New "Partners" List

We haven't even "officially" started raising support for our upcoming year of volunteer work, but we already "officially" have supporters!

To the right you will see a list labeled "Partners." This is a list of individuals, families, and churches who have committed to supporting Christy and I through prayer and/or finances over the next year.

As you can see, there are already two groups/people on the list.

True Life Christian Church (the church where I currently serve as Associate Minister) announced last Sunday their intentions for supporting us. The commitment that they have made is very generous. I am blown away by their willingness to partner with us as we serve with The Voice Of The Martyrs.

Pam Taylor is Christy's mom. She has also committed to generously support us. The love and support that we have been shown from our families in relation to this specific decision to move to Oklahoma has been tremendous.

Thanks for signing on early, Pam and TLCC. And, thanks to all of you who I have "unofficially" talked to about supporting us. I appreciate your consideration!

Please contact me if you are interested in partnering with us through prayer and/or finances. I'll add your name to the list and will be in contact with you about specific prayer needs and specific financial needs.

Our newsletter is coming soon!

Movin' Forward

The Williamsburg Community Kids Choir production of the Christmas musical "Angel Alert!" was a success. So much work goes into a production of this magnitude. Thank you to everyone who helped. The show would not be possible without all of you - seriously.

There was also a great crowd - literally hundreds of people. Even a Cincinnati celebrity showed up in the crowd. Thanks to all of you who came to support these kids - they will never forget your encouragement and love.

Now Christy and I can take a breath and go forward with our upcoming move to Oklahoma to serve with The Voice Of The Martyrs. In fact, I just wrapped up the rough copy of our support newsletter. It should hit the presses soon - after some final proof reading.

Most of you reading this will probably receive a copy of it. But if you want to be sure to get one, leave a comment and let me know you're interested!

Don't forget to check out my favorite Christmas video!



Merry Christmas!

The BIG Unknown

I mentioned in my previous post that our goal is to sell our home - in three months or less.

Stop laughing. Seriously.

Call me crazy, but I am confident that the God who has brought us this far is in control of this situation, too. I don't know what He has planned, but I know He has a plan.

If you think about it, say a prayer for us as we try to sell our home in this difficult market. We would really appreciate it.

In the write-up for our home it says, "Shows Like A Model." I like the sound of that!

Did I mention immediate occupancy!

The Next Step

I am excited to announce that Christy and I have been accepted to a one-year volunteer commitment with The Voice Of The Martyrs. If everything goes as planned, Christy and I will move to Bartlesville, Oklahoma in March to begin serving with VOM!

Of course, a move like this comes with mixed emotions.

There are many things that are difficult to say good-bye to. We hate saying good-bye to family, friends, neighbors, True Life Christian Church, piano students, guitar students, The Williamsburg Community Kids Choir, Cookie's Coffee & Creamery, and The Williamsburg Community Band. We have built so many great relationships in the 4 years that we've been here. We will miss everyone greatly.

But, on the other side of it, we are looking forward to a new chapter in our lives. Transition is something that I find exciting. I've always liked it. I think that's why I love fall so much. To me, fall represents transition because it was always the time of year when I would transition to a new grade in school, a new school, or college. I've always loved the feeling of transitioning to something new.

This time is no different. And, what makes this transition so sweet is the fact that we are truly able to see God's hand at work. This opportunity and how it came about has totally been the work of God. He has answered prayer in an amazing way. The details of it all are mind blowing.

Between the sadness of saying good-bye and the excitement of something new lies another emotion - fear. Actually, I think fear is too strong of a word. Maybe the word "apprehension" says it better. No, that's not exactly it, either. I guess what I am trying to say is that there are some "unknowns" floating around that make me a bit nervous.

For example, we have to sell our house in 3 months. In today's market, most experts are telling us this is next to impossible. Our real estate agents tried to be positive. "In another market, this house would be easy to sell," they said to us. I know that God will handle this, and if you want to pray for us, pray that our house sells - quickly and for the right price!

We also have to think about what to do with all of our stuff. We will be living in a furnished apartment. This means that we don't have to move all of our belongings to Oklahoma. What a blessing! But, what do we do with it all in the meantime? Sell it? Store it? This is not that big of a deal, it's just something we need to figure out.

There are some other "unknowns" out there. I'll write more about them later. My goal is for this blog to be a way to update all of you as we take this step of faith and serve in a way that we've never served before. I hope it's as exciting for you to read as it is for us to live.

Anyway, more details will be coming about the specifics of our work with VOM and the church that we will call home in Oklahoma - East Bartlesville Christian Church.

Eleven

Memorization - some people are great at it, others are not. I think I fall somewhere in the middle.

I have never had a problem memorizing some things. For example, I can memorize song lyrics with no problem. I've always been good at that. Once I memorize a song, it's in my head forever. Believe me. I'll give you every word to "Bust-A-Move" right now if you want me to.

On the other hand, there are some things that I have a really hard time committing to memory. For example, anything to do with arithmetic. I could never memorize formulas or any of the tables. That was always very difficult for me. Math, in general, is not a strong subject with me. Why memorize when you have a calculator?

(At this point I'd like to mention that a calculator can't help you with "Bust-A-Move" lyrics. This proves that it is more necessary to memorize "Bust-A-Move" than it is to memorize the square root of 5781).

Sometimes, at our jobs, we are required to memorize certain things. Often, we memorize things almost by accident, just because of the constant repetition of doing the same thing over and over.

I was shocked during my most recent visit to McDonald's. I usually drive through McDonald's on my day off as I am out running errands by myself. I have to go then because my wife despises McDonald's and I can never go when she is with me. I don't really blame her...I admit, it's pretty disgusting. But, for some reason, I keep going back.

I pulled up to the drive through and was greeted with the usual, "Can I help you?"

I said, "Yes, I'd like a number eleven with a Sprite." I only drink clear liquids ever since my kidney stone incident (just in case you were wondering why I would order a Sprite instead of the obvious Coke).

The McEmployee said, "What's a number eleven?"

I wasn't sure I heard the question right, so I said, "Excuse me?"

She said, "What's a number eleven?"

I thought to myself, "What's a number eleven? Seriously? How could she not know this? I have ordered a number eleven many, many, many times in my life and I have never, NOT ONCE, been asked to explain what a number eleven is!"

You see, I had always just assumed that the register the McEmployee uses is marked with huge numbers, each corresponding with a value meal number. Couldn't she just hit the big 11 on here key pad?

Then it hit me...maybe they all just have the value meal numbers memorized and when I say "number eleven", the McEmployee, due to the fact that he/she has heard a number eleven ordered a million times, automatically knows that a number eleven is a Fillet-O-Fish.

If this is the case, which I am assuming it must be, then either:

A. The person I was currently ordering from was really bad at memorizing the value meal menu, or...

B. This was the first time someone had actually ordered a number eleven from her.

I going with "A." Mainly because I don't want to believe I am the only one in the world who eats a Fillet-O-Fish on a regular basis. And, to be honest, I can picture myself being lousy at memorizing the value meal menu. So give her a break, will ya?

Anyway...I started thinking about this because I often get very frustrated with myself for being so lousy at scripture memory, too. At first glance, you would think that I would be good memorizing the Bible since it is "words" and not "numbers." I wish that was true. I even remember doing terrible at scripture memory contests that were held at VBS or Camp as a child.

Just as it is great to have a calculator as a reference for math problems, I feel fortunate that I live in a country where I have access to a Bible when I need scripture. But...I don't ever want to use the same excuse for not memorizing the Bible that I used for not memorizing math stuff.

"Who needs to memorize that formula? I've always got a calculator with me."

"Who needs to memorize that scripture? I've always got a Bible with me."

The real reason I don't memorize math stuff is because I don't care. I don't care enough about it to commit it to memory.

On the other hand, I do care about what God's Word says. Therefore, I should constantly be reading it, studying it, and focused on it. If that's the case, then it will become a permanent part of my memory. And that's important. Because, when the Word is in your heart, you will recall it at the most important times in your life. God will speak to you through it. Nobody will ever be able to take it away from you.

My Fantasy

Last year was my rookie year at fantasy football. Call it beginners luck - I made it to the Super Bowl (and lost). But, I was still very proud of myself.

This year I am off to a good start. I won this past weekend, which puts me at 1-0! The bad news is that I won with the lowest winning point total in the league. Basically, I got lucky.

I think after a bit of tweaking I should do alright this year. Let the trading begin.

...In Seattle

Here's how it all went down in Seattle.

Day 1 - 6:

Christy and I attended an orientation with the agency Mission To Unreached Peoples. It was great for us to learn more about missions and to learn the ins and outs of MUP. The information that we gathered and the conversations that we had with the staff of MUP will surely help us along in our journey.

It was also great getting to know the other orientees. They were all amazing people who are truly willing to follow God anywhere he leads them. We are excited to hear about the amazing ministry they will all be doing in the future.

And, I have to mention that the location of the orientation was beautiful. The Homestead is a very cool place. The facilities are great, the food is amazing, and the staff are all very nice.

Here are a couple pictures. That's me by a big tree. The other is the view from the dock.

Day 6 (evening):

After Christy and I got checked into our hotel after the orientation wrapped up, we caught a bus to downtown Seattle to attend the Sunday evening service at Mars Hill Church downtown campus.

Unfortunately, we arrived 2o minutes late due to the fact that we caught the wrong bus. For those of you who may be planning a future visit to Seattle, you might want to make a note of the fact that there are TWO buses that are labeled 192 from the airport. One goes downtown, the other goes AWAY from downtown.

After our detour, we finally made it to Mars Hill. We got there in time to hear the message, take communion, and hear the band play a couple closing songs.

Trying to find a bus to take us back to our hotel was another adventure. I am sure we stood out as obvious out-of-towners among all the locals. But, we finally figured it out and realized that we were making it way more complicated than it actually was.

Day 7:

In the morning we caught the RIGHT 192 and headed back downtown Seattle. We had already fallen in love with Seattle so we were really looking forward to the day of sight-seeing.

First, we headed to the famous Pike Place Public Market. We spent quite a bit of time there. There are tons of shops and vendors selling everything you can imagine. Personally, I could have spent all day watching the action at the world famous Pike Place Fish Market. If my digital camera didn't have the longest delay known to man, I could have gotten some sweet shots of the fish throwing - bummer. But, at least I got to experience some first hand throwing (I bought a t-shirt and they even tossed that).

At Pike Place we also found the original Starbucks (big deal) and we came across a man known as "The Cat Whisperer." I didn't get any pictures of him. But I became really intrigued when I saw him pulling additional live cats out of a duffel bag.

After Pike Place we headed down to the waterfront. There were lots of shops and restaurants. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Ivar's. This seagull stared at us the whole time. It really made me nervous. I am sure he was contemplating how fun it would be to gouge out my eyes. Either that or he just wanted my salmon.

We then headed for the Space Needle, which is actually quite a few blocks from the waterfront. It was a beautiful day though, so we decided to walk. I am glad we did because we got to see some more cool parts of Seattle.

The Space Needle is neat to see in person. But, we didn't go up in it. It costs $16 per person and in my mind I had already seen Seattle from the air when we flew in. I am sure it would have been a great view - maybe next time.

Instead of going up in the Space Needle, we decided to go through a couple attractions that are built near it's base - the Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Museum. The two exhibits are combined, so admission to one gets you in both. Guess which one of those Christy was NOT looking forward to.

The EMP was awesome. I love going through exhibits that have to do with music and music history. This one did not disappoint. They had lots of cool memorabilia from Seattle natives The Kingsmen, Jimi Hendrix, and of course Nirvana (among others). It was also a very interactive and "high-tech" exhibit, so there was a lot to see and do.

I was happy to find a French Horn in this sculpture of thousands of instruments.

The SFM was actually pretty interesting. If you hate science fiction books and movies, then you would really hate the SFM. But, it had some cool memorabilia and movie props/costumes. All I could think of when I was walking around in it was, "Man, I am a nerd."

Once we were done there, we crossed the street and had a bite to eat at a sports bar & grill as we watched the Seahawks play some pre-season Monday Night Football. After that we caught a bus back to the hotel and crashed. We needed rest so we could catch our 5:45 AM flight out the next morning.

Seattle is an awesome city and western Washington is one of the most beautiful places in the US, in my opinion. I hope we get to go back some day.

Back In Time

My Palm Pilot, which I have used faithfully for the past 6 years, is dying. She's fading fast. I don't know how much longer she can hold on. I fear the day is soon approaching when she will breathe her last breath and I will no longer be able to hold her in my hands. The worst part about that day will be the fact that my entire organized life will be lost forever.

So, today I had to make a decision before it was too late. I'm going back to paper.

I started thinking about the good old days. As a college student, I was employed by FranklinCovey. Yes, while all my friends were working at popular clothing stores such as J. Riggins and Structure (may they Rest In Peace) and spending their paychecks on cool clothes at a discounted price, I was using my employee discount to buy refills for my classic size black leather binder.

What a simpler time it was.

I know I have other options. I could buy a new Palm Pilot or similar device. I could by something Blackberry-ish. But for some reason, when I walked into OfficeMax, I once again heard the alluring voice of FranklinCovey refills whispering in my ear.

"Come back," they gently said. "We're not as expensive as new technology, we don't become obsolete in 3 months, and we never crash!"

Tonight, I'll dig my old black leather binder out of a box, dust it off, remove my pages from 2002, and insert July-December 2008. Then I will begin the task of transferring all my data onto paper.

How long will it be before I realize why Palm Pilots were invented and why I loved mine so much? I think I'll at least stick with paper through December. After that, the possibilities are endless.

The Olympics: Things I Don't Understand

For the most part, I enjoy watching The Olympics. The Summer Olympics, specifically, always inspire me to play some beach volleyball. So, I played some last Sunday. I like volleyball for a variety of reasons. First of all, it's not a contact sport, which is good for someone as scrawny and weak as I am. Second, you don't have to run fast (or really run at all for that matter). This is good because not only am I slow, but I despise running except in the event of an emergency. I have no idea what I am doing in this picture, but you can assume it's awesome.

Anyway, as much as I enjoy The Summer Olympics, I still don't understand a few things. Here are a few things that puzzle me.

Why do I keep noticing the swimmers drinking a handful of water from the pool before their event? I personally think this is really disgusting. Of course, I am pretty grossed out by public swimming pools, water parks, etc. So, maybe it's just me. But, I still don't understand the need for a drink of highly chlorinated water.

Why do the divers immediately head for the showers after their dive? I cannot think of a logical explanation for this. I know there must be a good reason. I could probably find the answer to this question quite easily if I searched the web. But, honestly, I feel like I should be able to come up with the answer all by myself. I just can't!

What's with water polo? It looks pretty hard. I understand the general concept - that's not too difficult to grasp. But have you noticed all the whistling? What does that mean? I can never figure out what's going on.

These questions have been really nagging me the past couple of days.

Oh well, I guess I'll just stick with what I know - the French Horn.

A Child Is Waiting

A little over a month ago I had the opportunity to lead the "A Child Is Waiting" event at the church where I serve. World Vision is the organization behind this event. The event itself raises awareness of the needs of children in poverty situations all over the world. It is also a call to action in the form of child sponsorship.

I am so pleased that 6 children received sponsorship through our event. It takes commitment to sponsor a child. Often times, it is hard to make that commitment. For some of us, $35 a month is not a small sacrifice. For others, money not may be the issue at all, but the issue may be a lack of compassion or simply apathy. For most of us, I just think we avoid making promises. We ask ourselves, "Will I really stick with this? I'll feel terrible if my giving just fades away."

We can come up with a lot of excuses.

But, fortunately, for 6 children, somebody was willing to take the challenge and put the excuses to the side. They made the commitment and that commitment will make a huge difference in the lives of these kids who are living in communities severely affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa.

Thank you - all of you who stepped up to the plate! Keep me posted on what you hear from your child.

Albuquerque

I saw Weird Al Yankovic in concert last night. It was the second time I have seen him live. I dragged Christy along with me this time and she actually enjoyed it - don't let her tell you any different.

I know it might sound crazy, but in the realm of "concert production", Al's show is in the top 3 of the best produced concerts that I have ever attended. Even if you aren't a huge fan of Al, you wouldn't be able to walk away from his show disappointed. It is quite a spectacle.








Of course, it helped that I had amazing seats. We were in the 9th row. When Al came out into the crowd for one of the songs, we were separated from him by just 8 people.








Christy's favorite song of the night was Amish Paradise. I, on the other hand, have a hard time narrowing it down. I love the old stuff (Fat, Eat It) because it reminds me of being a kid and sitting around listening to Weird Al on vinyl and cassette tape. I also love the stuff that he put out when I was a teen. Especially his parody of Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. And, I must admit, his newest polka medley that he opens the show with is one of the funniest things I have ever heard.

It was a great night. And, in case you were wondering, the other two concerts that fall into my top 3 best productions category are...(drum roll please)...dc talk - Welcome To The Freak Show Tour and Garth Brooks' mid-nineties tour. Man, did I pick 3 completely different genres or what?

Dude, Where's My Trailer?

I love being a part of a "mobile" church. Some people might think that's crazy. I actually enjoy most of it. I think there are advantages to meeting in the local school cafe-teria-nasium, movie theater, or whatever other building is available.

There are disadvantages, too.

Nearly everything our church owns is stored in a trailer that is towed to and from the school we meet at every Sunday. This trailer is packed full of sound equipment, video equipment, communion supplies, etc. It's quite convenient.

But, every once in awhile, I hear about a church trailer that has been stolen. Whenever a news story like this comes up, I always think, "Wow, that would stink. What would I do?"

I hope I wouldn't react like this guy.

Look, I am sure he's a great guy. He might be a great minister, a great church planter, a great husband, and a great father. I have no idea. I don't know him.

But, his reaction is...crazy! Actually, I'm thinking that it's a joke. It is a joke, right? Please tell me it's a joke. He's probably one of those guys that if you knew him, you would read his blog and laugh hysterically because you know how sarcastic he's being.

OK, I've convinced myself that this whole thing is a set-up. That makes me feel better.

Sooners

Last week, Christy and I traveled to Bartlesville, Oklahoma (where the wind goes sweeping over the plains). We had three reasons for making the trip. In fact, on a side note, with gas prices being what they are, I now require myself to have at least three reasons before I go anywhere.

Anyway, we had three really good reasons for traveling to O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A.

Reason #1 - Christy spent her elementary years in Bartlesville, OK. For a long time now she has been dying to go back. More than once Christy has been to my "hometowns" (Osage, IA and Clinton, IL). So, it was about time that I visited hers. After about two seconds I was annoyed by her running commentary on everything that we passed.

"Look, Johnny Smith used to live there."
"I used to ride my bike there."
"That's the pool I used to swim in."
"One day Suzy threw up by that tree."

Then I realized, I do the same thing - BIG TIME - when we are in my towns. I vowed to never do that again - to anyone - EVER.

It was actually really fun for her to see the places and people again. And, honestly, it is fun to see the places and meet the people from your spouse's past.

Reason #2 - This is one of those "Small World" moments. My youth minister growing up in Clinton, IL - David Mabon - is now the senior minister at the church in Bartlesville where Christy's family used to attend. Weird.

I hadn't seen the Mabon family in a very long time. They offered to house us and feed us for the entire time we were there! We had a blast. The kids are all grown up and very cool. Dave and his wife Carol are still awesome to be around. And Carol totally hooked Christy and I up with some awesome meals and snacks.

We sat around and talked about the good old days forever.

Reason #3 - The Voice Of The Martyrs. This organization is based in Bartlesville. We went to Bartlesville to attend VOM's Persecuted Church Conference.

Christy and I both agree that this was the best conference we've ever attended. It was amazing to listen to people from all over the world speak about the persecution that is happening in the countries where they serve. There were speakers from the Middle East (Israel, Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Iran), Columbia, North Korea, China, Bangladesh, and Romania. The stories that these men and women had to tell were both shocking and inspiring. The whole event was truly eye opening.

I know in today's world of a billion conferences, it's probably unrealistic to think that most Christians would choose to go to the VOM conference. Most would rather go to a conference that will help them with whatever field of ministry they are interested in. They will choose to go to a worship conference, a church planting conference, a youth ministry conference, or a leadership conference. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Obviously, all of those events are beneficial. But I really do believe that every follower of Jesus would be profoundly changed if they attended the VOM conference. It's a definite change of pace from all of those other events - I believe it's an important and necessary change of pace.

The Face Of The Earth

No, I didn't fall off of it. But, my 3 month blogging hiatus has come to an end.

Coming soon are thoughts on The Voice Of The Martyrs, the NACC, and Summer 2008 in general.

I'm on the edge of my seat just thinking about it!

Lectio Divina

As a part of my day of solitude and prayer yesterday, I read the book Divine Intervention by Tony Jones. The book is about "encountering God through the ancient practice of lectio divina."

I was already somewhat familiar with lectio divina before I read this book, but I had never practiced it before and I had never been quite sure what to make of it. When I saw this book on the shelf I decided to pick it up. It seemed interesting. Plus - it was super short and you've got to love that.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what this is let me briefly explain it as Jones does in his book.

Basically, lectio divina is an ancient method of prayer. It means "sacred reading." There are four steps: Lectio (a selection or reading from the Bible), Meditatio (thinking over or meditation), Oratio (speaking or praying), and Contemplatio (contemplation).

Each step is actually a bit more detailed. But, that's the super simplified version. The bottom line is that it's a way to read God's Word, pray, and hear from God.

After reading the book, I decided to try out lectio divina for myself. It was actually pretty cool. I have to admit, it does seem like a good way to focus on God's Word and to clear your mind of distractions that many times drown out God's voice and what He's trying to say to you.

The only thing that bothers me is the fact that my entire knowledge of lectio divina comes from a newer book that is 100 pages long. I'm sure there are tons of things written about this practice that shed light on it in a whole new way. I'll have to dive into it more to see what I really think.

But, at this point, I am glad to have God open my eyes to some important scripture yesterday and for Him to speak to me through it. No matter what "method" of prayer or Bible study you use, I hope you find your time with God as rewarding/challenging as I always do.

My World View

Over the past year, I have found myself more concerned with humanitarian issues than I ever have been before. That being said, I feel like I should make clear that my previous concern with those issues has been next to nothing. So, to say I am more concerned isn't saying much. It's not that I don't care about people who are hurting, it's just that as I look back on my life I realize that I've done very little to actually do anything for people who are in horrible situations.

As I said, though, over the past year I've been thinking about this stuff more and more. I've been reading about it more. I've been noticing reports on TV more. I've been hearing people talk about it more. I don't know if this is because this stuff is actually being discussed more, or if it's because my eyes and ears are more open. But, whatever the case, I have felt the need to act.

I read an interesting story on nfl.com last week. When I was very young I was always amazed that the machines that make t-shirts and hats were so fast that within seconds of victory the winning team was wearing appearal that declared them as champions. As I got older, and smarter, I realized that obviously shirts and hats were pre-made for both teams. Duh! But, while some of the clothes were being passed out after the game, the other clothes were left in the boxes.

This brought me to a question, though. What happened to the unused shirts, hats, etc.? I always assumed the shirts that had been printed (that were now wrong) must be thrown away in some secret dumpster, never to see the light of day.

When I read that the NFL had donated the Patriots shirts to World Vision, I was actually surprised. I have been impressed with World Vision's humanitarian work. Last summer I participated in the "Step Into Africa - AIDS Experience." It was super powerful. If this exhibit comes to a city near you, I highly recommend you walk through. I couldn't walk away from that exhibit without sponsoring a child who lives in a community deeply affected by AIDS in Ethiopia. I am glad to hear that the NFL didn't let a few hundred t-shirts go to waste. It would have been easy for them to throw them away - no big deal. But, then again, most of us can't imagine a life where receiving a single t-shirt improves our situation.

My point is this: Too often I walk through life - doing and not doing certain things - without even giving a second thought to how my actions (or lack of action) are actually contributing to a humanitarian crisis in some other part of the world. I hope that all of us who have been given so much will begin to be willing to purposefully live in a way that eliminates crisis.

Bodies - "Very Good"

Christy and I decided to check out Bodies...The Exhibition at the Cincinnati Museum Center this past weekend.

I know there is some controversy surrounding this exhibit. Many people have questions about whether or not something of this nature is appropriate based on different religious and personal beliefs.

While I think that discussion is important and interesting, I want to take this time to focus on something different - what I walked away thinking as I left the museum.

I have never been a person who is super interested in the human body. First of all, I can be a bit squeamish when it comes to blood, injuries, and exposed internal organs. I wouldn't call my feelings toward these things a phobia and I think there are a lot of people who are much more squeamish than I am around that stuff. But, being in the presence of those things definitely isn't my favorite thing.

Also, I think my lack of interest in Human Anatomy can be proven by the grade I received in the Human Anatomy class I took in High School. To this day I have no idea why I chose that science class instead of Biology 2 or Chemistry. Maybe I didn't enroll in Biology 2 because I knew I would be sick when they forced me to disect a cat. Maybe I didn't enroll in Chemistry because of my lack of interest in everything related to that study. I don't know. I am sure that I assumed Human Anatomy would be the easiest of the three choices I had. I was wrong, though. I found it impossible to memorize all the details of all the different bodily systems. Not to mention I hated the units where we had to draw the blood of our classmates and test our own urine (I'm serious, we did that).

Anyway, as I was saying, I've never been a big fan of studying the human body. But, as I've grown older I have to say that the topic has become more intriguing to me. It probably has a lot to do with my own minor health issues that I deal with from time to time. I have begun to realize that the bodies that we have need to be taken care of (as hard as that is to do). It's amazing to me that our bodies work as well as they do for as long as the do!

So, to see the inner workings of a human body in such an upclose and real way was unbelieveable. To see the nervous system and the circulatory system in all their detail - crazy! To see the smallest bones in the body (from the inner ear) - wild! To see the whole body working together to achieve life to the fullest - amazing!

I am sure I am sounding like a promotional ad for the exhibit. But really, I am not trying to talk anyone into attending. I simply wanted to point out that as a Christ follower, I sometimes forget something. While it is true that I never forget who created me, I often forget how amazing this creation is.

Psalm 139 reads:

"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
You formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God - you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvously made!
I worship in adoration - what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
You know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
How I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Christy and I read that scripture before we entered the museum. I thought about it the whole time I was observing the exhibits. I wrote it in the guest book we could sign as we left the museum. I will never skim through Psalm 139 again, only catching bits and pieces here and there. I now, in my limited human way, am able to grasp why God said, "Very good," when he created man.

Tax Time Is Here!

I am not quite sure why I wrote the title of this post in a way that indicates excitement. In reality, tax time is my least favorite time of the year and I dread it with every ounce of my soul. In fact, the only thing that I can think of that I dread more is going to the dentist. And now I don't even mind that too much because I found an awesome place to go (Advance Family Dentistry - http://advanceddentist.e-siteworks.com/home/). They have a sign up in their office that states "The best compliment that we can receive from you is a referral." So, AFD, consider yourself complimented.

The problem with tax time is that not only do I find it extremely complicated, but I also seem to always end up paying more than I expected or doing something wrong along the way. I actually have a great tax guy who has helped me a ton - but even he can't save me from my inevitable goof ups that I seem to pull off without even realizing that I am doing anything wrong at all.

Let me give you examples from the past and the present.

I moved to Ohio from Virginia in March of 2005. When it came time to pay 2005 taxes in April of 2006 (see - even that confuses me), I got a statement in the mail from Virginia explaining that one of the many taxes that I owed them was the tax that they impose on their citizens for owning a vehicle. Yes, every year in Virginia you are taxed on the car you drive. I think the amount you pay is based on where you live in Virginia and the type of car it is, but I could be wrong about that (actually, the chances are pretty good that I am wrong about that). Anyway, since I lived in Virginia for 2 1/2 months at the beginning of 2005, I owed them.

What was shocking to me was that I owed them for 12 months - the full year! I asked them why. After all, my car was only in that state for less than 3 months. They explained that it didn't matter. Actually, they told me that while some counties in Virginia are able to process payments for the exact amount of time you lived in that county, the county that I owed the tax to did not yet have that option available. So, I would therefore be charged for the entire year. Whether or not that is true, I have no idea. But, like a good citizen, I paid the stupid tax.

Well, this is what is happening in the present. Today, I received in the mail a "Notice Of Assessment" from - Guess Where? - the Commonwealth of Virginia. This document informed me that I owed Virginia money from the tax year 2004. "2004," you ask? That's right! Not only was that 4 years ago - but I personally have not lived in Virginia since 2005!

So curious was I about this most recent development in my life as a tax payer that I gave Virginia a call. They explained to me that their computers had recently discovered that I was given too large a refund in 2004. Therefore, I have to pay them back - with interest!

Oh, that seems fair.

You might think I am joking. But the sad reality is that I am not. I was also informed of some other fun facts.

Fact #1 - It was also explained to me that there is no statute of limitations on past bills. If fact, they have past due bills that go all the way back to the 1970's.

Fact #2 - In the amount of time that it takes me to get together the paperwork and proof to appeal this charge, interest will continue to accrue.

Fact #3 - Every state operates 4 years behind when comparing the state returns with the federal returns for individuals. And, in reality, it is not actually operating "4 years behind" but it is "normal."

Fact #4 - The south will rise again.

Because of my intense dislike of tax season, I usually prefer to make it as short of a season as possible. I'll devote a week or less to actually hitting it hard and "doing my taxes." But, thanks to the Commonwealth, tax season for Jake has now been extended to many weeks of suffering and anxiety.

I'm not going down without a fight, though. I know I am supposed to give to Caesar what is Caesar's. But, I don't think this chunk of change is Caesar's. And, my Caesar isn't Virginia. Ok, now I am just confusing myself again. What does that even mean?

Did I mention I dread tax time?

The Launch Of The Pursuit

Click on The Pursuit link to the right to read about their amazing first Sunday!

Casper The Friendly Atheist

A couple weeks ago I began reading the book Jim & Casper Go To Church by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper. The book, in which Jim (a believer) and Matt (an atheist) travel around the country attending various churches, is described as a "frank conversation about faith, churches, and well-meaning Christians."

There are many things about this book that are appealing to me. The concept is great. The insights from both Jim and Matt are interesting. The ideas that Jim lays out about connecting with people and building relationships are important thoughts to apply to your life. The lessons to be learned from their experiences are priceless. The discussion and debate (that will no doubt arise from reading the book) about how to "do church" is invaluable.

But, I do have one fear. Believers so often quickly buy into whatever is the newest way of doing/being the church. We read the newest book on church growth, and we immediately implement what it teaches. We go to a conference, and as soon as we are back in our office we begin to put into place whatever it was that our favorite Christian celebrity preached. Obviously, most of what we read and most of what we are taught is not bad. But we fail to step back and really think about how it applies to our unique situations.

We don't ask ourselves if it fits into the culture of our church and our community. We don't stop to think about whether or not our leaders and volunteers are wired in a way that will line up with someone else's ideas. We forget that the churches that we perceive as "successful" probably didn't use someone else's model to get where they are. They more than likely created their own model (through much prayer and discernment) that would fit their leaders, volunteers, culture, and community.

Back to Jim & Casper...my fear is that church leaders will read this book and think, "Wow, I need to do everything that Matt Casper suggests so that my church will be appealing to non-believers." But here's the thing, Matt Casper is not speaking for every atheist in America. I think there is a ton to learn from Matt's observations. But, I also think that church leaders need to stop letting the books they read do all the work for them and start putting their own effort into figuring out how to reach the communities in which they live with the love of Jesus.

Yes, there are some definite lessons to be learned from Jim & Casper. I, personally, learned a lot about how to relate to people and how to shift from "defending the faith" to "defending the space" (read the book). But instead of simply doing everything that Matt Casper suggests, I think it would be more beneficial for me to find out what the "Caspers" in my own community think and go from there.

I encourage you to check out the book. More importantly, though, I encourage you to open your eyes to the culture of the community in which you live. What are the needs? How can you meet those needs?

New In 2008 - Guitar Lessons!

Over the years I have been asked many times if I would be willing to give guitar lessons. I always answer with a quick, "No!"

I think people ask me about lessons for a variety of reasons. One reason I believe they ask me about lessons is because they think that since my wife plays the piano and teaches the piano it's only natural that since I play the guitar I must be able to teach the guitar. I also think that most people, after hearing me play, assume that I must have enough knowledge of the instrument to be able to teach it. And finally, I think that there are even a few people who have never heard me play, but just assume that since I own a guitar I must be very good at it.

I honestly have never felt qualified to give guitar lessons, though. When I was a teen, my guitar teacher tried very hard to teach me scales and theory, but I was not interested in going that route. I just wanted the fast and easy track. All he had to show me was where to put my fingers on the neck and I was happy. I didn't care why they went there, I just wanted to rock!

Looking back on that attitude, I am very disappointed in myself. To this day, I still am not nearly as comfortable with guitar theory as I think I should be. When it comes down to it, my attitude has contributed to the fact that I am strictly a rhythm guitar player. I love playing guitar this way, but the down side is that I can do very little outside of those parameters.

My point is that I think that a music teacher needs to be held to a high standard. Music teachers should understand theory. They should be able to quickly name how many sharps and flats are in each key. They should be able to play any scale without hesitation. They should be able to answer any question that comes their way. I know a little about all that stuff, but I have never thought that I knew enough to teach.

How can I teach someone else to play a scale if I can't play it?
How can I explain what key a song is in if I can't remember how many flats are in the key?
How can I teach someone a chord if I don't know what the chord is myself?

Then I had a revelation! I can teach from a book! I don't have to come up with every little detail on my own. My knowledge, experience, and teaching ability, combined with an organized method of learning, can make for a very successful lesson - especially for a beginner guitar student.

So, I've researched the materials that are out there. I've narrowed it down to a few that I think are good. I've started to hang up flyers and I've worked out some blocks of time in my schedule. Now, all I need are students. I am focused on beginners. I believe I can start them off on the right track. Once they reach a certain level, they will certainly want to graduate to a new teacher who can take them further. But, until that time, I will be there to steer them in the right direction.

For all those interested, The Jake Follis School Of Rock is open for business!