Random Friday:

If you mix the letters of the word AUNT around it spells TUNA.

So I've got this crazy new invention. We'll make these ear piece things and attach them to the side of our heads on our ears. They'll be wirelessly connected to our cell phones that way we never have to be seperated from our cell phones, we don't even have to hold them up to our heads. Star Trek never saw these coming.

My friend Todd is an IT guy. He sets up and repairs networks for companies. His email signature says under job title "solutions architect" does this make me a spiritual architect?

Before



Now



50: Today I lost fifty pounds. Actually today I achieved one of my new year's resolutions. I've lost 52lbs so far. For my canadian friends that's 23.5 kilos and for my british friends ( I actually don't have any) that's 3.714 stones. I can't explain the feeling of victory to have continues success in this area. I am working hard at something and it's paying off.

The most surprising part of losing weight is how much I enjoy it. I'm nuts about excercise and I love excercising every day. On my days off I feel like I'm missing something. I'm also enjoying seeing the fruits of my labor in the weight lifting category. I wasn't sure I had muscles in certain very flabby regions but turns out I do...who knew?

The most important thing I've learned so far is to just go for it. If you're sitting there reading my blog and thinking "Good for him, but I'm not ready" I understand that. I did that many times. I has to be something you do for you because no one else is going to be able to make you do it. But who doesn't want to be healthy? Who doesn't want to have to stop buying bigger sized clothes?

So do yourself a favor and go for it.

50: Today I lost fifty pounds. Actually today I achieved one of my new year's resolutions. I've lost 52lbs so far. For my canadian friends that's 23.5 kilos and for my british friends ( I actually don't have any) that's 3.714 stones. I can't explain the feeling of victory to have continues success in this area. I am working hard at something and it's paying off.

The most surprising part of losing weight is how much I enjoy it. I'm nuts about excercise and I love excercising every day. On my days off I feel like I'm missing something. I'm also enjoying seeing the fruits of my labor in the weight lifting category. I wasn't sure I had muscles in certain very flabby regions but turns out I do...who knew?

The most important thing I've learned so far is to just go for it. If you're sitting there reading my blog and thinking "Good for him, but I'm not ready" I understand that. I did that many times. I has to be something you do for you because no one else is going to be able to make you do it. But who doesn't want to be healthy? Who doesn't want to have to stop buying bigger sized clothes?

So do yourself a favor and go for it.

Dear Blog,
Happy 3rd Birthday! It's hard to believe it's been that long.

Sincerely,
Nick

Fresh: So what's happening this morning? Nathan had a rough night. Fortunately it's his first one in a very long time, unfortunately that doens't seem to make me any less tired this morning. I thought I'd throw down a few thoughts. Mostly about the best weekend I've had in a while and maybe then a few other thoughts.

Wedding: I performed my second wedding ceremony last Saturday. The best part was the relationship Heather and I were able to build with Josh and Sara leading up to their wedding. It made the day very special especially the fact that they are part of our regular lives. I have a heart for strong marriages. I think the family is the strongest instrument of God to change our world.

This picture could be accurately titled "the boys".




Now don't be confused the woman beside me isn't my wife it's our friend Kristy. I knew it was going to make for a funny picture when we took it so viola here it is.



To avoid confusion and show off my pretty wife here is a picture of us.



Busch Garden: On a whim a load of us went up to Busch Gardens on Saturday night I think it was the best time I've had in a large group in a long time. Brandon will post the 'Tard Chariot picture here soon I'm sure and I'll link to it.

Church in the Park: Then on Sunday as if we weren't tired enough we had church in the park. I need to get the pictures from the ladies in the church and I'll put up a few. It was a great time!

Um...: I went to the Christian bookstore today. I have mental problems with these things as I've mentioned here before. I need counseling just so I can go to these on a regular basis.

So I walk in and I'm ignored. No "is there anything I can help you with?" I'd have settle for a blank stare, nothing just total ignoring. After lapping the store a few times I find what I'm looking for...the lyrics to Kum by ya. Then I proceed to checkout and the lady spastically tells me she'll be right with me. I think she was smoking crack or something. She rings up my items and then I hand her my pastor's card. I get the blank stare I was hoping for earlier. Same blank stare wrong timing on it. She then starts working on the computer to get my card to work she gets really frustrated and she muttered something "oh $%^&". I almost lost it. The lady at the Christian bookstore swore, hilarious.

5 Miles: I've been making sure I excercise five miles a day at least 4 days a week- Monday through Thursday. Friday I take off, Saturday I go about 3 and Sunday's I do work around the yard. I either walk or ride my bike. So far it's always a challenge but one I enjoy accomplishing.

Yesterday I was riding my bike and I noticed I had a stiff head wind coming at me on my way away from my house. I was tolerant of it because I knew a head wind one way meant a tail wind going back. Much to my chagrin as I turne to head back to my house the wind seemed to shift and I had another head wind, then I passed my house and went down to the park taking on a head wind the whole way, then on the way back...you guessed it...head wind. I'm not sure how that's possible but it was happening. I could only laugh.


Hairnets: I saw hairnets at Farm Fresh yesterday while picking up a few groceries so Nathan and I had hairnet night last night. They're sweet! In case you're wondering what Nathan is doing...he's taking a picture. Only he's using my headlamp instead of a camera.

From the Vatican: Fresh from the Vatican...driver's ten commandments. Thanks Benedict.

'Drivers' Ten Commandments'

The "Drivers' Ten Commandments," as listed by the document, are:

1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

10. Feel responsible toward others.

100 Degrees: So it's 100 degrees outside today. You know it's hot, nothing we can do about it so we live with it. This woman in Starbucks however takes it to the next level...she's wearing a hoodie.

He comes up with this stuff himself!


On his head is a bathtub basketball hoop and over his eyes is one of Heather's headband...completed with riding his Go Deigo Trike.

Celebrating 6 years of marriage!

Anniversary Heather and I are off to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary today. I'm looking forward to our surprise trip that I have planned for her. Heather is one of the strongest and most disciplined women I know. There is no woman who challenges me in my faith more than her. I think that's rare in a woman. Because of this she really is my confidant and my best friend. I'm able to share things with her that I think most men would feel obligated to protect their wives from.

I don't mean to sound all pastoral. She really is the love of my life as well. So beautiful and funny and enjoyable to be around.



700 Posts: This is number 701. June is my blog's anniversary as wel. 3 years on the 28th of this month. If I'm doing the math right I submit a post every 1.5 days.

and a picture of the boy for good measure

Collision: At church I have been bringing messages on worship and just taking us on a journey of worship. We've looked at the glory of God that merits our worship, we've looked at our physical and spiritual response to worship and then last Sunday at baptism the outward expression of our being all in. For this final week I wanted to talk about community and how worship is designed to be done with others. I think I chose the word community first of all because it's one of our values and two because I think it's so darn important. I would guess that 25% of all my messages center around being in community with others.

The antithesis of community is isolation. Isolation is tricky because you can have lots of friends and still be isolated. You can be incredibly busy and/or successful and still be isolated. You can attend church, life group and a dozen other things the church does and still be isolated. You can appear all put together but really you're the most isolated of them all.

Isolation happens to people that are married and people that are single. It's also one of the greatest tools of our enemy and one of the greatest lies of our society. Isolation destroys, it lies. Isolation insulates us from being confronted with our sin and it prevents us from seeking help for our problems. Afterall if you're all alone who can possibly help them.

As stated isolation seems pretty nasty. Who would want that? But we do. We don't want to be challenged in our lives. We want to appear strong and put together and not needy. We want to hold the lie it so we isolate. What if living in community with others required us to sacrifice, to give up something, to stop a certain behavior that's paying us off? What if it meant we had to stop treating our wives like crap? Would we still frown on isolation.

Community is heavy, its hard but it leads to worship. And worship is what we were made for. Cue Chris Tomlin...You and I were made to worship.


Weight:

Here is a current picture of me. Aside from the color the shirts I'm wearing below and here are the exact same. You'll have to excuse the radiant like in the background. What can I say? His face shines upon me.

Weight: One of my goals for this year was to lose 52 lbs. I put down this goal probably because I knew it was a good idea rather than an honest and tangible goal. I knew it was possible but doubted I would actually follow through with it.

I should state up front that personal appearance is a very personal thing for me. Meaning I'm not exactly comfortable writing what I'm about to write but I'm going to write it anyway hoping that it will help someone else out.

On April 1st Heather and I decided to start losing weight. We had made this decision several years ago and did very well initially but then as time went on we lost the discipline and fell on the gravy train (with biscuit wheels). This time we decided we wanted to do it for real, set some realistic goals and do it together.

I wish I was writing this post from a past experience...this is something I've done; I'd be more comfortable writing this. But I'm writing this post in present tense, it's something we're currently doing.

This week marks the 10th week and my average is 4lbs per week.

Weight Loss Tip I thought I'd start with a weight loss tip.
Recognize your current reality.

1. Recognize you're overweight. Now I know that most every overweight person knows they are overweight. But not all of the time. When you're sitting down to scarf that thousand calorie fat burger and french fries you have somehow convinced yourself that you are not overweight or that being overweight can't be that bad or won't ultimately kill you.
2. Recognize it doesn't have to be this way. In our society of quick fixes we convince ourselve we can never be healthy because it will simply take too long. If we can't have it tomorrow it's not worth having. But you can be a healthy person. You need to be a healthy person, ultimately your happiness, health and life depends on it.
3. Recognize the role of food in your life. Food is meant as nutrition, not as reward or escape or therapy. Food is meant to nurture you to do the things God has called you to. This is the single most important step in the weight loss journey and a recognition that I believe will be the key to my long term success. When I recognize this and when I face this reality I am able to control the quality and quanity of food I intake.

Take away:
1. Know the nurtritional value of food and drinks and assess if you want to put that in your body each and every time you eat and/or drink.

2. Commit to walking 30 minutes 5 days a week...no matter what.

This picture is from March- before we started.


This picture is from week 6. I'll get a current picture up soon.

Graduation: This is the year that my first youth group class is graduation. They weren't my first graduating class but they were 7th graders when I became their youth pastor. Of course I'm no longer their youth pastor but with some of them I still maintain a relationship. They are the biggest reason leaving that ministry was hard. They were the ones I knew I would miss and I was right, I did/do miss them.

So they graduated this week! Congrats Class of 2007! It also marks my 10 year out of high school mark. Wow!

Evan Almighty: Schedule to come out June 22 I attended the sneak preview last night. I thought I'd write up a little review mixed with rants, tirades and periodic madness.

Before I begin the review I'd like to comment on the new twist to gear movies or rather undertones of movies towards the now recognized powerful Christian market. Remember the good old days when movies were just movies and church was just church? Then there was a time I like to call unearthing the sacred in the secular. This was the time that there were few movies targeted toward evangelicals but the inklings of spiritual undertones could be found. Then as of late probably being displayed best with The Passion of the Christ the evangelical market was viewed as too powerful of a force to be ignored and was now marketed towards.

What bothers me most is not that movie makers, product makers or advertisers now market towards this large chunk of the population, for that is the nature of business, but that evangelicals bite into the bait so darn hard. Hallelujah we've all been saved New Line Cinemas made a movie that Jesus would like. What would Jesus do? He'd watch this movie.

I'm all for using movie clips, stories and other things from secular sources but it can dilute the power of the gospel. That and out of the mouths of unbelievers comes the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's like asking me the formula for rocket fuel. I might be able to find it for you but it will be a twisted or diluted formula.

Evan Almighty- The Movie Review So now for the movie review. First of all what a great idea to cast Evan from Bruce Almighty into this role. He's a freshman congressman just moving his family to Washington to start his new political career. Complete with the new car, new monstrous house, comes the new stress of the job and the ever present tension of investing in the job as well as investing in the family.

Evan kneels to pray and asks God to help him fulfill his campaign promise to change the world. God delivers on this prayer and gives Evan the task of building the ark, complete with warning the people of immenient destruction and a timeline of doom. With a modern day twist Evan builds the ark, grows a long beard and has to wear a bible times tunic. Mix this with his work on Capitol Hill and you get a humourous twist and a funny movie. Definately worth watching.

Spiritual Emphasis I love how they depicted the craziness of Noah's call to build and ark. It was so counter cultural at that time as it would be today. People thought he was crazy. They heckled him, they made fun of him. It came with a cost. Many times we think the will of God will be good for us. It will be like our will but on steroids. It will be fun, it will be what we want to do anyway except with a divine twist. Ask Noah how that went for him?

Resources I'm sure there will be no lack of resources for this move but one that they gave us last night.

Ark Almighty

Evan Almighty: I'm a big fan of the movie Bruce Almighty so I've been mildly looking forward to the next movie Evan Almighty. Well much to my surprise I was invited to attend a sneak preview of it on tuesday night. So Brandon and I are going to preview. Should be a good time.

Walk In: To date we haven't had a single walk in. Walk in defined as someone who was just driving by our church on a sunday morning and seeing our signs decides to come. People do drive by and see our signs. People do come to our church. But never have the too be related. Today it was rainy and we jokingly talked about not putting out the signs or making the last person to show up to help out out the signs. But Todd donned his rain coat and make the trek out to the road and put out the signs. About 9:15 a guys strolls up smoking a cigaratte and says "is this where the church is?" We introduced outselves.

His story: Used to go, hadn't been in years, thought this might be a good place to experience something positive.

Good thing we put the signs out.