Archive for August, 2007

• My Boy is Two!

  Date: 2007.08.16 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  

  Reagan turned two yesterday! I can’t believe it – it’s time for another, I do believe!

• On The Cheap

  Date: 2007.08.16 | Category: creativity | Response: 0

  Creativity isn’t necessarily difficult for me – but being creative without any money is another matter entirely. I am spoiled and high-maintenance….at least that’s what everyone tells me and I’ve given in to the fact that if most of the people I love have that opinion it must be at least partially true. OK, so I need to work on that – but for now it’s part of the struggle. It’s why I need some sort of expensive caffeinated beverage at least once a day and why even though I have at least 14 pairs of jeans in my closet I still feel the need to have another. I also can’t do without an ungodly amount of product from insanely priced make-up counters even though I’m mostly too busy to actually use any of it.

  I’ve asked God to help me get out of the money box – to let myself imagine how to get things done with excellence and ingenuity – that is truly being creative. It’s easy to spend a lot of money, I’ve proven that. But that’s not really an option at this point in my life – and isn’t for most people. Reality is that God is requiring us to become willing to be good stewards of the resources He has put in our hands at whatever level that happens to be. He’s given us some HUGE dreams around here – so we’re learning how to have true faith that He will provide the right amount of money and resource to get it done. Do I believe that? Honestly, I struggle everday to remind myself that He is sovereign and will provide for every need at just the right time. I still have to be creative in the meantime – knowing that He’ll come through so we can get it done! If I allow myself to get bogged down in dollar signs (or the lack thereof…) then my feet get stuck in a big fat block of budget constraint concrete. But if I can shift my focus and see with spirit eyes then I can quite possibly unlock something in me that is unexpected and infinitly stimulating. (with or without the coffee)

• Could we…maybe???

  Date: 2007.08.15 | Category: Worship | Response: 0

  So….I’m really being provoked into a new place….I’m getting bored and tired of the same old. I’ve been thinking alot about how to unlock some things in my creative process. I think I’m pretty good at inspiring others in their creative process…I come alive when others around me do great things – now I just need to start doing more great things myself.

  I downloaded my current desktop background from Jeff Kapusta’s Blog. It reminds me every day that “Discipline is the Concrete for Creativity”. I am officially spanked…

  There is an amazing amount of talent in this city. Churches like Lifepoint and PC3 are doing some incredible things to bring the message of Christ to this city like never before and they are seeing unbelievable results. We have to face facts here, people. In order to effectively reach the unchurched, we have to craft our message into a form that they can understand. They won’t grab hold of chritianese laden messages or cheesy announcement graphics – they certainly won’t stick around long enough to here out of tune singers and unrehearsed musicians playing elevator worship from 10 years ago. 

  What we MUST understand is that God deserves our absolute best – He deserves people who don’t complain about coming to rehearsals…people who will show up on time and prepared….people who understand the importance of what we’re doing here. We only have one chance to reach that hurting person who comes in our doors for the first time. We only have one chance to bring the message of salvation to that teenager who is questioning whether or not God even exists. That’s it – one chance! God gives us the opportunity to minister to them and we can screw it up if we have not adequately prepared!

  Now – to my wonderful, dedicated and amazingly talented team here at The Rock  - you do an amazing job every Sunday. I have been blessed with some of the best singers, musicians and tech nerds around – and you truly give your time and resources to this ministry. Now, let’s step it up a notch. The vision is worth it. This city is worth it. The message of hope in Christ is worth it!

• Going Back

  Date: 2007.08.09 | Category: random thoughts | Response: 0

  I am so excited about this message series we are in at church! “Retro” is all about bringing us back to what really matters and reminding us of those things we should be living by but sometimes forget about. Alot of times people are offended if we get too “basic” in our teaching…if we stray too far from the “deep” things of God. I’m sorry, but I just need to rant for a moment. Most of the time, people who have a problem going back to the foundations of our faith are people who are not LIVING those foundations out in their lives! They are so consumed with being “spiritual” that they forget God has asked us to surrender the tithe to him or study the bible regularly or give our time to help others in need. All of us – including the pastoral staff of this church – need to come back to these things time and time again so we don’t flake out and forget what God has asked of us as His people.

  My heart is for this church family to get SO STINKING PASSIONATE about the things of God – the things that really matter – that we will turn this city upside down! There are thousands of people who call Wilmington home that need the life-changing message of Christ brought to them by people who are actually living how the word directs us to! So…let’s get our junk together and go after this city!

  www.rockwilmington.com

• The Guilt Motherload

  Date: 2007.08.08 | Category: random thoughts | Response: 0

  It’s hard to be a mom who works full time outside of the home. (duh…) Every morning I try to savor every last second with Reagan until I have to pry him from around my neck to go with his nanny. I hate that moment…even though I know it’s mostly drama.  Drama, drama, drama! I know that two seconds after he leaves me he is happy and silly again. But for those brief moments when he is falling apart in front of me, I feel like a terrible mother. I want him to be happy all the time…not fearful of when I may send him away with someone else. So…is it worth it? Is the extra paycheck worth it? I know, it’s more than a paycheck….helping this ministry team creatively lead our congregation is thrilling and what God has called me to do…but it still sucks every time I have to reconcile motherhood and career. I’m not sure it can be done without a big fat load of guilt weighing me down every day. Nannies spend more time with my child everday than I do…how do I justify that? 

  I know you are all going to post comments to me about how no mom ever likes to leave their child and that everything will be fine – I know all of that…I just feel like venting a bit this morning. I don’t want to look back 10 years from now and regret all of the time I didn’t spend with my children. So…all you mothers out there…how do you do it?  

• On My IPOD NOW

  Date: 2007.08.06 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  Alright…so I broke my IPOD adaptor for the car – ripped it out as I was getting out one day. Maybe I’ll get a new one for my birthday in a couple of weeks. (I’m turing 32 on the 18th! Lots of presents for Abbye!) AND – I also dropped my Blackjack in the sand outside of Johnny and Helen’s house yesterday so it could splash around in the rain storm that immediately insued…everyone sounds kind of funny when they call me now. I can’t figure it out.

  So I digress…

  I have a few new favorites that you should definatley check out -

  Steve Fee – Burn For You

  Hillsong United – All Over The World

  Patty Griffin – Children Running Through

  Evie Haskell – My Beautiful Everything

  Anthony Skinner – Forever and a Day

  ***All of these can be found on ITunes and MySpace. Let me know what you’ve been listening to – you know me, the new music junkie!

• Inspiration

  Date: 2007.08.06 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  

  It seems to be hiding from me lately…

  Maybe it’s somewhere in one of the 5000 boxes cluttering up my house. We’re moving out, you know and my brain can’t handle moving AND being creative. Jeeessh…give me a break!