New to the Blogosphere

Hey everybody - exciting news. 2 more NewPointers will be blogging soon - so be on the lookout - Sherry Schie and Miriam Beachy.

Now that I publicly stated this - the pressure is on girls!

Happy blogging.

Best List

I am sitting here watching a biography on Al Pacino. And it makes me think about how much I like to list out the best ever, my favorites or even the top of all time - for anything - pizza, movies, actors, athletes . . . . etc.

And watching this biography - here is one list I will publish -Top 5 favorite Actors (and favorite movie they played in)

This is in no particular order:

1. Al Pacino - favorite film - Scent of a Woman
2. Kate Hudson - favorite film - Almost Famous
3. Matt Damon - favorite film - Good Will Hunting, but a close second is Rounders
4. Ed Norton Jr. - favorite film - Primal Fear
5. Mark Wahlberg (sp?) - favorite film - Rockstar, but a close second is The Italian Job.

So remember, before you critique my list -this is the favorite list, not the best ever.

How about you? Leave a comment, or blog about it and spread some link love to me.

All Dried Up

Ever feel like you are out of words to say? I am not talking about opinions or simple conversation - but I am talking about meaningful words that may inspire change in someone's life.

If you follow this blog you may notice that some of my posts have been sporadic and at best - about fun stuff like being tagged or DBTG.

Why blog about this? - Well, it is just on my heart. It is easy to run out of words at times, especially when you teach regularly. I often can't imagine what it is that Dwight or John do to have such incredible messages on a consistent basis.

Well, the more I think about it, I guess there is an answer to it all. And amazingly, it all connects to what the Bible says or even what laws of the Created Order say.

See, when something runs out or dry - chances are - the source is running low or is empty. When a riverbed is dry - go upstream for the source of the problem. When summer's warm weather runs out - check the seasons and you will see that the Sun is a bit farther away for these next months.

So - you all know this science - and the Bible talks about the tongue being an overflow of our heart. Then it is safe to assume that when I was out of significant words, my heart was too. And I knew I was on fumes - so I began to fill up more with the stuff that will allow me to have something more significant to say - read, pray, listen.

It really is a simple formula. And believe me it worked. I spoke last night at Aqua, and I read a whole bunch, prayed a whole bunch, and listened to those wise voices that I work with - and turned out - I had something significant to say - that was really meaningful.

If you take this as an excuse for my blogging hiatus (albeit brief) don't - that was just laziness. I am just being a bit more transparent than I like to - that's what those wise folks I work with tell me is important for growth. Told you I was listening a whole bunch.

Tagged

Ok - yesterday or was it Monday - doesn't matter - I was tagged.

So I am now it - thanks John Alan Turner.

The Rules:

1. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
2. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
3. Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.

8 Random Facts about me:

1. I've never eaten a corn-dog
2. I've never watched Mary Poppins (so all references to her around me are void)
3. I love to watch HGTV
4. If there was only one store left on earth, it would have to be The Gap
5. I can't swallow sweet potatoes
6. I secretly agree with Andre Agassi - Image is everything. Not that it is right, but we live in an image-conscience world
7. I refereed intramural basketball in college and called an out of bounds from across the court to get back at a player who challenged my call. There was no way I could see, in fact he was in bounds, but I was right because I had the whistle. To this day - I think of that and am still guilty
8. I once told a joke that was so stupid, I will never tell anyone what it was. But I remember it word for word, and it haunts me.

Ok - so those are my eight - and here is who I am tagging - John Bunn, Danny Bunnelle, Mike Conn, Tiana Proudfoot, Chad Stutzman, Todd Colucy, Ben Kendrew and LeeAnn Miller.

Holla back.

Food Drive

If you haven't heard we launched a massive food drive at NewPointe. This month, we are committed, and I mean committed, to collecting 1,000 boxes of food (non perishable) for local food banks in our community.

Here is what I mean by committed:

• we focus on involvement in community and are willing to put our time where our mouth is


• we have dedicated resources, time and money, to pulling this thing off


• we collected 1,000 empty boxes for our attenders to take home and return full of food


• we believe in those that attend NewPointe, and their heart for our area

So that's it. It is called Go, cuz that is what Jesus told us to do. So, if you weren't there, bring some food along with you on Sunday. 10 items fills one box. And if you were there, bring food.

Being a part of something bigger than yourself is really special. It is even more special to impact those in need. 1 meal at a time.

Don't Be That Guy - 7

Well, it seems as if blogging has slipped in my to-do list. Sorry about that. But I am back with another edition of DBTG.

Actually this week, there are a few that are connected. Since it is summer, festivals are in full swing, and that means lots of people in tight spaces, often competing for food that is really greasy.

Now this is a recipe meant to breed DBTG's. And that is why I have a few of them. So here they are, in no particular order:

1. DBTG that is shirtless at a fair
2. DBTG that thinks rules (esp. at a parade) don't apply to you
3. DBTG that stops in the middle of the walking flow at a fair

Do these make sense? Put yourself in a large crowd of people on a hot summer day and this will start to click. Fairs are not the time to be the only person in the world, which by the way is a very serious syndrome.

Do I really need to list out symptoms? OK:

• If you don't have a shirt on at the festival, and you are not playing a shirts and skins game of hoops you are that guy.
• If you move the cones that mark a parade route so you can drive on a closed road, you are that guy.
• If you stop in the middle of a hefty crowd of people to choose between lemon shake and ice cream - you are that guy.

Be on the look out.

7-8th Recap

Yesterday was my first day directly in student ministry. I spoke in the 7-8th grade room for the 9 & 11 service.

Here is a quick recap of what we looked at:

Bottom line - our relationship with Jesus sets the table for all of our friendships.

Highlighted Points:

• Friends are the number one influence on teenager's lives
• Friends can become gods in our lives
• Humans are flawed, and if they are our gods, we can get messed up
• We were created in God's image, so we are meant to be influenced by Him
• If you want to know if your best friends have become gods, examine your choices. When your choices are meant to impress your friends, chances are - you are headed down the wrong path

So that is it - a blast of a morning, fun (played a cell phone texting game), and good topic!

Don't Be That Guy - 6

Ok - so if you missed this week's radio spot - the don't be that guy was in full effect.

Have you ever found yourself finishing people's sentences - sort of like Adam Sandler in Billy Madison? Well if you have - don't be that guy.

Here is the deal - if people are talking on their own, there is a good chance that they can actually finish their thoughts. Why do we take a brief pause to think as an ever present signal to speak? We can't seriously think that life needs to be lived this fast, with continual noise emerging from our mouth, can we?

This one hits me square in the eyes, because I am not immune from being that guy, but at least I admit it. I am sure you have experienced this - but if you haven't (which would be because you live in a cave) here are some signs to look for:

• you think life is an eternal guessing game, where you are an eternal contestant and everyone you talk to is the host
• you think that listening is you means for finding a way into a conversation, and has nothing to do with listening for content or meaning
• you tap your foot in angst when someone who speaks slowly is speaking

Ok - so that is this week's edition - not sure where it is going, but my hope is that we all learn to recognize that other people exist in our world!

Don't be that guy, and if you are, stop.