Ice Cream
Apr 30, 2008 Uncategorized
Just this past weekend, our fam stopped at one of those ridiculously overpriced ice cream stores that put stuff in your ice cream. Here’s the evidence:
Anyhoo…that’s what I was thinking of when I watched this video via Jack:
The Next Riverview Band Member?
Apr 29, 2008 Uncategorized
If she was available, I think I could convince Dan to bring this 10 year old on for one of our bands. Thanks to MarkO for the link.
No Wonder
Apr 28, 2008 Uncategorized
Hate to go all Apple Fanboy on you (it’s been awhile, I know), but this picture made me laugh.
Never again shall any of us wonder why more Graphic Designers use Macs.
If you don’t know what I mean, you aren’t one. (Thanks to Dee Dee)
Quote of the Day
Apr 25, 2008 Quotes
“Leadership is relieving people of their excuses as to why they can’t or shouldn’t do what needs to be done.”
- Bob Hyatt
Pastor’s Quote of the Day
Apr 24, 2008 Quotes
Here’s a quote I can literally live or die by, I suppose…
“If you’re going to tell people the truth, you better make them laugh; otherwise they’ll kill you.”
- George Bernard Shaw
I’m a Twit
Apr 23, 2008 Uncategorized
That’s right, I Twitter.
I have been Twittering away for a couple months now. It started as a simple way to update my Facebook status and connect with a few friends who are Twitteraholics. Now, I find myself wanting to update my status all the time. I have even linked it with this here blog so when I put a new post out there for the world to see, it notifies my Twitter and Facebook pals.
Pretty cool.
So, do you Twitter? If so, jump over to my page and follow me. Who knows, maybe I’ll follow you too…
Good Search
Apr 22, 2008 Uncategorized
Thanks to Kate, who let me know about GoodSearch.com. It’s a search engine that donates to your favorite charity.
And of course, we all know your favorite charity is Riverview!
Every time you search, the church gets a penny. Sure, it doesn’t seem like much, but think of the number of searches you do a day. I’ve been using it for a week or so and it’s not bad. They even have a Firefox plugin that makes it your default search engine.
So, if you feel like giving it a whirl, head over to their site and enter Riverview as your charity. You know you want to.
Imitation is the Finest Form of Flattery
Apr 21, 2008 Uncategorized
Gary from Project 405 emailed me to say he was inspired by the opening to my message a few weeks ago.
Here’s his flattery:
Quote of the Day
Apr 19, 2008 Quotes
Tonight during Steve’s message at Riverview, he made a little aside that was clearly the most profound thought of the night:
“Makeup is an interesting thing. As my grandfather used to say, ‘if the barn needs painting, paint it.’”
-Steve Sommerlot
Gotta love an Iowa farmboy.
The $1,000,000 Photo
Apr 19, 2008 Uncategorized
Someday I will sell this photo for a million bucks. It’s my son Jesse’s first pitch in kid pitch baseball. He was the starting pitcher today and he struck out his first batter. He then got the final two outs of the first inning by fielding the ball and getting the batter out at first.
The team lost, but Jesse won in my eyes.
Hoop Love
Apr 15, 2008 Uncategorized
This weekend, at Riverview, I mentioned that I have been looking at basketball hoops for my kids.
Well…someone gave me one. A brand spanking new one.
Seriously…I have no idea who. I’m posting this here because I want to say “thank you” and I am hoping that the mystery person reads my blog.
“Thank you.”
I also had a few people offer me hoops they are not using anymore. If you have a need for one, let me know and I’ll see if I can connect you with one of these people.
Tipping Jesus
Apr 15, 2008 Uncategorized
Wow. I’ve had tons of amazing feedback from the series on finances we just wrapped up.
This past weekend, I talked with two couples that have been following the “snowball” debt elimination plan I shared during my message. In less than a year and a half, one of them has eliminated $25,000 in debt and the other has eliminated $60,000! Amazing. It was so cool to hear their stories on how they are dreaming of leveraging all that Jesus has entrusted them with.
For those of you who missed the message, here is the plan for getting out of debt we talked about. Remember, this is just one plan (out of many out there) and that I am not a financial planner. To get specific advice on your situation, you may want to connect with Certified Financial Planner.
OK, here is the plan I suggested:
1. Spend less than you earn
2. Know what you are spending your money on
3. Develop a budget (you can download a sample budget here)
4. Stick with your budget (even if you need to put cash in labeled envelopes)
5. Snowball your debt (if you don’t remember how to do that, fast forward to ~25:00 of the teaching)
6. Set up an emergency savings account with a minimum of $1000 and try to get it up to 3 months of your living expenses
7. If you need help, get it (you can download information on Riverview’s Budget Coaching here)
Here’s a link to a great retirement calculator.
I’m super stoked about what God has done during this series and what he will continue to do as we journey from being Tippers to being Givers.
Don’t forget,
“Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses, the Joneses can’t do math.” (Dave Ramsey)
Dinner with Larry
Apr 10, 2008 Quotes
Last night, a handful of us had the opportunity to have dinner with Larry Osborne, who is one of the early innovators of the multi-site / video venue church concept. I had the most amazing piece of steak. Yum.
During dinner, Larry made an interesting statement about life as a hippie Christian in the 70s. This is a paraphrase:
“While studying our bibles, we all dressed alike, drank beer, smoked cigars, and threw in a few cuss words to be cool. We thought we were so hip and original.”
Sound familiar?
10 Years of My Life
Apr 4, 2008 Uncategorized
Just stumbled onto this quote (via Bob) by Oswald Chambers:
“I hate to meet a man whom I have met ten years ago and find that he is at precisely the same point, neither moderated nor quickened nor experienced but simply stiffened.”
-Oswald Chambers
10 Years.
This made me think of where I was 10 years ago compared to where I am now.
I had 1 kid…now I have 4.
I had just taken my first ministry job as a youth guy for two churches with a combined ministry of 25 students…now I pastor one of those churches with over 2000 in weekly attendance.
I lived in a tiny house in the city proper of Lansing…now I live in a comfortable house in the burbs.
My waist size was 32…now it’s 32 (it hit 36 in between).
I worked part-time as a Christian DJ…now I podcast / vodcast.
I drove a 4 year old car…now I drive a 10 year old car.
I dreamed of doing big things for Jesus…now, by God’s grace, I hope that is true and I hope those things get bigger and bigger.
But what about the things Chambers mentioned? “Moderated, quickened, and experienced.”
Well…on those I think I’ll personally wrestle. It seems weird to post about them. Good things to think about, for sure. Kinda goes along with some recent thoughts by Perry Noble.
