the neoteny of joe

september 4

2010-09-04T20:17:00.003-04:00

Another big gap in my blogging. We have had a lot of stuff happen over the last few weeks. To summarize it, we needed to raise $14,000 in 10 days. God helped us raise the money so that we were able to make our internship on time. It truly was amazing to watch as it came in from different & sometimes unlikely sources. You will notice though in the graphic above that we still need to increase our monthly support. This way once we end our internship we can continue onto the next step in this journey.

On a more personal note, many of you have prayed for my father-in-law Aldo. Angela & I really do appreciate it. His health has severely declined in the last few weeks. The doctors do not expect him to live much longer. Aldo continually praises God for His favor on his life. Please keep our family in prayer as we go through this difficult time.

August 4

2010-08-04T08:00:00.002-04:00

Wow! We have a lot going on. It is the last few weeks before our internship is to start. We still have a ways to go, but support is coming in. We also have a few more speaking engagements at churches & groups.

Also Angela's dad has been in the hospital for almost a week. Please continue to keep him in your prayers. They are not sure what is causing his complications.

If you are on Facebook, take a moment to join our group page: "Weser's Chi Alpha support team". On it you will find a copy of our July newsletter as well as a video I shot. You may notice that my face is half swollen because of an infected tooth. Boy was I in pain that day.

As always please let us know if you are able to support us or if you know someone else who loves to be a part of missions that may be interested in what we are doing.

July 22

2010-07-22T15:31:00.002-04:00

Sorry about the gap in my blogging. I have been busy. Just wanted to mention that we are closing in on our last month of support raising. We still have a ways to go, but are confident that God will see us through. I have enjoyed the opportunity I've had to speak at different churches over the last few weeks. It is so much fun sharing my heart with people & worshiping with them at their home churches.

I need to get back to my calls, letters, & emails. Who knows you may be the next person I call.

July 1

2010-07-01T13:29:00.002-04:00

We are half way through the summer. We are a bit behind on our support raising right now. But God is blessing us. It seems like every time we get discouraged, God does something amazing to lift our spirits. Like last week we received a large offering from a very unlikely source.

We have a busy month ahead of us. We have a few speaking engagements starting with Trinity A/G in Cleveland. We will hopefully be putting out our first newsletter. [They have come a long way from the first cut n paste one I did in the early 90's] We are also making preparations for our upcoming internship & are excited to get ministering to students.

God is doing great things in our lives. i pray that He is doing the same for you.

June 23

2010-06-23T15:30:00.002-04:00

I made it back from Springfield, MO. What an amazing time. I met a lot of other Chi Alpha missionaries as well as some of our national leadership. I even managed a trip over to the National Office & to Andy's Custard. I enjoyed listening to the stories of how God had called different people to reach college students through Chi Alpha. Many of whom came to a relationship with God themselves through this ministry.

One person in particular was Sayaka. She is from Japan & was an atheist when she came to America. But because of Chi Alpha she not only has come to know Jesus but now feels the call to tell others about Him through full time ministry. [On a side note she is a Celtics fan. It was fun watching the game with her & others even though they did not win.]

While I was gone more of our pledges have come in. We still have a long way to go but we know that God is faithful. As of right now my next speaking engagement will be July 4th at Trinity Assembly in Cleveland. Thank you for taking time to read this & we will talk to you soon.

June 13

2010-06-12T07:35:00.003-04:00

Quick blog today. I am getting ready to leave in a few hours for a conference in Springfield, MO. called Reach the U. I am excited to learn more about Chi Alpha & also to see our A/G mecca for the first time. Please continue to pray that God will open doors for us to speak. Also that our support will continue to come in. That's all for now. I will talk to you all next week.

June 4

2010-06-04T10:53:00.002-04:00

It is official! The kids are out of school for the summer. Now comes the fun of navigating support raising with a house full of kids. [I am being interrupted by my youngest as I type now]. It is all good though. We are committed to this as a family & God will see us through.

I am starting to feel the crunch. We only have 3 months to gain all our support. So it is full steam ahead. Keep praying for us. Also if you know of people who would love to support us either with a monthly pledge or a one time gift, please let us know. People can give by downloading our pledge form or going to our US Missions site [both can be seen under the "My Faith Promise Form" heading on the right of the page].

Lastly you will notice that the numbers at the top are changing & we are very grateful for that. I big thank you to all who have supported us so far.

May 28

2010-05-28T09:40:00.002-04:00

Well the day has finally come. My last day at Liberty Assembly & my last day as a youth pastor. It is hard to believe that I took my first youth position around 20 years ago [January 1, 1990]. Angela & I have had the opportunity to touch thousands of lives. Some of those have turned into amazing stories of lives changed for Jesus. Some have been sad as we have heard of those who have gotten off track & stopped serving God. Through this journey we have made life long friends. [As a side note Facebook has been a great tool in reconnecting with those we have come in contact with through the ministry.]

Now it is on to the next chapter in our lives. We are very excited about having the opportunity to help college students as they prepare for adulthood & their careers. We have the chance to help shape the lives of the leaders of tomorrow. But we ourselves still have some work to do before we get there. I am now raising our support full-time. As you can see from the graphic above we have had more come in since I last blogged. God has been so good to allow this to happen as we were finishing up at the church. Please continue to pray that doors would be opened for us to speak to people about Chi Alpha. I thank those who did pray for me last weekend. I was able to make some great contacts.

I want to end be saying thank you to all the students & parents who have allowed Angela & I to be a part of your life. You have touched our lives as much as we have touched yours. And as I so often would close our youth services in EDGE, "We love you & we will see you next week."

May 18

2010-05-18T10:12:00.002-04:00

Well I have a crazy week ahead of me. Wednesday the 19th I will be delivering my final sermon to the youth of Edge Student Ministries. Friday we leave for Fine Arts Festival in Dayton. The 23rd will be my last Sunday at Liberty Assembly. I will be speaking in the morning service & then the church will be having a farewell dinner for our family. The following Wednesday [26th] will be my last official day at the church. We will be having a fun time with the students that evening. It will definitely be an emotional week for me. I have really enjoyed my time here at this church & have made many lifelong friends. The one difference with this move over the ones we have made before is the fact that we will still be living in the area. This makes the transition easier.

As for Chi Alpha, if you have not noticed that graphic at the top of the page has changed. We have some support that has landed in our account. We also have verbal commitments that have not made their way there just yet. Also I have been able to make some great contacts over the last week & have booked a few church services. I have added another prayer request that I would love for you to consider this weekend. I will be in Dayton for the Fine Arts Festival. There is the potential for me to make a lot of connections with people that I do not get to see on a regular basis. Pray that God will open the door for us to pick up tons of support for our ministry.

May 10

2010-05-10T10:41:00.003-04:00

First of all sorry about the time delay between posts. It has been a crazy couple of weeks at church & at home. We are finishing up our time at Liberty Assembly of God. My last Sunday service will be on the 23rd & my last Wednesday night will be on the 26th. It is going to be a difficult few weeks emotionally. We have spent 7 years at this church. Also throw in the fact that we have Fine Arts coming up next weekend & that just ups the craziness. We will miss all who attend the church.

As for Chi Alpha, we are scheduling church services for the summer. We have also received our first official support into our account. I plan on updating the graphic after we receive a few more. I believe that it will soon seem like a motion timer that I will be updating often.

Please pray for a smooth transition & the youth at Liberty Assembly of God.

April 22

2010-04-22T06:39:00.002-04:00

It has been a slow week as far as support raising goes. I have been "Mr. Mom" since April 13. Angela went to Cleveland to help her dad after his surgery. All went well & he is at home recovering. Please continue to keep him in prayer.

So now it is time to get back to it. I have an important speaking engagement coming up that I am excited about. Also have some letters to follow up on. I hope to be able to edit my graphic at the top real soon. I know that there are those who have committed to supporting us. Have a great week.

April 13

2010-04-13T09:25:00.004-04:00

Sorry there was not an update last week. We were on vacation during the kid's spring break. We had a great time & got a chance to hang our with Jim & Rachel Nivens [Chi Alpha directors for The Ohio State University]. We did receive exciting news though when we returned....our account has been set up in Springfield. This means we are able to deposit pledges into our account & continue on towards our goal. Not to sound like Jerry Lewis but, "Please get those pledges in!"

I am adding to the side bar: "Things to pray for..." This will keep you informed on how you can pray for us in this journey. Also please e-mail & let us know how we can pray for you as well.

Here We Go!

2010-03-30T10:09:00.004-04:00

For those of you who do not know, God has Angela & I transitioning to a different ministry. We are pursuing a position with Chi Alpha which is an outreach to university students on secular campuses. [To gain a bigger picture of Chi Alpha go to: http://www.chialpha.com/.] What it basically means for us is that we are considered missionaries. That means we need to raise a budget, a cash budget [total amount not monthly support] & enter into some training before we are able to minister at our local university. I will be using this blog to update you on our progress & on what God is doing through our family. Please take a moment to become a follower of my blog. Also if you would like more information or desire to partner with us in prayer or financially, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Be a Man!

2010-02-11T14:02:00.003-05:00

I've heard this commercial a few times stating that Walgreen's has what they call "gift specialists". Their job is to help guys find the right gift for their wives for Valentine's Day. REALLY? Come on guys. Are our relationships with our wives so bad that we can not even come up with the correct gift? For me it was a difficult decision to narrow down the 5-6 choices I had for my wife. There should not be a need for "gift specialist". Get to know your wife. Spend time together. Do something for her. Break through the stereotypes of this world. Realize that God had given you a gift & cherish her. It's time to start being men!

America - A Country of Excess

2010-02-02T09:32:00.003-05:00

The Grammys. Did you see them? I hate these award shows!!!!!!! They are a look into just how messed up our country is. Watching people pat each other on the back for all they have done & make it seem like it is the greatest accomplishment in the world. For what? Because they can sing & play instruments. But it is not just the arrogance that drives me crazy, it is the waste. Of course we all know about the crisis in Haiti. And I know that a bunch of them just did a benefit to raise money for that country. But think about all the money spent on hair, make-up, clothes, jewelry, gift bags, transportation, etc. Not only that think about the amount of money wasted in general by people in the entertainment industry [actors & athletes as well]. Think about the millions of dollars represented by each of these people.

My mind goes to the story in Matthew where Jesus tells the rich young man to sell everything he has & give it to the poor. I thought what if an athlete who made millions a year decided that he would buy himself a modest house, live off a modest wage, & then give away most of his salary to help a community or a country. Maybe schools would not have to cut their music programs. Maybe kids would not have to pay to play. Maybe my library would not have to cut back it's hours because of lack of funds. Maybe we would not have people dying everyday because they do not have clean water. But that would never happen. Would it?

[For more on this subject, just ask me.]

the grace of God

2009-12-02T08:58:00.002-05:00

I was reading from the book, "Death by Love" this morning when I came across a statement by Mark Driscoll that I found interesting. He was talking about the parable in Luke 18.9-14 about the two men praying in the temple. One called on the mercy & grace of God because of his sinful state while the other was arrogant in his prayers recounting all that he had done for God [claiming himself to be better than first man]. Driscoll states [referring to the 2nd man], "He wrongly thought he could get justification from his sanctification. He wrongly thought that if he lived a good life and sought to pay back God through giving money, fasting, praying, and doing good works, God would be obligated to justify him." Aren't you glad we do not serve a God who operates that way? We are no good! We are sinners! We deserve death! We deserve hell! There are no acts we can do to earn the love that God so freely & willingly gives to us.

The sad thing is that we live in a world that believes that if they do enough "good" things they will make it to heaven. Do not get me wrong I am thankful for all the humanitarian efforts done by people [both famous & unknown], but satan has crafted this incredible lie that gets people to believe that if they do enough good things that their karma will make all things right in the end. It is not only in the world but in the church as well. And this is where it gets dangerous [and the point Jesus is trying to make]. There are too many church people who are so consumed with their own sanctification that they become "holier than thou" & neglect to realize that there are people who need to know & hear about the grace & love of God. Listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 3:

"The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities." MSG

Let me conclude my babbling with this: We are a flawed & imperfect people who serve a perfect God. The only reason why we deserve heaven is because we have chosen to accept His love & live for Him. We need to proclaim this message to the world. And what better time than now during the Christmas season. So let's not get caught up in our sanctified lives & understand that we are "sinners saved by grace".

[extra thought: It would not hurt if the church started leading the way in the humanitarian efforts in our local communities & across the world. maybe people would start to listen to our story]

Thankful

2009-11-23T09:54:00.003-05:00

This is the time of year we all reflect on what we are thankful for. So as I sit in my office this Monday morning here is a short list of what brings joy to my life:

Good health.
Coffee [morning, noon & night]
The ability to walk into my house, have heat, running water, & food in the fridge.
The 3 greatest & funniest kids in the world.
Gravity [some times]
Liberty Assembly of God & Edge Student Ministries - great group of people.
Humor.
My family in Cleveland, Massachusetts & other parts of the world.
My wife! The most beautiful, intelligent, amazing woman in the world. Without her I would be lost. I am extremely thankful that God caused our paths to cross. I look forward to growing old together.

There are of course so many other things to be thankful for & that I am thankful for. Some big & some little. But please remember to be thankful in everything. The most important of them all though is the fact that there is a loving God who cares for us all. Be thankful for the fact that His son died for each & every one of us so that we may have eternal life with Him. Never take that for granted.

One last thought. As you reflect, take time to tell those closest to you how thankful you are for their lives. Also remember to tell God. He, just like us, never gets tired of hearing it.

Update

2009-11-09T07:40:00.002-05:00

Quick update! Stepped on the scale this morning. Look down & to my delight the scale read 199lbs. [under 200 baby]. Also I measured my stomach & it was 39 inches. I am happy with the results so far. To be honest I have not exercised like I could. Who knows what sorts of results I would have had then. No problem, today is another day!

Diet Phase

2009-11-02T10:56:00.002-05:00

Well I finished the first part of my 24 day challenge. Feeling good. My only regret is that I probably should have watched what I ate better. You get this false sense that you can eat whatever because the diet portion is coming up. Anyway today is day 1 in the diet phase. I'm hungry!!!! No not really. I'm ok right now. Check back in a few days & I'll let you know how I'm doing.

Day 4

2009-10-26T21:06:00.003-04:00

Nearing the end of day 4. Not much to report stats wise. I was not expecting much since I am in the cleansing phase. I do feel good though & am excited for what is happening. It has been a bit difficult at first because they suggest drinking a glass of spark, then 30 minutes later a fiber drink & a meal replacement shake. It tends to be a bit much. [Plus it does not leave much room for my coffee - ha ha] I will keep you posted on what is going on.

Time to go exercise & watch heroes.

The Shrinking Man [I Hope]

2009-10-23T15:00:00.002-04:00

Today I started the Advocare 24 day challenge in an effort to trim off a some unwanted pounds. The first half of this challenge consists of a prep phase [an herbal cleanse] that helps detox your body. After that it is on to the results phase that includes diet, exercise & vitamins/minerals. [This part is called "Lean in 13"]

I hope to blog every few days on how I feel & the results I am experiencing. But to start off here are a couple of ugly facts [sorry if this is too much information]:

My weight: 204lbs
I am 41 inches around my stomach [measuring over the belly button]

I was going to include a few pictures of myself but decided I did not want to make the 3 or 4 of you who actually read this sick! So I am sparing you the before & after shots. Please keep me in your thoughts & prayers & I hope that you will be seeing "less" of me real soon!

4 year old wisdom

2009-09-28T12:05:00.002-04:00

So I had given my 4 year old son Anthony a can of soda. While he was running around the room my wife took a sip from the can. Of course he saw it & exclaimed, "Ok, I can't drink any more of that." So after some unsuccessful coaxing on our part for him to drink the soda we did what any adult would do when trying to out think a 4 year old. We told him that I would get him a new one. So I took the open can & went over to the refrigerator to pretend to get him a new one. I returned & placed the can back on the table in front of him & told him that I opened it up for him. He look into the can & said, "This is the same can!" "No it is not." I replied. He was not fooled because what happened next comment shocked my wife & I. He got up from the table, started walking to the refrigerator & said, "I want to see the old can." He got us!

It's bad when you are out smarted by a 4 year old. [But it is still a lot of fun!]

See You at the Pole

2009-09-23T08:55:00.004-04:00

WOW! What a great morning I had. I was privileged to spend a few moments with about 25 students & a teacher at Liberty High praying around their flag pole. We were taking part in a national event called See You at the Pole. Students meet at their school's flag pole on the 3rd Wednesday in September each year to pray for their school [the students, staff, administration, etc.] This is a huge step for these students because the flag pole is usually located right in front of the school. So their they are circled around it as their classmates pass by. Some stare, some laugh, some do not know what to do. It is an amazing witness though because throughout the day the questions come, "What were you guys doing this morning around the flag pole?" This gives them opportunity to share Christ with their friends.

Please remember these students in your own prayers that God will use them in their schools. Who knows maybe next year you may want to pass by a few schools & witness this incredible event [or even have a see you at the pole in your work place].

I'm still here.

2009-07-07T09:02:00.003-04:00

Many of you are probably wondering if I fell off the face of the earth. [alright 2 of you] I'm still here. Did you know that life can be pretty crazy? Well that is what it has been for me. Nonstop! Baseball games, meetings, work, projects at home, summer planning, outreaches, etc. Right now I am in between camps, resting up, before I have to do 2 back to back. Before I know it summer will be over. But that is the life of a youth pastor.

I hope you have a great summer & I will try my best to update this more often.

[This is a post on my Blog. I forgot that it is attached to my facebook page.]

home alone - kind of

2009-03-04T15:09:00.002-05:00

As some of you know my wife went on a mini vacation to Florida with some college friends. This of course left me alone for 6 days with my 3 kids. I would recommend this to any husband out there. It will give you a greater appreciation for your wife & her many skills. Well you will be happy to know that when Angela returned the house was still in one piece. Thanks to my upbringing I am somewhat domesticated. So cooking & cleaning are not foreign to me. But it sure does wipe you out. I also enjoyed the extra time I spent with my children, especially my 4 year old. Because daddy was home more we were able to do more things together.

As for my wife. I missed her dearly. Even though she is back I still find myself missing her when we are not together. I am glad though that she was able to relax & have a great time. She deserves it!

my valentine

2009-02-13T07:22:00.003-05:00

When I was a junior in college I wore all black on Valentine's Day. Why you ask? Because I had just ended a relationship with a girl. I thought it would be cool or funny to dress in all black & tell people that I was mourning those who died in the St. Valentine's Day massacre. Also that I thought it was sick that people wore red [boy are 19 year old males stupid - at least I was]

Today though I cherish Valentine's Day. Why you ask? Because I am married to the most amazing, beautiful, woman I know. She has the most incredible smile. Whenever I see her smile, in person or in a photo, a get goosebumps. I love spending time with her. I love hearing her voice. I love watching her sleep. I love making her laugh. I love praying with her & for her. I love holding her when she is sad. I miss her deeply when we are not together. I love life and look forward to the future because she is in it. I am not the greatest with words [ironic because I am writing a blog] but just know that my wife means everything to me! Without her I would be lost.

I LOVE YOU ANGELA PANZANELLA WESER!!!!

PS - The girl from college is my wife. Thank God for second chances!

how you doing [italian accent added]

2009-01-31T10:29:00.002-05:00

Well it is the end of January. I know the few of you who read this are wondering how I am doing. So I will not beat around the bush...

Weight - 195 according to my Wii Fit [sub note - I have dropped from a size 36 to a size 34]
Books - I have read 2, I am almost finished with a 3rd & am reading 3 others [2 are for teaching purposes]
My Italian is going well. I have not studied like I should though.
I have not learned a new chord yet but the day is still young [who am I kidding. I will not get to it today]
The other things are going ok.

If you are like me it is hard sometimes to remember to do all that you set out to do. Probably because you bite off more than you can chew. But keep at it. This is the time where it is easy to quit 7 give up. Don't!!!!! If you have not done any of you goals yet or feel that you are way behind start all over again. To use an old saying, "We serve a God of second chances." He does not want you to stop growing. So re-adjust & keep moving & you will make it!

PS - I want to wish my oldest a happy birthday!!!!!!!!! I love you son!!!!!

my goals

2009-01-18T16:47:00.002-05:00

I'm truly sorry. I did not mean to lie to you. I know there were thousands of you waiting & looking each & everyday to see what my goals are for 2009. Well wait no more. Here are a few of the things I am shooting for this year:

Read 20 books [2 by the end of January]
Become a single digit handicap in golf
Cook a new recipe once a month
Weight 195lbs by January 31st [was 205 at Christmas, I am now 197]
Learn 60 Italian words [5 a month - January's words - carne, maiale, fetta, pollo, petto & insegnante]
4 day retreats to get away from the office & refocus
Write 3 postcards or e-mails a week to students
Do 6 community outreaches with the youth
Family outing once a month
Learn 1 new chord a month on the guitar

Now I have some others [some that are too personal to post]. I will try to remember to update you on how it is going. You can always check on number 1 by looking at the "what I have consumed" part of the blog. Please take a moment & share with me your goals & progress. I would love to here from you. God bless. And remember "Grow daily or die gradually."

happy new year

2009-01-06T11:32:00.002-05:00

Well it finally happened. 2009 has started and many of us have our list of things we want to change in our lives. And I am no different. I am hoping to be less of a man this year than I was last year. So of course I have exercised more, tried to eat better, taken some supplements, etc. So far I'm doing ok. [I know it is only january 6.] It is no surprise that it is hard work. But anything worth anything is worth working towards [say that 3 times fast].

I just recently talked to a group of students about creating a growth plan for their lives. So I would like to share with you what I told them. I order to change your life & be successful you need 3 things:

You have to have a plan.
It has to be measurable. [Not - I want to lose weight. But - I want to lose 10lbs]
You need to do something about it.

I want to encourage you to make a plan. Write it out & place it somewhere you can see it everyday. If possible share it with someone & help each other achieve your goals. Don't get discouraged, if you slip up start over again. Make small goals [weekly or monthly].

I will try to post some of my goals in the next few days. I want to encourage you to add some of yours in the comments. happy new year!

chaotic

2008-12-26T22:28:00.002-05:00

Tonight I experienced the most incredible sight [and sounds]. I was in my living room with 5 kids 9 & under [my kids & my 2 nieces]. They were all receiving & opening presents at the same time. I'm not sure if you can even come close to imagining the chaos & the noise that was going on. It was beautiful! The joy in their cheers of, "Oh my goodness I got...", "Look at this mom...", "Can you believe what I just got..." & so on & so on & so on! I highly recommend being a part of this whenever you get the chance.

I hope you were able to enjoy your Christmas as much as these 5 little kids did. [And not to get too religious on you but...] Always remember why we celebrate. God loved us so much that He sent His son to this earth for us all. So no matter what you are going through just look to Him for comfort & strength. I know He is always wanting to love us.

time is ticking

2008-12-20T12:29:00.000-05:00

Well tomorrow is it. It will be official. I will no longer, when asked how old I am, be able to respond with a thhhh sound. It will now be a ffff sound. That’s right I will be the big 4-0. It has been strange waiting for this day to come. All year long! I’ve come to the conclusion that I am ok with it [like I had a choice]. I am embracing it with arms wide open. After all 40 is the new 30 right? So here we go. Bring it on! Let the next decade of my life begin.

what is your story?

2008-12-12T08:58:00.003-05:00

Taken from a Christmas series preached by Rob Bell:

To really understand the Christmas story we have to realize what was happening in the world at the time. Before Jesus was born the world was ruled by the Roman Empire & a series of Caesars. You had Julius Caesar, Caesar Augustus [Octavian], & Tiberius [who ruled during Jesus' public ministry]. Now Caesar Augustus became ruler around 27 B.C. & ruled until 14 A.D. He unified the Roman Empire & the world under himself. So basically you had one world ruled by one dude. He believed that his father Julius was god & that he was the son of god. He would have his people go throughout saying, 'There is no other name under heaven which men might be saved than that of Caesar Augustus.' He ruled through might, power, & heavy taxation. He would have anyone who did not agree with him or the Roman Empire killed. In order to keep control of this vast empire he would have to have a local king who would follow his decrees. In Israel at the time he had Herod. Herod was a ferocious warrior who slaughtered everyone in his path [you see a trend here]. He made sure that the people were taxed & oppressed. If you were Jewish living at this time you started to lose everything that was built up in your family for generations to the Roman Empire. What you have not forgotten is the fact that you are God's chosen people. So what naturally kicks in is this profound sense of despair & fatalism. "Is Caesar always going to rule? Is Herod always going to be on the throne?" Their questions were THE questions of human history: "God if You are so good, then why...?" Now here is where we can enter the Christmas story because don't we have some of these questions some times? "God if You are so good then why cancer? God if You are so good then why divorce? God if You are so good then why do we struggle financially?" Where is your story in the Christmas story?

But here is where the Christmas story picks up. Out of nowhere an angel appears to a young teenage girl with the news that she is going to have a baby. Not just any baby but the Son of God & His kingdom will reign forever & ever. With this proclamation God is saying, "I have not forgotten about my people! I'm going to do something about it!" "Caesar is going down. Herod, clock's ticking." Jesus was bringing a different kind of kingdom & a different way to live. It is not about accumulation – it is about generosity. It is not about trying to control people – it is about loving them. It is not about trying to be your own god – it is about submitting to the God who made everything. It is not about running from your past & your failures – it is about letting God forgive & cleanse & give you new life. The Christmas story, the birth of Jesus is about liberation, it is about FREEDOM. It is about God intersecting the lives of ordinary people [like us] & setting them free from the oppression that they face.

So where do you stand in all this? What is your story? What is your why? Understand that God has not forgotten about His people. Understand that He loves you & wants the very best for you. Look to Him this Christmas season!

You called her a what?

2008-12-03T08:18:00.003-05:00

It is safe to say that Sampson has some issues with the female race. I was reading in Judges where he falls in love with this woman. He just has to have her. He begs & pleads with his parents to let him marry this woman. So they agree & only a few days after their wedding in chapter 14 I laughed out loud when I read [forgive me ladies] that he calls his wife a heifer. Now I needed to check other translations because I was reading it in the Message, but to my surprise it was the same. Word of advice guys: DON'T DO THIS! It is no wonder that his father in law gives his newly married daughter to the best man after this event.

My wife & I have been married for 15 years. It is easy sometimes in the midst of life to lose sight of each other between work, kids, school programs, sports, etc. God has recently shown me how lucky I am to have the woman He has created for me. She is beautiful, intelligent, funny, an amazing mom & wife. [I could go on & on & on & on] I am looking forward to the rest of my life with this incredible woman.

So for all of you out there I want to encourage you to never take for granted your loved ones. Especially the one God has joined you with for life. Don't be like Sampson.

PS - Honey I love you! I am the luckiest man alive!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

2008-11-18T10:17:00.003-05:00

So I woke up this morning to the screams of my children: "Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh It's SNOWING!!!!!!" And I started to think how this same event plays out for me: [insert depressed monotone voice here] "Oh my gosh it's snowing". Now before you think of me as a scrooge hear me out. I love snow. I love the way it makes everything look. I love the way it makes you feel as you start to get that Christmas joy. But as an adult I know the other part of snow. The shoveling, the driving, the scraping of windows, etc. The things that we as adults like to add to situations to make them annoying. But isn't it all about perspective. My kids are excited because they get to go out & play in the snow. Sled down a hill, throw snowballs, build a snowman, etc. It is the same sort of perspective that happens when you come to a railroad crossing & the arms come down. The kids yell, "GREAT A TRAIN" & the adults "great a train" [same monotone depression]. We are again annoyed because we have to sit there but the kids are going crazy because they get to see a train.

I want to encourage all of us to look at things with the perspective of a child. Isn't that what Jesus wants us to do. Have the faith of a child. Innocent, fun, excited, without all the other annoying things that we like to add. [Just imagine if the church really did that. How many lives could we touch?] So if it snowed today go out & play. Throw snowballs, sled down a hill, make a snow angel or a snowman. Even if you do not have kids or they are grown & out of the house. Go have fun.

[For those of you in warmer climates go play in the rain.]

way too young...

2008-10-17T15:08:00.005-04:00

Let me break away for just a moment from some of my silliness & express my feelings. This week a 12 year old boy drowned in a nearby river. It is always sad when a life so young ends. What has been especially hard for me is the fact that he was in our youth service only 2 weeks ago. Even though I really did not have the chance to form a relationship with him this has messed me up a bit. First of all as a father I can not imagine having to deal with something like this. It causes me to hold my children a little longer & spend more time with them. My heart breaks for his family. Second as a youth pastor it shows me the importance of what God has called me to do. [I know this sounds churchy] We never know how many opportunities we will have with someone. It is important to show people how much God loves them!

Now comes the task of helping people heal & remembering this young man's life. I know that he will never be forgotten. I know I will always remember him. R.I.P. Jamel!

hired hand or shepherd?

2008-10-06T11:41:00.002-04:00

First of all I know the title is a bit churchy [O.K. a lot churchy] but it goes with a scripture verse that many of us know in John 10.11-13. 11"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. This got me thinking about how we think about ministry in the church. Too many people treat the ministry [I'm refering to lay workers & some full timers] as hired hands. They are not willing to "lay down" their lives for that particular ministry. They do the minimum, they are not consistant, they are not passionate. They wait to get direction instead of making things happen. What would happen if we all worked together like a shepherd [owner of the sheep]? If we gave it our all? How much more would be accomplished for the kingdom? How many more lives would be changed? How many more people, including the worker, would be blessed? We can not "abandon" the ministry because things do not go well. Let's look to the Good Shepherd as our example & give it our all.

There are plenty of sheep out there in need of a shepherd!

i feel so much better because of you

2008-09-25T11:15:00.004-04:00

In our small groups we are going through the Gospel of John. The other day I read a verse [for probably the 100th time] & it really struck me in a different light. So I wrote down a few thoughts that I would like to share with you. So here goes... The verse is John 3.17. You know the one after the very first verse you ever memorized. It talks about the fact that the Son of Man did not come to condemn the world. Why? Because that’s our job! Why is that? Why do we take it upon ourselves to condemn people? Christians & non-Christians alike! I know so that we can feel better about our own sin. Or because God wants us to proclaim holiness to this dark & dying world. And what better way to do it than to point out to people how awful they are. Don’t you think that if we lived the love of Christ people’s lives would be changed? [Love your neighbor as yourself. Love your enemies. Turn the other check. Go the extra mile. Love your wife as God loves the church. Etc] It’s an easy concept to believe but a hard one to follow! But let’s try it. Conduct your own experiment of love. See what a difference it makes in your own world. Then maybe, just maybe we can take another step towards being like our savior & who knows we may just introduce Him to a few more people!

anti-blog

2008-09-10T17:37:00.002-04:00

Wow! It has been one crazy summer. I know many [alright 2] of you have wondered if I was going to blog again. I figured I would anti-blog. My thinking was that if you really wanted to get to know my thoughts you would be my friend & talk to me. Since that didn't work. I'm going to start blogging again. You can continue your relationship with me through your computer. I hope you hear from me soon.

middle of the summer

2008-07-15T14:24:00.003-04:00

Wow! I can not believe that it is the middle of the summer already. Time just seems to be flying by. It probably doesn't help the fact that i have not slowed down since school let out. [And i won't any time soon.] What I am most excited about though is the fact that my son will be going to camp for the first time next week & I get to be there with him. I can not wait to see what God will do in his life. Plus it will be great to be able to spend 5 straight days with him without worrying about work or anything else. Of course I will miss my beautiful wife & my other 2 children. It does make me think about how important it is to spend time with your family. I would encourange anyone who reads this [you know who the 2 of you are] to slow down enough to be with those you love because before you know it life will have passed you by!

i'm back

2008-06-30T13:35:00.002-04:00

Sorry I did not post any other blogs from camp. [got a bit busy] Well we made it back and what a trip it was. Our van broke down only 10 miles from the camp ground so someone had to come all the way down & pick us up. It was a long day. [camp ended at 1:00 & I got home at 11:30] But I was with a great group of teens. They did not complain at all & actually the day turned out to be a lot of fun.

To say that God did some great things in their lives is an understatement. I was very happy to watch as their lives were touched. I can not wait until next week when I get to do it all over again with a group of jr. highers.

be a sycamore tree

2008-06-23T21:51:00.000-04:00

OK. So the first day at camp was not disappointing. You have not lived until you have seen 300 teens worship God with all they have. It is totally amazing.

We were given a challenge tonight: Will you lift others so that they may see the approaching savior? It is so easy to live our lives for Jesus & be consumed by our own world. But what about those we come in contact with (saved & unsaved). How are their lives any different because they encountered you? Let's live our lives sharing Jesus. And who knows maybe someone will lift you up so that you can have a clearer view of Him.

welcome riders

2008-06-22T22:43:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been on a roller coaster? I mean a really big roller coaster! You know the feeling you get as you approach the first hill? As you begin to rise your excitement level jumps in anticipation of what is about to happen. That is sort of the feeling I have right now as I sit in my room the night before camp is about to start. I just can not wait to see what sort of ride God has instore for the students of Ohio (and for me as well). So tomorrow I will let go, raise my hands, and enjoy the ride of another week of camp!!!!!!!

seeing green

2008-06-18T08:27:00.001-04:00

Today I'm a very tired & happy man. My Celtics did it. Number 17. (sorry Kobe) Probably the best part about it was that I was able to watch the game with my oldest son. To confess though I had to wake him up for the last 2 minutes of the game. It was great to share this moment with him. The last time the Celtics won a championship I was in high school. I hope we can get a couple more.

Next week I will be a camp & hopefully will be blogging each day. So please check back & read what is happening at Ohio District Camp.

You want me to pray for who?

2008-06-11T07:18:00.002-04:00

Right now I am reading the story of the Israelite's time in the wilderness. It is amazing how dysfunctional God's people were even back then. They have the Creator of the universe leading them around & they still have trouble listening to His commands. [All they seem to do is complain to & about Moses] Just read the story & see all the incredible things that they get to witness. Plagues, parting of the Red Sea, manna, quail, the ground opening up & swallowing people who disobey, etc. But through all this Moses continues to love & care for these people. On one of these occasions a group of "ministers" came against Moses & Aaron & tried to take over. After God destroyed these men, He sent a plague on the people for following them. What does Moses do? He sends Aaron into the middle of the people to stand between them & the plague to save them.

How often do we have this attitude? When people wrong us, do we pray for them, try to help them, or do we just hope the get what they deserve? The next time one of God's children attack you, try praying for them. Ask God to bless them & just see what happens. [For more on this story check out Numbers 16]

does this make sense?

2008-06-04T16:36:00.002-04:00

So remember my can't touch this entry? [how can you forget it is at the bottom of your screen] Well I saw something the other day that made me scratch me head. I saw a "footprints" plaque on someone's wall & then two feet to the right of it was a swimsuit calendar. Now this guy does not claim to be a follower of Christ. But before we condemn him let's look at the plank in our own eye so to speak. How many things are there in our lives existing in the same space that should not be together? Are we trying to live our lives following after God & following after the "world"? Now I do not want to start preaching, but we can not mix things together that do not belong together. It's kind of like running on a treadmill while eating cake - It does not make sense! We are only impeading our progress with our relationship with God when we allow these things to hang on our wall.

hoopla

2008-05-28T17:40:00.003-04:00

Have you ever had to assemble something? Usually Christmas Eve or Christmas Day! Well I just spent the last 2 hours putting together a basketball hoop for our church. What a pain in the neck. You know how it is, there are a million pieces, things hardly ever line up correctly, and the diagrams they give you are either fuzzy-too small-or wrong. It's almost as if you have to be a rocket surgeon to figure it out. Now I was thinking that I should relate this to our walk with Christ. You know something along the lines of your life being the picture of Jesus or we need to read the directions [bible] clearly. But I'm not! I just wanted you to feel my pain.

Oh & by the way.................the hoop is not done yet!

can't touch this

2008-05-21T08:59:00.000-04:00

MC Hammer had a very popular song back in the day with this title. I can almost see those baggy pants & the Hammer shuffle every time I hear that phrase. [do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do...] Well recently I have been reading through Exodus & Leviticus & it seems like that God has an endless list for the Israelites that they are not allowed to touch. Don't eat this, don't touch that, if this happens stay away from this, etc. Then I came across this verse in Leviticus 20.26: Live holy lives before me because I, God, am holy. I have distinguished you from the nations to be my very own. This really got my thinking, why did God say this? Well for the Israelites, God was forming them into a nation & wanted them to be separate. Isn't that what He is trying to do with us? He wants us to be different, He wants us to be holy. But how many things in our lives do we "touch" that we shouldn't? The way we talk, what we watch, how we dress, our thought lives, [insert personal stubbling block here].

I was talking recently to our worship pastor on the subject of personal brokenness. I agree with him when he states that God will move on His people [the church] when we are committed to brokenness in our lives. I believe that starts with the "can't touch this list". Please understand I do not believe that living for God is a matter of following a bunch of rules that just suck the fun out of life. Instead I feel that God has placed certain standards for us to run after so that our lives will be filled with freedom in Him instead of being traped by our own misguided desires. Plus He knows what is best for us. [Anyone who is a parent will understand this concept.]

So as the bible says let's examine our lives closely. Ask God to show you so things that are holding you back [your personal can't touch this list]. And if it will help put on a pair of baggy pants, through on some Hammer, and shuffle.

what the heck is neoteny?

2008-05-14T17:21:00.000-04:00

Well here it is! The much anticipated [at least by Darleen] beginning of my blog. What will you find here? Well you will get to see the world as it is processed through my brain [isn't that basically what a blog is?]. So it more than likely will not make much sense or seem to be a bit juvenile. Which is the reason for the title of my blog. The word neoteny [knee-ought-ten-knee] is basically the retention of youthful qualities in an adult. For example having a baby face. But for our purposes here it will refer to the child likeness of me. [my wife often refers to me as her biggest child] So sit back, relax, & enjoy this strange, twisted journey of life with me.