7 Years Later..

Last post I took a look back at what I learned as an intern 7 years ago.

 This week: Things I'm currently learning from the leaders I get to work beside everyday.

Although the list is long, I will keep it brief:

From PB (the boss)

1. Constantly push your staff to new heights, and take them places they never thought they can go. 

2. Just because you are the boss, doesn't mean you get to work less.  

(He is the hardest working, and most driven man I know)

3. Laugh at yourself

4. Work well with your team. (Even though he has the authority to make every decision, he is always asking input from our team)

5. Think Big- always look forward to what is next ahead!

(he is constantly thinking 3-5 years down the line, Rome wasn't built in one day)

6. Learn to separate and set healthy boundaries

 (everyone always wants something from him)

7. Push your leaders to be better leaders

From Steve:

1. Lead well from the second chair

(the man is a great leader, everyone comes to Steve w/all of our junk looking for advice)

2. Learn to rest

3. Persevere in the hard times

4. Invest in mentorship

5. Love people

6. It's ok not have to have all the answers right now.

From Beth:

1. Woman can be great leaders!

2. Delegate well

3. Know your strengths and weaknesses 

Things I'm learning about myself over of the past year:

1. I'm to cynical and judgmental

2. I can't say no

3. It's hard for me to relax and take a day off

4. I hate being called a techie...

Things I Learned As A 19 Year Old Punk Intern

As I was sitting at the table with the two smartest men I know today. The topic of interns came up. As we sat there and talked about it, I finally realized how much I learned as an Intern. Here's the list:

 From CCBC and It's Leadership Staff:  

1. Quit being a punk. 

2. Learn to respect authority. 

(Sorry John Mark, I was a PUNK!)

3. Just because you have an opinion doesn't mean you've got to share it all the time

From Brian:  I could go on and on here, but heres the short list from him:

3. I was a messy roommate!  (Sorry Brian)  

4. Your title and your paycheck don't reflect your importance to a ministry. 

**we could have never made it without him

5. Learn to give yourself away.  

**He bought me more bagels for breakfast than I could ever repay him for.

6. Be yourself, never change who you are just to please others.

7. Loyalty

From Randy:

8. Learn To Take Chances On People

*He took a huge one on me!

9. Invest In Peoples Lives

*It was because of his leadership as a Student Pastor that I'm in ministry today

10.  Be versatile.  

*Don't be good at just one thing! Invest and learn other avenues in ministry

 He would often give me assignments to do that Brian was much better at and could have done in half the time.  He did that to stretch me!!

11. Learn to Delegate:

* I have to admit, I'm still working on this one!!

From Jeremy:

12. Ministry is not just 8 to 5.  Get your butt to work!

*During my first week on the job, I was a little tardy everyday :)  Jeremy sent me a not so nice email explaining to me the importance of what we do, and that I needed to quit being lazy!  I thought that's what working for a church was all about.  I still know many people who think that ministry is 8 to 5. Boy are they wrong! 

13. Be A Team Player

14. Have Fun 

* It was his idea that we go through the car wash with me on top of the car for a video!!

15. Challenge Students Intellectually 

From Holly:

16. True Friendships Are Better Than Anything On This Planet

*I've never laughed so much in my life!

17. Shut Up and Listen To People, because Many times they are trying to pour out their lives to you.

18. Marble Slab Is Good!!!

From Elizabeth:

19. Just because it's not your ministry, doesn't mean it's not important

* I showed up to VBS Drama Practice without knowing my lines, she gave me the look and told me I better memorize them if I wanted to be on stage.  From that day forward, I don't step on any stage un-prepared no matter what it is!  It's my first priority as a speaker!

From Jessica:

20. Learn To Laugh & Don't Take Yourself So Seriously!

Trust Me, That's on a small portion of the list. What a great learning experience!

Thank you guys, and sorry I was a punk!!

Next blog: The things I'm learning today 7 years later!

What Would Jesus Twitter?

I have found myself lately becoming an "evangelist" for Twitter.  The more I research the company, the more I become intrigued by who actually twitters.   

Presidential Candidates, fire stations reporting on the latest fire, airline companies posting huge discounts, CNN, MTV, Whole Foods, Day Cares, Churches, twitter from Kenya, twitter from Hong Kong, twitter from the moon, twitter from mars.  You name it and it's being twittered by and about.

I've began to wonder, why has twitter become so popular?  The same reason, that Facebook, Myspace, Flickr, Loopt, Hictu and Pownce have.

There all based on one simple fact: People need community, they have a need to feel connected, they were created to live, move and breathe with others.  It's started from the very beginning. It was part of the plan.. the divine plan. God has created you and I to do life together, to share, laugh, cry, play and work together. People need community.  Twitter is just another part of that connection.

 

I've slowly seen Twitter and Facebook change the way we communicate as a staff and that as a Church.  It will soon take president in the way we promote series, events and cast vision.

 So would Jesus Twitter? What would he say? Can you even tell a parable in less than 2 sentences? How would he use his 140 characters to change lives?  Maybe since he's Jesus aka God he gets more twitter space? ...I don't know.. I"m just asking

Here's what Twitter constantly reminds me of..  LIFE IS BRIEF!!

You get 140 characters to set the intro, plot, climax and conclusion..  You've got to use those characters wisely to tell your story.

Life is brief, connect with the people around you and Use your 140 characters wisely...

I Live in the Mouse's House

That's right, there is a mouse in my house, and I've named him Walter.  To be honest, Walter although looks very cute kinda scares me. (Not surprising I know)  I mean the little dude crawled right out in the middle my floor and tried to eat my pizza. (Yes I had a plate of pizza on the floor) 

He also tried to hide out in my shoe, so I did what any sensible man would do, I threw pennies at him.  Walter didn't respond well to the pennies, and apparently that's no way to catch a mouse.

Since then I've devised a plan with good ol' peanut butter. We'll see if it works.

As I was thinking about how Walter has taken control of my house, I realize the same thing is true about some of the junk in our lives.  Although it can seem cute & harmless at times, it causes us to live in a way that God doesn't intend for us to live and robs us of our purpose and joy.

What are the things in our lives that no one knows about, and that hide out in the deep cabinets of our soul? What are the things that cause us to miss our purpose and joy? 

What is our plan to rid ourselves away from it?

Just something to think about...

 In other local news:  I'm back on the teaching block this week, thankful to be back because I've missed it deeply.

Just some thoughts about a mouse...

From Concrete to Dust

The last two weeks have been defining moments for me this year, oddly enough with the same God inspired result.  I probably couldn't have been in two of the most different places in the world in back to back weeks.  

The first week, we flew to Chi-Town (my favorite city) for the biggest Creative Arts Conferences in the country.  We had a great time, it was refreshing, relaxing, and a time of renewal for our team.  However we didn't walk out of there with any life changing concepts. At first I was very frustrated, because I had all of these preconceived ideas on what we would take home, and how it would change the way we did church.

 Could it be that a church of 6 or 700 in a country town create services like that of churches that are 10 times our size.  I think the answer is yes...  Maybe not on the same production level, but with the same innovative creative concepts.

What I learned is that we were doing stuff right.  We are in a good place. We are in a place where God wants us to be:  We've got to keep pushing to get better, take chances, fall down and get back up! 

 But in the end, BE SATISFIED and ENJOY WHERE YOU ARE!  

A lot of times, that's hard for me.

After Chi-town we turn right around and make the drive to Mexico.  What a journey!  

For the first times in my life, I experienced the way the rest of the world lives.  With my own eyes I watched and eight year old girl with a stick in hand dig through piles and piles of trash in a land fill to find food and something for shelter.  It turns out that's what she does all day with the rest of her family for life and income. 

I took this picture one night before our VBS just a a simple reminder to all of us to pray for these people! I can't wait to see what God does as we continue to partner with these cities.

My take home from Mexico:  Never take your life for granted.  Enjoy where you are at!

Enjoy your home. Enjoy your family, Enjoy your friends.  For we are in a good place.

God takes me across the country in two totally different economic stratospheres just to say: 

Enjoy, don't take where you are and what it is given to you for granted because one day it can all change.

Seems simple.. huh, but sometimes it's so easy to forget how good we have it. 

Man.. it's good to be home.

 

Leaving Yesterday...

(I Stole that title from a band I once knew.)

I took this picture yesterday on the way to the water park that we rented out.  Yesterday in all of it's chaos was incredible.  We had over 750 in worship and 115 in our Hispanic service... It was a good day with lots of energy. Any time you let a band all under the age of 11 lead worship, there is energy, no matter what they sound like..  I say all that to say I'm thankful to be at this place in my journey together with these people.  It's taken some weird twist to get here, but I'm glad I'm here....

That picture reminds me of the thousands of churches and people around the country that are always looking in the rear view thinking back to the "good old days."  (Sometimes I'm one of them.)

 What were the good old days ? I mean... really? 

Do you even remember them? 

Did you even consider them good days?

I'm glad we are at a place, where we can focus on the big picture.  The one in front of us, the future. 

It's time we quit looking in the past, and start remembering the past is the past for a reason.  

It's time to forgive, forget and celebrate what you've learned.  It's time to move on.. together..

These are the days to step out, trust, love, support, and enjoy where we are going together.

It's time to quit looking back in the rear view, and starting looking ahead..

It's time to do something big.. It's time to dream..  

Let's leave yesterday... shall we?

Ecclesiastes 7: 8

The Black Jelly Bean

As I was sitting at the hospital today, waiting for the boss to get his shoes shined (on my recommendation.)  We met a man name "Dr. Shoe"  As I sat there and watched the man, I was somehow reminded of the black jelly bean.  Let's be honest, no one likes the black jelly bean, they are different, lack color and taste horrible. The black jelly bean is the outcast of the family.  No one wants to associate with it.  In fact, many people will go through bags just to pick them out to throw them away. 

I'm not for sure, why Dr. Shoe reminded me of this.  Perhaps, because he was a little different, extremely hard to understand and may have once in his lifetime been the outcast.

But the man had a passion for shoes, he had a passion for his job, and he had a passion for people.  

I'm thankful that God creates those who are different, I am thankful that God uses a man who shines shoes to remind me that there are those in my life who are the black jelly bean that I need to love on, extend a hand of encouragement to and to pray for.

If we were honest, we've all been the black jelly bean one time or another in our life.  During those times, we look for love, acceptance, and a good hug.  

Who is the black jelly bean in your life?  Don't know of someone?

Perhaps we never notice them because we look over them. 

Perhaps we never notice because we aren't looking.  

I think there is something when Jesus says love your neighbor as yourself.  It's easy to love those who we have a lot in common with, fit into your crowd, and aren't an embarrassment to be around.

Perhaps, to many times, we are Christ followers have said this to the black jelly beans.

It isn't easy to love the black jelly bean, but Christ does just as much as You and I, and he calls us to do the same!