December 30, 2008 • 5:11 pm 0
Hey guys and gals,
Sorry about the absence of posts but I’ve been living up the holiday season as Michelle and I have been making our “fun family tour” and catching up with everyone. I will be back to my normal posting self sometime after January 2nd but if you just can’t do without – be sure to follow me on twitter as I “microblog” my way through the holidays!!
Filed under: Personal
December 17, 2008 • 5:00 pm 2
Still haven’t finished the holiday shopping? Me neither…
This year, however, Michelle and I were influenced by the Advent Conspiracy challenge and decided to forego gifts for each other and instead put that money towards helping others. We opted to purchase feed bags for each other that essentially will feed a child for a year, you can see’em here.
While that has been exciting for us – we still have been struggling with the consumer side of things while purchasing gifts for the rest of the fam…and then I remembered…
Over the last year or so I have been dumping sites where you can buy stuff, in this case gifts, that not only are practical presents but through which your money actually goes to benefit people. I know…what a novel idea!
So…I figured that if you haven’t finished your shopping you might be able to grab a couple of last second presents from these sites while helping people through your purchases – it’s actually a pretty great feeling!!! Already bought some pajama gifts!!!
Anyway…take a looksee:
Punjammies – Punjammies are adorable sari-inspired pajamas. Each Punjammi is created in an after-care facility for women who have been rescued, released or escaped from a life of forced prostitution. Holistic aftercare involves quality medical care, emotional safety, education and the tools to create a new way of life for herself.
Tiny Rockstar - Looking for a cute top for your tot? Tiny Rockstar has two missions: 1) making cool shirts for kids, and 2) ending the phenomenon of orphans living in extreme poverty. Their first step is to fund a “Care Point” run by Children’s Hopechest in Swaziland, Africa. For every shirt you buy, Tiny Rockstar will donate enough to feed an orphan for a whole month. I think that’s pretty awesome! I love feeding people!!
The Hunger Site – If you go under Gifts that Give More on the sidebar, there are a lot of interesting things you can purchase in someone else’s name – things as different as a child’s education for a year or a microloan for a pig or goat.
Vintage Momma Designs – This inspired mama makes this jewelry and some of her profits go to help a clinic in Haiti and the Susan G. Komen Breat Cancer Fund. 
Check out her Etsy store as well!
Light Gives Heat sells necklaces and shirts that support a village in Uganda. Each piece is hand-made by a women in Uganda, providing them with a consistent income.
Rocks in the Sun is a gorgeous photography book filled with Haitian proverbs and photos of this beautiful but impoverished country. It’s compiled by Troy Livesay, who lives in Haiti and does great mission work there (and just happens to be a stellar photog). This would make a great coffee table book, and the proceeds go towards their missions work with Heartline Haiti and Worldwide Village.
Tom’s Shoes is giving a pair of shoes to a child in need for EVERY SHOE PURCHASED. This is one of Michelle and my favorites!!! Gives us good reason to buy shoes!!!
Real Hope for Haiti – Sponsor a child in Haiti for a year through Real Hope for Haiti. For $200 you could send a child in Haiti to school for the entire school year. That’s right – you can give a child the gift of an education.
World Vision has an amazing gift catalog where you can buy a number of innovative and sustaining gifts for people living in poverty. Their website even allows you to purchase and print a card letting a loved one know you have donated in their name. You can purchase medical attention for a pregnant woman, a goat that can provide milk to a child – even a grove of fruit trees!
31 Bits Jewelry is made out of 100% recycled paper, posters, and magazines by internally displaced women in Northern Uganda. Each piece of jewelry is unique and hand-crafted by a woman in the community of Gulu, Uganda.
Saint’s Coffee is tastey, and it’s fair trade, organic AND every lb you buy feeds an orphan for a month!
Invisible Children is selling bracelets made in Uganda to benefit former child soldiers. Each bracelet is a different color, and each color represents an individual child. These colored bracelets are accompanied by an inspiring short film about a child that has been personally affected by this unrelenting war.
Eastside Women of Purpose is selling $25 microloan gift cards to support a mircrofinance program through Bridges to the Nations, a non-profit ministry in Pattaya, Thailand. There are currently 50,000 young adults caught in the sex industry in Pattaya, Thailand, and a giftcard helps provide formerly enslaved men and women with education, job skills training and microloans to start their own business.
Filed under: Personal, Series, Sunday Morning Reflections, Videos
December 16, 2008 • 1:18 pm 0
I love switching up translations from time to time because sometimes scriptures that I have read over and over again come alive in another translation…that’s what happened today for me…
I came across this prayer by Paul today in The Voice and it blew me away…I’m thinking I am going to pray and dwell on it till the new year…
“Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches, strengthen Your people. Fill their souls with the power of Your Spirit so that through faith the Liberating King will reside in their hearts. May love be the rich soil where their lives take root. May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that together with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Liberator is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings.”
Filed under: Bible Journey, Personal, Reflection
December 15, 2008 • 3:10 pm 0
A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes … and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
Filed under: Church, Reflection, Religous
• 2:19 pm 0
I came across this the other day as I was working through a different advent calendar on the web. It’s a link to the “Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar 2008″ and it is simply amazing!
I love mystery and I love thinking about just how vast God is because it keeps me from putting Him into some nice little box. These pictures help me with that. I know for me that if I continually reflect on His glory and the pure fact that I will never be able to fully comprehend His vastness it makes my desire to serve, honor, and worship Him grow but more importantly it makes prayer exciting because I know that He truly is big enough to hear and act!
Take a look. Stop for a second and just thank God for his greatness, His glory, and the simple fact that He is bigger than we can ever imagine!
Here’s the link again if you didn’t catch it above:
Filed under: Reflection, Religous
December 12, 2008 • 4:19 pm 0
For those of you who spend enough time with me, you know that for the most part I am addicted to the Christmas spirit! I love the lights, fires, christmas songs, smells, cold, smiles, and everything else that goes along with Christmas.
I got pumped this year when one of my neighbors put up their Christmas lights pre-thanskgiving! Michelle still makes me hold to the day after thanksgiving but…the day after – everything goes up and I mean EVERYTHING!
So…with the holiday inching closer and closer each day – here are my favorite Christmas albums this year – these are the ones that are essentially playing on repeat at our house 24/7…
Chris Rice – The Living Room Sessions – Christmas
I love me some piano and Chris does it the best. Some of these songs are vocal free but the piano is just excellent! If you haven’t checked out his other “Living Room” sessions you should give them a whirl too!
I generally get a new album each year and this is the one I picked out as a winner for this year. These guys pretty much remind me of the “Enter the Worship Circle” peeps – good stuff! Really enjoyed listening to it!!
Fernando Ortega – Christmas Songs
I love me some Fernando…classic Christmas stuff here.
This is the one that I am ALWAYS coming back to – it’s my go-to Christmas album when I have to find one in a hurry. James does it well and he does it right.
December 11, 2008 • 11:42 am 0
I like trying to stay up to date with the latest fashions which is one of the reasons I like college ministry because they keep me from wearing tube-socks but…someone (who shall remain nameless unless you want to treat me to a whichwhich sandwich) tipped me off to this new fashion that I am having a hard time accepting the possibility of…
They are called Mantyhose. Yes…they are pantyhose for MEN!
Why in the world would you want to do this? Talk to enough women and they will tell you that they CAN”T STAND pantyhose so why would we want to go here? And…I’m gonna make a BIG statement here – I don’t care how popular these get, if they ever do, I will not partake and might smack you upside the head if you do (only in a loving rebuking kind of way).
I seriously doubt these will catch on but what do I know…I never thought wearing alaskan looking shoes with your jeans tucked in or worse wearing alaskan shoes with a skirt would have caught on either…
Filed under: Random
December 9, 2008 • 5:36 pm 2
Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days; that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.
Filed under: Reflection, Religous
• 5:21 pm 0
I came across this post a couple of days ago over at BradRuggles.com and thought that it was classic! I know for certain that Michelle and I have had many a similar conversation. My favorite part is when he talks about her asking, “what are you thinking,” when he was trying to go to sleep…funny…give it a read…especially if you are married!!
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It’s the question that every husband dreads.
“Honey, what are you thinking?”
For some reason God created wives with this insatiable curiosity about what goes on between the ears of their husband. I’m pretty sure there was a 26th verse in Genesis chapter 2 that never made it into the final manuscript,
“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.And Eve said to Adam, What therefore are you thinking?”
Guys, if you’re married you’ve undoubtedly been asked this question before at least 50,000 times. And when our wives ask, they don’t let us off easy.
wife: Honey, what are you thinking?
husband: nothing.
wife: That’s not even possible. You have to be thinking about something.
husband: *sigh* Well, right now I’m thinking about this conversation I’m having with you.
wife: No, what were you thinking about before that?
husband: nothing.
I continue to try to convince Lisa that not only is it possible I’m actually thinking about nothing, it’s extremely likely. If women only knew how often men sat on the couch or laid in bed with their eyes closed thinking about…NOTHING!
Wives especially love to drop the ‘What Are You Thinking’ bomb on us when we’re in bed, usually just a fraction of a second before we drift off to sleep.
wife: What are you thinking?
husband: (mumbling into his pillow) Well, I was asleep…
wife: Well, you’re awake now. What are you thinking?
The WAY question is the vicious black hole of all questions. On the occasion that I’m actually thinking about something and answer honestly it leads to more questions.
This was our conversation in bed this morning.
Lisa: What are you thinking?
Me: I was wondering when they’re going to deliver the Elliptical we just ordered.
Lisa: Why were you thinking that? Were you thinking that because you think I need to get on it and exercise?
Me: Yes, that’s TOTALLY what I was thinking? How did you know? I was just laying here thinking, I wish that Lisa would get off her butt and exercise! You completely read my mind!
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Good stuff! You can see the actual post HERE
December 8, 2008 • 4:49 pm 0
With the new year almost upon us, I’ve started doing some reflecting on this past year while journaling some of my thoughts in hope of continually being transformed into the person of Christ.
I thought it could possibly be beneficial for you to see my list…hopefully you do something similar to help you continue to grow in your relationship with Christ and if not, maybe this could be a starting point.
I’ve found that by writing my goals and priorities for each new year on the first page of my journal helps me to continually reflect and hopefully achieve some of those goals throughout each year. These aren’t my “goals” for this past years, just some thoughts that have been challenging me as I finish out this year and head into the new one…
Here’s my list:
That’s my list. Thoughts? What would you add if it was your list?
Filed under: Personal, Reflection, Religous
• 4:06 pm 0
I came across this pic today over at the Plow blog and thought it was a cool depiction of what the manger scene could possibly look like today. I hope that I would give baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph a room in my house…I hope…
Filed under: Church, Reflection
December 3, 2008 • 4:21 pm 2
Most college students are constantly trying to look forward into their futures, its the nature of being in a transitional phase of life. The thing is, when you are looking into the future, you quickly realize that you desire someone to share that future with – a spouse. So now on the cusp of adulthood, most college campus’s become a major place for finding that future spouse. The whole process can be super exciting, gut-wrenching, and extremely painful all wrapped up together!
So…I figured I’d make it easier on everyone and just share 14 examples from the Old Testament on how to get a wife.
1. Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she’s yours. – (Deuteronomy 21:11-13)
2. Find a prostitute and marry her. – (Hosea 1:1-3)
3. Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock.- Moses (Exodus 2:16-21)
4. Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal. – Boaz (Ruth 4:5-10)
5. Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife. – Benjaminites (Judges 21:19-25)
6. Have God create a wife for you while you sleep.-Adam (Genesis 2:19-24)
7. Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman’s hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. – Jacob (Genesis 29:15-30)
8. Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law’s enemies and get his daughter for a wife -David (I Samuel 18:27)
9. Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you’ll definitely find someone. -Cain (Genesis 4:16-17)
10. Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest. – Xerxes or Ahasuerus (Esther 2:3-4)
11. When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, “I have seen a … woman; now get her for me.” If your parents question your decision, simply say, “Get her for me. She’s the one for me.” – Samson (Judges 14:1-3)
12. Kill any husband and take his wife. -David (2 Samuel 11)
13. Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. -Onana and Boaz (Deuteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth)
14. Don’t be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity. – Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-3)
There you go…now you don’t have to worry about that anymore! All that’s left is actually studying, passing, and graduating…
Filed under: Random
December 2, 2008 • 5:43 pm 0
We are where we are because of people God has put in our lives.
I want to challenge myself and you as we head into this holiday season to make a list of ten people who have influenced you and write them each a personal note of gratitude.
Your list might include:
I think it’s important for us to always remember that God uses people ALL the time to make a difference in our lives and to shape us to be the people we are today. Why not voice your appreciation – it will bring sooo much satisfaction for both you and them! Give it a try and it’s by far more meaningful then any gift you could buy!
Filed under: Reflection
December 1, 2008 • 5:44 pm 0
Action is the antidote to despair.
- Joan Baez
Filed under: Random, Reflection, Social Justice
• 5:28 pm 0
Last week before we all headed to our separate tables for some chow, I posted the first of several “list” posts . The first list chronicled the songs that have been on repeat on my ipod over the last few months. If you missed the music post, you can get it here but if you’ve already checked out the music – here are the books that have been on my nightstand…
Here’s they are, in no particular order:
The Shack
In my opinion this book is an excellent piece of fiction writing that is loaded with some tricky theological issues. I’ve seen both positive and negative reviews on it…but I can say that, for the most part, I enjoyed it. It made me think…and I love books that make me do that. It will definitely cause you to look at God in an entirely different way and sometimes this can be a VERY good thing!
Walking With God
John Eldridge hit the ball out of the park with this one. I could not put it down. The thing I like the most is the fact that he went where I believe other Christian teachers are afraid to go…how to REALLY listen to the voice of God…and how to fight the spiritual battles that come our way. It really impacted me AND challenged me in a lot of areas.
Simple Church
I really enjoyed this book A TON! It has helped me more than any other book I’ve read to this point as far as how to structure ministry. In a time where our culture has shifted to multi-site and multi-staff churches we are now able to be much more specialized in what we do or “are” as a church. Basically the thesis is the church can accomplish more by doing less.
Making Vision Stick
I think Andy Stanley could write a book on how to sell shoes and I would buy it and learn from it!!! Seriously, this book (another quick read) should be required reading for anyone in a leadership position. Andy gives some VERY practical steps on how to cast (and continually cast) compelling vision.
Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups
Most of you who have been around me long enough know that I live for small groups! I truly believe that God does more to us through each other than through anything else that we do as a church. Small groups is where “it” happens. So…I’m always reading through books on small groups. I came across this one on some place and I’ll be honest…I didn’t like it. It delivers exactly what it title states, “An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups.” To be fair, because that line was in there is why I bought the book but essentially the new approach is – less time together, more people in groups so they are not so small and “intimate”, all kinds of groups (hunting groups, shopping groups, bible groups, etc)…just didn’t jive with me…
The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
This one got read because I am always devouring leadership books because I feel I can always be growing in this area. I truly desire to lead and lead well so I want to prepare and learn all I can. I bought this book because everyone that I read in the blog world seemed to have it on their cue list. I read it. I am confused. The principle is to move away from top down leadership but to what? I never got the answer to that question…
That about wraps it up – hopefully you can get a couple of good ones out of there that you haven’t read yet and I would love to hear your opinions on them as well!!!
Filed under: Personal, Random, Reflection
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