Joydar

I gotta be honest when you work in "church world" for any amount of time, you soon discover that "churchies" take themselves way too seriously.  And in turn they take you way too seriously.  Somehow whatever you just thought, just said, or just did was completely heretical or unbibilical or showed off your pecs too much or was not honoring to someone or something from the year 1976 or you released fireballs from heaven because you used The Message to say it.  And of course, the comments are always followed up with supporting documents, but not from The Message.

And if you preach.... woah nelly.  That's when the radar gets kicked up into "special mode".  I had a "churchie" confront me one time with the fact that I had used the term "hooked up" in my sermon which, when googled by said individual, was found to mean "engaging in pre-marital sex" .... of course.  Therefore, it was completely unacceptable and very disturbing because I was promoting this type of action from the pulpit.  Conversely, I was thrilled that this individual understood the entire point of my sermon... Heavenly hook ups.  Cause I always like to be tricky.  Like one time when I spoke on rolling all that makes up our life into the hand of the God, which really was code speak for smoking doobies.  What most people don't realize is that pastors have competitions to see how much they can do this.  Our latest challenge is to subliminally promote Harry Potter and skinny dipping. 
Laughter, comedy, and sarcasm are beautiful things (especially when you are skinny dipping).

Most often, within the church world, we deal with the serious far more than the satire.  So maybe when you run into the lighter side it can be debilitating rather than refreshing.  In Matthew 14 we find one of those conundrums.  Jesus is chilling out after rock climbing for a little bit.  He had been teaching and healing and pretty much doing what Jesus does, and needed to refill the tanks.  So he's maxing and relaxing and see's the disciples floating in their little boat on their way to the other side o' the lake.  And He get's to thinking... Oh yeah, I gotta get to that side too.  How am I going to get there? 

Well I would submit, the disciples probably figured he was swimming or finding another boat.  And to be honest, not sure if Jesus took swimming lessons.  Hey, it took my 2 older kids 6 times each to get through Otter or Beaver or Horse or whatever that stupid level 1 is called.  And is there anything more frustrating than paying for the same lesson 12 times?  Apparently getting water in your face is extremely traumatic if you are swimming.  Alas, Jesus figures he mind as well kick it up a notch and totally freak out those dopes in the boat.  So he just starts walking on the water.  Beautiful.  To boot, he was probably smiling and waving as he neared the boat.  And he gets the reaction he was looking for... "It's a ghost!"  Beautiful.  "Boys, relax, it's me."  Peter is so jacked he wants to get out there too and Jesus says have at er.  Except Peter sinks, Jesus saves, the disciples shout, the boat lands, the story ends. 

Was there a deeper point to this story?  Yep.  Was this another example of the power of Jesus?  Yep.  Was Jesus intentional with everything he did?  Yep.  Was a memory created for the guys in the boat?  Yep.    
Was Jesus doing what he always did?  Yep. 

And what was that?  Bringing joy to people lives.  Whether it was bringing hope to a place, peace to a tragedy, calm to a storm, or forgiveness to a life.  He was and is and always will be the essence of Joy.

So next time you feel the urge to confront flip flops in church or verbage in a song go climb a mountain. Pull out the "Joydar (Joy Radar people)" and you never know how your perspective might change or what you might find yourself doing instead. 

And if by chance you are looking for a swim teacher, give me a call, we know them all.

VHF - VW's Turn

Threw out a little "Swagger Wagon" a few weeks ago.  Today letting VW have their turn.  Pretty sweet.  Enjoy.  Have a great Friday!

Morning Glory

So this happened already today...
Got woken up at 6:15 cause bobcat boy at the lot behind us, thought he would get a head start on smoothing sand that was already quite smooth if you ask me (I got up and looked, okay, not completely true, might have started yelling at him too.. something about contracting a bad rash or nipple chaffing not quite sure it was early.)
Upon waking up, had the dogs woohoo right in my face.  Apparently that was the warmest spot on the bed at the time.
All 3 kids woke up shortly after and proceeded to start initiating havoc.  Megan burst into the room because she desperately needed nail polish because it was team day and she wanted to look "cool".   I proceed to my washroom, only to hear our 5 year old. Caedyn, start screaming about the fact that she is going to wet her pants.  I half wet my pants because I jumped so high off the pot that I lost control.  I rip out of the washroom to inquire about the wetting problem.  My other daughter Megan is sitting on the toilet in the other washroom, and apparently told Caedyn to "go somewhere else because she is doing her team nails."  I ask Megan if that is true, to which she retorts, "You told me to do my nails in the washroom dad so that is what I am doing.  It is your fault if she wets her pants."  After 6 sighs and a rather stern look, Megan apprehensively leaves her toilet perch and allows young Caedyn to releave herself.
I walk downstairs to find my son eating breakfast.  I experience a little shock and awe that he is actually eating breakfast on his own accord and that no issues seem to be apparent.  Stunned.  Normally, breakfast is when we discover that he has some sort of project due that morning usually along the lines of inventing biodegradeable pit stick.  I walk downstairs slightly gleeful when I discover the gong show left by my daughters in the play room.  Not that this is a surprise mind you.  It is the adventure of what I am going to discover as part of the gong show.  Today it was pencil shavings.  I kid you not, there must have been a pencil sharpening convention that I was unaware of.  There were shavings everywhere.  On the floor, in cups, in the oven of the play kitchen, groovy girls were propped up with shavings, and I swear they formed a crop circle on the floor.
After cleaning up that deal.  I plugged in our lovely air cleaning, floor drying, vomit inducing, sewage machines.  Yea.  Our Sewer backed up inside the house last week.  Restoration dudes were coming back this morning to do another clean because apparently our poop is resilient.  Little bit of pride there. 
So we commence packing lunches only to find my daughter has not emptied her lunch kit from the night before (not a surprise here people) and of course we discover infestation. 
Which brings me to our homemade fruit fly trap.  I had checked it last night and counted 11 fruit flies in that puppy.  Not bad for only a couple hours.  This morning I look in it.  4.  All 3 of my children are eating breakfast at this point (well, to be fair, 2 were eating, Megan had just arrived after freaking out with tears and stomping and huffing and head flicks and general disgruntledness about the fact that no one was helping her finish her nails for her team day at school.  That is until Carla gently reminded her team day was Thursday...) so I casually inquire, as to the whereabouts of the other 7 fruitflies.  Caedyn pipes up with, "I had to put my finger in the top to look at it."  This would explain the gigantic hole in the saran wrap on the top of our trap.
The kids finish breakfast.  Megan burns upstairs to finish getting ready (the nail episode put her back at least 15 minutes).  Brady is ready to ride and does not want to wait for Megan.  I tell Brady to let her know he is going in 2 minutes and she needs to be ready.  Brady asks me to start a timer.  Brady gleefully runs upstairs to put Megan on the clock.  Megan arrives with 30 seconds to spare.  Brady starts riding upon first sight of Megan in the garage.  Megan runs inside bawling because Brady left early and hates her and she doesn't know the route to get to school.  Brady arrives back home.  Stomps in and states "all I did was start a bit early and then cry baby runs in the house.  See dad, this is what I have to deal with all the time."  I pretend to ignore any of this is going on by closing my eyes and mumbling softly like I am in a very important prayer time.  They get the hint and leave.  I whip upstairs to have a shower.  Hop in the shower only to find my 5 year old wanting to hop in too.  She does.  Try to wash her hair because she failed to wash anything in her bath from the night before.  I am not allowed to apply shampoo.  I am instructed that she can do it and that she does not like any shampoo on the front of her hair.  Back only.  I retort with the fact that bugs will infest her hair and start laying eggs in there if she does not wash the front.  She is not amused but slightly concerned that this could possibly happ.en.  Therefore she dabs the front of her hair and quickly rinses.  I am then told to get out of my own shower.  I towel off, go to shave... no water.  Seems the restoration dudes are already at my house to clean the carrot poop out of my basement (again) and neglected to warn us they were turning off the water.  Lovely.   I look at the clock.  8:25am.  I am sure this is going to be a wonderful day.

Baby Gap

So yes I apologize.  2 weeks is too long to post.  I will spend the next few days highlighting those 2 weeks starting with my sewer story.  I kid you not.  In the meantime, take some time to enjoy with me, my sister Jana's first kidlet born June 17 @ 6:03am.  Weighing in at 6 pd 5 oz.  His name is Bryan Samuel Hollinshead.

Megan proud as punch to have another Cousin

Brady was fairly pumped to get another boy in the clan

Hot stuff in the middle with the kiddies

The man himself

As usual, stolen camera by youngest child, resulted in about 15 pictures of roofs, bed's, other patients 

and of course, 13 close ups.

Ruggedly handsome, I know... stop it.

VHF - I do this all the time

Thought I would give you an idea of what I do in my free time.  Happey Friday.

Great Expectations

There seems to be so many people yet so few minutes.  Too many cups of coffee, too many missed lunches and never enough glasses of water.  Too many books launched but never landed.  Too much people pleasing so little understanding.  It seems the longer the meeting the shorter the results.  So many ideas so many obstacles.  So much ambition so little resolve.  So much joy, yet so much fear.  Too much work too little reward.  So many requests so little chance. 

Heaven waits
Twilight has a Saga
and Dancing needs stars
Twittered and faced
Skyped and spaced
Eagle shirts
Boxer Shorts
Jugo Juiced

Too busy or too lazy.  Time management or more time?   

Space
Whispers
Open hands
Quiet heart
Hearing
Straining
Humble

Hope.

New mercies, new day.

Great expectations.

Little Known Facts

Since 1939, when the NHL moved to a Best of 7 format for the Stanley Cup Finals, the team that has won Game 1, went on to win the title 54 times.

The Top 5 Banks in Canada collectively made over $5 billion in profits in the 2nd quarter.  This fell short of forecasts apparently.

Rafael Nadal was given a watch to wear at the French Open.  It was crafted by the watchmaker Richard Mille.  It's price tag?  $500,000

So... What can $500,00 buy you?  Well, this or this or this or try to live here or 30ish of these or this

The 2010 World Cup (Soccer) is taking place this month in South Africa.  This event takes place every 4 years.  In 2006 games were televised in over 214 countries.  Total viewing audience was 26 billion+ people over the course of the tournament.  With an estimated 607.9 million people watching the final match between Italy and France.  And I thought they had a marketing problem calling it "soccer" and "football."  Check out the facts here.

The latest Barna Group stats on charitable giving. 

Number of times this past weekend I was asked if I was a cyclist because of the lack of hair on the bottom of my legs - 2.