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Quarterlife

Tonight we watched a new tv show. Quarterlife it had gotten some buzz as being the first internet show picked up by a network channel. I had done a little research and found out that the same guys had developed My So Called Life which was a teen angst show featuring Clare Danes back in the 90's. What I liked about that show was that they dealt with real issues and problems that affected all teenagers. This show in a similar vein deals with issues that affect all 20-somethings. It's the basic post-college-finding-yourself type of show that clings to the stress in each characters lives.

Maybe a better way of looking at it is that it is everything that Friends wasn't. Where Friends had issues you never saw depression or isolation, discouragement or disillusionment. The issues that they deal with here just seem more real. Getting kicked out of an apartment, having someone steal your idea at work, being torn apart by your acting coach. Things that at the end of the day make you question how you are going to make it.

That's just my take. I'm a good judge of what I like but not a very good judge of what will make it on television. Just because I like show's with angst doesn't mean the network will keep it going. I guess we'll see.

The next big thing

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like his life tends to move from one big thing to the next. Just finished up this crazy weekend and immediately am looking towards the next thing on my calendar. Fortunately it's not very packed and the next big thing is a spring break vacation with my family to Colorado.

Glad it's over

It's about 1:30am. I'm unable to sleep (which is not common) and really tired (which is.) Today we finished up a weekend of fundraising for the youth ministry. Everything went really well and we had a good time. I was on stage quite a bit which tends to drain me and I need alone time to recharge.

Overall I was so proud of the youth staff, parents, volunteers and the church as a whole. We had a great time with this fundraiser and I think it did the job of putting our missions philosophy and play out there in the light.

A lot of students signed up for trips today too. That's always good.

Things that make me smile

This is a crazy weekend for our Youth Ministry. Stream Serve is our once-a-year service project fundraiser where we auction off service projects for our community to raise money for missions. We just finished the live auction/entertainment portion tonight. I had to dance in a blues brothers skit with a couple other pastors and I also mc'd the whole event.

What made me smile tonight is that I auctioned off a parking spot in my driveway on Sunday Mornings. Since our church doesn't have a lot of parking and I happen to live across the street I figured it would go for bucks. It went for $1000.

The other funny thing tonight was when I came up with a last minute fundraising idea that I would have a bucket on stage and a bunch of sweatshirts from Texas Colleges. When someone dropped money in the bucket I would where whatever sweatshirt they wanted. The goal for that mini fundraiser was to give our All-Nations Kenyan Fellowship some money for their spring break trip. We raised about $400 with me changing clothes.

Now I'm about as tired as I could be. Gotta be ready to teach in the morning and then speak at a women's ministry meeting on Monday. Tomorrow I'm talking about Missions and Monday I'm talking about Christ and Culture and the 20-something generation.

My life is not usually this busy. I'm taking some time off next week.

All my posts are about being sick: sad

There's nothing like laying in bed at night and hearing someone suddenly throw up next to you. In the last week it's been a common occurrence. I'm not sure what's happening with Texas but it seems like everyone is sick and it keeps going around and around. Even as I type this I heard Soren throwing up. Silly doctor told us that everyone was fine and it was just head colds. Today I'm sick. I feel pretty trashy and just want to lie in bed all day.

Major event coming up on Saturday where I'm the MC. It's our annual missions fundraiser for the youth department. Hope I'm feeling better by then.

Being sick sucks when your seven, five or 2.

Our kids are sick. Pretty much have been since Friday. We thought they were getting better and then it went downhill again today. Danielle is also feeling sick. Go ahead and pray for us.

Decaf Day 7 Detox Day 3

1 Week ago I gave up caffeine and a few other things like sugar to see if I could jump start myself into being more healthy. Surprisingly besides a 3:00pm meltdown last tuesday (day 2) I have done pretty good. I've felt like I have a lot more energy and have actually slept a lot better.

On Saturday Danielle and I started a two week detox program. I've wanted to do this for a while but haven't taken the time to make it happen. So now I take a "huge" number of pills in the morning and night all aimed at flushing out my body of all the impurities that I've put in it. It feels good to be committed to getting healthy.

I'll keep posting here about how it's going.

Texas Weather and the Sick House

This has been an interesting weekend. Friday and Saturday were pretty cold days that included a lot of "Freezing" rain. Now when that particular word is used in front of rain I get slightly confused. Where I'm from when it's cold and starts to rain we get snow. Apparently here that is not the case. What you get here is an introduction to stepping outside and freezing your tail off.

We've had a sick house since Friday too and from the sound of Danielle's coughing she's now joined to sick crew.

No caffeine day 6

So I've done it. Gone almost a week without any caffeine. I've drank a lot of decaf which has been nice. Crazy week.

The Dallas scene

Went to a party last night. It was a wedding reception here in Dallas for one of my staff members who got married in Detroit right before Christmas. I can pretty much say I don't think I've ever been to such an elaborate party. Fun to see a ton of people from church all in a different setting. Elvis was there and so was Michael Jackson (or at least good impersonators). At one point I know the Mayor of Dallas was standing next to me.

Fun to see a bunch of students dressed up too. For Danielle and I it felt like we're finally getting to know some families and get to be a little bit more a part of the community.