Sunday, August 30, 2009

Sunday Mind Dump

Nice day at church today. I felt much better playing guitar this week than I did last week :)

So let's dump:
  • I enjoyed pulling the plug on the electric guitar and the drums for a week and just closing my eyes and worshiping. We don't do that very often but it's fun for me personally when we do.
  • Might have been one of the best messages of the year. I can tell you one thing...It has nothing to do with me. I wasn't pleased with it at all over the last few weeks with the writing and all. Just goes to show you how much I know.
  • Open mic night is coming up in two weeks. I am really excited. I think it's going to be really fun.
  • Two weeks until we get the kids ministry changeover done. We'll need to paint and do some remodeling downstairs. If you're interested in helping let me know. We want to make that room really fun for our kids.
  • I cannot tell you how big of a thrill it was to see Joe Suchomma come to church today. That is a rolling dead man. If you ever doubted the power of your prayers just think of that guy!
  • I am ready to be done with summer and get back to the grind of the fall. Big things in store.
I am out!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Unplugged

Tomorrow we are doing an unplugged worship set. One guitar, one bass, and two voices. It's not something that we do often but I really enjoy it when we do. As much as I love rocking things out, I love taking a little extra time in quiet contemplative worship.

There is no one else for me....none but Jesus :)

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Bittersweet Times

These next few days are bitter sweet for me as a Dad. We are packing up Chelsea and taking her off to college. Its an exciting time for her as she is moving on to new things, new experiences, new friends, and a new life. Truth be told, she needs it. We have really protected her and kept a lot of pain from coming her way. She needs to go off and do some things on her own. She needs to know what it's like to have no money and want to go shopping, to the mall, or to the movies. She needs to learn the consequences of staying up too late and then being too tired to take that test! She needs to learn that God will provide for her everything she needs and that her provision comes not from her parents as she has spent 18 years living out. Rather her provision comes from God.

It's tough for us to let her go. It would be really easy to get wrapped up in all the things that could potentially happen to her while she is out of our care. After all, there are some bad people out there! We could live a life of fear and try to talk her out of going. We could live a life of fear and do a lot of things but that just aint right. We'll miss her while she is away. We'll miss her smile and her sense of humor. We'll miss her clumsiness. We'll miss the way she calls Daddddddyyyy can you help me fix this thing. All that stuff we will surely miss. We'll miss her constant longing for Arizona Green Tea with Honey.

At the end of the day there are many things we could fear but the Bible says that "God has not given us a spirit of fear. But of power love and a sound mind." I didn't realize months ago when I started working on this weekends message that much of it was going to be for me. This weekend we are talking about living a life without fear!

God knows our struggles, he knows our insecurities, he knows our pain, and he knows our fears. It is so awesome that the creator of the universe set in motion a message that will help me overcome this weekend. I hope it does the same for you too!

Don't allow Satan to move you into living a life of fear. Life with freedom and victory in your life.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sunday Mind Dump

Great to see everyone after our mini sabbatical! So, let's dump:
  • Felt great to be back teaching again after a few weeks off. Playing music was a little tougher for me today and I never felt in the grove of it.
  • Thanks to everyone who came out to help the Trezzo clan with their move yesterday. It went really smooth!
  • God's been messing me up with some things lately. I am sure it'll make its way into messages eventually. It usually does.
  • Myth Busters is coming. Get me your questions as quick as you can!
  • Good talk today on temptation....if you only take one thing away from it I hope it's this: If you don't want to get stung....GET AWAY FROM WHERE THE BEES ARE!
  • Temptation is subtle. Be aware of what's coming at you.
  • Next week we are talking about the Lie that Satan would like us to live a life of fear. He'd like us to be afraid of the future, God, what people think, him.....and a host of other things. The good news is that the battle is won.....Don't listen to those lies..
  • A couple of quick notes. We are doing a Harvest Party this year....dates will follow.
  • Open mic night is in a few weeks.....for pete's sake....bring a friend :)
  • Small group gatherings are coming in three weeks. I really look forward to that.
See Ya'll soon (my best southern!)

Monday, August 17, 2009

Tanned, Rested, and Ready.

It was great to get away for a week with the family but now I am tanned, rested, and ready! We have some really cool things on the agenda at Real Life over the next few months. Open mic nights, some great message series, some changes to the kids ministry, and a host of other things. I am really excited about where we are and some things that God is doing. We're going to have a short meeting after church on Sunday to talk about some things and talk about those changes....hope everyone can make it :)

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Sunday Mind Dump

This Sunday mind dump is a little different than most since I only have a second had understanding of what happened today. So, let's dump:

  • Long couple of days. It was nice to get to visit with some family I haven't seen in 9 years yesterday.
  • Something I have been learning over the last week. Relationships trump vision every time. Which goes against the grain of everything I have ever read on ministry and planning. It's not that everyone is wrong it's just vision without a greater level of relationship is hollow because you don't have the support to back it up. I think of it like this. Soldiers will follow a great leader to their death without question. Those same soldiers will not follow a leader into battle they don't trust. Relationships trump Vision.....If you have vision and relationships your getting somewhere.
  • Yesterday was a little surreal for me. We took the kids over to my Dad's grave. It seems like forever since he's been here. It also seems like it was just yesterday that he died. It's been 9 years. I have never really felt the need to go visit his grave. I know some people really experience healing and release by making treks to their loved ones grave site...for me that's never been the case (not saying if that's you your wrong.) I know that my Dad couldn't be farther from that spot on the earth and my visit to that spot holds no special meaning. It was however nice to take the kids there.
  • At at Zaxby's tonight. It's a great little chicken place down south. I've been wanting to eat there for some time. It was good!
  • At a nice little hotel tonight and I am going to watch a little pre-season football.
  • Tomorrow we hit the boat and I will be off the grid for until next weekend. That is a first for me without a doubt!
Have a great and blessed night!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Messing Me Up

I have heard so many deep thoughts from great Christian thinkers this week. It's really messing me up. One of them I am still trying to process full was from Brian Houston. Brian is the Pastor of Hillsong Church in Australia. He said "As Christians, we should be known by what we are for, not by what we are against." DANG! THATS GOOD!

Sadly, many of us in the church have let our passions get the best of us and to the world we are known mostly by what we are against rather than what we are for.

When you think about it. We follow Jesus not for what he was against but because of who he was and what he stood for. Jesus stood for the poor and hungry. Jesus stood for the abused and neglected. Jesus stood for the fatherless and the widowed.

Question: What do you stand for? Or as a Christian are you known by what you are against?

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

It's Ladies Night

Ladies....ever wonder why some things seem to be out of sorts in your relationship with your husband? Pastor Perry Noble wrote a great blog post about some things that perhaps you should consider looking at and some questions that you need to be asking about your relationship. I thought that they were spot on so here is his blog post:

Also, Fyi....I did not write the post about questions husbands should ask their wives cause it's linked into Perry's post. I would suggest men read those as well.

Four Questions Wives Should Ask Their Husbands

Posted: 05 Aug 2009 04:43 AM PDT

A few weeks ago I did this post about Five Questions Husbands Should Ask Their Wives that got a lot of attention…and I received a lot of communication from women and men asking, “what should wives ask their husbands?” So…I thought I would give it a shot! (Tried to think of five…but the truth is men just don’t need as much conversation as women do!) :-)

#1 - Do You Feel Admired?

Ladies, your huband wants to know that YOU think he looks good–period! AND…you should NEVER allow someone at work to tell him “that looks good on you,” or, “you look good in that shirt.” He’s YOUR husband…and YOU should do all that you can to make sure you admire him!

Trust me…there isn’t a man on this planet that doesn’t want to hear “I think you are hot/sexy/all that and a bag of chips” from the lady he most admires and desires! And ladies…you cannot take for granted–HE WANTS and NEEDS to hear this from you!

Trust me…NO ONE’S opinion matters to me more than Lucretia’s…and if she says I look good–then DANG IT…I do! What is SO dangerous is that often times men will have someone in their lives that makes them feel admired–satan will make sure of that!!! BUT…if he is getting the attention/admiration from his wife then it makes it SO much easier to lead with confidence and resist temptation that comes his way.

SO…ask him…does he feel admired by you? It DOES matter to him!

#2 - Do You Feel Respected?

EVERY man wants respect! AND…every man wants to be respected by his wife. (Ladies–STOP IT…I know some of you are saying right now, “well, when he begins to be respectable then I will…”) That isn’t the point here…the question is from YOU to HIM…and it do you feel respected?

Let me give you a few insights…

  • His answer is going to be “no” if you are always telling your children what a loser their father is and that you wish he were a better dad to them.
  • His answer is going to be “no” if you are always telling your girlfriends (usually in the form of a prayer request) what a low life he is and how he drives you crazy.
  • His answer is going to be “no” if he has shared vulnerable thoughts and emotions with you…and you take that information and use it as a “conversation piece” with your lunch buddies!
  • His answer is going to be “no” if you have never taught your children to thank him for the way he provides and such.
  • His answer is going to be “no” if you are NEVER interested in what he is doing. (I am amazed at how many women don’t even know what their husband does at work…or what his favorite hobby is.)

One of his BIGGEST NEEDS is to feel respected…and the person he needs it from the most is his wife!

So…ask him.

#3 - Do You Feel Taken Care Of?

Every man, from time to time, wants to be able to come home and relax for a few minutes…to take off his shoes and just sit down. BUT…when a wife stands at the door and barks out orders before the garage door closes…a man feels pressured and pressed down…and honestly begins to think, “I should have stayed at work…at least there I get treated like I am somebody!”

This does not negate the fact he needs to show up and serve…but from time to time…give him a break when he hits the door and let him catch his breath. Trust me…this is HUGE!

#4 - Is Our Sex Life Fulfilling To You?

Anytime “men” are discussed in marriage you just KNOW that SEX is going to be a topic of discussion!

BTW…if you don’t want to ask this question…you probably already know the answer!

In every survey that I’ve ever read sex is ranked #1 by men in regards to what they need (I think breathing is #2!)

Men want to know that their wife wants them…sexually. Believe me…it DOES matter to him. And ladies…just the fact that you take the time to ask this question will mean more to him than you could ever imagine.

AND…the ONLY way this area of a marriage will get better is if couples are willing to talk about it. My gosh…YOU’RE MARRIED!

If their has been pain and disappointment in the past–that needs to be talked about. If their have been unmet expectations on your part…then that needs to be talked about. YES, I know it “takes two to tango…” BUT…

The purpose of this question is for you to ask does he feel taken care of in this area. I KNOW this can be SO uncomfortable for so many couples right now…but you can either deal with it now…OR you WILL deal with it later.

Uncomfortable conversations must take place at times in order for a marriage to achieve its maximum potential!

So…ladies…there you go.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Good Practice

We had a good practice tonight and have a pretty good line up of songs for Friday's Show. Looks like the weather is going to be great for the event and we are all looking forward to it. Grace Church has plugged the event pretty good in the community so hopefully they get a great turnout for it.

Remember if you're going and want to get in on a car pool get with me soon so we can get you connected to others going.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Sunday Mind Dump

Today was an awesome day for me personally and a great day for Real Life as well. To say that the last two months have been interesting would be an understatement. All that aside, God rocked my world more than you'll ever know today. Yet again in my feeble little man made mind I placed some limitations on him that he completely blew out of the water. I was thinking and hoping for one thing and he provided much much more that that. So, let's dump:
  • As you can see life goes on. We'll miss Aaron on vocals and guitar no doubt, but we still have some really talented people at Real Life. For now, I am taking over the role of Worship Leader. I am planning the songs, working on their arraignments, and handling the worship and arts ministry. Do I want to do this forever? No. I am praying God sends us someone who has a passion for worship and who has all the skills to be an effective leader of people. Until that day I will lead the band.
  • Some might ask "why isn't April the worship leader? After all, she did it before." Yes, that's true and she did a good job of it. The problem is this. It's really hard to replace someone who is still on the team so even when God does provide for the next leader April will still have a part of the band and we don't want the leader to feel like they are stepping on her toes or going to her to handle problems they should be handling. I on the other hand, have no problems walking away from the worship ministry and just being a fill in when needed. By me taking over the ministry we are hopefully setting the next person up for a smoother transition :)
  • Finished the series I <3>
  • Love that closing song. Have I mentioned that?
  • Going to be on a blogging hiatus over the next few weeks as we'll be off the grid for our vacation. I might check in if I can we'll see. Also in that note, if you need anything give Trezzo a call. He'd love to listen :)
  • If you're going to Grace Church for the HallowVox concert next Friday let me know so we can help you work out a car pool. We do have people that want to go but might need rides.
  • Met some great people in church today.
  • The kids are leading worship next week. They're practicing Tuesday night @ 7!
  • Love that closing song.....
  • I am spent I only got a few hours sleep last night. Worked out this evening and hopefully that will knock me out when the time comes!!
I am outta here....gonna chill with my gal :)