Amazing Connections

Have you ever had a friend or maybe a company you worked for totally hook you up with great tickets? A few years ago, when we lived in Houston, Shanon and I received the sweetest tickets to any sporting event we had ever attended. It was to a Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons game. They were virtually courtside. We were on the third row and so close to the players that they were looking back at me, because they could smell my barbeque sandwich! I wanted so bad to say, "It's yours for a thousand dollars!". It was an awesome game, but I don't think that it was worth the $450 ticket price. I didn't have to pay it though, because we had a connection. Sometimes good fortune and God's blessings come our way and we get the royal treatment. We don't really deserve it, but it was all because of a friendship or an amazing connection. Today when I took the time to think about all that God has done in this church over the last year, I have been completely blown away. One of the main reasons has been the amazing people that I feel that God has sent to Eagle Pointe. We have been able to meet and connect with some of the coolest people that have such a sincere desire to know God and serve others. They have come from as far as New York, California, Virginia, Hawaii, and as close as Corinth. It continues to serve as a great reminder to me that this is God's church, and he is the one that is building it. As fun as it's been so far, I know that the best is yet to come.

The Highlight of my Week

I love Sundays. They have become one of my favorite days of the week. I know that sounds a little weird for a pastor to say, but that hasn't always been the case. In my past ministry positions, Sunday was filled with two services combined with different meetings and just a whole lot of busyness. It made for a very long day. Now it's a time to hang out with people in the cafe, have a great service, connect with new people at lunch, and just chill out for the rest of the day! I sleep so well on Sunday nights, because I am so grateful to God for all He did in the service that day and the stress of getting everything ready is behind me. What's your favorite day of the week and why?

Snow Day

Last Thursday was so stinkin awesome! It was our second time to receive snow in Denton in three days. What are those odds? I left the church around noon to run an errand, and as I was leaving the rain was starting to turn to some kind of funky snow/sleet mix. In about 5 minutes it was some of the thickest snow that I have ever seen! Other that the roads being a mess and it taking me a hour and a half to get home, it was an incredible day. This is a pic of our kids playing in the snow as we built a snow man and had one serious snow ball fight! The trees in our neighborhood were beautiful, and there were snow men in front yards everywhere. As for as cool memories with your family, it was one of those days that you knew would always be remembered.

Resolution

I hope you all had a great holiday and are looking forward to an awesome year in 2008. Our family had a really good Christmas, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking some time off. Since I arrived as pastor here in May, things have been really crazy, so the rest was just what I needed.
The title of my blog today is the same title of my sermon last Sunday. I have been thinking a lot about New Year's Resolutions. Why do we make them? Why we do we sometimes make fun of those who make them? In doing some research, I found that New Year's resolutions were started by the Babylonians thousands of years ago, and where our most common ones are to lose weight or quit smoking their most common resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment from their neighbors. Oh, how times have changed. What do you think is the heart behind why people make resolutions? The answer is that they want to better their lives. They are not completely satisfied where they are and they want to improve. Shouldn't that be the goal and ambition of all of us? In Colossians 1, the scripture is crystal clear that God's desire for our lives is to be in a constant state of growth, because it is through the growth that we live fuller and richer lives filled with joy and purpose. I want to encourage you today to make it your goal to grow not only spiritually but in all areas of your life this year. Have a blessed weekend!

My Flat Tire & One Of The Greatest Christmas Movies Ever

Life can sometimes bring events that have very bad timing, and Saturday night was one of those nights. It was about 9 pm, and I was leaving the church after a little work when I found a flat tire on my car. There was no nursing it to a station to air it up, because it was completely flat! Obviously, it was frustrating and annoying, but I looked down at my watch and just started laughing. The reason for the laughter was the flat tire scene from the movie "Christmas Story" that for some reason popped into my head . The main character and narrator of the story, Ralphy, talked about his "old man" and his weird passion to see how fast he could change a flat. It just reminded me of how much I love some of the Christmas movie classics and how much I love this time of year. I hope you're taking the time to enjoy the holidays this year and watch some of your favorite Christmas movies as well. My three favorite are: "It's a Wonderful Life", "Christmas Story", and my new favorite "Elf". What are your favorite Christmas flicks?