We Got Pounded!!

We are finaly settling in. After a week of unpacking boxes and trying to get organized, we have finally got things back to normal. Last night was a great time for us. Our new church family gave us a "pounding". This is where everyone came to the fellowship hall and welcomed us by giving us a pound of groceries each. We took home a truck load of food as well as ots of gift cards. We were trully blessed. The highlight of the evening for me was when the teenagers chipped in and bought me sushi. One young lady even dressed in full Japanese regalia (thanks Sarah "with an 'h'") Anyway, we are settling in nicely. Wednesday wil be a great service as I will be preaching to the young people for the first time. I told them it would be electric, current and shocking.

By the way, whoever decorated the table. The Gator decorations were a terrible touch.

The Lion's Den

Tomorrow will be our first night in Florida, our new home. We are excited about the transition, but as an avid Georgia Bulldog fan, moving to Florida is like going to the den of lions. I am not sure that there is another team more disliked by Georgia than Florida. Paige said that she hoped our car would not get keyed because of the Georgia sticker on it. I dare someone... JUST KIDDING!!

Anyway, the church has rolled out the virtual carpet for us and posted on their website our arrival. This Sunday will be our first at Harvest Temple (www.htcog.net). Let's hope that our furniture arrives on time and in one piece. Saturday was a fiasco with the moving company. They did not show up at all on Saturday as scheduled. They arrived 2 hours late on Monday with a truck that was way too small. I told them it would be too small, but they informed me that they were professionals and that they would get it all in. 3 o'clock rolled around and the boss man come to me and tells me that all our stuff would not fit and they would have to wait until Wednesday to get another truck. I would not accept that and very nicely informed him that I needed them to figure out another option. All our stuff needed to be out by Monday night. They took care of it and then on top of that got the truck stuck in a foot of mud. So, let's pray it all gets there on Tuesday. Also pray that we can cram what we had in a 3200 sq foot house into a 1500 sq foot apartment. SARDINES!!!

Sculpting of the Father's Great Design

As cheesy as it sounds, my feelings about us moving to Florida can be summed up in this song by Michael W Smith... NO! It's not "Friends"



Here is where the road divides

Here is where we realize

The sculpting of the fathers great design

Thru time youve been a friend to me

But time is now the enemy

I wish we didnt have to say goodbye

But I know the road he chose for me

Is not the road he chose for you

So as we chase the dreams were after



Chorus:

Pray for me and Ill pray for you

Pray that we will keep the common ground

Won't you pray for me and Ill pray for you

And one day love will bring us back around again



Painted on our tapestry

We see the way it has to be

Weaving thru the laughter and the tears

But love will be the tie that binds us

To the time we leave behind us

Memories will be our souvenirs

And I know that thru it all

The hardest part of love is letting go

But there's a greater love that holds us

The End of the Beginning

For those that have yet been told through the grapevine, Paige & I have taken another Youth Pastor position in Florida. Last night we told the teenagers. Needless to say, it was very emotional. We have made long-lasting relationships with these wonderful young people as well as the youth leaders and others in the church. God has opened a door that we needed to step through. I truly believe that God has someone else in mind that can take the group to the next area of greatness. Three years ago, we came to Kentucky to help a first-time Pastor build a great church. We succeeded in meeting that vision. That first-time Pastor believed in me, my talents, and my calling. We are now in a different season at New Vision and Radiate Student Ministries. There is someone else God has in mind to lead this group of teenagers. There is another church that needs my giftings and abilities as well. It is time for us to show them how they too can be great. This is the end of the beginning for Radiate. You have grown from a small group meeting in a small room to a group that is a force to be dealt with. Look out devil. It is time for you guys and girls to step up and claim your rightful position as a child of the King. You are no longer striving to understand your roles in God's plans. You know what you have been called to do. SO DO IT!!!

You all will have a special place in our hearts. Always remember to BE REAL... BE GOD'S.

"Now let the words of mouth and meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer." --Psalm 19:14

Soap

Do you remember the day when their were only four kinds of soap in the world? Ivory, Dial, Irish Spring and Dove. I went Christmas shopping with my daughter on Saturday. We stopped into Bath and Body Works to get mommy some soap for her stocking. First of all, when did we go from 88 cents for a bar of soap to $8.00 for a bottle of the same stuff? And we have now graduated from 4 kinds of soap to like 50 variations. My head was spinning after the sales associate tried helping. She asked me what scent my wife likes. I looked at my 7 year old and said, "Do you know?" She told her the pink one. THERE ARE 12 PINK ONES!!!!! Wow!! So we had to choose from the massive wall of fragrances. You have to then open each bottle to see if you like the smell. After about the 5th bottle, the Coconut Verbena smells just like the Midnight Pomegranate. Then after we purchased our assortment of product, we had to walk around the mall and air out so that mommy wouldn't 1) suspect where we shopped or 2) accuse me of hanging out with another woman. (Just kidding) Anyway, the adventure is over and my sense of smell has returned. Honey, if you read this, I hope you enjoy the gifts Morgan and I sacrificed to bring you. Merry Christmas!

Wishbone

Tonight, in service, a young lady named Cheryl shared her testimony about how God had delivered her from an eating disorder. I was amazed at the poise and maturity that she displayed. One thing that stuck with me was when she said that if you want God to deliver you from something, it won't be easy. You have to have a backbone, not a wishbone. How true that is. And because Cheryl had a backbone this evening and shared her faults with the group, God spoke through her and many teens came to the altar to give God all their junk. God is amazing and so was Cheryl tonight.

The Bishop

It's been a crazy week with getting ready for the church's auction and everything so blogging has been slow. Please accept the apologies. Anyway, this past week, I accomplished a milestone in my life that is almost 10 years in the making. No, I didn't find a cure for my hair loss, but rather a received my Bishop's Ordination. This is the third and highest level credential you can achieve in our denomination. I took my first test to receive my first level in 1998. I was a young, part-time Youth Pastor and full-time college student. Now, 9 years later, I am now a Bishop and will get my really cool robe in January. I'm thinking about getting my friend Beav to graffiti "J-Mart" on the back of the robe. That will be cool!