receipt…

over 700 miles driven
14 hours in a car
toll$
ga$
road $ide food
rain
humidity!!
lines
road construction

seeing Genesis play at Giants Stadium with my brother…

oh it was priceless!!

WOW!! What a show…

Highlights:

Incredible lights and video - unbelievable.
- In the Cage - wow.
- Afterglow - does it get better than this… everything awash in purple.
- Firth of Fifth - it does get better - holy cow… just sublime - Stuermer shines on the Hackett bits!!!
- Follow You, Follow Me - Phil singing and drumming with a great, fun video of Albert, Cynthia, and other notable album art characters strolling and cavorting about…
- I Know What I Like - a great video trip down memory lane - and Phil’s signature tambourine solo!
- Ripples - Tony Banks at his compositional best.
- Drum Duet into Los Endos - Collins and Thompson were amazing with drum sticks - and then Los Endos… - for me the highlight.
- Carpet Crawlers - the finale… a great “chilled” version that ended a beautiful evening of superb musicianship and great entertainment!

Mike King, President and CEO wrote a prayer for the new relationship between YouthFront and SonLife. This is pretty fitting I remember 3 or so years ago as SonLife was undergoing massive change and re-culturing we invited others to pray a prayer of blessing with us as we labored on a new day in our history.

So again, as YouthFront and SonLife join together to be one - will you pray with us?

Lord God, we believe that you have initiated a new path for us to take—one that fills us with not only expectation and wonder but also uncertainty and questions. Lead us by your sure hand and steadfast love. May all that we do in this endeavor bring glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I am so glad to be seeing this day (two organizations with a great history and that I am very fond of) - as Sonlife and YouthFront announce a merger!! Celebrate - and read the press release below.

Press Release Thursday, September 20, 2007—For Immediate Release

Sonlife Ministries Merging with YouthFront

Sonlife Ministries, Inc. has merged with YouthFront, Inc. effective September 1, 2007 in order to “maximize ministry effectiveness” of the two organizations. Formerly a Chicago-based ministry, Sonlife will relocate to Kansas City. For more than six decades, YouthFront has brought young people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through camps, campus ministries, mission trips, creative programming, and leadership development. For nearly three decades, Sonlife has provided Christ-centered training for students and adult leaders through training seminars, conferences, and creative resources.

YouthFront President Mike King and Sonlife President Chris Folmsbee share a conviction that “the youth ministry community is pregnant with expectation and desire for fresh and innovative approaches to youth ministry that are both creative and also theologically and ecclesiologically sound,” says King. Folmsbee adds, “We see youth ministry paradigms shifting away from an overemphasis on programmatic/event-oriented and information-focused styles toward a more robust and holistic understanding of Christian formation. The need is greater than ever to guide young people in discovering how to live as Christ in all areas of their lives.”

YouthFront will continue its tradition of developing innovative youth ministry around the world through its commitment to the development of youth ministry philosophy, theology, and practice. Sonlife will continue to move forward as a church-assisting organization serving youth workers by facilitating networks; developing and providing training; offering coaching, consultation, and spiritual direction; and creating resources and programs for youth workers and students. Through the new YouthFront organization, all present Sonlife training and development programs for youth workers will continue, including Enroute, Shaping a Missional Community, Shepherding in a Culture of Change, Refresh, and Leadership of the Heart. All training experiences for students will continue, as well, including Merge, Awake and Reveal.

“This merger seems natural because of the alignment we have, not just between Chris Folmsbee and me, but also between the organizations that we have led,” says Mike King. YouthFront sees Sonlife’s innovation of a new wave of youth worker participation in training and formational experiences. Sonlife sees YouthFront as innovating new ways to do youth ministry and spiritual formation of adolescents. Consequently, merging together will allow each organization to realize greater ministry impact. Folmsbee states, “I am expectant that God is going to do amazing things through our coming together. I believe we will look back a few years from now to identify many things God has done to strengthen the church through the development of youth workers and students.”

For questions regarding this merger or to seek more information about the ministry of YouthFront and Sonlife, please contact Andy Garlich at 800-770-4769 or AGarlich@YouthFront.com

Well, I don’t know if it is a good thing… but I can report that my traffic has definitely increased in less than 24 hours.

Numbers are up. But is it worth it? Is having less control of the outgoing links on my blog worth it?

Awaiting verdict.

The jury is still out.

Stay tuned.

If you are interested in checking out Blog Rush click here.

Today I added a sidebar widget for Blog Rush (scroll down it is the last item on the right side of this blog). The claim (which I will report on) is that this “blog syndication” will increase readership for a blog.

I would love more folks to read what I got to say… so I will see if this does anything to increase the volume of folks who stop by…

One can hope.

Want to check out this FREE service? Check out Blog Rush

I had never heard of a “digging bar” till my 39th year. No excuses - I guess I never spent a healthy amount of time on the other end of a shovel. I grew up in Florida and digging there after a minute or two and you struck water… so digging deeper was not much of an option. After Florida I spent 6 years as a professional student and then headed to pushing pencils and keyboards behind a desk (and often a tie). Anyway, digging had not been a regular occurrence.

Then I moved to Pennsylvania and acquired a mini farmette (a little less than 7 acres). Up first was putting in 250 feet of water line from the house out to the stable. During that “project” I was provided with my introduction to the digging bar. And now this past weekend I got re-introduced to my favorite tool as we are putting in fence posts for a future pasture. In both of these projects the magic number was 36 - 36 inches deep, to be more precise. In digging a 3 foot hole (or ditch) - a shovel is great for going through the topsoil and the layer of clay or dirt, but then comes the fun (and the point at which the shovel becomes ineffective) the seam of shale or rock.

It is at this phase where the digging bar gets a work out. The chipping and concussion of the digging bar makes “easy” (or easier) work of progressing through the shale and rock to reach the magic depth of 3 feet. It is hard work, but work made easier with a digging bar. It is great to have the right tool for the right job (I know some of you are thinking - have you heard of a post hole digger - but sometimes it is good to do work that makes you sweat and strain with your own hands!).

As I was pounding away at a particularly stubborn seam of shale with my digging bar I began thinking, “This is why we don’t often progress deeper in our spiritual lives.” It is hard work to go deeper. It can be frustrating. It can be “slow-going.” It can just be flat out rough to progress. It may be made even more difficult without the right guidance and without the right “tools.”

We fly through the topsoil, we sweat through the clay and packed dirt and then we just hang up our shovels in frustration and exhaustion when we hit the shale.

Let me introduce you to the digging bar.

A touch of fall this morning in Western PA - waking up to temperatures in the high 40’s. Most youth ministries have ramped up a new season - the fall kickoff has taken place (even though the Autumnal Equinox is still more than a week away). Yet this is that time for new school years, new fiscal years and new seasonal calendars bringing increased activity, more rigorous schedules and new hopes, goals and expectations.

We need to guard against being carried away by the flurry of activity. We need to be wary of becoming focused on all that we are doing. Just as an engine needs a periodic check-up and rest from being run at full RPM’s, and words only make sense with end marks and punctuation - our lives become absurd when they unravel to become merely a flurry of activity. As we “ramp up” the fall season it is important for us to also put time in our calendars for rest, reflection and unhurried time with family, friends and God. It is interesting that Jesus seemed to follow this pattern - a pattern of intense ministry/activity followed by time withdrawn in solitude or pulled away from the crowds with the twelve.

In my own life, I need to take this advice. It is so easy for the calendar to fill up with an abundance of activity and appointments. In the midst of this I need to allow some days to have no ink, and other dates need to be in red saying things like - rest, retreat, and accountability.

Gordon MacDonald suggested in his book Rebuilding Your Broken World that we need to submit ourselves to a spiritual friend and periodically “check the gauges” of our lives by answering some or all of the following questions. It is crucial that we have a spiritual check up and when better than at the beginning or in the midst of the fall season. Let these questions provide a fresh perspective to the activity, priorities and relationships you invest in during this season.

1. How is your relationship with God right now?
2. What have you read in the Bible this past week or month?
3. Where do you find yourself resisting God these days?
4. What specific things are you praying for and who are you praying for?
5. What tasks/projects are you facing right now that you consider incomplete?
6. What habits intimidate you?
7. What are you reading?
8. How are you engaging in play?
9. How are your immediate relationships with family (nuclear and extended)?
10. If a person were to ask the person closest to you about the state of your mind, spirit and energy level, how would they respond?
11. Are you sensing any spiritual attacks from the enemy right now?
12. What is the state of your sexual perspective? Tempted? Fantasies? Entertainment?
13. Where are you financially right now?
14. Are there any unresolved conflicts in your circle of relationships?
15. When was the last time you spent unhurried time with a good friend of your own gender?
16. What kind of time have you spent with someone who is a non-Christian?
17. What challenges do you think you’re going to face in the coming weeks?
18. What would you say are your fears at this time?
19. Are you sleeping well?
20. What are you most thankful for?
21. Do you like yourself at this point in your pilgrimage?
22. What are your greatest confusions about your relationship with God?

Well, there is a lot there. I hope that some of these questions might help us as we check in with ourselves amidst a busy time of year. I hope you will schedule a time with a good friend to be honest about what is happening in and through us. I hope you will follow a pattern of advance and retreat, doing and being, activity and rest.

This past Sunday (yesterday) in our church’s worship time a guest musician was part of the flow of the service. Christopher Williams was an artist our church was familiar with - he had been the opening act for a Jars of Clay concert our church hosted - and really was a hit, so it was great to have him back. I was really struck by C. Williams as he performed in our service yesterday. It is not often that I come across a character who is so uniquely talented and yet so humble. (If you question if he really has the talent - well he has opened for some top notch folks David Wilcox, Peter Himmelman, Arlo Guthrie, Jars of Clay - and he tours near non-stop). I had to take time to recommend him as a great resource to the church.

authenticity flows from his music
great lyrics that serve as central to his art
his relaxed, yet fun stage presence draws you in
strong vocal that can carry a tune - (he does some great tunes that are just him and djembe)
God seems to use his gift to create a very unique experience
a team player (not a hint of arrogance) as demonstrated by his willingness to sit in with our worship team

One of the tunes that really struck me was called These Days a tune Williams performs with just voice and djembe - Lyrics inspired by Henri Nouwen. The lyrics are great and when performed create a great invitation to worship.

These Days

Without confusion clarity brings nothing
Without questioning answers won’t bring truth
Without death life to its fullest will be lost like the innocence of youth

Without solitude community can do nothing
Without knowing ourselves we cannot truly give
Without finding that place so lonely our actions will be as empty as the lives we live

Chorus:
Step inside my heart but walk gently
I know you’ve come a long way
Step inside my heart cause we need to be together
If we’re going to make it through these days

Without silence words lose their meaning
Without listening speaking cannot heal
Without reaching out towards one another
We’ll lose ourselves in what only we think we feel

Chorus

Without faith believing is foolish
Without doubt we cannot grow
Without time patience is useless and anger will only make itself more known

Chorus

Written by Christopher Williams © 1996 BiG ReD VaN Music (ASCAP)

In a bit over a month in a half I will have the great pleasure of being part of the Evangelical Free Church’s annual youth worker’s retreat, Rebound. I am looking forward to the time with my old tribe. For just under a decade I worked as a youth pastor in the Free Church and I again attend and volunteer at a wonderful Free Church, in Western PA. I have to say, some fine folks can be found ministering in this cool denomination.

I wrote a little “promo” for how I would be approaching my part in serving the youth workers at Rebound, so here it is:

Ministry can become consuming - it is a rewarding, challenging, frustrating, and joy-filled experience; as a result, it can become a dominant and driving force in our lives. In the process of fulfilling our ministry roles with and for youth we can lose our bearings and find ourselves near empty, somewhat depleted and maybe even wondering when we look in the mirror, “who am I, and how did I get here?”

As we gather in Daytona Beach for Rebound ‘07 we will be looking to God and to the Scriptures to replenish, refresh and restore our souls. We will rediscover and experience again the ways of Jesus learning how we can nurture a “sustainable faith” (a faith we maintain and develop week in and week out). We all know intuitively that old saying, “what is down in the well, comes up in the bucket,” our hope is that we will learn to dig and maintain “deep, full and life-giving wells” in each of our lives.

In taking this time away we hope we will return to our Faith Communities a bit more authentic and ready to share from hearts of integrity with our own family, students, parents and others that God has put in our care. Replenish, refresh and restore us, O God.

If you are a reader of this here blog and you are from the free church tribe… please leave a comment!! And I hope you consider making the pilgrimage to the beaches of Florida’s East Coast at the end of October!

Oh, and just to make this a one stop shop… the brochure for Rebound is below!

Rebound Brochure

I have been invited by my friend over at Calacirian to participate in Lynn Hallewell’s “synchroblog” entitled “How I Pray.” So here it goes.

For me the following are the most regular prayer practices that inform and form my prayer life.

The Jesus Prayer - about 5 or so years ago this practice of praying became a very regular part of my life. It remains to be my “go to prayer.” I can pray this prayer 100’s of times in a day. It is so portable. Powerful. Meaning FILLED. I repeat it gratuitously. I repeat it fervently. It rolls in the back of my mind on some occasions like the surf on the beach. It has in some ways become a part of my pattern in living.

The Jesus Prayer is a simple prayer from the Eastern Church and the prayer while incredibly profound is merely a simple sentence (that most can remember upon hearing just once.). The scriptural intent behind this prayer is to help the Christian Pilgrim fulfill Paul’s admonishment to “pray without ceasing.” (I Thessalonians 5:17) The words themselves that make up the Jesus Prayer also come from the words of Scripture - Luke 17:13 and Luke 18:14.

The words I use for the Jesus prayer (there are shorter and longer versions) come from what I understand to be the Anglican Tradition. The version I say, regularly is:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.

I find myself often praying it in the following manner - focusing my prayer on the bolded word each time.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
God, have mercy on me a sinner.
God, have mercy.
Have mercy.

Praying the Hours has been the other way in which I have learned to pray. Joining with the Church universal several times a day to pray and read the Psalms has been a life line in my life with God. I have not been as regular in my habits the past year in this endeavor. I have been real hit and miss, actually. But, that foundation has made my prayer life the richer. I long to be part of a community which has a habit of practicing the hours. Nonetheless I journey on in my attempt to keep the hours of Morning Prayer (Matins), Mid-day Prayer (None) and Evening Prayer (Vespers). The prayer books that have been most enriching for me are St. Benedict’s Prayer Book; Celtic Daily Prayer and For All The Saints.

I have blogged about this before - so for the roots of this practice and some reviews of the books I mentioned above and maybe a couple of others - check out this post - Using A Prayer Book

Besides some spontaneous prayer during idle times during the day - it is the Jesus Prayer and Praying the Hours that inform and form my prayer life.

Others who have participated in this synchroblog -

Calacirian
Lyn Hallewell
Cindy Bryan
Brother Maynard
Lew A
Jonathan Peres
Out Of The Cocoon
Alan Knox
Rick Meigs
Barry Taylor
decompressing faith