Look at the Source

That's Crazy

2009-09-03T18:06:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday, I had an interview at Kennesaw United Methodist Church. Part of the application process was to write a 3 page autobiographical statement. This statement was to include significant events in my life that helped to shape my faith, including when I accepted Christ, important people in my faith journey, and significant events in college and in ministry. I love to write and really enjoyed this experience; so much so, it was very hard to limit to 3 pages (Don't tell anybody, but I actually wrote 4 pages.). Since several people were asking to read it and I thought it was too good to leave as a saved document on my computer, I decided to share it with y'all. Enjoy and feel free to post a comment letting me know what you think.

That’s Crazy

If you would have told me a year and a half ago that I would be working for Lexington County as a 911 Dispatcher, I would have told you, “That’s Crazy!” If you would have told me a year and a half ago that I would be considering leaving Lexington, SC, the place I call home, to pursue youth ministry positions throughout the Southeast, I would have told you, “That’s Crazy!” For you see, I love Youth Ministry and for many years have felt God’s call on my life to serve the town of Lexington, most specifically to serve the congregation of Pilgrim Lutheran Church. Lexington has become home, a place of comfort where family and friends reside; however, to limit God’s calling on my life to a certain geographical area, to only use my gifts in the place I feel “comfortable” would go against everything we know of God and the ways He has acted throughout the Scriptures and throughout my life, and that would truly be crazy.

I grew up in Penn Hills, a large suburb of Pittsburgh,PA, relocating to Lexington, SC with my mom in the summer of 2003. My childhood was one that has become normal for so many children across this country. My brother (John) and I were raised by a single mom, getting to see our father on the weekends. For us, this was all we knew, it was normal, and it worked. My mom was the one that dragged John and I to church every Sunday, but it took a middle school crush to make the power of the Gospel come alive in my life.

Liz was one of the few people who attended both my middle school and my church. I remember the day like it was yesterday, when Liz approached me in homeroom and asked if I attended Unity Church and encouraged me to come to youth group. From that point on my life has never been the same; I could not get enough of church! I began begging my mom to come early on Sundays so we could go to Sunday School, cutting my weekends short with my dad so I could go to youth group on Sunday night, and showing up any time the church doors were open. However, the power of the Gospel didn’t invade my life until Confirmation Classes began Spring of that year, when one night at home, after being presented with the truth of the Gospel in class that night, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. To say life was the same after that, now that would be crazy.

In the fall of 1997, I entered my freshman year of High School, though things were a little different with the Penn Hills School District. Due to space restraints, ninth grade was located at the Middle School and in order to “graduate” into the “real” High School, all ninth graders had to write a paper on a potential career they would like to pursue. This even included researching the various colleges, masters programs, and seminaries one would need to attend in order to do this type of work. At this point being very involved in the music and fine arts scene, I tossed around the idea of becoming a band director. Yet once again, it would be crazy to think God wouldn’t speak to me directly and tell me what path He wanted me to pursue for the rest of my life. I remember riding with my dad to his house that Saturday night when God made it clear He wanted me in full-time ministry. We were just about to turn onto my dad’s street when the Lord told me, “Paul, I want you in ministry.” It was at that point that I could see myself doing nothing else; and to think arguing with the Creator of the universe would change anything would be crazy.

Four years later, in the fall of 2001, I began my collegiate career at one of those schools I researched for that career paper, Grove City College (located in north western Pennsylvania). Those four years spent at Grove City were the best years of my life; years in which my faith was deepened and my calling strengthened. While at Grove City I immersed my self in various on and off campus ministries. Books can be written about the ways in which I saw God move in others and more importantly through me while serving in these ministries. I did everything from taking two Inner City Outreach (ICO) trips to Kentucky, to welcoming the freshman classes of 2002 and 2003 while serving on the Orientation Board, and even got to minister to juveniles from across the country at George Junior Republic, “one of the country’s largest, private, nonprofit residential treatment communities for at risk youth”. One of the greatest blessings of my life was getting to witness walls being torn down as several teenage boys who had seen and experienced way more that I ever will in my lifetime, sat in tears as they accepted the unconditional love of Christ. Through these ministries, I experienced the power and love of God in ways I never had before, however it was my time as a leader of an ICO trip to Malawi, Africa Easter break of 2004 that provided me with an experience of God that will never go away.

It was Finals Week 2003. I remember sitting in church listening to the testimony from overseas missionaries, when the Lord told me, “Paul, I want you to lead an ICO trip to Africa”, to which I immediately responded "That’s Crazy”. Not only had I never traversed outside of the Eastern seaboard, let alone out of the country, I had never led a mission trip. How in the world was I going to pull this one off? All I knew was that the Lord had never spoken to me in this way before; it was so strong that I couldn’t shake it. That summer while working for a homebuilder in Lexington, Africa was all I could think about. It was like a bad flea that you just couldn’t shake. To think God couldn’t use me to accomplish this mission was crazy.

I entered my junior year at Grove City knowing that I would be leading a team to Africa that spring. Of all the countries in Africa, Malawi became the destination of choice due to some ministry connections I had through the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. After plastering the campus with signs asking for a co-leader, Heidi, a good friend of mine since freshman year, stepped forward and said she would fill this vacancy. I immediately knew Heidi was called to serve in this role; not only did I need a female, but I was looking for someone who was energetic, fun, incredibly organized, and someone I knew I could work well with; Heidi fit this description to a tee, one could not ask for a better partner. After several introductory meetings and screening interviews, our team of 12 began to take shape. As our team began to bond and gel, we knew God’s hand was upon the trip and us. God provided for us financially, blessing us with well over the $25,000 we needed to travel to Malawi. God provided for us physically, not one of us got sick before, during, or after (ok, I was a little sick when I came home, but nothing too bad) the trip. Finally, God provided for the people of Malawi. Not one single donation bag (or personal suitcase for that matter) was lost or delayed after traveling on 6 different planes and 20,000 miles round trip. Though only there for one week, God used this trip as a springboard for future mission work. Heidi went on to serve the people of Malawi for an entire summer a few years later and one of our team members led another ICO trip Easter Break of 2007. To say God always calls the equipped would be crazy for I now realize God doesn’t always call the equipped, but equips the called. Whenever I doubt the power of God or His ability to care for His people, all I have to do is reflect on that trip.

My career in full/part-time Youth Ministry began in September 2002 during my sophomore year, when the congregation of Fredonia Presbyterian Church asked me to be their Youth Intern. That relationship continued for three incredible years, ended only by my graduation from Grove City College in May of 2005. Originally signing up for the position to get some church experience while earning a little bit of spending money, it wasn’t until my summer internship at Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church in 2004, that I felt God specifically calling me into Youth Ministry. Working day in and day out with two passionate youth directors and traveling to various cities across the Southeast with youth in tow, helped to craft my skills and passion for youth ministry. It was at the end of that summer that I stood in the pulpit of an empty church and said, “I want to go into full-time youth ministry.”

Upon graduation from Grove City College I went back to serve the youth of Saxe Gotha as their intern for a second summer. It was through my three years at Fredonia and my second summer at Saxe Gotha that I realized the key to a successful youth ministry: longevity. After taking a position in Greenville that wasn’t the right fit for me, I came back to my “home-town” of Lexington to serve the congregation of Pilgrim Lutheran Church.

I knew Pilgrim was the place for me from the minute I interviewed with Pastor Rusty Sullivan and the search committee. Not only was it in the town I considered home, it was a growing church not just in numbers, but also in “faith, love, and service”. I was the first ever full-time Director of Youth Ministries at Pilgrim and was soon followed by the first ever Associate Pastor (Pastor of Nurture and Outreach), first ever contemporary service, and the completion of a 3.5 million dollar sanctuary. Pilgrim did in sixth months what it takes most churches years to do and it was exciting to witness and be a part of it. At Pilgrim I was called upon to strengthen an existent ministry while breaking apart the cliques and the spirit of exclusiveness that existed in the High School ministry. After some time working on just that, I began pouring much time and resources into the development of a Middle School ministry. By the time of my departure, over 80% of the middle school students on roster were active members of this ministry.

I loved every minute the Lord blessed me with in serving the congregation of Pilgrim Lutheran Church. I could go on and on talking about the ways God brought this youth group together. About the many ways in which I was blessed and honored to see Him work in the lives of teenagers through various service projects and mission trips. I could mention the joy I felt in planning these trips and preparing the themed messages to deliver while on them. God continues to bless and grow the youth ministry of Pilgrim to this day. To think God would call me away from this church, from a position I loved so much would seem “crazy”, however His ways are not my ways and in June of 2008 I was called to step down from my position as Director of Youth Ministries.

I miss Youth Ministry. I miss the joy I felt going in to work everyday. I miss having an active role in the lives of teenagers and watching them develop a passion for the Scriptures. It took God placing me in the role of a 911 Dispatcher to realize how much I loved my job and that unique calling He has placed on my life. I know God has a bigger plan for me and has already prepared a place in ministry for me. I know, because I’ve been a witness to the ways He has worked through my life in the past.

In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan describes the “crazy” love God has for us. The God who created the universe, who placed the stars in the sky also knows exactly how many hairs we have on our head and every thought we’re thinking. Chan goes on the write that this love calls for a complete and total surrender and obedience to His will. This “crazy love” calls for the willingness to pursue Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, throwing off whatever hindrances keep us from being fully devoted followers of Christ. Reflecting upon the stories of my life, it’s hard not to notice the many ways in which He has used me, an ordinary person, to accomplish some mighty works for Him; for me to respond in any other way then complete obedience to His call, you would have to say, “That’s Crazy”!

Paul Scheeser
August 2008

Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T23:03:00.005-05:00

In many ways I thought today would never come, and it wasn't due to the fact that I thought I would never see an (half) African American president. If asked 2 years ago (the length of this long and grueling Presidential campaign) who Barack Obama was, I would say, "Oh yeah, that junior Senator who had that great speech at the Democratic Convention"; and I think the average American would say the same thing. Unless you hailed from Chicago you probably (and I include myself in this category) had no idea where he stood on any of the issues. I would have never thought in a million years that a man with little experience, from a humble background, very similar to many Americans, would be able to ascend to the political forefront and defeat the Clinton machine for the Democratic nomination. I also never would have imagined a candidate with little experience defeating, in the words of Tom Brokaw, one "groomed for the job".

Though it's been hard for me to accept the reality of today, I can commend the now President Obama for the campaign he led. He truly led a grassroots campaign, involving many people who had no interest in politics in the past. He got young people and minorities (predominately African Americans) to turn out in record numbers, something no other candidate in the past has been able to do. Not to mention the fact that his speeches, though filled with countless unnecessary pauses, are motivational and inspiring. I truly hope he can push aside partisan politics like he has promised, get to work, and continue to inspire those aforementioned Americans, keeping them involved in the political discussion. As a man who loves his country, I too must lay down my differences and get behind him. Though I don't agree with any of his liberal policies, he is now my President and the prosperity of our country depends on his ability to successfully lead us through this time.

In honor of Inauguration Day, you will find all my tweets from that historic day back in November below and those that I posted throughout today. As you can see, it's taken a lot to get me to that point where I can say what I said in the preceding paragraph. Following in the steps of John McCain himself on Election Night, it's time for me to graciously and humbly "concede" and move on. I hope those of you out there like myself can do the same, for our country needs to be united more now than ever before. Just as I followed in the steps of McCain, take a look at my posts below and notice my about face; hopefully, you too can make the change. That word seems to be floating around a lot these days lately, hasn't it?

[Posts are in backwards chronological order]

Today's Posts:
It's strange to think that just 2 years ago if Obama was to walk down the same streets he is now, most of those ppl wouldn't recognize him. - about 6 hours ago from txt

They keep on showing John Kerry at the Inauguration festivities as the saying "always the bridesmaid never the bride" goes through my head. - about 9 hours ago from txt

Well I guess it's official. - about 11 hours ago from txt

Question of the day is: If John McCain won, would there be all this hoopla over the Innauguration? His presidency would have made history 2. - about 14 hours ago from txt

Now that today's finally here, it's not getting any easier to move past that November day when my candidate John McCain lost. - about 16 hours ago from txt

Election Night:

The Dow took another big plunge today making it the biggest post-election day drop in a long time. I wonder why - 7:21 PM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

I think I know why McCain's loss has been so hard for me. I volunteered for him during the primary& had his sign in my yard since January. - 11:09 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

The sociologist (& 24 fan) in me wants to measure the "David Palmer Effect" & it's connection to Obama's success. - 10:41 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

I want to be the first to announce my candicacy for President in 2012. Now to write a couple good speeches so I too can win the race. - 7:41 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

I'm all 4 helping those in need but it should be done by the private sector not by a big govt. High taxes & govt handouts kills this. - 7:24 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

@busterkeaton I loved your last tweet about voting "present". Our media was so in love with Obama no one seemed to raise this important fact. - 7:07 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt in reply to busterkeaton

Since when has Obama been the "reach across the aisles" candidate? He's notoriously known for toting his party line & the liberal end of it. - 2:35 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

I'm definitely not looking forward to the next 4 years but I know some people who are...terrorists around the globe. - 2:25 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

I wonder if the liberal media is still going to drool over every word Obama says when he's president or slander/ruin him like they did Bush? - 2:15 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

In John McCain never has a man been more groomed to be president. - Tom Brokaw:Meet the Press. Why didn't the nation see this? - 2:01 AM Nov 5th, 2008 from txt

When interviewed on CBS, an African American said the reason she supported Obama was because he was black. Isn't that discrimination? - 10:37 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

I couldn't get over how many ppl ran unopposed. I've decided that will never happen again. Write in today...Candidate next election! - 9:46 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

Oh yeah, I'm also going to begin figuring out how much more of my paycheck this new spend happy liberal Congress and President will take. - 8:26 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

About the only good thing about tonight was my mom's leftover stew. I will now enter a period of mourning. - 8:25 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

Though Palin looked like a great choice @ the beginning, Tom Ridge (Hello-PA) or even Romney is starting to look like the better VP choice. - 8:14 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

Crap! Losing Ohio has pretty much sealed the deal. Why PA & OH...Why? - 8:10 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

I know it doesn't matter but I just want to remind everyone that we elected a 1st term sen who has voted "present" on all the hard issues. - 7:50 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

In line to vote and pretty excited! From what I heard @ work all day this line is sooo much shorter. It looks to be only about 30 min max. - 7:07 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

My home state (PA) has let me down once again. - 5:32 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

I'm walking to the polls once again today in the rain. I'm hoping history repeats itself and my actions signal a McCain/Palin victory. - 1:13 PM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

Polls have been wrong before, McCain can win just like the Giants beat the Patriots & David beat Goliath. Happy Election Day...Go Vote! - 2:37 AM Nov 4th, 2008 from txt

Haven't I Ever Told You How Awesome Pittsburgh Is?

2008-03-05T11:03:00.003-05:00

The following comes from an e-mail I received today. Even though many miles separate me from this beautiful city, I will always have a love for its people, communities, landscape, culture, and of course the best sports teams in the nation! Some of this I knew, many of it I didn't, however, it just goes to show what a great city Pittsburgh is!

Pittsburgh (and some surrounding areas) was the first city in the world to do a lot of neat things! Here are a few of the most well-known:

~ First Heart, Liver, Kidney Transplant - December 3, 1989. The first simultaneous heart, liver and kidney transplant was done at Presbyterian-University Hospital.

~ The First Internet Emoticon - 1980. The Smiley was the first Internet emoticon, created in 1980 by Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist Scott Fahlman.

~ First Robotics Institute - 1979. The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University was established in 1979 to conduct basic and applied research in robotics technologies relevant to industrial and societal tasks. The college is still working on Robots ~~ in fact it is their robots used in the unmanned air crafts that fly over Iraq.

~ First Mr. Yuk Sticker - 1971. Mr. Yuk was created at the Poison Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh after research indicated that the skull and crossbones previously used to identify poisons had little meaning to the children of today (for most children it means exciting things like pirates and adventure). Covering 27 counties and 33 percent of Pennsylvania's population, the Pittsburgh Poison Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is the largest such center in the United States

~ First Night World Series Game - 1971. Game 4 of the 1971 World Series was the first night game in Series history. Pittsburgh tied the series in that game with a 4-3 win and went on to win the series, 4 games to 3. This was one of the last big moments in the career of well-loved Pirate, Roberto Clemente. Fourteen and a half months after the 1971 World Series, he died in a plane crash off the coast of his native Puerto Rico as he attempted! to tak e food, clothing and medical supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

~ First Big Mac - 1967. Created by Jim Delligatti at his Uniontown McDonald's, the Big Mac debuted and was test marketed in three other Pittsburgh-area McDonald's restaurants in 1967...Bellevue and Butler. By 1968 it was a mainstay on McDonald's menus throughout the country and eventually, the world.

~ First Pull-Tab on Cans - 1962. The pull-tab was developed by Alcoa and was first used by Iron City Brewery ! in 1962 For many years, pull-tabs were only used in this area.

~ First Retractable Dome - September 1961. Pittsburgh's Civic Arena boasts the world's first auditorium with a retractable roof. This is still being used although the Hockey team wants to tear it down and build a new building.

~ First U.S. Public Television Station - WQED - April 1, 1954. WQED, operated by the Metropolitan Pittsburgh educational Station, was the first community-sponsored educational television station in America and was also the first to telecast classes to elementary schools (1955).

~ First Polio Vaccine - March 26, 1953. The polio vaccine was developed by Dr. Jonas E. Salk, a 38-year-old University of Pittsburgh researcher and professor, and his staff at the University of Pittsburgh.

~ First All-Aluminum Building - ALCOA - August 1953. The first aluminum-faced skyscraper was the Alcoa Buil ding, a 30-story, 410 foot structure ! with th in stamped aluminum panels forming the exterior walls. ! (This building is still being used today.)

~ First Zippo Lighter - 1932. George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932 in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Although hardly a community "in the surrounding area," you can even find the name of the manufacturing location, either Bradford or Niagara Falls, stamped on the bottom of every Zippo lighter. The name Zippo was chosen by Blaisdell because he liked the sound of the word "zipper" - which was patented around the same time in nearby Meadville, PA.

~ First Bingo Game - early. Hugh J. Ward first came up with the concept of bingo in Pittsburgh and began running the game at carnivals in the early 1920s, taking it nation-wide in 1924. He secured a copyright on the game and wrote a book of Bingo rules in1933.

~ First U.S. Commercial Radio Station - KDKA - November 2, 1 920. Dr. Frank Conrad, assistant chi! ef engi neer of Westinghouse Electric, first constructed a transmitter and installed it in a garage near his home in Wilkinsburg in 1916. The station was licensed as 8XK. At 6 PM. on Nov. 2 , 1920, 8KX became KDKA Radio and began broadcasting at 100 watts from a makeshift shack atop one of the Westinghou se manufacturing buildings in East Pittsburgh. (The station is now KDKA.)

~ The First Gas Station - December, 1913. In 1913, the first automobile service station, built by Gulf Refining Company, opened in Pittsburgh at Baum Boulevard and St. Clair Street in East Liberty. It was designed by J. H. Giesey.

~ The First Baseball Stadium in the U.S. - 1909. In 1909 the first baseball stadium, Forbes Field, was built in Pittsburgh, followed soon by similar stadiums in Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, and New York. Forbes Field closed in 1970 when Three Rivers Stadium opened. < st1:place w:st="on">PNC Park is the ne west replacement, opening in 2001.

~ First Motion Picture Theater - 1905. The first theater in the world devoted to the exhibition of motion pictures was the "Nickelodeon," opened by Harry Davis on Smithfield Street in Pittsburgh.

~ First Banana Split - 1904. The banana split was invented by Dr. David Strickler, a pharmacist, at Strickler's Drug Store in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

~ The First World Series - 1903. The Boston Pilgrims defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates five games to three in baseball's first modern World Series in 1903. The Pirates lost the final game 4-3, before a crowd of 7,455 in Boston. Four of the series' games were played in Pittsburgh.

~ First Ferris Wheel - 1892/1893. The first Ferris Wheel, invented by Pittsburgh native and civil engineer, George Washington Gale Ferris (1859-1896) was in operation at the World's Fair (Columbian Exposition) in Chicago. It was over 264 feet high and was capable of carrying more than 2,000! passengers at a time.

~ Long-Distance Electricity - 1885. Westinghouse Electric developed alternating current, allowing long-distance transmission of electricity for the first time.

~ First Air Brake - 1869. The first practical air brake for railroads was invented by George Westinghouse in the 1860s and patented in 186 9. In the same year he organized the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. With additional automatic features incorporated into its design, the air brake became widely accepted, and the Railroad Safety Appliance Act of 1893 made air brakes compulsory on all American trains.

~ The STEELERS were purchased by Art Rooney Sr. for $2500...they were originally the Canton Bulldogs. They are the first team to win four super bowls, now five after six appearances, and the first team to get in the playoffs as a wild card and go all the way to win the Super Bowl.

~ The Pittsburgh Rens played basketball at the Civic Arena but are no longer in existence.

~ The Rolling Stones came to Pittsburgh first and played at West View Park Danceland. It cost $.50. They were considered too weird and went back to England and came back after the Beatles broke the ice.

Now go have a good day and know where all the great stuff starts!!

I'm in Awe of this Kid!

2007-12-17T10:42:00.000-05:00

This is an awesome video that I found on my friend Jeff's (who I met at NYWC Atlanta) blog. Watch it and be amazed.

Best Video Of The Year - video powered by Metacafe

The 'Goliaths' in Our Life

2007-12-06T17:04:00.000-05:00

The day is finally here. I've been waiting for this Sunday since August and I can't believe it's here. Can you feel the excitement coming through your screen? The more important question, do you know why I'm so excited? Well this Sunday is the much talked about, much speculated about Sunday circled on every Steelers fan's schedule. That's right, this Sunday the Steelers will play the Patriots in what could be a precursor to the AFC Championship game and the Sunday when New England's unbeaten season just might come to an end. I'm not going to speculate much about the outcome, but I will tell you you're in for one great game.

You know what's funny? Many people say every game the Patriots have played this year has been a 'David versus Goliath' match-up. However, over the past two weeks 'Goliath' hasn't appeared as strong as he once did. The fact remains true with the 'Goliaths' in our life, they often pose as insurmountable walls, when in reality they're only a little speed bump on the road of life. You know what's cool? Scripture is filled with accounts of ordinary 'Davids' doing extraordinary things and conquering the 'Goliaths' in their life. Fact: God is not done conquering the 'Goliaths' in the world and promises to do it in your life. No matter how big that problem appears, God's stronger and mightier than the Patriots and has the power to help you conquer it. 'Goliath' isn't invincible. Give it to God and let Him equip you for the battle.

I'm Moving...but only to Twitter

2007-09-11T09:28:00.001-05:00

Hello to all those out there in cyberspace! To answer your first question, "Yes, I'm still alive." As for your second question, I can't answer why it's taken me over 5 months to update; maybe it's due to the fact that I've been on some sort of weekend/weeek long trip every month since my last posting. Or maybe I haven't had anything to share...highly unlikely! It has to be the first reason!

Since it often takes time to create a post on blogger and acomplish the original objective of 'Look at the Source', I'm moving...or maybe I should say getting a timeshare. After seeing my brother's Twitter, I decided I needed one, no not because of jealousy, come on now, but because of you, the people. Yes, I'm always putting you first. Plus, it doesn't hurt that it takes less time to post.

So, if you're looking for the Cliffnotes of my life be sure to check out my "right off the show room floor" Twitter.

And for those loyal fans of 'Look at the Source', don't worry I will return home as time allows, or if I feel there's something I just need to share with the whole world and a one sentence summary just won't suffice!

Global Rich List

2007-04-17T17:10:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but I often find myself comparing my life to those who are financially far better off than I. This only results in coveting; desiring more and more when I have already been blessed with so much. Though in the states my Youth Director salary doesn't rank up there with the corporate moguls of this land, when comparing myself to those around the world I'm actually pretty rich. In fact I'm in the top 5.7% of the world, making me the 342,068,966th richest person in the world. The latter number doesn't appear high by any means until you consider that there are an estimated 6 billion people in the world. Now I always knew in the back of my head that when compared to others around the world I'm pretty rich, especially after I came home from Malawi, Africa, but until I visited Global Rich List I never realized just how well off I am. I encourage you to click on the icon below and see for yourself where you rank.

FYI: A person working for minimum wage ($5.15/hr) for 20 hours a week will earn $5356 dollars a year (way below the US Poverty Line). This puts them in the top 14.31% of the world making them the 858,969,187th richest person in the world! I don't know about you but that's alarming and a call to be more fervent in prayer for and diligent in support of those around the world who are so desperately in need.

Quote to Ponder

2007-04-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

While flipping through the book Jesus Drives Me Crazy, by Leonard Sweet, I came across the following quote. Let me know what you think!

"Those who dance appear insane to those who cannot hear the music."
~Mark Kleiman

Pollen...my Saturn Ion and I both hate it!

2007-03-27T17:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome back my faithful readers! I hope I haven't lost anyone over this long hiatus. There is one thing however that has been lost...my voice. If you've read the title of this entry than you probably have a good guess as to why my voice has up and left...that's right Pollen. According to the weathermen (you can always trust them), the Pollen is worse this year than any other year in recent memory. Pollen is everywhere, on cars, on buildings, and apparently my lungs. Everything is coated with a thin yellow glaze, giving me the impression of what a nuclear fallout might look like. I've never experienced anything like this; and my body's telling me so. Allergy medicine has always been my best friend in the Spring, but I have never lost my voice before. Usually I become congested but never does that congestion drain into my throat and rob me of my voice, something I rely upon so heavily, especially in my line of work (And this weekend is no exception, with the 30 Hour Famine quickly approaching!). Hopefully, there will be some heavy rain showers on the horizon (though this doesn't seem to be the case) to wash away this yellow haze and nourish our dry, sandy land.

Included below is the opening segment I wrote for this week's High School Announcements email for some more insight into this pollen invasion. I have also included some pictures of my car for those of you located outside the Columbia area so that you can see with your own eyes the destruction. Need more proof? Just give me a call and listen to my gnarley voice.

Though I like Spring and the warmth that comes with it, there's one thing I don't like, all the pollen. As I'm sure most of you are aware, I own a black car. I love my car, especially after it's just been washed. There's nothing like a shiny black car, there's also nothing harder to keep clean than a shiny black car! Since my car was in dire need of a bath I decided to stop by Frank's Tuesday morning. After shining up the car, rims, tires, and vacuuming the inside I came to work. Much to my dismay, when I left the office my car was covered with yellow dust; I was highly upset. Though I'm well aware of the difficulties that go along with keeping a black car pristine, I like to keep it clean for at least a couple of days. After going back to Frank's on Wednesday to take advantage of the "24 Hour Clean Car Guarantee", my car was once again covered with yellow dust by day's end. Well this got me thinking, no I'm not going to carry a car cover in my trunk, but it got me thinking about how this is like our Christian journey. There are times we strive so hard to be right with God by obeying His holy Word and following His commandments. However, no matter how hard we work, nothing's going to keep us "spotless", we will always mess up and disappoint God; we will get covered with the "yellow dust" so to speak. However, we have a God that offers something even better than a "24 Hour Clean Car Guarantee", we have a God that offers forgiveness through the blood of Christ; anytime, all the time. A God that constantly washes away the "dust" and makes us shiny and new. Continue to follow hard and fast after Him, and remember to study His Word and bow before Him daily in prayer uplifting your requests and confessing your sins and He will wash you clean from the sin that so easily dirties our lives.

I told you my car doesn't like the pollen!
Every time I get in my car I turn on the windshield wipers to clear all the pollen; if I don't, there's no way I can see the road in front of me.
Getting in and out of the car can be tricky, one has to be careful not to take the pollen with them.

A Look Back at Groundhog's Day 2004

2007-02-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

Hello to all of my faithful readers and those of you who are new to the blog. In honor of Groundhog's Day (February 2nd), I decided to post an entry from my old blog written days after I along with three of my friends made a homage to Gobbler's Knob to witness the prognosticator of prognosticators, the seer of seers, Punxsutawney Phil.

Ground-hog, Grroouunndhoog!!!

This was the chant that the four of us heard at 6 AM in the morning on Monday, February 2, 2004; or the day known to all of us as Groundhog's Day. When the possibility of attending Groundhog's Day first arrived, I jumped on it right away. However, I almost did not get to go, because there was not enough cars; and for those of you know the history of my car, driving it for close to 2 hours somewhere is not an option. However, at 12:00 Sunday night after watching the South's rep in the Super Bowl lose, I was cheered up by Jimmy coming into my room to let me know that I did indeed have a spot. I immediately told all of my friends on IM and quickly ended all conversations so that I could get up way before sunrise to participate in this historic festivity.

My alarm went off at 3;30 in the morning and thus began Groundhog's Day 2004. Several people dropped out and it ended up being me, Michael, Jimmy, and Alison as the lone Punxsutawney faithful. Jimmy's Honda Civic pulled out of GCC at 4:15 in the morning and we were on our way. Around 5:40-ish we arrived in Punxsutawney and parked at the Wal-Mart in town to be shuttled to Gobbler's Knob. After getting my hand stamped with a stamp that is still on my hand 4 days later and a free top hat we boarded the school busses departing for the knob.

After taking some pictures in front of the 'Welcome to Gobbler's Knob' sign, we decided to tour this historic site. By the way, if you have ever seen the movie Groundhog's Day starring Bill Murray, the real knob looks nothing like the movie. It is sort of like a natural amphitheatre. The stage sat down at the bottom of a hill and all of us spectators stood on the hill, with a great view from any angle.

This morning happened to be a rather chilly morning. I think it was no more than 17 degrees. All 4 of us who were very cold went over to the bonfire, pushed our way to the front, and tried to warm up. Around 6:40 we left to get a prime spot to view the morning's activities. During this whole time music was blaring, people were dancing on stage, and someone, who could not sing, would frequently sing a line or two of the song playing. And what Groundhog's Day would be complete without groundhog cheers and songs.

Around 6:50, Zambelli put on one of the best fireworks shows I had ever seen. Next to those beautiful 4th of July shows in Pittsburgh, this ranks a close second. It was worth the drive and no sleep just for this show. Then only a couple of minutes after the fireworks show, the sun rose. This caused it to get a little warmer, but not that much. Around 7:00, the members of the Groundhog Club marched down through the crowd and took their place on stage. By this point none of us could feel our toes. The members were introduced and the ceremony started. One man taped on the knob, then another reached in and pulled the most famous of all groundhog's, Punxsutawney Phil out of his knob. He was then displayed for all in the cheering crowd to see. After this, he was placed on top of his knob to determine whether or not he could see his shadow. He then talked in groundhog-ese to the only man who could understand it; this being something that has been handed down through the man's family, and the prognosticator of prognosticators, the seer of seers advised this man to read the scroll on the left. Another man read this wonderful little poem ending with the saying 6 more weeks of winter. This response drew boos form the entire crowd. We then all hustled to the buses. The time: 7:20. After crossing paths with several drunk people we arrived safely back at Wal-Mart and headed for home.

We made a stop at McDonald's for breakfast and arrived back on campus at 10:00. Had I not gone I would have just been waking up around this time. The day was full of excitement and I can not wait to go back next year. Though my mom made fun of me, how often do you get to participate in an event like this? Who knows how and why it started, but all I do know is that it rocked. I had such a blast with my friends. Who would have ever thought that I would go to Punxsutawney on Groundhog's Day? Certainly not me, especially those many years ago when I used to listen to the ceremony on the radio before I left for school.

For more info check out this link:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/02/02/groundhog.day.ap/index.html

And for those that are more visually stimulated...

Mike and I at the entrance to the hallowed grounds.

I told you it was cold...did I mention there was cheering!

Gobbler's Knob...the home of Punxsutawney Phil.

Windows

2006-12-18T18:15:00.000-05:00

No I'm not going to talk about those glass objects you look out of, rather the operating system created by Microsoft. If you haven't heard, Microsoft is releasing a new operating system called Windows Vista. Though originally slated for release at the end of this year, the system will not reach the consumer until early 2007. Windows has not released a new operating system since 2001, when they released the critically acclaimed Microsoft XP. Mind you, this system came quick on the heels of the horrible, quickly forgotten, crash happy, Windows 2000. The user friendly XP, in the opinion of many a direct copy of the Mac OS X operating system, received rave reviews and has been the staple in many homes and offices since its release.

Mac OS X (10.0) code named "Cheetah", was released in March of 2001, and since this time Apple has released 4 major upgrades to OS X ("Puma", "Jaguar", "Panther", and "Tiger") with version 10.5 (code named "Leopard") slated for release in the Spring of 2007. During this time, Apple has rapidly increased their market share due to the huge success of their user-friendly, attractive, and stylish lines of desktops and laptops, including the iMac and iBook, not to mention iPod, their best-selling line of mp3 players or iTunes, the most popular on-line source for digital music. Macs are frequently used in publishing and music fields. Next time you're at a concert look on stage and you will most likely see a bright Apple logo staring at you from the back of an Apple laptop.

With iLife, Apple's software line for home use (standard on all Macs), including such applications as iPhoto, iWeb, iMovie, and GarageBand and with iWork (trial versions included with every new Mac) containing Pages and Keynote, Apple has cut into Microsoft's market share and has seen record quarterly profits. Fueling this growth was the announcement of the transition from the PowerPC processor to the Intel chip in June of 2005. The first Macs with an Intel processor were released in January 2006 with complete integration (including new product lines) in August 2006. With the introduction of Boot Camp in April 2006 Mac users are now able to run Windows XP on their Mac and in many cases faster than on a Microsoft based machine.

Now more than ever, there is no reason not to make the switch to an Apple and Microsoft is shaking in their boots. This leads us back to Vista. As mentioned above, Apple has released 4 major upgrades in their Mac OS X line with a fifth arriving shortly in the time it has taken Microsoft to release one (Vista); and coincidently enough, Microsoft has once again based their new operating system off of Mac OS X. I don't want to influence your views so take a look at the video link below and you decide.

For the New York Times, David Pogue reviews Windows Vista, trying to prove in his video that “Microsoft did not steal ideas from Mac OS X.”

This article contains information found on Wikipedia.

Home

2006-12-11T17:39:00.000-05:00

Whew! What a whirlwind month. The reason you haven't heard much from me for the last month is due to the fact that no one has heard or seen much of me in the last month. If this is any evidence of my business, this week is my first full week of work in 4 weeks!

Here's the rundown:
Week 1: Allen and Alaina's wedding in New Orleans -> I had a great time in the crazy, always exciting, Big Easy
Week 2: Thanksgiving
Week 3: National Youth Workers Convention in Charlotte -> What an amazing conference! I ran into several of my friends, met many new friends, including my roommate whom I found on the forums, and Bri from Group, learned A LOT from some amazing speakers and youth ministry gurus, experienced awe inspiring worship, and got lots of free stuff!
Week 4: Continuation of that mentioned above.

Well it's good to be back home in Lexington in the town I love, with the people I love, and at the church I love! Speaking of home and church, I included an article I wrote that will run in this week's Pilgrim's Progress. I know, I know, my last entry close to a month ago wasn't an original "Look at the Source" offering as well, but I wanted to post something, and I thought you might enjoy this....plus, I talk about Christmas, which I know is on everyone's mind right now.

Home

As Christmas approaches, many turn there thoughts to home. Home can mean different things to different people. Many return home for Christmas, while others look forward to spending some quality time in their own home with their children. For me, this is the first time in 3 years where I will be leaving home and returning to my old stomping grounds of Pittsburgh (home of the World Champion Steelers). That's right, I said leaving home, not returning home. Though I spent the majority of my life in Pittsburgh, including those pivotal college years, since the summer of 2003 Lexington has always felt like home. While I was in college, I couldn't wait for finals to be over so I could return to Lexington and spend time with the family and friends I loved and missed so much. Even last year, though I only lived 2 hours away in Greenville, I left the upstate and returned to 29072 to spend a week in the area I love.

As I reflect upon the many ups and downs of this year, my mind is flooded with the many joys, smiles, friendships, and blessings Pilgrim has brought to my life. I see the smiling faces of the youth as we worshipped together in the Alamodome, I hear the laughter of several Middle Schoolers while playing a round of miniature golf, and I think about the friendships I have formed with those of you reading this article right now. I'm excited about the direction of this church and especially the youth ministry. I've witnessed growth in the students' walks with Christ and in their relationships with one another. I can not wait to see and experience what will happen next as we continue to grow into a faithful community of youth being equipped to praise God, serve others, and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.

Lexington is HOME. Pilgrim is HOME! I can not think of any other place I would want to live, worship, and serve the risen Christ. I thank-you once again for the opportunity to serve Pilgrim as your Director of Youth Ministries. My end of the year introspection has definitely helped to make this Christmas season a joyous one, because I can not help but reflect on the blessing it has been to serve here. Praise God for bringing me HOME!

As an extra bonus, here are some pictures from my recent travels for your enjoyment, or for those that are really nebby (for those not from the 'burgh, translation=nosy), so you can stalk me even easier.

Take a look at this fully functional cigarette machine I found in New Orleans. Notice the "We Card" date hasn't been changed in 9 years. Makes me wonder if they really card.

Allen and Alaina's wedding was high class, and I just don't say that cause it was in New Orleans or I was there dressed in some stunning attire, but take a look at Alaina's wedding whip!

And if the Rolls Royce wasn't enough check out the wedding party's wheels!

The Doubletree on Canal St. was my place of residence for 3 nights while in New Orleans. All we had to do to find the place was follow the big purple Harrah's Globe which you could see for blocks away. At night it reminded me of the beacon of light cast forth from a lighthouse!

As I mentioned above, NYWC was amazing! I learned so much, got to relax, and got to spend some quality time with other youth pastors just like me. However, I never thought in my wildest dreams that Lex Luger would be giving me a headlock!

Strengthening Ties: A day at the YMCA’s Low and High Ropes Course

2006-11-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

Below is a copy of the article I just wrote for Pilgrim's Progress, the bi-weekly publication of Pilgrim Lutheran Church.

I usually reserve this space for informing y’all about upcoming events. Don’t worry, as you can see I still did that, however, I thought I would take this time to update everyone on a past event. Last Sunday, 19 youth (Middle and High School) and 4 adults traveled to the YMCA for an event we called “Strengthening Ties”. I think I can speak for all who attended and say this was one of the best youth outings we have ever been on!

The Middle School group kicked off the morning with some team building games and activities. Not only did we have to escape cement sharks, but also cross a precipice to catch up with Indiana Jones (even though many of us were missing body parts), and escape our island before the lava came! After these exciting adventures our group tackled the high ropes, and when I say high I mean close to 40 ft. in the air! One of the adventures had us crossing a log while the other had us jump from a pole barely wide enough to put both feet on to a trapeze 5 ft away!

Our High School group came just in time to encourage our Middle School group to complete these tasks. After lunch together, the staff of the Y ran several games to get our two groups working together. We learned that though the Middle School and High School are two separate “teams”, both have the same goal. We need to work together and depend on the “boards” God has given us: Prayer and the Word.

After the Middle School group left, it was the High Schoolers turn for some team building. The High Schoolers also had to escape cement sharks and catch up with Indiana Jones; however, we had another challenging task ahead of us. We needed to form a chain and move our house high up in the trees of the rainforest from one side to the other. Through this game we learned that we need to have “trees” in our life that we can depend on for anything. The further we get from these “trees” the more likely we are to fall. Sometimes, we need to let people go who are pulling us down and away from these “trees” and our walk with Christ.

As I sit and write this I am still a little sore from climbing trees, being repelled down from a log suspended 40 ft in the air, swinging on a rope, and having several Middle Schoolers stand on my back. You know what; I wouldn’t trade these pains for the world! On Sunday, I saw barriers being broken, friendships being made, comfort zones being pushed, and relationships with others and God deepened. I saw students terrified to climb up two rungs on a ladder walk across a log suspended high in the air. I saw students strap their harness back on and tackle the high ropes due to the encouragement of their friends on the ground. I witnessed an amazing YMCA staff with incredible patience, push and affirm our students. I heard from the director of the course that we have a solid group of students.

I’m not going to lie. While I was standing on that pole 40 odd feet in the air I was terrified (and I know I wasn’t the only one). Many times I wanted to quit. I wanted to be lowered down and place my feet on solid ground. I couldn’t look down; rather I fixed my eyes on that trapeze, that though it was only a few feet away seemed like it was a mile. I counted to 2 several times and could not force out that oh so simple number 3 and jump. Throughout this time I heard our youth shouting out words of encouragement, cheering me on, and inspiring me to do that which I normally would not. I was not alone. Your youth, the youth of Pilgrim Lutheran Church, stood by one of our Middle Schoolers for at least 15 minutes encouraging her as she struggled just like me to force out that number 3 and jump. All activity halted, no one tackled the other high ropes element, and it was as if time was still as all eyes and voices were fixed on this student encouraging her to do something she was terrified to do.

I think what made the jump so hard is that people don’t normally jump off a pole 40 ft in the air to catch a trapeze just for the fun of it (unless they work at the circus). However this jump was different, I had on a harness attached to rope that can hold up to 1500 lbs. If you’ve seen me lately you know I weigh nowhere close to 1500 lbs. This paradox was running through my head as I asked myself: “Self, why don’t you just jump and get it over with, if you miss the bar you’ll be safe, the rope will hold you. Richard will not let you fall. But then again normal sane people just don’t jump off a post 40 ft. in the air.”

I’ve been thinking how much this scenario is like our walk with God. Often we are faced with a daunting task up ahead; just like jumping to catch a trapeze. These tasks often appear to be bigger than what they really are; like a trapeze that appears to be a mile away, but in reality it’s only 5 feet. Brothers and sisters, I’m here to tell you we’ve been equipped with everything we need to jump and catch that trapeze. We all have a support group on the group (our church family for starters) who will stay with us through it all, encouraging us to make that jump, stopping what they are doing to lend a hand, and applauding any effort we make to go one step further than we would have ever dreamed we could take. Most importantly we have the support of an awesome God! A God who just like that harness and rope system I was strapped into will not let us fall. We believe that God can support the whole world (or using my analogy 1500 lbs), what makes us think he can’t and won’t be there to catch us. As you stand on the “poles” of your life, faced with a “trapeze” that seems miles away, listen and feed off the encouragement you have “on the ground” and don’t forget you’re “attached to a “rope” that can support 1500 lbs.

In case you were wondering, I caught the trapeze!

In the Meantime...

2006-10-30T17:01:00.000-05:00

Hello to all and sorry for the incredibly long absence. I have a post in the works that I hope to have up this week. In the meantime, take a look at the new link I have to The Lauren Castanza Foundation. For some more info about Lauren, see "Replotting Christian Radio", posted on July 30.

You know me, I can't leave without posting something to make you think. Read the following quote and leave a comment letting me know those thoughts you might be thinking.

"God is looking for [people] through whom He can do the impossible - What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves." ~ A.W. Tozer

Aim High

2006-08-31T15:35:00.000-05:00

I think I set the bar a little high when it comes to this Blog. I started "Look at the Source" to post summaries from the time I spend with the youth here at Pilgrim in the Word, and secondly just to post random thoughts and comments (see "I Still Have McPheever"). But let me be honest, it's time consuming and a little difficult to put these messages on here. Besides the fact that I hand write everything and don't type my notes on my beautiful, yet incredibly functional iBook, it's hard to convey my "audience participation" style of teaching on here. I have several devos waiting to be typed up and available for your reading pleasure, but I just haven't found the time. Don't worry I will get them on soon enough, because I believe in the importance of this and other Blogs just like it.

As if this Blog wasn't enough, I have once again set another lofty goal. The youth ministry at Saxe Gotha led by my awesome friends and people whom I admire and have learned a lot from, Amy and Roddy, encouraged their youth and parents to read the Bible in a year using the awesome Daily Bible which contains 365 daily readings arranged in chronological order. It also contains sound commentary to guide you along and make you feel like you're part of the story. I decided I needed to be a part of this group and read the Bible in a year. This was sometime in February. I attempted to do this several times, one time attempting to do it as part of my Lenten "pick up something good, don't give up something" campaign. Each time I didn't even make it through Genesis.

Last week I was at a kick-off breakfast for the Crop Walk. The track and field coach from the University of South Carolina was the guest speaker picked to inspire us. He had many good things to say; though the speech was very disjointed. One thing he said that has stuck with me is "Aim high, reach for the stars, if you don't make it you're still pretty high" (or something very similar). I've heard others say "Shoot for the stars, if you miss you may still hit the moon". Taking this to heart and knowing that I need to spend more time in the Word, I decided to once again pick up my Daily Bible. But this time there's a twist. If I had stuck with Saxe Gotha's plan I'd have till February to finish; however, I want to reach for the stars! There's 4 months left in the year, if I read 3 sections a day, a whopping 15 pages (which includes commentary) , I'll finish by the end of the year! How awesome would that be to finish the whole Bible in 4 months! Though I'm not a big fan of doing what one of my favorite profs from GCC, Dr. Gordon, refers to as "Bible Laps" (reading the Bible quickly just to do it as opposed to reflecting on and studying smaller chunks), by reading the Bible in this short of a time span it will refresh my memory of many of the events and people, especially that which is contained in the Old Testament. Though I took a semester course on the OT 5 years ago, I don't remember much; some would say it went away with the final...along with History, Civ 101, Chemistry, etc. If I don't complete my goal and reach that star, hopefully I'll hit the moon and maybe catch up with my friends and finish in February, that still isn't that bad. Just like 15 pages isn't that bad. Think of all the stuff we read in a day...or all the TV shows we watch...or all the time we spend on the internet. I think I can give up enough of that to read 15 pages a day. I'll read 2 days worth in the morning and one day's worth at night. What better way to spend my time then reading the Word of God? After I finish my "Bible Laps" I'll spend more time reflecting on and studying individual passages...just for you Dr. Gordon!

I think I just inspired myself!

Now get out there and read those Bibles!

I'm Third!

2006-08-21T15:37:00.000-05:00

I often wonder how many minutes...actually, hours of the day I spend thinking about myself. Better yet I would rather not know, because I think the number would scare me. In fact, I do not need to know to realize it's way too high and something needs to be done about it. My mind is often consumed with me. I don't want to stereotype/speak for everyone, but I'm sure it's the same for you. We live in a materialistic culture that bombards us with ads reminding us that what we have is not good enough, and nor will it ever be good enough till we buy the next new thing which in a matter of no time will not be good enough and once again this vicious cycle continues. We're told that we don't have enough, what we have is not good enough, and we're not pretty/handsome enough. In addition to this, we will do anything to adapt and change our schedule, even if it involves giving something up (like sleep) to make a situation better for ourselves. However, when it comes time for us to give the same thing up to help someone else, even someone close to us, we grumble and complain, making sure they hear about it.

Our priorities are in need of a major realignment! 1 Chronicles 16:11 (Many of you probably didn't know there was a book in the Bible called Chronicles, let alone 2 of them!) tells us to "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually". This same exact statement is repeated in the book of Psalms chapter 105 verse 4. We're called to seek his face and his strength continually, that means (according to my handy dictionary widget...oh I love Mac OS X) "always happening; having no interruptions". How many of us can say this is true about our walk? I know I certainly can't, though I wish it was true!

Summer's Best Two Weeks, a Christian sports camp in good 'ole Western PA, has one of the best slogans I have ever heard. It goes like this: "God First, Others Second, I'm Third". How many of us would group our priorities in that order? [Very few, if any hands raise] I would be willing to bet that most of us rank our priorities in the exact opposite order. [Heads nod, hands raise, and shouts of "Amen" can be heard] I think the Bible has something to support the importance of this slogan. Matthew 6:33 states, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well". This verse appears in the Sermon on the Mount and is contained in the section in which Jesus calls us "not to store up money and riches on earth (6:19-24), not to worry about the future (6:25-34), to refrain from self-righteousness judgment (7:1-5), and to go to God for all our needs (7:7-11)" (Nick Page, The Map, pg. 254). All of these require us to change our priorities, to focus less on ourselves, and more on God.

When we focus on God continually, making sure to put Him first, the rest will just fall into place. We will naturally want to serve others and focus less on ourselves. When we immerse ourselves in His presence, we'll realize how frivolous our attempts are to constantly satisfy our needs, and therefore strongly desire to serve Him and our neighbor. I'll be the first to tell you this isn't easy and I don't always accomplish it, but I try, and you should to.

Join me by shouting: "I'M THIRD!!!!!!"

~August 15, 2006
Prayer Breakfast

I Still Have McPheever!

2006-08-02T15:45:00.000-05:00

The day is finally here! In a little more than 2 hours I will be fully engrossed in the concert delight of the season...American Idols Live (sponsored by Pop-Tarts). When my mom and I ordered the tickets it seemed so far away, but time sure did fly after a busy summer.

I used to never watch American Idol, mostly due to the fact that it is so hard to follow a show of its caliber while attending college, however, due to my lack of cable and wanting to check what it's all about, I began watching this winter...and man was I hooked! I critiqued every little thing and was captivated by the whole spectacle. Next season I might even adopt the Mama She-She form of evaluation, using checks and half checks. I often thought: "How cool would that be if that was me singing on that stage? Come on now, I'm better than Bucky and especially Taylor (ask me about him and I will give you many reasons why I don't like him and believe he will be the next Ruben. You belong in Vegas Taylor!)."

It amazes me how many people vote for these so called "Idols" but when it comes to voting for the president of the most powerful nation in the world, less that 50% of the population shows up at the polls...how sad! If you don't vote you have no right to complain about Bush, the war in Iraq, or any other elected official, I won't even give you the time of day. See that's why I can openly critique Taylor and the rest of the Idols, because I religiously voted (whenever I could get through) for my girl Katherine McPhee. Now I know what you're thinking: "Paul, you only voted for her because she has a pretty face.", though this factored into my decision, it was not the only reason (I liked her early on, before Hollywood started putting inappropriate, revealing clothes on her. It's sad what they do to those girls every year.). Have you heard her sing lately? No one else this season is in the same league (except for Chris, who is lucky he didn't win so he can sing his own style). I have always loved that soulful sound of jazz and blues music and I feel Kat is perfect for that, I can't wait till her album drops later this Fall. And did I mention her amazing range, or her ability to send chills down your spine while singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"?

Well that's all for now, hopefully I will be able to appease your appetite for more "American Idols Live" dirt that has developed after reading this, and post all the highs and lows a little later (most likely Taylor will be in some of those lows...but maybe not, I'm gonna try and give him a chance).

Food for thought: Are you old enough to vote? Do you? If you vote for your favorite Idol for 2 hours every week, you need to be voting in every election. Remember, the American Idol is not going to be helping to end poverty or solve the world's problems. Even if you don't watch Idol you need to be voting.

Better yet, think about the cultural things you follow religiously. Think about all the time and effort you put forth to follow those things. Do you put that much time into your walk with Christ? Do you pursue Him with as much passion and fervor? Let's all strive to answer that with a resounding YES!

Replotting Christian Radio

2006-07-30T13:10:00.000-05:00

I know what you're saying:"Two posts in one week, to what do we owe this service?" Though you're free to contribute money, goods, and services, this post comes free of charge...you're welcome! I told you I was back and armed with plenty to write about. Hopefully, multi-post weeks will continue as this Blog evolves.

This post has been in the works for awhile now; since June 22 to be exact. I have delayed it for two reasons. 1. If you read my last post you are well aware of my travel schedule this past month. This has kept me from posting anything. 2. One of the examples in this devotion is my friend, Lauren Castanza. A year ago today while hiking in New York Lauren left us. To honor her memory, I decided to wait and post this entry on the 1 year anniversary of the greatest day of her life...when she left this world filled with sin, grief, pain, and despair, and met the person whom she dedicated and lived her life to and for. To you Lauren (and the Castanza Family) I dedicate this entry.

[The following post is an edited, less conversational version of the devotion I closed our Middle and High School VBS with.]

I did not know Lauren well, but there was one thing I did know about her. Lauren loved the Lord with all her heart, mind, soul, and strength. The love of God oozed out of every one of her pores. There are several memories I have of her. One happened during Finals Week, Spring Semester 2005. Lauren was a Biology major, which means she had a lot of work/studying to do; especially during Finals Week, especially at Grove City. My ICO Malawi team was meeting one last time before many of us said good-bye to the Grove. Lauren was "studying" near us. I remember the smile on her face and the fun she was having during that stressful time. Along with her "study group", Lauren was hitting some sort of ball around. She knew several of the members of my ICO team so they were taking part in this fun as well. While others might retreat to the "Stacks" (For those unfamiliar with the GCC Campus: desks that sit among all the shelves or "stacks" of books in the library; only quiet area in the library.), Lauren was in the SAC (I refuse to call the Student Activities Center/Student Union the STU), in the heart of Campus, spending time with others. I remember watching Lauren dance in Orchesis Chapel Dance, and the time she spent helping a friend who was struggling to master a move. Lauren showed love and patience and continued to work with Kelly until she had learned the move. Lauren did this out of her genuine love for others. She was dedicated to, and loved dearly, her family, her friends, and her God. On a Christian campus where many are nonchalant about their faith and their walk with Christ, Lauren prayed for revival and acted upon these prayers. I could go on and on.....

On Monday, June 19 we spent time replotting the cemetery here at Pilgrim. We were divided into teams and went along the rows notating "Who's in Grant's tomb". We also noted which plots were empty. I asked the youth the age of the youngest person buried in their section. I got a plethora of answers from birth to pre-teen. At this point, I mentioned the fact that Lauren passed away last summer at the age of 19.

In 1 Thessolonians 2:11, 12 Paul urges, encourages, and pleads with the Thessalonians to "lead a life worthy of God". The same is true for us. We are called to go from "idleness to action". This is the same thing we Lutherans here at Pilgrim pray every week after the offering. Leading a life worthy of God is exactly what Lauren did and we can all learn from this example.

On Tuesday, Steve Sunshine, the host of "The Family Friendly Morning Show" on WMHK, the local Christian radio station, stopped by to give his testimony and to talk about Christian music and radio. I was fascinated by the stories this man shared about all the behind the scenes stuff, the places he's been, and the people he's met. However, the most fascinating story was Steve's conversion story. Steve did not become a believer until he was an adult. Believe it or not, this happened at a Contemporary Missouri Synod Church (oxymoron)! Some time later, Steve who had been in radio since college, switched to Christian radio. He shared countless stories of the lives touched by this ministry. As I entertained him (one of the many perks of my ministry/job), countless people stopped by thanking him for his ministry and the ministry of WMHK. I don't know about you, but I don't hear about this happening to secular radio DJ's.

1 Peter is arguably one of my favorite books of the Bible. In 1 Peter 4:10,11, Peter pleads with us to be good stewards of our gifts. We are to serve one another with the gifts we have received. The reason for this...glad you asked..."So that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ". We are to use our gifts for Him and give Him glory!

Plotting the cemetery and hearing Lauren's story reminds us that we never know when it will be the end. We also learn through Lauren's story and the example of Steve Sunshine, that we never know who we will touch or who we will inspire. Use your gifts to glorify our Father in heaven in all that you do (see also 1 Corinthians 10:31)!

LEAVE A LEGACY AND GIVE HIM GLORY THROUGH YOUR GIFTS!

~June 22, 2006
Vacation Bible School
Closing Night (edited)

Where Have You Been?!?!

2006-07-27T12:29:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, I haven't posted in awhile and you are all waiting on the edge of your seat for my next post. Just so you don't think I totally forgot about this Bloging thing, I have been home a total of 11 days so far this month. I have gone on 3 trips with a max of 5 days in between them. This gives me enough time to do laundry and catch up what I have to do here at the church. Now, I want to make it clear, I'm not complaining. These 3 trips have been some of the best in my life. I went to the beach for Pilgrim's annual Family Beach Retreat, San Antonio for the ELCA Youth Gathering, and just got back from a much needed Staff Retreat. I will be sure to post some reflections from the Gathering shortly as soon as I catch my breath.

Another item has taken up a lot of my time lately...much more than I anticipated...and no it's not a girlfriend (I wish this wasn't the case!)! I have finally succumb to the pressure and started a MySpace. It is quite addicting. I enjoy this medium for keeping in touch with people, especially with the youth here at Pilgrim; which is my primary reason for getting an account. In fact I haven't used it much for contacting my friends...I'm much more of a Facebook guy.

Thanks to those that read this...especially you Glenn!

What would one my posts be with out a little insight?

On our Staff Retreat we saw a t-shirt that had a picture of Jesus on the cross and said "Rebel With a Cause".
Think about that. I know I have (obviously, Paul)! Comments with your thoughts are greatly appreciated. My thoughts to come later...that way I don't influence you!

Until then,
Paul

2500 In One Mound!

2006-07-02T12:28:00.000-05:00

For the few that might be reading this that are not from or have never spent any length of time in the South I need to do some explaining. Fire Ants are all over the place here in the South, especially South Carolina. They are more numerous than Baptist Churches! Fire Ants can be quite dangerous and in a recent case, deadly. Besides leaving unsightly mounds all throughout your yard, they make it next to impossible to walk anywhere barefoot. Those who have ever been bitten by a Fire Ant I'm sure are nodding their heads right now.

I've always been fascinated by these little ants. I'm fascinated by how much pain they can inflict upon me. Yes, I admit I'm skinnier than most, however, I am at least 100,000 times bigger than one of them, and believe me, they can inflict some pain. With what appears no effort, they can leave a grown man crying, when it might take several strong punches, or a swift kick by a human to create the same amount of tears.

However, I'm not here to talk about the strength they posess. Though that in itself could be a great lesson on no matter how small we are, through faith, we can do great things.
~ "Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
- 1 Timothy 4:12
~ "He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can
say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
- Matthew 17:20

What I'm here to talk about is my main fascination with these little creatures...they are constantly building! I was cutting my mom's grass the other day and when I went over one of the mounds (which houses an average of 2500 ants), the ants immediately started to build. All of them working together as a team. You could not find any of them resting. All were in a hurried panic to rebuild the mound.

The book of Nehemiah is a great one. We can learn a lot about the type of leader God calls us to be. Nehemiah has concern for his flock and goes into Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. He saw a need, organizes, and carries out his mission. Throughout the rebuilding, enemies threaten Nehemiah and his group. Half end up building while the other half stand guard. Every builder even kept a sword strapped to his side. The enemy calls out to Nehemiah and he responds in chapter 6 verse 3 by saying, "I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?"

Just like the ants, Nehemiah doesn't panic. He doesn't scream, yell, and panic first, then rebuild. He continues to work. Just like the ants who never stop building, or Nehemiah who continued to work/lead/build and did not come down from the wall, we too are called to continue with our calling and our task. We are called to specific tasks, careers, ministries, and areas of service; however there is a larger calling which is placed upon us; and that is to build the Kingdom of God. That is the "mound" we are called to continually build no matter what set backs we encounter or who tries to destroy us by placing those little pellets or powder over our "mound".

Jesus tells us in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) to "Go and make disciples". "Go" serves as an imperative action verb. We are to do it immediately. What do you do when the light turns green...and say you're running late? You floor it! You don't wait around you immediately take off to reach your destination. As a youth responded today while I was leading this devotion, "I get mad at those that sit and wait". Many of us are not go-ing. Are we mad at ourselves for this? Are we working to "build the mound" no matter what happens? Or are we doing the opposite of the Fire Ants and waiting around for someone else to do it? I encourage all of us this day to "build the mound", to continually work like those little ants, to constantly build, even when someone seeks to destroy, to "Go and make disciples".

~July 2, 2006
Sunday School
1st Sunday of the Month Trip to Bojangles (edited)

Clubbin'

2006-06-14T16:15:00.000-05:00

I've recently joined a club. This club is like all clubs...it costs money...however, it's not a club to improve my health or add to my cd or dvd collection by only paying shipping and handling charges. This club is the Mocha Club. I signed up for this while at a Dave Barnes concert at Jammin Java last month. Dave Barnes is one of my favorite artists and I really encourage you to check him out and support him. He's a committed Christian who after a mission trip to Africa has been passionate about helping those on this continent suffering from dire poverty and HIV/AIDS. He plays acoustic guitar at small venues including coffee shops and clubs across the country. His music is definitely written from a Christian point of view (Ed Cash Christian Music Producer extraordinaire is his producer) and references to his faith are present in many songs, however, the songs don't scream of his faith (many of which are love songs) like most "contemporary Christian artists". This opens many doors for him to sing and minister in places where many "contemporary Christian artisits" only get closed doors and unreturned calls. At Jammin Java he promoted the Mocha Club. Who knows how many unbelievers were there, heard some of his music, bought a cd, and/or supported the Mocha Club? For that matter, who knows how many people have supported the Mocha Club due to his promtion of it at concerts across this country, thus impacting the lives of many Africans.

I know by now you're probably wondering what the Mocha Club is. Well I'm going to tell you. The Mocha Club is a club that encourages people to give up 2 mochas a month (or $7) and give that money to African Leadership. African Leadership is an organization "Building Africa From Within. Our response is to empower community leaders with the necessary resources to help their fellow Africans." "For the cost of 2 mochas a month, together [we] can change lives" I don't know about you, but that's pretty awesome!

I've been to Africa...BIG SHOCK I know! And everything you hear is so true. This continent needs help and we have the power and resources to finally do something about it. The people there are so giving, so loving...beautiful people. All you have to do is look into the face of one of the orphans who is suffering from malnourishment and your world will be turned upside down, and you'll realize why so many are acting with such a degree of urgency. Read these facts...it blows my mind that just 2 mochas a month ($7) can do this...

In Kibera, Kenya, $7 = 3 meals in a day for 9 orphans
In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, $7 = 1 school term for 2 children
In Tufa, Ethiopia, $7 = food for a family of 4 for 1 month
In Uganda, $7 = treatment for 16 children infected with malaria
In all of Africa, $7 = clean water for 7 Africans for 1 year
In the Sudan, $7 = relief packs for 2 people in the war-torn region of Darfur
In Angola, $7 = seed and farming tools for 3 people

All of a sudden those mochas you need every month don't seem so important. The money we use on something consumed in just a few minutes can go sooooooo much farther and reap a greater harvest. I want you to seriusly think about joining my team. Click on the link below to find out more and to join my team. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Join My Team Today!

Think about how much we have been given, how little $7 a month is, and how much more can be done with it in Africa.

"Live simply so that others may simply live."

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." ~Mother Teresa

Also check out Matt Wertz. He's just like Dave - Awesome music and an awesome heart. Actually, the first time I heard Dave Barnes was at a Matt Wertz concert.

Why This Youth Director Took the Plunge

2006-05-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

Seeing that many of my youth ministry peers began blogs to use as a tool in their ministry, I began to feel the pressure and decided to take the dive and start one of my own. Hopefully, I will keep this one updated unlike the one I had in college.

The contents/theme of this blog came out of a conversation I had with our music director, Nancy, last week. When preparing for a devotion/discussion with the youth I "over-organize" my notes. I put the theme, the date, and all Scripture references at the top, so that if I ever want to use it/part of it again, I could do that easily. I have just started in full-time ministry, yet this paper trail is alreday getting quite large and hard to keep as organized as I would like. So after this conversation, I decided I would use this blog as a catalog of all my devotions/discussions I have with the youth. This also serves several other purposes:

1. Youth who are unable to attend can see what we talked about and read it/study it for themselves...virtual notes! This will be extremely helpful when a youth misses in the middle of a series.
2. A link will be put on Pilgrim's Website so visitors can get a better sense of the ministry taking place here (Thanks Nancy! Even more motivation to keep this blog updated!).
3. Other youth directors will be able to use my notes and hopefully they will aid them in the preparation of their lessons. We are always looking for more ideas or insights.
4. Finally, it's my prayer that the messages God has given to me will inspire those out there whether Christian or Non-Christian and aid in their walk with our Creator.

In my next post I will explain why I picked the name "Look at the Source". I will then begin posting my devotions. Seeing that I just began serving at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, here in b-e-a-utiful Lexington, SC this blog will be a perfect catalog of all my lessons here.

As I get the urge/time I will post other thoughts and maybe some of my other devotions or lessons; hopefully even some from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe series I did last Fall.

Until then,
Paul