Category: community

Peppermint Filled Pinatas

I’m currently listening to the audio book version of “Peppermint Filled Pinatas.”

Some really good stuff in there!

The author just told a story (in chapter 3) about a 16-year-old girl who invited him and his wife to her birthday party at a skating rink. They reluctantly decided to come and brought a few teenagers along with them. Turns out other than a few members of the girls family, they were the only ones to come to the party and stay.

A couple weeks later, the mother of the girl, who had been against her daughter being a part of a church showed up at the church and wanted to become a follower of Christ.

Her reason, she said she changed her mind after the author and his wife showed up at the birthday party.

“Now if we get an invitation and it happens to be the night of our small group not only do we miss the small group, but we invite our small group to join us. We need to say ‘No’ more often to our business so that we can create room for spontaneous adventures with others.”

That’s hard for me to swallow. I tend to see my small group as “my ministry” or “my calling.” I tend to get really frustrated when people who know I have small group on a particular night of the week make plans during that time and expect me to forgo our small group in favor of their event.

Perhaps there’s still a whole lot more that I need to surrender!

Let go and let God!

Thoughts? Anyone else struggle with this?

In my neighborhood

long exposures

I saw this on a random church website describing their community groups…

Hopefully over the course of the year, our neighborhoods will be blessed by our coming together.

Could we say this about our own individual community groups/families?

Could we make that our goal this year?

Daniel’s Den, Waxahachie Cares, Austin Street, Goodwill etc. etc. etc. are ALL great causes. And I love the stories I hear about folks getting involved and wanting to get involved with each of them.

But what about YOUR neighborhood? Will it be blessed by your family and your group coming together this year? How will your group – no matter what size it may be – how will it bless your neighborhood?

Some ideas ::

  • Host a BBQ for your neighbors
  • Host a party for the big game and invite your neighbors
  • Deliver cookies or small bags of candies to your neighbors
  • Plant a community garden
  • Work to keep your house and landscaping in top notch condition and help encourage others to do the same — offer to help when they may not be able
  • Organize a neighborhood watch
  • Stock your freezer with heat and serve lasagnas or soups for when a neighbor gets sick or out of work
  • Invite neighbors over for coffee or tea or whatever
  • Get involved in the HOA – be a voice for positive change – not complaining about the wrongs others are doing
  • Walk the neighbor’s dogs
  • Pick up the mail for a neighbor going on vacation

I think the key to remember, no matter what it is – don’t do it because you have an agenda. If they ask why you’re doing it, just say “I want to be a better neighbor.”

What other ideas do you have?

What do you wish your neighbor would do for you? Now go and do likewise.

And while you’re at it – say a prayer for me and our group. Pray that we also can begin living this idea out.

Makes me proud

robgriggs

robgt2 :: @aaronaiken If I was you I’d create a ‘Where You Are Now’ online brand like the @sbpodcast one

I’m not sure what all Rob’s referring to as “our brand” but I’m glad others would consider it worthy of imitating. I hope it continues to be a great brand “people can follow as we follow Jesus” and share his story with others.

Thanks Rob. Your tweet made me proud.

Tall Skinny Kiwi visits something beautiful

jones-224x300

Awesome guest this week on our podcast – in fact one of the first folks on our “Wish List” when we started the podcast – Tall Skinny Kiwi aka Andrew Jones.

I had a great chat with Andrew right before the New Year and we shared it this week for our listeners.

Andrew has been recognized by many as one of the top Christian/Church bloggers, but he describes himself as ::

I
Me
Dad
Man
Pilgrim
Blogger
Husband
Crepe Chef
Video Jockey
Jesus Follower
Badminton Player
Director of Boaz Project
Medium Format Photographer
Missional Cell Developer for CMS

And Andrew had this to say about the podcast ::

…the podcast, which is hosted and commented on by some really wonderful people with interesting accents, I talk about my training, early mission experience, fundamentalist background as a street evangelist, the side-benefits of Bible smuggling, tinkering around with the early emerging church in the 80’s and 90’s, and I fess up to my particular heresies.

He had some great stories and great ideas that I’ve been chewing on since we chatted.

Like, “want to start a church — keep the Christians out” and “the biblical example of church is the church moving out and initiating from their house and not our house” and “follow us as we follow Christ.”

I don’t want to steal his thunder but its GOOOOD. So take an hour or so and get to know Andrew a bit better and then let us know what you think.

Get on Your Boots

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U2.com has just published the lyrics to U2’s new single, Get on Your Boots.

Haven’t heard it yet? As of today, you can still listen to the full song online at http://goyb.u2.com/.

Loving the song. Instrumentally I think its a great mix of Elevation, Vertigo and The Fly. And lyrically its inspiring as well. It’s one of those great classic U2 lyrics where they can take on several different meanings.

And I love these two lines ::

Night is falling everywhere / Rockets at the fun fair / Satan loves a bomb scare / But he won’t scare you…
Here’s where we gotta be / Love and community / Laughter is eternity / If joy is real

While the song is supposed to be released on Feb 15th for download, you can download it from iTunes today (in the US at least).

Can’t wait till March 3rd (March 2nd US) when the six different versions of the full album, No Line on the Horizon, are released ::

  • Standard jewel case – with album CD and 24 page booklet
  • Digipak format – limited edition with album CD, 32 page colour booklet and fold out poster. Features access to exclusive downloadable Anton Corbijn film.
  • Magazine format – limited edition with album CD, with 64 page magazine. Features access to exclusive downloadable Anton Corbijn film.
  • Box format – limited edition bespoke box containing digipak format album CD, DVD of Anton Corbijn’s exclusive film, 64 page hardback book, plus a fold out poster. (currently on pre-order sale for $66 as opposed to $95)
  • LP vinyl – limited edition with 2 black vinyl discs, gatefold sleeve, and a 16 page booklet.
  • Special edition digital download version (I’ve only seen this mentioned on iTunes so far).

So here’s what you’re really waiting for – the lyrics to Get on You Boots ::

The future needs a big kiss
Winds blows with a twist
Never seen a moon like this
Can you see it too?

Night is falling everywhere
Rockets at the fun fair
Satan loves a bomb scare
But he won’t scare you

Hey, sexy boots
Get on your boots, yeah

You free me from the dark dream
Candy floss ice cream
All our kids are screaming
But the ghosts aren’t real

Here’s where we gotta be
Love and community
Laughter is eternity
If joy is real

You don’t know how beautiful
You don’t know how beautiful you are
You don’t know, and you don’t get it, do you?
You don’t know how beautiful you are

That’s someone’s stuff they’re blowing up
We’re into growing up
Women of the future
Hold the big revelations

I got a submarine
You got gasoline
I don’t want to talk about wars between nations

Not right now

Hey sexy boots…
Get on your boots, yeah
Not right now
Bossy boots

You don’t know how beautiful
You don’t know how beautiful you are
You don’t know, and you don’t get it, do you?
You don’t know how beautiful you are

Hey sexy boots
I don’t want to talk about the wars between the nations
Sexy boots, yeah

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Meet me in the sound

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, now
God, I’m going down
I don’t wanna drown now
Meet me in the sound

Let me in the sound

Let me in the sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Let me in the sound, sound
Meet me in the sound

Get on your boots
Get on your boots
Get on your boots
Yeah hey hey

Finally, read what Dave Fanning has to say about the new song and the new album…

First impressions is that there’s eleven tracks on the album and ‘Get On Your Boots’ is the one you’d instantly say is the single. It’s the ‘Vertigo’ of the album – although a completely different kind of song. That was a new song which was an instant hit night after night on the last tour and this song will be the same on the next tour. People will be impressed, it’s very U2 and there’ s nothing wrong with that, a big song with lots of layers but not overproduced. Great track.