Did I tell you that it reads the opposite way as English yet?
Here is the Hebrew Alphabet
(s0rry if this verbal venting)
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Hebrew
This quarter I am taking Hebrew through Fuller Seminary Southwest. Hebrew has to be the hardest language I have ever studied. Greek definately kicked my butt for the last two years... Hebrew is now kicking me while I am down. Ok, its not that bad, but my brain is very confused.
Did I tell you that it reads the opposite way as English yet?
Here is the Hebrew Alphabet
(s0rry if this verbal venting)
Did I tell you that it reads the opposite way as English yet?
Here is the Hebrew Alphabet
(s0rry if this verbal venting)
Spending time with family
Ok, so Nikki may not be "real" family but her family has been here for us so much since we have been in Vegas. We went over to their house the other night for dinner and Sophie was loving on Nikki! Sophie loved Nikki so much that she went there on Thursday for date night so Charity and I could get out and get some us time. It has been crazy busy with work, school, ministry and everything else that wants to steal our time.I just have to add that I really think my baby is the cutest baby in the whole world! She is doing so much better, thanks for all you prayers.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Sophie's First Wedding
This weekend we went to Conrad and Karen's wedding. It was so much fun to be apart of the event and just see them. Conrad has been my best friend since like 5th grade and it was so rad to see him get married this weekend. Here is a family pic on the dance floor
Sophie and daddy were dancing and then the song: "My Girl" came on
This is a cool picture having some of the crew back together
Sophie and daddy were dancing and then the song: "My Girl" came on
This is a cool picture having some of the crew back together
Saturday, October 18, 2008
9 Pounds
That is right! You are looking at a 9 pound baby right now! She is growing and eating! Sophie is right at the weight she needs to be at. We had a scare last week where she wasn't gaining enough, but this week when Charity took her back she had gained 9 ounces and is at her ideal weight! She loves to throw that arm up in the air, it is the cutest thing in the whole world!!!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Just Chilling
Sophie was just chilling in the car seat getting ready to go hang out with Mom and Dad on date night.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Smiley
I wish I had pictures to go along with this post.
Last night, when I went to kiss Sophie goodnight, she was all smiles. I thought that she was tired but she just kept smiling at me. I was so in awe, I have seen her smile, but she usually doesn't smile much for me. She would literally see that it was me and start smiling all big and making the cooing noises. I was a proud dad!
Last night, when I went to kiss Sophie goodnight, she was all smiles. I thought that she was tired but she just kept smiling at me. I was so in awe, I have seen her smile, but she usually doesn't smile much for me. She would literally see that it was me and start smiling all big and making the cooing noises. I was a proud dad!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
New Pictures
I have been lagging on getting some new pictures of Sophie up for your viewing pleasure.
This last week my sister, Beth Diehl, came out with our mom and her son Blaze. We got this cute picture of the cousins.
Sophie is getting better in the bath tub
Sophie also loves her Oma
And most important, she LOVES spending time with Mommy
This last week my sister, Beth Diehl, came out with our mom and her son Blaze. We got this cute picture of the cousins.
Sophie is getting better in the bath tub
Sophie also loves her Oma
And most important, she LOVES spending time with Mommy
Button
Today one of our HS girls is wearing a button that says:
MARCHING BAND
if it were any easier it
would be called football
MARCHING BAND
if it were any easier it
would be called football
Thursday, October 09, 2008
INVITE NIGHT UPDATE
I really wanted to write this last night, while the thoughts were still fresh, but after cleaning the church until about 10:30pm I knew I needed to come home.
What is invite night?
Invite Night is a time for students to be intentional about reaching out to their friends. We really focus on teaching our students about evangelism and how they have the most influence on them. We bring in our student leadership team and really give them freedom to dream together and think about what they want the night to look like. Our students chose to do a "Club Theme" (that may only work in Vegas.
We started the night at 6:30pm with an invite only BBQ for sports teams. We fed the students and just created a place for students to hang out with each other. Our Men's Director, Kalani, totally blessed us by cooking food for us with some adult leaders. After the food was done we sent everyone outside (our church meets in a strip mall) and had them go into the Worship Room. We created a tunnel that they all had to walk through with red carpet, paparazzi, and a fog machine. Rockstar sponsored the event, so the hyper juice was flowing.
We had some amazing worship for our students to get involved with a quick game and then I got up to teach. I spoke on Genesis 1:24-31, day six of creation. I got some great info on the giraffe and how it defies evolution. Then I went into how we are created in the image of God. I talked about something called Laminin; the basic protein that holds our bod together. Here is an image of what it looks like. I did something that I normally don't do, I had students stand up who wanted to surrender their life to God. I was shocked! I am not a huge numbers guy, but we had 29 students who got up and went into the other room to talk with a leader about their choice. On a great note, we totalled 181 students (not a numbers guy, but God totally worked). The night in a whole was just a huge blessing.
I had some great talks with our leaders who saw God work, it was so good for all of us to see more of the potential we have in this city to reach Jesus. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us!
What is invite night?
Invite Night is a time for students to be intentional about reaching out to their friends. We really focus on teaching our students about evangelism and how they have the most influence on them. We bring in our student leadership team and really give them freedom to dream together and think about what they want the night to look like. Our students chose to do a "Club Theme" (that may only work in Vegas.
We started the night at 6:30pm with an invite only BBQ for sports teams. We fed the students and just created a place for students to hang out with each other. Our Men's Director, Kalani, totally blessed us by cooking food for us with some adult leaders. After the food was done we sent everyone outside (our church meets in a strip mall) and had them go into the Worship Room. We created a tunnel that they all had to walk through with red carpet, paparazzi, and a fog machine. Rockstar sponsored the event, so the hyper juice was flowing.
We had some amazing worship for our students to get involved with a quick game and then I got up to teach. I spoke on Genesis 1:24-31, day six of creation. I got some great info on the giraffe and how it defies evolution. Then I went into how we are created in the image of God. I talked about something called Laminin; the basic protein that holds our bod together. Here is an image of what it looks like. I did something that I normally don't do, I had students stand up who wanted to surrender their life to God. I was shocked! I am not a huge numbers guy, but we had 29 students who got up and went into the other room to talk with a leader about their choice. On a great note, we totalled 181 students (not a numbers guy, but God totally worked). The night in a whole was just a huge blessing.
I had some great talks with our leaders who saw God work, it was so good for all of us to see more of the potential we have in this city to reach Jesus. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us!
Monday, October 06, 2008
Using what God has given us…
I was looking through my files and found this, thought it was cool.
After traveling for over 30 hours we finally landed. We had been planning this trip for the last three months and we are finally here. My wife looked over at me and with a huge smile said: “I can’t believe we are in Africa, I have always wanted to come here”. I looked over at her at just smiled back, I thought to myself "I never thought God would take me here". We were in Burkina Faso, the third poorest country in the world. One in three kids die before the ago of 10 and the life expectancy is 42 years old. The average worker makes $2 a day, if they have a job and 87% of the population is unemployed. These are just some of the stats that I learned in the car ride from the airport.
We arrived at the guest house, what would be our base of operation for the next two weeks. I didn’t sleep the first night, I guess it didn’t matter we got in at 3am. I was just so shocked that God had brought me here. I kept wondering, why me God? What do you want with this pale white kid that was raised the mountains? Why did you bring me to Africa? The answers to these questions would come, it just took some time and listening to God.
The first day we went and did a tour of the churches we would be roofing and the pastors we would be partnering with. The team of twelve ranged from a High School senior to a 65 year old VP of some big company, we were a different team. As we drove around I just kept looking at all the people. I was amazed, I don’t think I had ever seen so many people out in the streets just hanging out with each other. I didn’t really know what to make of it and had to remind myself of the unemployment.
After working on some roofs and totally blowing the minds of the missionaries in Burkina, I guess we worked to fast we took some time to paint a church that has a center for Compassion International at it. We started sanding and next thing I knew there was 20 kids in the room with us, they just wanted to help. I started working with some of them and had them help me. I looked over and my wife was just sitting with them, she was taking time to spend with them. She got it, I had missed it. I was focused on the job and not the people. It is usually the other way around. I’m the pastor that spends too much time with students and forgets to work.
I could share hundreds of stories with you and ones where I remembered to spend time with the kids and knew that the work would get done when it got done. When I got home I felt God tugging on my heart. I felt Him reminding me about my times in Africa, and that is what He wants of me, to spend time with people. I can preach the best sermon in the world, and people will forget it. I can make the best winter camp ever and students will remember the snowboarding only. I can do this and I can do that, but students will never forget the time that I spend with them. Students will never forget the time that you spend with them. One of the team members with us was my middle school pastor; I have never forgotten what he did for me and how he allowed God to use him to impact my life. Tonight at our middle school program his son will be there and I will spend time with him and invest in him and the other boys in my small group. Who will you remember to connect with this week? Get out of the office, take some students to Starbucks and just chill with them.
After traveling for over 30 hours we finally landed. We had been planning this trip for the last three months and we are finally here. My wife looked over at me and with a huge smile said: “I can’t believe we are in Africa, I have always wanted to come here”. I looked over at her at just smiled back, I thought to myself "I never thought God would take me here". We were in Burkina Faso, the third poorest country in the world. One in three kids die before the ago of 10 and the life expectancy is 42 years old. The average worker makes $2 a day, if they have a job and 87% of the population is unemployed. These are just some of the stats that I learned in the car ride from the airport.
We arrived at the guest house, what would be our base of operation for the next two weeks. I didn’t sleep the first night, I guess it didn’t matter we got in at 3am. I was just so shocked that God had brought me here. I kept wondering, why me God? What do you want with this pale white kid that was raised the mountains? Why did you bring me to Africa? The answers to these questions would come, it just took some time and listening to God.
The first day we went and did a tour of the churches we would be roofing and the pastors we would be partnering with. The team of twelve ranged from a High School senior to a 65 year old VP of some big company, we were a different team. As we drove around I just kept looking at all the people. I was amazed, I don’t think I had ever seen so many people out in the streets just hanging out with each other. I didn’t really know what to make of it and had to remind myself of the unemployment.
After working on some roofs and totally blowing the minds of the missionaries in Burkina, I guess we worked to fast we took some time to paint a church that has a center for Compassion International at it. We started sanding and next thing I knew there was 20 kids in the room with us, they just wanted to help. I started working with some of them and had them help me. I looked over and my wife was just sitting with them, she was taking time to spend with them. She got it, I had missed it. I was focused on the job and not the people. It is usually the other way around. I’m the pastor that spends too much time with students and forgets to work.
I could share hundreds of stories with you and ones where I remembered to spend time with the kids and knew that the work would get done when it got done. When I got home I felt God tugging on my heart. I felt Him reminding me about my times in Africa, and that is what He wants of me, to spend time with people. I can preach the best sermon in the world, and people will forget it. I can make the best winter camp ever and students will remember the snowboarding only. I can do this and I can do that, but students will never forget the time that I spend with them. Students will never forget the time that you spend with them. One of the team members with us was my middle school pastor; I have never forgotten what he did for me and how he allowed God to use him to impact my life. Tonight at our middle school program his son will be there and I will spend time with him and invest in him and the other boys in my small group. Who will you remember to connect with this week? Get out of the office, take some students to Starbucks and just chill with them.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Adult Leader Training
We just had adult leader training and I love our leaders. We really do, honestly, have the best leaders ever! I am always so encouraged by the people they are. Tonight we talked about Matt 22:37-39 and how we need to be who God has God us to be first. Leaders must have their hearts in the right place before God can use us to impact students lives.
Thanks for all you do leaders!
Thanks for all you do leaders!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Made it home
This week I was in So Cal hanging out with a group of like minded youth workers and the time was great. As much as I loved it all, I do have to say that I am glad to be home. It was rad to have my wife pick me up at the airport, see my daughter, eat dinner with Charity and sit on the couch with my family.Charity is feeding Sophie right now and she is leaking it all over her neck. I love this! Had to put up this picture of Charity with Sophie sleeping on her... I love my girls!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
I'm with a bunch of youth pastors right now and I started a twitter today. Click here to check it out. Not sold on it yet. Not sure if I need/want something else to update. Could be cool though. Its late so I may just be tired. Lets see how it works....
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