I had to put this on here...its from simplyyouthminstry.com's website... signs from above! :)
Friday, September 26, 2008
This made my day!
I had to put this on here...its from simplyyouthminstry.com's website... signs from above! :)
Weekly reflections 9.22-28
Hey....here's an update
1. Sarah hasn't heard about the new position yet. Hopefully soon. However...
2. My Mom got a new job that is going to be great for her with all of the benefits and fewer responsibilities. It's time for her to start slowing down. Congrats momma!
3. My hand is pretty much 100%... it is nice having it back!
4. Shiloh has a multi-purpose building that is used 90% of the time for youth services called the Oasis. Well, we recently got the floor cleaned (the first time it has been professionally done since I've been here and that is four plus years). I have had 6 or 7 people come talk to me about that stupid floor and to make sure that we aren't sliding the furniture around on the floor because...
5. This Sunday is Shiloh's 140th Anniversary. There is a service in the Oasis following our carry-in. Should be a good day...
6. I have been getting out of the office/church and coming to the Library for the past few weeks and I am loving being able to come here and change the pace.
7. Our van driver resigned Wednesday night. He is in his 80's and has done a great job of showing people in our church what it means to serve. Thanks Don! However...
8. That means we need a van driver! We have not had people knocking down the doors to volunteer for anything...so please throw up a prayer that God will move and bring someone along to help with our Van ministry.
9. October is almost here...which means cooler weather and that makes me happy
10. I love watching other church services on-line! Some that I like to watch are NewSpring Church (Anderson, South Carolina) and Granger Community Church (Granger, Indiana). It really refreshes me...and makes me want to be more creative!
Have a great weekend
1. Sarah hasn't heard about the new position yet. Hopefully soon. However...
2. My Mom got a new job that is going to be great for her with all of the benefits and fewer responsibilities. It's time for her to start slowing down. Congrats momma!
3. My hand is pretty much 100%... it is nice having it back!
4. Shiloh has a multi-purpose building that is used 90% of the time for youth services called the Oasis. Well, we recently got the floor cleaned (the first time it has been professionally done since I've been here and that is four plus years). I have had 6 or 7 people come talk to me about that stupid floor and to make sure that we aren't sliding the furniture around on the floor because...
5. This Sunday is Shiloh's 140th Anniversary. There is a service in the Oasis following our carry-in. Should be a good day...
6. I have been getting out of the office/church and coming to the Library for the past few weeks and I am loving being able to come here and change the pace.
7. Our van driver resigned Wednesday night. He is in his 80's and has done a great job of showing people in our church what it means to serve. Thanks Don! However...
8. That means we need a van driver! We have not had people knocking down the doors to volunteer for anything...so please throw up a prayer that God will move and bring someone along to help with our Van ministry.
9. October is almost here...which means cooler weather and that makes me happy
10. I love watching other church services on-line! Some that I like to watch are NewSpring Church (Anderson, South Carolina) and Granger Community Church (Granger, Indiana). It really refreshes me...and makes me want to be more creative!
Have a great weekend
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Worries vs Faith
I was reading something the other day and it said "worry is the opposite of faith". It got me thinking about the difference and where I stand. Do I worry about more things rather than having faith about things? The transparent answer is definitely. I'm working on trusting God more everyday with everything. However, its hard. When things keep building up and don't get addressed, when issues keep popping up without answers, when things continue to go in the opposite direction of where you want to go it is frustrating. I would say that I'm an 80% worrier. 8 out of 10 things I tend to be ,as a definition of worries states, in a state of "persistent mental uneasiness". Often we think the worst about something when in reality, it is smaller or easier or really not an issue. In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus talks about this very thing. Still, we struggle with it.
So I guess it comes down to a choice. When we are faced with something in our life that causes us to pause we have to make a choice: worry about it or trust in God that He will do what He said He will do. Psalm 46:1 says that "God is our refuge and strength, a VERY present help in troubles".
Worry vs Faith: Which one will win today?
"It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him".
- Hebrews 11:6
Monday, September 22, 2008
Bluffton Street Fair 08 and moving my gparents
Hey...Hope your weekend went well. Mine was good. We got to see family and go to the Bluffton Street Fair all in one weekend. Fantastic! Also, here are some pics from our youth group Fall Kickof
f.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Moving and Street Fair
Hey...
This weekend Sarah and I are going to Ohio to help my Grandpa and Grandma Christian move and then on to Bluffton the (in Andy's best movie announcer voice) "World Famous BLUFFTON STREET FAIR"! Pictures will follow. Also...I'll add some from last weekends Fall Kickoff. Fun times. Hope you have a super weekend. I'll be playing the Mouse Game...yep the mouse game where you put a quarter on a set of numbers you think the real mouse will go into. Sounds wierd and dirty...and it is but it is tons of fun.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
I've lost something
I guess being in ministry we are whipped into submission to be in the now. We try to get kids to come this week. We try and plan activities this week. Sometimes we plan ahead...plan for events, trips etc. You come into ministry thinking amazing things. Or I believe at least you should. Then, it all seems to get knocked out of you. You get criticized for this...a little knocked out. You get told that you aren't doing enough....more knocked out. You see the same people not respond to anything you feel that God is telling you...and even more gets knocked out. I want to dream big. I want to be a part of something that could only happen if God were a part of it. Something that no man could take credit for, only God. I want to dream big but more importantly, I just need to start dreaming again. I need to be more creative. Think outside of the "now" box. Think outside of my circumstances. I have become a now man...and I've let being more and dreaming for something like Paul was talking about in Eph. 3:20 slip my mind. That is what kind of follower of Christ I want to become. I want to affect change rather than be effected by the apathy of those around me. I believe that God can do anything that He wants whenever, wherever He wants. Still, those people must allow Him to do so. I have let people effect me rather than God.
May God help us to dream big. Dream things that touch God's heart. To want things that God wants. To be chasing after one thing: to know Christ and to bring others into that same knowledge. May you find that surrender is freedom in Christ. May we not be caged by the insecurities of generations past. Let us not hold onto or be tied down by their apparent love affair with the now and the comfortable. May God open our eyes to be able to dream things that only He could accomplish instead of planning things that we know we can.
Eph. 3:20
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Vacation!!!!
Hey...after some searching, Sarah and I will be going on vacation November 7-14 to celebrate our "birthdays and anniversary". We will going to the Orange Lake Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It is a much needed vacation before the holidays and the start of a new year. We can't wait. It is about an hour and half north of Chicago and we are about an hour and a half from Chicago so it will be a good distance to just be able to get away. Thanks Uncle Harold! You don't know how much we need this.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Monday morning reflections...
Hey...I was supposed to have a meeting today but it got cancelled and good thing. We had our kickoff last night and then I had to take some of the kids home because we were running really late. So...
1. I took a vacation day today! I am doing as little as possible.
2. Last night the kick-off went well. There were some really good parts and other things that just make me want to spit nails.
3. I am sad today because one of my best friends is moving out of the district to take another job in Michigan. Ben and Amanda Capshaw are moving in October to Faith Church in Lansing, Michigan to be the Children's Pastor. I am happy for them because its a great opportunity, but insanely sad at the fact that we will not be seeing each other very frequently.
4. I got my smelly cast off! It was NASTY! Dead skin, sour smell...but boy am I glad.
5. We are trying to find somewhere to go on vacation to. My Uncle Harold is letting us buy a week off of him. What a relief it has been this week just to know that we are going to get this time away.
6. It is getting cold and you know what that means?! Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate!
7. Did you know that Ray Boltz came out of the closet?! Thanks to Stevansheets.com I read this and couldn't believe it! What a blow to many of the fans of this man.
8. The Colts won yesterday after being down 15-0...man I was getting mad. Then everything in the universe was all good.
9. I started playing my guitar again after the cast. I sang Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus yesterday for the special and then after church a younger lady comes up to me and tells me that I should put out a CD! LOL...that made me chuckle.
10. Finally, during a devotional time last week I came across Psalm 127. For some of you it might mean very little. But I thought it might help others...
Psalm 127
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
1. I took a vacation day today! I am doing as little as possible.
2. Last night the kick-off went well. There were some really good parts and other things that just make me want to spit nails.
3. I am sad today because one of my best friends is moving out of the district to take another job in Michigan. Ben and Amanda Capshaw are moving in October to Faith Church in Lansing, Michigan to be the Children's Pastor. I am happy for them because its a great opportunity, but insanely sad at the fact that we will not be seeing each other very frequently.
4. I got my smelly cast off! It was NASTY! Dead skin, sour smell...but boy am I glad.
5. We are trying to find somewhere to go on vacation to. My Uncle Harold is letting us buy a week off of him. What a relief it has been this week just to know that we are going to get this time away.
6. It is getting cold and you know what that means?! Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate!
7. Did you know that Ray Boltz came out of the closet?! Thanks to Stevansheets.com I read this and couldn't believe it! What a blow to many of the fans of this man.
8. The Colts won yesterday after being down 15-0...man I was getting mad. Then everything in the universe was all good.
9. I started playing my guitar again after the cast. I sang Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus yesterday for the special and then after church a younger lady comes up to me and tells me that I should put out a CD! LOL...that made me chuckle.
10. Finally, during a devotional time last week I came across Psalm 127. For some of you it might mean very little. But I thought it might help others...
Psalm 127
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Top 10: places I'd like to go
If $$$ weren't a factor, which it always is, here is my top ten places i'd love to go to or return to:
10. San Francisco- I love the look of it. Cable cars, sloped streets, Golden Gate Bridge...and I want to see the Pacific Ocean.
9. Boston- This is due in large part to watching Good Will Hunting years ago. It just always seems cool and I'd love to see Fenway Park.
8. Alaska- I love the cold, Alaska is cold. I would love to see all the ice and stuff up there.
7. Beijing- With the Great Wall and all the other stuff to see, this would be quite the vacation.
6. Venice- I've always wanted to go to Venice. It might make me sea sick though!
5. Bahamas- need I say more? This makes me think of relaxation even while sitting here.
4. Ireland- I use Irish Spring soap so if the country smells like that who wouldn't want to go?
3. Grand Canyon- I wouldn't want to ride a donkey down to the bottom though.
2. Paris- With the Eiffel Tower, all the art museums this place would be amazing to visit.
1. New York City- I've been there twice and would live there! I love it...from Times Square to the hole in the wall
type places I would love to live near it at least.
what about you? where would you go?
10. San Francisco- I love the look of it. Cable cars, sloped streets, Golden Gate Bridge...and I want to see the Pacific Ocean.
9. Boston- This is due in large part to watching Good Will Hunting years ago. It just always seems cool and I'd love to see Fenway Park.
8. Alaska- I love the cold, Alaska is cold. I would love to see all the ice and stuff up there.
7. Beijing- With the Great Wall and all the other stuff to see, this would be quite the vacation.
6. Venice- I've always wanted to go to Venice. It might make me sea sick though!
5. Bahamas- need I say more? This makes me think of relaxation even while sitting here.
4. Ireland- I use Irish Spring soap so if the country smells like that who wouldn't want to go?
3. Grand Canyon- I wouldn't want to ride a donkey down to the bottom though.
2. Paris- With the Eiffel Tower, all the art museums this place would be amazing to visit.
1. New York City- I've been there twice and would live there! I love it...from Times Square to the hole in the wall
type places I would love to live near it at least.what about you? where would you go?
Monday, September 08, 2008
weekly update
1. I love that the weather has turned and football has started...even though the Colts lost...ugh.
2. Losing 9 seniors last year and with the possibility of some good friends moving out of the district i am feeling a great sense of abandonment.
3. I get my cast off (for good hopefully) this Friday!
4. I liked Gov. Palin's speech but I'm not sure she will be enough to push McCain over the top. Obama's hype is HUGE!
5. I have been reminded today that worrying and being anxious is the opposite of faith and they both get you nowhere.
6. I found out through a required (by my wife) Dr. visit, that I am as healthy as an ox! No problems...
7. Sarah, on the other hand, has a jacked up thyroid. It is seriously messing things up. She goes Oct. 1st to a specialist.
8. Sarah is interviewing to become a charge nurse on her floor. Movin' on up!
9. People are generally in a cranky mood these days. Keith Drury thinks it is because of all the negative political stuff. Who knows
10. I am wondering who reads this stuff? Is it you? and if it is you, who are you?
2. Losing 9 seniors last year and with the possibility of some good friends moving out of the district i am feeling a great sense of abandonment.
3. I get my cast off (for good hopefully) this Friday!
4. I liked Gov. Palin's speech but I'm not sure she will be enough to push McCain over the top. Obama's hype is HUGE!
5. I have been reminded today that worrying and being anxious is the opposite of faith and they both get you nowhere.
6. I found out through a required (by my wife) Dr. visit, that I am as healthy as an ox! No problems...
7. Sarah, on the other hand, has a jacked up thyroid. It is seriously messing things up. She goes Oct. 1st to a specialist.
8. Sarah is interviewing to become a charge nurse on her floor. Movin' on up!
9. People are generally in a cranky mood these days. Keith Drury thinks it is because of all the negative political stuff. Who knows
10. I am wondering who reads this stuff? Is it you? and if it is you, who are you?
Friday, September 05, 2008
websites i go to daily...
1. Pandora.com- this is an absolutely free website that plays music that you pick and screen. I love it and play it everyday in the office.
2. espn.com- I love sports and this is sports heaven.
3. my.yahoo.com- I get my daily fix of stevansheets.com, brianandjayeholland.blogspot.com among others.
4. hotmail.com- it is just a necessity
5. myspace.com- two-fold reason- one...to stay up with my teens and two...mobsters
6. yahoo.com- I play fantasy football and baseball so i check out my teams.
7. peegs.com- to stay current with my Hoosiers
8. andyjellison.blogspot.com- to see if anyones paying a bit of attention to my ramblings.
9. youtube.com- to find something inspiring, funny or useful
10. google.com- man google is my phonebook/faq/go-to guy for all things internet
2. espn.com- I love sports and this is sports heaven.
3. my.yahoo.com- I get my daily fix of stevansheets.com, brianandjayeholland.blogspot.com among others.
4. hotmail.com- it is just a necessity
5. myspace.com- two-fold reason- one...to stay up with my teens and two...mobsters
6. yahoo.com- I play fantasy football and baseball so i check out my teams.
7. peegs.com- to stay current with my Hoosiers
8. andyjellison.blogspot.com- to see if anyones paying a bit of attention to my ramblings.
9. youtube.com- to find something inspiring, funny or useful
10. google.com- man google is my phonebook/faq/go-to guy for all things internet
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Top 10: TV Shows
I thought I'd start a top 10 theme for some fun. Feel free to add your lists in the comment section!
Here are my top 10 tv shows:
Honorable mention: Deadliest Catch, Bones, America's Got Talent, Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and Life.
10. House- I love sarcasm. House is full of it and I love watching how they come to solve some weird medical mysteries.
9. Psych- This show is on USA network in the summers and many people are missing a ton of laughs. This show is about a guy who pretends to be a psychic and helps the cops. I really enjoy this off the wall humor. Sarah looks at me and just shakes her head when we watch this show.
8. Amazing Race- Traveling the globe, fighting with your partner, interesting interactions between the competitors and the different locals make for a great show.
7. Eli Stone- this new show blew me away. This man has a brain tumor that gives "visions" of down and out people he needs to help. A modern day prophet for the cold hearted.
6. Heroes- This show has so many different things going on that it couldn't ever get boring or predictable. I want a super-human ability!
5. Lost- With a new twist every episode, you are always wondering whats next. Great concept and cast make this super unmissable!
4. Prison Break- Only with this show could you hear someone say, "not everyone who breaks out of prison is bad"! Sarah said that just last night. This show gives you ulcers and anxiety if you aren't careful. They love making enemies necessary allies. Run...
3. Big Brother- I love the mind games and the social aspect of this summer hit. I would love to get on this show. With three shows a week, it brings some excitement to the otherwise boring summer tv schedule.
2. American Idol- I like to watch the horrible people and cheer on my favorites. My favorites have been Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, Bo Bice, Blake Lewis and David Cook. I seem to pick winners (blake and bo should have won, even though they aren't doing well now) every other year. This will be the off year.
1. Survivor- Outwit, outplay, outlast...I love it...plain and simple.
don't go thinking all i do is watch tv...I tivo everything on this list...
How about you...what do you watch?
Here are my top 10 tv shows:
Honorable mention: Deadliest Catch, Bones, America's Got Talent, Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and Life.
10. House- I love sarcasm. House is full of it and I love watching how they come to solve some weird medical mysteries.
9. Psych- This show is on USA network in the summers and many people are missing a ton of laughs. This show is about a guy who pretends to be a psychic and helps the cops. I really enjoy this off the wall humor. Sarah looks at me and just shakes her head when we watch this show.
8. Amazing Race- Traveling the globe, fighting with your partner, interesting interactions between the competitors and the different locals make for a great show.
7. Eli Stone- this new show blew me away. This man has a brain tumor that gives "visions" of down and out people he needs to help. A modern day prophet for the cold hearted.
6. Heroes- This show has so many different things going on that it couldn't ever get boring or predictable. I want a super-human ability!
5. Lost- With a new twist every episode, you are always wondering whats next. Great concept and cast make this super unmissable!
4. Prison Break- Only with this show could you hear someone say, "not everyone who breaks out of prison is bad"! Sarah said that just last night. This show gives you ulcers and anxiety if you aren't careful. They love making enemies necessary allies. Run...
3. Big Brother- I love the mind games and the social aspect of this summer hit. I would love to get on this show. With three shows a week, it brings some excitement to the otherwise boring summer tv schedule.
2. American Idol- I like to watch the horrible people and cheer on my favorites. My favorites have been Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, Bo Bice, Blake Lewis and David Cook. I seem to pick winners (blake and bo should have won, even though they aren't doing well now) every other year. This will be the off year.
1. Survivor- Outwit, outplay, outlast...I love it...plain and simple.
don't go thinking all i do is watch tv...I tivo everything on this list...
How about you...what do you watch?
Blueberry oh eight!
What a great weekend! We had family, fun and some flippin' awesome fireworks. Since I like to read bullet points rather than a paragraph, thats what I'll do:
1. Friday I went back to the hand Dr. and got my cast off...for about 20 minutes...then promptly got a new one. He said another two weeks so that it could heal more. BOOOO...
2. Saturday we went to Markle to the "Old Place: for an anniversary party for Sarahs Aunt. Good times...
3. We have a new favorite thing at the Blueberry Festival...the Blueberry Donuts! Wow is all I can say.
4. I had some amazing food and most of it wasn't deep-fried...hurray for Andy :)
5. There were like 17 vendors arrested or asked to leave the festival...some were selling fake stuff and some were swiping bank cards and getting peoples info! dude...
6. The fireworks were just amazing. The BEST I've ever seen...the wait to get out though (all 60+ minutes) was not that fun...
It was a great weekend and great to see both moms and spend time with them
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