Cheapest Gasoline in Pine City

This is one of those life hacks I always think everyone already knows about, but then I run across people who were totally unaware, so here's a little tip for my friends:

A couple years ago when Murphy Oil opened their station in the outskirts of the Walmart parking lot the gasoline prices in Pine City went from some of the highest in the area to some of the lowest. (Thank you, Murphy Oil!!!) I used to wait and try to fill up when I was down in the Cities at Sam's Club, and now our prices (with these savings) often are cheaper!

What many don't realize is that you also get an extra $.03 off per gallon at Murphy Oil when you use a Walmart gift card. I keep one with $50-100 on it and use it to fill up, instantly saving another 3 cents on what is already the lowest price in the area.

In addition, Murphy Oil will take local competitors' coupons. Just clip those Holiday coupons you get in the mail every few weeks and add another 7 to 10 cents off per gallon. They'll also honor Holiday's online coupons (just sign up for Holiday texts and you'll get gas coupon every couple weeks, as well.)

No Holiday coupon? No worries. Murphy Oil will also take $.05 off per gallon if you have a Dragon Football Discount Card. Combine one of those with the 3 cents off using the Walmart gift card and you are instantly saving 8 to 13 cents per gallon, which really adds up if you fuel up as often as we do.

[Update 2022: This is my most popular post, but it is sadly out of date. I have an updated post on this same topic here: https://spahrtracks.blogspot.com/2022/02/what-deal-best-gas-prices-in-pine-city.html]

Garmin and Runkeeper and Strava, Oh my! Sync all your running apps for free

A while ago I posted about Runkeeper which was the first app I began using regularly when running. I still like Runkeeper, but now have an awesome Garmin watch (a Vivoactive 3) so I tend to use Garmin Connect most frequently. But I also have friends who use Strava and it has some good metrics and graphs, too. How to choose?!

Fortunately a while ago I ran across a great website that will sync your runs (and rides and whatever you are tracking). It's called Tapirik and it's free. According to the site, "Tapiriik synchronizes your fitness activities between Garmin Connect, Runkeeper, Strava, TrainingPeaks, SportTracks.mobi, Endomondo, RideWithGPS, TrainAsONE, TrainerRoad, Motivato, Velo Hero, Epson RUNSENSE, Dropbox, Smashrun, BeginnerTriathlete, Pulsstory, Singletracker, Aerobia, and SETIO (your heart rate, cadence, power, and temperature data syncs too)". Most of these I've never even heard of, but for the three main apps I like to use it works great. You do have to click to get things to sync up, but for $2 a year (yes, a year!) you have have it auto-sync (well worth the money!)

Check it out yourself, and if you use Garmin Connect, Runkeeper, or Strava, look me up. It's always more fun to run with people (even if it's only virtually).

Live Fully Alive

Heading out on vacation over to Michigan for a family reunion. (So my daily blog updates may get a little less daily for the next week.)

On our trip we are going to be listening to Ken Davis' book, Fully Alive. Rosalie and I have both read it and are looking forward to now listening as Ken reads it. I would highly recommend this book that chronicles Ken's journey and is a model for all of us as we learn to live fully alive.

Everybody has a Story

 You have a story to tell.

If you're a Christ-follower, you have an amazing story about how you came to know Jesus Christ personally. How many people know your story?

As a pastor, I do a lot of funerals. Very often if I don't know the person I will ask their family about their loved one's faith story. Far too often they don't know or there are vague references to "going to church when they were younger" or something. Either the person didn't really have a vital relationship with God, or they never shared their story.

Write down your story and share it with your loved ones. Now. Don't wait until someday when you're gone and they have to try to guess. You will bless them in ways you can't imagine.

And if you don't have a story about meeting Jesus, maybe this will encourage you to start investigating seriously and be the beginning of the greatest story of your life!

Devotions Done Right

I'm not a big fan of most devotionals. I suppose it's because the vast majority I've seen are simplistic or trite and misuse scripture by taking it out of context. It's really hard to take a few verses of Scripture, explain them and make application in a few paragraphs. (Some pastors struggle to do it in a 30 minute sermon!) That's why I was excited to come across a great daily devotional from the Psalms by Tim Keller and his wife, Kathy.

If you know anything about Tim Keller you will know that he has great respect for God's Word and a wonderful pastoral heart combined with a razor-sharp intellect. This all shows up in this great book. You read a few verses from a Psalm and then the commentary on them and end with a prayer.

This is a wonderful book that I have been using for just a couple of weeks now but fully intend to use for the next year. It's one you could come back to time and time again (although I think they are coming out with one on Proverbs later this year. Have to put that on my list after this one's done).

Do you have a devotional you really enjoy? Share in the comments below.

App Recommendation: Runkeeper

It's free app Friday! (I don't know if that's really going to be a thing on my blog or not, but it's Friday and a free app, so there you have it.)

I started running recently and have tried out a number of apps that track my endeavors. So far my favorite is one called Runkeeper. I asked a number of my friends on Facebook who are runners for their recommendations and everyone had a different one to suggest, but so far Runkeeper is the one I keep returning to.

Most of the functions in Runkeeper are free but you can pay to upgrade to more detailed comparisons of how you've been doing, live updating of runs so your friends can follow your progress (say on a 5K event) and so on. There's a 7-day free trial of the upgrades I may try next month when I run my first 5K (Mora Half Marathon and 5K) so may family can see the live updates. But the basic program is more than capable for all my needs. Plus it synchronizes with a bunch of other fitness equipment and apps, so that's nice.

One of my favorite parts of this app are the different audio stats voices you can select from which give you status updates throughout your run. My favorite voice is "Your Conscience" which is hysterically funny. Hopefully they'll keep adding different options. ("Drill Instructor" is good for a change once or twice, but got old pretty quick for me.)

All that being said, I'm also going to experiment with another app called Strava. It seems to be for more serious athletes and not beginners like me, but we'll see. I'll update this if I end up changing. Nevertheless, I'd still recommend Runkeeper.

Do you have a preferred fitness app? Let me know in the comments.

Don't run? Got nothing for you. You can head back to camp.

Facebook Vs. Blogging

Why a blog and not just post on Facebook?

Facebook is okay (I guess) for the occasional update or personal anecdotes, but it not very good for recording things you want to keep and look back on. (Although their Memories function which shows old posts is entertaining, it's not all that useful.) Plus with all of the advertising and junk that gets shared it's nearly impossible to sort through the important from the ethereal.

With a blog you can record ideas in a more coherent and lasting manner. It's also easier to search and doesn't have all of the clutter that Facebook has become overwhelmed with. Plus it's accessible to everyone - even those without a Facebook account. (There are those out there. I've heard stories of sightings...)

Seth Godin has a great quote about this:

"If you know you have to write a blog post tomorrow, something in writing, something that will be around 6 months from now, about something in the world, you will start looking for something in the world to to write about. You will seek to notice something interesting and to say something creative about it. Well, isn’t that all we’re looking for? The best practice of generously sharing what you notice about the world is exactly the antidote for your fear."

Do you have ideas that you want to share? Maybe look into starting a blog. Let me know in the comments below and I'll link to it (as long as it's not just cat pictures...).

I Am the Candyman

Spent a couple hours today looking for places to purchase candy wholesale for our new store, Spahr Mercantile. In addition to fabric (which is our primary product), we're going to feature Old Fashioned Candy Sticks and will start with 18 different flavors available. I'm also getting some bacon toffee and maple bacon candy on a stick, plus bacon maple chocolate candy to sell as well because... bacon! And since I'm doing the ordering, I get to choose.

What's your favorite candy? Anything suggestions on candy we should carry?

Habit and Crisis

Heard a great interview today on the EntreLeadership Podcast with author Charles Duhigg who wrote The Power of Habit. He talked about keystone habits - like exercise - which impact more than one area of life. (Ironically(?) I was listening to the podcast on my morning run...) One key takeaway: the belief that you have the ability to change your habits is vital.

One quote in particular stuck out: Crisis is not just an opportunity to respond, crisis is an opportunity to change.

What keystone habits do you have in your life?

What crisis are you facing and what opportunities does that give you (or your business or your organization)?

Special Guest Speaker

What a privilege to be able to sit and listen to my son, Jordan, teach yesterday. He was the guest speaker at our church for Sunday morning worship and he did a terrific job. I am so proud of him!

Jordan will be starting his fourth year at the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, this fall where he majors in Sports Management with minors in coaching and Bible. If you want to listen to his message, it will be posted tomorrow on our church's web site - firstprespinecity.org.

Where Do You Go to Grow?

I love going to the Global Leadership Summit every year and am looking forward to going again this year. This event is simulcast every year from Willow Creek Community Church. I'm planning on attending the satellite site (probably at New Hope Church in New Hope, MN) on August 10-11 and will be taking some of my senior high students with me. It's really targeted at adults, but I love taking senior highers to help challenge and envision them for what God is doing in the world and might want to do in their lives.

This is a great event for everyone and anyone who wants to grow in their leadership. I always find it inspiring to listen to the world-class faculty they bring in. This year's lineup includes Bill Hybels, Marcus Buckingham, Gary Haugen, Andy Stanley, and a bunch more - including Michael Jr.! Highly recommended. If you get a chance, be sure to attend. It is well worth the investment.

What has been most helpful or inspiring to you as a leader? (Maybe you think you're not a leader, but everyone leads something. Leadership at it's most basic is just influence, and you have influence with some people in your life.)

Pursuing Your Dream

We're spending the day celebrating the Grand Opening of Rosalie's new business venture: Spahr Mercantile. She's spend the last 8 months planning and preparing for this day, including several months renovating our pole barn and turning it into an old fashioned mercantile-style store. In addition to selling fabric, she will also be featuring handmade goods that she's created and some for other local artisans.

Before

After

You can see more pictures and follow along on the Mercantile's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Spahr.Mercantile/

I'm so excited to see her dream become a reality and I'm really proud of her for pursuing it.

So what's your dream? What's keeping you from pursing it?

Introducing Spahr Tracks 2.0

Seth Godin told me to blog. Every day.

He said so right here: https://www.cjchilvers.com/blog/seth-godin-explains-why-you-should-blog-daily 

So... Introducing Spahr Tracks 2.0

I'm revitalizing the blog I started years ago but haven't updated in the last 3 years.

Some days I'll write a lot - some days a little. I'll post on things I find interesting that I think may interest you or make you think. If this helps you - glad I could help. If not... these are not the droids you're looking for. Move along. Move along.

I'll try not to ramble and I'll endeavor to keep it interesting and humorous.

And short.

See you tomorrow.

Michael J. Fox's show just wasn't funny

Michael J. Fox blames the time slot on the failure of his latest show. (www.studiobriefing.net/2014/03/michael-j-fox-no-death-sentence-for-his-series-yet/) The co-creator references his Parkinson's disease. Seriously, people! The show just wasn't funny! (That's kind of a prerequisite for a comedy.) He thought he could skate by on his personality, wit, and name recognition. The writing was horrible! I wanted to like it but could only stomach a few episodes before giving up. When will Hollywood realize "it's about the writing, stupid!"

(Incidentally, the same thing could be said for Letterman. Used to be fun and creative, now just a crotchety old guy phoning it in. Fallon has nothing to worry about!)

What is a Christian to think about Syria?

The whole question of military action in Syria is a troubling one for anyone, especially for Christ-followers. I think there are definitely times that military action is called for, but is this one? A recent Breakpoint broadcast addressed this issue with relation to the "Just War" doctrine. It's the most balanced discussion I've come across. Here is an excerpt:

In response to the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons, would a U.S. strike against Syria be justified in light of the principles of Just War theory?
Just War theory helps Christians think about war within a Christian framework. From Augustine to Aquinas to the Reformers, Christian thinkers have generally agreed that for a war to be just, it must meet the following conditions:
The cause itself must be just — as well as the intention behind going to war. War must be waged by a legitimate authority. Force used in war must be proportionate to the threat and must not target non-combatants. War must be a last resort, and there must be a reasonable chance of success.
Let’s look at each of these in regards to Syria. And folks, I think you’ll see with me that there are no easy answers here.
First, is the cause just? The Obama administration is making the case that it must act to stop the Assad regime from using chemical weapons. That certainly does seem like a just cause.
However, as Gerard Powers at the Institute for Peace Studies at Notre Dame writes, just cause is “generally limited to defense against aggression.” In Syria, as in most civil wars, both sides are aggressors. In Syria, we would be taking sides, not acting against aggression.
That brings us to the question of intention. Sen. John McCain added language to a Senate resolution that would commit the U.S. to changing the momentum on the battlefield in favor of the rebels, which is highly problematic from a just war perspective.
Legitimate authority poses another tricky question. The administration points to the 1925 Geneva Protocol against chemical weapons and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention signed by 189 countries. However, as the Washington Post points out, there is no enforcement mechanism in these documents. And many countries, friend and foe alike, are questioning the legality of a U.S. attack without U.N. approval. (Of course, if the U.S. were acting in self-defense — which we aren’t — the U.N. wouldn’t be an issue.)
Now proportionality: According to Gerard Powers, “the overall destruction expected from war must be proportionate to the good to be achieved.” In that sense, launching missiles to destroy the Syrian military’s ability to launch chemical attacks seems reasonable. However, it also appears that the Syrians have begun hiding military assets in the midst of civilian populations. Aiming for those assets would put many civilian lives at risk.
And it’s possible that a U.S. “intervention” could lead to more chemical attacks, a regional war, or a jihadist takeover of Syria. As Rabbi Michael Broyde wrote in the Huffington Post, “In the real world, just war theory has to actually work, and not just theoretically work. Doing nothing is a moral option when doing anything makes a bad situation worse.”
Another question: Are we at the “last resort” stage? Have we exhausted all diplomatic and economic options? I don’t know that we have.
And finally, do we have a reasonable chance of success? Answering this one requires that the administration and Congress define what success is before we go to war.
Hard questions; no easy answers. That’s where we are. On the whole, my sense is that an American attack on Syria probably would not meet the standards of just war.

To read the whole thing, go here. Some pretty compelling but very balanced arguments. What do you think?

Summer Reading Ideas

Summer is often a little more laid back and the pace of life seems to slow for many of us. It is often a great time to catch up on reading some good books you have been meaning to get to.

If you are looking for some book ideas, here in no particular order are a few that I have found to be exceptionally good. 

Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller’s best known work and one of my favorites of his, this is a funny, quirky look at God and life as he traces his own spiritual journey.

The Life You’ve Always Wanted - John Ortberg writes about spiritual practices that will help you connect with God. One of my favorite books of all time, it has been especially formative for me.

The Case for Christ - A classic by Lee Strobel, a former atheist and investigative reporter who sets out to prove Christianity is fake and ends up finding enough evidence to make a compelling case for believing Jesus is who he said he was.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption - Laura Hillenbrand, tells the story of Louis Zamperini, Olympic athlete and World War II bombardier. Extremely compelling, this can be a challenging read when it graphically details the abuse he suffered as a prisoner of war in Japan. A true story of perseverance and hope, it is hard to put down and highly recommended.

I have copies of each of these for any who would like to borrow one. What’s on your reading list this summer?

(Cross-posted from June newsletter at First Presbyterian Pine City.)

Ministry in a Changing World

First Presbyterian Pine City members and friends will be hearing a lot more over the next year about Ministry In A Changing World - an exciting initiative from our Presbytery that we will be taking part in. Its purpose is to assist churches in developing a focused vision and specific strategic steps to accomplish our mission. Our church will go through an individual assessment, visioning, and implementation process with the assistance of a trained coach and alongside three other churches in our Cohort group. 

In addition to those attending the Cohort retreats, we will be inviting all members and friends of FPPC to become a part of the process of looking at how God has equipped us uniquely as a church and charting the course for our future. Watch for more news and information about how you can be involved and be praying for our leadership as we continually seek God’s leading for our church.

(reprint from May newsletter - First Presbyterian Pine City)

Spahr Family Christmas Letter 2012

Merry Christmas from the Spahrs

It's been a tumultuous, exciting, stressful, patience-building, faith-testing year for the Spahr family. Through it all, God guided and provided in amazing and unexpected ways.

We began the year still dealing with Jordan's ongoing headaches from a football injury in 2010. He was only able to attend school for an hour or two each day. He was able to stay current and pull great grades through homebound instruction and tutoring from several teachers at the school. Finally in May, after consulting two neurologists and having a number of MRIs and CTs, a physical therapist diagnosed the problem as not being a result of the concussion he received but rather related to irritated nerve endings in his neck and base of his skull from the whiplash-like effect of the collision. Several exercises were prescribed to strengthen the muscles protecting those nerves and allowing them to heal. When done consistently, this has provided almost total relief from the chronic migraine-level headaches he had. He was able to resume full-day attendance at school in the Fall! He also resumed playing football - one of his great passions in life - and was awarded his first varsity letter and the "Work Horse Award" for hard work throughout the year. He will head into his senior year next fall as one of the captains of the varsity Dragon football team. He hopes to play football in college and pursue a career as a football coach. 

Jonah, also, pursued his passion which is running. He enjoyed a good season running track in the spring and made great strides in the fall as a cross country runner, achieving several personal bests and receiving the "Most Improved Runner" award. He is continuing to train this winter in preparation for track next spring to finish his sophomore year. He is also a voracious reader and has a keen intellect which is serving him well in high school. After he graduates in 2015, Jonah would like to major in Criminology at Northwestern College in the Twin Cities and enjoy a career in law enforcement. 

Rosalie has been continuing to build Purple Pants Creations, her home-based sewing/embroidery business. She branched out from her focus on "American Girl"-style dolls clothes to make some "Bitty Baby" style clothes and pillow monsters. Many of her creations are available through her Facebook page. She is also continuing to display at local craft shows with the most effective one being the Hinckley craft show held at the beginning of November each year (opening deer hunting weekend). She's had many special orders for blankets and quilts, as well.

Much of Rosalie's time, as well as Rob's, was spent in a house hunt that encompassed over half of the year. In April the landlords at the house we had been renting for the last three years suddenly decided they wanted to sell the house. We began a search for a new house as well as pursuing financing for a purchase, which made more sense than continuing to rent as the current interest rates meant that a purchase would result in much less payment than rent. After looking at options and even making an offer, nothing worked out. We finally were able - with some creative financing, help from family, and persistence by our realtor - to make an offer on the house we had been renting. It took more than five months to close and many times we thought the deal was dead, but the Monday after Thanksgiving we were able to sign the paperwork to be able to own our home. The best part was that we didn't have to move all our stuff! Rosalie is excited to tackle some renovations which you can drop by and see (or help with!) 

During this time I (Rob) was enjoying my first full year as an Assistant Manager at Walmart. I spent days off substitute teaching at the high school and providing occasional pulpit supply at First Presbyterian Church in Pine City. During this time both Rosalie and I began to sense that God may have something else in mind for the family beyond my new career in retail. 

First Pres had been asking for some time if I was interested in taking over when their pastor retired, but I had repeatedly declined. After some difficult youth ministry tenures, I was enjoying being a volunteer leader at another local church, subbing, and working at Walmart. But God independently drew both Rosalie and me to the conclusion that the position at First Pres was something worth exploring. I never aspired to be a senior pastor, but the wonderful, special people in this church broke down my resistance to that role. The church is small and traditional but wants to redevelop a vibrant ministry for all ages. They are excited about changing and growing again. After a lot of back and forth with the denomination, it looks like I will be taking over as senior pastor on January 13th. 

My last day at Walmart will be January 18th and I'll miss all of the great people I got to know and work with there over the last four years. Our family is excited as we plunge back into the world of vocational ministry. The last four years have been a great opportunity to grow and develop my leadership skills in the corporate workplace and I look forward to leveraging my learnings and gifts in the local church again.

So we close out a crazy year of transition poised to take on the challenges of a new year and a new ministry, confident that God will continue to lead and guide us. We look forward to keeping in touch with you all throughout the year via Facebook, blog posts, email, etc. Or give us a call or stop by!

Have a great Christmas! From the family that is proof that God has a sense of humor...

Rejoicing in Him!

Rob, Rosalie, Jordan and Jonah

December 2012

"Debt-Free U" - Required Reading for Students and Parents!

I just finished reading Zac Bissonnette's book, Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents. I first heard about the book through an interview that Dave Ramsey did with the author on his radio program. I have to say, this is a fabulous book that every high school student and every parent of a student considering college needs to read! Zac has a wonderfully casual style of writing while also loading up the info about how to get a great college education.

The first two chapters especially are vital reading for students and parents. They are eye-opening in ways that you would not believe.

The rest of the book is filled with great information, as well, though you may find yourself skimming some chapters depending on your background and biases. The only area I would take issue with Zac is in the area of faith-based colleges as I don't think he sufficiently factors in the benefits a Christian college can offer to students who are Christ-followers. However the book overall is phenomenal and one I would highly recommend. I've checked it out twice from the library and may end up purchasing my own copy for my kids to read and eventually to lend to others.

The Magic of Movies

The other day I finished reading Nicolas Meyer's wonderful memoir,The View From the Bridge: Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood. Highly recommended for anyone who is either a Star Trek fan or who wants to know more about how movies are (and aren't) made. (More details and a wonderful review here.)

One of the passages I found most interesting is at the very end of the book (p 236). This sums up my feelings, as well.

Watching movies at home, on a screen however large and a sound system however noisy, is simply not the same thing as seeing them in a theater. My dad used to say that watching movies on TV was like getting kissed over the telephone. What's missing in seeing a film on television is a central component of what it means to be human - the assembly. Whether it's at a church, at a play, or at the movies, the idea of losing your identity at a gathering of others - known or unknown to you - while sharing a common experience, a journey, an event, is uniquely human, and in my opinion we abandon such practices at our peril. Gatherings are important, and certainly better than going through life with ear buds. Never mind the theology or medium in question, concentrate on the part where you rub shoulders with strangers. Cities are places you walk or ride the subway, places where you look at people, they look at you; you don't pass them on the freeway at seventy miles an hour. At the end of a performance of Beethoven's Third, you and the audience have shared an adventure, at one individual and collective. The experience make you a better person. Don't ask me how or why, but it does. There isn't any movie shown on television that wouldn't be better in a movie theater. Art is fragile - it can be interrupted by crying kids, the telephone, the neighbors, what have you. Gatherings, whether for music, church, plays, films, or ballets, are experiences to which you must make a commitment and in making that commitment, in leaving your home to devote yourself to that communal experience, you reaffirm your humanity.

How awesome is that?! Interesting implications for internet churches, but explains why video venues for churches, conferences, and simulcasts are just as effective as those where the speaker is present physically. Food for thought, for sure.

Back to School

Hard to believe that summer is over already and the kids are back in school. Now we have both Jordan and Jonah in junior high and both in sports (Jonah in cross country and Jordan in football). Such great boys - we're so proud of them!

What does a Youth Pastor do all day?

Saw this excellent post about a youth pastor's job description. So true! Here is a great clip.

Here are some examples of what I do: pray, study, read, keep up with teen culture (not very easy to do), preach, teach, share, text, email, facebook, administrate, organize, make phone calls, return phone calls, conflict resolution, plan activities, hospital visits, confront, encourage, get frustrated, strategize, buy new tools for ministry, edit video, clean up, talk to parents, support my pastor, go to meetings, travel, meet new people, raise money, balance my time with my family, go to school events (concerts, games, …), develop leaders, update website, share life with others, stay up all night, drive a bus and go out to eat!

Rubik's Cube and a Football - This Sunday at Evergreen

 

I have the privilege of sharing the message again this week at my church. It's the first in a two-part series on sharing your faith.

A Picture of Our Relationship with God

I read a great post in Donald Miller's blog today and wanted to share a quote. It's a bit longer than I usually share, but it's only a portion of an ever longer, better post. This is a beautiful way to understand God and our relationship with Him. Here's a clip.

I had a long conversation with a distinguished scholar last month whose lifelong expertise is story structure. He is not a Christian. And as we talked, he said something that fascinated me. He said this:

“I understand you Christians. I understand the essence of your message. It’s this: If you are not a good person, you are going to burn in hell for all eternity.”

As I said, this man was a distinguished scholar and so it surprised me when he made this statement from a position of absolute knowing. There was no doubt in his voice. He wasn’t asking me to confirm. He knew. But he was absolutely wrong. That isn’t the essence of the Christian story, and anybody who believes so is a heretic.

Our story, and by our story I don’t mean the Christian story, I mean humanity’s story, is this:

The Trinity existed forever in a completely loving community. They were and are other focused, without what we think of as ego (though I believe they have something like ego, we would not recognize it in comparison to our own) and they created an existence, including you and I, to enjoy their company. That is the most loving thing a perfectly loving being could do. But love cannot be controlling, it has to set it’s muse free, so they gave humanity an option out. And humanity took it, thus, by necessity, there was a separation between pure good and anything other than pure good. So now, we who have been designed to be complete in God, seek affirmation and validation from each other as though our lives depend on it. But it doesn’t work. Nobody has agency but God. So God sends his son to earth and his son essentially says this:

“You guys have all walked away from God. He can’t have anything to do with you, because he is purely good. But look, I haven’t walked away from him, so if you marry me, and we become one, you’ll be reunited with the Trinity. He’ll look at you and see me. We’ll do this at a wedding in heaven. Until the wedding, though, just have faith. It’s as though it’s already done. But it’s going to kind of suck until then.”

So that’s where we are in our story. We are waiting for the wedding, and until then, we have hope, and we have an explanation for our hope.

Be sure to read the entire post: "How the Stories You Believe are Screwing With Your Mind". Not a complete theological treatise or explanation of the Gospel, by any means, (nor is it meant to be) but it is a wonderful starting point for discussing our faith. I can't wait to read Don's next book: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It's about the personal implications of story and it should be fascinating.

USA Monk Tribute Promo

If you watch any of USA Network's awesome original series (Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, In Plain Sight) you'll get a kick out of this hilarious tribute video for Monk. It's amazing how many great shows USA has put together. Our family enjoys all of these very much. Great storytelling and wonderful characters.

Blogging, "Micro-blogging", and Facebook

What's the difference between having a blog and keeping your Facebook status updated (or Twitter, or MySpace, etc.)? Isn't it the same thing?

I've been a Facebook fan for some time now and recently added my 300th friend. That may seem like a lot to some, depending on how long you've been on Facebook and your age. Others may find this quite a small number - usually younger people or those who friend at random anyone they've ever met. But I digress.

For a little while now I have been much better at keeping my Facebook status updated but have allowed the blog here to languish. Part of this is the assumption that most of the people I know are Facebook friends and can "follow" me there. Recently, however, I have begun updating my status a lot less frequently. I started updating my status only when I felt that I had something more significant to share than "heading to work again" or "staying up late tonight". I weary of reading some of my Facebook friends' updates that are constantly filled with trivia. It's not that I don't want to know what they are up to, but there is a point when the trivia becomes trivial. (For instance, there is the new habit some of my friends have gotten into where they post lines from a song as a status update. Sorry, guys, but I just don't care unless there is something in those lines of particular significance to you. If so, then explain it. Otherwise you may end up in my "hidden" list of status updates.)

The benefit of blogging is that there is the opportunity to expand on a thought and really flesh out items of more significance. No, I won't be giving up Facebook, which I think is a wonderful way to keep in touch, network, etc. But I think a nice balance of blogging is a great way to keep my communication skills sharp (as Seth Godin pointed out in my blog post yesterday.) Also, as these blog posts get highlighted in my Facebook status updates, there will be opportunity for interaction via the Facebook comments rather than on this site. Hopefully I can share some helpful, interesting, thought-provoking, or simply entertaining things on the blog and we can discuss together via Facebook. Let me know what you think.

Why blog?

Saw this today and thought it was brilliant. Certainly something worth aspiring to, for sure. I'm going to give it a try. We'll see how it goes.

Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover LIVE!

Meeting Dave Ramsey and sitting in on a taping of his radio show was one of the highlights of 2007 for me. Rosalie and I also were able to host a Financial Peace University class at our home early the next year. But the one thing I've always wanted to be able to do but never had the chance to is to go to one of Dave's Total Money Makeover LIVE events. These events are held in various large cities around the country, but there has never been one close enough for me to be able to attend.

That's changed now that Dave's September 19 live event will be simulcast to thousands of locations around the U.S. Our church - Evergreen Community Church - is privileged to be able to co-host this event along with Our Redeemer Lutheran Church which will be held at the Evergreen Community Church campus - 710 5th Ave SW, Pine City. The event runs from noon until 5 p.m. with the doors opening at 11 a.m. The cost to attend is $25, which includes a workbook.

This is a high-energy 5-hour event where Dave shares great information about taking back control of your money. Whether you are married and need to get on the same page or single and need the tools to stay financially focused, this event is for you! Dave shares personal experiences, stories, and information not found elsewhere. It's packed with humor, energy, and incredible information.

Because we're hosting this locally, you won't have to drive to the Cities, try to find a place to (pay to) park, and fight huge crowds and long lines. Instead you'll be able to gather with a couple of hundred people from east-central Minnesota right here in Pine City to laugh and learn together.

I'll be the key contact person at Evergreen and Glenn Westing is the person to talk to at Our Redeemer. Checks for tickets can be dropped off at either church office or given to either of us personally. Reserve your spot now as the facility will accommodate about 200 people and we anticipate this filling up quickly.

Working on Time Out! for Sunday

Stress, overwork, pace of life, burnout. These types of issues are epidemic in our society. But that's not the kind of life God calls us to. So how do we take advantage of the Time Outs that God gives us? That's what we'll be talking about this Sunday.

I am excited about the opportunity to share with our church.

Award-Winning Son!

Congratulations to Jonah for his Presidential Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence! Way to go!!
Congrats also to all of the other recipients in the sixth grade class. Only 12 students received this honor this year from our school.

Jonah also received several other awards this morning as the students celebrated the last day of school - and the last day of elementary school for them! The year has gone so fast! Seems like just last year I was blogging about Jordan winning this award. Oh, yeah, I was.

I can't believe I'm now the father of two junior high boys! They're so awesome!!