Movie watching...

Well, it's been a relaxing weekend watching way too many movies. I like spending Sunday watching movies. It's great to get home from church, hop on the couch and throw on a DVD. If only I could remember to unplug the phone!

Yesterday it was finally time for Napoleon Dynamite. That movie was hilarious! I've actually heard mixed reviews lately and I was beginning to wonder if it would live up to all the hype...expecially from what I've been hearing on the YS forums. But, it did! I laughed myself stupid at some parts.

We also watched Dodgeball. As for that one, that's 90 minutes of my life that I won't get back. Ok, it wasn't horrible...but it still wasn't that good.

On the agenda today: King Arthur and Garden State.

Finally a night out...

It's been a while since I've been on a date. I've been joking that I'm not sure what a date is supposed to look like. Maybe it's not really a joke...it's been a long time.

But my wonderful wife made the plans with the babysitter last week. We haven't figured out where to eat or what movie to watch or where to go...but we're at least going to get away together! With 2 little ones running around at mach 13, it's hard sometimes for just the 2 of us to get away. We love our kids, but we aren't the people who like to drag our kids everywhere. We like to have time to ourselves. And I think the kids enjoy running wild with a babysitter!

Can I get a "woohoo" for dates?!?!

I procrastinate...

I know, I know...you're shocked. I'm the guy who returns phone calls late, who forgets to reply to emails, who forgets to blog...

But I'm trying to make a breakthrough. I think I returned all my emails this week. And now I've blogged. Woohoo! We'll get things rolling now. Now if only I could remember what else I was supposed to do...

Another 24...

So my wife and i just finished watching season 3 of 24 a couple nights ago. I love it. We were watching like crazy so we could be ready for season 4 when it started last week...but we didn't make it in time. But now we're ready to begin season 4...and I can't wait!

I spent the afternoon working on youth stuff. We've got a staff training eeting tomorrow after church. I'm really looking for a way to push out volunteers to the next level. They really need to change the way they "do" youth ministry...at least some of them do. Too much "chaperone" mentality...we need more focus on relationships.

I'm also wondering if our current plan for the youth is the right one. Sometimes I feel like we do too many events. I love hanging with the youth on any given weekend, but I'm wondering about the long term value. Just wondering how to promote growth within the current setting we have.

So it begins...

Happy New Year!

And now back to the norm of life. This is my first day back in the office and it's amazing how quickly things can start piling up. It begins with the stack of mail and continues with the 22 emails...most of which contains nothing important. And now it's time to plan, plan, plan.

All our youth programs start up again next week and now we're also adding a missions trip and worship teams to the mix. Once again proving that the next year will be busier than the last. Yikes!

But, at least it's not pointless. Loving the youth and watching them grow closer to God through it all is simply amazing. I just pray that they do actually grow...that the things we do aren't for nothing. I pray that they don't just "attend" but that they "participate". Please don't be complacent. Please don't stay in the rut. Live wide open for God!

"Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively." 2 Corinthians 6:13b (The Message)