it would seem counterproductive to me, if we all gathered in a room and experienced the most hype “worship experience” with hands raised, voices belted, free/outward expressions of our love for God WITHOUT translating that into stepping into the world and acting on the things we sing about…

I think Aaron Ivey has something here. Jump over to aaronivey.com and read the post. So many times we do this in church and in life. We get this gun loaded with hype and shoot it off missing the target of action on so many levels. I’m blown away and challenged by his words and I think you will be too. It’s worth the read no matter what you do as a “leader.”

Aaron also has a new album out that you should go to iTunes and purchase in it’s entirety. I’m going to have a review of it coming soon. If your seeking something new in your ears or on your “hi-fi”, then you can’t go wrong with this.

I really having nothing major to report.

Wait.

Yes I do.

Lauren went to the ER cuz her Dad is an idiot and accidentally ripped out her g-tube when she was sleeping on my lap. Do to this ER trip (it was slammed pack there) Rebecca had to leave a dinner she was at for work and Lauren seems to be getting sick. It also messed up a night of playing Fallout 3 on my 360 but that’s no big deal I started over anyway.

Lauren went to the ENT doc Monday and had a good appointment. They downsized her trach to a 3.0mm and upped her from a neo to a pediatric (it’s longer on the inside). Everything looked clear when they scoped her too. Mind you she still has two pieces of tumor and at this point always will. Also the doc said that 3 months after the plastics guy repairs her palate the trach will come out. We see him in 2 weeks to get that rolling. We are guessing the surgery will be August so maybe by November she won’t have it anymore, unless of course she has a rough winter like she did last year (we where in the ER or admitted to Duke at least 2 or more times per month).

Lauren is now getting sick from the ER visit we had Sunday night. She will be seeing her regular doc this afternoon.

In other news we are gearing up for VBS and Student Life Camp over the next two weeks with our church. It’s going to be crazy. If anyone has a DV camcorder I could borrow (with a DV to firewire cable) for the next two weeks that would be great. You just have to live close by so I can come get it.

Sorry I’ve been slack on blogging.

Thanks for all the happy birthdays I got on Tuesday… you all made me feel so young. The 3 cakes I received will make me and others fatter, all were and are delicious (still eating off of 2 of them).

Check out Aaron Ivey’s new album, “Between the Beauty & Chaos” it’s available on iTunes and you can’t go wrong with this beautiful work of art that exalts God and the struggles of life.

You should check out The Carolinas too while your at it. New record just dropped for them too.

Edited more photos tonight for the Justin Teseniar Band, they should be up in the morning.

Driving to SC to play music at a wedding tomorrow

My Mom is up from FL and going with me to said wedding

Lauren has an eye appointment tomorrow at Duke, we are betting we will be doing patching again

Lauren is really on my mind tonight, I’m trying to put my head around everything and it’s kinda rough (she’s fine, It’s personal and just not an easy night for me)

Father’s Day, my Birthday, and our 6 year wedding anniversary in a matter of weeks.

VBS at church coming up

Student Life @ Daytona Beach for our student ministry in July, looking to meeting up with a blog friend

World Changers starts Sunday

Need to carve out family time

Need to pay bills with money that does not exist

Trying to remember to bring David back his CD’s tomorrow

Did I pack deodorant?

Why would you die for me? Why would you give your life over for me so long ago, long before I walked this earth, long before my parents or their parents walked this earth? I have done nothing do deserve this type of love. Why would you do this for me? I cannot grasp your idea of love and your idea of forgiveness. Yet, you pour it out onto me.

In my shame and brokenness, I crawl before your feet. My tears, they stain your skin with my filth yet in your holiness they are continually washed away. You are far from condemning, but gently lay your hands on my head and speak to the very depths of my soul. To places that only you and I know exist. You speak to my soul; and you speak for my soul. If you did not speak for it, it would be banished for it as I said is full of shame and brokenness. Some of which is of it’s own accord and some of which was brought about by the very nature which you created in me and in the others who have gone before me, even to the first of your creation.

I do not blame you for this nature but thank you for it. For in this nature you have given others and myself knowledge and the idea of choice from the moment time began and it is through this nature and the idea of choice that I must live and in doing so die to self and to the breath I take. Your hand still lay gently on my head, you intercede for me today and every day, speaking on my behalf to the one I cannot see. Do I desire it? Yes. Do I deserve it? No, but I thank you for it. Without you I would be nothing.

Here are a few of the pics from the shoot with the Justin Teseniar Band, I have WAY more to edit.

Justin Teseniar:: Acoustic Guitar/Vocals

Mitch Walace:: Electric Guitar

Chris Walace:: Bass Guitar

Jeremy Moore:: Keys/Background Vocals

Danny McLaughlin:: Drums

I’m posting this now cuz I can. I had this great pic for Photography Friday and ya know I forgot to post it. So next week you can see it.

We had our Rock-a-thon this past Friday night, it took a far amount of setup but we pulled it off. Thank you to all those who helped and the students who participated. If you don’t know what a rock-a-thon is try sitting in a rocking chair for 12 hours and rock the whole time. Really can make your rear sore.

Beck has been doing continuing education classes this weekend at a conference out of town, well in Burlington about 45 minutes away. We will see how it plays out tomorrow when I’m alone with Lauren at church. It will be a new experience.

Tomorrow I’m doing a photo shoot for the Justin Teseniar Band in the evening and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of it. We are also shooting video throughout the week for their new album Holding on to Hope. We have rented a Prosumer HD Camcorder from LensRentals.com and if your looking for a place to rent glass or video equipment I would highly recommend this company which came on a recommendation from Steven Bush. I have been very impressed.

Started a series this past week with Refuge called “Stories” and the drive behind it is how our stories intertwine with those of the people around us and how each of those stories are part of this bigger story God is writing. We talked about the stories of “serving others” Wednesday night since we will have an opportunity to serve students coming to our town for World Changers in a few weeks. This coming week we are going to look at the stories of some students who took a challenge to live homeless to see and experience life on the other side of the tracks.

This coming week is going to be busy, but I’m looking forward to what God is going to do.

***I also edited my blog roll, if you have not updated in forever, or have deleted your blog sorry***

The Canes are out of the playoffs so I have shaved the “hockey beard.” Lucky for me the Canes are my favorite team (since we live a few miles from their home ice and I think you should root for the teams where you live) but my home team is still going strong and I can still root them on. Go Wings! Detroit as a city really needs something big this year with all the General Motors junk and bring the cup home would brighten that town a bit.

We have moved. The new apartment is coming together, we like it much better then where we were at before.

The in-laws (out-laws hehehehe) will be here in about 30 minutes on a flight from Florida. We are looking forward to some well needed family time.

Lauren had her 15 month well visit this morning which included shots. Can you believe she is 15 months? I’m still trying to grasp her running to me crying and laying at my feet signing daddy when I walk through the door because she wants to be picked up. I’m going to enjoy it while I can cuz it won’t be long and she will be interested in boys, graduating college, and not wanting to be held by her daddy. I’m such a sucker for my kid.

We have now lived in Durham for a year and still love it. We are coming up on our 1 year anniversary at this church and our 6 year anniversary in July of our marriage. God has done amazing things in both those time frames.

“As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”

Paul wrote these words in his final letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:6-7 NLT). A letter that would reach its destination long after Paul was dragged from his prison cell, past the outer wall of the city of Rome, and beheaded for his faith.

I can’t imagine what Paul went through in his life. When we first meet up with him, men are handing him their cloaks as they stone Steven to death. When he writes this final letter to Timothy, he has trekked some 10,000 miles sharing Jesus and lived through more persecution then any person should in a lifetime (see 2 Corinthians 11:22-30) and yet here he is. When God said to Ananias in Acts 9:16 (NIV), “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” God was far from joking. Paul suffered, but he also persevered. His letters to the various churches do not contain the complaints about food or the guards beating him, they contain the very fabric of our faith, he writes with great conviction and burden as God comforts him and guides his pen.

When I am at the end of my life, wherever and whenever that may be, I want to be able to look back and say the words of Paul found in 2nd Timothy with the deepest conviction. To seek God as Paul did is not for the faint hearted, it’s not the health and wealth Gospel you find many places today, but a Gospel of persecution and brokenness shrouded in the loving blood and grace of Jesus and redemption. I don’t know if I have what it takes but I pray that God would look at me when I stand before him, take my hand, and say, “Well done good and faithful servant.”