PreSchool VBS

Day #2 is over. The kids seemed to enjoy themselves. Today's teaching was Jesus gives us the power to help. The kids went home with their marching orders to help others like Jesus helped us. Kids were still asking about the gaint buble but didn't seem too disappointed when we didn't do again. It was another great day.

Tony Jones and Trucker Frank's Road Trip - Episode 5

Trucker Frank doesn't make an appearance but this webisode is a tale between two pastors. Good stuff.

Pre-School VBS

Our first day of preschool VBS concluded an hour ago. 23 little guys had a blast. The highlight was the giant bubble. The kids stood on top of a concrete block in a pool of soapy solution as a hula hoop was used to make a giant bubble around them. The kids stood inside a bubble. They loved it. These kids are great.

Prince Caspian

I’m not much a movie critic so I won’t try to be one here. But last night, Rae and I went to watch Narnia: Prince Caspian in the theater. We both enjoyed it. For those who watched with decrement, elements of faith were laced throughout the film. I’ll be sure to buy it on DVD for my own library.

W.C.'s Baccalaureatte Address

This morning I received the official news that I will present the Baccalaureate Address at the West Central School Corp's commencement ceremony. The Senior Class of 2008 voted for me, which I count this as a great honor. I was told my address should only be ten minutes in length. That’s not a lot of time but I will make it work. Commencement is the largest speaking platform on our side of the county. I request your prayers that I use this opportunity wisely.

Tommy Emmanual

My young friend Nathan Williams suggested I watch Tommy E. on Youtube. Amazing stuff. Thanks Nate.

Pic of the Week

"The New Christians" Road Trip with Trucker Frank 4

I'm really enjoying Monday mornings. A new webisode of Trucker Frank is posted. Two more webisodes are left.

Week In Review

With just three weeks of being in “full time ministry” I know that my blogging habits will likely change significantly in the upcoming weeks. I still desire to keep this blog rolling, even if it’s just once a week. Maybe I could develop a Sunday night ritual of writing a week-in-review. So let me start tonight.
• I’ve been blown away by the number of conversations I’ve had this week were people have told me they have been reading my blog. They talked about my private information and it catches me off guard. I’m pumped you guys are reading. Thanks.
• I think one of best features about my blog is the box on the right called “Chad’s Shared Items.” This is a feature that Google Reader (GR) allows me to “share” interesting stuff that I have read from other blogs. Also, GR has just added a “comment” feature that allows me to make a comment about a blog entry that I am sharing. Simple go to the “Chad’s Shared Items,” clip on “Read More” in the bottom right hand corner, and read my comment about a blog post. FYI: Some of the stuff I share I do not agree with 100% so don’t flip out if you read something that offends you. We live in a complex, messy world. Embraces the messiness. You might find a part of God that you may have missed. If I share something, that means I found God in it. I hope you can find Him in it as well.
• Today is mother’s day. Rae, Em, and I meet my parents in Lafayette. Nothing says happy mother’s day like Texas Roadhouse. We had a lovely visit. Thanks Mom and Dad for making the drive up for a visit.

Yesterday

Nothing extraordinary happened yesterday but it was interesting none-the-less. I drove to Lafayette to the Christian book store for some preschool VBS material. After that I had a honey-do-list to knock out then went back to IVY Tech for a meeting with a Career Counselor and to take a math placement test.

The career counselor gave me the Myers Briggs test. It showed that I:
• Find energy in being Introverted
• Perceive life through institution vs. sensing
• Make judgments by thinking vs. feeling
• Prefer living life by perceiving situations instead of judging what may or may not happen.

This test suggested that people with my personality type are less likely to work in “religious professions.” (Now they tell me.) I have a hunch why guys like me have a difficult time working for churches but I’ll save that for another day.

The results of the math were no surprise. I didn’t do very well. My knowledge of pre-algebra skill helped me to score well but my algebra score stunk. I don’t feel too bad because I haven’t had a legitimate math class since ’96. I’ve been trading emails with an academic adviser all morning. He suggested me taking a basic algebra class.

Before leaving town I went to the Home Depot to buy Rae and I a gas grill with some of our wedding gift money. It’s huge and it’s beautiful. Stainless steal! I’m hoping to use it tonight.

I finished the day by helping the father-in-law in the fields. Half way through I stopped the tractor at the edge of the field to “take a leak.” I only mention that because at that moment I thought of Grandpa French. I have childhood memories of playing on the farm, running into the mechanic shed to find him peeing. Stupid…I know…but as I took care of my business of the edge of the field I thought “I’m sure Grandpa did this…he would be proud.” Stupid…I know. Another thought came to me, I wonder how many Ben Davis grads are running a tracker? It would guess none.

I forgot to mention that I bought a new iPod Nano to replace the one that just went out. Sweet.

This Past Saturday

This Saturday I found myself playing farmer. My father-in-law is a farmer and needed some help in the fields. I chiseled (plowed) about 50 acres. It’s not the most exciting work but enjoyed it none the less. If I were guaranteed to inherit 600 acres and a barn full of farm machinery I would seriously consider farming as a career. But since I’m not, I will look for work elsewhere.

The second thing that happened on Saturday involved my dog. I keep him outside now so I checked on him at 6:00 p.m.. He was fine. I called him at 10:00 p.m. and he did not respond. So I went into the barn to find him curled up in an old dog house. He would not come out at all. After dragging him out I found him dirty, cut up, and physically exhausted. He got into a fight with something and was so warn down I honestly thought he would not be alive the next morning. I took him into the basement, woke up the next morning to find him with a little more energy. It’s now Monday and he seems to be doing alright. He’s moving a little slow but on his way to a full recovery.

"The New Christians" Road Trip with Trucker Frank 3

The conversation captured on this video talks about Christian marketing, Christian book stores, a Biblical word in the Greek that’s translated to an English curse world, and ugliness of fear about new ideas.

Reminds me of a blog post from Chad Brown.

Back to School?

Yesterday I found myself on the campus of IVY Tech Community College for the second time this week. The idea of going back to school is a daunting thought. I haven’t had a legitimate math class since high school. And with gas approaching $4 a gallon, the 80 miles it will take to make it to class and back is a concern. Despite these concerns the idea of going back to school is attractive. It would get me out of my “ministry bubble,” give me new skills, and put me in direct contact with non-Christians, which is hard to do in town like F-ville. I am still undecided on a career path so prayers of wisdom and direction are desperately needed.

See You at the Pole

I received an invitation to speak at the “See You at the Pole” student gathering sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a club of West Central High. I was given the freedom to talk about any topic I so desired, so I made the intentional decision to not talk about any topic. I read a blog entry by Once A Youth Pastor… (read HERE). It was a personal story of an ambitious first time gardener that had a few unexpected results along the way. Instead of reading the author’s final thoughts I encouraged students to come up with and share a few thoughts of there own. A number of students shared their ideas…all very good. I read a shorten section of John 15 (the vine and the branches). I had no clear “message” but I succeed in getting students to think about God through an real life, every day story.

One of the values that I have as a Christian (therefore youth pastor) is to embrace the messiness of life and faith. Not everything makes sense. Faith can be confusing. I attempt to have students think on their own without the need for me (the paid youth minister that went to Bible College therefore is an assumed authority of the Bible) or a person like me to provide a comfortable answer to difficult answers. This can get messy. But I think it’s a necessary mess because too few Christian students can think on their own about God without footnotes or a trusted pastor to tell them what to think. The Kingdom needs free thinking Christians, not people that can spout out Bible trivia.

I’m please how this morning went. I’m not sure what the students took away…but that’s O.K.. I’m trusting God to speak into someone’s life.

Thanks to the FCA of W.C. for the invitation. I was honored by your invitation.