rob

Packing Day!

Tuesday: close on house
Wednesday - Friday: paint and a few minor projects on house
Saturday: move in!

Today: pack...

Marketing...

Some stuff sticks because it's cool:

And some stuff sticks because it's annoying:

Thanks McDonald's...

Relevant?

Carlos Whittaker wrote this a few days ago and I've been thinking a lot about it.

I think we are asking the wrong question when we ask if the church is “relevant”.
Screw relevant.
People are done with relevant.
Seriously.
We are in a time a place where the world is waiting for an answer of Hope.
And I can promise you this.
Hope is not being sought after in relevance.
Hope is being sought after in real relationships.
So when you sit down in your next creative meeting, elder meeting, sermon planning meeting…
Do you’re community a favor and don’t ask how you can make your next series or concept relevant.
Instead ask how you can make your members and staff relational and real.

I just keep wondering whether or not the tail (relevance) is wagging the dog (drawing people toward Jesus).  I have this constant temptation to do things to create a buzz, grow numbers, and make it look like we are the greatest youth ministry out there.  When really we are being called to help students take steps on their spiritual journey.  But sometimes "relevant" things help.  But sometimes they are just gimmicks.

My head hurts.

Feel Like Laughing?

I know, I know...you typically skip past the videos people show on their blogs.  But seriously, watch this...it's really funny.  I went to college with the guy on the left.



Introducing Catalyst West Emcees from Catalyst on Vimeo.

Tripp Crosby and Tyler Stanton aren't your typical emcees. Their hilarious take on life and shameless antics with strangers will leave you shaking your head. By day, Tripp runs Green Tricycle Films and has produced many of the hilarious videos you may have seen at Catalyst. Tyler is an area director for Young Life in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Together with friends, they created the comedy troop "Don't Be That Guy," and they're bringing their unusual "color commentary" to Catalyst west.

VICTORY!

Adam and Rob versus Jon and Kim.  Adam and Rob gets the "W"

Running around the noggin

• I don't care about most of the teams in the NCAA tournament...but I can't stop watching. 
• Mortgage companies drive me crazy.
• I get to shoot pucks into a goal tonight at the St. Louis Bandits game!
• I must win this little puck shoot out.
• We close on our house in just over a week.
• We haven't started packing at all.
• Today is Randall's birthday - he's a good friend.
• Today is the first day of Spring.
• I think I get to go on a date with my wife tomorrow!
• We should bring back "your mom" jokes.  When tastefully done they are funny.

Philippians 4:6-7

I haven't slept well lately.  I have been worried.  I have been anxious.  Not the, I should probably see someone about this, kind of anxiety.  More like the, I need to find myself at the feet of Jesus, kind of anxiety.  I love it when I can sense Him calling me near.

This is my prayer....

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Photo in need of a caption...

Comment your caption and win!

Rob's Public Library

The Kindle 2 would greatly help in this predicament I am in.  I would like to purchase and read the following books (this does not include the ones waiting to be read on my book shelf).

•    The Principle of The Path – Andy Stanley
•    Flickering Pixels – Shane Hipps
•    Killing Cockroaches – Tony Morgan
•    Getting Things Done – David Allen
•    Missional Renaissance – Reggie McNeal
•    Axiom – Bill Hybels
•    Mad Church Disease – Anne Jackson
•    Crazy Love – Francis Chan

Total cost for books - $98.24
Total cost for Kindle downloads - $78.92 (including book price for 2 items not available on Kindle yet)

hmmmm....maybe I should just start with the ones on my bookshelf.

Tanning Beds and Yoga

I remember when tanning beds came roaring onto the scene.  It was the biggest rage to go lay in a tanning bed and get a tan in the middle of January.  The most interesting thing started happening though, people started to freak out about these little personal human ovens.  Or so they thought.  There were rumors flying everywhere that people were actually cooking their insides and dying because of tanning bed use.  Now, obviously there are still some concerns with tanning bed usage. But to my knowledge, no one has been cooked alive yet.

Or how about yoga?  Remember in the Christian world when yoga was the latest cult religion that everyone MUST stay away from.  The claim was that you cannot be a Christian and also do yoga.  Yoga was evil and opened the door to meditation and a spiritual world that should be avoided at all costs.  Again, obviously there are types of new age meditative yoga that as followers of Jesus we shouldn't be involved in.  Other than that it seems as if yoga is now a pretty normal, accepted part of many Christian's lives.

So why is it that we are so scared of things that are different and new?  Why do we run from things that we aren't familiar with and hide behind Christianity? In a conversation I had this week someone said that when we find truth, no matter where we find it, we should continue to move towards it.  Because just on the other side of it we will find Jesus.

And seriously, where would we be today if it weren't for tanning beds and yoga?