Bubba The Bear

Every Sunday Morning this bear who likes Chocolate Chip and Fish Cookies comes out to talk to the "bawys and gurls." The kids seem to like him and I get a kick out of doing His voice. I stand in the back with a hands free microphone, get into my Bubba-zone voice (it's low, slow and a little dumb) and I chit chat with Ms. Sonya about the lesson. Why stick the picture here? On a youth page? Becuase it's part of my job description for the time being and so I want to share something on the verge of being embarrassing and fun. How does Bubba the Bear let Ms. Sonya know he is on the other side of the yellow door? He says... "Heeeeeeellllllooooooooooooo!"

:[you better work]:

So this month we will be concentrating on "work ethics." Sounds boring, trite? Not at all... we all have work stories to tell. Some funny, some sad, and the good ones are usually horrific. I personally used to think I hadn't had that many job experiences. I compared myself to Pastor Cowart who had been a little bit of everything from a mortician to a Ford Factory employee. I haven't embalmed bodies (yet) but I have been a burger flipper, a shoe salesman, a mailman, and a role player (not dungeons and dragons... hopefully I'll explain later). Now I am a Youth Director and intern Children's Minister with a little bit of graphic arts and counseling and fund raising and all that other stuff that comes with it.
Is there a standard to how we work? Yes.
Who has set it? God.
Why should He care? Becuase He cares about every aspect of our lives. From ou rspiritual well being to our physical well being... from hurts in the pasts to victories in the future... from being kind to one another to acting right at our places of employment.
And how should we act then? Simply. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will recieve an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." [Colossians 3.23-24]
And one point that may not be too obvious... this includes everyone, even those that don't have paying jobs. You mow the lawn for your parents? Volunteer at the local center? Work with a ministry at the church? Have a paper due in school? God says "WHATEVER YOU DO..." Pretty broad. Makes it much more simplier.
So quickly to end this part one... I have been doing Children's Ministry for four months now. It has not been fun in the sense I see youth ministry as fun. In Youth Ministry I can be pretty much myself. The jokes, the slang, the illustrations, the directness... It's a whole different ball of wax when it comes to the kiddies. I have to do a drive shift in my brain. And to be completely honest, the first couple of months I was not doing it "with all my heart." In fact, every day I prayed to God to release me. Until He, in His gentle way, showed me the error of my heart. I asked for forgiveness. Now, althought I will not say I am doing it perfectly, I am striving to do the part of my job with excellence.
I'll tell you stories from Burger Kin gin Germany and Rack Room Shoes at the Factory Outlets and delivering mail at Armstrong later on. For now, search your hearts. And in everythign you do, do like you are doing it for the Lord. I mean, ain't His reward going to be much bigger and last longer than anythign you get on earth?

LOYC Newsletter: April '06

:[cut it out]:

When I was growing up there was a show hosted by Dave Coulier (You may know him as uncle Joey in "Full House). The show was called "Out Of Control" and it was cheesy. At one point during each episode, Dave would get very close to the camera and say "Cut it out!" while making hand gestures for each word.

Obviously there are things in our lives we can, or rather should, do without. Relationships, attitudes, habits that keep us God. And we think, how can I get through it? How can I stop it? And I hear Dave Coulier loud and clear: CUT IT OUT!

Of course this will take a level of practicality that we are not used to. We tend to make things TOO spiritual. And it will take a level of discipline we are not used to. We expect others, especially God, to do everything. But we have a responsibility. We have a part in or relationship with God.

First off... Don't just stop a bad habit, replace it with a good one. (It takes 40 days of repetition to form a new habit.) If you try to stop doing something and you are left with a void, the chances are that you return to doing bad is great. So instead of going on line and looking at porn everyday after school-- join an after school tutoring program. Don't get me wrong, I know it's hard to stop doing something and the root of the problem must still be dealt with. But STOP doing it first. Then deal with the reasons WHY.

Secondly... Be accountable to someone, preferably someone who is Godly and trustworthy. If we only recognized the power behind accountability-- confiding your struggles with someone who will commit to hold you to your word of changing. If you are continually tempted with lying, tell someone such a youth pastor or mentor, and they in turn will on a weekly or daily basis ask you specifically if you have told the truth. The idea that some where in the near future, your confident will approach you usually is a deterrent to doing bad. And if you do fall into temptation, your accountability partner will help you get back on track.

Thirdly... Whenever possible, change your environment. Seems hard? Not really. If you a re abusing the internet at home, only use it at the library. Trouble with cursing? Check the music you are feeding off of and the "friends" you are hanging around. If they influence your speech, time to move on.

Does it seem drastic? Yes. But why should we shun doing the drastic for God? I mean, we just finished talking about "Running Hard After God." Let's be drastic. Let's go to the extreme with God. Cut out what does not belong. Let's do a clean up of our lives.

:[devotion time]:

The devotion "Coming Down From The High" is available to all especially those that experieneced Winterfest 2006. I mean, twnety-two thousand people all singing "Here I am To Worship" and now you are back in the real world? It can be difficult. But you can learn to experienece the same God everywhere. Start reading, praying and studying.

:[Winterfest Fotos]: Pt. 3

Favorite New Song by... Newsong

Heard a song on Saturday night of Winterfest and loved it. Had to go home and google the song. All I had to go with was half of the chorus which has been my mantra for the past three days: " I need you Jesus to come to my rescue, where else can I go?" Lo and behold, it's by Newsong and it's called "Rescue." AND!! To top it all off, I already had the CD in the Youth folder so I didn't have to buy it on iTunes. The little tag at the end (This world has nothing for me) is... what's the word I am looking for... empowering? encouraging? Here are the lyrics...

You are the source of the life
I can't be left behind
No one else will do
I will take hold of You

I need You Jesus
I need You Jesus

My heart is Yours for life
I need Your hand in mine
No one else will do
Lord I put my trust in You

I need you Jesus
To come to my rescue
Where else can I go
There's no other name
By which I am saved
Capture me with grace
I will follow You

This world has nothign for me
This world has nothign for me

:[fusion]: March 25 at 6 PM

:[Winterfest Fotos]: Pt. 2

:[Winterfest Fotos]: Pt 1

So how was your weekend?

It's Monday, and after three days, 16 hours of bus travel, minimal sleep, boxes of pizza, junk food galore, four rolls of film, 1.5 hours of video footage and a house strewn with suitcases and book bags... what can I say?

I can say that Winterfest this year was great. The temptation to compare previous years is always there, but you can't do that fairly. It's different teens, different chaperones, different artists, different hotel, different bus driver, different everything.

So I'll tell you what I loved this year. I loved seeing the transformation of each teen in their own journey to what God has called them to be. There is no denying a change in the gleam in their eyes on Sunday night after all was said an done. And for God to allow me the privilege to be a part, a catalyst in that change is awesome. I love it. I love laying low and watch God pounce on the teens and adults alike like a lion. At the right time, he strikes and their lives are forever changed. Too many tears to count, too much love to explain, too much forgiveness to enumerate, too much goodness to forget. Thank you God for being you.

And I can not deny that God always strikes at me as well. This time it was Friday night. As I pressed in through Praise and Worship, he sent someone to pray over my wife and I. Just lettign us know, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! It is awesome when God knocks on your door and says, I am still here.

So the pictures are coming... The stories will come... The memories will be there... And I am grateful to God.

Listen To This

• How many good things can be said about this man? He is awesome... listening to his passion for God, his talent as a musician and his anointed praise and worship leadership style makes it easy for me to give God my all while being renewed and refreshed and healed and...

• 

Hey, I know your ears have been craving to hear some reggae music by a Hasidic Jew... How I know? It's simple, I have too. Anyways, check out this dude MATISYAHU (Jewish for Matthew). His music has a positive message, the "King Without A Crown" video (currently playing on MTV) is cool, and it is different from what you are used to. Live a little outside your boxes!

• 

Kirk Franklin is a leader... I usually enjoy his fast paced stuff, but the song "Without You" and "Imagine Me" are beautiful. Check out the "Making Of..." clips and the "Looking For You" music video at his site.

:[running hard after God]:

To date I have participated in six 5 k races. The 2004 and 2005 bridge run over in Savannah hosted by Enmark, the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Tybee Run hosted by Memorial health and the 2005 City Market Run. I love running (or jogging, which better describes what I am doing). I can not do justice how I feel as I move with this mass of people toward our goal. Everyone has the same goal in mind. Everyone wants to win (or rather finish). Adrenaline rush is right.
Psalms 63.8 says "my soul follows hard after thee" [KJV]. Following hard? Not just following. Not meandering. Not strolling along. But following hard. Running hard after God. That is an awesome thought.
But why run? Is he running away form us? Does he not want to be caught? Why is he even moving? Shouldn't he be in one place at all times?
God himself does not change. But he continuely does new things. And for our relationship with him to grow and deepen, I believe he continuely moves. When Cora started crawling we owuld put something in front of her to entice her to crawl froward. Then she began wlaking and I would get in front of her saying, "Come on, Cora" with my hands outstreched. And sometimes when she was close enough I would take one more step back. It made her push herself. No she runs everywhere (a falls a lot).
God is in front of us, saying, "Come on!" And everytime we get close enough (read as, everytime we think we know Him) He "changes." He reveals somethign new. he takes one more step back so we can continuely run after Him. It makes the relationship vibrant. It certainly isn't dull and boring.
So, then, do you want to run hard after God? Well, do you even want to run? I mean, the activation energy needed to get us off the couch, put on some sneakers and get out the door is great. So is the activation energy needed to start a deep relationship with God. But it's worth it. Run after HIm. Run hard after God.