hocking hills

here is a link to hocking hills: (http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Parks/parks/hocking.htm).
again i encourage those who don't get outside much to take a day trip or to even brave the great outdoors and go camping. if you don't like to camp they have plenty of cabins available to rent.

the great out doors

crossroads community church is doing a very cool series right now. "iLife" is the name of it and its all about finding God in your ipod. a very cool and new way to think about God in the world today. pastor glenn (my father-in-law, or better yet 'dad') is doing an amazing job connecting with each and every person who comes to visit our church.

for those of you who read my blog and don't attend crossroads please try and join us this coming sunday or the next or the next!!! it doesn't matter when just join us.

this last sunday was "iRest". it was all about how God designed us to rest so that we may be revived and strengthened to start another week proclaiming His name. all through the message i kept thinking of the camping trip angela and i took last friday. though it was very cold and wet i seem to find peace in the great outdoors.

i encourage those who want to find rest and peace with God to go outside. put down the remote, put down the video game controller, put down whatever you are doing and go outside.

lazy?

wow!!! has it really been almost a month since my last blog entry. i guess i'm not as gung-ho about blogging as i thought. or i'm just being lazy. no matter. journaling and blogging has never been that important to me but none-the-less i will continue with this blog site and simply have fun with it.

fearless

i'm not sure how many of you would pick this up but i am a martial arts film fanatic. whether it’s a classic bruce lee film dubbed in english or a brand new jet li or jackie chan film… i love them.

my favorite martial arts actor: jet li

just recently I found that jet li is not going to do any more films!
what’s up with that jet?!

the beard

the beard will soon be off! this has, in the past, been a very sad time for me. almost like i'm finding a new identity all over again. but non-the-less i can't stand having a beard when it's warm outside. it's purely a winter thing to keep my face warm.

so we lift our hats to beards all over the world and say, "thanks beards for keeping our faces warm."

critical condition

(true story)
i overheard a story this morning at one of my two jobs and i immediately saw its hidden truth for believers and non-believers alike. i may have miss heard the reason of accident but none-the-less the truth is still the same.

joe had been experiencing a few severe neck pains all week. the only conclusion he was able to reach is that it must have been that nasty fall he took while attempting to fix some household plumbing. still not sure of why his neck was in such pain he decided to visit his family doctor. joe searched for the right words to describe what the pain was like and the only thing he could jokingly come up with is it felt like it was broken. the doctor gave a light chuckle and sat joe down at the x-ray table to take a closer look for maybe a severe sprain.

as joe sat quietly and calmly on the patients table a nurse ran into the his room instructing him to be as still as possible. she explained that the doctor would be in to give him more details but for now to remain motionless. only moments later the doctor came in and explained that joe’s neck was fractured very badly and to not risk further damage an ambulance would be here shortly to take him to the emergency room.

to give joe a better understanding of how bad the fracture was the doctor told him that anything so much as a sneeze could paralyze him. joe, after that remark, then understood the severity of his condition.

i find this story true in my own life, not with a broken neck, but with the mindset of, “if it’s not broke don’t fix it.” so often i examine myself to come to the conclusion “i’m alright, i don’t need any help.” but really, if i let the Ultimate Examiner, Christ, take a close look into my heart i realize i’m in critical condition like joe.

don’t find yourself in critical condition like joe. let Christ examine your heart as often as possible.

psalm 139

p.s.- my neck has been twitching all day.

willow creek conference

i am such a people watcher by nature. so you could imagine what a conference this size is doing for me. the willow creek conference has been such an inspiraitonal time for myself. i can't believe this many people would come together, under one roof, and praise the Lord like they are and discuss how to make there youth group even better than it already is.

i wish the students of each of these youth groups could see their leaders at this conference. to see them in action. i wish they could see the desire and the passion of their leaders to go back and provide for them like never before. but serving the Lord is never about that right. so many times i myself want to get it across to the students how much effort i'm putting into them or that angela is putting into them. but i dont and i will need God's strength to never do that. i love what i do for each and every student and i often feel that i'm not doing enough.

so my prayer is this: Lord make me selfless. may i find my encouragement and validation in the way you see fit. and what ever i do for You and for the youth help me to give my best and nothing less.