Thursday, August 28, 2008

Prayer for Ritchie Patton

My friend Brian just sent this, asking for prayer . . .

Wanted to call upon you and anyone else to offer up
some prayers for the husband of one of my coworkers (and very dear
friend). His name is Ritchie Patton, and he is a lineman for a electric
utility company. they were working out of town on live lines, and
something went wrong while he was in the bucket. The current entered one
hand, and exited the other. He was flown to Wishard Hospital. He was
in surgery last night to remove injured tissue, possibly may lose his hand(s),
or at the least his fingers. They are monitoring him for internal damage,
as the current passed though his body. Through him all things are
possible, this I believe with all of my heart. So please offer up some prayers
for the best possible outcome, and for his wife Sherri that she may be comforted
and strong.


Thank you for praying.

Peace.

Prayer for a Friend, continued

Jody Blackburn’s condition had improved greatly and it looked like he would come home on Wednesday, however a new and severe problem developed that has resulted in a setback, yet there is better news this morning (Thursday):

Jody began to experience severe blood loss due to a bleeding area in his colon that may have been caused by some of the medications Jody received recently. The blood loss required transfusions of blood, plasma, & platelets. However, this morning at 4:00 a.m., doctors were able to perform a procedure to successfully “clip” the bleeding area. The doctors feel that they have successfully corrected the problem.


Again, know that your prayers are coveted as you continue to appeal to the Lord regarding Jody.

Peace.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Shared

A lesson that is becoming more and more real to me is that life is better when it's shared. In particular, I love to share special places with good friends. For instance, Guy and I love to go to Chipotle. I know - it's Mexican fast food. But its more than that for me and him. And I'm cool with people not understanding. It's not the place alone that often makes something special - it's the people that you share the place with. I think that is the magic. It's the stuff that life - together - is made of.

Recently, my family got to spend an afternoon at Spring Mill State Park (a favorite place) with some gr
eat friends, the Brian Fults family. There was lots of food (surprised?), a lot of cold cave water to splash in, and a lot of walking, seeing, listening and laughing. It was a special day, and I was thankful for the chance to spend it with them.

If you've never been to Spring Mill , you should check it out - it's beautiful. Check out some of these pics by Brian's daughter . . .



















































To the Fults' -
thanks for sharing this day with us!

McCandless Moment

For some reason, I'm having a bit of a "McCandless Moment" this week. I'm not even going to try and explain all of that (as if I knew myself), but instead, I'll invite you to join me on a 5 minute walk Into the Wild . . .

Monday, August 25, 2008

Prayer for a Friend, continued

How cool is this? I got an email update this afternoon about Jody. Here's the scoop:

Finally good news!! It is not a staph infection
in his blood. They are back to it being viral. His potassium is low
and they are working on raising that. He is not going to have the
endoscopy now.


Please - keep praying, and give thanks for Jody's improvement - may Christ receive the glory!

Prayer for a Friend

Jody Blackburn is my friend. We're neighbors. We have kids the same age. We sit through bad basketball games together. And we worship together at Tulip Street.


Jody is sick - he has a staph infection that is settling in his heart. For over a week, he has had a fever from 102 to 105F. Blood samples have been sent to Mayo. A disease specialist is treating him now.


His wife, Becky, is exhausted and the kids are anxious.


I want to ask you to please pray for Jody and his family. Thanks in advance for praying for my friend.


Peace.

Friday, August 22, 2008

ONE: Add Your Voice

For more than a year, ONE members have been trailing the presidential candidates asking them to go on the record with their plans to combat global poverty. Now we're taking our message to the airways with this major new TV ad. The ad features Matt Damon with different Americans' voices - among them Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain and Mayor Bloomberg.

Watch for it on TV and across the Internet starting Sunday, August 24th, but add your voice and share the online video with your friends now. After, you can learn more about this ad and movement here.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

YIKES . . . and away

Every time I see this Snickers commercial on TV I just burst out laughing. I thought this might give us all a smile to start Hump Day with . . .

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

College Mindset List

From the Associated Press:

AP - MILWAUKEE - Students entering college this fall have lived their whole lives in a digital world — where GPS has always been available, phones have always had caller ID and tax returns could always be filed online.

The incoming freshmen, born mostly in 1990, also grew up knowing only Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show."


Those are some of the 60 cultural landmarks on the Beloit College Mindset List, an annual compilation that offers a glimpse of the world as seen through the eyes of each incoming class. This year's list is being released Tuesday by the private school of 1,300 near the Wisconsin-Illinois state line.The school started producing the list in 1998 to remind professors that references familiar to them might draw blank stares from their students.

Want to check out the "College Mindset" list? Click here.

In God We Trust


Should the motto "In God We Trust" be removed from U.S. currency?

Friday, August 15, 2008

Vision Quest - Discovered!


Back in the spring, the leadership of TSCC began a quest to discover the DNA of our church, and allow that identity to shape our mission and vision as we continually seek to be God's church at 9th and Tulip.

We are excited to invite you to "Vision Quest - Discovered!"


Thursday, August 14, 2008

Praying for Our Teachers and Their Students

As today is the first day of school here in Mitchell, I offer this prayer for teachers and their students . . .

"Jesus - I pause today to come before you on behalf of these courageous people who have answered your call to pour their lives into our young people. Make yourself known to these teachers in deeper, fuller measure. Impress upon them that just as you told Isaiah, you are their rear guard and have their back. May their classrooms be safe places, where potentials can be realized. Where friendships are made and deepened. Where right and wrong are not only made clear but are modeled. Where sharing life becomes a way of life. Where our children can catch a glimpse of what community - of belonging - means now, and how they have value - deep, rich value - not because of what they have or don't have, what car their parents drive, what brand is splashed across their shirts, but because they know they are loved, and that you, Jesus, are the source of that love. Make it so God, make it so.

Bless our schools, and hold close our teachers. May your protection be upon our students. And may we seek to treasure you most, so that we might love others best.

By your grace, we pray - AMEN."

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Our Children

Tomorrow, my kids head back to school. Where did summer go? Wow, that was fast.

My wife and I took the kids on a hike at Spring Mill State Park Tuesday, where we took a break at the half-way point of the trail. We used the break to talk with our children about the opportunities before them that the new school year presents. From digging in to new subjects and stretching themselves to learn all that they can, to leading others with a quiet, consistent witness to the presence of Christ in their lives, we had a great talk. It was definitely time well-spent, and hopefully our kids left that hike being reminded of how much they mean to Rachelle and I.

Jacob will enter high school tomorrow, and I find myself panicking a little, as it hits me that four years from now, he'll be leaving our home to head off to college. Time is flying. In quiet moments, I pray that I have been faithful to God's call to father Jacob well - to mold him into a man after God's own heart. Today, I found a post by Tim Stevens, who is the Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church. Tim's post is simply entitled "Thinking About Parenting" and it is excellent. Tim's thoughts are weighty, and need to be considered by any of us who have kids. He has mirrored some of my concerns, and wrestled with some of the stuff I've been rolling around. I am going to share his post below (I hope that's good etiquette - but I got to tell you, it's good enough that you all need to read it, so hopefully Tim would be cool with this!) - I pray that his advice sinks into all of our hearts.

I've been thinking alot about parenting lately. Maybe it is because we have four kids at home, ages 7, 11, 13 and 15. Yeah, our quiver is full.

I think everyone would admit that there is a point in a teen's life when the influence of his/her parents becomes less, and the influence of their friends becomes greater. I did an informal survey yesterday on Twitter, and again last night at dinner with some friends. It seems that the age at which the parents' influence drops dramatically happens somewhere around 13- to 15-years old.

As I reflected on my life as a child, the influence I perceive that I have with my own kids, and my informal survey, I charted it like this...

Parental_influence_on_a_child

As a parent, the awareness of loss of influence can be alarming if you didn't see it coming. So be warned young parents, I have just given you a glimpse of the future.

Here is the key learning: Environments matter. Who my daughter is influenced by as a 15-year old is dependent greatly on the environments that my wife and I placed her in as a 10- and 12- and 14-year old.

It's a little early to tell whether we will survive life with teenagers, but here is the advice I would give parents of pre-teens...

  • Get involved in a great church with strong youth leaders.
  • As they start middle school, don't give them the option to stay home from the youth program.
  • Find a school that has strong values and where there is good chance they will be able to find solid friends. That might mean paying for private school or moving to a better school district.
  • Get them in situations where they are hanging with young adults who are following God. That's why we had college-age students live in our home for two years.
  • Teach them the joy of serving when they are very young.
  • Let them participate in events where there is a good chance they might take a step spiritually, like summer camp, missions trips, or weekend retreats.

Oh, and one last word of advice for those with teenagers---stop lecturing and start listening. Stop giving direction and start asking questions.


FIREPROOF

Never leave your partner behind . . .

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Vacation 2008 - Chapter 5

If you are looking for a new adventure for your family, I would highly recommend a white water rafting trip - we took a trip with Smokey Mountain Outdoors down the Pigeon River outside of Gatlinburg, TN.

Seeing the smiles on my family's faces is absolutely priceless! These are times when I realize - again - how deeply blessed I am.

Enjoy the pics - this was an awesome experience!


Vacation 2008 - Chapter 4


Chapter 4: Fun With Friends!

We shared a "Holi-Day" with the Galloway kids . . .

















3,2,1, LAUNCH!


















Yes, for some reason, I allowed Michaela to talk me into being launched straight up, then allowed to free fall. Good plan.


















"Thank you for riding The Raven!"

Monday, August 04, 2008

Better People

Big thanks to my bud Guy, who slid me a copy of Xavier Rudd's "White Moth" album. Very cool. Enjoy "Better People."

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Vacation 2008 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Tenement on Wheels

Turkey Run State Park, Day 1

Cousin Eddie has nothing on us. We stepped up from a tent into a life of luxury. :)


Vacation 2008 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Without a Paddle

We braved the treacherous waters of Sugar Creek, and lived to tell about it. Well, okay, maybe they weren't treacherous, but the water sure felt great on a hot sunny day! We took an 11 mile trip and had good times. Good times for sure.

3 Amigos

















A beautiful daughter and a shameless father . . .

















The Motley Crew stops for a picnic and a timer picture

Vacation 2008 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Extremely Dangerous!

















Trail 3 at Turkey Run awaits . . .


















Trail 3: We hiked it and we liked it!


















And yes, Rachelle kept her "no whine" guarantee!