New Everything!

So I tried getting back into blogging back in the summer and thought it would stick, but alas it didn't. So I am trying something new. A lot of people just blog to blog. They just write about their life, what they like, what they are up to, day to day stuff. I have figured out I cannot do this. I may, very rarely, just write about my life, because I believe over the next few months there will be life happening, that I may want to write about. But here is my new Blog Gimmick: I will do something new, that I have never done, at least once a week and write on it. Boo-YA! I doubt this is original in the realm of blogs. But I don't know anyone who does this. I know people who wear a new t-shirt, or do a new design, but I am expanding it to doing ANYTHING NEW. So some weeks I may do something new and amazing like skydive. Other weeks I may just try a new food of some sort. I have started thinking over the last couple weeks what I could write about and these were the new things that have happened: I installed a front door. (pretty proud of that one) I tried beef tongue tacos (didn't really enjoy it, but it was a new experience).
Here is my reasoning for doing this. Life is filled with things I have no idea about. God has created an entire world and I don't believe he made me to just enjoy a little bit of it. I already have a passion for trying new things, especially food. Those who know me well, know that most of the time when I go out to restaurants I don't order the usual (whatever that might be), I want to experience something new. So now my life will hopefully try and reflect that. Because I don't want to live a life that has no adventure, no excitement, no wonder. I want to drink from the cup of creation. Check that, I want to chug the cup. Just thinking about all the new things God will teach me, and show me, and the new ways I will learn who He is, and how find Him in everything I do gets me excited.
My new theme verse that I have adopted over the last 6 months or so is 2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come!"
So, I challenge you. Do something new. Be someone new. Allow God to transform you through His creation. Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 
Lamentations 3:22-23

Your Calling

I was very challenged and encouraged by a lunch I had with one of my college friends yesterday. We are both in Youth Ministry and he recently accepted a job at a church in Omaha so we were trying to catch up before he moves next week. I consider him to be somewhat of a youth ministry role model. Everytime we meet I can see his passion and thirst to learn and connect in ministry. In other words, this guy is doing ministry the right way.
I shared with him that the past year or so when I think about my role in ministry, I feel inadequate to serve at a place other than FPC where I am now. I have somehow convinced myself that my experience here wouldn't translate to another church and I wouldn't have much to offer them. I guess I have a pretty low view of myself as a youth pastor. In telling him that, I also mentioned that I wasn't sure if I wanted to work at another church after this. I guess I my main fear is that I will be found out that I am a really good faker. I don't have it nearly as together as I try and make it look like I do. And I have developed bad habits and routines that I know aren't healthy in a growing ministry. In other words, I can be lazy.
But what he told me was both encouraging and a wake up call. He just said that "you can't let those things, those fears and feelings, get in the way of your calling." He talked about Jonah, and how he ran from what God was calling him to do, and it not only affected him, but it affected the people on the boat with him.
I have been wrestling with this statement for the last 24 hrs and for some reason it is difficult to put my mind around. My Calling. Its just tough to define what i feel my calling is. I remember feeling called to be in ministry. But I never felt I was called to something specific. But I guess what I am realizing is that because of my gifts God has given me, I have to be willing to serve and answer the calling no matter what kind of ministry I am called to, instead of letting my fear of inadequacy keep me from fullfulling what God has made me for.
My challenge to any of you is what are the things that are getting in the way of what God has called you to? There are 2 ways of looking at that. 1, you are called to a specific role or job in this world. Maybe God called you to be a dentist, or a accountant or a baker. Whatever. Maybe you were just called to be a helper and whatever job enables you to do that, you are fulfilling your calling. The other way to look at it, which I think is universal to all Christ Followers is that we are called to do specific things. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for orphans and widows, go and make disciples, be the Hands and Feet of Jesus. We are all called to do that if we have accepted Christ. But what things have gotten in the way of our calling? Our desire to please ourselves first? Our busy schedules? Our lack of concern? Our friends? Families? What is it that is keeping you from your calling to be Jesus to those who need Him?

Summer Goals

Today is June 1st and summer is in full swing. I have been waiting for summer since it dropped below 50 degrees several months ago. Now that it is here I am starting to look at my calendar and hope that I have time to enjoy it. Around the 1st of March I started making a list of summer goals. Things I wanted to do, to live, to be about, this summer. So I wanted to share that list in hopes of inspiring anyone else who is reading this (anyone?) to do something this summer. I realized while looking at the list that there are a lot of things on this list. So I am going to put down a top 10 of the things I really want to happen this summer and then the rest will kind of just be add ons for what I hope to do. Some things are big adventures, some are small little adjustments, and others are just life changes I want to make. Enjoy.

1. Solo Camping Trip - Just for a day or two I want to go out into nature and just be one on one with it. 

2. Have a meal with a homeless person - After reading Under The Overpass, I am inspired to do more of this kind of stuff. 

3. Go Cliff Jumping - I don't know where to go. But this sounds like a blast.

4. Go to more concerts - I think it would be great to go to some concerts of bands I have never heard of, and also attend a hip hop concert. Even if I stick out like a white guy at a hip hop concert. 

5. Take my wife on a random adventure - Not sure what this would be, maybe just an afternoon or maybe a day or two spontaneous vacation.

6. Be Missional - This could mean a lot of things, but I would like to start serving those in need somehow, be it at a rescue mission or just on my own. 

7. Scream at the Top of my lungs - I'm sure this will feel really great.

8. Start Mountain Biking - I bought a good mountain bike, now I have to use it for what it was built for. 

9. Make new friends - I don't mean make new acquaintances. I want to develop some honest friendships. 

10. Picnics with my wife - I really just want to spend my entire summer spending time with her. But its good to have a plan of something to do together. Maybe that will be my next list.

Here are some of the other things I have on my list. Some of them may not make sense or they may seem silly, but i don't care. So there.

Read More, Start writing a story, start living a story, live dangerously, take some chances, Try something I don't think I can do, go fishing, spend a night on the streets with the homeless, choose a masters program, run 10 miles in one outing, get a tan, start conversations with complete strangers, take a nap outside in the grass, be at peace in nature, watch less tv, sell the tv, reconnect with old friends, learn some new songs on guitar, start playing piano, make money doing a job that is tough, start doing yoga, put a list of original songs together.

As you can see they are all pretty random, but I think they are all good. Feel free if you see me to say, have you been doing these things? And if you live close by, feel free to join me in some of them. I hope that you will also make the most out of your summer. 

Finding what has been LOST

Who knows if anyone still reads this blog. If you comment on this blog I'll give you a hug just so I know someone is reading. But anyway...

Now that LOST is over I find myself reflecting on the show. I know a lot of people didn't like the ending. I haven't decided if I liked it or not. I don't think I disliked it. But I did want to share one thing that I got out of it. Despite the fact that many questions went unanswered, i find that there is a message in the background that if we are too concerned with getting answers we will miss. I love that the culmination of LOST ended with all of the survivors coming together. I don't know what kind of spiritual message they were trying to send out. Had they been in purgatory, are the going to heaven, I don't know. But what I found to be revelatory was that in the end, they needed each other. What a wonderful message for our society today. I watched the 2 hour pre-finale, with the narration from the characters and one thing they mentioned was how diverse the cast was. All different nationalities and backgrounds. But they all came together for one purpose. And I feel that was the message of the show. Much like Jack's famous line (Either we live together or we die alone) this ended up being the underlining message that I hadn't even realized until the end.

We are people who need other people. The things that we go through in life have a profound impact on us and they are meant to be shared by others. Whether or not LOST was trying to do this, they have illustrated what i believe part of our calling on this earth is; to do life with others.

This has challenged me to start to open myself up to others. If I could be one character from LOST it would be Hurley, because he was the one who brought others together. I would love to have that gift. And I hope that when the end comes as it did for the survivors of Oceanic 815, i find myself with the people I love as we enter into the gates of heaven, knowing that each person played a significant part in another persons life.

Favorite Music

I have returned from my slumber. But rest assured there will still be plenty of naps taken. So don't get too used to this. I am just not as committed as Some People to this blog thing. But look at me, I'm already adding hyperlinks. Guess I am shaking the rust off quickly. My Cuz-in-law Abby (click on "some" above) put up her fave bands so I thought I would attempt to do the same. Not because I think mine are better, but as I read her list I discovered a new band that I like, so maybe that will happen to you too. As I scanned my itunes what my favorites are, I felt compassion for the bands that just a couple years ago would have been at the top of the list that might not make it on, so chances are these bands will change before long. Here ya go.

MuteMath - I feel a sense of commitment here. I was there at the beginning and although I don't listen to them as much as I used to, I have to call them my favorite.

William Fitzsimmons

Jon Foreman

David Crowder Band

Bon Iver

Needtobreathe

Sufjan Stevens

Joshua James

GirlTalk

Hillsong United

Thats my most recent playlist. Enjoy. Hope you read me again soon. Summer can't come soon enough.

Bus Driver!

So I was thinking I needed to post something, but didn't have too much to post on other than the normal things that occupy my life like disc golf, some new music, and life in general. But there is something that is new that is blog worthy. I am now a School Bus Driver! Well, not officially, but I am darn close. I started my training Oct 26, and was in a classroom from 7am-3pm M-F. Not fun. Maybe this is why I have not pursued any higher education, because I am not made to sit in a classroom. But I passed all the tests and quizzes with flying colors. In fact, I passed my CDL (Commercial Driver's License) permit test the first time I took it. This is important because you actually get 4 tries to take the test. There were 3 different Parts that you had to pass, about 90 questions total. And most people need at least 2 times. But not me. So I got that done, and this week I am doing my behind the wheel training. I have been out 2 days. I have to get 15 hours behind the wheel and then I will go take the physical driving test and once I pass that I get my own bus route. Not exactly monumental in the chain of life experiences, but it will add some much needed flow into the wallet. So that is my latest adventure. That, and I am back on a diet. Hopefully I lose a butt load of weight and win my bet with Brad and Dave. Wish me luck :)

My Consensus on the Music I mentioned before

So I had mentioned a while ago that I bought some new music for our mexico trip. So I am going to give my ratings.

Bell X1 - Blue Lights on the Runway - 6.5/10 - It has some catchy Songs but not something I desire to listen to that often.

Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything to Nothing - 8/10 - I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. It was more rock than the others I got, but it was still complex and fun to listen to. One of my favorites for sure.

MuteMath - Elevator Music - 7.5/10 Just Great Worship music. Done by an great band.

The National - Boxer - 9/10 - My favorite of the list. Its quality music, the guy has a really good low voice which you don't hear very often. Its just all around good stuff. If you like Folk with a little edge this is right up your alley.

The Passion Pit - Manners - 7.5 - Really fun to listen too, but after one time through you are kind of done with it for a while. Its catchy, upbeat, much like MGMT. The singers voice is different and starts to kind of wear on you after a while.

Pheonix - Wolfgang Amadeus Pheonix - 7/10 - Maybe because there was a lot of hype surrounding this cd, but it just didn't live up to what I was hoping for. Its fun to listen to, but I wouldn't say it will be a regular listen for me.

Swan Lake-Enemy Mile - 4/10 - I gave this cd 1 listen through and decided its just not for me. A bit too weird, or something. Just didn't really enjoy it. Some people might. But I am not one of them.

So there are my reviews of my new music.