Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Flip side of the coin...

I arrived in the office this morning to find a phone message awaiting me.

I dial in my intricate 4 digit password and discover one of our elders has left a message.

"Uh oh. What did I do?", is the first thing to run through my mind. (I should probably be less paranoid.)

It's about my sermon from Sunday. He was just calling to say that it was good. In fact, he stayed for both services. And then he shared how someone else he talked with had made the decision to "stay in the boat".

I don't do this to pat myself on the back. But I do it to remind myself that after the rough comment I heard a month or so ago, it's not always like that.

But I can't get too cocky because I have to do it again this upcoming Sunday. But I don't think I can recycle last week's sermon.

Friday, July 15, 2011

At what point...

I'll usually be the first in line to tell you when something has run its course and it's time for it to be laid to rest. I think it's similar to Andy Stanley's (at least I think I heard it from him) concept that every once in a while you need to throw out the couch that has been lying around.

Nobody uses it.

It's out of date.

It smells funny.

It's a mess.

Does that apply to a blog?

At what point is it time to close the book?

At what point is it time for something new?

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Google or Facebook...

I jumped on the Google Wave bandwagon pretty early.

That wagon crashed.

But that didn't change my desire to try out the new Google+. I'm skeptical that they will overtake Facebook any time in the near future, but I'm really liking some of what I'm seeing so far.

Basically it's fairly similar to Facebook but it appears to come with more control over which posts/photos/videos are seen or not seen. It almost seems like a more organized version of Facebook.

The trick will be whether enough people will catch on to actually make it worth using regularly.

In the meantime, I'm just going to jump back and forth between the two.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Wow...

Now this is just plain cool.

Ocean Sky from Alex Cherney on Vimeo.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Meltdown...

My brain isn't sure what is going on.

It's summer. The sky is blue. The sun is shinning. And I'm stuck in the office?

Normally I take my vacation during the summer months. But since we went off gallivanting in Maui back in May, it means that most of the summer will find me with regular office hours.

Right now I'm trying to do some prep work on my sermons that I'll be preaching at the end of the month.

Oh...and I'm anticipating a playoff game for my soccer team tonight. We're currently in 3rd and we play the 2nd place team. Have I mentioned that I haven't played in weeks? And that my bathroom scale called me fat?

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Kawkawa Escape...

I love Camp Kawkawa.

I've spent some time in silent retreat in one of their lake front cottages.

I've spoken for their high school camp twice.

I've take my own students out for an all-nighter and a weekend retreat.

And this is all in spite of the fact that I never even grew up at the camp. I have no childhood memories attached to it. (Although my own kids now kind of do.)

I just wish that sometimes I had a little opportunity to be involved in what they are doing. Not only is the camp slowly getting a much needed facelift, but Wayne Stewart's leadership development strategy for his workers and volunteers is well thought through. I think it's a step that will be great not only for the camp, but also for any church who sends people out to volunteer.

Last month I got to talking with Wayne about our student ministry taking over the camp for a Saturday in August. Since Saturday is typically their turnaround day while they wait for the next group of campers to arrive, he obliged.

And as we started planning the Kawkawa Escape, we started to see that there might be some potential for a church wide event. So the rest of the staff got brought into the loop. They loved the idea. So now we're running this as an event for the whole church.

If you're around that day, why don't you drive out and join us for part of it? It'll be fun. I guarantee it.

Kawkawa Escape
Saturday, August 6
10:00am to 10:00pm
Cost: $8/person (includes hod dog supper with pop & chips)
Swim, kayak, hike, play, canoe, rest, relax.
End it all with a campfire.

I just hope it's nice out.

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Make more music...

These guys should make more music. No?