I'm officially converting

So I have been oogling the Macbook for a few years now and I have finally made the change. The lease on my last laptop is almost up, so the investment has been made and I am playing with it now. I am really excited about learning all the new features in the apple world as well as all the new opportunities I can use this in ministry and life. I have never had a Mac, so it seems there is a lot to learn. If you have any tips or widgets I need to know, please do tell.

A few laughs...

I remember in high school, anytime we went to a restaurant it was someone's birthday. Well at the very least it was what we always told the server. It was always good for a laugh and someone got a free dessert. When you go to a Dueling Piano Bar for your birthday, it is much more than the wait staff putting on sombreros and singing Feliz Cumpleanos. If your wife slips the Piano Man at $20, he'll pull you on stage and sing "It's raining Men" or "Itsy Bitsy Teany...." Yeah, it was a bit embarrassing and I created all kinds of new shades of red for the Christmas Color Pallate. All in all, I had a great time and so did everyone else. I am super thankful for friends and family.

A birthday tragedy

Tonight I celebrated my birthday with some great friends at Chopstix Dueling Piano Bar. We had a great time and I couldn't ask for more. I am so thankful for the the amazing friends and family that I have. When I got home I noticed I received a voicemail and text message from my mother. I called her back because it didn't sound right. I called her to find only bad news. My cousin Alex in Miami Florida was killed in a car accident tonight. Alex's dream was always to be a police officer. He was doing exactly this. Serving the people when something went wrong. I am not sure the details, but he was killed in a car accident tonight. My heart is broken and I am not sure how to process all of this. Treasure those that you love, for life is short.

Away from the TV?

So I have a bit of an addiction. I really enjoy watching TV. Technology has advanced now so that I don't have to watch shows at a certain time, I can just watch them on demand. I do this through my local cable provider or my dvr or through Hulu. It's all great, but it sucks my brain and to a degree my relationships with others. Sometimes I have long days at work and that's what I want to do - ignore everything and just veg. It's a way for me to relax and unwind. However, this isn't what I want my free time to be consumed by, nor the example I want to set for my son. So recently we purchased a new board/card game called Killer Bunnies. Its a pretty fun game where the object of the game is to obtain the winning carrot while destroying your opponents Bunnies. Its a bit like Bang, yet a little less complicated. However, I don't know whether or not this game is good for my marriage. Yes, we are spending more time together not watching TV, but at the same time we are both quite competitive. I had this same problem growing up with my little sister. We used to play games until we fought and I became the mean older brother. So far, Laura and I are doing okay - there are just a few unkind words that are spouted under our breath. I think if we can manage to leave the game in the game -we will be okay. All this to say, if you are looking for a fun new game - check it out or come play with us.

My Favorite People

It was about a year ago, when we first found out he would be joining our family. What a joy he has brought to us. Today we took turns letting him just sleep on our chests. I couldn't resist the urge of taking this picture of my favorite two.

Preacherman

Every Sunday I get to do what I love - Hang out with kids and tell them about Jesus. I'm very comfortable in talking to kids. They are awesome. They don't look for theological themes or 4 point sermons using alliteration. They just like it when people care about them. They don't always want to hear what I say or even want to hear sometimes, but most of time they listen. I enjoy adding creative elements and involving them in the lesson. It's exciting and ultimately what I want to do full time one day. This past Sunday I added a new element for the first time- a room full of adults. I had the kids and adults join together and I was at the pulpit. I move around way too much to actually have a pulpit. I had a great time and spoke about Super Heroes and being honest. I was pretty nervous, but God gave me the strength and words to speak. Thanks to you who were praying for me. After this Sunday, I have a lot more respect for Pastors who do this every Sunday. It is a lot of responsibility and more work than many think. I think we need to find a Lead Pastor soon. In the meantime, I will spend my time loving on kids.