OpenSecrets

fears

2012-01-12T08:47:00.000-05:00

There are some things in life that should stop you. Some things in life we LET stop us. Some of those things are fears. Some fears are healthy. Some fears keep us from truly experiencing life to the fullest.

But, I do wonder how many times we let our fears, worries, doubts, insecurities...or just the- 'I can't do that...'s stop us.

(ok...that being said though...I'm NEVER doing what this guy Alex Honnold does)

Crowder collides with TSO & 4000 cell phones

2011-12-22T08:54:00.000-05:00

Sounds like an interstate nightmare, doesn't it? But instead it's a holiday bonanza...er...blitzfest...er...AWESOMENESS! Thank you Crowder for making grainy cell phone footage turn out to be one of the most amazing videos I've seen in a long time!

more than a remodel...

2011-12-13T13:05:00.001-05:00

Mere Christianity is still one of my favorite books. I just came across this quote earlier that still resonates with me at an entirely different level than what I'm typically used to dealing with.

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Attitudes, blessed, and first world issues

2011-12-12T22:55:00.000-05:00

So lately, I've just been reminded CONSTANTLY how blessed I am. The truth is...I've always been blessed. Seriously. But there have DEFINITELY been times in my life where I would have argued you and said, 'I'm not as blessed as...'- fill in the blank.

The truth is you're blessed too. It's just a question if you've slowed down to realize it. I was reminded of a quote from years ago, that's always stuck with me...and I've tried to pass on constantly- 'Attitude is a choice'. And maybe that's true for blessings. I'm going to choose to see the blessings.

I'm choosing to be done whining about my first-world problems.

Grace shows up once again...

2011-12-06T21:30:00.002-05:00

I came across this tonight in reflection. I'm trying to do some writing right now...but meanwhile my heart's kind of heavy. A man I admire...that I look up to...that quite frankly...he defines legacy...passed away this afternoon. I count many in his family as friends. He was an encourager, kind, supportive, and loving. I spent some treasured time with all of them in the past few days. A family gathered around- singing songs of praise- worship- love. His daughter- my friend referred to it as 'Holy Ground'. She was right. Perhaps often times we're standing on more holy ground than what we're aware.

These are probably my 2 favorite all time songs. They don't really speak of death, or dying, or sadness. They deal with grace- love- the 'Your kingdom on earth- as it is in Heaven' aspect.

I'm thankful God let my life intersect with George- and his family. A legacy continues.

Trying vs. Doing

2011-12-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been sitting in a group...one of those 'group questions' is asked, and you wind up thinking, 'Wow...that guy answered perfect...nothing left to say.' Someone usually says, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, 'Yeah...what he said.'

I say that to Michael Hyatt-

What HE SAID- about trying and doing...

here’s an instructive scene in the Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back. Yoda is instructing Luke Skywalker in how to use the Force. He asks Luke to retrieve his disabled spaceship out of a bog where it has sunk, using only his mind.

Luke, of course, thinks this is impossible. Sure, he has been able to move stones around this way. But a spaceship? That’s completely different. Or is it.

Yoda patiently explains that it is only different in his mind. Luke reluctantly agrees to “give it a try.”

Yoda famously says, “No. Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.“

...the post gets even better. You need to read it all here.

Buble and Helms

2011-12-01T18:43:00.000-05:00

I LOVE ME SOME GOOD CHRISTMAS SWEATERS! This one's shockingly awesome!

Sports and Faith colliding

2011-11-29T20:32:00.004-05:00

So Tebow (and Tebowing) is not the first time that faith and sports find themselves at an intersection. And maybe it's not an intersection at all...maybe they drive together on the same road often.

Kurt Warner had some interesting thoughts from one successful man-of-faith-quarterback to another one- albeit 'rookie' one (yeah...I know it's not his rookie season...but come on...it's his first REAL shot, so same thing).

Read the article with Warner's thoughts here.

What do you think? I'd be interested in a healthy conversation here...how does your faith play out at your work place? Thoughts on Warners statements of actions vs. words...and so on...whaddya' think?

Ghosts Upon the Earth

2011-11-29T08:29:00.000-05:00

So at the beginning of the month, I discovered Aaron Niequist's worship project- A New Liturgy. I'm getting pretty excited because Number 2 should be released at some point in December. There have been several times in the last month, where I have gone back...and just engaged with 'A New Liturgy' as one of the most private and prayerful times...echoing the thoughts and hearts of other worshipers simply through speakers I suppose. Or maybe not. Maybe at some level much deeper that I may never fully understand at this place. But that's another much deeper post for another day.

Last weekend I was reading in Relevant magazine...truth be told...the last issue had gotten buried in stacks of something...could've been other magazines and books...could've been mail...could've been socks and used toothbrushes...neither here nor there.

They did a little write up on what a concept album is...and Gungor's step into a concept album on their newest release. You can read the whole article here on page 22. The nutshell version is from the beginning of the album to the end Gungor is taking the listener through a specific concept or idea. And I wish I could find a more eloquent way to put it...but...they walk with the listener through an artistic expression of the Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration story...your story...my story. From beginning to end. Sure, a bunch of the songs sounds good on their own...but strung end to end- a phenomenal worship engagement that's different than a typical worship experience.

Those of us who like to compartmentalize and put things in boxes...'worship' (being a style of music), 'quiet' time (being an obligatory 5-15 spell of sitting down with just our bible)...again...I'm digressing into another separate post for another time (btw, those things aren't bad...that's just rather limiting to use those phrases and lock it into a certain form).

Anyhow...CHECK OUT THE GUNGOR 'Ghosts Upon the Earth' here on spotify!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

2011-11-28T20:00:00.000-05:00

I LOVE me some college football...straight up passion...did you see this UNBELIEVABLE CATCH?

make twitter work

2011-11-28T16:27:00.000-05:00

Every so often i have a few friends say, 'i just don't get twitter'. In case you haven't figured it out...it made it over the hump...twitter's here to stay. When I was on it in 2008- my friends made fun of me. Good thing I was used to being made fun of. Welcome to my middle school years. Now they're on it...I'm just saying. Just throwing that out there...

Anyway, Michael Hyatt has a helpful post for those of you who still trying to figure out how to really make it work.

Check it out here...

State removes child from family...for OBESITY...

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

wow...not sure what i think of this on a couple of levels. Certainly controversial at best.

CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio third-grader who weighs more than 200 pounds has been taken from his family and placed into foster care after county social workers said his mother wasn't doing enough to control his weight.

The Plain Dealer reports (http://bit.ly/t68M7D ) that theCleveland 8-year-old is considered severely obese and at risk for such diseases as diabetes and hypertension.

The case is the first state officials can recall of a child being put in foster care strictly for a weight-related issue.

Thoughts?

Full article here

Born is the King

2011-11-25T04:00:00.001-05:00

ok...I'm actually writing this on 11/15. However, I have a strict rule...no Christmas music prior to Thanksgiving. However, I've been smashing that rule in the face this year. But...on my posts...ok...I'll keep those to after Thanksgiving.

An AMAZING new song from Hillsong for this Christmas...

Born is the King...

When Death Dies...

2011-11-14T08:26:00.001-05:00

Not sure if I've posted this before...but I was listening to Gungor this morning in the background as I was reading through 1 Kings.

One of the songs that's just ringing with me right now is 'When Death Dies', and I love this version of it.

(fb friends...for whatever reason the notes importing feature has been all gunked up lately. Apparently they're getting rid of that feature soon anyhow...so for now to see this original post, click here)

oh yeah...and Mumford and Invisible Children

2011-11-10T18:30:00.000-05:00

and listening to them today reminded of this stirring and haunting performance that Mumford and Sons did after an Invisible Children event in Austin.

So much love...

2011-11-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

it doesn't get much better than Austin City Limits & Mumford & Sons. It's like when Scooby-Doo met up with Space Ghost.

Watch Mumford & Sons on PBS. See more from AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.

Notes to New Covenant

2011-11-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

In my own quiet time, I’m currently working through a scripture reading plan called, ‘The Essential 100’. There’s been some great times for me in reflection of some of my favorite accounts of scripture, as well as some that I didn’t quite remember- or even some moments where I think- I NEVER remember seeing that before. I was reading the story of David and Bathsheba a few days ago, and all of David’s screw-up’s, sins, and junk surrounding that story. You might remember afterwards, the prophet Nathaniel called David out! Nathaniel uses the illustration of a guy who had all the sheep vs. a guy who only had 1 sheep. David gets all mad, that a guy with a lot of sheep would take the sheep from a guy with only 1…and then Nathaniel points out the obvious irony, and more importantly the obvious sin.

And then there’s this passage as Nathaniel- the prophet speaking on behalf of Almighty God says:

2 Samuel 12:7-9a 7 …This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.9 Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes?

That got me thinking…here’s David…the King…and we know the story. What he did was wrong. God says, ‘Look, if this was an issue of not having enough…I would’ve EVEN GIVEN YOU MORE’! But WHY would you despise the Lord by doing what is evil in His eyes?

God is willing to give- even so much more! We talked about ‘The New Norm’ on Sunday- which calls us to be weird, or to be different and turn away from what the world around us says is ‘ok’, or ‘acceptable’ and to live by HIS way. His purposes. We’ve justified things away by saying, ‘it’s ok because…’, or ‘I deserve…’, or ‘it only affects me so…’ and GOD SAYS WHY WOULD YOU DESPISE THE LORD BY DOING WHAT IS EVIL IN HIS EYES?

There are places in my life where I have to establish a New Norm. The truth is- as a follower of Christ, I AM called to a higher standard. YOU ARE called to a higher standard. We must begin to live ‘The New Norm’…it means we might be a little weird. A little different.

1 Peter 2:11 Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.12 Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.

This is true in our relationships, our finances, our perspectives, and every other area! Make sure to join us for wk 2 of ‘The New Norm.’

Thoughts to New Covenant...

2011-11-03T18:00:00.000-04:00

(guy who is OFFICIALLY NOT ME)

I cut my own hair. Explains a lot doesn’t it? Sometimes I’m pretty sure I miss a spot or 2, but I just can’t find it. Other times, I’ll find a runaway patch of whiskers for days, and like a woodpecker digging for that bug in the tree, I will pull and pluck and tug at those for days…until I’m convinced it’s even. Pretty sure I’ve left a bald patch once or twice doing that. This week I finally got around to cutting my hair (usually an every other week occurrence though I was quite overdue). Midway through cutting my hair…I slipped. It wasn’t quite as drastic as the guy in the picture here. It wasn’t so much that I slipped, but I went higher with the short guard than I typically do, and by that point I was COMMITTED to shaving my whole head shorter than routine allows. I’m thrown off right now, because what was normal for me…FEELS unusually different (it’s probably hardly noticeable to most people…but man, my head is COLDER outside!). For the next couple of weeks I’m committed to a new norm.

That works out good because for the next couple of weeks, here at New Covenant, we’ll be discussing just that. Not my haircut, but ‘The New Norm.’ There are a lot of things in our world around us that we see and simply accept as ‘normal’.

In the world of relationships (which we’ll be dealing with this week)- there’s a lot of norms that…well, they just don’t seem right. Should it be right that we experience so much relational loss? That relationships can come and go so easy. That they can almost seem disposable (and we’ll be ending our time this week in the practice of communion- a reminder that we are made and designed for RIGHT relationship, first and foremost with our Creator).

For those of us who are Christ followers though, we are called to be different, to stand out, to be set apart, to be weird, to be slightly ABNORMAL. So we’re looking to establish ‘The New Norm’ in our lives, in our community, in our culture. And in case it’s not clear- this IS NOT JUST FOR YOU! We want you to regularly be thinking about- at your job, in your school, in your neighborhood, in your family- ‘Who should I invite?’ If you can’t remember the last person you invited WITH you…YOU’RE LONG OVERDUE!

We’ll also be talking about New Norms in the area of our finances as well as our attitudes and perspectives in the upcoming weeks.

Normal in the world around us seems to be broken. It’s time for ‘The New Norm.’

A New Liturgy

2011-11-03T11:49:00.002-04:00

So I'm slightly late to the game but I just came across Aaron Niequist's 'A New Liturgy' project. Wow...it is really stirring this morning, as I'm doing some of my own writing and reflecting. Thank you Aaron for this project. You need to take 25 minutes, in stillness...in reflection...perhaps on your ipod on a run and immerse yourself.

In the midst of Aaron's, 'God is Love' project, Richard Rohr is quoted:

“We live with an inherent dignity – our divine sonship and our divine daughterhood – by reason of our creation. This is a dignity that God has given to us and no one can take from us.

And it has nothing to do with our race or religion or past or sin. Every single person on earth is just as much children of God as we are. Objectively. Theologically. Eternally. Where else do we think they came from? Did some other god create them, except THE GOD? Their divine DNA is the same as ours. We deny our monotheism if we believe anything else.”

God IS love.

Father, may I be reminded, as I look on with judgmental eyes- or a gossip tongue- or a condemning spirit- on ANYONE else in my day today...EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON EARTH IS JUST AS MUCH A CHILD OF GOD AS I AM.

A note to New Covenant...

2011-10-26T16:45:00.014-04:00

So this morning was pretty incredible! Emily said to me last night that Easton (our 5 year old) came home from school...just pumped...he had just read his first book! I could hardly wait to sit down with him...and have him read this book to me! It was a simple book...with great pictures, that helped him figure the words out as he was reading...’in the house’...’in the bathtub’...’in the mud.’ (well, actually I think those previous 2 were reversed- makes sense that way, right?)

He’s thrilled...we high-fived afterwards (what gets celebrated gets repeated)! I told him how proud of him I was...asked him if he was excited, because his hard work made it possible for him to read! He was just THRILLED (he does this thing when he’s excited where he moves his tongue around his cheeks, so you see his cheeks bubble out...it’s awesome...the cheeks were bubbling like crazy!)

Maybe you’ve had that experience before. Or your kids have. Or you’ve seen something like that before. Not just the first book that’s read, but a child’s first time they tied their shoes, blew a bubble (those happened on the same day for me as a kid...I STILL remember calling my dad at work and telling him). Maybe it was when you got a promotion at work that you’d been working for and you had to call your parents, friends, wife, WHOEVER just to tell them because you were so excited! Maybe it was the first semester grades you couldn’t wait to show off, because you even surprised yourself. Maybe it was the pictures of the grandbaby that you KNOW is the cutest baby EVER!

Have you had that in your spiritual journey? One of those ‘line-crossing’ moments? And I’m not talking like a finish line crossing moment...I’m talking like a new spiritual discipline discovered- the first time that you really were STILL in prayer; maybe when you were baptized; the first time you took a step and you and your spouse joined a LifeGroup; the first time you REALLY gave financially trusting God. It was those places and spaces where you took a step, and were SHOCKED...’Wow...I think I just did that...wow...God really was with me!’ ‘Wow...God really IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS.’

That’s the idea we’ve been talking about all month of being ALL IN! It’s one of those ‘firsts’ that opens up a WHOLE NEW WORLD! Much like the first time reading your first book, getting those great grades, that promotion, that grandbaby!

I want to challenge you to be ALL IN- in your faith- at New Covenant...to TRULY be ALL IN! It’s not enough to simply sit on the sidelines. ALL IN is the way of the Christ follower. It’s not enough for us to simply be half in. God doesn’t just get PARTS of us. He HAS TO HAVE ALL OF US.

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.- Matthew 22:37

That little word of ALL that seems to keep repeating itself...it’s there for a reason. When you truly surrender yourself and go ALL IN...it’s a whole new world!

Some ways where we want you to consider going ‘ALL IN’- we’ve been talking about them all month...here’s just a FEW examples:

SERVE.

pre-schoolers/nursery- you can simply check-in, lead class, rock babies...there’s a lot of different roles (email Dana)
kids- same here...check-in, help with media, lead a small group, help with mid-week administrative work (on YOUR OWN SCHEDULE!)...and definitely more opportunities (email Bill)
students- leading small groups, helping with events, organizing fundraisers, helping run media, greeting students (email Bill)
the media ministry- help run slides, cameras, directing, lighting, sound (email Mark)
Worship ministry- right now...Mark’s really looking for some extra piano/keyboard players... (email Mark)
First Impressions- maybe you’re interested in greeting, ushering, welcoming people, having a smiling face, opening doors, the Connection Center, MudHouse (contact me)
Mid-Week Staffing- We have all sorts of administrative needs during the week- answering phones, printings, mailings (email Amanda)
Facility- maybe it’s cleaning, light maintenance, construction, prepping classrooms & toys, washing windows (email Sally)

CONNECT.

Though our fall registration for groups is closed, we always have some ongoing groups going, or you can talk to Pastor Linda about the upcoming next semester, and tell her your interest...she’d LOVE to get you connected!
We are ABSOLUTELY convinced that growth in your spiritual journey happens best in circles rather than sitting in rows. Circles where you have the opportunity to be challenged and encouraged by others.

GIVE.

Right now we’ve launched our ALL IN giving initiative. You can grab an envelope in the lobby- for a one time gift as we look to resource and strengthen our ministries as we build and partner with families. EVERY gift matters...from $1 to $350...and for the record...if you feel challenged to give more...that’s officially ok! There are also 3 ways you can give weekly

in our Sunday morning experience,
online
in the Mudhouse at the card kiosk

It’s time to take that step! Whatever that step is...but it’s a step! Take your step, and join us- ALL IN!

Pastor Phil

what REALLY keeps a marriage together...

2011-08-03T09:43:00.000-04:00

Some great thoughts from a guest blogger on Michael Hyatt's blog today.

Here's an excerpt:

So he sits down a couple of weeks ago and right off the bat tells me that he has a question that he desperately needs answered. He tells me that his future depends on it, and that he is afraid because he isn’t able to answer this question.

He asks me what “type” of love keeps a marriage together since their kind obviously didn’t do the trick. I remember sitting for a couple of minutes before answering.

In that time I considered my own marriage of almost thirty-three years, the countless couples I have seen as a therapist, what messages the Church and my upbringing taught, and the dozens of books I’ve read on the subject over the years. I surprised myself by sharing with him the following ideas.

For the whole article, click here.

Football's back...

2011-07-28T06:51:00.001-04:00

and another reason we can be glad football's back...the commercials...

I am Weird

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

Craig Groeschel and his LifeChurch team came up with this video...based on some of those emails I've seen passed around...LOVE this!

Is this your story?

Michael Hyatt on the non-physical benefits of running

2011-07-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Some great thoughts from Michael Hyatt on the non-physical benefits of running. I totally echo his thoughts on this one...running for me, is FAR MORE than just a physical activity. The one thing he didn't add in his post, is that sometimes for me, it can also be amazingly spiritual as well. 2 weeks ago I ran around Mackinac Island on my own, without my ipod, and just had the quiet, and had some incredible conversations with God.

Here's Michael's thoughts:

We all know the physical benefits to running. I won’t waste your time by repeating them here. However, people who don’t run, often miss the non-physical benefits. To me, these are even more valuable than the physical ones.

For the rest of the post, click here.

Be my Obi-Wan...

2011-06-09T08:57:00.000-04:00

There's some spiritual disciplines I've practiced for a while. Some that are just a steady constant in my life. Some that aren't quite as regular as others. Some that I practice on occasion at best. Both Emily and I are avid readers. When we were in Chicago was probably the most that we plowed through books. Until the last few months, we've really jumped our reading up again. The book right now, that I'm looking forward to reading every evening is Gordon MacDonald's, 'Building Below the Waterline'. The book is simply rich. I love reading from a leader who has struggled at times, as well as lead well at times, but now is writing from the perspective of 'looking back'...Emily and I have said that we think learning from his teaching might save us 10 years of struggle of ministry. It's like sitting at the feet of the wise sage.

At New Covenant right now we're doing a series called, 'Parenthood'. One of my favorite parts of the series is that we're gleaning wisdom from parents who have done it. Not perfect...but they've done it. And they have the perspective of looking back over a lifetime. This past week we learned from Tom and Sue who are now great-grandparents, and I feel it's safe to say that they are simply GREAT parents. I felt like I could sit there for another half-hour just picking their brain on parenting principles. This week we'll be learning from a friend who raised her kids on her own as a single mom! SO EXCITED FOR HER TO SHARE!

All that being said, is that I believe the idea of having a mentor may be one of the most UNDERPRACTICED disciplines. Mentoring is simply the idea of passing on what you have...or receiving what someone else has. Parents mentor kids is attitude and heart, and behavior. Mature married couples can mentor other married couples.

There's not the PERFECT MENTOR. I have different people mentoring me in my life. Some through books (MacDonald, Stanley, Collins, etc.). Some through relationship. Different ways.

Bill Hybels says, in Axiom 'Obi-Wan Kenobi isn't for hire.' He says, 'Ditch the Obi-Wan dream and instead seize creative opportunities to learn from a distance from thousands of mentors who have a wealth of wisdom to share (i.e.- books, reading theologians sermons, hearing them speak, etc.). Then from time to time, make a reasonable request from a wise person for a very specific kind of input, and your mentoring needs will be met and maybe even exceeded.'

some of us...

2011-05-11T11:49:00.001-04:00

will be going. you should go. wanna' go? for my new covenant friends, email amanda and let her know you're interested, and we'll hit you up with some follow up information in a few weeks.

Catalyst Atlanta 2011 {Be Present} Preview from Catalyst on Vimeo.

you should go.

(facebook friends...there's a video embedded here)

Sunday Night Thoughts

2011-04-24T22:39:00.000-04:00

Wow. I'm tired. Drained. Exhausted. What an amazing day! This is the good tired, drained, exhausted. We were expecting God to do big things at New Covenant this morning...and there's no question he did! A few thoughts in follow up...at the end of the day.

Why are we not constantly looking for God to do big things? In our lives, in our churches, in our relationships...I mean, sure we say we want him to, or expect him to...but that's difficult when we're always 'waiting for the other shoe to drop'... or when we follow up all of our sentences with, 'Yeah, but...' God's in the business of doing BIG things...we need to open our eyes.
We confronted the lie that 'Good People Go to Heaven.'- Good people don't go to heaven- forgiven people go to heaven. That's good news. That's good news for you...great news for me...incredible news!
One of the greatest things to see is people who had come with friends or family members who had invited them...EVEN BETTER...was seeing some of those friends and family members praying with the ones they had invited! AWESOME!
So in our 1st morning service...I may or may not have lost it...slightly...a little bit...but man...YOU WATCH 30-some kids, teens, adults lead a congregation in acknowledging that we are sons and daughters of God...that'll mess you up...and if it doesn't...check your pulse.
(Speaking of mess you up...the video from Third Day, of Children of God focuses on adoption...check it out)
Handfuls of people...all ages, and backgrounds prayed prayers today...life transforming prayers...prayers of forgiveness...THAT WILL NEVER GROW OLD...THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT...transformed lives!
Maybe for you...you prayed one of those prayers...just trying to point you to potential next steps...here's some great reading plans from YouVersion...make sure to download the app...or use it on your computer...whatever...it's just a tool...but USE IT...dive into God's word.
Build connections...relationships...join up for some of our upcoming Groups...Groups will be launching in May...get ready!
HE HAS RISEN!

Don't dress your daughters like Tramps...

2011-04-20T10:29:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this article from CNN? It's been going around facebook the past few days. I love this guys take on the need for parents to step up in their responsibility when it comes to parenting in general. While he addresses the main issue being that of clothing, and how we're dressing our daughters, I would take it a step further.

The author (LZ Granderson) says at one point, 'I'm my sons father, not his friend.' I really want my kids to like me. I want for some day when my kids are around talking with their friends, and everyone's complaining about their parents, I really want my kids to look at them slightly confused, and say...'I don't know...I love my parents...they're awesome.' That being said...I'll NEVER sacrifice their greater good for my good feelings, for my parenting-self-esteem. I have a responsibility to my children. To help them not only understand right...and wrong...but ultimately, what's wise. (by the way...if you still haven't read 'Best Question Ever'...YOU NEED TO NOW...while it's not necessarily a book on parenting...it's a book on wisdom, AND THAT PLAYS INTO EVERY area of life...READ IT NOW).

Thinking through this makes me also go back and think about the Secret Keeper Girl event that New Covenant hosted a few weeks ago. So thrilled that there are organizations and individuals helping us to fight for our kids.

If you haven't read the article yet, check it out here.

A note to New Covenant...

2011-04-19T14:24:00.002-04:00

Hey New Covenant,

I hope for you the significance of this week isn’t lost. I hope you’re not experiencing this week as another ordinary week, because this is the week that is known as HOLY WEEK! This is the week where we celebrate the FACT that Jesus Christ came, laid down his life on a cross...a torture device...was pierced...nailed to the cross, suffered and bled and died. For you. For me. He took death square on. And he conquered death outright. 3 days later, the stone was rolled away, and the tomb was found empty. And just as your life and my life have gone from an empty tomb to life restored, this Easter is ultimately about restoration. God restoring his people to him. His sons. His daughters.

So what are you doing? This week what are you doing to set aside this time, to focus, to remember. Maybe during your quiet time, you’re reading the story of the Holy Week, and praying that God would show you once again the significance of his sacrificial gift.

Maybe you’re talking and processing it with your kids. How it’s about far more than a bunny or some eggs...here’s a great little booklet you can download, and read through and talk with your kids.

Maybe you’re talking with a friend about what God is revealing to you anew in this season.

Maybe you’re reminded what it means to receive the invitation that Christ extended to you and to me. And in light of the invitation that was extended to us, who will you in turn extend an invitation to? Who will you invite this Easter season to services at New Covenant? Who will you be praying for? What’s their name? Write it down on a post-it. Put it on your mirror. On your dashboard. On your refrigerator. On your oldest child’s forehead. Whatever it takes. Pray for that person who God is prompting you to extend the invitation to, and take ACTION!

Join us Friday night for our Good Friday service (as we’ll be joined by Community Church of God and Clio Church of the Nazarene) at 7pm. The service will be about an hour long, and we’ll focus on the significance of Christ laying his life down on the cross.

And of course Sunday morning, you don’t want to be a minute late to services! We’ll be starting out strong, right at 9:45 & 11:15, so make sure you’re here!

God is and was moving...and while Friday brought pain and death and loss...Sunday’s coming...

See you this weekend!

Pastor Phil

(if you're reading this on FB, there are embedded links on this page. You may need to access this page on my blog at http://www.wideopensecrets.blogspot.com to view the links)

Baseball trash talkin...

2011-04-12T17:27:00.002-04:00

Upside Down wk 1 notes

2011-04-04T11:02:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, at New Covenant we didn't hand out an outline with our first week of Upside Down. In case you were looking for those notes...here they are...

Upsidedownwk1outline PDF

The worst voice of the brand...

2011-04-04T09:41:00.000-04:00

Some great thoughts from Seth. We all see this play out every day too. Some additional thoughts I had are, I always have a tough time hearing an individual, or a company, tell me how great they are because...or, I do THIS really well...or even the idea, that it's a rare product for me, who's commercial fully sells me on the item...OF COURSE THEY THINK IT'S THE GREATEST...but what about other people who have tried the product. What about someone else who speaks to how kind, that individual really is, etc....

The worst voice of the brand is* the brand*

We either ignore your brand or we judge it, usually with too little information. And when we judge it, we judge it based on the actions of the loudest, meanest, most selfish member of your tribe.

When a zealot advocates violence, outsiders see all members of his tribe as advocates of violence.

Read the rest of the post here...

Are you kidding me?

2011-03-31T19:07:00.000-04:00

WHAT'S YOUR GIFT?

this one's NOT mine.

Wow...

Rebecca Black...meet Conan...

2011-03-30T18:16:00.001-04:00

the City Harmonic

2011-03-14T19:07:00.001-04:00

this song is rapidly becoming my favorite.

LOVE IT!

Conan's Last Tonight Show Words

2011-03-12T22:59:00.000-05:00

Some beautiful words that stirred me when I heard him speak them that night, and some beautiful words in some gorgeous typography. Cool video.

Conan O'Brien Kinetic Typography from Jacob Gilbreath on Vimeo.

Advance

2011-03-05T12:33:00.002-05:00

Last night at the New Covenant, Sr High gathering, I talked about an intensive that I'll be launching with Sr. High students starting NEXT Saturday (March 12th) for 10 weeks. Here's the information I handed out...

Saturday’s- 10am-12pm- March 12, 2011-May 14, 2011
Advance is for Senior High students ready to take their next steps in their faith journey. As a part of Advance you will be challenged, pushed, and urged to move further in your faith than ever before. There will be a focus on leadership, spiritual disciplines, and serving. As a part of this 10 week adventure you will join Phil & Emily and :

Participate in regular weekly gatherings/discussion for 10 weeks
Read 3 books that will help to shape you in your journey

The Next Generation Leader- Andy Stanley
Mere Christianity- C.S. Lewis
Integrity- Dr. Henry Cloud

Participate in 2 fasts

3 day fast- at the beginning of the group
5 day fast- at the end of the group

Participate in 2 serving opportunities

This is not your nana’s youth group. This is the Navy Seals level of intensity in your student ministry experience. This WILL be a life impacting, life shaping, intensive!

Pray about it. Will you make the commitment? Due to the intensity of this study, we ask that you commit to being there weekly, without absence, as well as staying current on all the reading. We do understand that due to the time frame of the year that your family MAY have plans to be out of town for Spring Break, or something else. If you must miss for something like that, that’s ok, but please do not miss more than twice.

If you know ahead of time that you’re going to miss more than twice, please don’t make the commitment, and pray about it, as we plan on offering future opportunities.

To register, click here.

blessed, and it's not fair.

2011-02-23T18:10:00.000-05:00

I'm blessed beyond reason.

Seriously. It's unbelievable how much I'm blessed. You know how some people (usually kids, but often times whiny adults) throw out the whole...'It's not fair' bit? It's true...it's not fair how much I'm blessed.

Especially for me. I know my junk. I know the stuff I'm guilty of. I know the thoughts I've had. I know the mean thoughts I've had towards others. The judgmental thoughts I have wrestled with. The 'I've got it all figured out' arrogance. The way I've short-changed my wife or my kids at times. The excuses I've made at times, when really I just needed to own up to something.

It's not fair how much I'm blessed.

I'm thankful that the idea of grace overwhelms the idea of karma. The principle that so many buy into of you get what you deserve...grace knocks it out of balance.

I want to be someone who shows radical grace. Who offers grace that's first been offered to me. Someone who is simply moon-like, as the moon reflects the sun, that I might reflect the grace that Christ offered me.

It's not fair. Grace...it really isn't fair.

Sunday Night Thoughts

2011-01-23T22:29:00.000-05:00

Wow...what a day!

New Covenant folks...I LOVE what God is doing in our midst. We took some time today...less talking...more praying.
So proud of many of the students in our church, not just the ones who had opportunity to share today what God's been doing in their life, but the students who stood by the doors in the sub-zero temperatures greeting people, the students who served in the media department, the kids department, the backstage team...we have students ALL over the place at New Covenant and I couldn't be more proud of you guys.
This week, Dana, our preschool director sent a letter out regarding some strong and urgent needs in the preschool department. WOW...were we overwhelmed by the response that Dana got after the services...NEW COVENANT...YOU SAW A NEED AND STEPPED UP!
11 people brought into membership today! First time in several years and THRILLED to have couples, singles, people who have been coming to NC for YEARS, and people who have been coming for a few months step up and say that they understand that they are part of the body of Christ! Way to go guys!
Spent time praying with families and individuals who are struggling in both services today. Relational needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, health needs, friends who are in good seasons right now and desire to see more growth...just some strong time of prayer.
Stopped by an area hospital this afternoon to spend some time praying and hanging out with a couple of different people from our church community. Pray for them with me if you would. These are prayers that are recognizing that God ultimately is the great physician.
The worship team...you guys brought it today...thank you all for ushering us to the throne...to that place where we are reminded that the story is NOT ABOUT US.
KEEP UP WITH THE NEW THRU 30!!! Don't give up now. This is one of those make it or break it weeks...it's easy to feel good about an accomplishment thus far, but the goal is NOT NewThru14. Keep it up!

what endures...

2011-01-19T13:16:00.000-05:00

Some great thoughts on the Orange blog. This is true whether you're a parent, or whether you're a follower of Christ, or whether you're trying to get physically healthy.

I love new year’s resolutions, but some of them have melted away by now. And if not, give it till June. Most resolutions get broken or only partially realized. I’m not saying we never change, but tell me if this isn’t true:

We often judge ourselves by our intentions, not by our actions. But we judge others by their actions, not their intentions.

I might give myself marks for effort…or kudos for a desire to change. At least I tried. But in the end, most people (including my family) will assess my life not by what I intended, but by what I actually did.

Read the whole article here.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2011-01-17T12:30:00.001-05:00

So thankful for people like Martin Luther King, Jr. OBVIOUSLY for what he did, but not just for the what. But the how. Thankful for the way he lived his life. Thankful for the way he insisted the bar be raised. Thankful he raised the bar. Thankful for his leadership. Thankful for his influence. Thankful for his change. Thankful for his inspiration.

You can read his whole, 'I've been to the mountaintop' speech here...his final speech...who could've known that the next day he would be murdered.

I love this quote from this speech:

I would turn to the Almighty, and say, "If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the 20th century, I will be happy."

Now that's a strange statement to make, because the world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land; confusion all around. That's a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men, in some strange way, are responding.

See a clip of it here (I'll be showing this to my kids later today, while we talk about the significance of this man's life):

Thanks to Amanda for sending this song from Patti Griffin:

Sunday Night Thoughts

2011-01-16T21:20:00.000-05:00

Man...what a day. Today at New Covenant we talked about the value and need of prayer. Yeah, I know, we all agree. We need to pray. Honestly, even my friends who wouldn't say their followers of Christ, or Christians say they pray. I have a little confusion over that...but none the less, most of us would talk about the NEED for prayer.

SO PUMPED with how many people are taking on the New Thru 30 challenge! Keep it up guys!
Prayer should be like breathing...a constant.
One of the best books I ever read was Hybels, 'Too Busy Not to Pray'. Need some direction on this topic? PICK IT UP!
In the body of our church right now, there are a number of LIFE-CHANGING issues going on right now...sickness, death, divorce, pain, struggle, depression, financial ruin, etc...part of the churches responsibility that we see in James 5:13-18 is to pray for and with one another.
How consistently are you PRAYING for others?
How consistently are you allowing others to pray for you?
Confess our sins to one another, doesn't just mean to ask for forgiveness...but to also find other men and women who are chasing after Christ, who can challenge us...push us...encourage us...so that they may pray with us.
In the 2nd service I said something about how our New Thru 30 challenge is NOT a spiritual holier-than-thou deal...but I then joked about maybe we should try that...NO...WE ARE BETTER than you (in an over the top joke...) to which my mic than cracked louder than I was comfortable with. God likes to bring me back to center often.
Tomorrow...PRAY. Tonight...Pray...as you close your eyes...PRAY.

Like breathing.

New Thru 30 (Day 5)

2011-01-12T21:10:00.001-05:00

I'm LOVING the New Thru 30 reading plan. ~~I don't know if anyone else is...~~ Who am I kidding...I've had great conversations with several people about some of the great insights they've been gaining. Adults and students alike.

So today in our reading plan (by the way, it was discovered today, that there's a discrepancy from the PDF and the handout file we were given vs. the YouVersion plan...which is ironic, because they both come from the same source). Oh well...I'm working through the printed out plan, which is what I recommend, as it spreads out the gospels, and you can keep coming back to the different perspectives of Jesus life, and in today's reading, we go from Matthew, into Acts, which just flows incredibly.

In the reading's today, I'm struck many times towards the end of Matthew, to the crowd's chanting for wanting Jesus crucified, to Peter's denial OF a denial, to his actual denial, to the scattering and other denials of Jesus' followers, to the beginning of Acts, as Peter is pointing out to people...'by the way, this WAS the promised Messiah...this WAS the one...and YOU killed him'. I guess it gets me wondering, where would I have fallen in that crowd at that time.

I think for too many of us, we fall into crowd mentality. I don't know if it's just the way people are made, but it takes us back to the playground. One kid picks on another kid, then there's 3, 5, 8 kids... Where would I have been in that scene?

And I guess with that idea, what about now? Where do I...we...you...fall in the crowd now? It's funny to me that for so many of us, this New Thru 30 idea is so foreign, so abnormal, so weird, so 'extreme' or radical. Because it's easier for us to take our churchianity in small pop-culture morsels. It's easier for us to sing a song, check Christian on our facebook religious views status, than it is for us to really take some serious steps AGAINST the crowd, against the 'normal', and towards commitment, towards our faith, towards action that backs up what we SAY we believe...whether that's reading the New Testament in a short amount of days, sponsoring a child, fighting injustices in the world, or simply loving my neighbor.

Tomorrow...what steps will you take? Perhaps weird IS good.

New Thru 30 (Day4)

2011-01-11T10:16:00.000-05:00

New Covenant is kicking the year off strong by reading the New Testament in 30 days. I think it's a safe bet that most of our people have never read the entire New Testament, let alone a better part of it. So I'm pretty thrilled to have so many of us journeying along the way. So I thought over the next several weeks, I'd blog some of my thoughts from the different passages we're reading. I'd also love a couple of guest bloggers, so if you're interested, send me a message, and we'll try and work something out.

(there's a strong chance as I jot down these thoughts I may interchange the words You or I/Me...obviously this is an all-swim here)

Matthew 14:9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted10 and had John beheaded in the prison.11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.

Jesus suffering through grief. It seems like lately around me I've seen a lot of people having to wrestle through the emotion of grief. There is something about being still. About embracing the discipline of solitude (which is different from the escapism idea of burying the head under the pillow).

11 What goes into your mouth does not defile you, but what comes out of your mouth, that is what defiles you.”

In yesterday's reading, we read a familiar passage, where Jesus says, 'out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.' (Mt. 12:34). It makes me think about those flippant times, where I've said something off the cuff, and then later try to make repairs with the classic,'well...I didn't mean it...' THAT DOESN'T CUT IT! Out of the overflow of the heart...perhaps we need to guard our hearts better than we do. This is true for me.

Matthew 21:31-Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

One of the dangers I think in our Pop Culture Christianity that too many of us have subscribed too, is that in many ways we're not all that different from the Pharisees and Sadducees. We just call it something different. Whatever you WANT to call it. But the truth is that too many of us are still more concerned with following the rules, getting the spiritual checklist done, impressing the right people, giving the 'right answers', making sure we're sitting in the right seat at church, etc. and we've lost the heart of the gospel. Yet, there WILL be prostitutes and tax collectors (and name the ones that our Christian culture would consider the worst of the worst) who we least expect who will enter the kingdom of God, because they saw the way of God, and his righteousness, and it was the heart that was transformed!

for the record...I can't think of a better way to start off a new year.

2010 by Google

2010-12-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

2010. What a year!

Radio Silence

2010-12-26T08:52:00.000-05:00

Well, as of this afternoon, I'll be going dark. Under the cover of night. Maintaining Radio silence. At least as far as facebook, twitter, and the ol' blog goes. I love all things social networking, but the truth is, if anything I acknowledge that I may have a borderline addiction. So that being said, the church gives us the week after Christmas off, so I'll be taking that time with the family, and then we have family vacation coming up, January 1-8 with my parents, and my brother and his family. We're going to get away...head south, for a big family vacation that has been a bit of a dream vacation for all of us for years...so saving...budgeting...counting down the days, and we've arrived...

and i will not allow any borderline addictions to get in the way. So that being said, social networking...I'll see you again on January 9th, and not a day before!

(and if I'm tempted to cheat, and you see me on one of those, you're allowed to slap my wrists with a yard stick)

Family idea...

2010-12-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Not 100% sure if I mentioned this on here or not...but one of our FAVORITE family routines this year has been our family devotions. Perhaps routine is a bit too liberal of a word. Sometimes we do it 3 nights in a row. Sometimes we might go 5 or 6 days without reading it.

We've been reading through the bible, using this AWESOME version of the Storybook Bible: The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

ALL OF US thoroughly enjoy it! There's moments I'm reading it and find myself stirred. The art work in it is GORGEOUS. And it all points to the central theme of Christ...maybe this would make a GREAT Christmas present for your family...and more than the book...the gift of TIME.

Check it out here!

Pomplamoose Deck the Halls

2010-12-18T08:36:00.003-05:00

These guys are just some of the most creative people out there...LOVE ME SOME POMPLAMOOSE!

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;I just love these guys...love their creativity...love a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Embedded Video Here

wow...world-changing tools

2010-12-17T20:02:00.000-05:00

IMPRESSIVE! Apps like these are potential world-changers...the sky's the limit!

What could YOU use this for?

(embedded video: click here for original source)

wow

2010-12-17T14:30:00.002-05:00

You've GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Unbelievable! Not sure if you've seen this yet or not...with 5 million views plus, there's a strong chance you have. WOW.

(Video Embedded: facebook readers, click here for the link)

oh yeah...ht to jeremy for posting this.

Christmas ideas

2010-12-06T14:13:00.001-05:00

We've been journeying through the Advent Conspiracy this...well...Advent Season here at New Covenant. We've talked about spending less on the trinkets, the stuff, the junk, the stuff that we're simply buying to cross off a list. And focusing on giving more...to those in true need...giving more intentionally...giving more thoughtfully...to those closest to us...all of the above there.

Michael Hyatt had some great ideas that go along with all we've been talking about as far as 'getting one, giving one', and 'Growing Generosity in Your Kids at Christmas Time'.

First, why not start a tradition. Along with creating their own “wish list,” your kids make out a list of the gifts they plan to give away to others. This could include people they know and perhaps people they don’t know. The gifts can be ones they buy with their own money, or some of their own possessions they treasure.

Christmas reading plan

2010-11-30T10:56:00.000-05:00

I'm a HUGE fan of YouVersion. I probably use YouVersion's bible reader app on my ipod about 50% of the time for my bible reading...i love taking notes in their journal...alongside...having other versions available...just a great resource.

Maybe for you this Christmas you'd like to be intentional about jumping into the scriptures and staying centered on the true kingdom...the true idea of Advent. Here's a note I got from YouVersion.

Christmas Reading Plan
Because we want to help you interact with the Bible in fresh ways, we recently added a special Christmas Reading Plan. (If you don’t already know about reading plans, they’re great tools to help you read through the whole Bible, or just portions of it.) If you start the “Rediscovering the Christmas Season” plan on December 1, you can experience the true Christmas story—direct from the source, along with supporting material to help you understand its significance—just in time for Christmas Day. (But don’t wait…You can get started right now!)

Weekend of transitions

2010-11-22T08:41:00.004-05:00

So this weekend MAY have been one of the most significant weekends of my adult life. That makes it sound far more dramatic than I certainly need it to, but I definitely don't take any of this weekends happenings lightly.

In 2000, I left Spring Arbor to accept the position of Pastor of Student Ministries at New Covenant. While it WAS my senior year, I still had about another year worth of credits to go. After trying to commute for one semester (2 hours one way...several times a week), I thought...enough of that, I'll figure something out later. Well later became MUCH later, and for years I just sat with my bachelor's degree NEARLY finished, but not quite, hanging above my head.

So, in 2006, I started Spring Arbor's degree completion program that was RIGHT HERE in Flint...it was a 15 month program...one night a week...intensive...but I was ready for it. Well, in the summer of 2007, I transitioned to Willow to join the jr. high staff for the opportunity of a lifetime...so I dropped out once more (with the INTENTION of completing through online opportunities).

However, when God led me back to Clio, in 2008, I decided enough was enough, I have to have this completed...so I strapped on the boots (these are metaphorical boots, as far as I know there are no REAL college boots) and started pounding out the necessary classes.

This weekend I walked. I received my degree. In some ways, truthfully, a bit embarrassed that I didn't do it YEARS ago. In other ways so encouraged...I DID IT! I got it done...FINALLY...I've been looking at several masters programs for a few years, but it turns out they really prefer you have your bachelors...whaddya' know? So maybe in a year or 2 we'll take a look at that. SO THANKFUL! And I said it on my twitter feed, but my wife has REALLY made this all possible! ABSOLUTELY incredible! So thankful for her support and all she's done!

So then yesterday, it ALL came full circle. I was very humbled and blessed as the Superintendent of our conference (he's much more than that to Emily and I...bit of a mentor...pastor...friend), Dan Shinabarger spoke on prayer, the need to support one another in prayer, the church in prayer, the pastor's in prayer...everything.

He gave the classic illustration of Moses holding his arms up...the battle was being won...but when he dropped his arms from being too tired...the Israelites would lose...then he held them up again...they'd win..and finally Aaron and Hur stood alongside him and held his arms up...Dan had me come on stage, hold a staff, (which I thought the illustration was going to be about 5-8 minutes...it was for MOST of his message). But he then had members of the New Covenant church body come up. I was really moved as others would spontaneously jump up and help hold my arms up...it was really a powerful experience...at least for me...I suspect for others as well yesterday.

Finally at the end of the service there was a consecration element, where Dan, Roger, and our Ministry Board all prayed over Emily and myself, blessed the ministry, prayed prayers of protection over the church, over our family, over the body...

At the same time those in the congregation who had needs also stood up to be prayed for. From what I understand between both services there was 150-200 people who stood up.

This is a long post...I understand that...I guess in reflection, as I think about all those that asked for prayer...as I think about the new season of ministry that we're stepping into...as I think about the degree FINALLY being completed...as I think about the ordination vows and courses being completed this past summer...as I think about the stuff that Emily and I have been walking through on the personal end of things (family deaths...hospitalizations, etc.)...as I think about the marathon...this past year of life has found me in more prayer than EVER BEFORE. That can't stop. That needs to increase. More of him. Less of me.

May I decrease, so HE may increase.

Creating New Habits

2010-11-22T08:35:00.000-05:00

and once again, Michael Hyatt bringing the wisdom...

The pin oak tree (quercus palustris for you budding dendrologists) provides a fitting metaphor. One feature of this tree is that it retains its leaves during the winter months. Though the leaves die in the fall, they remain attached to the oak’s branches until the new leaves appear in the spring and push the old ones off the branch.
You could, of course, remove these leaves by hand. But that is a time-consuming and pointless exercise. The leaves will come off on their own when the new growth appear in the spring.

Bad habits are similar. You can focus your attention on eliminating them. Or, you can focus on developing positive habits. As you do so, you will naturally—and more easily—remove the bad habits.

Read the rest of the post here.

Transitions

2010-11-17T17:24:00.000-05:00

there's been A LOT going on lately. Including this...here's an email we sent out earlier this afternoon to the New Covenant family:

Dear New Covenant family,

We wanted to let you all know about something that has been in the works for a while, and will be made official this Sunday (the 21^st). Most of you know that since Pastor Dale left in 2008, the process has been Pastor Roger leading our church and helping to prepare Pastor Phil to become the Lead Pastor here at New Covenant. In that time Phil has completed many different agreed upon requirements and training elements, and this transition season will culminate this Sunday as Superintendent Dan Shinabarger takes time during our morning experiences to lead a consecration service and install Pastor Phil as the Lead Pastor here at New Covenant.

Please make sure to join us for what is sure to be a great morning as Superintendent Dan brings the message, and we will also be celebrating what the kids in our Children’s and Pre-school ministry have done with collecting canned goods to give to families in need!

It’s going to be an exciting morning (and there’s even rumors that this might mean Phil has to wear a suit!)!

NC Staff

We (New Covenant and my family as well) totally covet and appreciate your prayers as we get ready for this whole new season and transition...

I'll have more thoughts on this in the next few days.

problems and constraints

2010-11-08T09:52:00.000-05:00

still don't have time to get the blog thoughts rolling like i want. so in the meanwhile, i'm giving you content that should make you pause. maybe that's the new catch-phrase...'content that makes you pause'.

GREAT thoughts from Seth on problems and constraints-

Problems and constraints

Gravity is a constraint. If you're a designing an airplane, it would be a lot easier without gravity as a concern, but hey, it's not going away.
A problem is solvable. A constraint must be lived with.
For years, Apple viewed retail distribution as a constraint. They had to live with cranky independent computer stores, or big box mass merchants that didn't display or sell their products well.
Using the internet and then their own stores, they eventually realized that this was actually a problem that could be solved, and it changed everything for them.
On the other hand, there are countless entrepreneurs who believe they can solve problems relating to funding or technology that are out of reach given their scale or background. They'd be better off if they accepted them as constraints and designed around them.
The art is in telling them apart.

in case you're not, you HAVE to subscribe to Seth. too brilliant to NOT be following him.

Seth on voting...

2010-11-01T11:08:00.000-04:00

Seth Godin has some great insights on voting being misunderstood...

This year, fewer than 40% of voting age Americans will actually vote.

That is such a big problem...but read on as to how Seth points out part of the flaws in the system...

CROWDER BRILLIANCE...

2010-10-25T18:29:00.000-04:00

I have LOVED me some David Crowder for the past few years...and they've just created a BRILLIANT art piece known to some as a music video for their most recent single...

(fb friends...make sure to come over to my blog to check it out...the embedded videos typically don't translate over to fb)

Here's some stats from Billboard.com on the making of this video...

2,150 man hours,
700,000 pegs
1,200 Lite Brite images
83 friends
148 pizzas

Great Music!

2010-10-25T18:24:00.001-04:00

thanks Evan!

All the Poor and Powerless from Journey Franklin on Vimeo.

tape art

2010-10-21T19:26:00.005-04:00

LOVE CREATIVES!
(note...fb friends...video embedded...click here to check it out)

TapeArt - Fejzo & Luka Ursic from Multipraktik on Vimeo.

wow...

2010-10-21T18:25:00.000-04:00

You can thank me later for enhancing your life...

Gungor

2010-10-15T18:14:00.000-04:00

and I had my first introduction to Gungor...and I WILL be downloading all sorts of stuff from these guys...

Classic Catalyst 2009

2010-10-14T00:06:00.000-04:00

Sorry...this week is paper week...you're not getting much content aside from videos.

Trust me though...they're worth it. Still relishing Catalyst last week...stellar. I made it to probably the first 5 or 6 in a row, and then back this year...some INCREDIBLE moments along the way...it's challenging, inspiring, encouraging, and they utilize creativity and humor as well...

You really should join us next year.

Bowlin' (featuring Chris Tomlin)

2010-10-11T18:24:00.000-04:00

Catalyst was great for many reasons. I'm hoping to have some time to debrief on here later this week (although i'm pounding out my project thesis this week and getting ready for the marathon...)

in the meanwhile, enjoy tripp and tyler, (with a little help from Chris Tomlin)

more on restoration...

2010-10-10T11:31:00.000-04:00

Today at New Covenant I'm speaking on Matthew 18 and the idea of what happens when you've been wronged (especially by another follower of Christ.)

This is a DIFFICULT message in preparation, but I guess at the end of the day, i'm just going to base this on the clear constant message of what Christ calls us to, not what's easier for a lot of us.

Came across a GREAT article here that may help make this more practical for you this week.

Rebuilding Detroit...a blank canvas...

2010-10-04T07:40:00.000-04:00

I love creatives.
I love possibility.
I love the blank canvas.
Maybe it's not just Detroit's story.
Maybe it's your story.
Maybe it's my story.

Top Airplay...

2010-10-01T21:40:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Mark, this song has probably been the most played for me in the past 2-3 weeks...period...such a great tune!

and i LOVE this acoustic version of the song...

Check out more from NeedtoBreathe...

Sports moments...

2010-09-30T21:55:00.000-04:00

Sports don't build character...they reveal character.

Great moment from a high school football game in Washington this past Friday night. A junior with Down Syndrome scored his teams only touchdown in a 35-6 loss.

I LOVE moments like this...it's what sports should be about...the heart of the champion.

User-friendly churches

2010-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

GREAT thoughts from Steven Furtick this morning...

A common critique that I hear about “seeker sensitive” churches is that their message is too simple and accessible. The feeling stems from the fact that we tend to believe that if something has been made more plain and obvious, the message must have been compromised.
But this isn’t always the case.

User-friendly doesn’t have to mean dumbed down.

Read the whole post here...some GREAT thoughts!

Make sure to pick up Pastor Steven's book Sun Stand Still ...mine just showed up in the mail...just getting started!

Pomplamoose+Ben Folds+Nick Hornby+Collision=BRILLIANCE

2010-09-28T20:38:00.006-04:00

I've loved Pomplamoose for a while...Ben Folds is musical/lyrical/story-telling genius...and Nick Hornby...well I'm truthfully not all that familiar with him. But I dig him after THIS...

the Future of the Book...

2010-09-25T09:00:00.001-04:00

I've heard it said that 'Leaders are Readers' and 'Leaders are Learners'...and if both of those axioms are true that's ever so true in today's CONSTANTLY changing and evolving world. Whether that's in context of the spiritual formation, leadership, team development, technology, society, cultural...whatever...we MUST be striving for constant learning.

Michael Hyatt posted this over at his blog...incredible intersections of technology and reading are right ahead of us! AWESOME!

The Future of the Book. from IDEO on Vimeo.

One step at a time...

2010-09-24T16:30:00.004-04:00

Some of you know I began running in 2008. My doctor said i was obese. I didn't like that a lot. I disagreed, but none the less she still called me that. So my friends in Chicago (Jon, Leah, Jason and I) started running...doing the stairs at Willow (Leah brought a medicine ball in at one point and we did the stairs with that)...they introduced me to planks...and the journey began.

I did my first 5k in Chicago. Loved it. At the end of the summer I did the 8k at the Crim. The summer after that (09) I did my first full 10 mile Crim. It was great...I was pretty sure that was about my limit though immediately after the race.

Bryan and I became friends...running partners...(and by partner i mean I severely hold him back with my top speed being under his average speed...but he's a good friend), during 09 in preparation for the Crim and last Thanksgiving while watching the Biggest Loser competitiors do a Marathon, I thought...if they can do it, I should be able to...so I texted Bryan and we've been aiming for October 17th, Detroit Free Press Marathon since.

Our miles are getting up there...we did over 18 this week on Wednesday...we're getting close.

I saw this guys story though...and thought...I can so relate to it.

All it takes is ONE STEP AT A TIME...

by the way...stay tuned...we decided...we're going to be running for more than ourselves...more on that to come...

What will they say when you're gone?

2010-09-24T06:30:00.001-04:00

A GREAT post from Michael Hyatt about developing a life plan...and taking Stephen Covey's advice of starting with the end in mind.

What will they say about you at your funeral? There's still time to shape that thought if you're reading this line...

Here's an excerpt:

Write down what each person says. Imagine that the people who mattered the most to you have five minutes to speak. What did they most appreciate about you? What did your life mean to them? What impact did it have? What have they lost with your passing? Write these words down as though you were that person. A paragraph for each should be sufficient.

Read the rest here.

What to do when your kids bring home Bad Grades...

2010-09-22T17:05:00.005-04:00

Ken Coleman had a great One Question for Marcus Buckingham (INCREDIBLE author of great books like, Now Discover Your Strengths, The Truth About You and much more)...

Plain and simply...

'What do you do when your kids bring home bad grades?'

Check it out here at OneQuestion

Monday Morning thoughts...

2010-09-20T09:04:00.000-04:00

Had another great morning yesterday at New Covenant with week 2 of I Love My Church! We've been so thrilled with people's response so far, and I'm REALLY pumped for this week's final message of this series!

A few morning reflections...

It's not taking Mark and the band long at all to get the gears turning at a high level! They led in an awesome set yesterday...and frankly, How He Loves (enjoy Kim Walker's version if you haven't heard that one before...) is a song that will stop me in my tracks every time.
We talked about how the Church is the BRIDE of Christ...
Think back to the most beautiful wedding you ever attended...what if...as the bride was walking down the aisle, some punk from the back started booing, started yelling, started obviously talking loudly about how bad she looked...how awful that would be? Pretty sure that could be the worlds most awkward wedding...or as you introduced your wife to a co-worker, or someone you had just met, he ignored her, or kinda' gave you one of those 'hmmm...sorry about that man...' looks, or just spit on her...
Those things would be ridiculous, and no one would judge a guy for going all Karate Kid on a guy who did either of those things...yet that's how some of us wind up treating the bride of Christ. We insult her, ignore her, say she's not good enough, or just spit on her.
Church shouldn't just be seen as an Option, but as an Opportunity!
Christ said to Peter...you are the rock...I will build my church upon you...upon which the gates of death...the gates of hell shall not conquer! That's pretty strong language for the role of the church.
The paint in the can is nice and pretty in the can...but it's useless...until it's applied to the wall. Where is it that God is calling you to apply what we're talking about?
THIS IS THE LAST WEEK TO REGISTER FOR GROUPS!!! You HAVE to sign up for a group! Life Transformation simply happens best in the context of shared relationships! Quit making excuses.
People were asking about the I Love My Church shirts that Mark and I were sporting...some might even say...stylin' and profilin'...thanks to Amanda Whitsel for getting those printed up.
I was stopped by a gal who told me a great story from OnePrayer which we participated in June, with thousands of other churches from all around the world. During one of our weeks we showed a message from my friend Scott Hodge from The Orchard Community Church in Aurora, Illinois. Her daughter happened to be visiting New Covenant that weekend and had just moved to the Aurora area. She thought maybe she'd check out Scott's church when she got home and just never really got around to it. I believe it was a few weeks later when this daughter had a work meeting at an area restaurant...and sure enough Scott walked in. I believe the mom said that she wound up seeing Scott 3 times that day...and started assuming God was trying to get her attention. I believe she has just recently started attending the Orchard for their Mirrors series. Just so cool...

Spiritual Development Survey

2010-09-16T09:02:00.000-04:00

Well...i'm in the midst of working on my project thesis...pretty big deal.

Part of the project is data collection, and so I'm needing a little help...would you mind helping?

If you could take 2 minutes and just fill out this form based on your spiritual journey...that'd be great. Truthfully this survey is probably designed for someone who would consider themselves a Christ-follower.

Here's the link. Thanks a lot!

Lemonade:Detroit

2010-09-16T08:20:00.000-04:00

I'm a big believer that this area...Flint, Detroit, Michigan, etc., is in the (albeit slow) process of turning around. It's EASY to focus on the negative. No question. There's a lot. But I think there's A LOT of positive brewing...here's a glimpse of a documentary (and by the small glimpse of this trailer...well shot), called Lemonade:Detroit.

Very cool.

Lemonade: Detroit Trailer from Erik Proulx on Vimeo.

Love Week...

2010-09-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

So we challenged the New Covenant folk during the month of July with the idea of 'Servolution' and getting their minds around what it means to live a serving-oriented life...how that's what we as Christ followers are called to. And we began hinting that during our Family Series in August we were going to challenge NC to what we were calling Love Week (straight up thanks to Elevation Church for their launching and inspiration of Love Week, and Josh and Chris for their help plotting it out and thinking it through).

So the goal was for us as a church to serve our community (and we make up several communities...so it was to serve...SEVERAL communities) for a total of 500 hours. We thought if everyone served an hour we'd be well over that...but it's the summer, and sometimes stuff takes a little time to catch on...blah...blah...blah.

So we set the goal at 500 not knowing if that was to big...too small...who knows...

During the week, people could turn the hours in online and then on Sunday the 29th we collected hours (for people who shied away from Al Gore's inter-webs). We got a whole range of things that people did. We organized a few 'all-swim' serving opportunities: Park clean-ups, serving with angel-food, downtown pick-up, blood drives, etc. We also saw people:

pulling clothes together to donate
serving at local hospitals
TEACHING FREE prenatal classes to mom's who couldn't afford it
filling up strangers gas cans on the highway
cleaning up neighborhoods
help college students move in
fix neighbors plumbing issues
babysitting
sorting & filling food pantries
sending notes of encouragement
clean up after community festivals
gave away senior picture sessions to families who couldn't afford it
repaired handicap ramps
visited nursing homes
mowed lawns
made blankets and gave them to local fast food employees
making cookies & giving them to neighbors
visiting homebound neighbors

I LOVE MY CHURCH! New Covenant stepped up to the challenge and wound up serving their community OVER 894 hours!!!! And that's just what was reported!

Love Week will become part of our DNA. Not just as a once-a-year, serve deal, but part of who we are as followers of Christ in the Mid-Michigan community. We will be a church who looks out for more than ourselves. We will be a church who focuses on meeting the needs, right where they're at.

Great job New Covenant! I'm PROUD to be a part of what God is doing here!

Be UNREASONABLE...

2010-09-14T07:55:00.002-04:00

Some GREAT thoughts from Craig Groeschel...

Here's a small excerpt...

Truthfully, under many circumstances, “Be reasonable” is sound advice—but not always.
As Christian leaders, there are times to be unreasonable.
When you pray, you might ask God to do something most consider impossible or unreasonable. Pray unreasonable prayers.
When you seek God, He might lead you to do something others consider undoable. Empowered by God, do unreasonable things.

Check out Craig's full post here.

In case you missed it...

2010-09-13T17:57:00.001-04:00

It seemed to sneak up on me in mid-august...somehow I had missed the release of the new Passion Album, Awakening. If you missed it too...PICK IT UP NOW! Solid stuff...I've found myself listening to it on my runs, during quiet times, during family dance parties, reflection times, long trips, over...and over...and over.

Crowder's song, 'Like a Lion' has been the anthem in my head that I've woken up to on MORE than 1 morning.

Check it out...

Monday Morning thoughts...

2010-09-13T09:08:00.001-04:00

Launched our new I Love My Church series yesterday at New Covenant. Really excited for what I believe God's going to do through this series.
We're going to be talking about the Church (big c), as well as the church (little c), our role, responsibility, if church really matters...that whole conversation.
(Editor Update: We TOTALLY blasted past our goal for Love Week. I'll have a stand alone blog post for that one on Wednesday. Can't even tell you how pumped I was about that!
A couple of different thoughts from the morning:

Love the song that Mark and the band introduced us to...for a bunch of us, that was the first time...Your Love Never Fails!!!
Jesus STILL loves Spartan fans, I'm not going to say he loves UofM fans more...but....
I shared about my love for the GREATEST popcorn in the world! EPIC popcorn! (I will confess...even while simply grabbing the link for this post, I thought about ordering some online..WOW...so good.)
Why is it that we have no problem sharing about our love for our popcorn...but our love for our church? What about our love for THE Church?
Just as God led Ezekiel into the Valley of Dry Bones, you may find yourself there too. Maybe it's your spiritual condition...maybe it's the condition of the Church today.
God brings DEATH TO LIFE! I can't tell you how much that statement pumps me up! The places in MY life that I thought were just gone or done...GOD BRINGS TO LIFE! That's true for your life too!
Death to Life is a common theme in the scriptures. It's the theme OF the scriptures- Creation, The Fall, Redemption, Restoration (if you've heard us talk about this idea before, but are still trying to fully embrace it/comprehend it/understand it...as perhaps we all are...Catalyst did a GREAT video on this for one of their West Coast conferences. Check it out here).
God is in the business of bringing death...TO LIFE! It's what he does!
Shared the story of Lazarus (on a side note...I was pumped to meet a few people seeking out this Jesus thing who knew NOTHING about the scriptures yesterday. The story of Lazarus among many others is unknown to them! LOVE IT! So humbled that God would entrust us with such a big deal!!!)
Still one of my favorite lines in the King James Version...
When Jesus says, that he is the Resurrection and the life, that anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die...this is one of the most powerful lines in scripture...but what do you think those who were with him were thinking?
Through the Life that Christ offers...YOUR POTENTIAL IN CHRIST IS UNLIMITED!!!
John 15:4- Remain in me, and I will remain in you! WHAT A HUGE PROMISE!
What would it look like, for a church who FULLY UNDERSTOOD their potential in Christ?!?

I talked to a couple people later in the day, who a) have either been feeling like they're stuck in the Valley...or have come through it recently...man...don't forget, Satan is the father of lies, who all week long is going to try to continue to trip you up over another dry bone and another dry bone...yet Christ brings those things to life!

Little lies and Small promises.

2010-08-31T12:02:00.000-04:00

Seth Godin. You are money.
We talked about the Ten Commandments at New Covenant for the month of August in our annual Family Series that we called 10ForTheWin. Do Not Lie. That's a tough commandment. I think that doesn't just include the blatant ones. It includes promises. It includes white lies. It includes exaggerating. We've all caught ourselves at times, thinking, 'well the story would be a little better if...'

Seth nails it here in this great post:

excerpt:
You can already guess the problem with little lies. They blur the line, and they lead (pretty quickly) to big lies. The worst kind of little lies are the ones you make to yourself. Once you're willing to lie to yourself, you're also willing to cheat at golf, and after that, it's all downhill.

Read the whole article here

Good stuff from Granger...

2010-08-27T07:08:00.001-04:00

Nice.

Robin In The 'Hood from Granger Community on Vimeo.

We go to KidStuf

2010-08-27T00:00:00.001-04:00

LOVE NorthPoint. Love what they do. Love their heart. LOVE this video.

Spiderman Catch take 2

2010-08-25T20:37:00.001-04:00

Just awesome!

Chandlers on Leading Your Family through Suffering

2010-08-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

Matt Chandler is an incredible pastor, communicator and man of God. We have some different theological perspectives...but that's neither here nor there, especially in regards to what they have been going through. I guess that's not fully true that it's neither here nor there, but that's not the focus of this post.

Matt was diagnosed, I believe toward the end of last year with brain cancer. He's got a young family, beautiful wife. He leads a vibrant church. God has really been using him. And then cancer. Here's a bit of the back story if you're unfamiliar (click here).

Anyhow, I came across this incredible video of Matt and his wife Lauren being interviewed regarding leading your family through suffering. DEFINITELY worth the 8 minutes...especially the last few minutes.

Pray for the Chandler's. Pray for the Village Church. All for God's glory.

great people...great things

2010-08-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

It's always fun when you see great things happening to great people. I don't know how I missed this 2 months ago, but congrats to my friend Brad Whipple (a friend from SAU) and the Iowa Homeless Youth Center of which he's the director.

Just saw that Al Roker and the Today Show hooked them up back in June! Such a cool clip to watch!

Way to go Whip! Keep up the amazing work!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Feeling Lucky?

2010-08-16T15:12:00.000-04:00

Wow...who doesn't love those moments of life that take your breath away?

Some of these people might say they were just a LITTLE too close for comfort...

plywood people

2010-07-31T01:10:00.007-04:00

So my friend Jeff is an idea guy. And he's not THAT idea guy...he's the idea guy that makes things happen. Him and his wife Andre came up with Gift Card Giver...AWESOME! Plywood People has been one of his more recent...i'm struggling for the right word...passion, idea, brain...GREAT THINGS.

Anyhow, last week, their summer intern team was up in our area, and M finally bought herself a bag from Plywood, and I picked up a new wallet. Check out their story...buy a bag, buy a wallet...change a life!

the Power of Sync

2010-07-30T12:55:00.000-04:00

Seth Godin bringing it. This is part of the beauty of New Covenant's upcoming Love Week, that you'll hear more about here...soon.
Seth's Blog

The power of sync

100 people doing something at the same time has far more power than 300 people doing it over time.
We unconsciously amplify the power of coordination when we consider the impact of actions. If there's a thousand people waiting outside of a store, we instantly believe we're seeing a phenomenon.
While the internet makes it easier than ever to spread ideas, it makes it far more compelling to coordinate actions.
If everyone in your weekly meeting drops a pencil at precisely 12:03, you'll notice.
- from Seth's blog

good pranks

2010-07-29T22:46:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love a good prank...

EMBED-Pilot Pretends To Faint - Watch more free videos

thanks to Aaron

what BP's doing right

2010-07-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

Michael Hyatt bringing some wisdom and some perspective from the massive company that is all too easy to villanize (i made that up), and perhaps somewhat deservedly...but he wrote a bit of a review regarding some things they're doing right with their (albeit late to the game) new commercials featuring real people, and what they're doing...or trying to do.

While BP may have initially bungled its response—and particularly its messaging—I think the PR flaks have now figured it out. Why is this relevant?
Because as leaders, we will inevitably find ourselves in some kind of crisis. It may not be as big as an oil spill, but it will still feel bigger than life. Thankfully, we can learn both from what BP has done wrong and what they are now doing right.
From the commercial I watched this morning, I think BP is doing at least five things well:

They are using real people to tell their story. The people providing the narrative aren’t actors, CEOs, or stand-ins. They are ordinary workers who grew up on the Gulf and live there. This cleanup matters to them because it’s their home, their beaches, and their livelihood.
They are taking full responsibility for the clean-up. I know, it’s easy to be cynical. “The proof will be in the pudding.” But at least BP is saying the right thing. In today’s world, even that is rare. While I haven’t made a mess this big, I have made plenty of my own. I was grateful when people extended me some grace.
They are committed to keeping us informed. Frankly, that can’t be easy. It must be difficult to get your message across in world where negative news spreads quickly, and others exploit your blunder for their own political or economic gain. It would be easy to give up and throw in the towel.
They articulate the specific actions they are taking. Cleaning up an oil spill is not glamorous work. It is expensive and tedious. “Every morning over 50 spotter planes and helicopters take off to search for the oil … then the boats go to work … over 6,000 vessels … 8 million feet of boom to protect the shoreline.” I find the specifics compelling. They are taking specific actions to fix the problem.
They are realistic in setting our expectations. “We can’t keep all the oil from coming ashore, but I’m going to do everything I can to stop it.” That rings true. He doesn’t over-promise. After all, BP can’t un-spill the oil. But they can clean up their mess, compensate people for their losses, and learn from the experience. I can’t ask for more than this.

As the crisis has worn on, I have wondered if BP could repair the damage to its brand. Ultimately, this will depend on whether or not they clean up their mess and restore the Gulf to its pre-spill state.
In the meantime, I believe they are beginning to turn the momentum. I, for one, am rooting for them. If they can stick with it and see it through to completion, they can turn public opinion around. If there’s hope for BP, there’s hope for anyone in a crisis.

called?

2010-07-24T20:40:00.002-04:00

'Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world.'

-william booth
founder of the Salvation Army.

IMPROV Everywhere strikes back!

2010-07-14T18:47:00.004-04:00

I LOVE these guys.
Just another reason I want to go to NYC...I'd love to be in on one of their improv moments.

(view embedded video here)

Steinbrenner's death

2010-07-13T19:13:00.003-04:00

George Steinbrenner was a polarizing figure. Which is comparative to referring to Frank Sinatra as someone who could sing. Be that as it may, Steinbrenner literally changed the landscape of not only professional baseball, but sports in general (admittedly, for better or worse). ESPN did a great piece online of looking at his life in review. Great stuff.

(view embedded video here)

That being said, Steinbrenner is someone who makes you think of legacy. The mark he's left, again, for better or worse. The passing of such a 'polarizing' figure should make us all pause. What is the legacy that I'm leaving behind? What are the things of my life that I'm known for? Am I adding value to others lives? Am I making life all about me? Was I someone who just wanted my own way? Was I someone who sought to bring glory to the name of God?

I've got some work to do when it comes to my legacy. What about you?

Live bigger...

2010-07-13T11:03:00.001-04:00

I've seen some clips with this guy before. Such an incredible story and attitude. Perhaps you haven't seen his story before. Take a listen.

(view embedded video here)

Quit making excuses.
Live bigger.

bringing in new disciplines

2010-07-07T10:21:00.000-04:00

2 years ago my doctor told me i was obese. I may or may not have called her a jerk. I've been working since then (running especially) to keep the weight down/off. Sometimes it works. Sometimes I goof up my discipline of what I'm putting in my body...what kind of foods. If it starts with a 'Mc' I should remind myself it's not allowed in.

Michael Hyatt had some BRILLIANCE on this idea: (in case you haven't figured out his stuff's INCREDIBLE. Have his posts sent STRAIGHT to your email here.

From my experience in other areas of my life, I know that changing a habit is not easy. In fact, as Tony Schwartz has observed in The Way We Are Working Isn’t Working:

“Ninety-five percent of those who lose weight on a diet regain it, and a significant percentage gain back more than they originally lost.”
“Even after a heart attack, one one of every seven patients makes any enduring changes around eating or exercise.”
“Twenty-five percent of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions after one week. Sixty percent do so within six months. The average person makes the same New Year’s resolution ten separate times without success.”
“Seventy percent of organizational change initiatives ultimately fail.”

So what is the secret to making lasting change? I have discovered five strategies that have been helpful to me in building new habits: (phil's note: earlier in this article Michael had talked about how he had struggled a) going to the dentist and b) flossing)

Envision the future. It helps me to fast-forward to the destination. If I don’t change, where will I be in five years? If I do change, where will I be? My dentist literally used pictures to demonstrate two alternative futures. It did the trick and motivated me.
Track your progress. I’m one of those people who has to see progress. I am achievement-oriented, and I like to see numeric improvement. This is true with my dentist, who measures the space between my teeth and gums and gives me an overall score, and it is also true of how I track my daily Bible reading.
Develop a ritual. We often think of rituals as something negative. However, they don’t have to be. They can also be positive. A ritual is anything you do regularly that you invest with meaning. Commit to the behavior you want to start then relate it to your ultimate goal.
Establish accountability. Gail is my accountability partner with flossing. I have other accountability partners for other habits I’m trying to build. The key is to find someone willing to do it with you, rather than someone who acts like a surrogate parent. (That kind of accountability actually makes me want to rebel!)
Schedule check-ups. I have my assistant schedule regular dental appointments. This keeps me from procrastinating. It also provides another layer of accountability. Knowing that I am going in for a check-up, keeps the temptation to slack off at bay. In the same way, my annual physical keeps me motivated to eat well, exercise, and get plenty of rest.

Getting things done...

2010-06-30T12:29:00.003-04:00

One of the things I'm hoping to put some time to this summer is establishing a healthy strategy for getting things done. I've seen many people now recommend Scott Belsky's book, (which I've now put in my Amazon wishlist). Sometimes I nail moving something from point A through B,C,D and all the way to Z. Othertimes I stumble from A to D to J to E. I've got some moderate systems through outlook that have worked well. Implemented the moleskin for note taking, idea making, etc. But I just saw Brad Lomenick's strategy, and I've read some from Michael Hyatt, and I'm looking to utilize a little more strategery.

What's your battle plan? How do you make it happen?

Covenant Prayer

2010-06-30T00:43:00.000-04:00

Came across this great prayer on Mark Beeson's blog from John Wesley. Thinking I'm going to reflect on this for the next week or so.

Covenant Prayer

From John Wesley's Covenant Service, 1780

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:12 - Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

IMPROV Everywhere strikes again!

2010-06-28T14:27:00.004-04:00

LOVE THESE GUYS! (thanks Andrew!)

OpenSecrets

fears

Crowder collides with TSO & 4000 cell phones

more than a remodel...

Attitudes, blessed, and first world issues

Grace shows up once again...

Trying vs. Doing

Buble and Helms

Sports and Faith colliding

Ghosts Upon the Earth

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

make twitter work

State removes child from family...for OBESITY...

Born is the King

When Death Dies...

oh yeah...and Mumford and Invisible Children

So much love...

Notes to New Covenant

Thoughts to New Covenant...

A New Liturgy

A note to New Covenant...

what REALLY keeps a marriage together...

Football's back...

I am Weird

Michael Hyatt on the non-physical benefits of running

Be my Obi-Wan...

some of us...

Sunday Night Thoughts

Don't dress your daughters like Tramps...

A note to New Covenant...

Baseball trash talkin...

Upside Down wk 1 notes

The worst voice of the brand...

The worst voice of the brand *is* the brand

Are you kidding me?

Rebecca Black...meet Conan...

the City Harmonic

Conan's Last Tonight Show Words

Advance

blessed, and it's not fair.

Sunday Night Thoughts

what endures...

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I love this quote from this speech:

I would turn to the Almighty, and say, "If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the 20th century, I will be happy."

Sunday Night Thoughts

New Thru 30 (Day 5)

New Thru 30 (Day4)

2010 by Google

Radio Silence

Family idea...

Pomplamoose Deck the Halls

wow...world-changing tools

wow

Christmas ideas

Christmas reading plan

Weekend of transitions

Creating New Habits

Transitions

problems and constraints

Problems and constraints

Seth on voting...

CROWDER BRILLIANCE...

Great Music!

tape art

wow...

Gungor

Classic Catalyst 2009

Bowlin' (featuring Chris Tomlin)

more on restoration...

Rebuilding Detroit...a blank canvas...

Top Airplay...

Sports moments...

User-friendly churches

Pomplamoose+Ben Folds+Nick Hornby+Collision=BRILLIANCE

the Future of the Book...

One step at a time...

What will they say when you're gone?

What to do when your kids bring home Bad Grades...

Monday Morning thoughts...

The worst voice of the brand is* the brand*