Friday, November 29, 2002
Day Ten - O Tannenbaum
We put the tree up today. It has been a Thanksgiving weekend tradition in my family for years. (My father being an ardent defender of Christmas NOT usurping Thanksgiving, we always wait till after Thanksgiving dinner to do the deed). The assembly of the Christmas tree has become almost sacred. I know what 34% of you are thinking, "a FAKE tree!?!" Yes. My family puts up a 'fake' tree, and we love it. So shut-it. :) I just love the smell of an opened box (musty), and the first look at the tree (smashed). I enjoy setting it up (the metal trunk in the metal base) and seeing it all come together (piece-by-piece). Seriously though... normally we watch the greatest Christmas movie of all time, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and eat fudge and cookies while I set up the tree. For some reason putting up the tree became my job about the time I hit puberty. It's a job I love though, and I've done it every year but one (my first in Texas). As we set up the tree today I could not help but think about how much God has blessed me. I have a good home, great parents, a wonderful community, extraordinary friends, an awesome group of people in Texas whom I love, and so much more. The tree always reminds me that God has blessed me more than I could have ever hoped or imagined. As I sit here looking at the tree, in the quiet of night with the sounds of U2, I take a moment to thank God for where He has brought me and wherever He has me headed to.
Today has been kind of a sad day... what with getting ready to leave my ole' Indiana home, and all. I will admit that I am terribly excited about what the next few weeks and months hold in store in Dallas, but every time I leave Indiana it seems as though I leave part of myself behind. And in a way I guess I really do leave part of me behind. I leave my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. I leave my home, my church, and all the places around which I grew up. Eighteen years of my life remain here when I leave - years that seem to get sweeter as the days goes by.
... thus ends the sabbatical. Thanks for the memories.
Kev
posted by Kevin at 11/29/2002 09:18:23 PM
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Day Nine - Things to be thankful for... [abridged]
... salvation provided through the death my Saviour
... forgiveness, even when undeserved
... the unconditional love of my parents, and Mandy
... my grandma and grandpa, and their example
... all the aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. whom I adore
... the Muppets
... a good church, no, TWO great churches
... decent health
... Cedarville College, and what it taught me about God
... Dallas Seminary, and what it taught me about myself
... 'the Volunteers' ... better known as extended family
... Tex-Mex
... friends, like Mike, Seth, Geoff, Matt, Ben, and hundreds others
... Dr. Robertson, Dr. Bright, Pastor McKinley, my mentors
... television and film
... all the women I've ever loved before
... food. great food. Most of which was cooked by Mom & Grandma.
... the Bible, and the ability to read it.
... the land of the free and the home of the brave
... ... all the men who fought to make.keep it that way
... the ability to learn and those who've taught me
... the future and endless God-given opportunities that await
... One day left.
posted by Kevin at 11/29/2002 08:49:00 PM
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Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Day Eight - Give a word to the people
Almost finished reading Seeing God today. Most of the day was spent sitting at home reading trudging through the particulars of the book. Being a good Baptist, as you might know, Wednesday nights mean Prayer Meeting. Now that I think about it though, I'm not sure why it is still called prayer meeting. We do pray, but no more than any other service... maybe less. Are other churches this way? I am trying to remember if we ever actually did use Wednesday nights as a primarily prayer service and now I am thinking that maybe we did back in the 80's. Interesting how those monikers seem to stick long after they should have died. Either way, it was nice to go to church again. I enjoyed being able to go, but being Thanksgiving Eve I must make a confession: I am almost completely philosophically opposed to having '-Eve Services'. And from the get-go the service began to head in a dreadful direction. Attendance was WAY down (which I expected) and Pastor announced that he was going to speak for about 10 minutes then we were going to have testimonies about what we are thankful for. I may not need to explain this, but I loathe testimony time. While I enjoy hearing testimonies from others, I hate the inner turmoil it caused for me as I try to decide whether to give one or not. I struggle with these things, call me weird. And now, being 25 and a college (soon to be Seminary) graduate who has spoken many times in this church, it is hard to hide anymore. I still seem to get away with it most of the time though, but tonight was not to be one of them. During the testimony time Pastor looked up to the balcony (where I always sit... which in itself is a whole other story) and said "Kevin, hey man." I smiled and waved, determined not to speak up. No luck. Two minutes later I saw him look up at me again, I knew my luck had run out, and he motioned for me to come down. Great! Now I not only had to speak, but I had to do it from the platform instead of from my seat. I came down house right staircase and sat near the front in the center section as I waited for others to finish their testimonies. I decided that I was having the wrong attitude and should be glad that I was given these opportunities to minister - but sometimes I just enjoy hiding more than I do leading. Eventually Pastor called me up, handed me a mic, and asked me to "give a word" to the people. Then he walked off the platform and sat down. NOTE: This never happens in my church. Pastor never relinquishes the platform, spur of the moment requests like this never occur, and I have NEVER heard the phrase 'give a word to the people' spoken in this auditorium. I spent several minutes (I think) speaking about my thoughts on the Confessions of a Church Hopper article. I spoke of how glad I was to call such a great church home and how thankful I was (and so should they) that we had such an extraordinary staff. Then I sat down and wondered if anything that I had said had made any sense at all. I hate being put on the spot... but I am beginning to think that this is what ministry is all about. After church I spent some high-quality time with Matt, a high school guy that I have mentored for almost 4 years now. It was great! He has grown SO much in his faith and is now one of the strongest high schooler leaders I have ever seen. In fact, he continually convicts me of my own sin and shortcomings. He decided to go to Cedarville (through no pressure of my own). I thank God for him and pray that God will keep him safe and strong. Absolutely nothing blesses or charges me more than discipleship through mentoring. If I had it my way, this would all that I would do for the rest of my life 24-7. Maybe that surprises you.
...Two days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/27/2002 11:09:03 PM
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Day Seven - 8 Mile Road
The day started again at Brian's Bookstore and Coffeeshop with a blueberry muffin, cinnamon cappuccino, and great conversation with my aunt and uncle. These days are great... when there is nowhere to be, nothing to do, and tremendous people to do it with. We spoke of family, friends, and church... wasting away the morning with not a care in the world. By the time our conversation had ended I was ready for the next exciting leg of my day - a road trip with dad. To him it was work but for me it was pure fun. It was just starting to spit snow as we set out in the afternoon for Michigan. You may or may not have seen us we wound through the state roads and interstate highways on our way there, but I doubt that you would have missed the large orange semi-tractor/trailer looming in your rearview mirror with Schneider National emblazoned on the side. You might not have been in a semi-truck recently (I had not), but they are quite nice these days. The interior of my Dad's is larger than my first bedroom! My seat was full-airride with three lumbar supports and the ability to raise or lower 2 feet (by use of air). Very comfortable! There is an onboard computer that operates by satellite and gives you the ability to send and receive e-mail type messages, plus keep track of all the truck's inner operations. The sound system is phenomenal. There had to be 10+ speakers and I felt like I was sitting in a concert hall (though rather small and mobile... and I was not wearing a tuxedo). Unfortunately, my father used it not for music but instead to listen to the "Truckin' Bozo" on 700AM WLW. It wasn't that bad, but the name kills me. One more piece of trivia... the truck is a clutch, which you might have guessed... but there are 12 gears! And you must double-clutch to change gears, pressing the clutch in once to take it out of gear and then pressing it again to put it back in. That would make me insane. As we continued toward Detroit we hit a large snow storm and saw no less than 20 vehicles who went off the road in various places along the way, sometimes hitting guardrails and other cars... sometimes just spinning out. It was cool to watch. At one point along the way, dad subjected me to a tape called "Deer Camp". While it was funny (in places), I suggest only listening to it under duress. :) We passed through Toledo, Ohio around dusk and crossed into Michigan nearing our destination - the DaimlerCrysler auto plant on the north side of Detroit. Along the way we passed the Jeep Assembly plant (where TJ was born), a nuclear reactor, and several large water towers with flags and eagles painted all over them. [When we stop painting flags and eagles on water towers, then the terrorists have truly won.] We finally rolled into Detroit (which I now, after seeing it, refer to as Beirut) around the time I am normally watching Smallville. We went through downtown and continued north, passing across 8 Mile Road along the way. Those familiar with pop culture and Eminem will find this significant. After several enormous (and I mean enormous) refineries, mills, and plants we arrived at our drop-point at DaimlerChrysler. We dropped of our load of radiators and picked up an empty trailer in its place. It is interesting to think that these radiators will end up in new 2003 model Chrysler vehicles. The ride home was much less eventful (except for the flat tire, the semi that crossed the median, and our trying to stay awake on the lonely highway at 2:00AM) but it was nice to have spent the day relaxing and riding the roads. I learned the cops are called "Smokey Bears", sheriffs are called "County Mounties", tire pieces along the roadside are called "alligators", and women are called ... well ... dad kept turning of the CB at those points. But I was glad to know that CB radios are still all the rage, and that there really is an 8 Mile Road somewhere on the outskirts of run-down Detroit.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and there is MUCH to be thankful for this year.
...three days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/27/2002 11:58:03 AM
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Monday, November 25, 2002
Day Six - Welcome home, TJ!
Bought a Jeep today. There, I've said it and I've confessed. It is a TJ (the model name and probably what I will end up calling it) 2001 Jeep Wrangler. I think that every guy has wanted a Jeep at some time in his life and now (thanks to the Lord's blessing) I am able to have one. "Its a beaut' Clark, it's a beaut." Now maybe I can drive to lunch sometimes. :) Most of today was filled with paperwork and trips across town to settle all of the loose ends. In the moments between I was able to pick up my current reading assignment and complete a good portion of it. Seeing God is a a modern update of a classic by Jonathan Edwards on justification and sanctification issues. I have been thoroughly impressed with it so far and it is teaching me a lot about eternal security, perseverance of the believer, spirituality, etc. This is the first year in Seminary that I have actually enjoyed a large portion of what I have been asked to read. That is probably because much of it has been highly practical and applicational in nature, which tend to be my favorites. Speaking of books, Pastor Robertson gave me another box today filled with volumes from his library. Over the last several years I believe that I have acquired several hundred (or more) books from his lifelong collection, most of which are rare or out-of-print. This man has been such mentor to me. In the books he gave me today was a complete set of volumes of the International Bible Encyclopedia which is an amazing set of books, but more importantly these were obviously near to his heart and he made of saying that he wanted to be sure that these went to someone special because they had meant so much to him over the years. How do you match that kind of love and mentoring? The Lord has provided me with such great role models and examples of strong and true faith... I sometimes wonder if others will ever view me as I do these men and women - then I stop for a moment, pray, and ask God to build into me the character and devotion that I see in these people that are so obviously giants of the faith.
Tomorrow, I set out for a full day of trekking the countryside with my father in a large orange semi. From my seat high above the SUV's I will be bonding with dad, working feverishly on homework, and doing it all while listening to Willie, Waylon, and the gang. Here we come - Smokey and the Bandit!
...four days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/25/2002 11:41:48 PM
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Sunday, November 24, 2002
Day Five - Confessions of a church enthusiast
In Confessions of a Church Hopper, posted recently at firstinlastout.org, an intriguing theory on the 'regular church attendee' is brought forth. It intimates that to most in our congregations, Sundays are not as important to the attendee as it is for the Pastor. The author, a former pastor himself, implies that we ministers take Sunday mornings much more seriously than those we minister to. He further states that for laity Sunday is the pinnacle and focus of the entire week, but for the laypeople it is bother that comes in the middle of a 2-day vacation every week. Sadly, he is right. Most congregates today see Sunday as more of a bother than a climax. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I openly admit it. I am a church enthusiast. I love church and I think that I always have. Even when I was involved in vocational ministry I still loved church. There have been times when I've been scolded and made to feel that I was lifting church above Christ... but I've grown past these narrow-minded people. I was reminded of my love for the church body today. There is something refilling/recharging/renewing about worshiping together with other believers. The church is a place where we should want to be... and the relationships and climate of our churches should be such that the unsaved world can't stay away. They should be drawn to our houses of worship and so convicted while there that they are never the same again. This is the way that is supposed to be. I experienced that this morning. The smiling, handshakes, and genuine concern was wonderful. The singing, prayer, and preaching were from the heart. And there were countless people who stopped me to ask how I was, how work and school we coming, and when I was coming home to stay. I love church. And after spending time there today, now more than ever I am convinced Jesus left us the church because He knew we would need a focal point every week. We should be so close to God that every day is a continual building to Sunday. We should live out every week with one eye toward the Lord and the other toward the day we come together in worship. We should all be church enthusiasts because Christ was the greatest enthusiast of all.
...five days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/24/2002 09:19:13 PM
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Saturday, November 23, 2002
Day Four - You might win the trip to Florida
Today began a little earlier than all the previous have. The smell of bacon and pancakes wrenched me from my dreams at about 9:00am. Saturday mornings at the Young household have always meant homemade breakfast in the kitchen and then coffee in the living room. It is one of those rituals that you come to cherish when you're away from home for an extended time. I can think of no better way to spend an early Saturday morning. My cousin Matthew, who was visiting so he could hunt with my father, joined us for food and family time. We spent most of the time picking on each other through good-natured ribbing. Whether or not the psychologists agree with the practice, this is how my family shows affection. Well... that and eating. After filling ourselves and cleaning up, my cousin, dad, and I set out to go 'jeep hunting'. Ah, the Jeep. And elusive creature known to be difficult to find yet quite a catch when caught. Dad and I have decided that a Jeep would be a great new car for me. So out we set in search of one. As luck would have it we found one right off at a local car lot. This one, a 2001 beauty, was a dream to drive. It was of the maroon family with a tan top and many more amenities inside than either of us expected in what used to be considered a rather utilitarian vehicle. The test drive was exciting (but I knew that it would be) because cars was always a common language between my father and I. We both loved them. As we trekked the backroads my cousin informed us about something that we had missed at the dealership - a radio remote. I had missed the fanfare, but he had picked up on the DJ's, free pizza, and prize drawing area for those who took test drives. Matthew filled us in on the fact that I could maybe win a CD, t-shirt, or 'You might win the trip to Florida.' We lusted a little more over the Jeep Wrangler and returned it dreaming about what the possibility of owning it. We talked financing with the dealer and eventually were pushed toward the Radio people to get some pizza and draw an envelope. Since Matthew was so excited about the whole I tried to talk him into choosing one for me from the 40-odd assortment of white envelopes. He declined several times (at my badgering) so I finally said "Aw Fine!" and swiped one from the table. As I opened it Matthew held his breath... the woman next to me screamed... Matthew said "No Way!" and dad (who was across the room in his own little world) yelled "You're kidding"... the lady from the "Hot WIFE" (our local station - don't ask) read it aloud and added "Yip, this boy's won it!". I guess that I was still in shock because I hadn't even read it yet. Matthew looked up at my with a big 13-year-old grin and mockingly stated "And you wanted ME to pick it!?!" My father, who had by this time made it across the room to look over my shoulder, coyly shouted "QUICK! Someone get him a lottery ticket before his luck runs out!!" So that was the highlight of my day. I can't remember ever really winning anything before - and I am not sure that I will ever find the time to take a week-long trip (for 4 - like I know four people) to Florida. But who knows. It made for a fun afternoon. So now I have to decide on the Jeep!
On a different note, I finished John Piper's latest book Brothers, We are not Professionals today. It was pretty refreshing.
...six days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/23/2002 09:58:21 PM
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Friday, November 22, 2002
Day Three - Walkin' in a winter wonderland
Today began much the same as yesterday, an 11:00am awakening and the realization that I had absolutely nothing planned for the day. I could get used to days like this! Upon dragging myself out of a warm and cozy waterbed I sauntered into the living room to find the house empty and peaceful. Yes, peaceful. I could not remember the last time that I woke up only to find my schedule was empty and my life was, like the house, peaceful. I turned on the television and opened the curtains that hid our bay window to find that everything on the opposite side of the glass was covered in a layer of beautiful white snow. After an extended gaze and a big smile I found myself filled with almost childlike glee. THIS was home. I broke myself from the window long enough to jump in the shower and prepare for the only thing that I knew I wanted to do today... visit the grandparents. As the hot water and shampoo tore me from my sleep I began to reminisce about times spent at their house. They had lived in that house longer than I (or my parents for that matter) had been alive. I remembered times on the swing-set that I used to be small enough to enjoy. There is the pine tree in the backyard that was no more than a twig when I planted it at the age of 10. Now it is twice as tall as I. My grandparents. There is no need to call ahead nor need to worry that they may not be home. Delbert and Violet are always there, and their door is always open - literally. As I drove through the snowy backroads I could hardly contain the anticipation. It has been a long time since I traveled this way, but as I suspected would be the case, Grandma was at the door waiting for me - with a smile and strong hug. The hours passed and we spoke of little that was different than before... once again, facts and details sometimes different, but the plot ever the same. Grandpa, now in his winter routine, made a pattern of listening for awhile, taking a short nap, then throwing a log in the wood stove. This process repeated itself several times as Grandma and I spoke of school and how soon it was to be over, family and how some things never change, and church with all of its ups and downs. We shared cake, The Price is Right, and several laughs at Grandpa who after 79 years and two heart attacks somehow has held on to his sense of humor. Truth be told, this is what I miss most about home. I am young, and most of my family and friends are still young also. I recognize that no promises are given to any of us, and life could end tomorrow... but I am old enough to know that for my grandparents: time is short. I thank God that they have been such mentors and godly examples for me. And as I drove away in the failing light of a cold November afternoon, I gave the Jeep a honk and Mama and Papa a wave, then drove away with thoughts of the future filling my mind. How many more times would I be able to drive across the snowy cornfields of Indiana to a small house on the edge of the county and know that there would be smoke coming through the chimney, something on the stove, and the two people I love most in the world waiting behind an open door? ... I prayed to God (as I had so often before) that there would be at least one more.
... seven days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/22/2002 09:48:52 PM
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Thursday, November 21, 2002
Day Two - Spoonfed from those not like us
I woke from a restful and recharging slumber at 11:00am this morning... the house was quiet, and lit with a warm glow from the late-morning sunlight. Outside the weather was crisp and beautiful. The mid-November morning in Indiana was just as it should have been and exactly how I remembered it. A slow and relaxing drive to the church (my home church, the one I grew up in) netted me my first engagement of the visit... a lunch with my Pastor. To my gleeful approval we went to a local coffeeshop, Brian's. Its proprietor, Brian, is a member of my home-church. Brian is a quadriplegic and can only talk by way of pointing at letters on a board that he carries around with him. But with help from friends he has exploited his talent for business and made a successful go of this bookstore/coffeeshop. They even serve food, and I ordered a chicken salad croissant sandwich that left any I have eaten in Dallas paling in comparison. Over a light meal we spoke of family, ministry, and friends. The conversation was the same as it always is - the facts and details sometimes different, but the plot ever the same. This is one of the many reasons why I love this man. He loves me, and has mentored me for years... what a friend and strength he has been. Fast forward to dinner and you would find me at my other favorite place in town to eat - El Camino Real. It is Mexican in flair and flavor... though not as stylized as those in DFW. This restaurant is popular in this small-town Indiana locale of 18,000. Growing up, there were two types of food you never ate this far inland. They were seafood and Mexican. But by the time I went to college in the late-nineties, true Mexicans had made it as far north as my Indiana home and opened the El Camino. And tonight, I renewed my love for the food from our friends South of the border. Interestingly enough, their fine cuisine has begun making my nationalistic and ethnologically-narrowminded townies begin to survive, accept, and even love those of Spanish descent. Could they truly be exhibiting the love of Christ to people other than the white-lower/middle class??? It has been wonderful to see... and that is one reason why I believe that I like the El Camino Real. It has brought a level of civility and culture to a town that I believed would never stand to be stretched beyond its borders.
... eight days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/21/2002 11:20:50 PM
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Wednesday, November 20, 2002
Day One - 33 left, and nowhere to go
Today was the day... oh yes it was... the day I flew home for a sabbatical in Indiana. I begrudgingly rolled from my deep slumber after only 4 hours in the sack at 6:00am this morning. After a shower and once-over of my luggage I headed to DFW. I had more than enough time and was on the road by 6:45, knowing I would be at the terminal with a little less than an hour to spare. But it was not to be that easy. The airport was relatively inactive, but the staffers were slow... and my time began to waste away. By the time I finally arrived at the skycap's desk, I had over 40 minutes left before my flight taxied out. But I found another line, which wasted away even more of my precious time. Finally, I arrived at the counter only to find out that there is now a 35 minute rule at American Airlines. Baggage that is not checked earlier than 35 minutes before a scheduled flight, CANNOT be checked. I was sent to the ticket counter, but there encountered the same. Even more angering, in our post-9/11 world you can not send baggage on later flights (they must ride with you) and "we don't do UPS or FedEX." So I was forced to miss my 7:25am flight and try for a standby ride to Indianapolis 6 hours later. The lady at the counter, whose name was C.Davis, proved to be a calm in the midst of my brewing storm. She walked me through the process going so far as to schedule me a seat on the next flight (even though I was technically flying Standby) and thereby got me out of a $100 charge for a ticket change. She also helped me avoid screenings and baggage problems... and did it all with a smile, patience, and seeming empathy. She made it all OK, and put my fears to rest. After checking the luggage to the later flight, and entering security, I went through the concourse to watch my flight board and leave without me. It was tough, knowing that I was 2 minutes late for a 35 minute deadline - er, my bags were late. But as it turns out, the wait in the terminal was rather enjoyable and relaxing, which probably speaks to how uptight and overworked I am as of late.
...nine days left.
posted by Kevin at 11/20/2002 08:52:53 PM
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Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Bob's
Getting ready to head to the #2 steak place in the country - Bob's Steak and Chop House. It will be a pleasure to spend some time with good friends as I kick off my 10-day vacation. Bob's is an amazing place... and once you get a taste of their steaks, nothing else ever compares again.
BTW, tomorrow I leave for the rolling plains of Indiana. I have never needed a trip home as much as I do now.....
posted by Kevin at 11/19/2002 05:45:26 PM
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Monday, November 18, 2002
2 Days and counting
Only two days away from my sabbatical trip to Indiana. I can't wait.
posted by Kevin at 11/18/2002 09:47:48 AM
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Saturday, November 16, 2002
Slept In
Got to sleep in this morning, for the first time in weeks.... and it was all that I ever imagined it could be.
posted by Kevin at 11/16/2002 06:41:23 PM
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Friday, November 15, 2002
Friday Five
1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be doing at this point in your life? Why or why not?
I am a full-time student and also am employed full-time as Worship Producer at 23,000 member PW Baptist Church in Dallas, TX. I am fulfilled most of my life dreams for employment... working as a media minister in a mega-church. My dream is to successfully minister to the world through effective use of media in the church.
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be?
Like we all learned in OfficeSpace, this is a bogus question, "because then no one want to be janitors and clean up ..." I guess though, I would just travel the country visiting churches and giving tips, pointers, and consultation about their media and programming... or I might just move back home to Indiana and minister in my home church. I miss home.
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices?
Dad was a factory-worker for most of my formative years, and now is a truck driver. Mom was stay-at-home in the early years, then became our church's Pastoral Secretary. I think that being around the church so much as a child probably had the most impact on my career choice.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family?
No. But yesterday I had to choose between Jack-in-the-Box or Weinerschnitzel.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why?
Easiest - Ministry . . . serving God, serving people, making a true difference
Hardest - Ministry . . . see above
Link
posted by Kevin at 11/15/2002 10:06:20 AM
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Thursday, November 14, 2002
Old Friends
Got a chance to talk to some guys from my old DTS Spiritual Formation group today. Man I love those guys. I appreciate being able to interact openly with other men heading for the ministry who know you - have poured out their lives before you and allowed me to do likewise. There are no agendas, no time limits, no jealousy or disappointment... only encouragement. I see the guys from this group rarely now... but long for those times again, when we could sit down for an hour a week and open our hearts and souls. [Lord. Please bring men and groups like this into life now and in the future. I need them so.] Thanks Jeff, Kev, Jayceson, Dray, John, and Barry.
posted by Kevin at 11/14/2002 01:33:22 PM
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Wednesday, November 13, 2002
The Scale Balances
As Christians, we have a difficult time showing the love of Christ... in fact, sometimes we have difficulty showing any Christlike emotions. Its not that we don't ever have the love of Christ fill us, or godly emotions run from our heart to our soul. Its not that at all. We Christians do experience godly emotions on a daily basis. We experience love; feel joy; accept peace; have patience; realize kindness; are affected by goodness; practice faithfulness; become gentle; and practice self-control. But we rarely let others see these in our lives. The absence of these signify a life not lived in the Spirit... but the worse evil might just be a life that experiences these but never in the presence of others. Some of us have built so many walls around ourselves that others never see us living out our faith. Maybe if we started practicing godly character in everything that we say or do (and stop hiding it behind a facade) we would come closer to living a life that is fulfilling and permeating.
posted by Kevin at 11/13/2002 04:14:41 PM
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Founding Father
posted by Kevin at 11/13/2002 09:30:06 AM
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Tuesday, November 12, 2002
Small group meeting
Got up this morning at o'dark-thirty to make a 7am small group session with our Teaching Pastor and some local men who are doctors and businessmen. The group started several weeks ago but as a part of my internship Pastor thought it would be a good idea to attend. It was awesome. These men are in their thirties and are struggling to be men of God in a world where Godliness is not easily obtained or maintained. We're Oswald Sander's Spiritual Leadership and it's great... such wisdom and direction in short bite-size portions. Thanks Lord, and Pastor McKinley, for opening this opportunity at a time in my life when I really needed some direction and accountability.
posted by Kevin at 11/12/2002 09:02:11 AM
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Monday, November 11, 2002
The Downside of Ministry
I am convinced that Church ministry is all too often a cruel paradox. At its best, it holds for its men the promise of great blessing and fulfillment as they toil in the work of the Kingdom. At its worst, the Biblical mandate is lost in the milieu of jealousy, pride, and one-upmanship. A friend saw the downside of ministry today and got burned. Badly. And it hurts. It hurts me because I know exactly what he went through. It's the 'other side' of ministry... the one we all know exists but pray we never experience, or worse yet, become. A friend got caught in the middle today. He dared to question the status quo and live life on church staff like he lives out his personal life - honestly, openly, and with integrity. I love church ministry and I love my friend, but today I am more than a little disappointed with my profession. Oh to God that he never allows me to become so calloused toward those I minister with and to, that I miss the whole point of ministry in the first place. Today, I received a call from a friend who got burned - burned by men who are living out a style of ministry that is diametrically opposed to that which the New Testament calls us to. For shame.
posted by Kevin at 11/11/2002 08:44:42 PM
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Sunday, November 10, 2002
The Simpsons and other FOXities
The new season began tonight and it was like becoming reacquainted with an old friend. It brought back memories of Bethel's 2nd Floor... McChesney after Sunday dinner, surrounded by freshman, and the last couple years of graduate-school muck. Long Live the Simpsons... thanks for being there! Oh yeah, and long live Malcolm in the Middle!!! ... the show that put the fun in dysfunctional.
posted by Kevin at 11/10/2002 07:26:31 PM
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Saturday, November 09, 2002
Loose Yourself
After seeing Eminem's movie last night, 8 Mile, I am haunted by the lyrics to the theme song(loose yourself) and the screenplay itself - Opportunity comes once in a lifetime... you only get one shot... do not miss your chance... you better never let it go... loose yourself in the music - This is the prevailing wisdom of a postmodern X'er. You can do anything you set your mind to, as long as you look out for yourself and have the guts to do what it takes to get what you want. Or is this postmodernism at all?? I think that we are beginning to see the death of the postmodern culture.... a culture where there is a systematic skepticism of grounded theoretical perspective. We are beyond the destruction of absolutes. The new underlying premise in all thought, culture, and humanity is that I am the only absolute. We are each our own God's and rule the unverse of our own lives, no more/ no less. We control our own destiny, and if we loose ourselves enough we can become anything that we set our minds to. Thanks Em, for pigeonholing my generation.
posted by Kevin at 11/09/2002 02:33:45 PM
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Friday, November 08, 2002
Friday Five
1. Did you vote in your last elections? Sure did. And I'm SO glad that I did
2. Do you know who your elected representatives are? When I lived in Indiana, I always knew who they were, but now that I live in Dallas its difficult to sift through who represents who... so I think I might might flunk that test.
3. Have you ever contacted an elected representative? If so, what was it about? Not that I can remember, unless you count my Pastor. I once contacted him about getting a raise.
4. Have you ever participated in a demonstration? No. And I doubt I ever will. I don't want to be 'that person'.
5. Have you ever volunteered in an election? What was the result? Yip. In high school I participated in a polling program where I stayed at my local precinct till the results were tallyed, then called them in to the news organiztions. It was pretty great.
posted by Kevin at 11/08/2002 10:15:39 PM
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Helicopter
Spent the morning in a helicopter above Dallas taking video and stills for PW's building campaign. It was awesome!!! There is nothing like flying over a big city and being that close to the ground. I can't wait to see the pictures from the trip... and tell Mom what I did. Ipurposely neglected telling her about it before I went. She worries too much. If you ever get a chance to fly in a chopper - do it. There is nothing like it!
Link
posted by Kevin at 11/08/2002 12:58:46 PM
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Thursday, November 07, 2002
Headed home soon
I just booked my tickets for Indiana today. I can't wait to get home again. It will be the longest amount of time I've spent there in years. Nine days! Nothing soothes the soul, relieves stress, or clear the mind like spending time in a place where everybody knows you and loves you.
posted by Kevin at 11/07/2002 11:38:11 PM
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Beginnings
This is a new era for me, and my website. Headlong we plunge into the depths of the information age.
posted by Kevin at 11/07/2002 05:58:19 PM
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