The Pecks

Have You Seen Our Kids Lately?

2011-12-03T23:50:00.001-06:00

One of the best parts about putting stuff online is sharing stuff about our kids. In case you haven't seen our latest updates, be sure to head over to www.jasonpeck.net for a few pictures and even a video or two.

Time To Move

2010-10-25T21:47:00.003-05:00

For a while now I have been trying out a different blogging platform that has been working better for posting family and ministry updates. So, if you would like to receive our future blog updates, you can find them at www.jasonpeck.net.

Double Rainbow After The Storm Tonight

2010-09-02T20:09:00.001-05:00

I love being reminded of the promise God made to Noah. He is faithful to keep His promises even when we are not.

Lunch With My Favorite Kindergartener!

2010-08-20T12:50:00.002-05:00

I got to bring Emily McDonald's for lunch today. Of course now she wants me to bring this or pizza everyday. Don't think our budget can afford that compared to the PB&J she usually gets.

We're Having A Boy!!!

2010-07-23T15:34:00.002-05:00

Callie and the Tortoise

2010-04-27T20:45:00.003-05:00

Chick-fil-a had some live animals for family night. Callie and Emily both got to sit on a tortoise.

Easter Eggs 2010

2010-04-18T22:44:00.002-05:00

Easter Eggs 2010 from Jason Peck on Vimeo.

Let's Dye Some Eggs

2010-04-03T19:17:00.002-05:00

Emily and Callie love getting to make the eggs for our Easter egg hunt. It is amazing how much fun comes in such a little box.

Moving On Up

2010-03-21T16:16:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend I was able to finish painting the girls' new room. That means Emily now gets to sleep in our daybed and Callie will be sleeping in Emily's toddler bed. It is amazing how fast they have both grown up.

Spring Break Zoo Trip

2010-03-18T18:47:00.001-05:00

In honor of Emily being on Spring Break, today we headed to the zoo for a little family fun. Who knew that half of the families in Oklahoma City would also have the same idea. We heard that today was the most people that have ever had at the zoo on one day.

That's How You Communicate

2010-03-08T19:13:00.003-06:00

Today when I went to pick up Emily from school, she had this sticker stuck to her shirt. It was a reminder about a school fundraiser tonight at a local restaurant.

Think I could get with doing this for my youth when I need to communicate a message to their parents? I can just picture them all lining up to leave and me putting their reminder sticker on them!

Hello Mr. Sun

2010-02-18T17:18:00.003-06:00

The girls just had to take advantage of the sunshine while it lasted.

Youth Ministry Lessons from Mary Poppins

2010-02-16T22:28:00.003-06:00

Being a dad of young children means that many of the movies I watch are ones that I normally would not choose. One such movie that both Emily and Callie just love is Mary Poppins. After watching this more times than I want to count, I couldn't help but think of how similar the storyline is to where we are in youth ministry today.

- The father wants a nanny that will mold his young breed so he can focus on working at the bank. This made him completely clueless about what was really going on in their world. Over the years, I believe we have conditioned our parents to have similar feelings. Let's just dump our kids off at church and they can disciple them because I'm too busy. From the very beginning God gave the responsibility for discipleship to happen in the home.

- Even though the children wanted someone who looked nice, didn't smell bad, and played fun games, they like the "clean up the nursery" game once they saw how it worked. I truly believe that students want the discipline required for following Christ but they have never had it and don't really even know what it looks like. We have become too concerned that it won't be fun enough to keep their attention that we have gone overboard with being entertaining and relevant.

- Mary Poppins is very similar to "some" youth pastors in several ways. She was a rebel nanny who wouldn't give references, did things her own way, and stood up to her boss. She also only promised to stay until the winds changed. How many youth guys have to leave because they have run out of tricks?

- At the very end when the father has lost his job, he goes and repairs their kite. All four of the family go to the park to fly it and Mary Poppins' cane says to her that it was rude of the children to not tell her goodbye. Her cane says that they would rather be with their father than with her. Mary says that is how it should be. While they were sad when she left, their father and mother were now there for them. It should be a sad time with a youth pastor leaves, but because mom and dad are the primary disciple-maker, everything is still in place and the whole world doesn't stop until a new guy can be hired.

These are just a few similarities we can take away from this classic movie. It is just sad that we have come so far in youth ministry and yet such a long way to go. In most youth ministries across America, parents have been taken out of the equation when it comes to discipleship and the church. If we are going to see our youth ministries become healthier, I believe we must find ways to involve parents in the discipleship of their children.

Is Jesus Just Our Free Ticket To Heaven?

2010-02-13T16:21:00.000-06:00

This past Saturday I was finally able to see Casting Crowns live in concert. I have been a fan of theirs for years, but it just hadn't worked out for me to go see them yet. It was looking like I wasn't going to be able see them again this time around even though they were going to be only fifteen minutes from my house. Then, I got a phone call from my friend John asking if I wanted to go to the concert for free! I didn't even have to think twice. The only catch was I had to help handout information for a local Christian radio station as people walked through the doors. I may not be good at a lot of things in life, but even I can give out business cards.

After I told John I would go and help promote the radio station, I had a second thought. While I knew of the station, I had really only listened to it a handful of times. It wasn't that I didn't like this station, it's just that I prefer another Christian station when I actually get to pick what I am listening too. Most of the time our van and home are filled with music my two little girls will enjoy more. Don't get me wrong, I think VBS music is great and all, but that usually isn't my first choice.

Right before they were going to open the doors to start seating people, I was told where to stand and given business cards to handout. As I stood there looking at the line forming outside of the church, I got a little worried. What if someone actually asked me a question about the station? I only knew the name of one of the DJs and I could probably guess at their website address. I glanced at the business card to cram any last-minute information into my head as possible. I ended up handing out well over a hundred cards and only had to answer one minor question.

As we were finishing up, they had me go help John because he still had people coming through his door. As I was walking up to help John, I could hear him aggressively go after anyone who would take a card. As he gave out his cards, he would also say that this was the best Christian radio station in the world. He said that almost every time and we all knew he meant it. For John, he knew several of the people who worked there and had even helped them at other events. This was clearly John's favorite radio station and he was proud to promote it.

During the first of the concert, I couldn't help but think how different my approach was from John's. While I wanted to give everyone a card, I really didn't have the same passion as John. I began to wonder if that is why so many Christians are pretty lousy at evangelism? I'll admit that I didn't really go to help promote the radio station; I went to hear Casting Crowns. And I bet John would have gone just to promote the station even if he didn't get to hear the concert.

How many people only view Jesus as their free ticket to heaven like my free ticket to the concert? Since they really don't know Jesus, they can't answer questions about Him or really even enthusiastically share Him with their friends and family. When Jesus is JUST our ticket to heaven, we are missing the point. There will be no passion or excitement when we are placed expected to help with evangelism. However, the more we know Jesus, the more we will want to tell others about Him because we know they must have what we have. I got to see my concert for free and I helped promote a radio station without causing any harm. But if I just try and fake my way through evangelism, people's souls are at stake. Jesus is NOT just our free ticket to heaven.

She Loves To Read

2010-02-08T16:54:00.002-06:00

Today Emily had to read a few three-letter words as she arrived at school. She knew all of them and received this for a reward.

Emily Playing In The Snow

2010-01-29T23:14:00.002-06:00

Winter Snow 2010 from Jason Peck on Vimeo.

Emily enjoying some of the snow in our backyard.

Emily Playing Our Wii

2010-01-23T09:11:00.001-06:00

I just love watching both of my girls play our Wii. Emily is getting very good at it and can even work her way through picking games on her own.

Family Night at Chili's

2010-01-17T14:09:00.001-06:00

Callie enjoying some corn on the cob during our family night.

Shopping Time

2010-01-17T13:59:00.001-06:00

Callie enjoying a ride while we grocery shop.

Callie's Second Birthday

2010-01-15T16:28:00.002-06:00

Where do you go for a two-year old birthday party? Chuck E. Cheese of course! Callie loves going there and she is getting old enough now that she can play more of the games. It is still hard to believe that she is already two! Here are a few pictures from her party.

Anniversary Date Night

2010-01-15T16:26:00.001-06:00

Last Friday night we dropped the girls off and mom and dad's so we could go shopping for Callie's birthday and celebrate our seven-year anniversary. After finishing our shopping for Callie, we went to Pelicans to enjoy some really good seafood. The finish our night, we decided to go see the movie Avatar. Everything was going great until about ten minutes from the end of the movie. All of the power for the entire theatre shut off because a car ran into a transformer in the surrounding area. Talk about disappointment! All of us had sat through over two hours of previews and the movie to be told we could come back later and re-watch it.

As we were leaving, Theresa reminded me that something similar happened to us while we were celebrating our first anniversary. We were living in New Mexico at the time and had rented a cabin for the weekend in Ruidoso, NM. One of the nights we were there, we went to a little movie theatre and several times during our movie it would just stop. The funny part was, they were start showing slides of nature scenes almost like somebody's homemade slideshow. We eventually got to watch the movie after several stops and starts with a slideshow in between.

That was an anniversary celebration we won't forget and neither was this years. What is it about us and movie problems on our anniversary?

Christmas Season 2009

2009-12-30T00:46:00.002-06:00

Here are some pictures from the Christmas season. Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Orr Family Farm Field Trip

2009-10-27T22:59:00.002-05:00

This was Emily's first class field trip and she and I got to go to the Orr Family Farm. Even though I have passed by the farm for years now, I had never been inside. I was very impressed with all that they had to offer and Emily just loved the entire atmosphere. We will definitely have to go back and bring Callie and Theresa with us.

Fall Festival at Schwartz

2009-10-13T22:19:00.005-05:00

The girls, I mean Tinker Bell and Ladybug, really enjoyed their first Fall Festival at Emily's school. Once they saw how everything worked they both really got into the games and activities. Of course getting candy at every stop helped a little. I just want to know when adults get to get that much candy in one night.

Oklahoma State Fair 2009

2009-09-26T00:42:00.002-05:00

We almost didn't make it to the fair this year, but I'm glad we finally did. I had not been in several years and Theresa had never been to a fair here in Oklahoma. The girls were awesome the entire day and it was tons of fun.

Mom and dad came with us and I really think they enjoyed seeing the girls experience so many things for the first time. Emily kept wanting to ride a ride, but we were not too sure how she would do. Right before we left we let her ride one ride and she did great. She didn't look too sure about everything when they first started, but by the time they were done she was having a great time. By next year I'm sure she will be ready for more.

I always love the food and this year we had some really good stuff. Who knew pizza on a stick could taste so good? I also got to see a few friends from high school and college that I had not seen in several years. If we didn't have to spend some much for the whole experience it would have been perfect, but perfection is pretty hard to obtain. Here are some pictures from our day. Hope you enjoy!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from JasonPeck's posterous

Sad News

2009-09-08T22:29:00.002-05:00

For those of you who haven't heard, Theresa and I found out last Thursday that we actually lost our baby. This has not been an easy few days and I would hope that none of you ever have to endure this. Even though we have learned that the number of women who miscarriage is quite high, it still doesn't make things any easier.

We are so thankful for our loving family and friends along with a great church who have really supportive. Thank you all for your prayers and calls. I have heard several similar stories that really make me want to cry. I know that God has a plan for us and for every other unborn baby, but it still doesn't take away the pain. Just like Emily's favorite song, "Blessed Be Your Name," we must bless God in the good as much as during the bad. May He alone be glorified!

Meeting Emily's Teacher

2009-08-11T22:39:00.002-05:00

It’s official. Emily starts school this Thursday and I still can’t believe it. Today we went to meet her teacher, see her classroom, and go over some basic orientation information. When we talk to Emily about going to school, we get two sides to the story. Some times she is extremely excited about being in preschool. Other times she says that she is not going to school and that mommy is her teacher. Today she finally said that she has two schools and two teachers. Hey, if this works for her then it works for me. We shall see what actually happens on Thursday.

I think today was really good for her because she got a quick peek into all of the fun and new things she will get to experience. At one point she asked me if she could go back to her class and play. That was a good sign. Everything we have heard about her teacher has been very positive. I think once Emily gets to know her, she will really thrive under her teaching. It may take a few days or weeks to get her adjusted to the routine of having to go every day, but I’m pretty sure that is normal.

Here are a few pictures of her checking out her classroom and with some friends from church that already go to her new school. We will keep you posted on this new adventure called preschool!

Family Vacation

2009-08-02T23:23:00.003-05:00

We just got back from our annual Peck Family vacation. This year my family was joined by my parents and sister for a trip down to Sulphur, OK. Mom and Dad rented a cabin for us to stay in and it turned out to be brand new. I think they were a little cramped, but the four of us are pretty used to it and did just fine. Of course Emily and Callie were just excited to stay anywhere with Mimi and Papa and Aunt Jennifer. The first night it took forever to calm Emily down and get her to go to sleep.

Our three days away consisted of swimming, fishing, making some s'mores, and just relaxing. Because we didn't have access to a boat, we were confined to just fish from the dock. When other people would bring their boats in to go home, Emily was quick to say that we needed our own boat. I must admit it did look like more fun out on the water but so far I haven't figured out a way to pull one behind our little Honda Civic. Maybe our future upgrade to prepare for baby number three will have better towing capacity.

It was really nice to just get away for a little while and we couldn't have asked for better weather. Theresa is already making plans for future camping trips and I'm sure that the girls would gladly load up tomorrow if it meant later bed times, cookouts, swimming, and Mimi and Papa. Do you think the church would miss me if I didn't go back to work? Don't think I want to find out! Hope you enjoy a few pictures from our trip.

Emily loves her s'mores!!!

A little ice cream in bed while Papa takes a much needed nap.

Here is Emily using my old Snoopy fishing pole.

I can't believe it still works!

Can you see Callie underneath her huge life jacket?

Here is a link to the rest of our vacation pictures. Click here.

Jasmine Moran Children's Museum

2009-07-25T22:46:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, our Children's Ministry took a trip to the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum for our Fabulous Friday. This was my first trip to the museum even though the rest of my family had already been. I can see why Emily really liked it. There were so many cool things for her to experience and do. We will definitely go back when we aren't in charge of 37 kids! Here are a few pictures from our trip.

I'm in trouble because both of my girls like to shop!

Here is Callie showing us what her big sister will look like in a few weeks.

Exciting News!!!

2009-07-19T21:04:00.003-05:00

It's official! We are having baby number three sometime in March! I think both Theresa and I are still very excited but also still in shock just a little bit. Today at church several people gave me a hard time because we had recently talked about not having another baby so soon. On my way home from our mission trip last Saturday, I talked to one of my youth parents and said that we were very close to being 100% debt free and were still considering having a third child. Theresa and I had decided that we wanted one more, but we were not expecting to get pregnant right now. Apparently God had other plans! So, this youth parent reminded me of what I had said just a week ago and I had to laugh. That is because those were my plans and obviously not the plans of God. He definitely has a sense of humor. We really don't know any details yet, expect possibly around March 19th for a due date. As soon as we know more, one of us will post that information.

It was fun yesterday getting to tell everyone the news. We were going to my parents' house and we wanted to let Emily tell them. So, we told her as we were pulling into the driveway and she immediately told my mom, dad, and sister. I don't think they knew what to think when she first said it. Emily has made it very clear before that she would like us to have more sisters and definitely a brother. This was a very good surprise because today is my mom's birthday.

God always keeps us on our toes and we trust in His timing. Maybe this time He will give us a boy. We shall see!

Emily's Birthday Pool

2009-05-24T21:40:00.001-05:00

The Teleprompter Prez

2009-04-27T23:16:00.002-05:00

I still find it very ironic that many claim what a great orator our new president is when he obviously cannot function without his teleprompter. Maybe if I want to be such a great speaker I need to haul a teleprompter in for my Wednesday night Bible studies with my students. I'm sure that would really grab and maintain their attention.

I recently discussed with a pastor friend of mine who has been reading a book about "Preaching On Your Feet." In this book, pastors are encouraged to not use notes when they are preaching. I completely understand that a president must make numerous amounts of speeches and it would be impossible to memorize them. However, pastors must learn how to engage their audience and use proper oratory skills. Is that too much to ask from ummmm..... ummmm.... our president?

Build A House For Jesus!

2009-04-23T00:27:00.001-05:00

Spread the news around!

Do I Have To Be Inside?

2009-04-23T00:03:00.008-05:00

I don't know about the recent weather where you live, but here in the great state of Oklahoma, the weather this week has been absolutely beautiful. This is when I really wish I had an outside job instead of having to be stuck inside peering out my office window at all of the sunshine. I was very jealous of my family today because they got to go to the zoo with another family from church while I was slaving away at work. That's okay because my turn is coming one of these days.

Needless to say, I'm starting to get the itch for summer to be here. If you aren't aware, summer as a youth pastor is just plain awesome! Yes, it is extremely busy and chaotic, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Don't get me wrong, still have plenty to do before I'm ready to head off to our camps and mission trip, but I am really looking forward to this summer with my students.

Here are a few recent pictures of the girls. Hope you enjoy.

Here is Emily and her friend Eli at the zoo.

Callie trying on her new life vest.

Callie being Callie.

That is all for now. Soon I will be uploading more pictures from the last couple of months and from our camping trip. Until then, enjoy the weather!

Feeling Helpless, but Not Hopeless

2009-02-17T21:14:00.005-06:00

Ok, I'm tired of it all. What am I tired of you may ask? I am sick and tired of hearing about all of the poor choices elected officials are making that will not only determine part of my future, but also the future of my girls. It seems like every day I hear of politicians spending huge amounts of money when our economy is doing so bad. I just don't get it. If all of these large corporations need bailouts and now we are in need on a stimulus plan that most likely won't stimulate anything, then why aren't they cutting back and trying to save money in every way possible? Instead, they still have expensive parties, take expensive trips, fly in private jets and 747s just to sign a piece of paper, come on! On top of all of this, many of the newly chosen members cannot even seem to pay their taxes. If I don't pay my taxes this year doesn't that qualify me to go live in Washington and spend money that is not my own like crazy?

As I hear about this, read about this, and see this unfold, I do feel very helpless. While I have usually kept up with the happenings of the world, thanks to the Internet (and my wife), it seems like I am being more informed than ever before and I don't like what I am learning. It does make me helpless because I did my part. I didn't vote for this and yet I have to sit back and take it. However, I am not without hope because no man can secure my future. No matter how bad our new president and his crew mess things up, this is not our home and one day none of this will matter at all. God is still in control and I find my hope in Him alone. I'm afraid that I will be frustrated for a very long time, but now is the time for the church to rise up and provide hope the those who do not know where to turn. How will the church respond? I really don't know, but I do know we will be held accountable for our actions or non action.

We are all in this together and if you have Jesus in your life, then you are not without hope!

Is It Still January?

2009-01-24T11:22:00.004-06:00

The reason behind this post is the current state of our weather. On Thursday we got a rare treat; beautiful weather. It was way too nice to be inside all day and if I could have skipped office work trust me I would have. For the first time this year, we actually got up into the 70s which is very unusual for an OK January. It was a much needed break from the colder temperatures and I know welcomed by many. We even had a guy from our church stop by and tell us that he couldn't stand it any longer so he got out his motorcycle and went for a ride. It was that kind of day and I was lovin' it!

I really don't know how people who constantly have colder weather handle it. Last night Theresa and I watched a show called "Extreme Homes of the Frozen North." Very cool houses but there is no way I want to live in the frozen North. The people on the show just loved their weather and I'm happy for them because I much prefer our weather. I love being able to experience all four seasons even though it can be a stretch at times here in Oklahoma.

I remember when I was in junior high we had several snow days in a row. By the third or fourth day of being cold and inside, I was about to go crazy. When the sun did come out it felt so good. That was Thursday for me. I love to be outside and the nice weather really made me ready for Spring. (Not to mention the fact that warmer weather is much easier on our heating bill!) My wonderful wife very quickly reminded me that we still have two more months until Spring is officially here.

Today Theresa was making her shopping list and said "this month has been so long." I think the weather has a lot to do with this, but it is also because we have started a New Year, had Callie's birthday, and our anniversary all within these past few weeks. Even though this month isn't quite over, it has been a great start to 2009. Hope you enjoy whatever weather you are currently experiencing. If not, maybe it will change soon.

6 Years of Marriage

2009-01-13T23:06:00.004-06:00

This past Sunday Theresa and I celebrated six years of marriage. It still feels like it was just yesterday when we were moving to New Mexico after our honeymoon to start our first ministry position and our new life together. So much has happened since then in these few short years. We have both grown and changed in ways that we could not even begin to think of on January 11, 2003. I do miss those first days and months when it was just to two of us on our own in a foreign place trying to figure out life as a couple. From the very beginning, God has truly blessed us and we never went through all of the hardships that many newlyweds experience.

Don't get me wrong, we have had our "ups" and "downs" in our marriage, but it has definitely been a wonderful six years. We have made our mistakes and have learned a lot about surviving in this world. I can't even imagine having to go through life without Theresa. First, in ministry she has been an invaluable resource. I am constantly bouncing ideas off of her and asking her for advice. She is still my biggest fan and encourager when it comes to being a youth pastor. In a profession that isn't always known for being encouraging, God knew how much I would need her. Secondly, as a parent. I honestly have no idea how single parents do it. It is hard enough at times with the two of us that I don't even want to think about going it alone. There is a reason why God designed it to be one man and one woman raising and leading a family.

So, here is to our sixth anniversary. It has been wonderful so far and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us next!

I love you Theresa and I am proud to be your husband.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T10:16:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone is having a great start to 2009. Last night I added some more Thanksgiving and Christmas pictures to our online photo gallery. Click here if you would like to see them and more pictures of our family.

Last night I was finally able to get our Christmas/New Year newsletter emailed off. The holiday season is just so busy and then we had to make a quick trip to Texas to attend a funeral for my great grandmother. Of course I understand that everyone is busy and many of you got your cards and newsletters out early. Maybe next year I will be more diligent.

Even though I am still not used to it being 2009, I am very excited about the clean slate that January 1st brought. I am looking forward to another good year. God has really blessed the Peck family the past few months and I pray that we are a blessing to you. May 2009 be our best year yet! Thank you for being a part of our lives.

Callie's First Steps

2008-11-26T00:22:00.001-06:00

Using Technology Part 2

2008-11-10T23:27:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, we have been going through a series at church about controlling our TVs/the Internet. This past Sunday the sermon was focused on the dark side of the Internet. It is pretty scary to think of how evil and corrupt the Internet really can be. I dread to think of what it will be like when my girls are older.

One thing I did point out is the fact that we can use the Internet for our good. From paying bills online to save time and money, to connecting with old and new friends the Internet can be good. My pastor compared the Internet to fire and I really like this analogy. When fire is controlled it is extremely useful. When fire is allowed to run free without restraint, then watch out! If we will put measures in our life to control the Internet, then we can use it to enhance our lives. Take a blog like this for instance. I love reading friends' blogs to keep up with their lives. For family and friends that we cannot see on a regular basis, we can keep them updated on our family and even share recent photos. I also enjoy getting on Facebook to view photos, videos, and short posts from friends, family, and church members. On the flip side of this, of course, is the temptation to become wrapped up in blogging and social networking. I have to watch myself so that I don't waste time online when I could be doing something more productive. Again, technology is great when we use it for good and don't abuse it or let it take control of our lives.

Using Technology

2008-11-08T22:16:00.003-06:00

With everything going on in our world today, I love when I am able to find something that makes life a little easier and more simple. A college friend of mine recently enlightened me about Google Reader. I had heard about the service before but never really checked into it. I have been using it for a few weeks and just love it. Instead of having to check the blogs I read for new content, Google Reader does the work for me. I am all about using technology to make my life better. Especially since this is a free service.

Our church is in the middle of a sermon series about controlling technology, like our TVs, and making sure that we don't let them "think for us." It has been astounding to hear some of the facts just related to TV watching in the average American home. One of the best inventions for controlling our TV is utilizing our DVR. As Emily gets older, I am more sensitive to what she sees and hears on TV. More and more, commercials seem to have lost any kind of family-friendly filter and they are what hurt us the most when we watch live TV. Our DVR allows us to fast-forward through commercials of shows we have taped and it allows us to watch TV on our time. Plus, by the time you fast-forward through the commercials of an hour long program, you actually cut out about twenty minutes.

I realize the for many of you, these two things are not ground breaking concepts. However, anything that helps me filter out the bad and anything that gives me more time with my family is big for us. So, what have you done in your life to free up some time for the family? We all have the same amount of time each day and now is the time to spend it wisely. With all of the talk right now about "going green," how about going "simple?"

This week our Sunday sermon is going to be about Internet usage and the evils the WWW brings into our homes. I am sure the number of hours the average teen and young adult spends online is staggering. I will try and post after the sermon to see what else we can do with current technology.

Having Faith

2008-10-13T22:10:00.003-05:00

Alright! If you know me well, you knew this blog was coming. I have been wanting to post about the presidential election for a while, but have been trying to restrain myself. Well, no longer! I am a supporter of John McCain. (I'm sure that comes as a shock.) However, lately, I have been on edge about everything. I watch the stock market and wonder if we are going to have another depression. I watch the news and think about how much the media seeks to divide, not unite. Things that should not be focused on in the campaign are focused on and things that should be talked about are being ignored. I have taught myself that we have to have faith. There are several things we need to have faith in, however. Number one, we need to have faith in the American people. We have a history of not letting others tell us what to do and hopefully, we will make our own decision when we go to the voting booth. Second, we need to have faith in our democratic system. Whoever wins, we need to trust that this is who was voted into office. Third, we need to have faith in our country. Looking back at the times of the Great Depression, the role of government was expanded thanks to a democratic president. It probably prolonged the Depression rather than helped, but we eventually got back on track. Last, but most importantly, we need to have faith in God. Remember, He is in control and He knows exactly what will happen. We can trust Him with our country and we can trust Him with our family.

Before I go, I encourage you to know what each candidate believes on the issues. Look at their plans for our future. If you are not sure, ask me and I can help you (but I am a little biased.)

MCCAIN/PALIN ALL THE WAY!!!!

Truly Blessed

2008-10-06T22:26:00.003-05:00

The other day I was I was talking with some people from church about young families who are having a hard time. I know of several couples who are plagued with debt, parenting issues, job stress, and just the busyness of life these days. The longer we talked, the more I realized just how much God has blessed my family and me. Don't get me wrong, we have our problems and struggles, but overall life is great. We have a great church, our girls are healthy, and financially we are slowly eliminating our debt. Several in our church have major health issues that I cannot even imagine having to endure. God truly has blessed me!

Of course as I type this, I understand that all of this can change on a dime. We are not immune to problems and I know that they will come. If you are going through a hard time, know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Many of you have shown great perseverance and I pray that when the storms of life come we rely upon God to carry us through.

On a side note, I just added some more recent pictures of our family. Click here to view them.

God's Blessings

2008-10-06T11:23:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a really neat day for me. I say some our prayers get answered that I didn't even know we had been praying for. It just showed me again how God not only desires to take care of our needs but He wants to give us a few of our wants also. Let me just give a quick rundown of what I mean. Every time we have gone to Wal-Mart lately, they have had those wooden playhouses and playground equipment sitting out. I guess they are trying to get rid of them before putting them back in storage. Anyway, Emily always talks about wanting one. The problem is that they cost anywhere between 300-500 dollars. Needless to say, we really can not afford that. Okay, keep that in mind. Jason and I were talking the other day about when do we give Emily a bike. I think I came to the conclusion that maybe for her birthday we could get her one. Again, a good one is a little expensive so we would have to save up for it. Emily is also outgrowing all of her clothes. We can get her things a little at a time, but a lot of her stuff comes from her MiMi and PaPa. They have been a real blessing.

Anyway, yesterday we go to church and a lady starts talking to Jason about a Playscape that she has that her son has outgrown. It is a real sturdy playset for the backyard. She wants to give it to us. Emily will get it the end of this month. I know that she will be so excited. I also had another lady come up to me during our welcome time and tell me that her daughter is outgrowing all of her clothes very quickly and she doesn't have anyone to give her clothes to. The little girl is a year older than Emily and she wanted to know if I wanted the clothes. I was like, definitely. Then, she added, in the spring we will have a bike to give you also. The bike is almost brand new and was only ridden a few times. I was floored! God is so good. I didn't even know these were things that were on His priority list, but again, He desires to give us good things, so I shouldn't be all that surprised.

The best of days

2008-10-02T11:29:00.003-05:00

Well, for the past few days I have been wanting to post an update of some sort but every time I sat down, nothing would come to mind. I guess I had writer's block. The truth is we have had some very calm days. I am so blessed. I did forget to mention the fact that Emily has written her name all by herself. We were at Chile's the other day and Jason wrote her name on her to-go box. Without any help from anyone else, she looked at what Jason had written and wrote her name all by herself. I had her write it again on a piece of paper because I couldn't keep the to-go box. She is also really funny because we can get in the car at Jason's parents and head home (which is 25 minutes away.) The whole way home, Emily talks. It is hilarious because Jason and I can not have a conversation at all. I don't know where she gets the whole talking so much (surely not from me, ha ha.)

Anyway, I can't go without talking about the election. I just want to remind everyone to vote. If you have not registered, do so!! Remember, everyones vote is on equal footing. Just because some people have a bigger platform to speak on then others, doesn't mean their vote counts more.

God is in control!! Thank goodness!

Recent Pictures

2008-09-25T14:03:00.004-05:00

Well, since I have decided to try and update this blog as much as possible, I decided to put some more up-to-date pictures of the girls. Emily is now 3 1/2 and Callie is almost 9 months. Time sure does go quickly. Emily is doing pretty good on potty training. We have had some setbacks in the last couple of days. Callie is into everything. It is so funny because everything goes in Callie's mouth and she seems to be attracted to outlets. With Emily we didn't have to worry about either one of those things. Oh well, each child is different. Yesterday, I had a moment of panic after watching some of the 24-hour news channels. I had to remind myself that no matter what happens, God is in control. We only see the here and now, He sees forever. I take comfort in that! Anyway, here are pictures of the girls.

Emily being a princess.

Callie going where she doesn't belong.

Emily being a princess again (she does that often.)

The girls playing together.

The joy of masking tape

2008-09-24T13:43:00.002-05:00

So I decided to start updating our blog site again. Today, I want to tell about one of the cheapest forms of entertainment I have found for my 3 year old. If you know her, you know that she is always moving. She cannot sit still. She is also a very loud child. I have heard that she is alot like I was when I was little. Oh, did I mention she is pretty strong-willed. I keep reminding myself that she will make a great adult. She will not be able to be pushed around and she will not take no for an answer. Anyway, back to my original thought, she is fascinated with masking tape. I love it because it last a long time, is relatively inexpensive, and won't break or tear anything (unless she tapes a book.) She will put it on our walls and I can just take it right off. She will put it on her toys. Again, I can take it right off. The only thing I have to watch for is making sure that my almost nine month old doesn't follow behind and take it off to put in her mouth. Well, that is my thought for the day.

One funny story (I will probably send this to Reader's Digest.) The other night we went out to eat. We were waiting for our food and Emily was getting a little impatient. She asked me what we were waiting for. I told her we were waiting for them to deliver our good food. She crossed her arms looked at me and said, "I don't want good food, I want our food at home." I thought that was so funny!

The Pikkula Family & Hurricane Ike

2008-09-13T09:54:00.003-05:00

I just talked to Amanda and they are doing fine. They do not have electricity, part of their fence was blown down, and some siding blew off their house. It was a rough night, but the boys slept through it. Coleman has been asking about watching something on TV, so it might be rough for the next day or so. Amanda's parents are doing well. They actually still have electricity. If I hear anything else, I will be sure to post that later.

Olympics 2008

2008-08-14T22:54:00.002-05:00

With my students back in school, it means that summer is over and the Olympics are here. So far, it has been a fun week watching all of the different events and cheering on the USA. Every time I watch of think about the athletes, I can't help but think about the dedication and hard work involved. My wife always says it would be cool to know you were one of the best in the world at your event. I think I would personally choose the beach volleyball if I could have actually had a chance at an Olympic appearance. I really like the team mentality and I am usually pretty decent at volleyball.

Michael Phelps continues to blow me away! To race 17 in a week is plain crazy. Over and over they have mentioned his daily schedule and it is so hard. For these few days, his complete focus is on swimming. He doesn't have any time for anything else. It is pretty much eat, swim, rest, swim, and sleep for a few hours. He swims more than one race a day and really doesn't have much down time.

What if we as Christians applied this kind of focus to our walk with Christ? Instead of spending four years preparing for the next Olympics (and yes, I realize many prepare from a very young age), what if we were this intense everyday focused on following Christ for our entire lives. The truth is every Christian should be able to qualify as a disciple the same way these athletes are expected to qualify for the Olympics. While it would also be very cool to hold an Olympic or World Record, they are being broken left and right. Sure your name is placed in the history books, but when all is said and done do these records really matter? Don't get me wrong, I think going for records are great but our focus has to be on Christ and what will matter for eternity.

I hope you enjoy these two weeks and GO USA!

Emily is Three!

2008-05-04T21:28:00.005-05:00

On Friday, Emily turned three! It still doesn't seem possible that we now have a three year old along with a soon-to-be four month old. All that Emily really wanted to do was play on the playground at McDonalds. We did this last year and it is quickly becoming a tradition for her birthday. It was an overall fun day celebrating life. Here are some pictures of Emily's day. It beings with a trip to the beauty shop for her second haircut.

We will soon be posting more pictures of the girls in our online Web gallery. There is a link on the right side of this page.

Sisters

2008-04-29T00:13:00.007-05:00

Here are some recently pictures of the girls. They sure are growing up fast! This Friday Emily will be three. It doesn't seem possible that she will be starting school in a little over a year.

Emily sharing her "iPod" with Callie.

Callie sitting up with a little bit of help.

Two Are Better Than One

2008-04-22T21:37:00.003-05:00

When Theresa and I first launched into the world of blogging, we both knew it would be a challenge. Now that we have two children it has become an even greater challenge for the both of us to add content to our blogs. In an effort to keep everyone updated on our family, we have decided to combine our blogs into one family blog. We all know that two heads are better than one and hopefully for us two bloggers are better than one blogger. We shall see. Here's to our family blog!

I'm Still Here

2008-03-26T00:10:00.000-05:00

I realize that I haven’t blogged in way too long. Sorry for the delay, but with moving to a new church life has just been busy. I will post more soon.

Seven Weeks

2008-02-25T00:11:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow Callie will already be seven weeks old. I can’t believe how much she has grown in this short amount of time. It is comforting to know that we did make it past the six week mark without any major health issues. With both Emily and Callie, we were told to keep them away from large crowds like church and Wal-Mart for the first six weeks. That was actually very easy to do with Callie since we have been having such cold weather since she was born and since the flu has really been bad this year. Almost everyone we talk to at church is sick or has been sick. Having passed the six week mark and with nicer weather today, Callie made her debut at church. Everyone has been so anxious to see her but also very understanding considering her health. It was a good morning and Callie mostly slept through Sunday School and church.

Another thing about this past seven weeks is how different each day with a newborn seems. What worked yesterday does not work today but may work tomorrow. Forget about trying the same old tricks we used on Emily because they probably will not work either. I think it is just God’s way of keeping us on our toes! For someone who enjoys change here and there, but also likes some consistency, this is frustrating at times but also fun. I do look forward to our future as a family of four and have already begun to dream of vacations and trips the four of us can do when both girls are a little older. Every time I start to get ahead of myself, I remember to take it one day at a time and enjoy each moment with my newborn. Thank you God for a good first seven weeks.

Since Then

2008-02-24T22:54:00.001-06:00

Well, it has been a while since I last posted. Our lives seem to be one big roller coaster. I am still getting used to have two children and trying to keep our home life a little sane. Anyway, many of you know that my grandmother passed away on Valentine's Day. It was hard for me but it was not a shock. she was 87 years old and ready to go. Callie is going to be seven weeks old tomorrow and it is hard for me to believe. I guess the good thing is that we are getting closer to me getting a full nights sleep. The sad thing is that she is growing up way too fast. My oldest will be three in May and that makes me very sad also. Speaking of Emily, she is so cute and loves Callie so much. she likes to help me wash dishes and cook and clean. Our latest thing her and I have discovered is YouTube. We go on there and look up one of her children's songs (such as "Wheels on the Bus) and pick out one of the many videos and watch it. The other day we watched "If you're happy and you know it" about twenty times in a row. She likes the one where there are other children singing. Today was mine and Callie's first day at church. everyone was excited to see us but nobody got to hold her because everyone here has been sick. Emily did so well with it and I was so proud of her.

Callie's First Movie

2008-02-16T21:44:00.003-06:00

Here is the video that Norman Regional Hospital took of Callie right after she was born.

Theresa's Grandma

2008-02-14T21:48:00.001-06:00

If you have not already heard, Theresa’s grandma passed away about 2:00am this morning. She died in her sleep and we are thankful that she didn’t suffer. We are not sure if the funeral will be this Saturday or next Monday. Theresa, Callie, and I will be heading to Baton Rouge in the next few days so we can attend the funeral. This is very bitter-sweet for Theresa because we wanted to go visit her grandma in April so she could meet Callie. On the other hand, we were afraid that if she passed away toward the end of the pregnancy, then Theresa wouldn’t have been able to make the trip.

Her grandma has been the “rock” in her life and means the world to Theresa. We had our wedding in New Orleans so that she could be present. It didn’t matter to Theresa if anyone else came as long as her grandma got to be there. She has not been doing well health wise for the past few years so we knew our time with her would be short. Please be in prayer for us as we make the trip and for Theresa as she grieves.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T21:47:00.001-06:00

Since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, I wanted to write a quick post for Theresa. Usually I focus on Emily and Callie when I write, but for this post I want to focus on Theresa. Don’t get me wrong. Having both of my girls this year makes this such a special Valentine’s Day and I look forward to spending many more with both of them. However, it all goes back to Theresa. She is simply amazing. I can’t even imagine my life without her. In January, we celebrated our five year anniversary and that doesn’t even seem possible. We have been through a lot in five years and we are both definitely not the same two students who met through a seminary class.

Every step of the way, Theresa has been so supportive of me and my youth ministry. I could not do what I do without her. On top of her support, she does such a wonderful job raising Emily and Callie. We both know that God called her to be a stay-at-home mom and that is no small task. She knows how important a child’s spiritual formation is when they are young and that is one of her top priorities as we raise our girls. There is nothing wrong with moms who have to work, but it is such a blessing that she is able to stay home during the first part of their lives.

Happy Valentine’s Day Theresa! I love you and thank God for allowing us to have such a wonderful family.

A Trip To Arkansas

2008-02-08T21:48:00.001-06:00

My family and I are currently in Bentonville, AR to visit some very close friends of ours. They are pretty much like family to us and it has been good to get away for a couple of days. I know that Theresa has really enjoyed getting out of the house since she and the girls spend most of their time inside these days. It has just been so cold outside and everyone at church seems to be sick or getting sick. This is also Callie’s first time outside of Oklahoma and she is only one month old! The weather here has been really nice. We drove through a little bit of snow on the way up here, but it didn’t last very long.

Emily has been having a great time with Hannah and Sarah Jordan. Hannah is thirteen and Sarah Jordan is ten. They have both done a great job playing with Emily and loving on Callie. I know that when we have to leave tomorrow that she will want to stay longer with her two new play-mates. Theresa and I are going to a movie in about an hour so that will be nice. Life has just been so crazy this past month and we really haven’t spent a lot of time by ourselves. Callie will be with us, but it will still be nice to get away for a few hours. I will post some pictures of our trip when we are back in Oklahoma. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Old School Commercial

2008-02-05T22:03:00.001-06:00

After watching most of the ads during the Super Bowl yesterday, I came across an old McDonald’s ad from 1993. While I enjoy some of the new commercials, it is fun to see how much they have changed over the years. Enjoy.

Crazy Youth Group Game Idea

2008-02-05T21:51:00.000-06:00

This goes to show you that American’s aren’t the only ones who can have fun.

More on Lost

2008-02-01T22:05:00.000-06:00

Okay, I know that you are probably getting tired of my posts about Lost. I will make this one short and sweet. As I said in my previous post, tonight was the two-hour season premiere of season 4 of Lost. I guess that ABC is really wanting viewers that started watching Lost and have stopped or those who never really got into the show to give it a try again. I think this because they have been really trying to sum up the first three seasons so that you can jump in with tonight’s episode.

First, while I was excited about the two-hour premiere, I also knew there would be a lot of time spent on re-capping what has already happened. They did this by using the first hour to bring everyone “up-to-speed” on the highlights so far. Secondly, I also figured they would give us just enough to grab our attention to get us hooked again. The second hour of the show did just that. I can’t wait to see what happens next on Lost.

Life As We Know It

2008-01-31T22:57:00.000-06:00

Well, we still have not had a totally sleepless night which is very good, however, we are getting closer and closer to having one. Callie has her days and nights mixed up and I am trying very hard to get her to straighten them out. The problem is that my child can sleep through anything. This is thanks to her sister who runs through the room screaming at the top of her lungs as Callie is taking an afternoon nap. We have decided it is pointless to try to keep things quiet. Speaking of my two year old, she is going through a stage right now (at least I hope it is a stage). She had all of her toys taken away yesterday (well, alot of her toys) and still wouldn't listen. Not only is she not potty training but she refuses to have her pull up changed. We are trying bribery right now just to get her not to throw a fit. Jason has been at the state evangelism conference this week so I have given Emily a bath and put her to bed by myself with Callie in tow. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Callie, of course, did not cooperate and sleep like she was supposed to, she woke up about the time I was to give Emily a bath. However, that meant I rocked both girls at the same time and that was very sweet. My oldest tries so hard to help and be really sweet to her little sister, sometimes she gets a little overzealous, but she is so sweet. I thank God for both of them everyday.

Lost Is Back!

2008-01-31T21:55:00.001-06:00

Tonight Lost finally returns after such a long wait. It seems like it has almost been a year now since the last new episode aired. I’m sure the wait has been well worth it. Here’s a quick preview of what we will see tonight.

Life With Two

2008-01-24T22:58:00.000-06:00

Well, I have officially started taking care of the girls by myself on a regular basis. Last week I had Amanda here and she was such a wonderful help. It is great to have a friend like that who is willing to do some of the things I had either not thought about or couldn't physically do by myself. So far things are going pretty good. No injuries (that is always a good thing.) No major fits (even though we have had a few minor ones.) No sleepless nights (I have had some sleep every night since Callie came home.) However, our house is constantly a mess, my two year old wears night-night clothes almost the whole day, we have watched more tv than normal, and mommy has adjusted shower time to nights instead of mornings. Emily is adjusting very well and I think some of what she is going through now relates more to being two than it does to having a little sister. She loves her little sister and always wants to give her hugs and kisses. Overall,
i couldn't ask for things to go better.

The "M" Word

2008-01-23T21:21:00.000-06:00

Since Theresa and Callie are still trying to stay inside as much as possible and are avoiding crowds, I got to take Emily to church by myself tonight. When we were leaving she started talking about me being a big boy and her being a little girl. That meant that I could do some things that she couldn't do yet. Later on down the rode she says that someday she will grow up and get married. I told her that I want her to grow up but it makes me sad to think of her getting married. Then she said that I could marry her. At this point several thoughts and emotions raced through my mind. First of all, I can't believe how "grown up" she sounds when she talks. For the most part I can have a fairly lengthy conversation with her. Second, I love how innocent she still is in thinking that she will marry her daddy. Also, it hit me that since I'm an ordained minister I will probably have a part in both my daughters weddings beyond the normal "giving them away."

As I have sat through two funerals in the last six days, I have thought several times about having family members die and the possibility of having to perform their funerals. While I am always honored to perform weddings and funerals, doing that for your family is just something you don't really think about when you start in youth ministry. Being a youth pastor is about seeing students' lives changed because of Jesus Christ. It is about living life with them on an everyday basis and also during special events. Don't get me wrong, it's far from always being a lot of fun. There are many hard times, many ups and downs in the youth ministry world. Still, I guess until recently I hadn't really thought my role in the weddings/funerals of my family and friends.

Ok, I can't end this post which such a negative tone. Youth group tonight was really good. We had over 40 students come, several parents help out, and God did His thing as usual. I am still amazed when he takes my limited gifts and talents and turns them into something that brings about change in the lives of my students. I really can't think of anything negative about tonight and that is pretty rare. From our opening game, to our worship time, to our Bible study, God just took over. Thank you Father for calling me into the fun, crazy, and exciting world of youth ministry!

Let's Go To The Movies!

2008-01-22T23:38:00.001-06:00

This past Saturday I got to take Emily to see her first movie. Technically this was her second try at watching a movie in a movie theater. When The Chronicles of Narnia came out, our church in New Mexico rented out the theater and we took her to see how she would do. We figured it would be a good time since the theater was filled with people from our own church. Let's just say that she lasted about 10 minutes before we had to take her home. Emily has just always been a loud baby. Either by crying or now by talking, she is constantly making some kind of noise.

Now that she is older and is more used to watching movies at home, we wanted to see how she would do. It worked out perfectly because the movie, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything came out right after Callie was born. Theresa thought this would be a good father-daughter date since Emily is no longer the only star of the show. It was such a fun experience. She couldn't wait to get popcorn and a cherry coke to drink. As we were walking to our seats, a preview for another movie was already playing and is completely amazed her. She kept turning her head to stare at the big screen. Then she looked around to see all of the other people in the theater and asked who they were.

They only negative/difficult part was me having to put my leg over her seat so she it wouldn't fold her like a pancake! Every time I barely moved my leg I could feel her seat want to return to it's up-right position. (Next time I'll have to bring a brick to weigh her down.) As soon as we had finished sharing the popcorn, I put her in my lap because my leg was starting to fall asleep.

The movie was just the right length because I could tell the other little kids were getting restless toward the end. As we were leaving, she couldn't wait to go again. This will definitely be a movie we have to buy. Not only was it our first movie to watch together, but it was a good family movie. I expected nothing less from the VeggieTales creators. I have a feeling that last Saturday was only the beginning of my movie experiences with Emily.

Gotta Love My Girls!

2008-01-22T23:15:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I still feel like I'm dreaming when I think about being the father of two beautiful girls. Callie went in yesterday for her two week check-up and she is doing great. She was 7 pounds 9 ounces and already over 20 inches long. Fortunately she didn't have to get any shots this time.

Overall Emily is doing so well as the big sister (even though she insists that she is the little sister). There are still times when she will try and hug her too tightly or forget that Callie is so fragile. For the most part she really likes having a sister and is constantly talking about us all being a family. I think she still doesn't understand why Callie can't do everything she can, but she is getting better. I am beginning to realize how a parent can love more than one child. I find myself loving so many qualities about Emily while cherishing Callie being so little and innocent. They are both already so different from each other and I love that too. As my love for Callie will increase as she gets older, I see my love for Emily being on such a different level because she has been a part of my life longer. It is great being the dad to two girls!

Don't you like my pretty pink hat?

Emily just had to bring her own camera to take pictures of her sister.

Callie's first bath at home.

Welcome To Callie!

2008-01-11T22:59:00.000-06:00

Well, as of January 7th, we are the proud parents of another baby girl. Her name is Callie Ann Peck. She weighed 7lbs. 2oz. and was 19 3/4 inches long. This is amazing because she was only an ounce lighter than Emily and 1/2 longer than Emily. Emily already loves her little sister, sometimes maybe a little too much! I was in the hospital from late Sunday night to Thursday, so I haven't had a chance until now to say anything about her. She is beautiful, a blessing from God! Most of the comments I am hearing are that she looks like me, but I can't tell yet. Of course, the first day Emily was born, everyone said she looked like Jason and that still holds true today. We are also getting ready to move into a different house this weekend. While this can be stressful, I guess the positive thing is that I am not expected to do anything. This will actually be very hard for me because I am a very independent person and like to do things for myself. But, in this instance, I will have to let Jason do all of the work.

Okay, Just A Few More

2008-01-09T20:46:00.001-06:00

I couldn't resist putting up just a few more pictures of Callie.

Day Two w/ Callie

2008-01-08T23:03:00.000-06:00

Here are a few more pictures from the last 24 hours. I hope that you enjoy meeting our little girl. I do believe that she has already "stolen my heart!"

Callie Ann Peck!

2008-01-07T21:51:00.000-06:00

Callie Ann Peck was born today at 1:06pm. She weighed 7 lbs. 2 ozs, was 19 3/4" long and is doing great. Theresa did a wonderful job and is now very tired. Even though she has been through so much since we checked in at 11:50pm on Sunday night, it was all worth it. Her big sister Emily is ready to take her home so that she can hold her and play with her. So far she really doesn't fully understand how much her life has changed today. We do have video of her kissing Callie and even singing "Jesus Loves Me" to her before she left for MiMi and Papa's house. I will be posting more pictures as soon as I can and am hoping to get a short video up as well. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts as we prepared for this wonderful miracle. God has truly blessed my family and me once again. Talk about a great way to start 2008!

BOOMER SOONER!!!

2008-01-03T21:37:00.001-06:00

No, I'm not crazy and yes I did watch OU get beat last night in the Fiesta Bowl. It was a tough game to watch considering last year's overtime loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Boise St. I'm know sure which was worse, losing on one play or getting beat by 20 points. Through it all, I will always remain a Sooner fan even though it is sure nice when we win. There are times when I wonder why I put myself through the emotional roller coaster of rooting for a college football team to win every game so they have a spot in the national title game only to have them come short of several occasions. Honestly, it would be easier if I just give up on watching college football or if I didn't have a favorite team. Then I ask myself where would the fun be in either of those options? I absolutely love watching college football and I love watching OU play. For one, college football is a passion that I share with Theresa and that is nice. As for OU, I was pretty much born a Sooner fan and I'll die a Sooner fan.

If I am going to keep watching and hoping that OU will again win a National Championship, what do I do when we lose? I remind myself that it is only a game and there will always be another chance later. Another thing I really try hard to do is not let it consume my life and my emotions. If I never got to watch another OU or college game again I'd be just fine. I do not find my purpose in anything here on this earth including sports. Sports are fun to watch but they are not more important than time spent with my family or with my Creator. I do believe that it is better to root for a team and have fun cheering them on than to just give up altogether. At least I have had fun even if my team doesn't win.

Even though I will hear about this lose for a long time, it's in the past and there is always next season. We have a great young quarterback in Sam Bradford and many returning starters. Maybe next year will be our year to win a National Championship. (This year I'm hoping LSU wins because that is my wife's favorite team.) If we still don't win at the very least it will be fun to watch!

Happy New Year (one day late)!

2008-01-02T23:35:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you and your family, but 2008 looks like it is going to be a wild and crazy ride for the Peck household. We are only two days into the New Year and I'm already dizzy. First of all and most importantly we are still waiting for our baby to be born. We will go for our final checkup tomorrow to see if we might be able to deliver a few days early. I know that Theresa would love to hear her doctor say "it's time" and put and end to our anticipation. If not, we will just have to wait until Monday to meet our newest family member. (By the way, I'm currently working on a family website that I will launch as soon as I have pictures of Callie.)

If having a baby was not enough, we are in the middle of packing up all of our things so that we can move to our rent house by the 12th. We have pushed up our closing date to the 11th, which happens to be our 5 year anniversary. Talk about a way to celebrate! Thankfully we have my family close by to come and help and a very generous church family who will be helping us move. I just don't think we can fit it all in our 2004 Honda Civic. I'm afraid if I did we might look like this . . .

(What you can't really see is all of the concrete in the back seat!)

Moving is always an adventure but I know that this is all part of God's plan for us. Even though I don't always understand, I know He is in control and knows what is best. I wouldn't want it any other way. So, when I start to get overwhelmed with all of this plus everything that must happen in the student ministry at Union Hill, I have to laugh and let God have control. As I always say, life is never boring around my house and I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope you are already enjoying 2008 and I pray that this year will be a Christ-centered year for us all. I have set several goals for myself and feel that at least I am trying to improve my relationship with God, my family, and others. Hang on because 2008 just might get crazy!

Before 2007 Ends

2007-12-31T15:43:00.001-06:00

The start of a new year can bring excitement, hope, and a sense of something new. As we transition into 2008 with a clean slate before us, many of us spend time reflecting on the past twelve months. For all of us there are many good and bad memories from 2007 that will shape our goals and dreams for our future. It seems that we have within us as humans the motivation and drive to enhance the quality of our lives whenever possible. Nobody dreams of having a year of failure, stress, and chaos. We want instead to picture 2008 as the year we finally accomplish the various goals we have set.

I have recently heard and read that one problem Americans are facing is the pace of our lives. It seems that every person these days is stressed out and too busy to even relax. Despite the fact that we currently have more resources than ever before at our finger tips and numerous devices and plans to increase the quality of our lives, we are running a faster pace than ever before. I could literally spend hours each day reading, studying, and listening to resources on youth ministry. The same is true in the areas of parenting, financial peace, spiritual formation, etc. At times I can become overwhelmed with all of the options we are presented with each and every day. While all of these resources and helpful information are good in and of themselves, they can lead to clutter, busyness, and stress. My fear is that our enemy is using so many of these “good things” to increase the pace of our lives and make us lose focus on what really matters. When my life becomes too cluttered, my relationship with God tends to suffer. As this year begins I personally want to do what I can to simplify my life so that I may be a better follower of Christ. I do not know everything that will happen this next year in my life and for the student ministry of Union Hill. I do know that if we will keep Christ the focus of all that we do this year, we can reach the goals and dreams He has set for us. May Jesus Christ be the focus of our lives in 2008.

5 Random Facts About Me

2007-12-31T15:26:00.001-06:00

I was tagged by my wife to post 5 Random Facts About Myself.
Here goes . . .

1. I'm left-handed and proud of it.

2. I love to eat. There are only a few foods that I really don't like, but overall, I love all kinds of food. (Just a side note, because one of my favorite foods is seafood I miss living in New Orleans even more.)

3. I love to read even though I don't read very fast. It takes me a long time to finish a book and have a long list just waiting for me to get to.

4. I am a huge Survivor fan and have seen every show of every season. So far I haven't gotten up the courage to apply to be on the show. The thought of leaving my family for so long keeps me a from fulfilling my dream of trying to be on the show.

5. Somewhere down the family tree I'm related to Davey Crockett.

I now tag Joshua, Heather, and Jason.

Youth Worker Chirstmas Party

2007-12-24T00:18:00.000-06:00

On Friday night Theresa, Emily, and I went to our youth worker Christmas party. I decided that instead of a traditional party with food and a gift exchange we would just go bowling. Not to toot my own horn, but this worked out great. We usually take our youth bowling once or twice a year, but that means we have extra responsibility than if we were just going with our respected families. I enjoyed just hanging out with my youth workers and their families in a low-stress environment. Plus, who doesn't have fun at a bowling alley?

This was also a great night for us because this was Emily's first time to bowl. She did really great her first game. She even got a strike (with the help of some bumpers and daddy's arm)! It was really cool to see her reaction as the pins fell down. She could have cared less if all ten of them fell down on the first try or even at all. During the second and third games she definitely was a little tired, but ended up getting her "second wind" and finished the night laughing and dancing to the music. It was a great night not only for my family, but also for my leadership team. If you are looking for something to do this Christmas season to relieve some stress, then I highly recommend heading to your local bowling alley.

Emily & Daddy pushing her 6 pound bowling ball down the lane.

Isn't that such a great reaction?!?

She got an 89 for her first game. Not too bad for only being 2 1/2.

Now exactly how does the ball return work?

PS My wife tagged me in her blog. So, I am now thinking of five random facts about myself to post in my next blog entry.

God's Timing

2007-12-19T23:01:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I don't understand Him and sometimes I question Him, but above all, I know I just need to trust Him. Jason and I decided to put a "For Sale" sign in front of our house about a month and a half ago. We never got any serious offers but we also never put it in the paper or anything either. We were going to take the sign down this past Sunday but then something amazing happened. We were all ready to stay here but then on Thursday night I received a phone call from a lady who wanted to see our house. I was not able to talk to her until Friday. She came over and looked at the house and loved it. She then had her husband come over and look at it and they both loved it. I was crushed! We had started doing some painting and had just resigned ourself to the fact that we were staying here. We were just waiting to see if Jason got a raise on Sunday night. I didn't know why all of this was happening right before the vote. Well, we prayed about it, sought wise counsel, and decided that we would go until God told us no. We are currently under contract on the house. The really cool thing is that there is a couple in our church who have a rent house that came open two weeks ago. God's timing is perfect. If, for whatever reason, this does not work out, I still know that God is in control.

Amanda tagged me so I have to tell five random facts about myself.

My five random facts (I spent alot of time thinking about these):

1. I do not like either bread or water (I do eat and drink them occasionally). I would never survive prison.

2. My favorite holiday (at least decoration wise) is Independence Day.

3. My favorite movie is "The Sound of Music."

4. My favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:19 "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

5. I am half-Italian. My mom is full-blooded Italian.

I now tag Sheree, Jason, and Stephanie.

Lost Season 4 Promo

2007-12-19T11:57:00.000-06:00

I just found this on YouTube and had to share it with you. I have been waiting for months to hear about the next season of Lost. Okay, so it's a little sad, but what can I say. If you are a Lost fan enjoy this promo.

Do I Make God Laugh?

2007-12-14T23:15:00.000-06:00

Last night, we took Emily to see Santa Claus and possibly get some pictures taken. Both of us knew that actually getting Emily to take a picture had a one in a million chance. For whatever reason, she is in a phase where she just doesn't want to take pictures. It doesn't matter if they are family pictures, mommy & Emily pictures, daddy & Emily pictures, just Emily pictures, you get the idea. Then you add the fact that she is still not sure about Santa Claus in general and that just makes this worse. So instead of taking pictures, we just talked to Santa Claus since nobody else was in line at the time. (Just a side note. I recently read an article and the author asked the question why do we take our children to a strange place, shove them onto the lap of a stranger dressed in weird clothes, and say smile.) Maybe next year she will be ready for pictures with Santa again.

After visiting Santa at the mall, we made our way to mom and dad's house to drop of Emily for the weekend. Theresa had planned this "work weekend" several weeks ago so that we could get some things done around the house before baby arrives. She is having a great time and we have already gotten quite a bit accomplished. There is still a long list waiting for us tomorrow that I'm sure will keep us both very busy.

All of that to give you a little bit of background of our weekend plans. Today as we were going over some plans for decorating the house, setting up the nursery for Callie, and other miscellaneous tasks, God threw a wrench in our well-thought out plans. Even though we know that in all reality Callie can come at any time between now and January 7th, our other plans seem pretty much set in stone. That is when God steps in to quietly remind us that He is in control. Even though we think we have good plans, He has the best plans for our lives. I have often heard that if you want to make God laugh just show Him your plans. I can't tell you exactly how our plans are being messed up because we are still praying about His leading and are trying to not get ahead of Him. At one point tonight I did have to just laugh to myself as I pictured God saying "don't worry, I've got it all under control." While it is scary and uncertain waiting for God to reveal His plans, there is no other place that I would rather be than in His will. Hopefully I will be able to write more about what is going on with my family in the next few days. Until then, I am happy knowing I might be making God laugh.

Ice Storm 2007

2007-12-12T23:02:00.000-06:00

Alright, I don't know who all reads this but for those of you who are wondering, we are good. I know that Oklahoma has been all over the news recently because of the ice storm. We never lost power and we don't have any more ice here in Purcell. However, just 15 minutes up the road is Norman, which was very hard hit. There are still alot of people in the Oklahoma City area and the Tulsa area who do not have power. Please pray for them because we have snow coming this weekend. Emily noticed today that we didn't have leaves on our tree and I told her it was because it was fall. That reminded me that it is not even winter yet and we are dealing with this cold weather! I was not made for this. Being from Louisiana, I do not care for cold weather. I told Jason that I think God is calling us to live somewhere below I-10. He said that reduces our choices down to Florida. My response? That sounds good to me!

Staff Christmas Party

2007-12-11T22:02:00.000-06:00

Tonight we had our annual Staff Christmas Party. This is one of several parties my family and I attend during the Christmas season. Some parties I'm expected to attend, so parties I can attend, and other parties I have to put on myself. I actually enjoy most of the Christmas parties I get to be at during the month of December because they are usually relaxed in nature, contain good food, and being with family/friends. What I find ironic is the feeling everyone has toward Christmas parties. Every year it seems that we try to out-wit others by having their party early or by simply having a set date every year. My extended family on my mom's side begins the "when do we meet" debate around Thanksgiving. We have finally begun to just set the date and realize that some may have to work or are simply not available on that date. Today as I was getting some supplies from Wal-Mart for our finger food dish, I ran into a deacon and his wife. When I told them where I was going, they said "aren't you tired of parties?" I wanted to say, well, not really. By the look on their faces and the tone in their voices, I knew not to even suggest my true feelings. I have found myself asking others if they were stressed out due to holiday stuff, but I am really trying not to say that anymore. The reason, we live in a world that is constantly stressed out! Our pace is greater than ever before and there never seems to be an end to the madness. The reality is Christmas does add different stress (in the form of parties, gift giving/receiving, decorating, etc.) than we experience the rest of the year, but we all seem stressed out. Maybe you have found a secret to living a more simple life that the rest of us need to learn.

Ice Everywhere!

2007-12-11T00:55:00.001-06:00

Today was a great day because I got to be at home due to a major ice storm that has come through Oklahoma. Even though our roads aren't bad at all here in Purcell, everything else just looks frozen. From tree limbs, to the grass, to power lines, everything is encased in ice. Since schools state-wide were shut down and with many businesses not having power, I was able to stay home today with my girls. We had a lot of fun building a fire in our fireplace, watching TV (Emily always calls it watching a movie) reading, and just hanging out. I do have to admit that on days like this, I am a bit jealous of my sister. During our ice storm in January, she and her roommate got to sleep in, watch their own movies, read, surf the web, etc. Life with a two year old means everything has changed. This is especially noticeable when you have a day like today with endless possibilities, and you wind up riding a "cow" from our pull-out couch to the floor. Hey, don't knock it until you try it! Of course you have to yell "go cow, go cow, go, go" the entire time. As soon as you hear your daughter laugh uncontrollably because mommy and daddy are riding her "cow," that is when it really doesn't matter that you don't get to watch your movie, or sleep in, or do anything else you want to do when all you can see outside is ice. Theresa was quick to remind me today that someday when our children are old enough to play with each other, we will be begging to join in. Needless to say, today was another great day with my family and I know that all of the things on my to-do list will still be there later.

PS Maybe I'll get to do it all again tomorrow!

Getting Ready For Baby

2007-12-07T23:02:00.000-06:00

Well, Emily is officially growing up. She has moved into her new room and into her new bed. It is a toddler bed and is so cute. She loves it! She "sleeps" in it all day long. Her thing right now is spending the whole day in her night-night clothes so that she can rest whenever she wants. Jason got her toys and books moved in today so her room is starting to come together. We are also getting ready to go through all of Emily's old stuff and pick out things for the baby. Emily is so excited!

I do have to tell one cute story. On Sunday she learned about Mary and the angel telling her that she had good news, that Mary was going to have a baby and his name would be Jesus. We have a stuffed nativity set that Emily plays with and so after telling me about what she learned in Bible school, she acted it out. She had Mary and the Angel and then she had the Angel tell Mary, "I have good news. You will have baby Jesus." She then put baby Jesus underneath Mary's shirt so that she was pregnant with him. This was one time I wish I had the video camera right there.

It is amazing how much they pick up on and understand at such a young age. I think with my belly being as big as it is, she is able to comprehend that Jesus was born to Mary and that He was special. I pray that we never forget that.

Good Times At Chili's

2007-12-06T23:59:00.000-06:00

Today was a fun day for my family and me. Thursdays are always relaxing for me church because Wednesday night has already been taken care of. This means that I have another entire week before our MidWeek Bible study. Sunday will always be a big deal, but as a youth pastor I have much more responsibility on Wednesday nights, so the pressure is on because it's all me. When Thursday roles around it is very nice and it also means that my two days off will soon start. What made this Thursday extra special was getting to have lunch with some friends of ours from New Mexico that recently moved to serve at a church here in Oklahoma. Ben and Elizabeth are a great couple and we really hated not getting to see them when we left New Mexico. Who knew that we would be serving in the same state almost one year later?

Ben, Elizabeth, and I attended a youth worker conference right before Thanksgiving and made plans to get together for lunch before the baby comes in January. Knowing that Christmas will soon be here and Theresa's due date is quickly approaching, we decided to join up in Norman for lunch at Chili's. None of us had eaten at Chili's in quite a while so this was a real treat. As far as I'm concerned, we could have gone to McDonald's today. Nothing against our Chili's food because it was great. I just mean that having lunch, no matter where it was, made it a good day. Not only are Ben and Elizabeth great people our age, but they are also "get us." By that I mean they have gone through and are going through many of the things Theresa and I have experienced in youth ministry. We don't have a lot of young couples at our church so it was just nice to talk to someone my age. And no offense to those who do not work at a church, but it is really hard to understand and "get" this lifestyle. The reality is most people look at pastors differently than they do other Christians. I'm not complaining, just stating a perception of mine.

A day filled with relaxation at work, good food, and definitely time with good friends is special in my book. I don't know what kind of day you had today. I hope that you had a good day or maybe and even better day than I did. If not, grab some friends and head to Chili's. I recommend getting the chips & salsa, and the Triple Dipper!

Oh, the Irony!

2007-12-03T23:03:00.000-06:00

Okay, it has been a while since I posted anything, but I decided I couldn't pass on this one. As most people know now, LSU has made it into the National Championship game. (If you didn't know or don't care, I will pray for you.) So, anyway, I was REALLY excited about this. However, last time we went to the doctor, we scheduled to have the baby induced. The funny thing is, the baby will be induced on January 7th. Unless she comes before then on her own, that will be her birthday. What makes this really funny is that LSU will play for the national title on, you guessed it, January 7th. I think God does things sometimes to remind us of what truly matters in life and so if I don't see it, I guess I will just have to settle for the highlights.

Christmas Time Thoughts

2007-11-27T14:51:00.000-06:00

Can you feel the anticipation building? Not only will school soon be out, but Christmas will be here before we know it. I personally enjoy the Christmas season more than any other holiday we celebrate. I love the special music we hear and sing, all of the decorations, and especially the extra time spent with family and friends. For my family, this Christmas will be unlike any other we have experienced so far. First of all, Emily is now old enough to begin understanding about Santa Claus, putting up a Christmas tree, and most importantly celebrating the birth of our Savior. Also, with Theresa’s due date quickly approaching, our family is about to again change forever. Through all of the last minute preparations for Christmas and a new baby, God is quietly reminding me to stay focused on what really matters in this life. The purpose of our life as a disciple of Christ is to know God and make Him known. The only reason we celebrate Christmas is because of Jesus Christ. The giving and getting of presents is nice, but this should never overshadow God’s gift of salvation. Just as the birth of our new baby will soon bring change to my family, the birth of Jesus changed the world forever. He is the reason that we have hope this Christmas season. He is also the only hope for a world that tries harder each year to remove Christ from Christmas. My prayer is that you find rest, peace, and encouragement during this holiday season as you celebrate Jesus.

Catching Up

2007-11-27T14:47:00.001-06:00

I know that I haven't blogged in quite a while, but that's okay. When I decided to start a blog, I told myself that I wouldn't let it get in the way of the rest of my life. I already feel overwhelmed by church work, family stuff, and just life. I want to do my best to simplify my life, so missing a few weeks of blogging really won't hurt. I do have many things to write about after my short break, so I hope that you have been patient enough to remain with me and that you will enjoy future postings.

Farm Weekend

2007-10-24T22:22:00.000-05:00

Our family, along with my mom, dad, and sister recently went to visit my grandparents. They live on a farm in Western Oklahoma and it has always been a very special place for me. Life is always great on the farm and it seems that Emily has also just fallen in love with all that the farm has to offer. Here are a few pictures of our visit.

Emily feeding a baby calf.

Emily riding the baby calf.

Almost everyday Emily wants to go back to the farm. Wouldn't you? She got to feed a calf, ride it, ride a four-wheeler, and "drive" a tractor. Grandpa & Grandma Burton are quickly climbing to the top of her fun list. It's good to know that another generation will look forward to spending time on the farm.

My Trivial Woes

2007-10-15T23:04:00.000-05:00

Okay, it is time for me to address something I can no longer ignore. My LSU Tigers. Everything was moving right along, we were doing really good, until this weekend. I shouldn't be so sad about it, after all, we are number 4 in the BCS standings. I was so sad Saturday after we lost, but then on Sunday, the Saints won! Yeah!!!!! Our first win of the year. Hope it is one of many. I know it is just a game and Jason and I keep that in perspective pretty well, but, we use it as kind of our relaxing time. We don't get much of that these days.

Change of subject. I have really been hit lately with the amount of people who turn their lives over to Christ and continually live the same life they were living before. We all do it to some extent and so, therefore, none of us can set ourselves as better then anyone else in this regard. However, I have been thinking alot about everything Christ gave up in coming down here to earth and everything He endured while He was here. I am convinced that if we had a total grasp on both of these, then we would be compelled to turn from our ways and strive to live better Christ-like lives. I catch myself doing things such as saying unkind things or losing patience or watching something I shouldn't and remind myself of what He went through. We all fall, but I think we need to consider how we pick ourselves back up.

Best Friends

2007-10-10T23:04:00.000-05:00

Last night I finally had a good nights sleep. My little girl slept through the night (something she hasn't done in a while) and so did I. I have been waiting for Emily to have an imaginary friend but so far it hasn't happened. But, today, I think I have figured out why. We have two cats, Chip and Cookie. Emily informed me today that Chip is her best friend. I thought that was really sweet and really sad at the same time. I guess it was sad because I always thought I would be her first best friend. Oh well, guess I'll have to get over that.

Checking In

2007-10-10T22:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know that it has been a little while since my last post. What can I say? Life with a two year old and as a youth pastor is busy. Of course I also know that we are all busy and I really don't have an excuse. This time in my life is just weird right now. There are a lot of things that I can't reveal to the online world. All I can say is I am at a place in my life where I have never been before and may never be again. While I know that it is times like this that God really stretches and grows us, it sure does hurt! On some levels I have never been closer to my Heavenly Father and on others levels I feel like I have never been so confused about His will for my life. To say that life is interesting for me right now would be an understatement. I know that I can't complain because He is still in control and I also know how blessed I am compared to the majority of the world. I have clothes to wear, food to eat, a car to drive, a job, a family, and love & support from many friends. Here's to not knowing my future but knowing who does!

Trying Times

2007-10-09T23:05:00.000-05:00

Well, today so far has been pretty good. Lately though, Emily seems to be getting more testy. I don't know if it is due to my expanding tummy or her being two. It is probably a combination of both. We (as in she) has decided not to use the potty anymore. She has also decided the best time to play is the middle of the night. She does not take naps but she does have a rest time. Some may wonder why she doesn't take naps but rest-assured, she gets enough sleep. I try really hard to give her a nap and end up regretting it at about 10:00 at night when she is out of her bed for the two-hundredth time. She is very cute though. Lately, her thing has been that she wants her own of everything. She has told me about ten times today that when it turns colder, she is going to ask Santa for her own oven and knife (she wants to cut things). She has also impressed the ladies at the library. We try to go every week and so she gets new books every week. There is a beanbag that she loves to sit on and "read" her books. More often than not, she doesn't want me to read them to her until we get home. She does this at the library for about 20-30 minutes. The ladies will just keep peeking over at her and think it is the cutest thing. I read my Bible in front of her and as I am reading, she will inform me that she needs to get her Bible. Then, she sits next to me and "reads" her Bible. To me, this is one of the most precious moments I have with her. She is so smart. She must take after me!

Unhindered Worship

2007-09-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday night I took our students to a See You At The Pole rally to celebrate that morning's activities. We had a great turnout and got to spend time hearing all that God did in our area. Part of the event included a worship band to lead us in singing. Theresa and Emily were there during the singing time and I was fortunate enough to be next to Emily. She never ceases to amaze me. For those of you who do not know her, she just loves music. Whether it is listening to it or making it, music is her thing. Before she could even walk, she would rock back and forth on her knees to the beat of music playing in our living room. Now that she is a little older, she is really getting into singing and playing.

Almost every Wednesday night when I am setting up for MidWeek, she will grab a microphone and start dancing and singing to the music I have playing. Of course we always have to listen to Blessed Be The Name at least once or twice. This is her favorite song right now and she constantly ask to hear it. A couple of weeks ago she and Theresa were in the back of the room when our students were singing. Theresa said that when the song we were singing said, "we stand and lift up our hands" that Emily did just that. Then she turned to Theresa and said "come on mommy, lift up your hands." We will be in the car and if a song says anything about lifting your hands or just has a good beat, she will lift her hands or start to dance in her car seat.

Having said all that, back to our See You At The Pole rally. During our worship, Emily was just doing her thing. She listens so closely to the words we sing and tries to do exactly what they say. One song even talked about falling face down and she did that! It really humbled me to watch my two year old daughter do what I would probably be embarrassed to do in church. Where did we become so stiff and rigid that lifting our hands or closing our eyes brings funny looks? I am a very private person and often have a hard time letting my emotions show. My daughter is teaching me that when it comes to my expressions about God, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks but Him. I did see a couple of students look at Emily during the rally and laugh or say "how cute." If we all were as unhindered as her during our worship, I know that God would be more blessed that our routine singing, standing, and sitting down. I am grateful that I serve a God who uses two year olds to teach lessons to us grownups.

College Memories

2007-09-26T23:06:00.000-05:00

This morning I found myself thinking about the days I was in college. Ahhhh, these are fond memories. The years I spent in college were some of the best because they were pretty carefree. College is where I made some of my truest friends. As I was lying in my bed thinking, I recalled so many silly things. If you were there with me, then you know these references: Reba (she is still #1 in my book), Amanda's pig collection (do you still collect?), Vony and Vonda (they both have a special place in my memory), wanting a second place finish in order to get the Popeye's fried chicken (but winning first), Sheree falling down in the construction site (I did not witness this but she told us), our snow report (funniest thing ever), the BSU (now called the BCM), our late night devotionals, Katie, holding me hostage, and so many other great memories. Isn't it amazing how our lives have changed so drastically. We are moms, wives, grown-ups. It is an amazing thing. I remember us sitting around talking about what we wanted our husbands to be like and what we were going to name our children and what we wanted to do. I don't know about any of you, but all of my dreams have come true.

My Grandma

2007-09-25T23:06:00.000-05:00

This post is really a prayer request. My grandmother has been diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. This is a disease that itself is not fatal but the symptoms can be. If you know me pretty well, you know that my grandma and my aunt are the two people in my life whom I look up to more than anyone else. My grandma has always been there for me. Some of my best and favorite memories have to do with my grandma. We would go to the beach with her every summer growing up and just had the best time. My brother and I spent a lot of time at her house because my dad was a single dad and needed the extra help. I have picked up so many sticks in her back yard it is not even funny. One of my favorite memories was at the beach. My grandma told my brother and I that the tide was supposed to be high that day. We went out to the gulf (of Mexico) and would not get in because we didn't know how high the water was. I remember looking up and see my grandma walking down to the beach in her black bathing suit. She just walked right into the water like it was no big deal and so my brother and I followed her. We were on both sides of her and started splashing each other. She told us to stop splashing her or she would go back to the house. Needless to say, we stopped. My grandmother was my biggest supporter growing up. There are a lot of different paths my life could have taken because of circumstances beyond my control, however, she always encouraged me to live a life that I would be proud of. I will not get to see my grandma this Thanksgiving because I will be too far along in my pregnancy to travel that far. However, I am hoping to get to Baton Rouge after the baby is born. My aunt says that my grandma is going downhill pretty fast. Please be in prayer that I will get to see her soon.

Heroes

2007-09-25T20:49:00.000-05:00

Last night was the premier of the second season of Heroes. Theresa and I really enjoyed watching this show last season and are looking forward to what's in store the second time around. This is one of two shows that our church secretary and I discuss on a frequent basis. (We also talk about Survivor.) Almost every Tuesday of season one she or I would bring up the previous night's show. Her whole family watches Heroes and we discuss plots and try to answer questions we have about what will happen next. Basically it helps liven things up around the office.

While I really like the show, I think I like even more the concept of heroes. On the show, ordinary people have special gifts and abilities that in the real world don't exist. I do think that real heroes, however, do exist. For the most part they are just like you and me and anybody can be a hero. I have many heroes of the Bible that I love to read about and look forward to spending eternity with them one day. I also have many heroes in my family, church family, and my friends. America has had countless heroes that have fought in numerous wars, served during times like 9/11, and in many ways that never catches the attention of the public. One of my wife's heroes is her grandmother and we found out yesterday that she has Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. This is the one person that Theresa wanted at our wedding more than any other relative or friend. I often hear stories about Grandma Nettles and it makes me proud to be in her family. Please remember her and Theresa in your prayers. We cannot be with Grandma Nettles this Thanksgiving because of travel restrictions during Theresa's pregnancy, so Theresa is really hoping to she her early next year. We are not guaranteed she will live that long and this is really hard for Theresa. We are both thankful for real heroes that make a difference in our lives.

The Future Brings Change

2007-09-18T20:36:00.000-05:00

Even though I don't always embrace every little cultural change that comes my way, change can be good and I love to dream about the all of the possibilities the future holds. For all of us, the future can be a clean slate with endless possibilities. Today I was again reminded of that through an e-mail my sister sent me about the new Mercedes Benz. This car is different from any that I have seen and even though I'm not quite sold on how it will work, it's just cool to see that somebody somewhere thought this up. I feel the same way about the Apple iPhone. This phone is pushing the limits on a device that the majority of the people I know today have attached to their body at all times. Does it have flaws? Yes, but Apple won't just give up and throw in the towel. Instead, they work to make it better. We need to also not be afraid to fail but strong enough to understand that we are not perfect and will make mistakes. God gives us the chance to fall flat on our faces, stand up, dust ourselves off, and start again. Here's to seeing our God-shaped future as limitless!

Spending Time With God

2007-09-17T23:07:00.000-05:00

Isn't it amazing how God speaks to us about things that maybe we don't think are a big deal. The last few days, my quiet times have been about having more of a commitment to Christ. I have always struggled with having a quiet time. I know how important having a quiet time is and so I have always tried to do better and have always vowed to do better. However, the other day I was reading the verse that says, "He who seeks to follow Me must take up his cross daily." I have read this verse many times but it has stuck with me for the last few days. I have always looked at this verse in such a way to speak of the struggles of being in a Christian in this world and the persecution we must endure. But after the other day, I look at it in a whole different light. We are to daily spend time with Christ; this is our cross. It is not a burdensome thing. It is simply putting ourselves and our desires aside in order to fulfill the calling of our Heavenly Father. Our quiet times that we spend with Him each day are not necessarily something earth shattering, but by making them a priority, we have chosen to take the focus off of ourselves and put on Him, where it belongs. This is my desire in life and this is one of the simplest things I can do to show what priority He has in my life. If you are not spending your time with God each day, I urge you to do so. Let Him know how valuable He is.

Fresh Cut Grass

2007-09-15T20:01:00.000-05:00

As you can probably tell from the title, I spent a few hours today doing yard work. My weed-eater had been out of commission, so I hadn't been able to fully finish my typical mowing on the weekends. While I have mowed, not weed-eating is a whole different story. Little by little, grass started to overtake our flower bed and against our fence. Needless to say, I had a lot of work to catch up on and I am pretty tired from it all.

For the most part I really enjoy mowing and weed-eating because I get to see the finished product. In youth ministry that is not always the case. You can spend years pouring into a student and never really know if they got it. Maybe someday they will hunt you down to tell you how you impacted their life for Christ, but this can be few and far between. Many days at work it feels like I just put out little fires to only be faced by a dozen more the next day. Don't get me wrong. Ministry definitely has its rewards, sometimes here on earth and many times in heaven. It is just nice to have a couple of things in my life that I can see the beginning, middle, and end. I love seeing the yard when all of my work is done. For one thing I know when I'm done. There are only so many times you can mow a yard.

I think it also reminds me of how quickly our lives can change. Even though I had mowed and done the weed-eating just a few weeks ago, you probably couldn't tell that this morning. Little by little the weeds and the grass grew until it looked really bad. Sin can be the same way. When it is left alone, it grows and grows until you find yourself in a huge mess that you might not have seen coming. The lesson I learn over and over again is take care of the small stuff. Whether this be mowing the grass, weed-eating, or getting rid of sin, don't put it off.