Last night we hosted our first middle school skate outreach. I was stunned as students poured in, car load after car load. We maxed out our chairs and had to get more. The bleachers were so full students were sitting on the ground outside during the demo. We had hoped to minister to 200 students, over 500 came last night.
KKSM came in with their team to do a demo and share the gospel message with everyone. It was absolutely unreal. IslandSurf.com had donated a bunch of stuff for us to giveaway, our band Cedars floored us with a worship set that left "We love you Jesus" resounding in our hearts, Lynn of Meadowlark Design donated her time and resources to paint panels for us to create a special environment in the gym, and the skaters were insanely good at skateboarding. They killed trick after trick and skated for over an hour before us. The craziest and best part of it all is that they guys believe in Jesus. It's their life. It's what keeps them going. The message that they shared led over 50 people to rededicate or receive Christ into their lives for the first time. Words can't express my gratitude for their ministry to us. I'm thankful for a church willing to take risks with me, to see dreams become reality, to make investments that will pour into eternity.
Thursday
Wednesday
Why I'm thankful for time
Thanksgiving is tomorrow. It's hard to believe that in less than ten hours we'll be in the air flying north to the homeland. Ohio is a beautiful place, full of family, memories, and buckeyes. We love our football team--they seem to always be good. And we miss our local pizza joint. It feels like we've been fasting for lent all year--fasting this awesome, thin crust, pepperoni infused perfection for months and months (but when we return home for the holidays we eat turkey!). I'm sure we'll find the time to sneak a pizza or two in between meals. Honestly, I can't wait to go home this year for all those reasons and for one more.
Kirra.
She was born eight months ago and has completely wrecked our life, in a good way. She has made our family visits rich with laughter and awe, wonder and excitement. I'm most looking forward to seeing her interaction with our niece and nephews. Kirra is petite and quite monster-ific, she likes a challenge and I'm guessing she will try to conquer them all with her sweet climbing skills. We haven't been home for Thanksgiving in years and now it seems completely unthinkable to not be there this year.
So, I'm thankful for time--time purchased with money that many people in our world have none of. We have time with those we are far from because God has blessed us, even in this housing market that leaves our beautiful little home sitting for sale in Texas, God has blessed us. How many people can afford to travel? How many can even fathom driving outside of their county, let alone to another state or even country? I am overwhelmed with the idea how much we have and how much we think we don't have. I've been wanting to join a little movement called the Advent Conspiracy. In short, it's a movement of people who would like to do their best being less consumer and more compassionate this holiday season. I am going to try to do this. And, I would hope, it would spill over into the rest of the year where people don't freeze in their hunger until next Thanksgiving. There are people in need every minute of every day and I pray we could be a generation that listens to the cries of the poor and doesn't default to shutting the proverbial door to leave them crying in their cribs of poverty and pain.
A portion from The Cloud of Unknowinghas grabbed me and won't let me go.
...be attentive to time and the way you spend it. Nothing is more precious. This is evident when you recall that in one tiny moment heaven may be gained or lost...God, the master of time, never gives the future. God gives only the present, moment by moment...time is for you...
I'm acutely aware this morning of the time that is available to me NOW. At my core, in the depths my created nature, God is asking me to pay attention to this moment, to be compassionate in the moment and not wait for another one.
We are blessed today. As Coy and I carry our daughter on our laps to Ohio to see our families--I'll be thankful even for the journey, for a husband that sacrifices so much for me, for a daughter with eyes big enough to see the kingdom of God around her, I pray that we'll bask in the seconds that pass and never let go of how love could speak in each moment through us.
(For those of you who are still wondering which pizza joint I am referring to and can't get your mind off of hot crispy pizza...it's Donatos :).
Kirra.
She was born eight months ago and has completely wrecked our life, in a good way. She has made our family visits rich with laughter and awe, wonder and excitement. I'm most looking forward to seeing her interaction with our niece and nephews. Kirra is petite and quite monster-ific, she likes a challenge and I'm guessing she will try to conquer them all with her sweet climbing skills. We haven't been home for Thanksgiving in years and now it seems completely unthinkable to not be there this year.
So, I'm thankful for time--time purchased with money that many people in our world have none of. We have time with those we are far from because God has blessed us, even in this housing market that leaves our beautiful little home sitting for sale in Texas, God has blessed us. How many people can afford to travel? How many can even fathom driving outside of their county, let alone to another state or even country? I am overwhelmed with the idea how much we have and how much we think we don't have. I've been wanting to join a little movement called the Advent Conspiracy. In short, it's a movement of people who would like to do their best being less consumer and more compassionate this holiday season. I am going to try to do this. And, I would hope, it would spill over into the rest of the year where people don't freeze in their hunger until next Thanksgiving. There are people in need every minute of every day and I pray we could be a generation that listens to the cries of the poor and doesn't default to shutting the proverbial door to leave them crying in their cribs of poverty and pain.
A portion from The Cloud of Unknowinghas grabbed me and won't let me go.
...be attentive to time and the way you spend it. Nothing is more precious. This is evident when you recall that in one tiny moment heaven may be gained or lost...God, the master of time, never gives the future. God gives only the present, moment by moment...time is for you...
I'm acutely aware this morning of the time that is available to me NOW. At my core, in the depths my created nature, God is asking me to pay attention to this moment, to be compassionate in the moment and not wait for another one.
We are blessed today. As Coy and I carry our daughter on our laps to Ohio to see our families--I'll be thankful even for the journey, for a husband that sacrifices so much for me, for a daughter with eyes big enough to see the kingdom of God around her, I pray that we'll bask in the seconds that pass and never let go of how love could speak in each moment through us.
(For those of you who are still wondering which pizza joint I am referring to and can't get your mind off of hot crispy pizza...it's Donatos :).
Tuesday
Parent Feedback
Which works best for you, concerning our meeting on Dec. 12th
6 PM (before church) or 8 PM (after). I would love to hear from you! You can always e-mail me at brooklynl@hpnaz.org if you don't want to comment here.
6 PM (before church) or 8 PM (after). I would love to hear from you! You can always e-mail me at brooklynl@hpnaz.org if you don't want to comment here.
Monday
A shout-out
I've got to give props to IslandSurf.com. They have been so supportive of our skate event coming up--it's rare that you find a secular company that seeks to support organizations that are making a difference in our world. So, the next time you need a set of surf racks or some sweet gear, look them up, they're cool to work with. Two thumbs up from this youth pastor.
Friday
I'm sad today.
It's time to say goodbye to our partner in crime of over seven years, our dog Chip. We decided last night after another too-close-for-comfort incident with our daughter Kirra that he would be better off in a loving home with no children.
Coy and I are sad because he's been with us from nearly the beginning. We brought him home in the spring when we lived in Ohio. We hauled him all the way to Florida, then to Texas, and back to Florida again. He has seen us at our best and at our worst. He has been a loyal watchdog and try to warn me when I almost caught our apartment complex on fire. He's sat patiently at my side through tears and even moments of neglect (like when he really had to go outside but I was immersed in working on my book and would ignore him). He's been our best friend and we're sad that his personality limits him from being with us through Kirras younger years. We just can't take the chance with him. He likes to sleep uninterrupted and anyone who has children knows that the words sleep and uninterrupted can never go in the same sentence again.
We'll both really miss him.
Coy and I are sad because he's been with us from nearly the beginning. We brought him home in the spring when we lived in Ohio. We hauled him all the way to Florida, then to Texas, and back to Florida again. He has seen us at our best and at our worst. He has been a loyal watchdog and try to warn me when I almost caught our apartment complex on fire. He's sat patiently at my side through tears and even moments of neglect (like when he really had to go outside but I was immersed in working on my book and would ignore him). He's been our best friend and we're sad that his personality limits him from being with us through Kirras younger years. We just can't take the chance with him. He likes to sleep uninterrupted and anyone who has children knows that the words sleep and uninterrupted can never go in the same sentence again.
We'll both really miss him.
Tuesday
A letter to Subway
There are many questions I would like to ask the Subway corporation...this is one of them! 
Monday
We've got a quack in our office...
Today is the first day of our new Student Ministries Assistant, Melissa Quackenbush. Honestly, her name makes me happy, but she also brings a ton of new skills to the table, a super friendly personality, and a vast knowledge of ministry, teaching, and support education. I'm stoked. How did we get so blessed? Can't wait to see the progress we make over the following weeks!
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