A Crowd of Crowders

My son's latest drawing of the family, all of us with crowders of course, inspired some of todays antics and photos. Notice the one of Kristen (oh, wait... I was threatened with bodily harm if I were to post hers). I tried to convince my kids that having fun as a family like this was actually worship.

I don't know if any of them believed me, especially my daughters :)
Enjoy.

Peace.

World Conqueror?!?!

Unbelievable... decided to teach my kids how to play Risk today since it was kind of rainy outside. Little did I know that a game for ages 10 and up would be won by my five year old in less than 1.5 hours! It came down to the two of us but he whooped me good :)

Today, game champion... tomorrow???

Here are a few more pics of the new World Dominator!












Peace (hopefully :)

The Fray

I've been hearing this song "Over My Head" by The Fray everytime I turn on the radio lately. The song is actually about the strained relationship between the lead singer (Isaac Slade) and his brother and they have been playing it on Shine.fm though they are not a 'Christian' band (in terms of genre). In fact, Christianity Today wrote this regarding an interview with them:

The band avoided Christian record labels, saying God called them to the secular market instead. "I feel he would be disappointed with us if we limited ourselves"...

The article goes on to say that Slade used to write all Christian lyrics until he had an epiphany while working a shift at Starbucks: "None of my friends outside the church understood any of my songs; we had a different set of vocabulary," he says. "So I went home and threw away all those songs." He adds, "If I handed somebody a double grande mocha latte and told them, 'Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,' they might throw it back on me. Slade likens his job to any other. "If you're a painter... Paint well, and if you paint well enough, they might ask you why you do that."

Would what you do, day after day, impact people toward wanting to know Jesus, even if you never told them you were a Christ-follower?

Peace.

Savin' Me

If you haven't seen this video by Nickelback, check it out. It's called Savin' Me. It's a reminder that our time on earth is short and we don't have a second to waste. Lives are at stake!

Enjoy in the format of your choice.

Peace!

Vertigo @ The Orchard

If you weren't at The Orchard last weekend (8/13), you missed an awesome time! Last weekend I had the pleasure of leading worship with a great team of people at Orchard Valley Community Church in Aurora, IL. The team was prepared and filled up with the Spirit and the congregation was alive!

They were finishing up their series called Rockin' The Orchard. Scott Hodge and his team took a hit song from each decade (starting with the 50's) and taught a message based around that song. This last weekend it was the 00's and we performed the U2 hit Vertigo. It was a blast! My friend Chris Bell also spoke there this last weekend and did a fantastic job. It was like old times working together again!

I just wanted to give a shout out of thanks to Scott for the opportunity - man, God is doing some great things there and I look forward to hearing about how He continues to move at The Orchard. I also wanted to thank Ken, Doug, Matt, Dave, Katie and Brad for leading with me - you guys rock! I also can't forget Teri for helping put everything together on the admin end (thanks for your help Teri!) You all keep Rockin' at The Orchard. And for those of you who have never been, go check them out on Sunday... you won't be disappointed!

Peace.

Chimera

Did any of you catch this show tonight on ABC that my wife likes to watch called Medical Mysteries? They talked about this medical condition, Chimerism. It's a rare condition with only 30 documented cases worldwide.

In Greek mythology, "chimera" means a monster: part goat, part lion, part snake. In human biology, a chimera is an organism with at least two genetically distinct types of cells — or, in other words, someone meant to be a twin. But while in the mother's womb, two fertilized eggs fuse, becoming one fetus that carries two distinct genetic codes — two separate strands of DNA. The twin is invisible, but for chimeras the twin lives microscopically inside the body as DNA.

This condition made Primetime because two women in separate parts of the country were being DNA tested to verify them as mothers of their children. They had pictures and documentation showing they had carried and delivered their children but according to the DNA tests, they were not related. The children had basically recived the genes that existed in only a few parts of the body while the blood and other parts of the mother's body showed a 'different' person.

Anyway, the story got me thinking - two things fused together, becoming one with two distinct strands of DNA. One is visible the other is not. If you're a Jesus-follower, this condition has a lot of similarities: when people look at you, do they see you or Jesus? Has He been given every part of your life so that His DNA shows through? Notice it's two fused together as one but having two strands of DNA. It doesn't mean that my DNA is gone - I'm still alive in Christ. My flavor of life is being lived out with Jesus being who people see when my life gets put under the microscope. My hope is that my 'offspring' (the fruit I bear in my walk with Christ), has His DNA and not mine. That if a 'paternity' test was done on those who are part of the stroy that is my life on this earth, they would bear the characteristics of Christ.

What do you think? Is your life as a Jesus-follower similar to those who are considered Chimeras? If you want to check out the Primetime story or Chimerism, check this out.

Peace.

Life on Mars

Did you know that we are continuing to search for life on Mars even though we've been there via probe enough to know none currently exists? There are stories and movies about life in space - aliens and creatures from other planets. Some are friendly (ET) and and some not (War of the Worlds). Why do we keep searching? Is it because we feel lonely? Do we have such a need to feel like we are not alone in the universe that we have to keep searching out in space for a 'friend'?

There must be something innate within us that desires to know of and know about something greater than ourselves, something bigger and beyond our existence. We look for it our whole lives in some form or fashion. As a Jesus-follower, I know this is true since God said it was the case from the beginning. When He created everything, He saw that it was 'not good for man to be alone'. All the creatures of the earth had come to Adam and no suitable companion was found. We have a deep need inside of us to have someone outside of ourselves to relate to - it's natural.

Many of us find times when we feel alone - very alone. That no one knows who or where we are nor do they care. Times when our existence seems to not make sense. I don't have all the answers as to why we feel like that, except that God put the need for us to seek out community with others into our very soul. Without it, we would wander this earth, never needing or seeking out others to relate to - life really would be pointless. But because He wants us to seek out Him, to have a relationship with Him, we step out and take risks and search for Him (and find other people along the way). I find it interesting that God said it is not good for man to be alone, though Adam walked and talked with the Creator. While God has promised to be with those who follow Him until the very end, He knows that we also need each other.

If you're feeling alone, do what you were designed from the beginning of time to do... look for life outside of yourself. Take a risk and get to know someone else. Take a chance and find a community, a small group, a neighbor with whom you can begin a relationship. They take time to build but it's what you were made for.

There may not be life on Mars (??) but there is life all around you waiting for contact.

Peace.