The night before...

I'm a nervous wreck right now. I'm awaiting my last sleep before the new job begins and my mind is racing with a hundred thousand different things, not all of which are life altering, but they still make my brain hurt:

• What will my office look like? (And where is my office?)
• What do I do on day one?
• How will everyone else respond to the new guy?
• Who do I direct certain specific questions to?
• What will I do for lunch?

And let's not forget the all important question: Where on earth are we going to live? That one seems to be eating at us the most, especially after spending the afternoon with a realtor showing us how slim the pickings are in this neck of the woods. This will definitely have to be a God-thing if we're going to find a place to call home that isn't a 40 minute drive from the church.

And breathe...

One week of school is officially done and now that means...umm...well, let's see...lots more. The first class went well but it sure is nice to be back home with the family. My son's surgery had a minor set back when I was away and he ended up being admitted again so they could observe him.

I found that out on the first day of class which made it extremely difficult to try and concentrate on anything that day. In fact, I even wondered if maybe I should have packed it in. But on the advice of my wife I stuck it out and now I'm that much closer to graduating. (Ok, so I'm not really that much closer...)

I should add that everything turned out well and he just ended up getting home a little earlier than we had previously anticipated.

On Tusday we have an appointment to look at some houses before I officially start work on Wednesday. And I just got an email letting me know that my first board meeting is this Thursday night. Should be a crazy week, and I'm only working half of it. Is that normal?

Getting ready...

Just finishing up some last minute pre-class work and doing some packing while listening to Dave Matthews Band Weekend on the Rocks (actually it's the dvd that's on right now).

I'm hoping I've got everything as tomorrow I head out for a long lonely drive to a part of the country that will probably be much colder than it is here. They might even have snow...

I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to the 10+ hours of driving that is scheduled just for tomorrow, but I do know that it will give me a chance to play catchup with my podcasts.

Other than that, on Monday I make my way into my first ever seminary class. It's been almost 7 years since the last time I sat through a week long class. And it's been even longer since I've had a week with no evening commitments. To pass the time I've succumbed and rented the first 4 discs of Lost (Season 1). I've seen part of the first episode before (and didn't really care for it, I might add) but thought I'd give it another try. Some people seem to like it, so why not?

A deadly job...

I was first drawn to this show a few weeks ago when I heard the comment that it was the deadliest job in the world. I wondered how crab fishing, of all things, could possibly earn that reputation.

Well, one hour later (actually it only took about 10 minutes) I was hooked. What I thought was a one episode documentary is actually an entire season on Discovery!

In case you have no idea about it, basically it covers the crab fishing season in the Bering Sea. You watch a number of boats as they do their day to day job, catching crab. Add to that the dangers of the Bering Sea in the dead of winter, and you've got good tv.

While it may not sound like eventful television, just try watching an episode. I'm sure you'll be hooked.

I'm already a wreck...

My wife and son left for AB today. He's scheduled for surgery tomorrow that will see his tonsils removed (as well as any other throat problems that need to be fixed). The plan is that this will help him battle the colds & earaches that he gets every year.

They only left at noon, and I'm already missing them like crazy. (But don't tell my wife...she told me not to be a suck this time when she was away!)

I did get to spend some quality time with my daughter though, as we ate out alone for the first time (at McD's of course). And since she's missing her partner in crime, she seems to have mellowed out a bit. She was actually quiet tonight! I think she's missing them too.

A new adventure...

We have officially accepted the call to serve as Youth Pastor at SOA Church. It seems a little strange to be saying that. I've only been in one other full time position, so I'm a little unsure of what change will feel like.

But we're excited about the opportunities that are ahead of us. We're looking forward to getting back to what we love: working with students. We're looking forward to starting fresh. We know it won't be easy, but I think we're better off that way.

On top of all that, my wife and son head out for 10 days so he can have surgery on his tonsils, and then I'm off to class for a week. So our family will be spread out over 3 provinces. That is definitely not normal.

Job update...

Well, it's official. I have been offered the position at SOA Church. I'm waiting for a written copy of the offer, and I've asked them to look into one more thing for me. We've also come up with a few more important questions that we would like answers.

We're taking our time to process, talk and pray. And they're going to call us back early next week with some more details. So we'll see where it goes from here.

For sale...

The Penguins are officially for sale. The only catch is that they're trying to keep the team in Pittsburgh. Is it too much to hope that they can't get a casino lisence for their new arena and that they need to start taking offers from other cities?

While nothing will make me give up on my Habs (apart from a team named complately after me, that is), I would definitely wear my Jets jersey with pride. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Candidating (part #4)...

So now we can breathe...sort of.

That weekend really was a blur, but that's not really a surprise. We've candidated once before so we kind of had an idea of what to expect, but I will say that this has also been very different from what we did in the past.

Anyways, last night we had our first quality time with the students. They typically have junior and senior high on separate nights, but they decided to combine them. So it was a little chaotic. I'm reminded how much I don't like mixing those age groups.

We played a game, answered some questions (incidentally, junior high boys can come up with the craziest questions ever), and then talked for a bit. I always find it hard teaching a mixed group. I would personally rather have just junior high or just senior high, but all in all, my wife told me that it went well (and I trust her opinion--she's not afraid to tell me when my talks have sucked!).

But it was fun to get to know some new faces...and try to learn some names. I felt like they warmed up to us very quickly. And some of the responses from the students seemed to be that they were actually wanting us to come.

I think if it was the students that were doing the hiring, they would have hired us last night. But now I guess we wait and see how everyone else felt.

They have an elders meeting on Thursday which the search committee will also be at, so I imagine that we will probably find out on Friday. Until then if you need to find me I'll be pacing back and forth in the living room.

Candidating (part #3)...

It keeps going and going and going...

This morning we had a great time hanging out in the Sunday School class with the senior high students. Although I would have loved to just sit and talk with them, we had to settle with brief introductions followed by a lesson by the teacher (who wasn't me...just thought I'd add that).

We were also introduced during the service and had a chance to meet a few people after church. It's definitely different being at a bigger church. That is something that would take some time adjusting to.

And then tonight we met with the parents (as well as a few elders and a handful of grandparents and some of the pastoral staff). We just told our story and talked about how we got involved in youth ministry before spending the rest of time answering questions and telling them what we're about.

They asked lots of good questions, and I think we're getting a genuine feel of where things are at. They've been without a full time youth pastor for almost 2 years. Lots of kids are hurting and they are just needing someone to come in and genuinely love them. And I think the parents need to be loved on too.

But hey, that's what we're about: we love students.

I can say that after today, I am still feeling good about everything. Sure there are still a few more important questions to be answered, but so far we like what we hear. I also feel like I've explained myself well. In fact, if I had to do everything over again, I don't feel like I would change a thing that I have said or change the way that I have said any of it.

And now onto day 4...with the students. We really have no idea what to expect tomorrow night. We do know that they have all the junior and senior highs together. We do know that I am giving the "devo". We do know there will be a Q&A time. Other than that, we're flying blind. It should be interesting, but I am definitely looking forward to having some more interaction with the students.

Wow, am I beat. And I missed 24...but I should be able to watch it tomorrow afternoon.

Candidating (part #2)...

Our meeting last night with the search committe went very well. In total we spent almost 4 hours with them chatting, asking questions, answering questions and just getting to know them.

There's nothing too crazy to mention, but it sure is fun to see how different typres of people ask different types of questions. We were also well prepared for them with some of our own:

• What are your expectations of me?
• What would a succesful youth ministry look like 12 months from now?
• What's a typical week look like?
• How does the leadership structure currently look?
• Give a little more history on the youth ministry.
• What is ecpected in terms of numerical and spirtual growth?
• What do typical youth events look like?
• What will i be involved in outside of the youth ministry? What can I be involved in?

There were more, but with all the questions I've answered and asked in the 24 hours, I can't remember some of them. But all in all, it went very well. i left feeling that we had articulated ourselves well and that they had done a good job in presenting us with teh facts. They were open and honest and that is a good thing.

This morning we headed out to SOA Church to have lunch with the pastoral staff and the elder's board. What was supposed to be a 35 minute trip turned into 45-50 minutes due to the never ending lake that is falling from the skies out here. And let's not forget the firetruck holding up traffic in our lane.

So we arrived late...not a good start, but they seemed fairly forgiving.

As we ate we were able to talk with a few pastors. We only had about 30 minutes before they kicked all the staff out. Then the fun began. The elders had a good number of questions on our personal history and stories, how we came to work with students, why it is we left our last church, where our priorities are, how we would handle certain hypothetical situations, what we would start doing if we were hitred, where we would live...whew...and that's only part of them.

We were also given time to ask away and I think it showed them that we aren't just jumping into anything. We have questions and expectations too.

• What are you expectations of me? Of my wife?
• What would a succesful youth ministry look like in 12 months?
• How would you define a healthy youth ministry?
• What's the youth ministry budget?
• How do you as elders protect, care for support your pastors?
• Talk about salary, days off, holiday time.
• How much time and money is there for professional development?
• How much time and money is there for further education?
• How do board meetings function?
• Who do I report to?

And there were likely a few more. We went back and forth for a couple of hours and then it seemed time to call it a day. Again, I left feeling that I explained myself well and shared my heart. I believe they were able to see who we are and what we are about: loving god and loving students.

I don't think they were prepared for as many indepth questiosn from us. In fact, they are looking into a couple of things and have said that they will get back to me with the details.

So far we are very satisfied with the way things have been going, but we also relize that we're missing a few significant pieces of information before we can appropriately make a decision. But I imagine they still need to know a bit more about us.

That day was a blur...but that seems normal for candidating.

Candidating (part #1)...

Tonight I step into a potluck dinner to meet with the search committe of SOA Church. We've known about this since the middle of December so we've had lots of time to come up with a list of questions that we need to ask. And a big thanks to those of you who have helped us add to that ever-growing list!

I'm not sure exactly what to think. I'm not nervous...at least not yet anway. I'm not anxious. I'm not scared. If anything makes me nervous, it's actually the lack of nerves right now.

I wonder about what questions they may ask. I wonder if they'll give us a good insight of what the church is like. I wonder how we'll feel as we walk away tonight. Is this a place where we really feel like we would fit? Is this a place that is healthy for us? Are we right for them?

In many ways, this opportunity is very different than our last ministry position. It would be a big change for us to take this on. In fact, the only way I can see this coming about is if it's a God-thing.

But God's been in it so far. It's mindboggling how we even came to find out about this opening. And God's been teaching us a lot through the process. I can honestly say that even if we don't accept (or get offered) this position, that this process was not for nothing.

Well, now it's back to the waiting.

I'm addicted...

I'm trying to kick the habit...really I am. My wife might say otherwise though. You see, a few weeks ago I decided to start wandering through the Ebay world. I've loitered there before but never bid on anything. But then I started to see some sweet deals. So I decided to start bidding.

And now I can't seem to stop. I always have an eye on my account. I'm always wondering if I'm going to be outbid. Will I ever have a chance to get a deal like this again? Will I ever find this item again? Will I be ripped off?

And then it's almost like Christmas as I wait for the parcel to come in the mail. Right now I'm waiting for a couple of soccer jerseys (Manchester United & England...who else?) for my kids. And it only set me back about $10! Sweetness indeed!

Oh Canada...

They weren't supposed to win gold, but they did. They beat the Russians 5-0 to repeat as World Junior Champs.

To be fair, the Russians actually scored what should have been a goal in the beginning minutes of the second. But play went on. A couple of minutes later when they went to review it, it was too late. I would imagine that a 2-1 game early in the second might have changed things a little bit, but alas, we netted 3 more. So maybe it didn't matter all that much...

Despite all my efforts I wasn't actually able to get to see one of the games in person. I could have made it to almost any of the games in the round-robin, but couldn't quite convince anyone else to go. I guess I'll wait and hope I can watch some Olympic hockey here in 2010.

A few highlights...
Canada beats the previous World Junior attendance record by almost 150,000 people.
Brent Sutter sets a record by going 12-0 as coach.
Justin Pogge is the first Canadian goalie to go 6-0 in the tournament, 3 of those are shut-outs.
Only one player (Cam Barker) returned from last year's gold winning team.
Only one player from Canada broke the top ten in tournament scoring.
USA doesn't even get a medal.

It's on...

For the fifth straight year Canada will be playing for a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

I must admit that this is certainly not the best team that I've seen over the years. In fact, they were the underdogs coming into the tournament. With only one returning player from last year's squad, most people (myself included) were predicting that the team might have some troubles.

They have fought long and hard and deserve to be playing in the gold medal game. And, if you look at the fact that we beat Russia 8-1 (or was it 8-2?), you'd think things look good for a repeat performance of Canada's 6-1 thwacking of the Russians last year.

But, it was a pre-tournament "friendly with no Malkin in the lineup. The game tomorrow will likely be much closer. But if our guys fight hard, stay out of teh penalty box, and make the most of the power-play, I think they'll pull it off.

And while I'd rather watch our guys trounce all over the Americans, I'll settle for this.

Let it begin...

This is likely one of the last posts...at least for a few days. The Christmas tradition around here begins in about an hour and a half when we head out for the Christmas Eve service, where I somehow got arm-twisted into playing/singing (ok, so I was more than willing ti participate). Then we come back unwrap some PJ's, and proceed to play games and eat munchies until the wee hours of the morning.

Then after everyone else goes to bed, my brother-in-law and I head for the TV to see what "amazing" movie we can watch. This year, we had to rent one and decided to go for, "The Man With the Screaming Brain".

Then it's on to the presents tomorrow morning, and then a turkey dinner. And to wrap it all up we head off for some Boxing Day shopping. I don't think we ever actually find any deals, but it seems to be a good enough excuse to spend some cash we don't have on things we don't need, but we think are cool.

And then it's time for hockey... the World Juniors to be exact. While I wish I could have landed some tickets to watch them play live, I'll have to settle for TSN. At least I don't need to get up at 0-Dark-Hundred to watch the games this year...Go Canada!

I'll just wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy your holiday season.

24 update...

It's amazing what you can find online. I found another trailer at http://www.kiefer-rocks.com/news/index.htm. I'll warn you that it will provide some spoilers about what the upcoming season has in store, but you won't be dissapointed.

Eager anticipation...

So we just finished up season 4. While I wouldn't necessarily classify it as the best season so far, it was still 24. And for that reason I will have no major complaints.

I think that after three seasons of twists and turns it's getting harder to be surprised by anything that happens. It's as if my brain automatically starts searching for what could go wrong.

This upcoming season will be the first time ever that I've actually watched the show on a weekly basis. My wife and I jumped on the bandwagon late, so we've constantly been playing catch-up. And now, thanks to unemployment, we've been able to get caught up.

But now the questions are coming...how did Jack get to Chicago? Why is Chloe in Chicago? Who is trying to hunt Jack down? Who is the woman? Will we ever see Tony, Michelle, Kim, Edgar, or President Palmer again?

I cannot wait...

I am...

Jack Bauer


Which 24 Character are you?
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I can see...

Ok, so we'll break this into parts because so much happened today.

Part #1
I've been getting headaches and a fuzzy head lately after I've been reading, watching TV, on the computer or driving at night. Any guesses why? My wife suggested I should get my eyes checked. I figured $75 would be worth it if it told me what was wrong with me.

It turned out that I have a slight case of astigmaticsim which would explain everything. So tonight I went and picked out some glasses with my family. Then we killed an hour by getting haircuts (the first one I've paid for in about 9 or 10 years), ate some supper, and then saw Santa (I know, he's not real...and we explained that to the kids). Then we picked up the glasses, and believe it or not, I can actually see better.

I guess I can't call anyone "four eyes" from now on...

Part #2
We got a pile of Christmas cards tonight. First of all, thanks Bryce (and your family) for the Best Buy card. It was greatly appreciated and I'm sure we'll find a use for it somehow...Thanks!

Second, we received a card from a student of ours who just graduated this past spring. It was beautifully hand-crafted card that was overflowing with love. Her words said "thank-you/love you/miss you" and left us with happy hearts (I don't know how else to explain it).

Then we noticed a little piece of paper tucked inside a paper presnt on the inside of the card. Upon closer examination we found a cheque for $300! I'm not sure what to say. Who am I to accept such a huge gift from college girl who, no doubt, works for minimum wage and is trying to save for school. We are speechless. We are amazed.

In the words of Wayne & Garth, "We're not worthy, we're not worthy!"

Present Update...

So I think it's all worked out. We'll have to see if they repay me for the cost of my original shipment. The woman on the phone said that 9 out of 10 times you get your money back. The police report got filed too, so that should also help.

And now the parcel is in California, and it didn't get stolen! Now we'll just have to see if UPS can get it here. They can't do as bad as FedEx, can they?

This sucks...

So I ordered a present for my lovely wife. But as it turns out, the company won't ship to me because I'm in Canada. I think that's borderline racist...

But a friend of ours, Katie, helped solve the problem by agreeing to have it shipped it to her and then she was going to ship it to me. (And for this I am completely grateful. Thanks Katie!)

But...apparently FedEx left the parcel at her front door, so guessed what happened?!?! Surprise, surprise...someone helped themself to my wife's Christmas present! Crap, this sucks.

Now I'm waiting on FedEx to do some "research" before they get back to me tomorrow morning and let me know what (if anything) they are going to do.

The other bad news is that even if I reorder it, it probably won't make it here in time for Christmas. This sucks.

Wait 'til Christmas...

The unwritten rule is that your not usually supposed to buy yourself anything this close to Christmas. But sometimes this rule needs to be broken. I don't think Jack would have waited until Christmas.

Season 4 wasn't supposed to be released until today, but due to the simple fact that people out here in the lower mainland occasionally get ahead of themselves (apparently something like this happened with the last Harry Potter book), my wife found it yesterday and bought a copy.

Last night we got my brother-in-law hooked as we made it through disc 1. Our goal is to get this done so we can actually watch season 5 on TV like normal people. We'll see how that goes...

At this rate though, we should be done by the weekend.

I love this show and I'm sure glad that Bryce got me hooked on it.

A church called...

Went out with my wife last night to watch "Walk the Line" (freaking awesome movie, by the way...I may try to post more on it later) and returned to the in-laws to find a message that I needed to call the head of the YP search committee at SOA. So I did.

Their question: Would we come candidate in January?

Our answer: Yes.

While I would have loved to do it sooner, it makes sense to wait until the New Year when the Christmas schedule slows down. So right now we just need to pick a date and then wait some more.

Waiting seems to be a normal part of life, even though I'm not a huge fan. But we're fairly excited about what God may have up His sleeve for us.

Another forum...

My wife looked at my a liitle sideways when I said I needed $5 (and that's US, which is equivalent to about $15 CAN) to sign up for a forum. But alas, she succumbed to my powers and I am now registered at YMExchange.com.

I've been part of a few message boards in the past and I have come to appreciate them as an essential part of my online existance. I even tried to get my last youth group hooked on "posting" (which, I might add, actually worked for a few months).

I've found myself connecting with a group of people who share a common bond: youth ministry.

It is in these online communities that I have found others that will challenge, encourage, frustrate, inspire and amuse me (sometimes all at the same time). I've prayed and been prayed for. I've received and given advice. I've shared in the highs and joys of many people and their ministries. And I've even had the chance to meet some of them face to face.

Sure, we may not all agree about everything all the time (what fun would that be?). We may get completely ticked off at each other occasionally. But hey, it's a journey...and we're all on it together.
My hat (or toque, because it's currently snowy here) is off to Derek, Drew & Co. for starting up YMX. May it turn out to be a great online community for fellow youth workers!

A class act...

A late congratulations to the Esks on winning the Grey Cup. I know this will mean very little (or practicaly nothing at all) to my "foreign" readers, but alas, another CFL season came to an end last Sunday.

One of the strangest stories coming down to the final game of the season had to do with Edmonton's quaterbacks Ricky Ray and Jason Maas. Maas played second fiddle all season and he handled it with the outmost class. He never once complained to the press. He always verbally supported Ray and the head coach, Danny Maciocia.

In fact, in the final two playoff games Maas came off the bench to lead the Esks to victory when Ray was failing to get it done. Maas delivered, but never once did he flaunt it. And when it came down to that last game of the season and it was announced that Ray would once again be starting, Maas' story did not change. He backed Ray. He backed the coach's decision. And he sat on the bench.

And now the news is finally announced that Maas is on his way to Hamilton, a team with a dismal record, but again his ever-present great attitude is present.

I think Edmonton dropped the ball with this one. Guys like this don't come around very often. Sure, Ray may be a good QB, but how do you get rid of a guy with so much potential and such a team spirit? I think they should have sent Ray packing instead.

Jason Maas was a class act... and I'm not even an Eskie fan! Go Bombers!

Academy Awards & YM...

Last Tuesday my wife and I performed one of our last official duties in Youth Ministry at our "old church". We attended a High School play. You know, the type that is filled with lots of giggles, a little out of tune singing (ok, maybe more than just a little), some good acting, a little bad acting, and lots of familiar faces.

I've sat through some awful plays during the years, but I need to admit that this was by far the best I've seen. Sure, it still wasn't Oscar worthy, but it was miles beyond the previous years. Maybe that had something to do with the fact that we actually knew 75% of the cast.

In past years I've gone and watched an entire play because only 1 or 2 students were in it. But this year, it would appear that we have a pile of budding thespians. Most were students who have come to an event or a Bible study while a few were from soccer teams that I coached. It just went to show me how far a YP's impact reaches into a community. And that didn't take a whole lot of work. Most of it just happened.

I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, for fear of my arm falling off, but it was just a great memory to part with. I will miss those kids. They've left a mark on my life that will not go away (and that's ok with me). And for that I am grateful. I may not get any of those hours back that I've spent sitting in that Community Center, but I don't mind.

I love what I do, and I can't wait until I get to do it again.

I just want my stuff...

So all our stuff is crammed into the basement here as we wait for another bedroom to be finished up. That means we can actually access very little of our stuff. And with nothing else to do, I'd love to be playing some games on my PC or sleeping on my bed.

Today we had the great joy of getting our car checked out. Just another check-up that the province wants me to do before they'll insure my car. Over and hour later (most of that spent wandering a lame little mall with my wife & daughter--my son stayed with Gramma) we were on our way...oh and my wallet was less $120.

Spent some quality time with my Ipod after the kids went to bed tonight and even caught up on my "Dirty Little Secrets" (xxxchurch) podcast. Ok, so I didn't actually catch up...I'm still only on episode 5 of 11. Or maybe it's 12 or 13 by now. I wouldn't know since I can't get at my PC. You see my dillema?

And we made it...

So we made it safe and sound around breakfast on Friday morning (we drove through the night). And our stuff just arrived today and is now taking up the in-laws basement. A full house of people and stuff...yikes! Hopefully we don't drive everyone crazy.

On another note, we're currently in talks with a church. Apparently they're quite interested in us (as we are in them, I might add) and they just had an "extended interview" with us today after church. They've checked our references, had one of their staff meet with us for lunch and they've presented our name to their Elder's Board. They had a few more questions which meant that we needed to get together today. Now they need to go back to the elders.

It went very well and so far, we are very excited by what we hear. But now we go back to waiting. If they are interested, we'll probably get a call to candidate sometime in the next few weeks. Wow...that'll really change how our future looks. But it would be a great Christmas gift!

This may not be normal, but it certainly is an adventure. And right now, I'm actually enjoying it.

Keano...

Late last night I was sitting in front of the TV watching Fox Spots World. Then came the news that Roy Keane was calling it quits at Manchester United. I was stunned. I still am to some degree.

Some say they saw this coming with all the trouble he's gotten into lately especially when speaking about the team. A team, I might add, that had been totally stinking the joint out. He said what everyone wanted to hear...and what everyone needed to hear.

But it would appear that he may have crossed a line that not even he could come back from.

I still can't imagine what it's going to be like to not have him as part of the line up. Even when he was out injured he was still a central figure in the team. Each comeback was eagerly anticipated. Every goal and every tackle was from the heart.

This guy bled Red. He will be missed.

Pack that truck...

So, we thought we'd call a moving company to see what they might charge us to move our belongings towards the ocean. The guy wandered the house writting notes on his pad of paper and then sat down and pulled out his calculator. Minutes later we received the bad news: $3600.

That's well over double what it would cost to do it on our own by renting a U-Haul. But then the guy phones back today. I told him we weren't interested because the price was way too high. He then asked if we would go for $3200. Again, I told him no. Then he asked if we would do it for $2500, but the catch would be that we'd have to leave next Monday or Tuesday.

I told him I'd have to talk to my boss (a.k.a. my wife) and get back to him. We've decided that it's still higher than the U-Haul, but this way we don't have to load or unload and we don't have to drive the truck. Sounds like a good enough deal to me.

Unless anyone wants to helps us move for even cheaper. Any takers?

Family fun...

One of the great things about being unemployed is getting to hang out with my family. Ate donuts with my kids for breakfast after we dropped my wife off at work. Then got started on some Christmas shopping.

We picked my lovely up after work and wrapped up the night with McD's and went to Chicken Little. Not the greatest movie ever, but it was fun to hang out with the fam and see the kids laughing!

I should probably get some packing done tomorrow. Maybe I can put the kids to work...

Walls are bare...

Everyday a few more boxes pile up and the walls and shelves start looking a little more empty. Sometimes it amazes me when I look back at our past. I remember moving into our first apartment and being able to transport everything in the back of a pickup.

Then we moved here and it took an entire U-Haul. It may have been the smallest one they had, but it was packed full. And now here we are soon to be packing an even bigger U-Haul with all our stuff (and that's after getting rid of a bunch of stuff). It's amazing how much stuff we've gathered over the years.

We just got back from a retreat with the other pastors & wives. It was good to hang out together one more time before we leave. We've still got a dinner together planned, but this was a great 4 day retreat for laughing together and enjoying each other's company.

On top of all that we've had some other recent developments. Since people have started finding out that I've concluded my ministry here, I've been recieving phone calls. I haven't been actively pursuing anything, but my wife and I decided that we would entertain conversations. God's definitely up to something.

We're both very intrigued at the possibility of doing ministry while doing our schooling. Obviously it will mean that my school will take a little bit longer, but it does mean my wife can get cruising on her Masters. She worked so hard to put me through school, that it's definitely time to repay the favor. (Have I mentioned that I love my wife? No? I love my wife!)

That's a wrap...

Lots of tears were shed this weekend (some of which were mine), but our time has now come to a close. Friday was my farewell (and my birthday, I might add) and I just want to say that my students and leadership team rock! They did a "wicked awesome" (some student terminology for you) job on the whole night.

I truly count it a privelage to have worked with them over the past 5 1/2 years. It really is sad to say goodbye, but we rest in the memories and knowing that we'll probably see them again. (Some of them sooner, rather than later, as they plan to invade our house one weekend in November.)

We're now technically on holiday (or "vacation", for my American readers) until the end of November. We get 4 days in the mountains for a retreat with the other pastoral staff (and spouses) which will be a great way to say goodbye to them.

I don't think that this has all sunk in for me. It might not fully hit me until the U-Haul pulls away from what has been our first home. We'll be "temporarily homeless" and we sometimes wonder when (or if) we'll have our own place again. I can't tell you exactly what our life will look like one month from now, nevermind 6 months.

This isn't normal...but we'll manage.

Boxes, boxes everywhere...

I had no idea I had collected this much junk in my office. Ok, so it's not all junk. I actually have some good books on my shelf...some of which I have actually read.

I also never figured it would be this much work to get things ready to leave. Besides packing books & shelf-toys in th boxes, I've got to change email accounts, change contact info at a bunch of places (many of which I'll actually forget to do), pass off all the website info for 2 websites...

Oh, and look...I just found some money...why on earth do I have American coins in my desk?!?!

On top of all that, my desk looks the same as it has for the past 5 1/2 years: a total mess! Maybe I should actually clean it before I leave. Hmmm...now there's a thought.

Tomorrow is our farewell. Our students & leaders are planning it, so it should be both hilarous and completely embarassing. I'm sure they'll mock me to no end.

And Sunday is our final day here. I'm wrapping things up by singing something for "Special Music" (apparently "Nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, hey, goodbye" is not an "apropriate" selection for Sunday morning worship...go figure!) and then passing the torch to our volunteers. Something else might be in the works too, but I'll fill you in next week when I'm officially unemployed.

This will be a long day...

I have a birthday coming up, so a bunch of my family got together to buy me a new graphics card for my computer. This has been in the works for almost a year. I have a handful of games that are just sitting on my shelf collecting dust because my PC can't handle them.

That shall soon come to an end...I hope. Yesterday I picked up one card, only to get home and discover that I had bought one that would never be able to even fit in my computer. So then my wife returned it (ain't she the best) and get the one that will work.

And now I have to wait until the end of the day to get home, install it, and begin playing my games. It is going to be a long day...

I don't want to talk church...

I must say that the Habs are looking great this season. Definitely more of an underdog compared to teams like Ottawa, Detroit or Philly...but a team that can win when they need it.

Look at last Tuesday. After being down 2-0 early in the 1st against Boston (and playing horrible hockey I might add) they buckled down to fight back to tie it up and then went on to get the win.

Sure, we may not be sitting top of the division by playoffs, but I'm thinking they may go farther than most people imagine.

And just when you think you can write a team off...

Chelsea hasn't dropped any points at all this season, which is completely frustrating (but hey, I guess if you spend over $600 million on a team you should win a few games) yet somewhat fascinating. You're always wondering who might bring them back down to earth.

Apparently that job goes to Everton. And if lowly Everton can hold them, then certainly we can beat them!

And after Chelsea announced this week that they want to dominate football for the next 100 years, and that they plan on having the Premiership title wrapped up by Christmas, you had better believe that teams are going to be after them with a vengence.

That was gross...

Let me backtrack for a moment. When we arrived at our church 5 1/2 years ago one of the first events we held was a gross games night. It was a blast. So, we decided that we would try to go out with the same event--Gross Games II.

So, last night was our last official Friday night event with our students because next Friday our leaders and students are planning up a farewell. And it was a mess...whipped cream, chocolate sauce, marshmallows, honey, puffed wheat, jello, beans...and a few more surprises. And somehow I ended up wearing all of it when the entire group turned out me. Imagine that!

(Incidently, if you ever want to have a laugh, get all your students to place an egg on their head and then pull nylons on overtop to hold it in place. Then try to hit them with a pool noodle. That is perhaps one of the funniest things I have seen in quite a while!)

We ended things off with a challenge to accept Jesus' invitation "Come, and follow me". It doesn't matter how messy your life is, Jesus has called YOU! And it's time to drop what you're doing and follow Him. Sure, you may not know what's going to happen, it defintely won't be easy, but it will be an adventure.

The evening went even better than I could have expected. And now I have some more great memories as I prepare to say farewell.

Where am I...

Is it already the 18th?!?! Where is the month going? Or where did it go? Only 12 days left at the church before a much anticipated month off. As for what happens after that, only God knows. And I mean that quite literally because we don't have a clue.

We're officially homeless as of November 30th, although our in-laws have opened their door to us if we need it. We've also had a few more "doors" open in the past few weeks, but we'll just have to wait and see where that goes.

On a less important note: Habs win again!

On a frustrating note: Only a draw for the Red Devils...and an injury for Giggsy! Crap!

What a morning...

Ok, this is actually about yesterday morning, but I'm a little slow.

It was our Mission Trip Service where all our students talked about their experience this past summer on our trip to Tijuana. I'm so proud of them. I think they were more nervous about talking in church than they were about going to Mexico.

But they did awesome. We showed a few videos, taught everyone some spanish songs and then talked...and talked...and talked some more. We didn't get out until almost 12:45pm, and that's a service that starts at 11:00am. At one point I thought about trying to shorten up the morning, but then I figured that God probably wouldn't mind if we went late!

Mornings like that make it harder to say goodbye...at least to our students.

Oh yeah, Happy Turkey Day to my fellow Canucks!

Oh yeah...

Hockey's back! And my Habs won! Woohoo!!!

Beginning of the end...

What a great break it was to hang out in California with my wife. We spent a couple of days in Disneyland before heading off to Sacramento for NYWC. (By the way, thanks Katie for the lift to the hotel!) Met some people in person, met some new people, and just had an all around great time.

This convention (our 4th) was the weirdest one ever because this time we weren't thinking about our youth ministry back home. Instead, this ended up being a time for God to do some work on repairing my heart. It was very refreshing. I now feel like I'm ready for saying goodbye. Yeah, it still isn't going to be easy, but I feel better about where my heart is right now.

I also arrived back in the office to find out the board wants me to take all of November off...with pay! The only bad thing is that it moves our final farewell up even closer, but the time off...and the extra money...next month will be helpful.

I've got some other interesting developments, but I'll save those for another day. But I'm reminded through this all that God is in it all. I know, it's cliche...but it's also truth!

I'm loving it...

I spoke at a youth retreat this past weekend and man was that a blast. Every once in a while it's good for me to go hang out with another group of students for a weekend, it reminds me that I love what I do. After 5 years in one place I've often wondered if I started all over from scratch again, would I still love youth ministry. Apparently so! I'm glad that God threw me into this.

And the even better part of the weekend is that two students gave their lives to Christ. Woohoo!

And now I'm back home just in time to get some laundry cleaned before heading off to California with my beautiful wife tomorrow. A couple days together in Disneyland before heading to Sacramento for NYWC. It should be a great 6 days together of fun in the sun.

But then we'll be returning to say goodbye...hmmm...

What I've heard...

Here's a sample of the comments I have heard over the past week that have absolutely done a number on my heart. These are the ones that make it hard to leave.

"It's not fair. I've only known you guys a year." (recent grade 11 student)

"It feels like I've been broken up with." (well known grade 12 student)

"Why do you need to get better at what you do? You're already great at it. Stay here and practive on us." (well known grade 12 student)

I knew this wouldn't be easy, but I honestly didn't think it would be this hard. I'm going to miss these students. They have left a permanent mark on my life. My wife and I will have a very hard time when it comes time for the official farewell.

In other related news, we meet with the Real Estate Agent tomorrow at 4:00pm. We were originally thinking about selling privately in order to achieve maximum moolah, but then I remembered that I'm still a pastor. How on earth am I supposed to fit selliing a house into my schedule?!?!

On top of all that I'm speaking at a retreat this weekend before my wife and I head off to California for a mini-vacation in D-land and NYWC in Sacramento next week. In one sense I'm looking forward to it, but on the other hand I know that coming back means saying good-bye.

This just isn't going to get any easier is it?

The week in review...

Well, since it's all said and done, I figured that I would recap what happened this past week. It's probably fairly easy to figure out, but here's the rundown:

Tuesday
I read my resignation to the board of elders. My wife and I have decided that it's time to get our Masters. But a few things have led up to this, and I told them that. I think it's safe to say that this caught them completely off guard.

Thursday
Told three of our recent grads who are now off at college.

Friday
Told our volunteer youth staff. They handled it very well and were very excited for us as we take this next step.

Saturday
Told our students. This was by far the toughest. Their comments make this hurt even more, but I'll probably reflect on that later this week.

Sunday
Read my resignation letter from the pulpit.

I'm still processing it all. To loosely paraphrase the great philosopher Napoleon Dynamite, "But it hurts real bad." It's not all gloom and despair though. We are taking a step that we want to take and have wanted to pursue for some time. I just wish that it could have come about under better circumstances.

Oh well, I guess you can't win them all.

What a week...

This week will be, without a doubt, the most difficult week of my ministry career. Last night was just the beginning, and unfortunately the next 4 days will not get any easier. I'd write more, but I'm at a loss as to how to describe it right now.

Expectations...

I'm not sure what to expect anymore.

I came home from vacation to find that not a single student had signed up to attend a concert tonight. It was supposed to be our kick-off for the year, but now I get a night at home. I'm not complaining too much, but it is a little frustrating. Unless I'm around to tell them to sign up, they won't.

I don't know what to expect in the youth ministry over the next few months.

I don't know what to expect from the Board Meeting on Tuesday.

In fact, I don't know what to expect next week at all.

The Man in Black...

Last week on my vacation I walked through an outlet book store and found this book for a fairly good price so I decided to give it a try. (I had seen it before and always wondered if I should give it a read.)

Not only have I enjoyed reading it, but I've also started listening to some Johnny Cash too and I must admit that I think I am becoming a fan.

He's got quite the life story. I'm just sad it took me this long to realize it. Oh well, better late than never. But I will always remember the appearance that he made on a One Bad Pig album. Now that was wild!

Any other fans out there of the Man in Black?

It's been a while...

You'd think that I haven't been around much in the past month. Oh yeah, I haven't!

We just got back from the coast last night. What a blur this last month has been. In fact, it hasn't been just the four of us together by ourselves since July 24th. That's not normal is it?!?!

Words cannot describe what I have personally seen or experienced in the past month. And for the first time in a really long time I can say this in regards to the positive. It's too bad that it's already September though. I feel like I missed my summer.

Oh yeah, at least the countdown is on until NYWC Sacramento! Woohoo!

Just a reminder...

I'm supposed to leave for Tijuana at 6:00am on Thursday. There will be 5 chuches represented with a total of 37 people. I wish I could say that it was smooth sailing from now until then, but it's not. Lots of little things have popped up and I'm still waiting on 2 more phone calls with more details to finalize.

I think this is God's way of reminding me that this is His trip, not mine. I'll admit that it's hard for me to completely let go. I'm the type that wants to have things under control at all times. But I keep having to remind myself, "He is in control. HE is in control. HE IS IN CONTROL!"

My wife is currently en route back home from the coast. It'll be nice to see her again. I've missed her lots. I miss my kids lots too. I'm just a basket case these days...

Bring it on...

With a new season almost underway (I'm not counting the FA Community Shield), I thought it was time to talk a little football.

It was good to see Rio sign his contract at long last. I'll admit that I was one of the people wondering just what he was thinking. Through his entire ban Fergie and the team stuck by him and then after playing last season he comes back demanding more money! Well, at least this ended well!

It was also good to hear that Ole might be soon making a return. With the most recent injury to Saha, it is certainly great timing, although I wonder if we'll see the Ole of old after such a long absence from the game.

I'll admit that the prospect of having Michael Owen at Old Trafford is more than a little appealing. If Smicker truly ends up playing in the midfield, maybe a move for Owen wouldn't be a bad idea.

Whatever happens in the transfer market, I'm ready for the season to begin. It's just too bad that I'm missing the official beginning as I will be in Tijuana with a group of my high schoolers. Oh well...

There's still only one United!

Leading worship...

I was looking at some video that my wife shot last weekend at Family Camp while my band and I led the worship time. It's always strange when you hear your own voice!

But that got me to thinking about the weekend as a whole. It sure was nice to lead in a relaxed atmosphere where people felt comfortable with one another even though they may not have known each other.

It was also nice to talk with some people after the services and to hear that they actually appreciated what we were doing and to let us know that they enjoyed the worship time. Not a single complaint during the whole weekend. That was a nice change.

Too bad that can't be normal.

Time for a change...

This blog has been in desperate need of a makeover for some time now, and since it's so quiet around here...I'll explain that in a bit...I thought I'd make some changes. I've added a few blogs that I like to read from time to time and I've updated my reading list (which is larger than usual because I'm getting ready for a 2 week missions trip to Tijuana).

My wife and kids left for the coast this morning. The wee lil ones are spending some time at the grandparents while we're on teh trip to Mexico. My beauty of a wife won't be back home until Tuesday and then we leave on Thursday. I won't see my kids until August 26th. I miss them already, although I must admit that the peace and quiet was kind of nice for a few hours tonight. But now I'm ready to hear them laughing and talking and have them running around again.

I've got some other exciting news, but I'm waiting on that for the time being.

On the bandwagon...

Just bought an ipod last week. So far I'm loving it. I might love it more once I have all my music on it. And I imagine that this will come in very useful on our missions trip to Tijuana next month.

Any ideas how many Dave Matthews Band concerts I can fit on this thing?

But...

God is even in this.

I was just reminded if that upon finishing "God is Closer Than You Think". God's got a great sense of timing...

Words cannot describe...

I don't even know where to start, but I do know that I don't like this...I think.

This can't be normal...can it?

It's already Friday...

Ok, so this is a little crazy. In the midst of preparing for a missions trip in the middle of August, I've also found a way to get scheduled to preach this Sunday, and organize a missions trip fundraiser immediately after the service. Then I lead worship on the 24th before heding up to camp with my band to lead worship there over the August long weekend.

And let's not forget about planning for the fall. I'm working on a new proposal for our youth ministry that would see things changed up a fair bit.

My parents are coming on the 24th, which means I need to clean the basement up so they have a place to stay (that's where the extra bed is). And I've also got a long list of housework to do in the very near future. Fix fence gates that won't open, do some painting, patch some holes, fix a sinking sidewalk.

Yikes...it's almost like I have too much to do and too little time to do it in.

I must admit...

I'm usually one of the first to complain about the lack of good TV during the summer months, however I thought I'd take a step of faith today and make a confession. I like watching Big Brother.

I hope you don't lose too much respect for me, but my wife and I regularly carve out time to see what's happening each week. I think the best part about this show is that it finds its way onton my screen almost 3 times a week. That's the way TV should be...new epsisodes every couple of days.

Sweet dreams...

I think I'm falling in love...but don't worry, my wife knows!

Good tunes are coming...

I am absolutely looking forward to the new album by these guys. And the even better part is that they'll be leading worship at NYWC in Sacramento just after the album is released. Woohoo!

So much TV...

Well, I've been sick since Thursday night with a brutal sore throat and I've been running a fever, so I ended up spending most of my time today on the couch. That meant I was able to jump on the Live 8 bandwagon.

While I'm impressed by the sheer number of people that witmessed this event (whether live or on TV) I don't know if it will have a huge impact. I mean, let's be honest, do we really think that world leaders give a rip what multi-millionaire celebrities really think? Or that millions of people showing up for concerts will really have a voice?

I guess it would be nice to be wrong, but here's a few other random thoughts..

*Dave Matthews Band---I had to watch this one via AOL because CTV wasn't showing it, but these guys are always amazing! And ABC did a brutal job of editing when they showed DMB on their highlight show.

*Celine Dion---She got booed by the Canadian crowd because she was making a live appearance from Las Vega. Cruel? Yes! But stinking funny!

*Green Day---Way to wreck a classic Queen song. Oh, and lose the makeup!

*Neil Young---There really was no better way to end the Barrie show than with everyone joining him on "Keep on Rocking in the Free World".

*Motley Crue---Absolutely lame. Who let these clowns on the stage?!?!

*Sarah McLachlan---She has one of the most amazing voices in the industry. I didn't care much for Josh Groban joining in, but I can overlook it for now.

*Barenaked Ladies---It was too bad they were the second last act to take the stage because they only got 2 songs. They definitely deserved more stage time.

*Releasing the doves---I wonder if anyone got hit from above...if you know what I mean.

Well, at least I can say that I witnessed a piece of history, even if it was only on my 27" black box.

This is ridiculous...

Too many times in the past month I have heard things that make me cringe...words that make my heart and soul ache....language that I am sure breaks the very heart of Jesus. I'm not talking about "colorful" terminiology. I'm talking about conversations that come off as nothing more than pure bigotry and hatred.

You know the kicker...it's people who should know better.

I know, I know, I shouldn't attempt to speak on His behalf...

I thought summer was slow...

Apparently not. With an upcoming camping trip, a missions trip, some holidays, planning for the next calendar year, and just trying to sort through life...there's hardly time to catch my breath.

I'm currently working on a sermon for this Sunday about the life of Elijah, so let's just say that I haven't been posting much because I've been working...yeah, that's it...I've been working...

I'm pondering and praying about what the fall has in store for our Youth Ministry. I don't know if I should leave things alone or do another overhaul. We tried a new "setup" this past year which definitely had its pros, but I feel it was far from what it could have been.

It's also crazy when you try and pick people's brains about what they like/dislike/want/need, especially when they all have a differing opinion. JR highs want this, SR highs want that, volunteers want something else, parents want the other things, the board doesn't want any of the above.

It makes my head spin sometimes.

I am Batman...

This morning I get a call from a few of my High School students asking me if I was interested in going to see Batman Begins with them tonight. Since my wife wasn't exactly dying to see the movie I joined them.

And what a sweet movie it was...wow! Definitely the best movie of the series to date and definitely worth watching again. Maybe I can convince my wife to go...

Body parts...

It's completely amazing what science can do. My surgeon wants me to consider using "donor parts" when he reconstructs my ACL in the fall. Yup, he wants to take someone elses ACL and place it inside me. I dunno, but that's a little creepy.

On a lighter note, I just downloaded Riley Armstrong's new cd "LaLoop". And yes, it's legal...

Good tunes so far.

It's part of being a dad...

I can remember my dad sitting patiently at the table slowly eating cold pizza that tasted like cardboard and sipping on a coke while we ran around like maniacs.

Tonight we had dinner (if you can call it that) with family friends. I was the lone male besides the youngens. My responsibilty was clear: stay at the table to guard the purses and keep track of the tickets the kids would come back with every 15 minutes.

I'm left with one burning question...why on earth are there no TV's with sports highlights on them for all us dads?!?!

I guess this is fatherhood.

Wish I could go...

Just got listening to some more DMB tonight and I must say that I love this band! This picture is from a show on June 1. I just wish I could make it to a show this summer.

Just finished...

I just finished reading "The Way I Was Made" by Chris Tomlin. All in all it was an ok read...fairly simple...but an easy read is nice once in a while.

I've always had a great deal of respect for Chris and his ministry. It started when I saw him in Dallas at NYWC and he was taking the time to show a group of us standing in the hotel lobby how to use a cut capo. I've always been impressed by the way he handles himself, the quality of his music and his ability to lead worship.

But, back to the book...Since I'm on the hunt for normal, there was something he wrote that really jumped out at me. "How would my life be different today if I stayed in the comfort of familiar surroundings? Well, more predictable maybe. Yep, more "normal". But a lot more boring too."

Maybe I should be glad that I can't find normal. Maybe it would be boring. Maybe God is doing me a favor by keeping me away from "normal". Maybe "normal" would ruin my life.

The marathon begins...

Tonight we officially begin our training for our missions trip to Tijuana. Every Wednesday evening from now until August will now be spent with 18 students and leaders...and occasionally my own kids (when we don't find a babysitter).

At least my wife will be there for these. She has always helped out with our weekend youth events, but she usually spends Wednesday's with our kids while I'm teaching the youth Bible study. I guess that means that we get to spend more time together!

It's going to be a busy summer. We don't usually have weekly events during the summer months. In fact, I don't envision having an entire week off until after the Mexico trip at the end of August. Hopefully I don't go crazy...

Five years...

In church yesterday my SP took the time to point out that I am coming up to my 5 year anniversary at the church. To celebrate the occasion, they gave us a $50 gift certificate to Moxie's and 2 movie passes.

I'm not sure what to think...

But at least my wife and I are finally going to see "Revenge of the Sith" tonight. I know, I know...I'm one of the last people on earth to see it. Oh well, better late than never.

Porn Sunday...

People are going to be ticked off about this, but at least they'll be talking. I know that Porn Sunday isn't the most conservative approach, but since when is porn conservative?

I've read all the details about Porn Sunday and I must say that I am intrigued. I've known about Mike & Craig for years now and I have always appreciated the battle they are fighting. I was able to see their documentary "Missionary Positions" at NYWC. I'll spare you the review. You kind of need to see it for yourself to understand it.

I'd love to jump on board with this thing, but a rural area isn't quite the place. Or is it? Maybe this is the perfect place for something like this. This needs some more thought...

My eyes hurt...

I saw this and my head started spinning and my eyes started to hurt...and no, I wasn't drinking.

Need a facelift...

So I'm reading some blogs today and thinking that I should spice mine up a little bit. Nothing too fancy, but maybe some new colors or a new layout.

Then I got to thinking that I should add some links to other blogs I read. But how do you decide what to link and what not to? Maybe I should accept financial contributions!

Any ideas?

This guys rocks...

I am so jealous that my wife and my students got to see him live this past weekend. Let's just say that I am thankful for the wonders of technology!

Walking again...

Well at least I can get rid of the crutches for now. It'll still be a while until I can run again, but it sure is better to be able to walk without being in constant pain. And now I'll need to wait until June 10th to have the stitches removed.