Sunday Recap...

• Great day at Catalyst. Best in a while in my opinion.
• Everything ran smoothly and it was great to have our own worship band back in the saddle after a couple of weeks without them.
• Started a new series: Why Do We Do This? We looked at why do we sing.
• Sermon was a lot of fun to preach, I don't normally preach bullet points but I did yesterday in hopes of preparing our hearts to sing.
• We set out fewer chairs and it felt like the room was full. Lot's more crowd response and engergy than we have had in a while.
• We sang one song, did announcements, I preached, then we did about six more songs. Much different than the usual format.
• Sprang did a great job with the video we played before the sermon. It was a lot of fun and a great lead-in to the sermon.
• We encouraged Catalyst to sing and did the EVER. It was so awesome to hear everyone singing so strongly. Several times Sprang backed away from the mic and you could hear the whole room filled with voices, it was incredible.
• My back was killing me yesterday so we did a drive-thru lunch and I plopped on the couch with a heating pad and watched a great documentary on Netflix. I don't think the heating pad helped much...
• The band played at another church last night and did a great job. It was a good ending to a great day.

Sunday Recap...

• It was an ok day at Catalyst. Not the best, not the worst. It was ok.
• THEOS, a band featuring our very own Jeff Croy, led worship and did a good job. We could have run them a bit louder but I think their sound guy was playing it safe.
• There was something that threw me off early in the day and I was "off" for the rest of the day. Shouldn't let that stuff happen, but it did.
• The sermon was much better on paper than what was delivered. Honestly, I thought it sucked. Never found a rhythym. Never found nothing. It was simply a dud, let's call it what it was. I would be pleased to hear that the recording did not happen and it won't be available on podcast.
• Realized how much I rely and count on Sprang and not just for music. He is a great right hand man and does a ton of behind the scenes stuff that makes my life easy.
• Very ready to have Sprang and the gang leading us in worship next weekend. I'm sure the break was good for the band.
• Proof that the sermon never connected: I used a MAKE BELIEVE story about me yelling at Addy and followed it up with an even more outlandish story, and Heather had all kinds of people asking her about me yelling @ Addy.
• Highlight of the day was sharing two meals with two different families. Something special about gathering at a table with friends. We share lots of meals with friends and I am convinced our lives are more fulfilled because of it.
• We are about to ramp things up at Catalyst. Get ready!!!!

Homeless Kits

We are prepping homeless kits for folks to take with them in their cars, bags, etc.. so they are prepared to give something when the less fortunate ask... Here is a list of stuff that would be most helpful:

Life Update

Haphazard Update on Life, In Random Order:

• Been selling stuff on Craigslist like crazy. Old stuff that has been lying around. Doing very well. Softball gloves, bat bag, tennis racket, old cell phone.
• Coolest thing was a guy that emailed me about a glove I had on Craigslist for $15. Told me to take it off CL and list it on ebay. I did and the dumb thing sold for $65. Can you believe that? It was some special model that people want. Crazy huh?
• Been buying stuff too, mostly stuff for my bike.
• Finally went to the doctor for my shoulder. He confirmed what I was afraid he would confrim. No mountain biking for a month. It was the very reason that I had put off going. He said the biggest problems he has with "guys like you" are that you aren't patient enough to let things heal properly. I told him he was probably right.
• I ride mostly with 4 guys. Blain, Lee, and Dan. Currently Dan and I are out of commission for a while. Dan took a nasty spill that resulted in multiple trips to the Chiro and eventually a MD. Lee took a nasty spill last Sat. and was sore on Sunday. Don't know how long he is out. Blain is healthy so far. Very unexpected as Blain is the eldest, the most geriatric member of the foursome I think. Dan maybe close or even older, hard to tell.
• There were three accidents at the trails I usually ride this last weekend that resulted in 4 people being taken to the hospital, one in a helicopter. Anyone thinking these trails are for the faint of heart, you are mistaken my friend.
• Heather and the kids were gone for nearly two weeks. I hate it when they are gone that long, but I managed better this time than in the past. I have learned that I have to keep my evenings full. Hang with people for dinner or disc golf or mtn. bike. Something to keep me out of the empty house until it is time to go to sleep.
• Since I can't ride for a while, I have laced up the running shoes again. I am actually running faster since all the cycling in the last few months. Maybe I will find a 5k and do it in July.
• Got my mind set on this for my bday. Looks so cool.

Sunday Recap

Obviously I am on top of things, it is Wed. morning and I am just now posting a Sunday Recap.

• Brandon Whiteside and his wife Ashley were with us. He led worship for us and did a fantastic job.
• Weird not having my sidekick (Sprang) with me. I think it is good for me and for us as a church to have a couple of weeks without him in order to remind us of what a talented, tall, longhaird, bushy goteed, all out worshipping freek, we are blessed to have on a weekly basis.
• Had a great crowd even with a TON of people gone. I have been hoping that we would see growth this summer, when a lot of churches see attendence hit the basement.
• We had crazy tech difficulties this a.m. The video preacher stopped in mid sentence and appeared to be in full rigor. NOT GOOD. Brandon helped us by leading a song, and I proceeded to talk about poop in a spiritual way. IT SUCKED. A disaster of disasters.
• The video came back up but without sound. I wanted to crawl out the side door. We finally got it back on the screen with sound, but I was toast. I think this stuff bothers me more than most people sitting in a chair.
• This is how big God is... that afternoon I heard from one of our regulars that a family member of theirs is attracted to our church because of how laid back we are and the fact that I talked about poop.
• Took the Whiteside fam to Burger Island. Soooo good everytime. It was great to talk with them. I have never really been able to spend significant time with Brandon. Great to chat and hear his heart.
• Drove to the Buckner exit toward Dallas to buy some pedals from a guy at the Dorba Fourms for $20. After some himhawing, I decided I wanted them and reached for my wallet. Much to my surprise, the dude GAVE them to me. What? Wouldn't take a dime. Very cool surprise.
• Drove to Sam's club to buy a tv. We slept on it a night as not to make an impulse buy, got there and it was closed. Went Monday and it was gone. BOOOO. It was a one shot deal, open box tv.
• Ate at McAllisters. Great club sandwich and potato.
• Aside form the techno difficulity it was a great Sunday and a phenomenal Father's Day. Love my kids so much. Addy kept asking "Is it still Father's Day" And was still asking on Monday.
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Completely Random Life Update

A good friend was teasing me about not blogging lately.  I have just been too lazy/busy to do it.  Here is what is happening:

• Heather and the kids have been in FL for a week and won't return until this Sat.  It is really too long to be apart, but helped me get some stuff done that I will spell out below.
• I am finishing two classes for ordination within our denomination.  I should have been ordained a few years ago, but I just don't really care about that stuff.  I should care more, but I don't.  I also struggled with a while with staying in the Nazarene Church and did not see the reason to get ordained if I was going to bail on the whole thing. 
  
• I should be ordained at and incredibly long and boring service at the end of July.  You are more than welcome to come, I recommend sneaking in snacks and a pillow. 
  
• I had a bike accident a few weeks ago.  The scabs are nearly all gone, but I still have pain in my hand and shoulder, my shoulder hurts the worst by far.  I am actually going to a sports medicine doctor today at 4:00 to get things checked out.  Flying over the handlebars onto the concrete/gravel at 33 years old is not a good thing.
• I have continued to ride my bike on the trails a few times a week but can't do it any longer due to the shoulder pain.  Mountain biking is such a rush and more fun than I have ever had exercising in my life.  I constantly want to upgrade and do things with my bike. 
  
• I am looking to buy one of these lights so I can ride at night, how fun will that be?  I can't wait. 
  
• I have lost between 15-20 lbs since we returned from our cruise in January.  I am hoping to lose at least 15 more before the end of September. 
  
• The church is growing, we are averaging in the 80s right now.  I hope we can grow a bit in the summer months and see another growth spurt in the Fall.
• Addy went to swimming lessons earlier this summer.  She is doing much better in the water even though she is not yet swimming.
  
• Keegan is a wild man, plain and simple.  He seems to be a bit of a mamma's boy these days. 
  
• Haven't been playing much disc golf at all.  I basically have time for one hobby and right now it is riding my mountain bike.
• Heather and some of her friends were in a contest during the Month of May.  It was through Clairol hair coloring and they finished 2nd resulting in free hair color for a year and each received a $50 prepaid credit card.  That was pretty exciting!
• The van continues to defy the odds and gets us to where we need to go.  We may have to hold a funeral for that thing when it dies.
• That is pretty much it.
  

Sunday Recap

• Great day at Catalyst!
• 2nd week of One Prayer Series, Perry Noble nailed it.  God is... Here!
• Loved his dirty diaper analogy.  Great image, heard lots of good comments about it.
• He named three scenarios where people may not feel like "winners", all three were represented in our church body.  Realized how much our people are going through.  Serves a a good reminder that the Christian life is not an easy life.
  
• Music was great, three guitars, bass, and drums. 
  
• Missed hearing "When Love Comes to Town"  as the opening song.  Love that song.
• Attendance is holding strong right now even as the summer is here.  We were at 83 yesterday with lots of folks gone.  Would love to see us grow this summer.  Churches NEVER grow in the summer, they decline.  Hmm...
• Had fun at Sprang's C-group in the afternoon.
• Went to Cow Town for the first time with a buddy to pick up a hydration pack.  He took us the longest possible way there and back I think.  It was like a road trip by the time it was all said and done.
• I forgot to let Becker out after church and got home at 6:30 p.m. after leaving at 9:30 a.m.  Expected a mess, but he has the bladder of a camel.
• Went to Blain and Connie's for burgers and games with the Pieneas family for dinner.  Great time there.
• It is great to see Wendi Pineas doing so well after her first chemo treatment.  I can see relief in the countenance of she and Erik's face. 
  
• I continue to hear stories of the impact God is having in people's lives through Catalyst.  I am unbelievably humbled that God could use us to touch lives.  Heard of a 10 year old child that hated going to church before Catalyst, now she gets upset when the miss.  I say, "Go God.."
  
• Slept like a baby last night but came to the realization that it is time to see a doctor for my shoulder. 
  
• Missing my family like crazy, I keep my evenings busy as that is when I miss them the most.  Addy even cried in FL because she missed me, it made me feel incredibly special and loved.  I have a wife I don't deserve and the two greatest kids in the world.