Feeling focused and sincere to start 2011. More of a quiet confidence that this year will be unique. How the year will unfold, I don't know. I'll let God surprise me. Especially feeling something special in the air at HHC. Do I smell momentum? Yes. Do I know what God is up to? No. Whatever the Awesome Almighty is up to, as the pastor, I just don't want to screw it up. I sense God saying to me, "Steer and guide this bus I'm sending, but stay clear enough that you don't get run over."
Went boogie boarding with the kids on our last two trips to the beach. Most of the adventure is spent looking for a wave to ride. More like looking for the wave. But you have to look about 100 yards beyond where you are out in the ocean. You gradually learn the art of seeing a swell in the water...and then discerning that by the time that wave gets to you, it will be cresting.
You leap forward with your board, and if you position yourself just right, you sail. Will take you all the way to the shore. And there's a smile on your face the whole time.
When the Holy Spirit makes a special delivery, it's like a surfing wave...all you can do is position yourself to RIDE the wave, but you cannot CREATE the wave. I'm sure at times, I have completely missed the momentum God has sent. Probably wasn't even in the water. And the waves are out there...always waves to ride in the vast ocean of God's desire to show Himself. When we were boogey boarding, we had a few times we didn't see the wave coming. Uh oh. The wave didn't stop because we weren't looking...the power of it flipped and tossed us like a rag doll.
You either ride or flip. I choose to ride. The smile lasts longer.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Monday, November 22, 2010
Digital Coolness
Man, with Facebook, Twitter tweeting, texting, and all the other stuff out there, I wonder if anybody reads the 'ol website blog anymore. Haven't written in a bizillion months, but I have made a vow - this ends today!
I have two very s-l-o-w computers in my home. I also have one wife (which is good) and two kids. If you do the math, that's one computer for every two persons in the household. It's not working. My family is constantly on the computer. And it takes 12 times longer on our computers because typically 5 minutes elapse going from one website to another...and this is crazy because we have hi-speed cable (it would take overnight if we were still on dial-up).
Someone mentioned to me the slothfullness of our digitial electronics (ie..computer) might be because it is over 5 years old. That theory doesn't stand, because I have a car that is eleven years old and I can still drive the same speed as when I bought it new. Besides, it's easier to blame the incapability of our computer on the cable company...it's funner too.
Once I came out of denial that the problem could actually be on OUR end, I decided to get going like everyone else and jump into the 22nd century. So I bought.....a laptop computer. Man, I'm happening now. Until someone told me laptops have been around for like 20 years. So much for being hip and cool. Guess I have to get one of those iphones...or ipads...or inotebooks...or ibooks, or iBibles, or itoilets or whatever else "i" can think of. THEN I'll be digitally cool. At least for a few months. OK...I'm signing off. Have to go finish my new cool game I got on my new cool Playstation 2 system.
I have two very s-l-o-w computers in my home. I also have one wife (which is good) and two kids. If you do the math, that's one computer for every two persons in the household. It's not working. My family is constantly on the computer. And it takes 12 times longer on our computers because typically 5 minutes elapse going from one website to another...and this is crazy because we have hi-speed cable (it would take overnight if we were still on dial-up).
Someone mentioned to me the slothfullness of our digitial electronics (ie..computer) might be because it is over 5 years old. That theory doesn't stand, because I have a car that is eleven years old and I can still drive the same speed as when I bought it new. Besides, it's easier to blame the incapability of our computer on the cable company...it's funner too.
Once I came out of denial that the problem could actually be on OUR end, I decided to get going like everyone else and jump into the 22nd century. So I bought.....a laptop computer. Man, I'm happening now. Until someone told me laptops have been around for like 20 years. So much for being hip and cool. Guess I have to get one of those iphones...or ipads...or inotebooks...or ibooks, or iBibles, or itoilets or whatever else "i" can think of. THEN I'll be digitally cool. At least for a few months. OK...I'm signing off. Have to go finish my new cool game I got on my new cool Playstation 2 system.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
What's a Preacher to do?
People wonder what I do. We all know pastors have preaching gigs on Sundays. The running joke is that preachers have the easiest job in the world because we only work on Sundays. Right. Actually, Sundays are my favorite. Love everybody coming together for a "monster pep rally for God". I like seeing everybody....at once. I've heard of these cyber churches, but that doesn't cut it with me. Gotta have the people connection face to face.
Let's see, what else do I do? Let me put it this way....it all depends on you. That's right - ya'll pretty much determine what I do week in and week out. Unpredictable it is. I can look at my calendar for the upcoming week and think, "Hey, not too crazy of a week." Right. Come Tuesday my calendar is full. But that's OK because I love the spontaneous and I love people...which means I can handle spontaneous people and their "happenings"...and trust me, things happen. I like not knowing what the week will hold. Sometimes, unfortunately, it's tragic/tough stuff. Marriages falling apart. An unexpected expenditure at the church. Problems galore. Do what I can to help. I do quite a few funerals. Do twice as many funerals as weddings...if you think about it, you marry two people at once but bury everyone individually, which pretty much accounts for the 2:1 ratio. But then again I might be marrying someone for their second time around, so maybe it's more like a 1.5:1 ratio.
A large part of my day is emails (my preferred method of communicating), a few phone calls, helping staff with their questions, in-office appointments (usually a couple a day), out of office appointments, and chipping away at projects that somehow end up on my desk. Chipping away at projects is my weak link. Not great with the details. I also try to chip away at my Sunday message, but usually don't get rolling with that till Friday...or Saturday...or Saturday night - you get the drift. Having a great staff takes some of the week's pressure off as well.
Bottom line...love being a preacher. It's never boring and it's very satisfying to help people live a life that honors God and improves their outlook as well. I reckon I'll just keep doing what a preacher does.
Let's see, what else do I do? Let me put it this way....it all depends on you. That's right - ya'll pretty much determine what I do week in and week out. Unpredictable it is. I can look at my calendar for the upcoming week and think, "Hey, not too crazy of a week." Right. Come Tuesday my calendar is full. But that's OK because I love the spontaneous and I love people...which means I can handle spontaneous people and their "happenings"...and trust me, things happen. I like not knowing what the week will hold. Sometimes, unfortunately, it's tragic/tough stuff. Marriages falling apart. An unexpected expenditure at the church. Problems galore. Do what I can to help. I do quite a few funerals. Do twice as many funerals as weddings...if you think about it, you marry two people at once but bury everyone individually, which pretty much accounts for the 2:1 ratio. But then again I might be marrying someone for their second time around, so maybe it's more like a 1.5:1 ratio.
A large part of my day is emails (my preferred method of communicating), a few phone calls, helping staff with their questions, in-office appointments (usually a couple a day), out of office appointments, and chipping away at projects that somehow end up on my desk. Chipping away at projects is my weak link. Not great with the details. I also try to chip away at my Sunday message, but usually don't get rolling with that till Friday...or Saturday...or Saturday night - you get the drift. Having a great staff takes some of the week's pressure off as well.
Bottom line...love being a preacher. It's never boring and it's very satisfying to help people live a life that honors God and improves their outlook as well. I reckon I'll just keep doing what a preacher does.
Monday, March 8, 2010
It's a Wonderful Life
My life is somewhat interesting...I guess. People probably wonder what my life is like. Maybe they don't. Some have told me they wouldn't have my job as a pastor for all the tea in China (would make more sense to say all the "people in China" - likely more people than tea). Others say it must be cool being a pastor. But leading a local church is only a part of my life.
Right now my brain is on basketball, for example. NCAA basketball. NCAA tournament basketball. There's a song or something that says Christmas is "the most wonderful time of the year". Must not have been a basketball fan. You would surmise that God is a supporter of all things wonderful. Basketball is wonderful. Thus, God is a basketball fan.
My life is also about the wife and kids. They are wonderful (most of the time). So again, God is a fan of my family. Over the last several years, our family has developed the habit of dominating certain rooms in the house. Most husband dudes, by default, will dominate the room with the largest TV and remote control. The Page clan is no exception. The living room is where I be. I dominate. You must have a password to touch the remote.
Dana is the dominator of the master bedroom. Folds laundry in there (just so you know I'm not chauvenist, she doesn't let me do the laundry after my infamous "pink" load). Checks her facebook in there. Reads in there. Hollers into the living room from there. It is her domain.
Kaley's hideout used to be her bedroom, but due to, shall we say "proper teenage disciplinary actions", she hangs out a little with everyone else - probably because her room no longer has a TV....or a computer....or a cell phone....or anything electronic come to think of it. We did let her retain her bed. Keelan is a home room hanger. Once in a while, we'll do a man cave thing and play ping-pong (excuse me, I meant table tennis) in the basement. One of these days I'll get heat down there so we can actually enjoy that half of the house. That would be wonderful. Then God could become a fan of our basement.
Right now my brain is on basketball, for example. NCAA basketball. NCAA tournament basketball. There's a song or something that says Christmas is "the most wonderful time of the year". Must not have been a basketball fan. You would surmise that God is a supporter of all things wonderful. Basketball is wonderful. Thus, God is a basketball fan.
My life is also about the wife and kids. They are wonderful (most of the time). So again, God is a fan of my family. Over the last several years, our family has developed the habit of dominating certain rooms in the house. Most husband dudes, by default, will dominate the room with the largest TV and remote control. The Page clan is no exception. The living room is where I be. I dominate. You must have a password to touch the remote.
Dana is the dominator of the master bedroom. Folds laundry in there (just so you know I'm not chauvenist, she doesn't let me do the laundry after my infamous "pink" load). Checks her facebook in there. Reads in there. Hollers into the living room from there. It is her domain.
Kaley's hideout used to be her bedroom, but due to, shall we say "proper teenage disciplinary actions", she hangs out a little with everyone else - probably because her room no longer has a TV....or a computer....or a cell phone....or anything electronic come to think of it. We did let her retain her bed. Keelan is a home room hanger. Once in a while, we'll do a man cave thing and play ping-pong (excuse me, I meant table tennis) in the basement. One of these days I'll get heat down there so we can actually enjoy that half of the house. That would be wonderful. Then God could become a fan of our basement.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Mulligans and Sex
Three weeks in to 2010 and all is well. Very well. Here is part of the reason...I am not approaching the new changes I am making in my life like I have in previous seasons. I would be so black and white with the improvements I wanted to make, that I would quit the first few times I had a relapse. Not this time. I am giving myself some "mulligans"...some do-overs...perhaps even some grace. Then I adjust, and get right back at it.
Here are some of the things I've challenged myself with (man, after I give these out, I am real accountable!). I am only eating when I'm hungry. What an eye-opener! Couldn't believe how much I had been snacking on just to snack. I am literally eating about half the content I did before and about a third of the sugar. I've lost 5 pounds. Pretty cool.
Time Management is another biggie. I am very focused on being more productive while at work and home. Less TV time and more people and project time. It's been tough because I really love my DVR. I decided to blog now instead of plop in front of the tube. Better use of time.
People Passion is back in my life. Loving and caring for people has to be intentional. It's not a feeling - it's an action. When I think about someone, I am trying to follow it up with a postcard, email, etc. It's time consuming, but if my time management is good (see above), I have more time to be a cheerleader in people's lives (whoa...me in a cheerleader outfit is a creepy snapshot).
Loving my Wife is maybe my highest priority improvement. Always loved her, but am intent on treating her like the queen she is. Being more mature toward her (tougher than I thought). I have a habit of bugging her on purpose...smacks on the butt, talking to her in a funny voice, and following her around like a stalker have all faded to a whimper. Asking her about her job and then listening to the answer, intentional acts of kindness, and a constant attitude of respect are now in. Seems to be working....very well. (Men, the previous paragraph is really good advice to follow, no matter who you're married to).
Alright, this blog does mention mulligans but does not mention anything about sex. Figured this blog would be read, like, 23 times more if that was in the title. Just a little experiment. Must have worked because you're reading this. Hope it's OK if even us preacher guys toss out a wry sense of humor once in a while.
Here are some of the things I've challenged myself with (man, after I give these out, I am real accountable!). I am only eating when I'm hungry. What an eye-opener! Couldn't believe how much I had been snacking on just to snack. I am literally eating about half the content I did before and about a third of the sugar. I've lost 5 pounds. Pretty cool.
Time Management is another biggie. I am very focused on being more productive while at work and home. Less TV time and more people and project time. It's been tough because I really love my DVR. I decided to blog now instead of plop in front of the tube. Better use of time.
People Passion is back in my life. Loving and caring for people has to be intentional. It's not a feeling - it's an action. When I think about someone, I am trying to follow it up with a postcard, email, etc. It's time consuming, but if my time management is good (see above), I have more time to be a cheerleader in people's lives (whoa...me in a cheerleader outfit is a creepy snapshot).
Loving my Wife is maybe my highest priority improvement. Always loved her, but am intent on treating her like the queen she is. Being more mature toward her (tougher than I thought). I have a habit of bugging her on purpose...smacks on the butt, talking to her in a funny voice, and following her around like a stalker have all faded to a whimper. Asking her about her job and then listening to the answer, intentional acts of kindness, and a constant attitude of respect are now in. Seems to be working....very well. (Men, the previous paragraph is really good advice to follow, no matter who you're married to).
Alright, this blog does mention mulligans but does not mention anything about sex. Figured this blog would be read, like, 23 times more if that was in the title. Just a little experiment. Must have worked because you're reading this. Hope it's OK if even us preacher guys toss out a wry sense of humor once in a while.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Decade
Here comes another decade. That's how we humans keep track of time. Don't suppose God keeps a calendar. Reckon He can keep track of the unfolding of time and events in His head. On the other hand, I have become dependent on my planner...my stomach drops out when I don't see it lying around. I can't remember what I'm doing 2 hours ahead unless I write it down. I've missed appointments even though they were written down in my planner. How's that for administrative skills?
Speaking of the next 10 years, the upcoming decade will have what other decades have had....a few breakthroughs in technology, a few a few pop culture hits in music and movies, a few major events that will shake us all. We will have some awesome times on one end of the scale and deal with unexpected tragedies on the other. We will feel the passion of life and the stress of it. Everyone will get older, but not necessarily wiser. There will be babies added to families. Family patriarchs and matriarchs will pass into eternity. I'm just trying to squeeze as much juice out of the orange God has given me. I'm not worried about the 2010s....God is already there. And I've put my lot in with His. Maybe I don't need a calender after all.
Speaking of the next 10 years, the upcoming decade will have what other decades have had....a few breakthroughs in technology, a few a few pop culture hits in music and movies, a few major events that will shake us all. We will have some awesome times on one end of the scale and deal with unexpected tragedies on the other. We will feel the passion of life and the stress of it. Everyone will get older, but not necessarily wiser. There will be babies added to families. Family patriarchs and matriarchs will pass into eternity. I'm just trying to squeeze as much juice out of the orange God has given me. I'm not worried about the 2010s....God is already there. And I've put my lot in with His. Maybe I don't need a calender after all.
Friday, December 18, 2009
One-Hit Wonders
I have been recently running across some random one-hit wonders from the 1980s (by the way I'm writing in a green marker because it's Christmastime and all). Now I'm wondering if Christmastime is one word or two. Anyway...hearing some of these one hit wonders has brought that nostalgic feeling back all over again (or am I defining deja vu?). Now I'm wondering if deva vu is one word or two. Definitely French though. Anyway (again), I am posting a few of those 1980s one hit wonders on my blog to see if you growing-up-in-the-80s people will recognize any of them. I've never tried to put a link on my blog, so I hope it works. Oh cool, I decided to change my text to the other Christmas color smack in the middle of this whole blog thing. Must be totally feeling the Christmas spirit.
By the way, I know this isn't a deeply spiritual blog this time around, but blogging is about a variety of life experiences, so I suppose I don't feel guilty for ramping up the subject of 80s music. So without any further adieu (there's those French people messing with our language, (again).....OK I just now looked back on my blog and realized I use parenthesis as liberally as I use toilet paper. Sorry about that - back to the show. Without any further adieu I present to you seven of my favorite one-hit wonders from the 1980s...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdeIZkZo2PM Haven't heard this one since college until I heard it on the radio the other day. Didn't realize the song was "enviromental" which may be appropriate because going "Green" during Christmas might be cool. I loved this song when it was out. Check out that hair and clothing...did I look like that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB_jX4qdye4 As you see, I obviously and bent toward the British pop side of the 80s. This song reminds me of when I went on Spring Break my senior year in high school (weighed about 50 lbs less then)...this song was all over the beach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk Another British group...these videos seem pretty generic by today's stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldyx3KHOFXw Great song. This guy looks like he wants to hurt somebody, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc-P8oDuS0Q How could one of the biggest songs of the 8os have a banjo in it? But everyone know this song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q6nKP10j4s Gotta be biased with the name of the group. One of my favorite one-hitters, but might not be as remembered as others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejorQVy3m8E Gotta like the lead singer's moves. One of the bigger songs of the 80s as well....very recognizable.
Honorable mention: She blinded me with Science....Funkytown
Not-honorable mentions: "Hey Mickey your so fine" (Flat-out irritating)...99 Luft Balloons (weird song)..."She's a maniac, maniac" (I am too after listening to that for 30 seconds)
By the way, I know this isn't a deeply spiritual blog this time around, but blogging is about a variety of life experiences, so I suppose I don't feel guilty for ramping up the subject of 80s music. So without any further adieu (there's those French people messing with our language, (again).....OK I just now looked back on my blog and realized I use parenthesis as liberally as I use toilet paper. Sorry about that - back to the show. Without any further adieu I present to you seven of my favorite one-hit wonders from the 1980s...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdeIZkZo2PM Haven't heard this one since college until I heard it on the radio the other day. Didn't realize the song was "enviromental" which may be appropriate because going "Green" during Christmas might be cool. I loved this song when it was out. Check out that hair and clothing...did I look like that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB_jX4qdye4 As you see, I obviously and bent toward the British pop side of the 80s. This song reminds me of when I went on Spring Break my senior year in high school (weighed about 50 lbs less then)...this song was all over the beach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk Another British group...these videos seem pretty generic by today's stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldyx3KHOFXw Great song. This guy looks like he wants to hurt somebody, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc-P8oDuS0Q How could one of the biggest songs of the 8os have a banjo in it? But everyone know this song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q6nKP10j4s Gotta be biased with the name of the group. One of my favorite one-hitters, but might not be as remembered as others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejorQVy3m8E Gotta like the lead singer's moves. One of the bigger songs of the 80s as well....very recognizable.
Honorable mention: She blinded me with Science....Funkytown
Not-honorable mentions: "Hey Mickey your so fine" (Flat-out irritating)...99 Luft Balloons (weird song)..."She's a maniac, maniac" (I am too after listening to that for 30 seconds)
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