There Goes The Neighborhood

My wifey and I purchased a house in the Mountain Creek Subdivision. We chose this location because it is close to work, in a nice city schools neighborhood, and a good deal. We really like our new home and are very happy with our purchase. Come visit us, we finally have space!
One of the things that I was most looking forward to was sharing Jesus with our neighbors. Being that I moved to Carrollton knowing no one, and that I work in the church, I know very few people who don't know Jesus. Well, that was until we moved to a new community. One of the first things we did after moving in was to go door to door meeting as many people as we could. We introduced ourselves and got to know something about them. This was semi awkward but we had a goal, to share Jesus, and so it was worth it. After getting to know them, we invited them to our house for a block party. Some were skeptical, others were excited. It was easy to see those who weren't interested, but also equally easy to see those who were looking to make a new friend. Well the day arrived for our party and honestly I was quite skeptical if people would really come hang out. At first, a slow trickle of people flowed onto the property to grab some food and make some friends, but eventually the crowd arrived. With 80+ homes in the subdivision, we had no idea what to expect. 5 people could have shown up, or 200 people. I spent the next could of hours making new friends, serving, shaking hands, smiling, and sharing Jesus. The party was successful, in my eyes and the eyes of my savior.
Now comes the fun part, continually being a good neighbor, being someone to talk to about life, being a smiling face, and hopefully being a safe place to come to know Christ. If you're still reading this, pray for my neighbors to see Nicole and I as a light.

Matthew 5:14-16

The Message

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing our the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hid you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand - SHINE! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Coffee - The Greatest Addiction Ever

For me, everyday begins with a cup of coffee.  I enjoy the flavor, the energy, the smell, and the feel of a cup of coffee in my hand.  If I get into office conversation, I find that I drink more.  And if my day finds time, I'll end up at a coffee shop reading with my wifey.  I have very specific coffee favorites such as Ethiopia Yirga Chefe!  Bold, Strong, Coffee!  Espresso is also a preferred taste of mine but it costs so much for such a little cup, so I stick to the bold cup of joe.  Since moving to Carrollton, I have used the same coffee mug everyday.  It is stained brown and has only been washed a handful of times, but I believe that it gives it character!  As I sip on my freshly brewed coffee for today, I encourage you to grav a mug and enjoy this video as you sip on God's gift.

My Office at Southern Hills Christian Church

Most of my time in the week is spent in my office working on current projects and preparing for future ministry. I thought it would be nice this week to give you a sneak peak at where the magic happens.

When you walk in, you'll instantly notice that I like having an open office where you can walk in and feel welcomed. You can have a seat on the sweet couch, or maybe be a little more adventurous and sit in my massage chair. I almost always have some sweets on the shelf to encourage visitors and you may even notice that I like batman!

I will spare you from opening the closet. As a children's pastor I am always working on our future stage set, costumes, and object lessons to teach the kids about Jesus in creative ways and so it is FULL! I have a modest book collection, but have read pretty much everything on my shelves. I try to read at least a book a month now that I have graduated college.

If you notice on my desk, I am currently reading 9 Things They Didn't Teach Me in College About Children's Ministry, Leadership by the Book: Tools to Transform Your Workplace, and by recommendation of Perry Noble Choosing to Cheat: Who Wins When Family and Work Collide?.

So, there's my office. I must say, I really enjoy working in this room and especially love working at Southern Hills Christian Church!!!

Stop by sometime, grab a piece of candy, get a massage, and let's hang out. I would love to have you!

Sunday Checklists

Sunday mornings are very busy for me. I get up early and begin thinking through a mental and sometimes written checklist. There is a lot going on all at once and so it is sometimes difficult to manage. Recently, I began thinking about how busy I feel on Sunday's and how while there is a ton going on, I need to stay focused.

Who do I need to talk with today? What area's need evaluation? Who needs encouraging? What needs delegated? What needs done this week? Who needs prayer? And then all of the stuff with lessons, skits, main points, memory verses and everything in between.

I don't remember where I read about this struggle, but since reading about it, I have placed a lot of emphasis on making sure that I connect with people. Making sure I take the time to connect, build others up, and listen. This has made me feel much better come Sunday afternoon and I will continue with this priority.

Blogging and Networking

I have to start with a confession. I follow and read 77 different blogs...

I love information, I love hearing the inner thoughts of others, I love watching people get hurt (failblog ;), and generally I love people...and so I read their blog posts.

I just finished reading the chapter on networking in Ryan Frank's new book 9 things they didn't teach me in college about children's ministry. And came to the conclusion that I need to keep up with my blog better. I would like help others in the ministry and write about things that I'm working through. I want parents in my ministry at SHCC to know me better, beyond the 30 second interaction we have on Sunday morning at pick up and drop of of their children. And I want to gain some clarity in thought through writing things out.

So anyways, I'll probably need to cut back on the blogs that I read, and find more time to write my own. So read my blog and make it worth it ;)

My brief thoughts for the week, or at least what I wrote on my whiteboard:

Who did I connect with this week?

Who did I encourage?

With whom did I share creative ideas?

Who did I share Jesus with?