Monthly Archive

As I have been looking back on the past year…this was one of the high points for me.

• Abbie and I are off to McDonalds for “special time”.
• Elizabeth and I have an old friend coming over today for dinner. We haven’t seen her in years. I’m very excited.
• I want dinner to be a little bit special.
• Must win night for the Vikings as they play the Bears
• The test results are back…ya, I went for a physical and had some blood work done. My cholesterol numbers were a little high.
• I love that we have Aaron Sutton working with our youth at TJN…he has mad gifts.
• Sunday was one of the most awesome days at church. There were over 21 people involved in pulling off the drama, advent and worship. And that was just in front of the curtain. Because of a Saturday night performance of the Messiah there were a dozen people who struck and reset the stage (working until 11pm Saturday night). I am so proud to be working with this kind of dedication from those around me. You all inspire me.
• 2008 has some amazing things coming. We have some huge leadership decisions to make and I believe we are about to experience a new faith journey as a church. I am believing God for some huge things right now.
• This Tuesday there is a critically important meeting for leaders of volunteers at TJN – I can’t wait.
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• I am so off the hook stoked about January I can hardly stand it.

Shawn Lovejoy is a awesome pastor and blogger.  I am always looking for way to get TJNers out in the community sharing their faith and their passion for the church.  He just passed on this great buzz creating idea:

Our church is constantly doing crazy stuff to generate BUZZ in our community. One of the craziest thinsg we’ve ever done is pictured: this past weekend, we gave out a window chalk marker to every family in our church and asked them to broadcast our Christmas services on their windshields! Imagine 1000 cars in our community with this message?! We have had TONS of people in tell us they visited our church this past year because of a first exposure to our church through window chalk! What the junk?! If God can use window chalk, He really can use anything! I’ve already seen several of these around town!
If you are a Mountain Laker, and you have not window chalked, shame on you! Get busy! Shine for Jesus! Chalk for Jesus!

“The Mom Song”, sung to the William Tell Overture, by Anita Renfroe.
What a mom says in 24 hours, condensed into 2 minutes and 55 seconds!

Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepyhead
Here’s your clothes and your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now! Get up and make your bed
Are you hot? Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hat
Don’t forget! You gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it’s the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 today
Don’t forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play
Don’t shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside, don’t play rough, will you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don’t forget to share
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare
Get along! Don’t make me come down there
Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone! Get off the phone!
Don’t sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table
No more computer time tonight!
Your iPod’s my iPod if you don’t listen up
Where are you going and with whom and what time do you think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You’ll appreciate my wisdom someday when you’re older and you’re grown
Can’t wait till you have a couple little children of your own
You’ll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew, would appreciate
Take a bite maybe two of the stuff you hate
Use your fork, do not burp or I’ll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, get the door, don’t get smart with me
Get a grip, get in here, I’ll count to three
Get a job, get a life, get a PHD
Get a dose of,
“I don’t care who started it!
You’re grounded until you’re 36″
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once, for heaven’s sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump, too?
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said at least a thousand times before
That you’re too old to act this way
It must be your father’s DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything and everything must be in place
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your PJs on
Get in bed, get up here, say a prayer with mom
Don’t forget, I love you
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom’s work never ends
You don’t need the reason why
Because, because, because, because
I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so
I’m the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom!!
Ta da!!!

• My special time today with Bethany may be a trip to the doctor…pain.
• The peace of God can be elusive when I lose my focus.
• I’m beginning to feel a lot of excitement about 2008. This is going to be a great year.
• There is a new church planter in town named Steve Erickson. I can’t wait to see how Pointway Church progresses.
• How about the Vikings…who would have thought (27-7 over San Francisco)
• My wife is my best friend.
• Thanks to a Birthday Gift Certificate, I took Elizabeth on a date to Ivens on Friday for the Porterhouse for two. WOW!
• I can’t wait for Sunday. These next few weeks leading up to Christmas are going to be awesome.
• I am working on a special project to get even more people at TJN serving in ways that excite them and make an eternal difference.
• There are a ton of people who have grown in their faith and in their service to God. I am truly humbled to work alongside so many awesome people.
• Watched Elf yesterday…Will Farrell cracks me up.
• It looks like we have another group heading to Laurel, Mississippi in January to do a service project with Pastor Holloway.
• TJN Bell Ringers are out in force help the Salvation Army raise money again this year.
• I am hoping that family night will involve a bonfire in the back yard.

Minnesota has gotten hit hard in the past week.  The winter season has shown itself and has dumped about a foot of snow up north.  I am off with a friend for a little snowshoeing on the North Shore. 

There is something special about taking the time to get out in nature when the snow has freshly covered the ground.  Beyond the sheer beauty of the snow covered terrain there is the satisfaction that comes from embracing the reality of winter.  Whether you like the weather or not, its here and it looks like its here to stay. 

I have recently been learning from a good friend to see God in nature and see the change of seasons with a more enthusiastic welcome.

Learn more at: Life Without Limbs