Second Greatest Commandment: Love Others Well

One of our students lost her mom to cancer this week. While I know my Oasis friend and her mom will one day be reunited in heaven for all eternity, I know she will feel the loss in days to come.

After a bunch of Oasis leaders went to the viewing, we were talking at Hacienda how to help our friend in the days to come. We came up with a pretty good plan and even put it on the calendar. If there is a lesson I've learned over and over again lately, it's "what gets put on the calendar is what gets done." If you don't put things on the calendar, one day just slips into the other and you are left with nothing but your good intentions. Good intentions won't get you where you want to go in life.

I am so proud of our leaders, numerous have called our friend and there were over a dozen of us who showed up at the funeral. If there is something I want students to catch at Oasis, it's how to love others well (second, of course, to the first commandment of loving God well). I'm committed to learning how to do that better in the coming days. I think sometimes in life we are afraid to because it means developing new relationships when we can't even maintain old ones well. We've got to sort through that and figure it out.

Barely Funny Jokes of the Day

Lois: Why did the firefly keep bumping into things?
Lola: I give up.
Lois: Becasue he wasn't very bright.

Clayton: What happens when you don't dust your mirror?
Clementine: Who knows?
Clayton: It gives you a dirty look.

Barnabas: What happened to the dog that swallowed the clock?
Bartholomew: My mind is blank.
Barnabas: He got a lot of ticks!

Some of the greatest youth pastors in the world

Three States in Eight Days! Indiana to Georgia to Colorado to Georgia to Alabama and back to Indiana. Great Times!















Junior High Summit - Estes Park, Colorado





















The Cadre - Stone Mountain, Georgia

Ben and Kristen - Argo, Alabama

Estes to Atlanta

What an amazingly incredible whirlwind of a trip. Hung out with some amazing junior high youth pastors in Estes Park with some awesome discussion on the Gospel, then off to Atlanta for some more hang out time with, once again, some amazing youth pastors. The passion for teenagers in both places was off-the-chart. I love these types of gatherings with only 20-30 people. It beats the conferences of thousands hands down.

Tonight I'm off to Alabama to see two of my favorite people in all the world - Ben and Kristin. Won't be able to stay long, but it will be great to see them -- to pour into them, like I've been poured into over the last couple of days.

What a journey!

Bullseye

Oops...Heather got a little too close. No problem, at least I have a nice view. If I had to get impaled somewhere, Estes Park would be a top pick.

Speaking of archery, camp is right around the corner. Did you sign-up yet?

Pic from Estes Park

Ripped this pic off Marko's site. This is the view right outside our front door. That's the lake in which I had absolutely no luck catching any fish. I think they've caught on to the whole fake bait deal. However, the guys that were fly fishing were doing pretty good! As goofy as it sounds, I found spending time fishing to be a great time of reflection on life. These last couple of days have been an incredible time with Jesus, alongside some very amazing people with love middle school students as much as I do.

It was worth the trip!

Crazy, fun days. Left Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. for Atlanta. Rolled into my Atlanta hotel after only stopping to refuel at 6:30 a.m. All I wanted to do was sleep for three hours and get a hot shower before my 10:50 a.m. flight to Denver. At about 7:20 a.m. the transfomer blows and the electricity shuts off. Now I'm freaked out that I'm going to not wake up so make a quick call to mama to wake me. Took a shower in the dark, that was interesting. Read a book on the plane between 10 minutes naps and arrived in Denver.

Made the drive up to Estes Park with some incredibly cool youth pastors. Upon arrival, all I can say is WOW! It's gorgeous. Words can't even describe the view. So far, had some very interesting discussions on atonement and the gospel. Spent some time doing archery and fishing. Surrounded by great people, a great view and a whole lot of Elk, what more could you ask for! Estes Park Rocks!

PEACE

A heart at peace gives life to the body. Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)

Keep your heart in peace; let nothing in this world disturb it: everything has an end.
Saint John of the Cross

Jesus said, "I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27 (NLT)

A Wise Woman Once Said...

"Don't become so busy "doing" the works of God that you fail to spend time just "being" with Him. For when you spend too much time "doing" and not enough time "being," ego has no where to go except to rise to the top."

I've meditated on those words ever since I heard them on Thursday.

Here are a couple more thoughts on ego...
"God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves." Dwight L. Moody

"For those who would learn God's way, humility is the first thing, humility is the second, humility is the third." Saint Augustine of Hippo (I know, I thought the name was funny too)

Reverence for the Lord is an education in itself. You must be humble before you can ever receive honors. Proverbs 15:33 GNT

Luke 18:14 (The Message)

Jesus said, "If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."