What a month!

This has been one of those testimony-laden months. Getting back in the saddle, and looking forward to writing.

The good news is that I am back!

What a month!

Arrested.

I read this touching account from the blog of John Maxwell, an influential author and speaker, who recently was arrested (yes... arrested).

Sorry... I found it refreshing: a public figure who, in my opinion, makes no excuses for an occurrence, and takes the responsibility for it. He scores high marks in the integrity sweepstakes in my book.

Thanks to fellow Alltopper Ron Edmonson for the post that revealed the story to me.

Arrested.

People I dislike: Derek Turner

I dislike Derek Turner... for a few reasons:

- Derek is truly one of the most sincere people I know. You really want to see that your pastor is a bit insincere. As my pastor, Derek abjectly fails here.

- Derek has looked pain and horror in the eye and come out with a closer relationship with God. He continually makes me feel like I can deal with the petty things in my life with more joy. This makes me mad.

- Derek truly loves people. He reaches out regardless of how it makes him look. Again, he makes me shine the light on my own life. Not cool.

- Derek was a phenomenal soccer goalkeeper at ORU. Now I have nothing to boast about.

- Derek uses a BlackBerry, and references the Bible from it. See previous bullet.

- When asked about Diversity, Derek's answer is, "What Would Love Do?"

Whatever. I truly dislike this guy.

Derek Turner is Pastor at The Branch Family Church in Charlotte, NC.

People I dislike: Derek Turner

Nobodies

In christian social networking circles, name recognition means everything. The worlds of FaceBook and Twitter abound with ministry heavyweights. Getting involved is a sign of being connected.

Still, behind the scenes, underneath the celebrities, there is a network of quieter folks, no less inspiring and with compelling stories -- folks that blow you away with their sincerity and friendship.

These "nobodies" (a group which I humbly fall in to) are what make social networks what they are. I know that I can get with Danny with a quick tweet, or shoot the breeze with Pamela, or argue with Karen. I can TokBox with Amanda, Richard, Scott, Ms Michelle and the rest of the Rowdy 180 till the wee hours of the morning.

I know that Waalien is always available; JennFelt is just a call away; I can plan a lunch meeting with Jace, Justin and/or Antoine on the fly. I can talk poetry with Sarah, cyber-box with Paige and call on Ron for some back-up. Cool thing is that I can pray with any and all of these people at any given time.

I could go on and on. I could shut down Blogger if I took the time to detail how my social family affects me and my ministry. From 180 to CB to beyond, I am grateful for the friendship, and for being celebrities in my life.

As a tribute, I am starting a segment... starting with a couple people you may or may not have heard of, called "People I Dislike..."

Stay tuned...

Nobodies

Street Cred

In ministry, you need street cred.

It's a simple concept, and everybody knows it's true. In youth ministry, the need is even more pronounced.

For instance, everybody knows that in youth ministry, you can "up" your rep with a few add-ons. You can also knock yourself down a few notches with misconceived ideas.

For example: a motorcycle gives you instant credibility. And specific motorcycles give different vibes. A senior pastor on a Harley is uber-cool; on the other hand, a youth pastor will want to get a two-wheeler that sacrifices comfort. Yep, you guessed right: the youth pastor who is serious about projecting street smarts will only ride a crotch rocket. Preferably in neon coloring.

Another instant-rep-giver that may be a bit more ubiquitous is the tattoo. Nothing proclaims "downness" like inked skin. And no, I am not talking about christian symbols like the cross, or ambiguous etches like thorns on the biceps. Dude, I am referring to confusing symbols that originate in the Far East. No youth pastor is complete without at least one. Trust me, youth ministry search committees will ask to see them. Going forward, I suggest going to interviews with tank tops and sleeveless mesh muscle shirts to portray seriousness.

No budding youth pastor is complete without body piercings. Abundance is key. In fact, the "maler" one is, the more exposed piercings are needed. Lips, eyes, elbows -- anywhere and everywhere. If you walk by a microscope and it it does not need to be recalibrated, you are simply not dedicated enough.

Yeah... it's true. Unconventional is in. It is trendy to be atypical. Shoe shines are not enough. Maturity can be a minus. Youth ministry is like gymnastics. 25 yrs of age makes you a senior citizen.

I am in trouble. I married wrong. The woman is perfect... but each time I brought up getting a bike, she ominously presented me with new life insurance policies. I finally gave up. I am not big on tattoos, and henna just doesn't give me the juice I need. The joke, however, is on y'all; I can get all the piercings I want.

Hmph.

Images courtesy of Wiki Commons.

Praise God

Street Cred

BlackBerry-less

So, I have been cranky... the USB port on my 8320 was ruined, and thus, I couldn't charge or sync my phone.

I had a few options. I could get a refurb unit from Tmo for free, but that would mean getting a new PIN, and switching over the tons of apps to a device that wouldn't be new. I could upgrade to the 8900, but then, I'd have the same problem as above (plus, an expense I could not justify).

I even flirted with the idea of getting a new device and/or carrier, but in the end, I decided thatmy 8320 was too good to let go, and no current device was an upgrade by my standards.

So, I sent in the phone to BBRepairshop. Can't wait for the device to get back.

Stay tuned. I am.

Praise God

BlackBerry-less

Women and self-worth

Now that I have a daughter, I can authoritatively comment on women and self-esteem. I can authoritatively say I still know nothing: except to listen to my wife and do my darnedest to ensure she understands how she should be treated and how she should view herself.

This post is from dear friend Jen... I absolutely loved it.

Burn away!

Women and self-worth

Soccer Keeper Uses iPod

As a soccer coach and former keeper, this bit of news from Reuters caught my eye... a keeper using an electronic device (in this case, an iPod) for on-the-field analysis that arguably helped him and his team win the coveted League Cup via penalty shoot-out.

Ben Foster, goal tender for powerhouse Manchester United, watched penalty kicks previously taken by opponent Tottenham Hotspur designated kickers. He watched the clips with United's goalkeeping coach as a tactical move prior to the shoot-out.

In youth soccer, I think one of the most under-utilized tools is game film. Having film, in my opinion, is priceless. Ever talked to a 12 yr-old about a mistake he/she made on the field ten minutes earlier? Chances are he/she won't remember. Have the same child watch herself on video... they practically troubleshoot themselves. Pointy ball coaches have been doing this forever; you wonder why we, as coaches of a game as fluid as soccer, do not routinely film games for future reference.

It is relatively easy to get parents to tape a game, too.

Hopefully, The FA and FIFA won't overeact and ban the use, though an argument could be made that allowing some electronic aids on the pitch opens the doors to abuse. Still, it goes to show that real football goalkeepers are the smartest folks around.
Praise God!

Soccer Keeper Uses iPod

That pesky concept known as faith...

Faith is:

* a very, very disconcerting topic. Lord, you're telling me to rest on You? Completely?

* the ultimate log/speck talking point... easy to troubleshoot in others, not so much in self

* is a very humbling concept.

* can be contagious. Sometimes, it takes one faithful person to effect change

* is extremely energy-efficient. A speck does wonders.

* does wonders for mental health.

* is phenomenal when paired with sister pesky concept "love."

Praise God!

That pesky concept known as faith...

Injured good Samaritan ticketed for jaywalking

Seriously? Please give this guy a break... (and someone finally did).

Injured good Samaritan ticketed for jaywalking

The Source

I had gone over to my parents house this weekend to look at a problem they were having with their wireless network. I had installed it a few weeks earlier, and Mom reported that all of a sudden, it had quit working.

I was able to isolate the initial problem fairly quickly, but for the life of me, I could not get it up and running. The cable modem was working fine, and after resetting, it was broadcasting "online" and the router seemed fine. I just could not continue the connection to the world wide web.

Stumped, I decided to take a break and start another project for my Mom: getting her Wii console fixed. My mom had shocked us all by purchasing the gaming system a few weeks back, but for the kids, it made Nana's home even more welcome.

While looking for the Wii serial number, I noticed that my parents were now on DirecTV. Impressive, I thought.

It wasn't till later that the answer to my initial problem jumped at me. I called my Mom.

"Mom... when did this problem start?"
"In December" she answered.
"Well, when did you cancel cable and go to DTV?" I queried.
There was a pause. "In December."

Voila! Problem solved! The folks had cut off cable. There was no internet source.

The teaching moments are analogies are plentiful for every facet of ministry, personal and church. Basically, it can boil down to asking, particularly in lean times: what is your Source? Is it constantly refreshed? Is there something blocking it?

The Source