New Role

Two weeks from Tomorrow (The 1st), on July 15th, I take on a new job description at work.  It increases my hours, my pay, and my responsibilities.

I'm looking forward to this, and most of the staff seems to be as well.  I'll continue to be over the Young Adults Ministry, while adding some other teaching duties to my schedule as well.

I'm looking forward to these opportunities.  Jenny and I are both looking forward to the paycheck change.

Busy-ness isn't productive

I was thinking about a lot of modern technology today.  Wondering how much of it has actually helped us be more productive. 

I will acknowledge that I communicate with more people, and do so more rapidly than any other time in history, but I don't think that means that I am actually doing more.

Maybe we used to have conversations with fewer people, but at least then they were conversations.  At least then life was exchanged and not just information.  While I appreciate what modern technology has done to enhance areas of my life, I find that more often than not, we have just made routine a small transfer of data with no real value or meaning. 

Unfortunately, for many, I believe this has transfered to their spirituality, specifically their prayer life.  God has become one whom we can IM, or text message, or e-mail or call, or whatever other form of media we may use to connect.  But we choose these methods instead of sitting with Him in conversation.  Instead of intimacy.

And then we wonder, why our relationship with God feels no different than with that random friend we didn't know if we should accept on Facebook or not.

God wants more than our status updates, and our busy-ness does not mean we are being productive.

Small Fingers

I'm generally unashamed about picking my nose.  It isn't that I try to make a spectacle of it, or that I do it at times where I know lots of people may be looking, but i'm comfortable admitting that I pick my nose.  I'm willing to dig as deep as the best of them.

Today, however, a finger reached a very uncomfortable position.  My 8 month old nephew has fingers smaller than mine, and he stuck it up my nose quickly, further than any of my fingers could fit because of their width.

Sometimes, small fingers aren't the best to pick a nose with i guess.

And I'm Spent

I really enjoy teaching, but it drains me.

Tonight, it was like I taught twice, and two different things.

Normal sermon for the evening, followed by 35 minutes of vision casting for the fall and fielding questions for 20 minutes.

A long time to be processing with mind and mouth.

Now I get to sleep and off to talk about the possibility of helping coach soccer at my alma mader.

Celebration

It was an exciting game to watch.  Gut wrenching at times, watching goals called back again, and chances going by that they should score on with a lot of frequency.  It felt like they would draw at 0-0 having played well, and be out of the tournament without ever losing.

Then, in injury time, the 91st minute of a 90 minute game, they go their goal.

U.S.A. Soccer made me wait a long time this morning to celebrate, but at least they let me celebrate.

They even won their group, and have found themselves on the fortunate side of the bracket if they can make it a couple games.

Hoping for a positive outcome on Saturday now.

Just More World Cup Thoughts

I hoped today that South Africa would beat France, embarrassing their team further (they did), and that Uruguay would beat Mexico (they did) by enough to let South Africa qualify on goal differential (neither win was by enough for this).

While I had some investment in the results of this group, the other group which played today, Argentina and South Korea advancing was essentially a foregone conclusion in my mind.

Tomorrow I'm hoping for America to win and advance, and Slovenia to embarrass England and advance.

I'm highy invested in this group and will be watching very intently in the morning.

Revolving Around The Cup

Parts of my life are distinctly ordered around the World Cup.

I realized this today when someone called and asked me when I would be available to get together.  I told them that Wednesday's and Friday's tend to work well, but had to add that this Wednesday, I was unavailable in the morning until the U.S. game was over.

Later, I got an e-mail asking if I could meet Friday morning at 9:00 for a different thing, and didn't respond until I went to ESPN and looked at the schedule to see which groups would be playing that morning.

There are some of us in the U.S. who recognize the most important sporting event in the world and are keenly aware of all that is going on in that tournament.

Programs

Today I finished the second 90 day program in a row.

Last december I started and went through the P90x workout program, and the first day it was done started B90x, reading through the Bible in 90 days.

I finished that program today, without an immediate new task on the horizon.

Don't know how intentionally I'll be looking for another random task to take on, but if anyone has any bright ideas, let me know.

U.S.A.

We simply aren't allowed to lose tomorrow morning's world cup game if we hope to advance.  Even a tie would make it sketchy.

I'll be awake and rooting.

Frisbee Teacher?

Can anyone out there actually throw a frisbee straight?

I need to be taught.  No matter how hard or soft I throw a frisbee, I cannot get it to go straight.  No matter which hand I throw with, my frisbee has a massive hook to it.

I need someone to come teach me.  I played frisbee golf again today, and it was a little embarassing, especially when I got my frisbee stuck in a tree.

I need your straight frisbee help.

Translation Feedback

Any of you out there who read this and own/read a Bible, I'm curious what translation you use/read/own and why.

If you own mulitples but only use one, just tell me that one.  If you actually use multiples, tell me the reasons.

Will help me evaluate some things that our church is currently thinking about, so i'm hoping you will respond to this brief mock survey.

Things That Weirdly Annoy Me

There are a list of things that are odd annoyances to me.

This morning I experienced one again.

Soft fluffy towels.  I like my towels to feel like they are drying me, not like they are hugging or comforting me.  When they are new and fluffy, It feels too soft to tell how effective it is being at drying me.  Give me a 10 year old towel and I'm happy.  New ones oddly annoy me.

Boys and Boats

Had a packed weekend.  Got to watch the World Cup games Friday, then a groom's dinner for a friend from college, followed buy some softball, and the new Karate Kid flick. 

USA world cup game on Saturday, where we were lucky to pull away with a tie, but was an entertaining game to watch, followed by said friend's wedding on a boat in the rain.

Today was church, at which one of my nephew's was dedicated, followed by his brother's 3rd birthday party.

I'm spent.

World Cup

The World Cup starts tomorrow.

Actually, the first game starts just under 10 hours from now.

I will be watching both games tomorrow.  It's an awesome time in sports.

Expectations

I don't know what to expect with the rest of the summer.  It feels like it is coming at me so fast.  As I think about all the things to plan and organize for work, and all the things in preperation for the fall, I get a little overwhelmed with how much work there is to be done.

My expectations for the fall are pretty high, but they have put a stigma over my expectations for the summer.

I've got to figure out how to reconcile these better.

Superman Rocks

Jenny and I spent the weekend away in the Chicago area.

It was nice to stay with friends, see other old friends, and think about little but enjoying ourselves.

It was also nice to go to Six Flags.  We had gone with a mission to ride the Superman ride, and it did not dissapoint.  A ride that is suspended from the track below, and by which you are hung as if laying down, the position in which Superman flies.

All in all, a great time. 

Now it's our turn to get back into the swing of things around here, something that is eery for me as the workload will increase and begin to ramp up as we prepare for a big relaunch in the fall for our Young Adults program.

Chicago

Off to the windy city. 

Playing 9 holes of golf in the morning (weather permitting), then eating lunch and picking up Jenny for the drive to Chicago.

Will be staying with some college friends for the weekend, then going to Six Flags on Monday.  Should be a good time away.

See you next week.

Where Eagles Dare

My hope was to get a hole-in-one today to have an example to celebrate when I teach on holidays and celebrations tomorrow night.

I didn't quite get it.

But I got as close as I possibly could.  I got an Eagle on a par 4, hitting my drive down the middle of the fairway, and then holing out my second shot from just under 100 yards away.

Last year was my first eagle, traditional on a par 5.  This year, my second, on a par 4, slightly harder and requiring more luck.

I think that means next year will be eagle number 3 and it will come on a par 3, in the form of a hole-in-one, at least, that is what I'm going to tell myself.

Golfing Time

Getting out for golf tomorrow should be a good time.

Hoping to golf friday morning as well, though I might only be able to get 9 in on Friday depending on the time I need to leave to head out for Chicago.

Not a bad couple of days before we hit the weekend.

Get to teach on holidays and celebrations in the middle. 

Maybe I'll get a hole in one tomorrow to make for an awesome sermon illustration on celebrations.