Yes, they are using their feet...

While I don't play as much as I used to, I still have a passion for volleyball.  So, it is a wonderful blessing that I have so many teens in my youth group who play for their school.  

As I mentioned in previous blogs, this past Olympics also reignited my love for the sport (and, deep down a desire to play again, despite being extremely out of shape).

But, now I have a new appreciation of volleyball, after I discovered a form of the sport I never knew existed (you HAVE to see it to believe it)..

The funny green line

So, the youth ministry video is done.  I've had some good feedback already from everyone who has seen it.  I pray that it will serve as a reminder to everyone about the beauty of God's mercy, that's He's always calling us and giving us the choice to enter into it.  And hopefully, it will inspire generosity of time and money, of which I can use large helpings of both.

As I said in my last post, I am most definitely an amateur editor.  Because of this, I cannot figure out why there is a silly little green line at the bottom of the screen that appears and disappears.  I hope no one minds.  It will certainly bug the technologically inclined.

Now, this funny green line has pointed me to something else.

My friend in ministry Marko blogged today about how inadequate, unprepared and unqualified he feels sometimes in his role as the president of a youth ministry resource company.  He called himself a "poser".  He's a junior high youth pastor at heart, not someone who can talk easily about financial projections, strategic plans or collaborative partnerships with business people.

And, boy, did that just hit the green line on the head for me.  For all of my professional experience, I love to do ministry.  I love the life of ministry.  I love how ministry has brought me closer to God.  I really have no idea how to remove the green line from a video or raise money or lead a group of people or administrate this ministry.  I'm not saying that I'm down on myself.  I'm stating a truth that I've known about myself for a long time, yet was afraid to admit because, like Marko, people would see me as a "poser" too.

I've had this feeling for the better part of my ministry career. And, let me tell you, it kinda sucks. And yet, that feeling forces me to spend more time on my knees in submission to His will.

Youth workers (and everyone involved in ministry) almost has to have this feeling of inadequacy to keep us humble. I don’t know about you, but it is certainly a huge challenge to stay humble when doing the Lord’s work.

I wrote in another post that the thing that keeps us out of trouble is humility…recognizing who we are, who we are not, and why God loves us so abundantly because of that!

Now, please don't misunderstand me.  This is not my attempt at getting any sympathy or positive affirmation.  

It's just that the green line reminded me that God fills my incompleteness in ways that I can never imagine possible.  I hope no one minds...

I think I'm gonna implode

I just finished the first "draft" of my youth ministry video that we will be showing to the parish community this coming weekend.  This will definitely be a work of God.  Because there are always technical problems associated with projects like this.  AND since I am an amateur editor/Final Cut Express user, it took me longer figure out how to do even basic commands.

But, I feel like the story works and is compelling.  The teens did a great job being honest and deep.  Rob made it look really good.  And Bob Rice, Matt Maher and Chris Tomlin add such a beautiful prayerfulness to it.

I'll be tweaking and refining all week.

It's definitely hard work.  So hard that I think I'm gonna implode now...on my couch watching the Chargers/Jets game.

“This is Katrina in the entire country, but without the means that Louisiana had.”

I was having dinner with a friend the other night and we were discussing the impact of natural disasters in the history of our lives, as well as the current impact of all the recent hurricanes on the Caribbean and the southern United States.

As we were talking, I mentioned how our mainstream news media has not to this point described the extent of the devastation in Haiti.  

This article from the New York Times is still only a glimpse of what the Haitians are going through.

I am sad because of the mighty suffering these simple people have to endure.  I pray that I will endure with them.

This will put a smile on your face

My friend in ministry Marko posted this video on his blog. It's funny a look at where Christian music used to be. And it just really begs the deep theological question, "Is Jesus your friend?

Bring on the Euros

I golf.  I watch golf.  I love Ryder Cup golf.

Match play is much more engaging format to watch than stroke play.  And this competition has so much intensity and passion.  Although, I think the coolest part of the whole thing is to see an individual sport become all about team.

Now, you know that this event is a big deal when the self-proclaimed "greatest" of all time decides to make an appearance at a practice round.

Golf has so much sportsmanship in its culture.  But, for this Team USA fan, it's about winning.  They can shake hands and sip champagne with the Euros on Sunday evening.  Until then, I wanna see a lot of competitive banter...and a bunch of American birdies.

P.S.  Hopefully neither team will be wearing hideous outfits, a la the 1999 USA shirts.

"Words are the voice of the heart"

That Confucius dude is one smart cookie.  He could craft a simple phrase like the one above to move it's reader to something deep deep deep.

But this phrase moved me to a very specific word, one that I desire more and more.

My friend and I were talking about the work and life of a missionary.  And, as we were talking about what it means to work among people who are materially poor, I said this:

"What people want most, whether they are materially or spiritually poor, is someone who will stand in solidarity with them."

Now, there's a word you don't use everyday, solidarity. When I said it, I remember my body doing an internal double-take. It's a word we hear and know exists, but have no idea how really vital it is to our existence here on earth.

The United States Conference of Bishops defined solidarity like this:

Solidarity is action on behalf of the one human family, calling us to help overcome the divisions in our world. Solidarity binds the rich to the poor. It makes the free zealous for the cause of the oppressed. It drives the comfortable and secure to take risks for the victims of tyranny and war. It calls those who are strong to care for those who are weak and vulnerable across the spectrum of human life. It opens homes and hearts to those in flight from terror and to migrants whose daily toil supports affluent lifestyles. Peacemaking, as Pope John Paul II has told us, is the work of solidarity. (from Called to Global Solidarity: International Challenges for U.S. Parishes)

It's amazing to think that this one word speaks from the heart of every man and woman.  If only we could be the walking, living, loving definition of this word.