10:31 AM | Posted in , ,
Below is a copy of an email that I recently sent to 15 FIGHTERS!!

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I'm gonna be really honest with you right now. I know there are quite a few names at the top of this email, but that just makes what I'm about to say all the more real.

This morning I was spending time praying and my heart became very heavy. As someone who ministers to teens, it is easy to become discouraged when I think of the direction most young people are headed. I know I'm 28, and that seems old, but I wasn't a teenager that long ago. But things sure are different now. When I was in high school, I was only offered booze once and I was NEVER offered drugs. That's not to say that there weren't a ton of teens doing that stuff, but it was fairly easy to stay away from it. Teens today are just bombarded with temptation and pressure. I haven't even mentioned sex yet. Almost ALL of my friends thought sex was something special. Most of my friends made a commitment to abstinence and most of those kept that promise. It seems like most young people have given up the fight and just want to blend in with culture.

Anyway, let me get to the point. If you're receiving this email it is because God brought you to mind today. Either you are a teen who I currently have the blessing of ministering to/ with - OR - I've had that privilege some time in the last ten years. God brought you to my mind to encourage me today. Like I said, my heart has been heavy at the thought that we are losing the battle for the lives of young people... but I'm wrong. When I think of you, I am reminded that there are young people who are in the fight. There are students who refuse to be typical. And the world is different... better because of it!

Here's what I think is happening. The Darkness is showing itself to be what it has always been... Darkness. It has stopped trying to look like the Light because it doesn't have to. People don't have to be fooled into Darkness. They simply want it. And while that breaks my heart, there is one good benefit. The Darkness makes the Light all that much brighter! The Darkness proves that the Light is there. How would we know what Sunshine is without Shadow.

Well you, my friends, are Sunshine. You may not always feel like that's true of you, but I know that is true of you. My heart was strengthened and given courage at the thought of you today. And know this, I am in this fight with you... and we will win.


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9:30 AM | Posted in ,
Back in October, I came up with a list of 101 goals I want to accomplish in 1001 days.

#49 - Write 10 Poems
I'm NOT a poet... I'm very bad. But here's my second of 10 attempts. Click here to see the first of 10.

Hopeless
Hopeless
I ignored the phone, but you kept calling
I refused the mail, but you kept writing
The longer and louder you knocked, the more hopeless my situation became
Hopeless… Hopelessly in Love
Great romancer, you’ve won me.
Not by empty gestures
Candy, cards, no
You told me you’d die for me
You did
You told me you’d live for me
You did
Hopeless… Hopelessly in Love… Hopelessly in love with the One
In love with the One who knows my fears
Who knows my heart… my hurts… my hopes
You said you love me
I said prove it
You did


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9:26 AM | Posted in , ,
... I had the Bleu Cheese Burger
Going to my grandma's
Just woke up
Ate some bad eggs this morning
Just saw the funniest movie ever
Who want's to go for bagels?

First off, a sincere apology to my faithful readers. Life's been crazy and I've been lazy. I know you've been waiting with baited breath for my next post and have been disappointed for the last month.
A special thanks to ALL of my readers... both of you.
Mom, Mom-in-law, here you go
.

Okay, I'll admit. I'm usually WAY behind the trend on almost all fronts:
I've never owned anything from Urban Outfitter.
I just learned what an Ed Hardy t-shirt is 3 weeks ago (I'm actually okay with that one... what kind of TOOL will pay $106 for a t-shirt just becuase Brittney wears them?).
I didn't get a Facebook until 2 years after it started (I was still on MySpace... like the nOOb I am).
I've only posted 1 thing on YouTube... 2 years ago.
I've only been blogging since October.
Even as a kid, I was way behind on the whole slap bracelet craze (I was on the cutting edge of the POG craze, however).

Well recently, I decided to catch up with the rest of my generation and figure out what this whole Twitter thing is all about.

Basically, it's a free online service that allows you to keep everyone in the world updated on your status at all times. You just update your status from your cell phone, and anyone who has opted to receive your updates will get a text message on theirs. (side note, most Twitter'ers [aka Tweeters] us a special application on their iPhone... I'm still in the stone age so I just have to send an old fashioned text message)

Sounds harmless, right? Sounds kinda fun, right? Oh no, my friends! Do NOT be fooled. I thought it would be neat to be updated on my friends' status' throughout the day. That is until my fellow Tweeters started Tweeting every 5 minutes!
"I'm at lunch." 12:00 pm
"I ordered the BBQ pizza... mmmmmmmm!" 12:10 pm
"Should I get the Super Fudge Brownie or the Cheesecake?" 12:33 pm
"Leaving the restaurant now." 12:48 pm
"Traffic sucks!" 12:57 pm
"Just saw an old man picking his nose in his car." 1:01 pm
"OOOOOO... just saw the new Honda Civic Hybrid. GO GREEN!" 1:02 pm
"BBQ pizza = stomach ache and bad gas." 1:14 pm
"OH MY GOSH.... NEVER AGAIN BBQ PIZZA!!!" 1:22 pm
"Back at the office, 5 mins late for my meeting." 1:35 pm
"This meeting = BOOOORRRIIINNNGGGGGG!!" 1:42 pm
"Why do I always have to pee in the middle of a meeting?!" 1:58 pm
"That was the longest meeting of my LIFE." 2:15 pm
"Back at my desk." 2:18 pm
"Funniest YouTube video EVER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs." 2:25 pm
"Email from old friend = ( :" 2:34 pm
"Conference call @ 3:00." 2:57 pm
"Conference call = BOOOORRRIIINNNGGGGGG!!" 3:13 pm
"Conference call is over... getting kinda hungry." 3:41 pm
"130,456 pts on Bejeweled. Suck on THAT @her_name_was_lola." 4:15 pm
"Still hungry." 4:22 pm
"Just ate my left-overs. BBQ pizza.... mmmmmmmmmmmmm." 4:30
"On my way home." 5:00 pm
"BBQ PIZZA + STOMACH ACHE + TRAFFIC = BAD DAY!!!" 5:13 pm

Needless to say, I've turned off the "receive a text message when a friend Tweets" option on my Twitter account. Looks like I'll actually have to call my friends to see what they're up to. Maybe I'll text them.


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1:30 PM | Posted in ,
uh... scuse me?

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12:30 PM | Posted in ,
A couple of times a year, one of these 'about me' surveys makes the rounds. I usually ignore them... but what they hey. Here's my list of 25 random things about me.

1 – I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. I’ll gladly take a hunk of cheese over a candy bar any day.

2 – I’m an introvert… SURPRISE! I love people but given the choice, I’d much rather spend a day alone that with a group of people.

3 – I love movies. There are currently 18 movies playing at the closest theatre to my house. I’ve seen 11 of them… mostly by myself.

4 – I like to write poetry… I’m awful at it.

5 – I wish I had played sports as a kid. I played soccer until the 4th grade… that doesn’t count. I’m a big guy; I could have done some damage in football.

6 – I’m not an outdoorsman… but I want to be.

7 – I’m shy but I fake it.

8 – Meeting new people terrifies me… but I fake it.

9 – I would rather the words kind, generous, brave, and humble to be used about me than smart, insightful, disciplined, or talented.

10 – The thing that most enrages me is the abuse of power.

11 – My biggest fear in life is being old.

12 – I love my job.

13 – I love my church.

14 – I just read about how sociologists/ psychologists now put the age of the end of adolescence at 27ish… I’m afraid they’re talking about me.

15 – I’d rather go on an overseas mission trip than a vacation.

16 – Here’s why I’ll never make a good sports fan… I always feel bad for the losing team.

17 – I can’t watch boxing or UFC… it makes me nauseous.

18 – I’m addicted to coffee… but I have to drink half-caf because of my heart defect.

19 – I have a heart defect.

20 – Of all the countries I’ve visited… Honduras is my fave. I’d have no problem if God wanted me to be a missionary there.

21 – I hate wearing a helmet when I ride my motorcycle… by my wife makes me.

22 – I’m pretty sure I’m getting arthritis… already.

23 – My brain is like name Teflon… they just don’t stick

24 – I’m a morning person… usually asleep by 10:30pm.

25 – I want to own an English bulldog named Günter.
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11:43 AM | Posted in


Heroes starts tonight!!!!
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1:21 PM | Posted in ,
Say what you will about the Bush family. This is one of the kindest and most loving things I've heard in a long time.

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