a few pics...

here are a few pics i took at the refinery yesterday when we were giving tours...more tours today and i'm gonna take some more pics...these are just views of the front main entrance...this building is AMAZING...imagine the coolest building you can...and even then, its probably not close...seriously, its sick!!!...i CANNOT WAIT to do ministry with students in this building...

true fellowship...

last night was our monthly worship night called fuel...good stuff...i had some great prayer time with several of the guys from my small group...we had a great conversation about true, biblical fellowship...one of the things we focused on was that biblical fellowship has less to do with the amount of time spent together and more to do with quality of that time...the conversation basically just centered around how these guys could take fellowship to the next level...i challenged each of them to spend time together, celebrate together, serve one another, and love each other...the guys are going to be looking for a chance to serve at least one other person in the group between now and next thursday when we get together again...i'm looking forward to hearing their stories of how they serve eachother...with finals coming up, they should have plenty of opportunities...

today was fun at work...i took a few interns and we drove down to laguna to spend some time "listening to the city"...we walked the streets, sat in a coffeeshop, and basically just listened to the Spirit prompt us...we were planning our service day that is scheduled for july 3rd...we came up with some really fun ideas of how our students can make an impact in laguna beach in three hours that might leave people asking "what was that all about?"...

we also had a great meeting today planning our "main event" nights that are starting soon once we open the refinery...lets just say this...wikipedia races, lego building competitions, 3-on-3 tourney, kajabe can can, and about 10 other freakin awesome ideas on the table...these nights are gonna be so fun...

the only thing i'm left thinking tonight is...how do i pull all this off with such a small budget?...hahaha...its old school youth ministry...activities and budget...fun times...cant wait...

till later...

4 new books...

i've been searching my shelves for a few days now trying to choose my next four books to focus on...here's what i've landed on...leaders on leadership (my leadership book- obviously), unchristian (youth ministry related book- i know its a stretch, but its ministry so it works), rich christians in an age of hunger (peace related book), and one thing (personal devotion book)...

there's a couple of books that i am excited to read soon when they come in the mail also...why we're not emergent and a christianity worth believing...some emerging thought stuff that i just ordered...sounds good...i'll tackle those next...

so i'll update the "good readin" section later with my new titles...

till later...

one more sign you're in orange county...

the weather is 80 and sunny...bright blue skies...cool breeze...you live 5 miles from some of the most beautiful beaches in the world...and you dont take advantage of it on a day like this...that's me today...and it's definitely a sign you're in orange county...so many people dont ever go to the beach here...people pay thousands and thousands of dollars to travel here all the time to have what we have on a daily basis...and so many never take advantage of it...and today i didn't either...i was lazy, watched tv, read, then went to the pool for and hour and a half...but no beach...i should have gone...wish i would have...with all the stuff coming up, i probably wont have the chance for a few weeks...oh well...

till later...

acid...

i went to the doctor today...i've not been feeling good lately...i've been sick to my stomach some, serious heart burn a lot, and even threw up a couple times over the past few days...the other day my glands were swollen...this morning i woke up at 5 am and threw up 4 times...thought i better get it checked out...the doctor said i have a weak flexor muscle that control acid in the stomach...essentially acid reflux...haha..he said i have to chew my food A LOT...stay away from spicy foods...and use zantac or some other over the counter acid controller to help...he also gave me a general antibiotic in case there is some intestinal infection...whatever...

today was a good day off...trying to choose my next round of books...never got into "visioneering" by andy stanley...i feel like i've ready it 5 times already...same thing as in the rest of his books...not bad, just been there done that...almost done with soul cravings...great...finished strategic volunteers...good...almost done with children of aids...not an easy read but good stories or real life...hard life, but real...so now i am searching my shelves for what's next...i have "jesus for president" that i've been picking my way through...i think that will be one...but we'll see what else will be in the mix...i'll update the books as soon as i know...

till later...

the refinery...

i haven't had much time to post since vacation ended...as is usually the case with vacation, when its over sometimes you wonder if it was worth it because of all the work that lies ahead...i've had a lot of phone calls and emails to return from when i was out...i'm covering for my friend, megan, who is on vacation...she leads life hurts god heals (program for hurting kids)...and i had no idea she gets so many phone calls and emails about her program...so all that to say, i havent had much time or energy to post lately...

the refinery, our new student facility, is almost complete and this weekend we gave tours to saddleback people who were wanting to make a donation...we creatively called them the "checkbook tours"...bring your check book and get a tour...it was a total success...lots of people came through, and we feel positive about the money it generated...its an UNBELIEVABLE building...all weekend long my mind was just swimming with ministry ideas...it's the zone in mt. vernon- on major steroids...MAJOR...soooo cool...i cant wait to have a place like this to connect with students...the coolest moment for me was when i took my small group guys through the other night...i've been praying that god would raise up some specific students that would really understand and grab ahold of the heart of what is behind this building...we want it to be all about reaching out to lost students...to be a place that every student can connect in...hsm central wrapped up in love and fun and jesus...so i've been praying that my guys would get this...and when i took them through the other night, they totally got it...we sat outside and talked about it...one of the guys said "we dont have any more excuses...you've taken away all our excuses to not be reaching out to our friends"...another guy said "this is a huge responsibility"...it was great...on their own, they circled up and prayed for all the ministry that was going to happen in that building...they prayed for the staff, student leaders, and workers that were building it...they actually went over to one of the workers and helped him carry in some stuff, then they each stood there and thanked him for all the work he had put into this place...all on their own...it was incredible...i love my guys...and they get it...so sweet!...

i'll put some pics up later tonight...

till later

a third sign you're in orange county...

this morning i dropped sis off at the airport to fly home...then i went to the laguna starbucks that i frequent to do some reading and study before work...i just needed some time to get my head back in the game...laguna is a village that (from what i understand) had a pretty healthy homeless population...its also a tourist town, so maybe that makes for some good street begging or something...i dont know...anyway, this morning i overheard two homeless guys talking...they were discussing the new homeless guy that had moved into town and were getting a good laugh at some of his tactics...then they purchased their starbucks lattes and sat down to read the paper and listen to music...one of the guys asked the other one if he wanted to share his ipod headphones and listen to this new song he had just learned about...so they sat in starbucks sipping lattes, listening to music on the ipod, and looking down their noses at the new homeless guy...orange county...for sure...haha...

till later...

vacation...day 5...

day 5...slept in...great...law & order episode #1...breakfast...law & order episode #2...walked around shops in ladera with sis...cloudy and grey so no beach today...kind of a bummer...but still good times just being lazy and talking/chillin...law & order episode #3...haha...went to mission mall and bought a new book and a magazine...rick is in the current issue of orange coast...the cover caught my eye cause it says something about the religious right and three oc pastors that influence it...the part about rick is great...talks about how he doesn't endorse politicians and sees issues of poverty and disease not as political issues but as spiritual issues...good stuff...off to laguna to walk around shops, sit in starbucks and talk with sis, and plan parents 40th anniversary shin dig...good cup o' joe and good conversation...back home for tacos...again...haha...they were just so good last night...law & order episode #4...maggie moos...and now bed...

we have an early morning tomorrow...sis flies home early...then i'm off to work...back to the routine...excited about what the next few weeks hold...opening of refinery (student zone)...summer interns starting...summer plans including camp, service days at beach, new ministry opportunities...good times over the next few weeks...i've found myself really missing friends from home lately though...i need to plan a trip there soon...its been since christmas...looks like it will be at least until sept before i can go though...too bad...

till later...

vacation...days 3&4...

day 3...slept in...homemade scrambled eggs, sausage, green and red pepper skillets...yum...to the pool...got bored...no people to watch...too tired to read...tried to head to beach...flat tire...major bummer...thank you, jesus, for emergency roadside assistance with mazda...tire changed 45 mins later...off to beach (small spare tire in place)...fun, sun, sleep, gelato...back home for clean up, then off to rubio's at spectrum and movie #5...chronicles of narnia, prince caspian...awesome!...barnes and noble, starbucks, and back home...little tv, some emails to friends, then bed...oh bed...great day...

day 4...got up early to go get new tires and oil changed in car...$500 later i have great tires and a fresh supply of oil...and no money...back home, packed the cooler, headed to laguna...the next 5 hours were spent reading magazines, laughing at beach goers, sleeping...home for tacos and episodes of bones, cold case, and law and order...walked dog, talked to former students...some reading and off to bed...sooooo good...

till later...

vacation...days 1 &2...

day 1...cleaned house and prepped for family coming to town...picked up fam at airport...stopped at the shake shack at crystal cove for a milkshake...movie #1- wedding planner...dana point harbor for some delicious dinner at harpoon henry's followed by live music...good times...movie #2- the great debaters (excellent)...

day 2...started off with movie #3- a walk to remember (embarrassing, but my sis loves it)...cleaned up and off to laguna beach where the sun shined, did some serious people watching, and kicked back with some music and cold drinks and burgers from greeters...awesome day...home for dinner...maggie moos (chocolate with heath bar and fudge for me)...and movie #4- narnia (in preparation for tomorrow night's prince caspian)...

so far, so FREAKIN GREAT!...

till later...