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.

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.

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.

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)

Very Random Thoughts

DVR is one of the greatest inventions of the past 300 years.

Time definitely flies by faster the older you get.

Forgot how great (and challenging) it is to have a puppy (do all puppies eat more wood and rug material than dog food?).

Being the pastor of a church like HHC is still one, fun gig.

I wish my time management was 10x more efficient.

Skin rashes really reek.

People are still the most interesting thing on the planet - good, bad, and ugly.

I'm always happy when eating out.

Having kids is, well, (see comment on puppy above) - but well worth it.

I am becoming more in tune with unchurched people than I ever thought I could.

Living in Martinsville is very rewarding despite what some people say.

I hope I-69 comes through soon (oooo - hot button topic).

Couldn't have a better staff and elders at HHC - great job, gang.

Dana and I have a strong marriage, but man, are we different.

The new Christian radio station called Air One (90.5) is pretty cool.

Fall is awesome.

I wish people didn't get sick (but they do).

I am done blogging now.

Something Different Sunday

September 27 was a real marker for HHC. We've never had a Sunday morning like it. We came to church at 10am, had some worship, took our offering....all routine stuff for a Sunday. But what we did next was not church as usual. It was church unusual.

After offering we left the building....literally. No sermon. Our sermon wasn't going to be a message, but instead a message in action. We divided up into several teams and went out and cleaned....and mowed....and swept.....and weed-eated (is that a word?)...and pick up trash. All on a Sunday morning. Not just coming to church on Sunday morning, but being the church on Sunday morning. Went to 3 different locations around Martinsville and did something very practical for our community. One of the most spiritual things we have ever done...and it wasn't with a Bible or songbook in our hand....but a trash bag, rake, and weed-eater in our hand.

If someone were to ask me what the purpose of our Community Day was, the correct answer would be to "bless our town". And while that was certainly one of the reasons, it was just as important to me that HHC was able to practice doing something outside the box. To give people a chance to experience what it feels like to serve with no strings attached. And one of the coolest parts of the whole day was doing this together. The comaraderie from hanging out was easily one of the highlights of the whole experience. In some cases, people were laughing and laboring side by side with folks they have not had a chance to meet before. Let's just say they know each other now. As a pastor, that's fun to watch...and it was a real "win" for the God, the community, and HHC. It's kinda nice when everybody wins.

A Financial Snap

OK...something is going on here. It culminated at our Sunday morning experience on August 2. Let me go back and set the table. HHC has been moving along and succeeding in almost every area of late. Despite this, HHC has been leaking financially for the last couple of years. Combo of several things. But we began to really leak this summer. Had a rock bottom offering about 3 weeks ago. Something "snapped" in me and I haven't been the same since.

You would think a rock bottom offering would snap a pastor in two. But instead it snapped me to attention. God wasn't wanting to correct the congregation in their giving habits, He was correcting me for not properly teaching folks how to biblically give and tithe. I admit over the years, I had become a chicken when it came to the area of bibilical stewardship. Wanted to avoid the stereotypes that came with churches and money. The Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder and wisely let me know that if I didn't teach biblical giving (tithing in particular), it was the same as not teaching biblical marriage, biblical morals, biblical (fill in the blank). Ouch.

So Sunday August 2, was the landmark day. Not only did I feel compelled to let the church know of our financial leak, but stated that the principle of biblical tithing was the only avenue in which our church could patch the leak and not sink completely. Somewhere in the middle of the message, I cried. Didn't mean to. Always challenges the man pride, you know. But the passion of seeing HHC succeed and thrive simply burst out. Then the amazing thing happened....

People began to come up during the message and put their finances on the platform. That really messed me up emotionally....it messed us all up. Hard to finish a sermon under those conditions. It put a renewed energy, and renewed confidence, and a renewed focus, and a renewed boldness in me I haven't felt.....ever. I still am riding it as I write this. After church was over, you could stir the unity with a stick. This was a back row to front row unity. This was a "the ship's not going down on our watch" type of unity. Apparently, everyone had "snapped".

Crazy thing is this......I was giving a message on tithing in the middle of our generation's worst economic recession....and a revival swept over us. Only God. Not only that, but spiritually, people were experiencing a supernatural release from fear and complacency. I'm still hearing about it. The launch has been made. Now it's up to us to complete the mission.