DLmail 2/25/2009 pie hole filling

Another virtue finished, so long Fairness. Jeannine did a little teaching last weekend and while she was at it she held a little pie eating contest (video not attached...too large, sorry). Before that there was a little pie tasting going on. It was all good and the kids enjoyed it. The exact opposite of the previous weekend occurred when church seemed to get over kind of early. I know I didn't really have a lot of time in small group to dig into what we learned during teach time and I imagine it was the same for Kevin and Monica.

When it seems like we are pinched for time it would be great if we would get to the meat of the discussion right away, the Bible story. Each week we have a passage in the Bible that the lesson is based on. Please be sure that this is the foundation for your small group discussion. Our lessons cover the basics of our faith, uncomplicated things these kids need to know to grow in their relationship with Christ. Be sure to save time to pray with and for these kids. They need to hear you pray as many have no other model of prayer in their lives.

As I mentioned, we are switching gears starting this Saturday and will study Hope. Tim will join with the Stewarts and me as we try to help the kids understand how something good can come out of something bad. Our lesson for Saturday is titled Shipwrecked! The small group info can be found by clicking here. Our Bible story is titled Paul sails for Rome and is found in Acts 27:1-44; 28:1-11. Yep, that's a lot of verses, kind of like reading 50 status updates on facebook...more on that below. Our memory verse is Romans 8:28 "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him." The bottom line...whatever happens, God has a plan. Finally, if you missed last weekend's mainstage message by Terry Prisk, or if you heard it but your teenager wasn't there and missed it and you want them to hear it and to see them squirm, click here.

Oh and here is a shameless plug...eat food from Willie's Tamales. Whether you eat at the old gas station he has at the corner of Rt. 29 and Rt. 17 in Sparland or from his newest location, an old travel trailer located directly across Rt. 29 from Picket Fence (another plug right there, you all know Stephanie, just didn't know if you knew she had a website), he will serve you about the biggest pork chop you can imagine. The tamales are nice and spicy. Willie is a good guy and a great cook.

Finally, this is not the most entertaining DLmail I have ever written. The goal was really just to get you the facts. I am in an unmotivated state right now. Our new bottom line has mucho meaning for me currently. Circumstances can be distracting. But I can always count on facebook to take my mind off of my worries. (Remember, I am all about the facebook). I log onto facebook and read the status updates of some of my 100+ friends and I am instantly transported to la-la-land. My friends with Blackberry's are the best, they update all day long. Sweet. It is so uplifting to read the words..."**** is going to the store after work"..."*** is picking up the kids from school"..."*** is sick"..."**** is needs a coffee"..."****is can't believe she is up this late"..."**** is driving to work"..."**** is just took some sudafed"... "**** is just watched the amazing race"... "**** is waiting for the mail to be delivered"...pretty cool stuff. What did we ever do without facebook status updates?

DLmail 2/17/2009 MIA

Missed Discoveryland last Saturday night. Slim chance anyone noticed me not being there, but I felt guilty. On the plus side, Pam and I went somewhere on Valentine's Day for the first time in at least 10 years. Don't feel guilty about that anymore. Yes, we traveled all the way to Bethel Baptist Church in Galesburg in the Allison's 15 passenger family truckster. It was quite romantic in there with the other 8 people traveling with us. Let me just say, the windows were fogged up.

Upon arrival we saw many, many Northwoodsians. Everyone (pretty much) enjoyed Tim Hawkins. He entertained for an hour and forty minutes non-stop. If you have never seen or heard of him, click on the links that follow. He is probably considered "edgy" by some as he explores religion, family, home-schoolers, kids, music and entire populations of certain states. We waited in line to meet him after the concert. While we waited we asked Tim (Hawkins) to take a pic of some of us Nwoodsers. He did alright. I cropped myself out of the pic as well as I cut off some of Steve Kastelein's head (ticks me off that he gets to be that tall, so I shortened him a bit). Tim was gracious in conversation with Pam and me. He mentioned in his concert that his wife had breast cancer and treatment in 07 (at age 40ish). So we had a little in common and talked briefly. After us, the awkwardly tall twosome of Steve and Rick Bryne did the ole "count to three and take our picture with Tim" routine. Of course on three they both turn and kiss the center person (I have been in that position...gross). It was all good.

I can't give a great report on DL, although I have debriefed both Kevin Stewart and Zach VanBuren. It sounds as though it went...long. Don't worry, Cal only turns 50 once. Thanks Kevin, Monica, Tim and Zach. Did anyone point out that Monica had a birthday this past weekend also? She is roughly half of Cal's age (argh). Hope all ya'll sang at her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONICA!

This weekend we'll wrap up the virtue of Fairness, making sure that everyone is treated respectfully. Small group info is here. Our memory verse is Proverbs 31:9 "Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." The Bible story is Jesus' last orders to the disciples (Matt. 28:8-10, 16-20, Acts 1:7-11). The bottom line...show God's love to everyone because He wants everyone to know Him. The birthday boy delivered #3 of the series Victorious Secret. Listen to it by clicking here.

Thanks for wading through this Youtube link laden, photo filled DLmail. As I close I realize that I could put even more pictures on here, so...here, some retro pics from room G. Notice Steve Wilmert laying on our stage, near our audio/visual equipment. My we have come a long way.

DLmail 2/10/2009 Stealing Thunder

Three out of the last seven days I have awaken in the dark of early morning and had no clue what day it was. Each day I struggled to find my watch to find out. I say this only because I don't want anyone to overexpect regarding this post. I am losing it.

Last Saturday we welcomed about 36 4th/5th graders into the Factory. Not huge, but solid. We had tech help (thanks Doug) and Caleb White served in Kevin's place and did a fantastic job. He even helped out on stage as Keith taught. And Keith did a fine job of teaching AND leading worship I must say. Monica is simply born to lead and Tim came in and conquered our rather energetic 4th grade boys. The only lowlight was the incredibly ugly bit of over acting by one of our leaders who was pegged to be beaten by a pack of marauding Bible thugs (two of the thugs pictured below). How sad that was.

Fairness contines to be the virtue we are studying. I must admit, I like fairness as a month long topic far better than resourcefulness. Just my opinion. Anyway, we'll continue on this weekend with it. Actually, you all will continue on (meaning Kevin & Monica, Tim and Zach) without me. If things go as planned, Pam and I will be trekking to Galesburg to see Tim Hawkins in concert. Take a close look at our tickets. They are numbers 1 & 2. I imagine we will receive special recognition at the concert for being the first two to buy the tickets. I expect flowers or something, maybe a certificate of acheivement. Something special for sure. While I am being praised for my acheivement in Galesburg, you will be leading the kids with material accessed by clicking here. The lesson is Get Up and Go. The memory verse is Proverbs 31:9 "Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." The Bible story is Acts 9:1-20, Saul becomes a believer. The bottom line is this (and this is a good one)...Treat everyone fairly - even your enemies. Gulp. Cal continued the Victorious Secret mainstage series last weekend with #2, click here to hear it.

Last week I wrote an epic DLmail about losing some drugs. I went on and on and to those who have actually admitted to reading the entire thing, I feel obligated to somehow replace that 10 minutes of life they wasted reading it. Just don't know how to do it. But if you stayed with me this week, the payoff is sweet with the video below. It is a rough original cut edition (I don't own any software that will let me edit a .mov file...yet). Watch as I follow Dr. Monica as she takes a little walk to do a little talk in the Treehouse. Watch as Pam and Susan react (poor Carly didn't know what to say). As far as the Ricks reacting, well, we're idiots, what would you expect? More to come on this one.

Use of this video was authorized by Kevin.

DLmail 2/4/2009 $617

29 boys and 17 girls Saturday night. Enough to make you dizzy.

46 kids is great for a Saturday night. Too bad we had just three leaders (and one of those is me, so technically 2.5 leaders), one Kevin Elder and one Keith Lindgren. Kevin helped by getting down with us and taking a group on the front end of the evening. Thanks man. Keith was pulled in two directions as he was leading worship in both the Factory and Treehouse. We had no tech person. Needless to say, things didn't go perfectly smoothly, beginning with the teaching start time. I think that was my responsibility and I pretty much blew it. Kevin did a masterful job of teaching of course. I also struggled greatly with some behavior issues...quite a night. Pray for some help to arrive. Things need to change.

This coming weekend Kevin Stewart will be missing, however, he managed to bag a sub, one of the most sought after and talented youth leaders at Northwoods, Caleb White. Whew. I am also expecting Tim and Monica. Our virtue for the month will continue to be Fairness (Why won't you be my neighbor?). The memory verse is Proverbs 31:9 "Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." The Bible Story is the parable of the good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37. Your small group information can be accessed by clicking here. The bottom line for the lesson -treat everyone fairly, even those who are different. If you want to listen to Tim Reist's mainstage message from last week titled Victorious Secret, click here.

It has been quite a week for my little family. You can check out Pam's blog for more details on her journey we are taking with her. Thankfully we have wonderfully helpful family and friends. Because if it were up to just me, oh man. Let me explain. I pretty much unloaded all my accumulated wisdom on all of you in last weeks DLmail (Maui Jim and Panera). So this week I had to gain some additional life experience before I could pass any wisdom learned from it to you. I took care of that Monday evening. Here is the long version of a short story.

I am not a novice grocery shopper. I am in Kroger a lot. And like Dick's, Sam's or the True Value hardware store, I am often mistaken for an employee at Kroger. I probably know that store better than any of the others. I am there all the time. So what was about to happen, shouldn't have, I know better. Monday was a long day for Pam/us as she received her chemotherapy. We got home around 6PMish. Our kids were home around 7PM and I figured while Pam's folks were there, they could Pamsit while I picked up Pam's prescriptions at the Kroger pharmacy and get our weekly groceries. I grabbed those drugs first and then proceeded to get the groceries. 7:49PM and I receive my receipt and head home. By 8:30 or so I am done putting the groceries away and straightening things. I did a little laundry and at 9PM a bell went off in my head. Where are Pam's prescriptions? I searched frantically ($80 in co-pays for those three drugs). Nothing. I returned to the store to the same checker and bagger. I am fairly well known at Kroger and I always visit with the checkers, she clearly remembered me having just left. She remembered I had prescriptions near me as I wrote the check. The teenaged girl who bagged even remembered the lady that followed me had some prescription drugs in a bag as well. She noticed her stuffing them in her coat pocket. Not to profile or anything, but the most memorable thing about the lady in line behind me was her...uh, awkward...scent. A rancid blend of smoke, animals and BO...sorry, I feel guilty even writing it (and, am I 'judging fairly; defending the rights of the poor and needy'?). The scent, however, played into my favor. The checker and the bagger couldn't help but notice and remember her. So, here I am, on pins and needles waiting for chemo reactions to erupt in Pam at any moment, and the one drug that might help the most is tucked safely in the coat pocket of an unknown woman at an unknown location. I better start a new paragraph.

I dragged myself home, totally disappointed for having been so careless. Regretting the fact that the next person in line wasn't of the personality to simply say to the checker "I believe that kind, athletic, intelligent, handsome young man left behind this bag of prescription drugs." So, I had to call the police. They showed up around 10:30PM, took my story, made a report and then went to Kroger to get some statements. I then sat there and waited for Pam's reactions to come. And they didn't. Thank you Lord for that answer to prayer Monday. In the morning I expected to contact the doctors, get new scripts and pay the full price, $617, for the replacement drugs. But before I could do anything, Kroger called and said they were replacing Pam's drugs at no charge, just pick them up. Kroger corporate security from Indianapolis was coming to investigate. Our Kroger has security cameras and they are actually on and being used nowadays. Kroger was kind and helpful and they didn't want us to suffer any loss. Because of the value, the little old lady who "accidentally" took them home, could be in serious trouble, even more so if she swallows them. Part of me feels bad for her because I think she might not be right. Then another part of me thinks, "what the heck?...you took prescriptions from a cancer patient!" I am still hashing this out, but let me pass on this wisdom to you, don't leave your prescriptions on the checkout counter and go home. It is a pain in the butt.

PS - GH, thanks for reading all the way to the end. I feel safe in saying this as I believe you are the only one who will.