Flip side of the coin...

I arrived in the office this morning to find a phone message awaiting me.

I dial in my intricate 4 digit password and discover one of our elders has left a message.

"Uh oh. What did I do?", is the first thing to run through my mind. (I should probably be less paranoid.)

It's about my sermon from Sunday. He was just calling to say that it was good. In fact, he stayed for both services. And then he shared how someone else he talked with had made the decision to "stay in the boat".

I don't do this to pat myself on the back. But I do it to remind myself that after the rough comment I heard a month or so ago, it's not always like that.

But I can't get too cocky because I have to do it again this upcoming Sunday. But I don't think I can recycle last week's sermon.

At what point...

I'll usually be the first in line to tell you when something has run its course and it's time for it to be laid to rest. I think it's similar to Andy Stanley's (at least I think I heard it from him) concept that every once in a while you need to throw out the couch that has been lying around.

Nobody uses it.

It's out of date.

It smells funny.

It's a mess.

Does that apply to a blog?

At what point is it time to close the book?

At what point is it time for something new?

Google or Facebook...

I jumped on the Google Wave bandwagon pretty early.

That wagon crashed.

But that didn't change my desire to try out the new Google+. I'm skeptical that they will overtake Facebook any time in the near future, but I'm really liking some of what I'm seeing so far.

Basically it's fairly similar to Facebook but it appears to come with more control over which posts/photos/videos are seen or not seen. It almost seems like a more organized version of Facebook.

The trick will be whether enough people will catch on to actually make it worth using regularly.

In the meantime, I'm just going to jump back and forth between the two.

Wow...

Now this is just plain cool.

Ocean Sky from Alex Cherney on Vimeo.

Meltdown...

My brain isn't sure what is going on.

It's summer. The sky is blue. The sun is shinning. And I'm stuck in the office?

Normally I take my vacation during the summer months. But since we went off gallivanting in Maui back in May, it means that most of the summer will find me with regular office hours.

Right now I'm trying to do some prep work on my sermons that I'll be preaching at the end of the month.

Oh...and I'm anticipating a playoff game for my soccer team tonight. We're currently in 3rd and we play the 2nd place team. Have I mentioned that I haven't played in weeks? And that my bathroom scale called me fat?

Kawkawa Escape...

I love Camp Kawkawa.

I've spent some time in silent retreat in one of their lake front cottages.

I've spoken for their high school camp twice.

I've take my own students out for an all-nighter and a weekend retreat.

And this is all in spite of the fact that I never even grew up at the camp. I have no childhood memories attached to it. (Although my own kids now kind of do.)

I just wish that sometimes I had a little opportunity to be involved in what they are doing. Not only is the camp slowly getting a much needed facelift, but Wayne Stewart's leadership development strategy for his workers and volunteers is well thought through. I think it's a step that will be great not only for the camp, but also for any church who sends people out to volunteer.

Last month I got to talking with Wayne about our student ministry taking over the camp for a Saturday in August. Since Saturday is typically their turnaround day while they wait for the next group of campers to arrive, he obliged.

And as we started planning the Kawkawa Escape, we started to see that there might be some potential for a church wide event. So the rest of the staff got brought into the loop. They loved the idea. So now we're running this as an event for the whole church.

If you're around that day, why don't you drive out and join us for part of it? It'll be fun. I guarantee it.

Kawkawa Escape
Saturday, August 6
10:00am to 10:00pm
Cost: $8/person (includes hod dog supper with pop & chips)
Swim, kayak, hike, play, canoe, rest, relax.
End it all with a campfire.

I just hope it's nice out.

Make more music...

These guys should make more music. No?

School's Out...

We wrapped up our student ministry school year with a movie bash last night. Now, I should mention I'm not the biggest fan of movie events. (That's a post for another day.) But seeing as though most of our crew spent the last week and a bit writing exams, it figured like a good way to end things off.

It was great to hear the laughter (thanks to Megamind and part of Rocketman). It was great to see so many bodies crammed into our stuffy little youth room. And it was great that we didn't end up with a popcorn apocalypse on the floor at the end of the night.

But seriously...who ate all my cream puffs?!?!

We are now officially into our summer schedule. We intentionally take our foot of the gas for the summer so that everyone can catch their breath. I've decided that I'm not a big fan of fighting against the summer schedule, so we scale it down. We have even removed our annual "big camping trip".

We expect to see a fewer number of students. We expect that leaders will be away on vacation. We expect that there will be jobs and camping trips for everyone. So we plan things that work better for smaller groups.

Next Saturday we're hiking Teapot Hill.

Monday mornings in July we'll have breakfast and some Bible study.

In August we'll got to Camp Kawkawa for the day with a a pile of others from our church.

At the end of August we'll take a day trip out to White Rock.

Inexpensive, yet highly relational. Should be fun. Even if the sun doesn't show up!

Preaching in the Crosshairs...

I am a preacher.

At least I try to be.

That puts me in the crosshairs of anyone who may think differently than myself. It comes with the job. And, if I'm being honest, sometimes it sucks.

I hate the awkward emails that will consume an entire morning (or days) of my thoughts. I hate the insecurities that rise up within me. I hate drafting and redrafting my "formal" response. And I hate the anticipation of that next random encounter with the individual who fired off the email.

"Hate" is such a strong word....but I use it deliberately.

I've been criticized for many things over my ministry career. Wearing the wrong clothes. Praying incorrectly. Speaking too long. Missing a passage of scripture. Not having enough depth. Not being encouraging enough. Playing guitar poorly. Picking bad songs. Wearing sandals. The list goes on.

So in an attempt to enlighten you, here are a few things I'd like you to know about me before you hear me speak next:

You will not like everything I say.
I don't do this so that I can be liked. Yes, I'd love to be known as a great preacher. But hopefully that is due to my ability to communicate the truth clearly, not because everything I said made you feel good.

I will miss things.
I only have an allotted time to speak within. (One which I already regularly go over.) Please know that this is not my attempt to bring you a step further to enlightenment. You should leave with more questions and a desire to dig a little deeper on your own.

You will be able to live this out.
This needs to engage your life...not just your brain. I'd rather you and I were both able to live this stuff out than just tuck it away and pat ourselves on the back for just knowing more information.

I am intentional in how I prepare & present.
I study. I read. I pray. I angst. I doubt. I ask questions. I write. And rewrite. And then I repeat. This does not happen in 30 minutes on Saturday night. You should also know that I prepare in such a way that my students can understand what I'm saying. My favorite compliment (if there is such a thing) is when I find out my middle schoolers got it.

Welcome Back Jets...

You know that I've been watching the news like a hawk looking for any hint of what the new NHL team in Winnipeg would be called. My dad and I had a conversation last week on the way to a Whitecaps game about our own feelings.

He was in the camp that felt a new start with a new name and a provincial wide inclusion would be the best bet. But I think years of watching the Manitoba Moose play actually brain washed him.

I was in the camp that has absolutely no ties to the Moose or the idea of the team being referred to as Manitoba. For me, I've been hoping for a return of the Jets.

So, when the owner Mark Chipman took to the platform and introduced Cheveldayoff with “to make our first pick on behalf of… the Winnipeg Jets", I had let out a little cheer and the smile crept in as I waited to see if they would unveil a new jersey, or at the very least bring out a retro one.

No such luck. But at least I know who I'll be cheering on when my Habs aren't playing.

Bring on the sun...

Perpetual clouds have covered the land and sucked any hope out of pretty much all of us in the Lower Mainland. This has, without a doubt, been the worst year for weather since we traded the Edmonton blue skies for this nonsense in late 2005.

Don't get me wrong. I love that the summers usually end up beautiful. I love the mountains. I love that I can play outdoor soccer year round.

But the clouds can just die for all I care.

I'm sure that would wreck something though.

So thankful for the arrival of sunshine and warmth yesterday. It is actually starting to feel like summer. Although my mind is telling me I should be on a beach...

Here's what I'm looking forward to this summer:

• Manchester United in Seattle in July. I get giddy just thinking of it.
• Date night with my beautiful wife to see Owl City and Mat Kearney.
• Friends & family visiting. I'm not even sure when they are all coming, but the pool and the BBQ will be ready at all times.
  
• Going to Toronto for my friend (and former intern) Ryan's wedding in August.
  
• Slowing down...fewer nights out. More time at home.
  

Why do I have the feeling this will all be over way too quickly?

Tune-age Tuesday...

What are you listening to these days?

Ban them. Ban them all...

My son stared speechless at the screen as chaos unfolded.

"What are they doing Dad?"

"What's that Dad?"

"What does that policeman use that stick for?"

"Why is this happening?"

And then he went to play in the park with some of our high school students who had no interest in watching the resulting carnage.

Can I say I'm shocked by what happened? Not really. I mean, you hope for the best, but 1994 kind of set the precedent. Add in too much alcohol to our Facebook/YouTube culture that fuels stupidity, and I find it highly unlikely that anyone really can sit back and honestly say "There is no way we saw that coming."

So here's a little thought for the NHL.

Why not take a page out of European football who has dealt with this problem for years? They are by no means perfect, but they have gotten way more aggressive to combat hooliganism. And ultimately that's what we're talking about here, right? Hooligans.

So...

• What if each riot resulted in a certain number of home games being played behind closed doors next season?
• What if they had to play their next playoff series entirely on the road?
• What if each person found guilty of rioting got a lifetime ban from the arena/stadium?

Now...discuss.

The Cello is cool...

Two cellos and Welcome to the Jungle? It works...

Video Friday...

You need a little break from the routine right?

Enjoy! (Thanks YouTube Trends)



And this one is for the Schutte's and for anyone who works with middle school students. (Thanks Ryan!)

Eventful Coffee Break...

I missed them in 2004, when I would have had to make the drive from Devon, AB.

Being so much closer to Seattle this time, I was determined not to repeat the situation.

I've been scouring the interwebs trying to find tickets. June 1 was the day they officially went on sale to the general public, but there are always ways around that. Buy a package of 3 games. Be an official member of Manchester United's Supporters Club. Buy from a season ticket holder. So I started clicking, sending emails and making phone calls.

The 3 game option was a little too pricey. Sure, you get 3 games at a good price, but when you add in the travel it just didn't seem wise.

I joined the official supporters club and then called the Sounders Office. I was somewhat disappointed to find out that the tickets they give you are in the nosebleeds and closer to the endzone in Qwest Field.

Craigslist would get me some sweet seats, but I might have to sell 3 kidneys...and I think I only came with 2. And finding anyone with 4 tickets (yes, the kids are coming to this too) is impossible.

So I took the gamble. I waited like the rest of the general public.

My coffee break this morning consisted of running two computers and 4 Firefox tabs trying to find (and ensure I held on to) decent seats.

The first selection was somewhere near the endzone. Fail. The second, third and fourth attempts netted similar results. I'm resigning myself to the fact that it might be endzone seats.

But then it happened. That magical refresh button brought a smile to my face. 4 seats in the middle of the field. (Maybe a little higher up than I would have liked, but then again I'd prefer to sit directly behind the bench. At this point I can't boo too choosey, right?)

I scrambled to fill in the required information. I tried password after password. Rejected. What?!?! Why is it you can never remember login passwords when you need them?!?! Work brain...work!

Then it finally came and the purchase was CONFIRMED!!!

I am now the owner of 4 tickets to see Manchester United, current Premier League & Carling Cup Champions, play in Seattle on Wednesday, July 20th.

Can you say excited?

Go Jets...

Thank you Atlanta for being unable to support an NHL team.

Being a Manitoba boy, I grew up attending Winnipeg Jets games with my dad. I remember going early for the pregame warmups and chasing down pucks that flew into the stands. (This is back in the day when you could get hit in the head with a puck and feel like you were the luckiest person in the stands.)

I remember watching the Jets take on Gretzky after he had been traded to the LA Kings. (I'm sure the rest of the Kings were there too, but who really cares.) I remember some of the awe I felt when I saw him skating around with that jersey tucked into his right side.

I remember when I had officially become a fan of Patrick Roy & the Montreal Canadiens, my dad would take me to the matchup at the Winnipeg Arena. I remember the letdown each year that I saw Patrick sitting on the bench instead of starting the game between the pipes. I still have the ticket stubs.

I remember heading down into the darkest corners of the arena hoping to catch an autograph or two from the visiting Habs only to find disappointingly that very few of them would interact with the fans. But I also distinctly remember my dad pointing out one player, decked out in his suit, lurking in the shadows away from the crowd. The one and only...Andre "Red Light" Racicot. (Two mention in one week. That must be a record!)

I remember parking blocks away from Winnipeg Arena on some side street so we could avoid the parking chaos. I remember making that hike countless times.

I remember loading up the hockey cards and heading to the arena with my dad for the Jets Wives Carnival. We'd wonder around getting autographs from any of the players we could. Teemu Selanne. Thomas Steen. Randy Carlyle. Bob Essensa.

I remember when they left. Although my Habs shirts and jerseys were worn with pride, I still felt bad. It didn't seem right that Winnipeg would be without the Jets.

I'll admit that every rumor of a return to Winnipeg has sucked me in. I've watched. I've waited. I've hoped this day would come. I yelled semi-inappropriate things at Gary Bettman on TV when they announced that Phoenix was going to keep the Coyotes around for another year. (Because we all know that it's all Bettman's fault!)

But at long last it has ended.

The Jets are returning.

And they better be called the Jets.

(But my Habs still come first.)

Middle School Mondays...

One of the things that I enjoy about what I do is that I can never be sure of what is going to happen next on one of our youth nights. Rarely a week goes by without some sort of event or conversation that I would never have expected heading into the evening.

Tonight's moments consisted of:

• Our middle school guys discovered a spinal backboard in a stairwell, so they promptly Velcroed one of the guys to the board
• Impromptu game of Pylon Soccer in the field (with a pool noodle for added excitement)
• A discussion with some of our 8th grade guys about dating and what 1st, 2nd, 3rd and home base mean today. (Is it just me or did 8th grade get way too knowledgeable way too quickly?)

There is something to be said about how you can do all the prep in the world for a particular event or lesson only to find out later that you weren't prepped at all.

There's no such thing as normal student ministry.

Ordained...

Got to saw my friend and coworker get ordained today. (For some reason the wording of that just doesn't seem right. Did I just watch? Or was I part of it? Either way, I was there today for this momentous occasion.)

The best comment of the day happened at a celebration BBQ where one of my youth leaders casually asked "Does this mean that he is your superior or something now?" (Natalie...I still don't know if you were serious or not.)

This led to some group joking about how Youth Pastors couldn't possibly be ordained.

I responded with the fact that I've been ordained since 2003 so that actually makes him my minion.

Funny stuff!

Guess I have to get Jamie his coffee from now on.

Maui Day #2-5...

What do you do with endless hours of free time and sunshine? Jump in the Jeep, throw the top down and explore.

Pull over when the sign says "Scenic Overlook" and take some family pics. (It's time like these that I wish I had better photography skills.)

Whenever you need a break from that you head to the beach whenever you can convince the kids to get out of the pool.

Seriously, I still can't understand why my kids can have an entire ocean and endless beaches at their disposal, but they would rather jump in a swimming pool that is barely within eyesight of the ocean. They could chase crabs on the beach, follow fish through the coral, but we had to twist their arms to get them out of the chlorine. How does that work?!?!

Here's the view we had from our room. A nice deck with patio windows that would completely open up so you could have an unhindered view of the ocean. It was also a great place for having our dinner each night and for playing the occasional game of Ticket to Ride.


Found a little craft fair in Kihei on the side of the road where we could wander around and act like tourists and the kids could spend a few dollars on miscellaneous items, a few of which are already broken.




Highlight: Kids trying to eat a bowl of shaved ice that was almost as big as their head.