The Weekend Update...

Not a whole lot happened this weekend that was out of the ordinary. Johanna and I went to San Marcos on Saturday to do some grocery shopping and get a few things. That night a couple from the church that we are good friends with came over and ate pizza and we all had a great time just talking about life and hanging out. It was a lot of fun. Sunday consisted of church and small groups. Sunday night we ended up over at some friends house with our Children's minister from the church and her husband. We hung out, ate some snacks, and the guys all played Xbox 360 or PS2 with the kids. Overall, it was a good, relaxing weekend spent with friends.

Also, my new tradition of quote of the weekend will continue, thanks to Tim, one of our friends from the church and the father to one of our 7th grade students. Tim was intensely involved in a game of Guitar Hero II (a game where you simulate playing a remote control guitar to famous rock songs) with one of our High School students on Sunday night and his wife kept asking him to come into the dining room because she wanted to ask him a question. Tim explained that he couldn't right then because a song was loading and about to start...Clara, his wife, told him to pause it and Tim's replied, "You can't pause Arena Rock!" One word: Hilarious! And thus the quote of the weekend....As the night went on and Clara tried to lure Tim away form the game later and his reply was simple..."I can't come over there right now...We're in the middle of a set." Great stuff...Hope you had a great weekend!

Reflections...

Last week I promised some reflections on growing older and while I thought I was going to get away without sitting down and typing this out, my friend David Brown reminded me that I still had not done it so here it goes. As some of you know, my birthday was last Monday. 29...and holding. It only goes downhill from here so I think Monday will probably be the last birthday I celebrate. Next year when I hit the big 3-0 (Ugh!) I think I will just refuse to celebrate my birthday and hold at 29. Like a game of blackjack, I'll pass and keep the numbers I'm holding...But anyway, I really am not that super depressed so here are some things that I've realized along the years about life and growing older. Hope you enjoy.

#1. Life really does go by faster the older you get. I used to think people were insane when they would say this, but it is so true. A semester of school took forever when I was in high school and now the entire school year is gone if I blink more than once. As you grow older, you begin to reflect on months and years, instead of days because the days go by so fast there is little reflection to do. While it still makes no sense to me how this one works, it is definitely true.

#2. Growing older really isn't all that bad. I used to dread turning that one year older each January 15th. I guess I have either realized it isn't that bad or just come to the realization that it's a battle I can't win. But with each year of age comes new experiences, new challenges, new life, and new growth. At each stage of life we are met with things that make us stronger than we were before, give us more wisdom than we previously had, and allow us to truly appreciate and TASTE life in a whole new way...In that light, growing older has it's benefits.

#3. My final thought is probably my most significant one and it is this: LIFE IS SHORT. DO SOMETHING. Life flies by. It seems that one minute we're in the theater of life watching the previews for the upcoming shows and then we glance down to our watches and realize we're 118 minutes into the movie and the screen credits are coming up soon and it's all over. And yet, in knowing this, so many of us WASTE our lives on trivial, meaningless crap. We spend all our time and treasure and talent on things that fade and have no real meaning. We work and live to store up things that rust and are destroyed. Life is short. Live it. Do something that lasts, that is real, that won't fade away as you do...Make a difference. You know, the longer I live the more I appreciate the time I get to spend with my family. I love the weekends where I actually have enough free time to just get away with my wife and breathe and just be us, whether that is a trip to the movies or a walk through the park. I cherish the time I get to spend with my grandparents, who are getting up there in age, and the time I share with my parents and my brother. I cherish that time because I realize those are the things that really matter. I cherish the time I get to spend outside of the walls of my office, really ministering to a student. I love the times I get to spend a week on a mission trip serving others and serving the kingdom of God...And I have come to realize that the reason I cherish these moments is because that is when I am truly ALIVE. It is in those moments, the ones that really matter, that I LIVE. So I don't know what your weekend consists of. I don't know what career choices you have made or what lies ahead in your life for the next month, year, decade...But I do know this: Life is short so do something with it. Go home and spend the evening just listening to your wife tell a funny story about her childhood you have never heard before. Email your parents and let them know how much you appreciate them. Call your grandparents and let them know that their grandchild idolizes them and loves them greatly. Go home from work and play a game of catch with your son or read a story to your little girl. Give your brother or sister a shout just to say hello. Spend some time reading the Word of God at the park allowing God to speak his love into your heart. Find something in your community or at your church or in your neighborhood worth doing...I mean really worth doing, something that will LAST...and get in on it. Life goes by too fast to spend time on meaningless, futile stuff. If we're not careful we get caught going through life without LIVING or BEING ALIVE. Life is short. Don't waste it. Do something. Live.

Last Week's Ice Storm

As some of you may know we spent the first part of last week iced in here in central Texas. While it may not be a blizzard you would see up north, the ice we got here and the snow that some places a little farther northwest of us received really slowed things down for Texans not used to this type of weather. These are few of the pictures I took while the weather permitted...

An icicle hanging off the Baker Theater in dowtown Lockhart. The picture doesn't do it justice because it was almost three feet long!


Our cars the second day of the ice...


The ice chipped off the side of my Blazer on Wednesday...


A Fire Hydrant (sideways view) at the City Park...


A tree at the city park as the ice begin to thaw...

A Slow Day at The Office...

The past couple days we have been iced in and their has not been a lot of people able to get to work or do anything once they got there...That has resulted in a lot of surfing the net time for me and I thought I would share some humor I've found with you...Hope ya' enjoy!





And here are some that ring a little to close to being true...

Keep Reading Mom...

What A Weekend....

This had to be one of the best weekends in the very recent history of things around here. On Friday, one of my old fraternity brothers and good friends, flew into the ATX from Cali. He was here to do a photo shoot (He is amazing...check him out at mnorwoodphotography.com) and spent the weekend in town. We met Friday afternoon and he did a mini-shoot with Johanna and I. Johanna loves taking pictures together and it really was a lot of fun. We took them at the Botanical Gardens at Zilker Park....really cool place, even when everything is not in bloom. Then later that night, another fraternity brother and good friend drove in from Dallas and met us in the ATX. We all went to eat together and spent the evening telling old stories and chatting about the "good ol' days." On Saturday, my brother and his wife drove in from Houston. We were all planning to go catch dinner with my two friends again that night when another old college friend called me up. Turns out he and his wife only live about 30 minutes away, so they joined us and we all went and got some Lockhart barbecue and hung out at our house for the night. It really was a great weekend. Sunday consisted of church in the morning and more friends that afternoon. My buddy from Dallas didn't have to be back at work until tomorrow so he crashed at the house last night. David and I used to play Trivial Pursuit all the time in college so we are always up for a good matchup. About a year ago we played and he beat both me and my wife, so I was out for revenge. He took the first matchup again this time, but we played one more, which turned out to be one of the most competitive games I've ever played of Trivial Pursuit, and in the end, I was the victor. However, that final game provided me with the quote of the weekend (which there were dozens, if not hundreds to pick from...) and here it is:

David, referring to the trivia card in his hand: "This is a GREAT card. This may be the best card from top to bottom I have ever seen. We should frame this card, its that good."

What a weekend! I had a blast and since today is my birthday (I will jot down some birthday reflections tomorrow...) I consider it all an early present. God has blessed me extremely with some of the best friends in the world. I cherish the time that my brother and I got to spend at HPU with Michael, David, Chance and the other ZX crew. These guys are lifelong friends and I truly thank God today for the chance to renew and continue these great friendships this weekend. I love you guys.

Glimpses of The Ones Who Get It....

Last night was our mid-week youth worship service/fellowship/rec time/Bible study...Yeah, we pile a lot into one night, but it's all good. Anyway, things went pretty good I guess. It was kind of your typical night with the students, but afterward I begin to think about these small glimpses I am starting to see of kids who "get it." A lot of the time, ministry in general, and especially youth ministry, can be draining. It takes a lot out of you. But it seems that every now and then there are these little signs that it is all worth it. As I laid on the couch last night catching up on some much needed Sportscenter, I caught a couple glimpses of it as I reviewed the night....I see it in Mark, who comes early to set up the sound system and stays after everyone else to tear down the sound system. I never have to worry about it and it is always done with detail and excellence. Why? Because he "gets it." He sees that he is serving God and others by what he does and that means he is beginning to "get it," to understand what life following after Jesus is all about. I also see it in Grant. Regardless of whether others join him in singing and worshipping or not, he is faithful, every week to be prepared to lead others in worship. He shares from his heart and he worships, whether others follow or not....He is "getting it." He understands that it is not about him, but rather about HIM. Then there are those 7 or 8 students who stay to help plan Disciple Now. They could go home like the rest of the youth, but they chose to stay late and they chose to serve on this ministry team. Why? Because they are starting to "get it." They see that their life can make an impact for the kingdom, glory, and fame of God by choosing to serve Him and serve others. These students are beginning to see that it is not all about them. They are beginning to understand that God has called them into something in following Christ that is far bigger than their personal satisfaction or comfort. They are learning that true followers don't just say they love Him, but they show it in how they serve...There are little signs all around...They're there...You sometimes just have to pause and really look to see them.

Random Hilarious Movie Lines...

My brother sent me an email with the following quote this morning just for laughs:

"Dear Lord Baby Jesus in your golden fleece diaper, just watching your little Einstein videos learnin' 'bout colors and shapes, thank you for my two boys.... Walker and Texas Ranger." - Ricky Bobby from Taladega Nights

That got me to thinking about my favorite movie lines that just crack me up every time I hear them. Two of my favorites would have to be these:

"I was just checking the specs on the endline for the rotary gurder....I'm retarded" - Chris Farley in Tommy Boy

"Rectum?!?! Dang near killed the man!" - Chris Farley in Black Sheep

Also who can forget, "I got dibs on top bunk!" also in Black Sheep. In fact, most of my hilarious movie quotes are found in Chris Farley movies....Anyway, what are some of your favorite movie quotes that make you laugh every time you hear 'em? Post away....

I Love Sinners...

That may not come as a shock to many of you (or to the two of you that actually read this...) but I really do love sinners. I love to be around people who do not know the gospel of Christ and have yet to be changed by his loving grace and forgiveness. Some of my closest friends are people who are either foreign to or hostile toward the gospel of Jesus. And that's okay. Because I believe that loving sinners in a way that places me right in the midst of their lives actually brings a smile to the face of Jesus. And I believe it places me right where he wants me to be.

Yesterday in our Sunday morning college Bible Study we talked about the story in John 4 where Jesus encounters the woman at the well. Here is this woman, living in sin and ashamed of where her life has taken her. She even goes out of her way to make her daily water runs at a time when she won't have to encounter anyone who might cause her more shame or bring more judgement into her life. And yet as she goes through her daily routine, she encounters the One who loves sinners so much that he came and lived in our world. Jesus begins to talk to the lady on her turf and in her language. He shows her, through his conversation, that he genuinely cares about her. And then he drops a couple bombs on this poor woman. First of all, He calls out her sin to her face. Imagine what that must have felt like. I know I wouldn't want to be in her place. And then, after that, he tells her that He is the Messiah. Can you imagine the thoughts that must have been crashing through this lady's head. She has just come face to face with God in the flesh and He knows it all. He knows her darkness, her shame, her sin. He knows her loose lifestyle and every poor choice that she has made. Yet here He sits, sharing conversation and water with her. He knows it all, yet here he sits telling her that she is welcome and invited to worship the Father in spirit and truth. Here is the One who knows everything about her, yet he loves her anyway. I hope you can imagine what thoughts rang in her mind, because the One whom she encountered at the well is the One who encounters each of us, inviting and welcoming us to come and follow Him and worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Mark Driscoll says that our mission as believers is to be close to Jesus. He says that the gospel of Jesus and our freedom in Him is intended to allow us to dance as close to sinners as possible by crossing the lines that unnecessarily separate the people God has found from those he is still seeking. Driscoll says this actually protects us from sin, because the way to avoid sin is not to avoid sinners, but to stick close to Jesus.

I thank God that he has allowed me to live life in places where people do not know His love and grace. I love that my path in life sometimes takes me to places where I have to really struggle and strive to find where in the world God could possibly be working in a situation. I love sinners. And I love that the God who loves me loves sinners. It means that he loves me, because I'm one too. And it means that when I find myself close to those who do not yet know his love and whom He is still seeking, I find myself close to Him.

What I'm Reading These Days...

Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll

I just started this book and so far it has been very good. The author is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seatlle and founder of the Acts 29 Church planting network. A lot of my heart right now is in the church plant/emerging church movement. The subtitle of the book is "Reaching Out Without Selling Out." As I gather so far, it is about radically refomring the way we see our mission and understanding that we are called to take the gospel of Christ not just to the nations, but also across the street.

My Prison Without Bars by Pete Rose

I just finished reading this autobiography by Pete Rose. I really enjoyed it and it was nice to read something "light" and not filled with the spiritual or church related concepts that are in much of what I read. While I hate that Pete Rose tainted the game with his gambling addiction, I think his punishment has been a little harsh by baseball and that he should be in the Hall. This book hits a lot of baseball history even as far back as when Rose was growing up as a kid so its a good read for you baseball and sports fans.

Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli

I have also just started reading this one a few weeks ago. While its good, I

think it will probably take a backseat to the Driscoll book. This one is all about how we need to form student ministries that practice the presence of Jesus. I am one of those youth ministers who believe that the "circus" that we have so often created to draw kids in has had a very negative impact on the gospel of Christ working in students' lives so I am interested to see Mark Yaconelli's take on this subject.

Christmas and The New Year

Well, it has been a while since I have posted. A big reason is because I have not had internet at our house since we moved and then we were at my parents during the week of Christmas, and while they do have the 'net, I just wasn't up to logging onto anything through dial-up. I guess that patience thing still isn't working...Anyway, my Christmas holdiay was absolutely incredible and I hope your's was as well. Here are some highlights of the last couple weeks.

I hit the Christmas gift jackpot this year. Really, it was incredible. Johanna got me a gift card for a new rifle. It was cool because I opened up my gift and there was a toy cap shot-gun in the box and I really didn't know what was going on. Then she told me to turn it over and the gift card was on the back. I am super excited about going to get it and going shooting with the guys. She also got me a sweet Homer Simpson clock (I am a huge Simpson's fan) and a scope for my gun. Then on Christmas day, Johanna teamed up with my parents and they all got me an XBOX 360. I am totally thrilled about that gift as well. My brother has one and we are looking forward to playing on XBOX live and talking a little trash like old times. Last weekend he and his wife were at our house and we got a head start on some of our rivalries, which ended in me crushing him in Madden 07 and then him turning around and returning the favor in NBA Live. He and Christie also gave me some great gifts. I got a Sony Vega flat screen TV from them and the Madden 07 game for the 360. As I said earlier, I hit the jackpot...

However, as incredible and cool as all those gifts are and as much fun as I will definitely have with them, that was not the greatest thing about my holiday. The greatest thing about the Christmas holiday was who I got to spend it with. From time to time you will hear me say that, while life is amazingly grand in and of itself, it's joys and experiences are just multiplied when you get to share them within the context of a wonderful marriage. I love the holidays now that I get to spend them with Johanna. It just makes them so much better. It makes the joy multiplied and the happiness increased. And we got to spend some time with our families, which is always great. I love being at home and I love just being at a place where I can be me...People from home know me as Nic, not Nic the youth minister, or Nic the guy who works at a church, or Nic, the guy who preaches and teaches the Bible...To them, I am just another kid who they've watched grow up. I'm just like everybody else and there are no preconceived notions and concepts that I have to live up to. And sometimes it is refreshing to know that the people you're around have seen you at your best and at your worst and they love you at both ends of the spectrum. The holiday season for me was great this year, as last, because of whom I shared it with. I hope that you can feel the same about yours...

On a totally new subject - Just a note about our New Year's - We spend New Year's Eve with our students and some youth workers from our church at Main Event in Austin. Main Event is a family fun center that has bowling, laser tag, putt-putt golf, rock climbing, arcade games, and a lot more. It was a great time to just have fun and fellowship together. New Year's day consisted of watching bowl games, which was great. I will try and post a couple Christmas pics later today or tomorrow, but until then, have a good one...