Sweet Music 11:34 AM

The first rule of streaks: you don't talk about streaks! At the risk of messing up the mojo, the following presentation is a Utah Jazz work of art. Why do I watch the NBA? Why do I like the Jazz? I submit exhibits "a" and "b".

Pink'd 9:44 PM

There is a uniqueness in youth ministry. The ability to walk the line between adult and youth, to speak with and be heard by both groups. Also, the ability to hold multiple cell phones in your pockets, and remember to return them to their respective owners.

The most unique element of youth ministry? Pranks. Pranks that walk the line between "big enough so you notice" but "small enough so you still love them at the end." After much trash talk, some of my senior high girls have perpetrated the prank to top all pranks - painting some of my office PINK.

They kindly posted the evidence on Facebook.







The bottom picture represents what my desk usually looks like (minus the large purse). My friends were kind enough to put everything back the way it was. They were also kind enough to paint the wall a shade that I struggle with. Thus, the wall looks gray - and therefore great - to me.

Thrill-Gotten Gaines 10:01 PM

An un-drafted rookie, signed to a 10-day contract (NBA lingo for "fill-in for our injured better player") puts a nylon nightcap on the Cavaliers / Jazz game. The Jazz have largely been a turn-off this season, but this is worth your four minutes.

Stocky Snow Day 10:58 AM

Here's my boy. Sadly, the picture of our foot-high snowman was a victim of the frigid, frosty lens.

A 10 for creativity... 8:17 PM

A zero for everything else.

Perfect 10 11:11 PM

“The Nils”, “The Aughts”, or the Two-Thousand-Zero-Zeroes. The beginning of the decade found me at a low-key gathering with high school friends, trying to determine whether to simply take someone’s keys or trust their promise not to drive. The end found me curled under the comforter with a pregnant-with-baby-number-two wife. The single digits started with seven friends trying to squeeze the magic out of six more months and ended with a completely different kind of magic sleeping in the adjoining room (and kicking in the womb.

The Nils were more concrete slab than jungle gym – setting the foundation for (without hyperbole I think) the rest of my life. The double-O’s contained not just college and seminary, but wife and child(ren); not just bachelors, but masters; not just job, but calling; not just status quo but status whoa (ladies and gentlemen, the lamest pun in history).

Looking back, the decade is a dunk-from-the-free-throw-line ten. Observe the same massive leap in pictures.


Then:


Now:

The Awkward Convo 9:33 PM

A conversation I would have if I awkwardly encountered my ignored blog in the organic aisle of Kroger.

Hey. I haven’t been ignoring you, I promise. I’ve been head-spinning, pants-wetting busy. I still love you. My friends will tell you that I haven’t called them either. My mom and dad will DEFINITELY tell you that I haven’t called.

For 6 straight weekends spread across October and November, I was out of town. Yes, I could have called. I could have written. I could have told you about the amazing Junior and Senior High Retreat, perma-frost football, Glee-king out with my favorite new show, about falling more in love with my boy, the high quality books I’ve been reading, my thoughts in inching closer to 30, or (most recently) my time with one of my youth ministry heroes.

But Dana has been sick (for like a month) with fatigue-inducing sinus infection on top of a fatigue-inducing (but tremendously handsome, awesome, and excited about “kissmas”) little boy.

So, at the risk of sounding lame…I’ll be back. .