Echoing Angels coming to Graystone Church

Echoing Angels will be at Graystone Church for both services this Sunday, February 7, 2010  at 9:15am and 11:00am.  These are great guys with great hearts for Jesus and a rockin’ worship ministry for Him.

Any of my friends who aren’t plugged into a church anywhere, this is my invitation to you!  Hope you can make it! 

JFK Quote

I’m reading a book by John C. Maxwell and anyone who has read any of Maxwell’s books knows that he quotes almost everyone.  Here is one that caught my attention:

“There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.”

-  John F. Kennedy

Maxwell commented, “Procrastination is too high a price for fear of failure.”

Well, my thought is this – A healthy, optimistic fear proceeds with caution and may even experience a setback, but defeating, pessimistic fear paralyzes and keeps one from giving his best potential.

If we fear failure so much that it paralyzes us and we procrastinate, we are impotent as leaders.

I say, FORWARD!!!

100 Years for Dacula Schools

Today was a great day in the history of all Dacula Falcons.  Dacula schools celebrated 100 years of education today.  I was thrilled to sit in today at a Dacula high school assembly and listen to those who attended, taught or a combination there of speak about Dacula High and their love for the school and it’s community.

I was very proud of our students.  They were intrigued to say the least and very respectful.  They clapped after every person on the panel spoke and I mean every time.  I told Dana I’m turning into a girl, cause I almost started to cry with pride several times.

Thanks Dacula for being a great community over the years.  My prayer is that we all make  a difference to maintain the values that those before us have instilled.

I am proud to be a DACULA FALCON!!!

Desire

I just finished reading DESIRE by John Eldredge (author of ” Wild at Heart”).  The subtitle is as follows, “The Journey We Must Take To Find the Life God Offers.”  It is a great book that reflects much of Eldredge’s heart after loosing a great friend in a climbing accident.

The book has several great quotes in it and I’d like to share a couple.

“And I still haven’t found what I’m looking for….”      – U2

“What do you want?”   – Jesus of Nazareth

“We have sailed too close to shore; having fallen in love with life, we have lost our thirst for the waters of Life.”       - Sir Francis Drake

“Look I am making all things new!”   – Jesus of Nazareth

There were many other quotes and great insight in DESIRE.  That’s all I’m going to say though.  Check it out.  It is a great read.

graystone church – Grand Opening!!

Tomorrow is the day!!  I don’t need to offer much more information than what’s on the illustration above, but I did want to say how excited my family is to be a part of Graystone.  If you don’t have a church, come check us out.  I’ll be one of several greeters wearing my green t-shirt.  See you at the door!

Below is the new series that starts tomorrow!!

Decade Blast

Wow…did a decade just go by?

That’s what goes through my mind as I sit in the chair circle in front of the check out counter in the middle of Hollister (the clothing store for the young California-want to be hipster teens  and twenty somethings).  The store smells great, but they have sprayed more cologne in the place than the whole class of 2010 senior girls and guys can ever wear.  I don’t mean to be offensive, just calling it like I see it.  Shoot, I wish I was a young California-want to be hipster teen or twenty something.  Instead, I’m 42-year-old sitting because my knee is swollen to the size of a baby pig and my back is aching from a half day of manual labor yesterday old feeling dude.  I am waiting on my sixteen year old as he picks out a couple of items with his Chistmas gift card. 

My age becomes very apparent to me and the ages of the people running this store blows me away.  I feel surrounded, surrounded by people less than half my age or more.  OMG, there isn’t an adult running the store, or at least it doesn’t look like it. 

Why only a decade ago these people were having their clothes purchased for them from GYMBOREE!  There’s little Bobby with a Cheerio stuck up his nose and little Susie with more Goldfish in her mouth than teeth.  Caroline has thrown her juice cup (sippy cup) across the store and hit an elderly gentleman in the back of the head. 

Back then, clothes were easy.  They all wore the same pattern clothes, only the colors and designs  were different between the boys and the girls.  And the smell in the store wasn’t cologne.  Well, not unless it was MIDNIGHT PASTURE #2.

A decade ago we were putting them in a stroller or a car seat.  Now, we sit in the passenger side of the car yelling and screaming at them, so says my sixteen year old.  You ain’t seen yelling yet boy!  Now everything we do and say is to SAVE THEIR LIFE!  “Don’t wear that!  I’m trying to SAVE YOUR LIFE!”  “Don’t drive like that!  I’m trying to SAVE YOUR LIFE!”  “Don’t eat like me.  I’m trying to SAVE YOUR LIFE!”

You know, it’s hard being a parent and making it through a decade.  I admire those who have made it entirely through parenthood.  I can’t believe I made it through a decade and a half of it.  What will we do next?  How are we going to prepare them more for what’s to come once they are out on their own?  They only have a couple of years and it seems like they are muting us more and more.  YIKES!!!  HELP!!!  What an awesome responsibility.  I feel an extreme urge to apologize to my parents right now.  Sorry Mom and Dad!

Yep, just sitting here, I know he could care less what I think about his choice in clothes, my advice on how to drive, my comments regarding grades, anything regarding girls and just everything in general.

“What’s that?” 

Sorry….I have to go.  It seems my little boy….I mean my son wants my opinion on something before he buys it.

God…Father…help me to major on the majors and minor on the minors.  I only have one shot at this with my two boys and I want to be more to them, like you are to me.  May Dana and I, always look to You continuously for Fatherly wisdom and not our own earthly logic.  By the way, thank you so much for the past decade…..

Endless Options

You know, I have begun to realize that I have endless options regarding new employment.  One job I am considering is a volunteer fire chief for Fire House Subs.  They have cool fire helmets and great food and who knows…they might even have to put out a fire every now and then. 

I think I am pretty good at putting out fires.  Being in sales for over fourteen years and ministry for nearly five, it would seem I have great experience for putting out fires.  Yep, customer service and ministry are pretty demanding, trust me.

Anyway, I was wondering how people think I look in this get up.  Who knows I might be a fireman, astronaut, barista, vice-president of marketing for IBM, chief idea creator for Apple, president of Bank of America or a garbage collector, but don’t think for a minute that I couldn’t handle any of these challenges.

So, how do you like the look?

Jesus Christ…Savior of the World

Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus
1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14″Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Our Christmas Card this Year!




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Graystone Christmas Eve

In the midst of decorating a tree or house, finding a parking spot, shopping, wrapping presents, going to work or school parties, and driving cross country to Grandmother’s house, there is a birth to celebrate!

Jesus came over two thousand years ago to live a life just like we experience, but to die a death none of us have to experience.      JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD HAS COME!!    The price has been paid for our transgressions. 

I would like to invite all of you to GRAYSTONE CHURCH on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!  This is worth celebrating!

FYI – I’ll be at the 3:00 service.   Call me if you are not sure about directions. 

We’d love to have you there with us!