Confession

I must admit that when I started reading Don Miller's book "Blue Like Jazz," I didn't like it. I found his writing to be sporadic and without thought. I had a hard time seeing what people were getting out of this book and why it was on everyone's reading list.

Last week I decided that I was going to try reading it again, laying aside my instant judgement and thoughts. I found out something about myself that wasn't written in the pages but God was showing me this: Everything doesn't and won't fit my plan. It fits his. Period. I don't have to like it but regardless of my like or dislike, I can choose to praise God or reject his plan.

After starting to read what Miller has to say....I actually like and resonate with this book. To tell the truth, I haven't been able to put it down. Here is my favorite quote:

"A friend of mine, a young pastor who recently started a church, talks to me from time to time about the new face of church in America - about the postmodern church. He says the new church willl be different from the old one, that we will be relevant to culture and the human struggle. I don't think any church has ever been relevant to culture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. If the supposed new church believes in trendy music and cool web pages, then it is not relevant to culture either. It is just another tool of Satan to get people to be passionate about nothing."

If we get caught up in Religiosity and start defending our religion, rather than, sharing Jesus we lose sight of Christ and trade it instead for, as Miller puts it, our passion about nothing. We tend to surround ourselves with everything "Christian". Drinking our mochas at christian coffee shops, accidentally spilling some on our christian T-shirt while listening to our Ipod's with the latest and greatest christian music. I'm not bashing on all products christian...but if we convice ourselves that we are best serving Christ by listening to music or drinking a mocha then we are guilty of being busy about nothing. I have talked with several people about this and it is surprising to me how many Christians don't know anyone who is lost.

I don't want to be the wicked servant who buried the talent so that he could escape his master's wrath.(Mat 25:14-28) I don't want to do just enough. I want to hit the ball out of the park, score the winning touchdown, or get the knockout.

I realize that this post may not make a lot of sense to you. I have wrestled with the idea and I'm not sure I have put it in words that make sense. My confession is as simple or as difficult as this:

I want to make a difference for Jesus Christ. All stereotypes aside I want to be found doing His business. Only Christ saves...only Christ. He died for me, I'll live for Him, no matter what that means. I guess as I'm typing this it sounds simple. But typing/saying it and living are two different things.

An Easter full of surprises

HE IS RISEN! (I hope you will all comment back with "He is risen indeed.") We had a great Easter Sunday at HBC! We stayed with two services rather than combining as we would not have had room for everyone...both services were packed! I was surprised to see so many people but I was blessed to see the face of my friend Jayme Barton in church. This was the first Easter surprise.

For those of you who don't know Jayme, let me explain why this was a great surprise to see him at church. Jayme was in my youth group when I first started as the youth pastor. I saw him grow up and accept the call of ministry on his life. Two years ago Jayme was complaining of severe chest pains and actually collapsed. They took him to the hospital and after several painkillers and tests he was diagnosed with Lupus. He was immediately put on more medications including Prednisone (a very nasty drug). He has since gone through several surgeries and been in and out of the hospital. The prednisone has caused him to go from 165 to 270 in the span of about a year. He hasn't felt good enough to come to church in about a year. He was there yesterday! He told me after the service that God has continued to comfort him and that being there needed to happen. Through all of his sickness he has had the opportunity to blame God and feel down on himself because he isn't able to do the things that a normal 21 year-old should. Jayme has used his illness to draw near to Christ.

On a lighter note, surprise #2 came later that afternoon....

Over the past few Easter Sundays we have met up with my Dad and had dinner. True to tradition we met up with Dad and Teresa and had a great dinner. Ham, Turkey, Green Beans, Funeral Potatoes, and Rolls. Needless to say I'll need to spend some extra time on the treadmill today! We had a great time hanging out and talking until...

My Dad has another Easter tradition of giving us an Easter basket. It usually has some candy, and a gift certificate or a DVD. He handed me my basket and I started to look through it. There was the candy and a gift certificate and a movie...
I have had no desire to see a movie...regardless of the critical acclaim...about gay cowboys. I prefer the John Wayne type of cowboy. Doc Holiday, Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid, and Jesse James are the type of cowboys that are in my DVD collection. Movies like...Unforgiven, Tombstone, American Outlaws, Young Guns, etc.

My Dad waited until I saw the DVD and erupted in laughter. He decided that the joke was too good to pass up. We all had a good laugh about it and he gave me the receipt so that I could exchange the movie.

My Dad's birthday is coming up. I may just keep the movie and re-gift him. I am open to suggestions as this new practical joke war has begun.

Here is hoping you had a great Easter, and all joking aside. Let's thank God for the amazing gift that he gave us in His resurrected Son...He is risen indeed.

Sign Of The Apocalypse

As reported from April 10th issue of Sports Illustrated:

"A youth minister was charged with assault for allegedly kicking a 16-year-old boy in the groin after taking a head shot from the teen in a dodgeball game. "

All I can say is....wow! I'll bet nobody messes with that youth minister from now on in dodgeball.

A tale of domination...

During a recent trip to Texas (YEEHAAW) Rachael and I were finally able to settle the argument of who is the better Go-Cart Driver. The picture didn't turn out as good as I had hoped but you will note that it is Sean in 1st...Rachael in a submissive 2nd..and Doug in a very sad looking 3rd.

This debate has raged between Rachael and I since our very first date. I took her to Nascart in SLC and had to convince her to put on a hair net and a helmet in order to race. This would have been fine but apparently she had spent a great deal of time on her hair....something I should have taken note of as we headed into marriage. Needless to say that as the very interested Sean I let Rachael totally dominate me on the race track...how else was I to get a second date? Truth be told I tried as hard as I could to win but she was the better driver that day.

As we continued dating I decided that I couldn't take the thought that my potential bride would always have go-cart bragging rights. As most of you men know, there have been wars started for less. I decided that a re-match was the way to go. We got to the track and prepared for our version of Go-Cart World War II. The race began and from the get go it looked as if Rachael would claim the victory. She ended up passing me and almost lapped me. So what did I do? I did what Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earndhart Jr., or Richard Petty would have done. I put her into the wall. As I've learned from Days of Thunder..."Rubbin's Racin!" I ended up finishing the race under caution and claiming victory from the jaws of defeat.

That brings us to Go-Cart World War III, or as I have come to call it "Total Domination". We agreed that this race would be the race to rule them all. I put on my game face and prepared for the race of all races. Rachael and I started neck and neck but she was able to pull ahead and had the race set up. She picked her lines well and I was not able to pass her. Until...a wreck at turn #1. We were all required to stop so that the race technicians/lackeys could straighten out a rather large wreck. When the green flag was waved I got the better start and ended up in front. I was able to hold her off as I narrowly avoided another as Rachael headed right for it. The checkered flag went to me and I proudly took my place in the winners circle.

So as the picture above notes...don't mess with me and a go-cart or you might just end up in the wall. Dominate!

an 18 foot malone...watch out!

Dateline - Salt Lake City (March 23rd - ish)

Jazz fans worldwide celebrated on Karl Malone night...a date that needs to be added to the national holidays list if you ask me...(insert sarcastic comment here). The team and their proud owner Larry (I got too much money...and time) Miller, thought it best to bless the fans and Karl with an 18 foot statue of our beloved mailman....(insert laughter here). Cowboy Karl took some time out to stand beside himself and smile for the cameras as onlookers were amazed at the sight of the 18 foot Malone.

This got me thinking....

Why don't more people build statues after great careers are over? Why is this reserved for people who play sports, are great thinkers, find the cure for cancer, etc? Why don't we have a statue to remember the illustrious career of Joe the garbage man, or Frank the rain or shine UPS driver. Or even Flo the waitress forever remembered in Dumb and Dumber...."Excuse me, Flo?"

Can you imagine if churches built statues of their pastors after they retired? The front yards of churches would be even more hideous....especially in Texas. I can't imagine what an 18 foot representation of myself would look like...I guess for one time in my life I would look tall...a dream I still cling to....it will happen for me one day....I just know it. Maybe I just need to hang out with more short people....or get over it.

Who knows/cares?

In the meantime...I can't wait to get downtown to see it for myself..(again, sarcasm.)

Sean and Rachael are finally blogging...i guess we're cool now

Hey everyone....

We are finally online and ready to display musings, thoughts, ideas, and other random junk that you might find interesting or, if anything else, it might just cure some boredom.

We are excited to blog it on up. I hope you will stop by often and leave comments that make us laugh!

Blog at you soon!