Prayers please!

After my last post I hate to follow it up with this one...if you have read papers the past few days you've seen where there has been some troubles with Vietnam adoptions. Apparently there has been corruption involved within some adoption agencies...at this point lots of unknowns. Here's the story.

So we ask that you pray for us...pray for us as we go through this process of waiting to see what's next...pray for patience...pray that things will get settled...pray for our next steps.

God is bigger than all of this!

Good news! Good news!

As many know, we are in the adoption process, have been since last October. Not wanting to repeat everything that my lovely wife has already said...actually she says it a whole lot better here at here blog...Bird's Words. Check it out!

Every step that gets us closer to bringing home Ellie...the more STOKED I get. Keep on praying, we really are hoping she is here by the end of the year (if not sooner!)

A blast from the past...

I was meeting with one of our yutes yesterday at Starbucks...what a great place to "hangout". We were getting ready to leave and he said the ole phrase, "Let's make like a fetus and head out!"

For some reason that reminded me of Biff from 'Back to the Future' of course Andy had no idea who Biff was or even the movies. So here are some of Biff's all time favorite lines for us to reminiscence:

-"Since you're new here, I'm gonna cut you a break... today. So, why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?"

-"That's about as stupid as a door on a submarine!" (Biff's sidekick says, 'a screen door Biff, a screen door.')

-"Who are you callin' "butthead", Butthead?"

-"I can't believe you'd loan me your car without telling me it had a blind spot. I could've been killed!"

Any other Biff lines that you can remember? Let's hear them!!

Ahhhhhhhh....

I took this picture last Spring...makes me feel relaxed...I think we need to do this more often. Stop and enjoy some scenery this week!

Deadliest Catch

I love this show! Been a fan since it first came on...I'm amazed at their drive and ambition...I'm amazed at their ability to work non-stop 12-14 hour days...all for the love of the crab and ultimately the MONEY! They considered this the worlds deadliest job...after watching it, I believe it.

Anybody else a fan? Whose your favorite captain and boat? I'm a fan of Sig Hansen and the Northwestern. Here's the web site

Basement Update

Okay here's the scoop on the basement:

-99% of the framing is finished...
-Next step is some electrical and plumbing stuff...
-The we get the electrical and plumbing stuff inspected...
-DRYWALL CITY is the next stop...

Brown County Get-away!

What a weekend! Friday after school let out we picked up Bryan and took off to Louisville to drop him off at his nana's (Holly's mom). After the drop-off, the exchange...we got out of Dodge!

Brown County here we come! Where's Brown Co.? It's in Nashville...Indiana. I've always described it as a "mini-Gatlinburg"...a very 'crafty type' town (see pics below). We stayed at the Twin Oaks Lodge which is a Bed & Breakfast tucked away in the woods of Indiana. Friday it was 75 degrees and comfortable...Sunday afternoon it was 36 DEGREES!!! urghhhhh!!

Holly and I enjoyed the peace and quiet...we enjoyed walking around Brown County...we enjoyed several intense games of Scrabble...even a game of Yahtzee...we enjoyed sleeping in...we enjoyed time with each other.

Fellas who read this blog...TAKE YOUR WIFE OUT OF TOWN AND GET AWAY FOR A BREAK FROM EVERYTHING EXCEPT ONE ANOTHER! I highly recommend it!

This is just funny!

I saw this on Marko's blog the other day...I think I'll go out and buy some GI Joe action figures and find a dead animal somewhere and of course take a picture!

Working for the Weekend

Finally some warm weather here in the Richmond area...it's like 70 degrees today, but that all comes to an end this weekend (supposedly!) The weather gurus are saying it's supposed to turn cold (50's) and kinda nasty...

Well who cares what the weather will be like this weekend because I'm just stoked about getting away with my lovely wife for a weekend up in Brown Co. Indiana. Brown County is like a mini Gatlinburg...lots of little antique shops, restaurants, etc. I'm excited about where we are staying (see pics) I do hope it will NOT snow like the one pic shows.

We haven't gotten away together for a weekend since August...so it should be a good weekend of relaxing, maybe some reading, sleeping in, ETC!

Preaching on Sunday

This coming Sunday I have the opportunity to preach all of our services at FBC. Pastor Bill and family have been on vacation this past week...and I always want to welcome the opportunity to preach. We are starting a four week series on Stewardship...and this will be a first for me...preaching a sermon on tithing / stewardship.

I'm sure every pastor has a different routine and process for preparing a sermon...and what kind of feelings go through their mind the week of. Bill had asked me awhile back to preach the first week of this series, so I've had more than a week to prepare…and I’m glad!

Here's my routine...
1. Pray!!!! Pray for a specific word...pray for direction...pray for wisdom...pray for courage...pray, pray, pray.

2. Begin with a theme passage or verse...and from there study a few commentaries (one of my favorites is John McArthur)

3. Pray, Pray, Pray

4. Write out a rough outline...develop main points.

5. I try to mix together: teaching of the passage, theologically sound, a little history, practicality, a bit of humor, visual illustrations, real life stories and then more practicality. (not necessarily in that order!)

6. Continue to pray…

7. I’m a transcript kind of a guy…I usually will write out my entire sermon and pour over it about a hundred times!

8. Pray…this is extremely crucial.

The Saturday before, I get a little nervous…I usually don’t sleep very well…my biggest fear is that I will oversleep! So I’ll set not only my alarm, but have Holly set hers too!

Sunday morning comes and I’m pumped, yet still a little nervous. Not scared to preach nervous, it’s more of “who am I to stand up and preach God’s word” nervous. I attempt to connect with our congregation and always be led by the Holy Spirit. This is where the spiritual warfare begins…I really battle with that whole “who are you to preach” feeling, I’ll admit it, I’m nobody!…I just want to be an effective messenger. Pray for me this weekend.

Curious to know what other pastors may do in preparation or feelings they go through?? Maybe you know how your pastor feels?? Thoughts?? Bueller, Bueller??

Spring Break & Skateboarding

Tuesday afternoon I took the day off and hung out with Bryan. We had a late lunch at one of our new favorite restaurants...Cane's Chicken! mmmmmm-good!

Afterwards we headed down to the Woodland Skatepark...Bryan has been staying pretty consistent with his boarding. He's learning more and more each time he rides...I'm really proud of him. At one point he took a nasty fall, popped his head pretty hard on the concrete and then got up, shrugged it off and kept on. Way to go B...

Here are a few pics...

Dang, that was fun!

Wow...the power of the pen! For the record:

1. I have no immediate plans to leave FBC or "the" ministry
2. I love my church and all the people in it!
3. I'm not sure if I was more stoked about getting Geron or Holly-bird
4. I think this was the best April Fool's joke I've ever pulled off...I'll have to out do it next year.

Thanks for playing...

After 9 Years...I'm finished!

I'm Approaching my anniversary date of when I started at First Baptist Church...it will mark nine Plus yeaRs. I must say they have been some of the most excIting, adventurous, growing times of my Life. It would be very hard to try and sum it all up in one blog post.

I've been in ministry Full time fOr 19 years...and after 9 years at FBC...I'm finished, I'm moving On. I'll post more later to explain the detaiLs. I covet your prayerS.