuming) by those in the business world, but I am finding that his work is making me a better leader in the church! Thanks Seth! I am reading two of his books right now that I will talk about in another blog!

Here's an example! His blog, a link over to the right on my blog list, and one that I read each day, got me thinking with this POST and then THIS POST which is part 2!

He made me think about how well do I hear, listen and act with those that I lead and serve in our ministry when they are talking with me.

I am wondering if I have make it possible for those surrounding me to know that I will hear what they are saying, listen to what they are saying and then act on what they are saying. I hope I am not like the dude at Eata Pita

The Dancing Trombone DUDE!!

A big thanks to my brother-in-law Jason for sending me this link from the Steve Harvey Show.

The Dancing Trombone Dude!

This clip just makes me want to get DOWN!!!!!

It reminds me of my sister-in-laws husband Chris!

Esther - 1

This week our high school ministry will start our study of Esther. As we head out of Romans 8 I can think of no better Old Testament book to study to make Romans 8:28 come alive, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Here's where we start with Esther.

- Nothing to connect it to the OT except the word Jews.
- No mention of God’s divine name Yahweh or Elohim.
- No prayer.
- No visions.
- No concern for the law of God.No miracles.

So why teach the book? First, Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Every week we open this story we are going to find HOPE!

Second, to hammer into my heart and the hearts of our students that God often uses the ordinary to accomplish His extraordinary plans and purposes in our lives, in our families, in our communities and in our nations. To often we look for God in the burning bush experiences of life and we miss him working through a conversation, a sunset, bad choices, impure motives...you name it!

God may not be mentioned by name, but He is the STAR of the story! I am hoping that the very fact that God's name isn't mentioned will turn our students hearts to His work in their lives when He doesn't seem present! More to come...

Bono at the National Prayer Breakfast

On February 2nd Bono spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast. I would of had no clue had Tim not told me! Thanks Tim.

I really enjoyed reading the transcript and I felt like he had some things to say that I needed to hear. Here are some of his thoughts.

"One of the things that I picked up from my father and my mother was the sense that religion often gets in the way of God."

"Seeing what religious people, in the name of God, did to my native land… and in this country, seeing God's second-hand car salesmen on the cable TV channels, offering indulgences for cash… in fact, all over the world, seeing the self-righteousness roll down like a mighty stream from certain corners of the religious establishment…I must confess, I changed the channel. I wanted my MTV."

"I'd always read the Scriptures, even the obscure stuff. There it was in Leviticus (25:35)…"

Speaking about AIDS, "The church was slow but the church got busy on this the leprosy of our age. Love was on the move. Mercy was on the move. God was on the move."

"When churches started demonstrating on debt, governments listened—and acted. When churches starting organising, petitioning, and even—that most unholy of acts today, God forbid, lobbying… on AIDS and global health, governments listened—and acted.
I'm here today in all humility to say: you changed minds; you changed policy; you changed the world."

"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house… God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives… God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war… God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. 'If you remove the yolk from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom with become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places'"

A Sad Day....yesterday!

It's the end of football until the draft! Who cares about the Pro Bowl? I am excited to see what the Broncos do in the draft and who they pick up in free agency!

A sad day...no more REAL football until September! I guess I will have to resort to playing football on my Xbox!

Is the baby done?

This morning we were reminded by Josiah that our 3rd child is almost here! He looked up at Julie this morning, patted her tummy and said, "Baby almost done!"

We can hardly wait to welcome our third child into the world! We are so excited to find out whether it's a boy or a girl! The excitment of not knowing the sex of this child has created a lot of great conversations and we are both so excited to welcome our 3rd son into the world, or our first princess!

As far as names go...we don't have any! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Clean - Romans 8:31-39

This week we are finishing our series on Romans 8. Specifically we are looking at verses 31-39.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Great thoughts as we head into the weekend. God is the answer to every question posed and all of it leads to the unbelievable truth that nothing will seperate those who have been made clean from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A Super Super Bowl Story

Apparently there is a story worth mentioning from Media Day yesterday at Super Bowl XL!

Mike Holmgren's wife and one of their daughters is missing the game! Can you believe it? They are going to be serving in a medical mission in Africa and were given a satellite phone to call Mike when the game is over to find out if his team won the game!

What a great story! What a great reminder! A reminder that on Sunday when most of us are scrambling to get our dips made and the food ready before kickoff there are people who are serving around the world and meeting the real needs of humanity.

How hard would it be for a company advertising on Sunday to take a million out of their commercial budget and send it with Kathy and her daughter? This is a great story line and a great reminder to all of us that Sunday's game in the grand scheme of life is extremely meaningless. Let's take some time at kick off to pray for Kathy and those we know serving that day halfway across the world and making a difference one person at a time!

Article by Don Banks of Sports Illustrated - "Fantastic Journeys"

Clean - Romans 8

This week I finish teaching on Romans 8. I need to first say that it has been a tremendous privilege to teach on what a lot of scholars call one of the greatest chapters in all of the Bible. I know I didn't do it justice, but my hope and prayer is that our students would start to grasp that in Jesus Christ they are clean. There is no condemnation for those students who are in Christ! Here are a couple of other things that stick out.

First, those who are clean are adopted into the family of God. We can cry out "Abba" to our God who is our daddy. I know what it means to adopt and child and I know what it means to be an adopted child. I am my son's daddy. Larry is my daddy. Noah has my last name. I have my dad's last name. I know this is elementary and I think that is one of the points. God loves me as His child. He wants to be in such an intimate relationship with me that I can call him Daddy! This God that takes down Kings and raises them up has made it possible for us to call him Abba!

Second, that if we want to share in Christ's glory then we need to share in His sufferings. When I came across this text I froze. How can I call upper-middle-class students to suffer for Christ? How can I teach them that suffering isn't just an outcome of following Christ, it's part of the plan? We are to follow Him...to Calvary! And it is through suffering that my faith in Christ strengthens, not when everything is going great. To many students think God is most present with them when they are doing great and that He has left them when they feel horrible. But this text challenges us that God is SO PRESENT with us that Spirit intercedes for us with words that we can't express!

More to come...

Terrell Owens in Denver

He was in Denver yesterday meeting with the Broncos! Apparently he lost my cell phone number because I didn't get a call to grab some Starbucks and talk about life and how he can make this season all about HIM and not about him!

Oh well!

I agree with one of local talk show hosts who says T.O. will be a model teammate for one year because he knows this is his last chance. If he comes to Denver it puts them at least equal to the Colts as the best team in the league next year.

My buddy Tim thinks the Broncos clubhouse could handle T.O. because of their closeness and what's expected of each player on that team.

I can still remember John Lynch coming to Denver and he was thrilled to be a part of what he called "a classy organization."

I say come to Denver T.O. There is a house right down the street for $249k. Just grab your check book and cut the check. What's more, we have some great people in our neighborhood that bleed orange and sweat blue so you will feel loved.

Winter Retreat @ Crooked Creek 2006

Here's an overview of the weekend!

- Snow, Snow, Snow! I have never seen that much snow in Winter Park/Fraser.
- Foolish Things did a good job of leading us to focus on God during our sessions.
- Doug Herman balanced humor and depth to speak to our students.
- SGC took the basketball tournament in a landslide. Two SGC teams played each other for the title.
- We didn't win the dodgeball tournament.
- The food was exceptional.
- Our senior dinner was a lot of fun, but the Mexican food killed us on Sunday morning!
- The Hot Tub was a hit!
- We missed Julie! She was at home because of her pregnancy and the boys were sick!
- Our Saturday night large group time as a high school ministry was filled with authenticity.
- Our senior guys did a great job of honoring our senior girls on Saturday night.
- Our senior girls gave all the girls that attended at high school survival kit!
- I had the privilege to pray over the senior girls.
- All the male staff joined me as we laid hands on the senior men and prayed for them.
- We used clips from Chariots of Fire throughout the weekend to highlight our theme of running the race. The clips were awesome!
- The drive home was slow until we got to 1-70 due to all the snow!
- Our t-shirts were long sleeve, dark brown, with the picture of an olive oil bottle with the words "Don't be afraid" underneath it. Our shirt design was taken from our series in Elijah this past fall. The design came from the first story of Elijah with the widow at Zarapheth. I will blog more on this later.
- I am continuously amazed at how God uses these weekends to shape the spiritual lives of our students!
- I thank God for my staff that gave up their weekends to serve alongside me!

Broncos vs. Steelers - 2

Well it's Friday and I thought I would post something of substance about the Broncos game. First, I wanted to produce a picture. Second, I want to comment on the Steelers converting on 3rd down. The thing that killed me all day was seeing our defense put the Steelers in 3rd and long situations only to have them convert. Props to Big Ben. Also, the Broncos got a little taste of what the Patriots experienced last week in the turnover department.

I am excited for next year. And for the record, I am a HUGE JAKE PLUMMER FAN!!!!

The Trouble with Boys

Newsweek ran an article that is worth a read on the state of boys in the educational system and how they are lacking behind. It also provides some interesting insights that are worth discussing in my opinion.

The Trouble with Boys - Newsweek

For example, it's fascinating how so many boys are more likely to be treated with medicine so early in life because there parents can't get control of them. One lady is taking her 3 year old in for ADHD tests and want her kid on medicine because he is out of control.

It would be interesting to talk more about how the medical industry could be potentially hurting the family by treating the child with medicine first instead of teaching the parents to discipline. I know some children do truly need medicine, but I think a lot of them need a time out and a clear message that the family does not revolve around them. Thoughts?

Winter Retreat 2006

This week has literally been a race to get all the things done that need to be completed to get this retreat off the ground. Our retreat this year is centered around the theme "The Race." We are using 1 Cor. 9:24-26 as our text for the four messages that will be delivered by Doug Herman. We are using the theme in light of the Olympics that will start in February. Foolish Things will be leading our music and prayer throughout the weekend.

We are going to Crooked Creek Ranch and there will be plenty of broom ball to be played, not to mention fitting 100 students in a hot tub!

I am excited about the other nine churches that are partnering with us this weekend! Our four messages are as follows:

Friday Night - Run with Purpose - "Run in such a win as to get the prize, Not aimlessly"
Saturday Morning - Run with Perpetration - "Everyone who runs with strict training"
Saturday Night - Run with Perseverance - "I beat my body, and make it my slave, so that I will not be disqualified"
Sunday Morning - Run with Passion - "Run with reckless abandonment"

My prayer for each student this weekend is Psalm 119:18!

Black Monday in Denver

John was there. I was there with over 76,000 other people.

Today I wore black!

John's expression is priceless.

The picture of Jake says it all.








It has been a long day today.

Go AFC in the Super Bowl. Keep it in the conference!

I will write more about this game throughout the week.

The Day Before the Broncos Game!

On the eve of the big game Julie is starting to get really sick. She is the wedding coordinator today for a big wedding at the church! We will see how she is feeling in the morning! She is struggling with her breathing and her cough has come back.

We are going to the wedding and then the reception. Off to church in the morning and then we are heading straight to the game!

About the game, what is cracking me up about this game from a national media perspective is that the Broncos are picked to lose! I am pretty sure that when they win the Super Bowl everyone will say the teams they played gave it to them!

Go Broncos!

The Barrel Man

The most famous fan in the history of the NFL was right in front of me today as I was checking out at Safeway! He and his wife was dressed in full Broncos garb and was pumped for the game! How epic is that? I almost shed a tear!

Tim and his wife attend our church plant Mosaic. My youth pastor had the privilege of performing their wedding ceremony. It was a tailgate and yes, he wore a barrel! A black one!

I am grateful for this fan club having a picture of Tim and his wife on the net!

GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broncos vs. Steelers

It's football Friday here in Denver, CO! Julie and I are going to the game with my sister and her husband! Julie will be sitting on the 25 yard-line, row 1, seat 1! Not bad eh? My sister will be joining her in seat 2 and Jason and I will be up in section 318!

It's time for the prediction - Broncos 31, Steelers 21. I just don't think the Broncos can lose at home! They have had a normal week of practice. The faced a similar defense last week. They are healthy. It's Jake's year! Looking like 43 degrees for the game!

I can't wait for Broncos Country to invade Detroit.

If the Broncos win, I am considering shaving my goatee off and letting a beard grow until the Super Bowl. I haven't shaved my tee since 1997! What do you think?

Melo vs. Lebron

Last night was another reason to have hope for the future of the NBA. Lebron came to town and had it out with Melo. The Nugs won. Lebron was one assist short of a triple-double. It was interesting to watch Lebron pass on a last second three pointer. You could see the despair in his face. While the camera was on him you could see him mouth the words, "I was wide open!"

These two guys, along with Wade and others give me hope that the NBA will be something again, like it was in the 80's and the early 90's!

24 Season Premiere

We had a great time watching the 4 hour season premiere this week! The Hodges, Lord's, Will, Julie and Jen were all with us for 4 unbelievable hours. We had 24 on DVR and then at 7:30 started it with all the kids upstairs watching a movie in our bedroom.

I thought they did a good job of weaving Jack back into this season. When Palmer was shot we all gasped and I fell off the couch. Good to see Chloe is back! We love imitating her during the show. We all love Edgar!

Good to see Frodo's buddy come on board. I loved how they made him the hero figuring out Jack's use of the phrase "flank 2 position."

Tony and Michelle and the explosion was believable. I liked how Chloe found out about Michelle right before she put her key in the door.

Good scene between Jack and Palmer's brother.

The President is such a spaz. Nobody likes him. It's interesting that one of the things that made this show strong the last four seasons was Palmer. Now they have an idiot in the office. I really like his wife's character and I like how they are using her "illness" as a barrier for her getting her husband information.

I also liked the whole airport scene!

This is my favorite show on T.V.

I can't wait for Monday night at 8:00 p.m.!

What's Your Dream?

Is it big enough to leave a legacy?

I thank God for Martin Luther King's example.

Broncos vs. Patriots

Broncos 27 - Patriots 13

I am stating the obvious - the game was amazing and going to it was even better! A few takes...

First, the stadium was extremely loud! My wife is the loudest whistler I know. I couldn't hear her!

Second, Champ's interception return ended in our endzone and I have to give props to Chris for the review information. When he hit the fifty yard line it was mayhem! I thought I was going to tear my other ACL as I was jumping around hugging big fat guys who smelled like the Coors Brewery Tour Guide and hoping on one leg as high as I could!

Third, the tailgate was awesome! Check out this guy who wandered around our tailgate! He was hammered! I took this picture during the time the Broncos Stampede came by and played for about 10 minutes!

We had deep fried chicken and french fries. The french fries were fried in oil that had sea salt added to it! They were incredible! Not to mention the smoked Salmon! My friend Frank Scardina stopped by!

The best part of the night was hanging with Julie! We had a great time!

Oh, btw, I am going this up and coming Sunday to the game! My senior pastor caught me in the hallway today and asked me to close the last service on Sunday! I respectfully declined! He laughed and said, "I would never do that to you!"

The Joys of Being a Red Head

I have been meaning to post this for some time! I spoke at a high school retreat this past year and met Hannah, a senior who is a red head. Her youth pastor sent me a paper she wrote and I had to share it with you because it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Hannah!

The Joys of Being a RedheadBy: Hannah Middlebrook

You would think being a redhead is easy. We are like any other person right? Well you are wrong. How would you like it if whenever you meet new people their very first question is, "so uh…do all redheads really have tempers?" That question infuriates me! Just because my hair is one color does not mean it seeps into my brain and makes me an angry person. I just want to punch anyone that asks me that! I mean do people honestly look at me and say "wow sure don't want to be her friend, she has red hair, must have a temper." No, I am a kind; caring, gentle hearted person and anyone who would like to differ can meet my fist. Redheads have always had it tough though. If I were born 200 years ago, I would be burned at the stake as a witch!

Being a redhead is simply not easy. I cannot go anywhere without people stopping me and wanting to know what bottle I used to dye my hair with. My "favorite" thing people do to me though is petting my head. Can you believe that absolute strangers will pet my head?! No joke. Standing in a line is the absolute worst place. I will be minding my own business when all of a sudden I feel an unknown object in my hair. Who knows where the hand has been? What makes you think you can walk up to a complete stranger and pet them? You would think that they are kids or some cute elderly person, but no it is some 45-year-old lady going through a mid-life crisis stroking my head! Honestly why would you do this? What possesses a person to do this?! But because I am such a nice girl, without a temper, I smile and turn back around praying the line will move faster.

Most of the time I meet people that stalkishly love my hair, but not always. I have had a woman actually cross the street to yell at me for being born with red hair, when she had been spending hundreds of dollars to match what I have. What am I supposed to say? Is she complementing me or threatening to kill me? I usually smile and say, "Sorry, would you like a psychiatrist's number?" The lady snarls at this and I take the signal to run! Another joy of being a redhead is that because I have red hair I must be related to every redhead in the school. I am often asked if my twin is a girl named Hilary. I try to be patient with these poor little fools. Politely I say, "no just friends." But inside I am thinking, "who the girl that is five inches taller than me with blue eyes?! I do not look anything like her!" There are many life lessons I have learned from being a redhead. Some being, I must be patient, caring, and attentive.

Often I find myself in a store, on the street, even in a public bathroom talking to an elderly lady telling me how her sister's husband's cousin's best friend had the exact same color as me. It can be hard to listen to when I desperately have to pee and I am the next one in line and the stall opens and I look over at the lady and she is still going strong telling me about how her dog actually had my color of hair and it is at these points I could just scream, " I am sorry but I really don't care!" And I really do care, because apparently talking about hair color makes people happy, so I try to listen to everything they say as people pass me to go into the stall and I have to dance while listening. Finally the lady notices the pain on my face and embarrassedly exclaims, " Oh sorry you have to pee, go ahead." Of course at this point the empty stall is now filled. Some redheads hate the color of their hair. They can't handle the never-ending torture or simply can't take the names carrot top, tomato head, lion girl, or the hilarious joke, "excuse me do you know your head is on fire?" In all seriousness though, I absolutely love my hair. I would not change it for anything.

It is a great conversation starter, I am unique and I meet tons of new people everyday. Yeah, on a bad day it is frustrating to not be able to walk in a store, buy milk and get out without talking to anyone. But you know I figure its worth it when an old woman can tell me how handsome her redheaded husband was, or how her children have hair just like me. To see their faces smile, remembering old memories long gone actually make all the strange pettings worth it. I feel honored that I can make someone's day better just because God blessed me with red hair.

Broncos - Playoff - 4

In a little over 25 hours from now I will be sitting in section 318 stomping my one good leg and screaming my head off. I will have my lovely wife next to me and some of dad's good friends sitting right next to me.

I will look over about 5 sections and my dad and I will wave to each other and it will begin, the first playoff game at Invesco Field.

This isn't my first playoff game. The last playoff game I went to was the AFC Championship game with against the Jets.

So it's football Friday and it's time to make my predictions for the game. Broncos 27 - Patriots 23. There is no way we are going to lose this game. I am not overstating this when I say that the stadium is going to be so loud I don't expect to hear myself yelling! Go Broncos!

Snow in Summit County Colorado

There is so much snow in Summit County right now that the parking lots can't handle it! They are literally loading snow in trucks and taking it somewhere else!

There is record snow in our mountains and I am in rehab. Figures! If you haven't planned your trip to Breckenridge, Keystone, A Basin, Vail or Steamboat, due it today!

Leading a small group

This semester I am taking over the leadership of one of our i2i groups. Jimmy, their leader, was offered a job that he couldn't pass up and it requires traveling to California weekly. With no adult males in our church to assume the role I stepped in. Last night was our first night together. We were missing a few of our guys but for those who were there we had a great time.

I haven't been an official leader of a group since I was shepherding the middle school. Last night reminded why I believe so strongly in making small group ministry a part of what we are doing in our high school ministry.

On Wednesdays I want our leaders to be thinking about these four elements: Word, Worship/Prayer, Fellowship & Outreach. Last night we focused on the first three.

We focused on what it means to be strong and courageous men out of Joshua 1. We had a great time of fellowship (high and low's over the break), and a time of prayer. I am looking forward to next week.

Broncos - Playoff - 3

So the big game is just a little more than 2 days away! Julie and I are getting pumped for the game! We are dropping our kids off at Nana's and planning on being down at the stadium by 3:00 p.m. This morning Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs was on the Hot Seat on ESPN and picked the Broncos to win the Super Bowl!!!!!!!!

That's right! It isn't just the Broncos fans that think this team is special, it's the players who have played against them. Tony played both the Broncos and the Patriots this season and he said, "The Broncos playing at home at Invesco...the Broncos!"

Colorado Avalanche - 1

I love living in this town with the Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies (1994) and the Avalanche! I have to start talking about my Avs! First, they had a tough off-season losing Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg! We fell in love with this team as they won the Stanley Cup right before we got married in 96! We have been hooked from that day on!!!!!!!!!

I have to start talking about Marek Svatos and him being the MVP for the Avalanche!!!!!!!! He has had two hat tricks this season and is leading all rookies in goals! Give up for our rookie from the Czech Republic.

Up and Coming Weekend!!!!!

Did I mention what my weekend looks like?

Friday - day off with my wife and kids!
Saturday - Future Focus with our juniors and seniors and THE BRONCOS GAME that night!
Sunday - Teach out of Romans, watch NFL football, Alice Robbins goodbye party before she leaves for Poland and the 2 HOUR season PREMIERE of 24.

It just doesn't get much better for a weekend in January!

Yelling at My Sons

The older my boys get the worst is starting to come out of me when it comes to parenting, mainly, yelling at my kids. I have been aware of it over the last couple of years but when I yelled at Josiah the other night I knew I had to start working on this horrible weakness. I've read articles, been challenged by Bible verses about dealing with anger, etc... and they have prompted me to feel guilty, but I haven't changed.

I can't even remember what JT did, but I remember what I said and how he responded.

After I yelled at him he stopped what he was doing. But then he dropped his head, sprouted the pouty lip and sunk to the ground in despair. He started crying. I stood there numb. Time stood still. Tons of thoughts flooding my mind. Not enough time to share it today, but the point of this entry is to say I am grateful Josiah gave me a hug after I apologized and I am grateful that the grace of God is working in my heart and I am looking forward to growing in this area in 2006.