Fun at the Dentist’s Office

If you’re anything like me even the thought of the dentist’s office is enough to make your stomach turn, and your brow sweat…no…OK…it’ just me then… really I’m bad. Even your standard cleaning appointment is enough to make me white knuckled in the chair. I hate the dentist’s office! The one positive is that everyone there is pretty cool.

Well Thursday I had my 6 month check-up…about 2 years, late (but that’s beside the point) and they were running late. I sat in the waiting room for a half an hour before they even called me back. Then after 16 or so x-rays gagging on the film that they cram into your mouth, my hygienist scraped and polished my teeth…what fun! As she had both hands in my mouth she asked your standard “chit-chat” questions like “what do you do for a living?” How old are your kids?” and in between mouthfuls of sharp metal hooks I was able to tell her about school, and my desire to go into the ministry. She continued scraping and prodding and polishing, and humming to herself between questions, and in a few very long minutes I was done. So I thought…

After the cleaning the Dentist is supposed to come in and look at the x-rays, and inspect my mouth, and give me the future game plan, but he was in the middle of a procedure, so we had to wait…and wait…but anyways. My hygienist asked me why I was going into the ministry, and that allowed me to explain to her my testimony about getting saved in September of 2000. After I gave her my testimony she asked, what made me come to decision to be saved! Wow! My hygienist opened the door for me to witness to her for over a half an hour! It was fantastic! I was able to share with her my love for Jesus, and His love for me. We talked about sin, and the cross, and salvation. Glory to God!

Here is the part where I’d love to tell you that she saw her need for the Saviour, and we both bowed at the dentist chair and prayer, but that’s not what happened. All I know is that I was able to do what the Lord commanded us to do. I’ve been reminded many times. It’s not my job to win them, it’s my job to tell them, the rest is in God’s hands.

I wonder what (if any) questions popped in her mind after I left? I wonder if she has thought about what I said?

Thank God, I probably need a root canal, and some teeth fixed so I will be able to see her again pretty soon, and maybe have further opportunity. Pray for Maria! Now if you don’t mind I’m going to go and cry and tremble in fear that I may need a root canal.

The Sixth Love Language

I just wanted to quickly share with you about the "sixth" Love Language - Food!

I LOVE my wife, and she loves me. One of the ways she demonstrates this is having me come home to this. This my friends is Aussi Chicken, a copycat recipe of Outback Steakhouse's Alice Springs Chicken. It's cooked in a honey mustard sauce topped with bacon (and bacon only makes things better) and then smothered with colby jack cheese, and garnished with green onions. Yes, She loves me! All this after taking care of the house that all eight of us live in, and doing the laundry for all eight of us, homeschooling two kids with an infant crawling around trying (like it's treasure) to get into the toilet, or into the dog dish. What a woman!

I appreciate my wife. She is better by far than I deserve, and I after dinner I spoke to her in the sixth "female" love language - Dishes! ...take note men.

Memoirs of Black Friday Blitz 07’

I don’t even think the leftovers had a chance to chill in the fridge and the alarm was going off. It was 2:45am which is a painful time for your alarm to go off, but even more so when your 8 month old keeps you up until 12:45am… kids are so cute….(when they are sleeping!) Anyways, I was up and out the door by 3am and ready to head out and face the greatest shopping day of all year…

If you’re shaking your head in disbelief thinking that’s too early to shop, I agree! We were heading out for our second annual Black Friday Blitz. As hundreds upon hundreds of people line up to wait for the doors of their favorite store to open up, we sow the seed of the Gospel with Little Red Books and a smile. If you’re shaking your head saying that’s too early to go out tracting, Shame on you! People trying to get their hands on earthly treasures were out far earlier!

Anyways…

3am - I drove to Tim Horton’s and found to my great dismay that they had yet to reopen after their Thanksgiving break… Didn’t they know we’d all be up way too early? Anyways I drove to Hess for a Cappuccino, and did a quick drive through the Super Wal-Mart parking lot to see if my prediction was true…Sure enough about 30 people lined up in the cold, and snow with only 2 more hours to go before the doors opened.

3:15 - I drove the Tim’s house and we caravanned to Kohl’s to see a beautiful sight of about 200 people lined up ready to shop. We loaded up with tracts and together handed out about 150 before 4am. People were very nice for waiting in line since 1am and most people took the tracts with a smile.

4am – Tim and I arrived at Church to meet Derek, and wait to see how many responded to my request for soldiers. Aaron showed up to pick up some tracts, and even though he wasn’t going out with us and had to go to work he passed out about 250+ out at the Henrietta Toys-R-Us. Praise the Lord! Alex and Peter showed up, and then Rachel, Christina, Jordan, their cousin, and Kim, and we were set to go.

4:30am – Sent out the teams. Kim took Rachel, Christina, Jordan, and their cousin to cover Wal-Mart, Sam’s and Office Max. Alex and Derek went to Toys-R-Us, and Peter, Tim, and I went to Best Buy.

4:45am – Tim, Peter, and I arrived at Best Buy to see tons and tons of people lined up almost to K-Mart. It was wonderful! The cops were there to keep the crazy shoppers under control, the Best Buy guys were out there pleading with the people to be civil and try to not kill each other…it was a sight to behold. I went up to the front of the line and started wishing people a Happy Holidays, and putting a tract in their hand. People were pretty tame, but all of a sudden I hit an area of people that already had tracts. It was the Mission’s Pastor from another church, Charlie. Amen! He was going shopping, but he brought tracts with him! If only the many other brethren I met in line had done the same.

Anyways…

We finished off tracting the line, and moved on to Circuit City. Alex and Derek had finished Toys-R-Us, and the other group had covered their stores. We all headed to the mall, and covered Circuit City, and left to head back to K-Mart. Kim, Rachel, Christina, Jordan, and their cousin stayed to cover the growing line at Target.

5:30am – We all met up at Denny’s for some breakfast and fellowship. In all there were more than 1000 tracts passed out before breakfast. All Glory and Praise to God, it was a wonderful morning!

Some Concluding Notes:

Timing is everything! We missed the first line at Circuit City because we were a few minutes late. That may have represented over 300 tracts

Next year we meet somewhere with a bathroom before we go out. Old church parking lot may be strategically ideal, but Hess has a toilet!

If people had committed ahead of time we could have covered more ground. Apparently the words “Please…no seriously, Please respond and let me know if you can come” just doesn’t have enough umph!

Best Rejection Line: “Oh No, get that thing away from me” said a female in the line at Circuit City, as if the Gospel tract was a pit-bull with AIDS.

If you are a Christian and a brother tries to hand you a Gospel tract, just take it, and say thank you! Please don’t refuse it and try explaining to me that you are already a Christian, JUST TAKE IT! People who pass out tracts will all agree as soon as you get someone who refuses a tract, you get about 10 more who will not take one. TAKE THE TRACT, AND EXCLAIM “WOW I REALLY NEED THIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CARING ABOUT MY SOUL!” You will do more for the cause than if you say no, and then you will have an extra tract to pass out, we all win!

I never thought I’d say this…

I’m going to give Bill Hybels and the staff at Willow Creek a big thumbs up!

The guru of the “Seeker Sensitive” movement has come to the unsettling conclusion that their methods (although great for getting numbers) have utterly failed in developing people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Ouch! Millions and millions of dollars spent to draw seekers, and make them feel comfortable has left many growing Christians feeling unfed and stalled in their walk with God. Worse yet, hundreds and hundreds of churches that have adopted the seeker sensitive methods have been doing the same thing…so why am I giving them a big thumbs up? Because they are admitting it! They are coming out and declaring “we were wrong” and they are going about trying to fix it. Now the question is will the hundreds of churches following the Willow Creek methods change their direction?

You know this confirmed something that I have always believed about the “seeker sensitive” crowd. I believe that they truly and sincerely love Christ. It’s a matter of questioning the methods not the motives. Uzzah learned good motives do not always yield positive results. (2 Samuel 6:3-7) Sometimes we got to carry the ark God’s way even when statistics and surveys say it’s smarter to put it on a cart.

God said - For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I’m not sure about how Willow Creek is going to go about trying to fix the problem that they have discovered, and I don’t know how much they can. This philosophy of ministry has penetrated so deep, but I’m glad they are going to try. I can’t make up for a lot of things I’ve done in the past either, but Jesus has forgiven me, and washed me clean, and allowed me to serve him still.

I pray that this is indeed the wake up call that this movement needed to get back to the Bible. Here is a link to their site that they devoted to thee findings. If you have 13 minutes to watch the video by Greg Hawkins it is worth it! http://revealnow.com

Afterthought: Hybels and Willow Creek are coming to the same conclusion that Bible Believers had been shouting since this movement began. Why is it that it took so long for them to come up to speed? Could it be because that while we were criticizing some of their new methods, we were employing others in our own churches? I don’t have an answer for that, but perhaps Bible Believers have been guilty of throwing the ark on a cart a time or two also, while preaching “carry the ark” This is a good wake up to all of our churches to get back to The Book! *

After Afterthought: When is Rick Warren and Saddleback going to come to the same conclusion?

Psalm 119:59 - I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

“The Book” is referring to the King James Bible

“The Book” is not referring to the following “Your Best Life Now” “Purpose Driven Church” “Purpose Driven Life” “Becoming a Contagious Christian” “Self-Esteem the New Reformation” “Beyond Church Growth” ect…

This Isn't What It Looks Like

NO, NO, NO, We do NOT Celebrate Halloween in this Family! I know a few of you guys just have written me off as a backslidder, Two Baseball post, and now this? NO, I want to be clear my family does not celebrate Halloween...We just carved these to scare off wandering spirits.

OK, now that I've lost most of my readers, please forgive the sarcasm. We sell Pumpkins, so of course my girls were just dying to have Daddy carve them, and Daddy caved. Well, it's not that I caved, but I decided that we were going to carve pumpkins this year. We have never done it, because as a family we do not celebrate Halloween. We don't...really I just wanted to roast the seeds...you had to know it had to do with food, right?

Really I'm not for Halloween, and I know plenty of reasons not to celebrate it...I even know there are some good reasons not to carve jack-o-lanterns, that's why I just carved a silly face into a pumpkin, It was just a special time for Daddy and His girls, and it made a cute photo.

Weeping may endure for a night

...but joy cometh in the morning!

That is, when you wake up and hear the Yankees lost again! Hahaha, I knew the post-season wouldn't be a total waste. Indians leading the series 2-0 , and with Thursdays score 12-3 you would have thought that they had Glavin pitching! My favorite is A-Rod, You can always depend on him doing that thing he does during playoffs (see above picture)

Oh I know it's wrong to get so much joy out of this, but it will only be for a little while...besides, it's not like most of my readers are so spiritual that they don't like this stuff. Ghetto Chicken probably canceled his HBS to watch his beloved : ) just kidding!

I know, I know "it aint over till it's over" but with my Mets out, I only have the simple joy of knowing the Yankees are losing.

Bad Mets, No Playoffs!

We interupt this normally spirit filled, Christ-centered, edifying blog to bring you todays sad, sad news...The New York Mets season has come to a horrible and painful end.

The Florida Marlins destroyed the Mets in an 8-1 blowout crushing thier playoff dreams, and my dreams of sitting on the couch watching the post-season with my beautiful wife. I love to hear her root against whoever the Mets are playing. She's sooo cute when she yells at the TV with me. (secretly I know she doesn't care, but she pretends to because she knows I like it)

Well...there's always the Yankee's to root against.

Anyhow I know that none of my five readers care about this stuff. They are all far to spiritual to watch any sports. They could care less about this stuff, but I had to pout a little.

In all reality I don't care all that much. I have way too much work, homework, lesson prep, sermon prep, daddy stuff, hubby stuff, ect... to care all that much. I actually think it may be the Lord's way of making sure I don't get to distracted this semester.

OK...I'm done! Forgive me for such an unspiritual post, I will try to be more edifying with the next post. Oh did I mention there's still the Yankee's to root against?

Just Some Family Pictures

Daddy and Jut-Jut

We are some happy guys!

Justin - My Little Man or Baby Jut

I think he's praying right there.

Grace - My Gracie Bear

Odd picture I know! I think it was an advertisment for boxer puppies : )

Taylor - My Little Taytor Bug
Is that not the cutest smile?

OK so in my laziness I decided just to post pictures of my family. I see all these other blogs with family pictures, and I was feeling left out. I'd put pictures of my beautiful wife up there, but she's always the one taking the picture, and therefore we never have any pictures of her.

Chinese Pizza

Ever wonder why they have pizza at the Chinese Buffet?

That’s easy, to get more people to come and eat there…

I don’t know about your kids, but you set Moo Shu Pork in front to your average five year old and they will turn their nose up like it was lima beans, on the other hand you set pizza in front of them and they will scarf it down like it was going to be a while before they get their next meal. Chinese restaurants know this, and that’s why you’ll always see Pizza on the buffet table.

Mom and Dad may want Chinese food, but since the kiddies won’t eat that, the Chinese folk bring stuff into their restaurant that really doesn’t belong. Pizza for those of you who don’t know is not Chinese, but lots of people like it.

Good strategy right?

I mean it’s not like Pizza is wrong or anything, its just food. It’s not Anti-Chinese, it’s just Not-Chinese. It may confuse people when they are reaching for their Fried Won Tons to see a Pizza sitting next to the Egg Rolls, but they get over it pretty soon. I mean they don’t have to eat it; they can eat their Sesame Chicken and allow the less discerning palettes eat the Pizza, all are happy.

Sounds like a good strategy to me…

Let’s say though that this Chinese restaurant is really starting to generate business. Lots of Moms and Dads bringing their families so that they can eat Kung Pow Chicken and the kiddies can fill up on Pizza, and every once in a while Dad grabs a slice too.

That works right?

Now Mom wants some Chinese, but Dad’s in the mood for some Pizza, where can they all go to get what they want? You got it, the Chinese Buffet! Now the Chinese Restaurant is selling so much Pizza that they need to get rid of some of the Chinese Food to make room for all the different Pizzas that they are selling. Everyone’s happy now!

The Chinese Restaurant is always busy and more and more people are coming to try the Peaking Duck, but hey, if they don’t like it, no problem, they just grab a slice of Pizza and all is well. New Pizzas are being introduced to the Buffet, and more Chinese Menu items are being removed to make way for the different Pizza types. Now it’s not just the kids eating the pizza, Moms and Dads are eating it too. (With their Chinese food of course)

Now what would you think about this strategy if over time more and more people started coming to the Chinese Buffet for Pizza, and less and less were coming for the Chinese Food, I mean people are still coming right?

Still more and different Pizzas are added, and more Chinese items are removed, but the people keep coming, the problem is they aren’t coming to the Chinese restaurant for Chinese Food anymore; they are coming for something that really didn’t belong there in the first place. They want Pizza!

Is that really a good strategy? Perhaps, I mean lots of people are coming, but lets not fool ourselves, at that point it’s not a Chinese Buffet that serves a little Pizza…It’s a Pizza Buffet that serves a little Chinese, which is fine…

Unless you really want some good authentic Chinese food!

I need your prayers… I think I have breathed my last relaxed breath for the next several weeks. Sunday I started my new role as fifth and sixth grade Sunday school teacher, This Friday I begin to lead a new home Bible study out here in Brockport, Institute begins next Monday, and I am taking four classes (Greek III, Church History, Life of Christ, and Daniel) which wouldn’t be so bad if one wasn’t Greek III and another wasn’t Church History. We will be hitting the streets Saturdays and the nursing home on the third Sunday evening, all while trying to work 40+ hours a week, be a good husband, and a good daddy...Ok let me clarify...I do need your prayers, but more to the point, I NEED GOD! I really see no way of doing this well, except by the grace of God, and the prayers of others, so even if you accidentally stumbled across my blog please pray!

I was reading “The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit” by R A Torrey and he was comparing the Spirit to the wind. "The wind bloweth where it listeth" John 3:8

Torrey says “While you cannot dictate the wind while it blows as it will, you may learn the laws that govern the winds motions. By bringing yourself into harmony with these laws, you can get the wind to do your work. You can erect a windmill and so that whichever way the wind blows from, the wheels will turn and the wind will grind your grain or pump your water. Just so, while we cannot dictate to the Holy Spirit, we can learn the laws of His operations. By bringing ourselves into harmony with those laws, above all by submitting out wills absolutely to His sovereign will, the sovereign Spirit of God will work through us to accomplish His own glorious work by our instrumentality.”

I find comfort in Torrey’s words here. This semester is going to have to be a day by day attempt of harmonizing myself with the Spirit and allowing Him to work His will through me…there is no other way to do it. I think this may be one of God’s ways of getting me desperate…that seems to be the way He works best, not because He needs it that way, but because in our arrogance and self-sufficiency it’s the way we allow Him to work best through us. It seems to be we strive less when we don't have anything left in ourselves.

So…( (holding a delicious cup of black coffee high into the air) Here’s to another semester of too much to do, not enough time to do it, and a great God that can accomplish great things regardless of the circumstances.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.