Another trip

Today I have been up since 3:00 AM so I can be in OKC to learn the church operating system that will help us stay organize. I can say that I am running on fumes but have had a good day hanging out with God. I have never driven to the airport I departed from and realized that houston is a very large town and thankful that nobody was on the road. Did you know that the airport does not open till 5:00 am? Even if there are 3 people who can work a desk, nobody can check luggage in till 5:00 am, great stuff.

I actually got through TSA rather quickly since nobody was in line, I was there before the donut stand people were, how sad is that. Well I got on my small airplane. Running through my head on take off was the idea that this plane was put together by the people who would supply the least expensive parts, work for the lowest amount of wages, in the shortest time, etc. So I put my iPod on, read some scripture (Galatians 5) and enjoyed my 1 hour flight to OKC.

When we arrived to our gate to unload from the plane I looked out my window and say NWA airlines. Now for those from the 90's you should laugh, Flava Flavaaaaaa!! At 8 in the morning I was a little out of it but I enjoyed the joke. Then when I walked through the air terminal OU has these huge advertisements about how they are the highest ranked public university in academics or something like that. I thought to myself so out of 5 maybe, you are number one in the whole state of OK, hmmm...great! or in the words of Thomas Young "Stellar".

Well I found my way to one of the most exciting meetings anybody can go to... not really!!! I think I personally drank a whole pot of coffee to stay awake.

Once the conference was over I went to go eat at Toby Keath's restaurant. After dinner I went to the OKC Memorial. On the Wednesday the federal building was bombed I was a sophmore at OBU. I still remember the morning and how I walked into the Student center and saw the coverage of what was taking place. I also saw a group of students stop thinking about themselves and start seeking to minister. Seniors in the nursing and counseling areas went downtown to help out. My friends and I tried to give blood but we were turned away because of the out pouring from the state.

As I walked through the memorial in my 15 min. because I was parked at the post office and you could only stay there 15 min or get towed. I walked through the memorial thinking about a ton of things and realized how we do "Bark at the Moon" quite a bit. For those who do not understand the phrase, Pastor Thomas at The Sanctuary Fellowship is doing a serious called "Barking at the Moon" or basically getting our people to live lives that matter. I was there in that memorial reading the signs, seeing the pics of children, and noticing the chairs of that stand for those who died that day. I think about how in our news we have a football star that has now lost everything because of pointless acts, I think about how we get caught up in things that just don't matter and we make those things a priority of worship.

For those that are saved by grace and call Jesus Lord and Savior how are you "Barking at the Moon". What is it that you allow to become your worship for the day instead of God. I just had to be reminded how quick life goes by. I look at my daughter and get so amazed how she is growing up so fast. She can actually operate a computer, how scary is that. Just the other day she could not even feed her self and today she can get her own pudding. Life is short or a vapor, today what are you doing not to miss out on seeing God's glory around you?

I have to keep things in perspective... people are important, and God has to have the freedom to use us to spill his Glory out on people (John 2).

Have a blessed day!!

Great Signs

Last night I was home after being gone for one week to frontliners. The week was great and I was able to reflect on quite a bit which if you read the other blogs you caught.

Yesterday I had some much needed mexican food, I love fajitas, salsa, tortillas, etc.

We found one of the slowest car wash places but the car was clean but one may not want to scream La Migra. After that Isabella got to drive a car in the grocery story which is a great invention. I was pushing her around thinking the greatest thrill we had in a grocery store was riding under the basket, you the place were people put cases of water now. I also can remember able to go to the magazine rack and not worry about being kid napped either.

We got home and nice night at the house. How great is it that we leave in America, every body in the house has their own computer. Last night Christie was working hard on her computer, I was working on the work computer, and on the tower in the office Isabella was playing noggin games. Yes my 3 year old is surfing the web. I am so amazed, she switches between games and everything. It makes me laugh that she has more technology experience than some adults.

After everybody got settled in their positions I was on the couch flipping through the guide and what do I see NFL Preseason and i was excited. Football is here and I have missed it, thought it was preseason I watched the game. The cowboys third and fourth string looked good. That helped the night turn out even better.

I look forward to hearing from some of you all and especially my Sanctus students, hope everybody is hearing and listening to the gentle whisper of Christ.

Blessed

Today was day 2 of Frontliners and it was rather interesting. Typically day 2 has the Frontliners going to church with the host family like it is any regular Sunday. So that is what I did and it was a good morning. I observed some cool things in the youth building and their technology. I saw the Sanctus study before worship and after their worship. Had a good lunch with my host family, then took a nap.

Tonight we had a blitz party and a small rally. I have to say I am very proud of the sanctus students because they did such a great job handing out fliers for the activities for Frontliners. I am also thankful that I am starting to understand their personalities and can visit with them about topics besides The Sanctuary Fellowship but actually get to know what makes them tic. I do have to say that Blake made me proud by watching his approach in handing out fliers, I was impressed. This does not negate the great work the rest of the group did, I mean John stepped out of his comfort zone by handing out fliers. The group as a whole is doing great.

I do have confess that God illuminated some things to me that has caused me to say thank you and that I am blessed. First I have a great family and I miss having my girls around. Second I am humbled to be associated with Thomas and The Sanctuary Fellowship. The idea that God had this all planned out amazes me and I am excited to see what we are going to do as a church. I do not understand why anybody in the Richmond, Rosenberg, Sugar Land area would want to go to any other church besides ours. Third I am so blessed to have had such a great group of young adults in ft. worth. If you are a student from my youth group from ft. worth please realize I am blessed to have you in my life and the time we have shared together but over the past week i have missed 8:15. I see in my mind the great things God did during our time together and I do not apologize for inviting every one of my 8:15ers to transfer jobs and come down here, that includes you James. I love doing young adult ministry, tonight I spent the evening talking to my host home's college age daughter just about life. In side I was weeping from my sweet memories of my time I had with the 8:15ers. I am so humble that God allows me to be apart of people's lives, I am not worthy to do such a thing but He equips me to do so. This week should be fun at frontliners and I should have some good stories to share, please stay tuned.

To my sanctus studnets reading this I am praying for you this morning and hoping that you will live a life in the overflow. John 2 - wine jars - let His glory spill out because you get so full of his word and love.

To my Ground Zero students who may be reading this, I love you guys, hold on to the cross of Christ, I pray for you daily and want to hear what God is doing in your lives.

To my 8:15ers, know that our time we shared is some of my most blessed memories. I would love to have each and every one of you to do a road trip to visit The Sanctuary Fellowship and decided to stay to help us grow a church. I am so thankful to be on a church staff that believes in the Sovereignty of God, freedom to worship, and has an authentic out look with people. Know that you are missed and I desire for God to use you in miraculous ways where ever He has you to be missional.

To anybody else who maybe reading this. I am not ashamed that I am a screwed up, flawed person who is in need of a savior. I believe that works all things for His Glory and that we as humans get to participate in this great story of God. I hope and pray that people will see the freedom in realizing God is in complete control and there is not much one can "choose" do to about it. Along with that, my prayer is that people will taste true freedom and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ and not by any man made traditional set of rules.

Have a blessed day and I look forward to hearing comments.

Howdy

Hello one and all this is my first entry in this blogspot, and I look forward to writing more and hearing back from others. Have a great day!!!