Quick update: I injured my back a little over a month ago and I have been really slowed (almost to a grinding halt) with constant pain.  In the midst of this mess, I find myself oscillating between two positions: 1) the downtrodden, depressed “poor, pitiful me” syndrome, and 2) the “what in the world is God trying to show me through this” mindset.  Thanks be to God that I have spent a lot more time on #2.

And one of the myriad revelations that I have been shown during this time is just how blessed I am.  God has allowed me to spend the rest of my life with the woman of my dreams, He’s shaping perhaps the coolest little boy in world in my son T.J., He is currently forming another blessed son of mine in the womb (we’re looking for a launch in late January ‘09), and He has called me to lead an awesome assemblage of people known locally as Iron City Church.

He has also been showing me all over again the value of my TIME.  My time with Amber and TJ during this painful period has grown both of those relationships like crazy – especially between TJ and me.  I am reminded once again of the resounding, truthful words of Paul in his letter to the Romans: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.   – Romans 8:28

I don’t get freaked out by birthdays or the fear of growing old, but it is a daunting thought to think that as of today I have been taking up space on this earth for 3 decades. 

Today is my 30th birthday. 

I was born toward the end of the 8-track era, even had a record player in the house as a youngster, grew up during cassette tapes and the introduction of CD’s and DVD’s, and have evidently outlived them all as I’m an .mp3 guy now.  Wonder what’s next?

If I’m honest, there are some ways in which my life is not everything I thought it might be by age 30 … it is SO MUCH MORE. 

I have been redeemed by Jesus and get to live my life to bring Him glory and to further His Kingdom.

I have a godly and gorgeous wife that I get to share my life with.

And I have a son who makes my life more fun than I could have ever imagined.

Thank you God for 30 years (so far) — I can’t wait to see what the next 30 have in store!

I’m pretty tired.  But I contend that there are two different kinds of tired.

There’s the “life is kicking my butt and I’m totally overwhelmed and I don’t have time to think” kind of tired.  We can call that “bad tired.”

Then there’s the other kind of tired.  Good tired.  Good tired is more like “there is a lot going on and I’m extremely busy and could use a little extra sleep at some point, but God is working in such a big and real way right now that I don’t particularly care how tired I feel.”

I’m good tired right now.

I feel like God has turned on the firehose in the last few weeks (about a month) in showing me areas of my life that need some adjustment.  Rather than taking the time to explain everything, here are some of the nuggets:

• I have to be constantly growing as a leader, and a lot of times this means analyzing, predicting, and adjusting to the stages of life (personally and with the church)
• I have an amazing group of people around me who are willing (some are downright eager) to help – I have to become a better steward of the people God places around me (Matthew 25)
• I need to continue the process of shifting from a “crisis to crisis” mindset to more of a sustainable, long-term mindset as a leader
• I have to become more disciplined with my schedule, my eating habits, my health, and my personal growth plan
• I have to be honest with myself, with God, and with those around me when I’m struggling
• The rhythm of life = 6 and 1.  I suck at this and then wonder why I’m wiped out all the time.
  One final word: SABBATH. 

I saw a neat link from my friend Jeff Leake today.
Check out the “How Pittsburgh Are You?” Quiz: http://www.gotoquiz.com/how_pittsburgh_are_you

Should be fun for those of you from the ‘Burgh (and totally confusing for the rest of you).

Surprisingly, I scored a 97% — not bad for a southern transplant!

Comment back with your score….

I like to encourage people to find out what recharges them and do it when they start getting down.  For me, here are a few recharging activities:

• time alone with God
• time alone with Amber
• time with Amber and TJ
• riding the motorcycle (not in the snow however)
• spending time with certain people
  • This is a big one.  It’s taken me years of my life to realize this, but I need to be intentional about making time for the people who recharge me.
  • I spent years letting other people (often the people that drained me) dictate who I spent the bulk of my time with and then I wondered why I was wiped out all the time.

I say all this because I just wrapped up a meeting with a friend of mine and thought about how much better I felt after we got done.  That marks about three different times this week that I had the chance to sit and catch up with someone who fires me up.

What a difference it makes!  Here’s my advice for the day: find your rechargers and stay engaged….

Man it started snowing yesterday about mid-afternoon and went pretty much all night.  There’s a beautiful layer of pure white snow on the ground outside and I love it. 

I spent most of my life in the south where you have pretty much two seasons: hot and too hot.  Then there were a handful of days during the “winter” when you may have to throw on a light jacket.  Amber and I were talking last night about how we love having 4 distinct seasons here.

I especially love the snow.  As a boy in New Jersey I first got to experience it and I can’t get enough.  Even with the headaches it sometimes causes.  Here’s a few reasons why I love the snow:

• It’s pretty
• It doesn’t quite fit into a box (not rain, but not quite ice)
• It’s soft and fluffy (like me)
• It’s kind of unpredictable
• Finally, it reminds me of this great old hymn:
  • Nothing but the Blood (Robert Lowry, 1876)
    What can wash away my sin? nothing but the blood of Jesus;
    what can make me whole again? nothing but the blood of Jesus.
    O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
    no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

When it warms up around here I’ll have to deal with the messed up yard, the sloppy driveway, the dirty cars, but I’m thankful every day that thanks to Jesus I don’t have to worry about what’s buried under the snow of my life. 

Have a great day!

Thanks to his introducing me to Dale and Thomas popcorn, I’m pretty sure my friend Tony qualifies to get the “pure evil” award today. 

This stuff is unbelievable.  Can’t . . . stop . . . check the website: http://www.daleandthomaspopcorn.com.

I have been reading through Exodus lately in my devotional times and this statement that God sent to Pharoah through Moses:

“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

I can’t help but wonder sometimes about how and why God allows or places certain people in certain places of leadership and influence, but this is a powerful statement.  Something to chew on on Super Tuesday.
 

• I hate being sick
• I hate missing out on being with the people of Iron City Church (I had to miss last Sunday’s service)
• I hate that football season is over until August
• I hate being tired from a normal day because I was sick for two weeks
• I hate the fact that my cell phone died because my charger got broken
• I hate the sheer number of voicemails and emails that I have been trying to catch up on to make up for being sick
• I hate that I don’t always know the right things to do to lead my life, my family and ICC
• I hate that I am so undisciplined in some areas of my life
• I hate that I have so much hate inside of me sometimes….