MySpace

Hello friends and family,
I've decided to close my page at myspace for one reason and one reason only. I find the ads offensive... Especially the dating ones! I would rather not support myspace at this time. Let me know if you have any questions. I'd rather you ask me directly though instead of going to someone else who may or may not have all the answers.

what a sad day

Yesterday was a sad day for 'cuse fans around the world... as devoted fans watched on selection Sunday there were many good teams that were announced unfortunately Syracuse was not one of them. In a shocking move by the selection committee the 20 game winners will not be joining the 65 teams in the torney this year. The argument was that because Drexel was not in then Syracuse was not in as well. Really Drexel and Syracuse can blame this on a team called Old Dominion. I’ll be cheering passionately against them. How it is that beating G’town doesn’t get you in the Tournament? The problem is… Old Dominion and Syracuse both beat G’town however Old Dominion did it at G’town. Also Old Dominion beat Drexel twice this year to boot. I see the logic but I don’t have to like it. Bloggers feel free to console me.

House!

I am pleased to say that my wife and I have bought a house! We are first time homeowners and we are excited to be moving in. Our closing date is February 27th. It is an amazing thing to actually own a home. I feel blessed that I live in a country were this is possible. We have been renting for about 4 years and we have been looking for a house for close to 4 months. That wait is over and our hearts are content. Please pray for my wife and me as we embark on this journey together. Also I'd be interested in knowing about your thoughts regarding home ownership and the blessing it can be.

…And then what?

A deeper look into faith

Taking a leap of faith for me requires a little information ahead of time. Why is it that I lack the faith to take the leap? Perhaps I am afraid that He will not catch me? Is it so bad that I want to be a well informed Christian? I would like to see the big picture and I want to ask the question “and then what Lord?” What I’m interested in is what happens next, not necessarily what is happening now. So many times in our lives, the “next” precedes the “now”, and in turn we lose out on the blessing God offers us today. Our faith is diminished when we concern ourselves with what happens tomorrow. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34. An increase of worry results in a decrease of faith. It draws the eyes of our soul away from heaven and on our present circumstances.

I have a fear of heights and, believe it or not, I climb to the tops of mountains. It takes a lot of physical and mental strength to climb. At times I feel like giving up on the trail and turning around but, I know the view from the top will be amazing. Therefore, I continue. Once I begin to think about how far the top is away from me I become flooded with worry. Will I make it to the top? Will I fall? What happens if the sun goes down and I’m still hiking? Where is the next water source? Am I going to slow? When I focus on one step at a time I come to the realization that all of these steps will add up to one glorious moment. In essence, each step becomes a blessing in and of itself. Each moment is filled with the sites and sounds of nature and the questions of a worried hiker fade away in high mountains. May you become caught up with your Savior as He leads you on this hike we call life. In the simple yet quite moments of your soul, may you find comfort in the fact that we serve a God who is faithful. Jump faithfully into his arms! And then what…Trust that he will catch you.

Speak

There are times in my life when I wish that God would speak. In His voice I would find comfort. In His voice I would find the strength that I lack. A voice the transcends my so-called good judgment and a voice which puts my very soul at ease. But who is to say I would even listen if I heard such a voice. Chances are I would ignore it and go on with my daily duties and responsibilities. We ask God to speak but how many of us are really listening? How many of us would sit down during the day and stop what work we are doing and listen? How many of us would shut up and shut off our brains from the world for one minute? We are deaf and dumb in this culture, me included. Our culture keeps our thoughts occupied with billboards, TV, the Internet, video games, movies, and fantasies. My brain is overloaded with this junk and in turn it finds its way to my heart. My heart becomes hard to the things of God because there is so much exterior noise I can't focus on that still small voice. No wonder I can't hear it. No wonder Christians in America are deaf to it. We have forgotten what our Father's voice sounds like; we have forgotten our first love.

Cover to Cover

It has been my new year’s resolution for the past several years to read the Bible cover to cover. In years past unfortunately I have failed to do that task. I hope this year will be different... I will attempt to read the bible from Genesis to Revelation in effort to know the one who inspired men to write it. Many Christians see no value in reading the Bible cover to cover... in my honest opinion I think it can only help the Christian grow in their faith and knowledge. You can begin to see the hand of God throughout the generations and you can also begin to know the God of the Old and New Testament. What am amazing journey to embark on. Pray for me.

His creation speaks for itself

In the past several years my love for the Adirondack Mountains has grown considerably. In the northeastern region of the Adirondack State Park there are 46 high peaks, each rising at least 4,000 feet above sea level. I have made it my goal to hike to the tops of these peaks. As I continue on this journey I seek to learn more about myself, nature and the one who made these majestic lands.

I have already gone several times to this wilderness area and I have found solitude and escape from the outside world. Basic needs such as food, water, and shelter are of the importance there. Life becomes simple in the mountains and in my opinion life is better when it is simplified. The minuet details of existence fade away in the beauty of high mountains, roaring rivers and quiet valleys.

Some question why I would want to climb all 46 peaks. It is not to gain the approval of other hikers, friends or family. It is a personal goal that I would like to prove to myself that I can do. Also it is to help me better appreciate the beauty of God’s astonishing creation. As I soak in what God has made I become closer to Him and I am more apt to acknowledge His lordship in my life.

Some take it a step farther and ask why I go to the woods in the first place. In my estimation there are many great lessons to be learned in the wilds. You can learn everything from basic survival skills to finding how far your body can take you. God teaches you to depend solely on Him as you push your body to the brink of exhaustion. Also, there are very little distractions in the woods. I have found that the only distraction is my own self. I simply can choose to ignore God and to follow my own course. It is difficult to ignore the presents of God because creation cries His name. It is hard to deny that there is a God when you are standing on top of one of the high peaks on clear sunny day. As you can see for miles you begin to realize that this artwork is not of man. The hands of God crafted the very mountains, rivers and valleys that you are gazing at. At that very moment you are captivated by the sites and sounds of nature. You are brought into the sanctuary of the King. The God of creation deserves our praise and adoration. His creation speaks for itself.

"Whenever we go to the mountains we find more then we seek"
John Muir

"The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed."
New York State Constitution

Cancer

I recently found out that my close friend and mentor Paul Hogan was diagnosed with cancer. The word cancer means so many things to so many people; Most of those things are negative and rightly so. I feel great sadness today and I feel somewhat helpless because of where I am and my circumstances. A man who has helped me through the trials of life is about to face a very large one himself. How can I help? Even though his particular cancer may be curable through chemo or surgery my heart feels heavy for him and his family. Why is it that the people around me seem to be suffering? Why is it that I was handed good genes? I keep thinking that I need to do something… I need to use my somewhat healthy life to help others… I pray that God would point me to the area in which I can be used by Him to people who suffer from Cancer.

The Key

Today after lunch I saw a man with about 100 keys hanging off his belt. I thought to myself why does this man need all those keys? Perhaps it makes him feel more important. After all a man with all those keys must have more authority because he has access to more rooms… right? But what if he has no clue as to what those keys unlock? Maybe he is saving a key on that ring from an old padlock that he lost twenty years ago in hopes that he will find it someday. Chances are if I went up to him and asked him if he knew what each key could unlock he would have no idea.

I have several keys on my ring, one to our place of residence, one for each car we have, one for the storage unit that we rent out and one to my parent’s house. I have another set of keys devoted for my job as well. I use all of these keys frequently (except for the one to my parents house) and as a matter of fact I use a majority of them every day. But what is the most important key to me? I would say the key to my residence because when I walk through that door I see my wife. In my future I also see kids and a cat, God willing. If I neglect to unlock that door I neglect to be with those that I love the most. Maybe instead of using that key I decide to stay longer at work or maybe I decide to go out with friends after work. The point is that those things need to be secondary in my life to my duty as a husband and someday a father.
As some of you know I work for a church and in that church there is a lot of work to be done. It can consume you if you let it. Throughout the church this is a common problem and it has swallowed ministers whole. The key to the church becomes more important then the key to the home. The family gets pushed aside and the minister becomes a workaholic. He sacrifices his family on the alter of ministry which is sad and tragic. In my own life as I start ministry I must be aware of this common mistake, I must guard the key to my residence and use it frequency. The key is to live a life of balance.

Sanctuary: The Land of the Falling Lakes

The Land of the Falling Lakes is located in Croatia's magical Plitvice Lakes National Park. "A chain of sixteen pristine lakes connected by waterfalls, this World Heritage Site possesses a stunning myriad of dynamic and interrelated worlds. Formed and ruled by water, the park sees each season brings its own beauty." (http://www.ddegroup.com/) I was introduced to this area of the world through a PBS program in which I was captivated by the beauty of this National Park. As some of you know I love the outdoors and I enjoy hiking a great deal. As some of you also know I am employed by a church with a large beautiful sanctuary. (scene above) Throughout watching this PBS program I started to think about where my real sanctuary was. I realized it was not man made instead it was in the quiteness of the woods far away from civilization, in the calmness of a gentle waterfall and the strong mountain tops. A place where my spirit was renewed and my soul was refreshed. Also, in this place I find that I am once again able to put my full trust in the Lord. He will safely bring me home. He will hear my cry when I feel like giving up. He will pick me up if I fall. He will carry me.

Jesus Painter Review

www.jesuspainter.com

While I was at CHIC 2006 I was introduced to the Jesus Painter. His real name is Mike Lewis and he has used his paintings to touch many people around the country. As we worshipped through song at CHIC I saw a man in the middle of the arena with a huge canvass in front of him. I questioned what he was doing and if he was a distraction to me. I soon realized his purpose and at that moment I was brought into worship through his art. He was painting a work called Christ's eyes which is pictured above. Christ's eyes is an amazing depiction of the face of Christ and the compassion He offers. As I looked into His eyes I realized again what he had done for me on the cross and His eyes of compassion pierced my very being. It’s almost as if Christ said to me "I Love you” as I looked at His face. I was touched beyond words, I was lead to the throne and humbled by his perfect grace. A grace he freely gave to me, above and beyond what I deserve. It reminds me of a song called Oh What a Savior.

~ OH, WHAT A SAVIOR ~

He gave His life's blood for even me.

Once I was straying, in sin's dark valley,
No hope within could I see.
They searched through Heaven and found a Savior,
To save a poor, lost soul like me.

Oh, what a Savior, oh hallelujah!
His heart was broken on calvary
His hands were nail scarred, His side was riven,
He gave His life's blood for even me.

Death's chilling' water I'll soon be crossing,
But His hand will lead me safe oe'r.
Then I'll join the chorus, in that bright city,
And I'll sing up there forevermore!

Oh, what a Savior, oh hallelujah!
His heart was broken on calvary
His hands were nail scarred, His side was riven,
He gave His life's blood for even me.
OH, WHAT A SAVIOR!

Invisible Children

There has been a war going on for the greater part of my life that I knew very little about, the civil war in Sudan. This war has claimed more then 2 million lives and 4 million have been internally displaced of become refugees. You can watch all three major networks nightly news programs for a week and hear nothing about this war. It is hard to say exactly why this war is taking place, what started as a north vs south conflict has evolved to be much more complex, some say Arab vs African, Muslim vs Christian and government vs SPLA. It is safe to say that all of these conflicts have had a role at one time or another in this horrific war. Regardless of this the fight is now to control central and the southern regions of Sudan. The south has been the hardest hit, 1 and 5 have been killed in the southern population mostly because of war induced famine. The rebels (mostly Africans) have accused the Government (mostly Arab) of acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing. Something needs to be done to create peace in this land.
You may ask yourself who are the invisible children, they are the countless kids who are being effected in a very negative way by this war. The Rebels of the LRA (Lords Resistance Army) who is headed by Joseph Kony is always looking for new recruits to fight their war so during the night they steal young children from their homes and take them back to the bush and train them to kill. The rebels target young children between the ages of 8 to 14 because they are big enough to carry guns but small enough to sneak into homes to steal more children. So as a result of this thousands of children commute every night from miles around to towns to sleep in bus parks, veranda's and hospitals. This of course creates overcrowding and problems such as competition for space, early sex and girls being taken advantage of. These children need our help... Go to www.invisiblechildren.com to see how you can help

Summit Ministries

Summit Ministries:
A web-based ministry that provides sound biblical counsel and a safe environment on the internet for young people and young adults. Today more then ever there is a lack of integrity in our online activities, Summit Ministries seeks to combat that by providing positive avenues such as online accountability and creative devotions. It is our belief that the reason why there is so little integrity online is because it is so easy to hide. Hide from our emotions, thoughts and our real feelings.

Summit Ministries believes there are many ways to worship God but we focus on four: Worshipping through the Spoken Word (Bible), Instruments of Praise (music), Creation, and Simplicity or Design (Art)

The Spoken Word
-Comprehensive and creative Bible studies for young people
-What does God say about the issues of our time (Death, Lust, Alcohol, Partying, Drugs)
-Online accountability (who am I online?)
-Readings and devotions
-Help! no one will listen! Online Counseling services are available

Instruments of Praise
-Music is a power ministry that can be used to glorify God
-Studies of cultural music
-Suggested music for mediation
-Comparing instruments of Bible times to the instruments we use today
-Listening to music that glorifies God and music we enjoy

Creation of the Most High God
-Developing a Biblical or Christian World View
-Studies of God's world and His creation
-News of world wide events (get out of your bubble!)

Simplicity & Design
-Worship through multi-media and design
-Using media and the web for good and not for evil
-Artwork can be a form of worship (Online art gallery)
-Discovering God's gifts in you, how did God design you?

Let me know what you think about this idea!

CHIC

Next week my wife and I will be going with our students to a nationwide conference called CHIC which stands for Covenant High In Christ. I went as a student in 1997 and it changed my life... This time I am going as a counselor and as a worship leader. It is an amazing time for our students and I cannot wait to be a part of something this big. We will be leaving Saturday July 15th and coming home Friday July 21st. If you want to learn more about CHIC go to www.noordinaryday.org Please pray for our students and counselors.

The head-butt heard around the world

One of my favorite players in this year's World Cup Zinedine Zidane lead his team on an amazing run to the finals. Zidane is often seen a as calm and cool guy who can deliver the ball to anyone at any time. During the last minutes of the final game of his career he lost his cool and stunned a nation. He retaliated to a Marco Materazzi comment and head-butted him in the chest. A shocking moment for French fans and Zidane fans around the world. Zidane does have a temper that flares up at times but nothing like this. Even though I am half Italian I was pulling for France because Zidane and his heady play. (no pun intended) He seemed to own the field in the games against Spain, Brazil, and Portugal. He made the plays when he had to however he took himself out of the most important game.

My Space

Not long ago I set up a page on myspace(http://www.myspace.com/ptads) to communicate with friends and students. It was interesting to see the amount of information that young people display on myspace. I have decided to use myspace to minister to young people and to challenge both myself and them to live a life of purity on-line. I am in the mist of praying about how to go about ministering effectively on-line because I strongly believe it is possible with the Lord's help. There are many avenues of communication in our culture and it seems that as youth leaders we fall short and decide not to use them. Some have not keep up with the times and others simply do not have the time. Our young people bear all on the internet as a cry for help and a cry for attention. Who will answer their cry? Who will fill the void they seek? I have outlined my approach in ministering to young people on-line.
1. Observe: Observe their pages for a given amount of time, read and study to get an idea of their struggles and their on-line lingo. You will quickly find out what they are interested. Notice I did not say stalk them.
2. Outside: Be involved in their lives outside of the internet even if they are a completely different person on-line. You will run into this a lot... The on-line world is separate world from the real world in most students minds.
3. Approach: Approach with care on-line, remember it is their world and your coming into it, they may get a little offended. But they will not if you are cool about it.
4. Same Rules: The same rules apply on-line, girl's minister to girls, guys minister to guys. It will be tempting to not follow this rule because there are not a lot of on-line ministers currently. Matter a fact I am the only one I know that is trying to do it.
5. Openness: They will be more open on-line then in person so be ready to minister.
6. Time: Do not spend hours and hours on the internet because it can easily become a trap. On-line ministry is tough because you are going into the Lions den. There are plenty of places on the internet to get in trouble. Limit your time on-line.
Lastly before you sign on the internet pray. Pray that you not only would be able to find out more about your students but that God would use you to minister on-line. Stay accountable to a close friend about your on-line activity and email the sites that you visited to a friend. Live a life of purity on-line!
more to come...

Over-rated

For many years I have been interested in the NBA draft. I've decided this year that the draft is overrated. The only good thing was that David Sternmade a rule that you have to be over 19 years of age to enter the draft. So because of that rule we didn't see any high school boys walking across the big stage the other night. They will have to go to college for a few years and then walk across the big stage and earn millions. Maybe then they can pay off their college loans if they have any, I feel real bad for them. I'm a little miffed that G-Mac didn't get drafted, I mean I would have picked him in the top five at least... did anyone watch the Big East Tournament this year? Who wouldn't want another undersized guard who can shoot, isn't the NBA full of those guys? And what’s up with Kevin Pittsnogle not getting drafted? There are a lot of quality players that were left out of the draft this year who will either sign up for free agency or the WNBA. Why is it that some guy from Italy gets picked number one? Maybe I should move to a foreign country and play basketball for a little while and enter the draft. Then I can get to the NBA and be the next huge embarrassing failure like this guy is going to. Sorry that was a little harsh. But really what are the chances that this guy is going to be any good at all? It ain't gonna happen. I don't see the big deal with guys like LaMarcus Aldridge and Tyrus Thomas... why do they get to go ahead of Adam Morrison and Randy Foye. The whole thing is confusing to me; there is no method to the guys who are picking these players. Adam Morrison at least has a chance to be a star... a lot of the time they pick players because they have potential. Tell me something should a league that fires their coaches after one season for not performing be picking a player for his potential? If they want instant results why not pick a player that is more refined like Morrison, Foye or G-Mac?

Why does the USA stink at soccer?

I believe that the United States has some of the best athletes in the world. So why is it we can't get it strait when it comes to soccer? Maybe its because our student athletes are focused on other sports like basketball, baseball, and football. It seems as though other countries are focused on one thing... soccer. Maybe it is because the potential to earn a lot of money is not found through the path of soccer. So therefore parents of student athletes want their children to play one of the big three. I do believe the USA has only one way to go in soccer and that is up. They can only get better. Slowly the United States will establish itself as a powerhouse in the world of soccer because the USA has never quite at anything. They may not rival the strong European teams for a while but they will come to the forefront eventually. I do not believe the USA will dominate the sport for a very long time because the world is so much farther ahead of us in both talent and technique. Stay tuned...

World Cup

More then ever this year there is a growing excitement in the air for World Cup soccer. I'm not sure why I'm so excited but I think its because it is a world event and it only comes around every four years. Many different cultures tune in to see what country will be crowned the king of futbol. Who will rise above their circumstances and who will fight for this honor? Luke Cyphers states in ESPN magazine "The game is big, and its complicated, and its full of brilliance and stupidity- and that's why it so often reflects the world we live in. The bottom line is that people can relate to soccer and that's why its called the world's game." That and the fact that all you need is a ball to play, it doesn't require lots of equipment to start up a game. So the poor and the rich can engage in this activity and have the potential to become stars in their own countries. The nations who have qualified for the World Cup will gather in Germany to try to make history and bring home the world's coveted prize, the FIFA World Cup. Let the games begin.

Family Resemblance

Often times we resemble someone in our family, for me people say I look like my Dad. The other day I asked myself why did God create family resemblance? This question came about because of a conversation I had with my wife. She got a chance to baby-sit our niece who is about nine mouths old. My mother-in-law joined her in this task and they made an observation that our niece had some resemblance to her great grandmother. So that got me again thinking why did God create family resemblance? There are probably several good answers to this question however I will give my point of view on the matter.
Perhaps God wants us to remember our loved ones who have passed on. It is a joyful and touching observation to see our grandparents in our children. It is the grace of God when we see our children smile and that smile reminds us of a family member who is gone. It gives us hope that we will see our loved ones again someday. Maybe another reason would be to create a sense of community in our families. Some families love to spend time together and look at old pictures and home movies and in those events and pictures there is a growing appreciation for our heritage and our roots. Along the same lines as Christians we have a family resemblance to God. We were made in the image of God. It is an honor to be a child of the living God and to bear his image. It should give believers a sense of community that sometimes our churches lack. It also should remind us of our rich heritage in the faith and give us assurance and hope that we will see our loved ones again.