Words from Pastor ANdrew
It Kind Of Works…
A little over a year ago I went to get some frozen fruit out of my fridge for a smoothie…and what should have been hard as rock frozen fruit were just slightly mushy. Not a big deal. I figured the freezer had been opened too long loading stuff in or it hadn’t gotten closed all the way or something else. As time went on I noticed again and again, things weren’t as frozen solid as I wanted them to be.
Something was off.
Ice cream was soft.
Ice packs were soft.
Frozen berries were soft.
Not a big deal, just not quite right.
It’d Be A Lot Cooler…
The other day we were washing our dog Brittany. Our shower is the best to wash her, so Brittany, Sarah, our son Foster…and the frog that Foster found ended up in the shower. Of course we told him, we are here to wash Brittany, not be a temporary holding cell for amphibians.
We went through the always ridiculous process of washing and drying a dog and all was back to normal.
The next morning I am in the shower getting ready and there again is that frog. I was showering way before our boys were up…so of course I got ready and forgot about the frog.
Mirror and Community
a few thoughts on HomeGroups and announcements about Bible studies and upcoming events with The Chapel
The other day I woke up early, like really early, grabbed my glasses on the night stand, stumbled into the bathroom, and turned on the light. A few of the bulbs seemed to be out because it was surprisingly dark. As I turned on another light I could feel how out of it I was.
I went to bed late, didn’t sleep well, tossed and turned and woke up earlier than normal. I could not seem to focus, I could not seem to see well, and I felt entirely out of sorts.
As I clumsily got what I needed out of the bathroom and started to throw on clothes, I looked in the mirror and I realized the problem.
A New Season
It seems as though the transition from summer to fall is the most mixed bag of feelings of all the seasons.
In fall to winter, it seems like people are generally excited about holidays and cooler weather.
In winter to spring, it seems like people are generally excited about warmer weather and longer days.
In spring to summer, it seems like people are excited about travel and time off.
But summer to fall seems different.
I was visiting with someone in the beach service industry and they said,
“only 2 weeks left, we got this!”
My kids are saying,
“only 2 weeks left, I hate this!”
And parents across the country are thinking,
“only 2 weeks left, was there something I was supposed to do to prepare for this school year?”
Lifeguard
When I was in high school, I was a lifeguard. I worked at both a local neighborhood pool and a rec center pool at a community college. Now, I’m not going to say I was a great lifeguard…mostly because that would be a lie. But I did look good in my official lifeguard uniform and I could swing a whistle around my finger with the best of them.
Understanding
Our puppy Brittany had surgery recently. This little 6 month old dog is supposed to wear a cone around her neck for 14 days and not do any jumping, stretching, and playing.
I don’t think she is understanding the instructions from the doctor.
Changes Everything
There have been a number of times in my life when I thought,
“this changes everything.”
What I Notice.
I recently started working out again. I go through seasons of running or working out regularly and then I take breaks. I have lots of good excuses I tell myself in those seasons of not being as active…but that’s really all they are…just excuses. Other things take my time and attention, things that I think are priority float to the top of my to do list and caring for my health takes a back seat.
A Wonderful, Beautiful Blessing of a Challenge…
When Sarah and I first moved to Texas, we had no kids and lived in a one bedroom, 800 sq ft apartment. We did not have great room for kids, but that wasn’t an issue, because we didn’t have any. Just 30 months later we had two kids under two. What wasn’t an issue before, now became a challenge.
The first Sunday Sarah and I were at The Chapel, our two boys were the only kids there. Just 30 months later we have a growing kids ministry. Currently the kids ministry is meeting in the woods, which is generally quite lovely, but it does not work year round. So we knew we had to figure out something else. What wasn’t an issue before, now is a challenge. A wonderful, beautiful blessing of a challenge.
A Bit Odd
This time of year is a bit odd. Sometimes it feels like winter and sometimes it feels like summer. Sometimes it is pouring down rain and sometimes I’m unexpectedly sunburnt. Some of the plants around my house are starting to show signs of life and others look like winter destroyed them and there is no hope. Parts of the country are getting incredible unexpected snow fall and others are getting tornados.
It Kind Of Works…
A little over a year ago I went to get some frozen fruit out of my fridge for a smoothie…and what should have been hard as rock frozen fruit were just slightly mushy. Not a big deal. I figured the freezer had been opened too long loading stuff in or it hadn’t gotten closed all the way or something else. As time went on I noticed again and again, things weren’t as frozen solid as I wanted them to be.
Something was off.
Ice cream was soft.
Ice packs were soft.
Frozen berries were soft.
Not a big deal, just not quite right.
It’d Be A Lot Cooler…
The other day we were washing our dog Brittany. Our shower is the best to wash her, so Brittany, Sarah, our son Foster…and the frog that Foster found ended up in the shower. Of course we told him, we are here to wash Brittany, not be a temporary holding cell for amphibians.
We went through the always ridiculous process of washing and drying a dog and all was back to normal.
The next morning I am in the shower getting ready and there again is that frog. I was showering way before our boys were up…so of course I got ready and forgot about the frog.
Mirror and Community
a few thoughts on HomeGroups and announcements about Bible studies and upcoming events with The Chapel
The other day I woke up early, like really early, grabbed my glasses on the night stand, stumbled into the bathroom, and turned on the light. A few of the bulbs seemed to be out because it was surprisingly dark. As I turned on another light I could feel how out of it I was.
I went to bed late, didn’t sleep well, tossed and turned and woke up earlier than normal. I could not seem to focus, I could not seem to see well, and I felt entirely out of sorts.
As I clumsily got what I needed out of the bathroom and started to throw on clothes, I looked in the mirror and I realized the problem.
A New Season
It seems as though the transition from summer to fall is the most mixed bag of feelings of all the seasons.
In fall to winter, it seems like people are generally excited about holidays and cooler weather.
In winter to spring, it seems like people are generally excited about warmer weather and longer days.
In spring to summer, it seems like people are excited about travel and time off.
But summer to fall seems different.
I was visiting with someone in the beach service industry and they said,
“only 2 weeks left, we got this!”
My kids are saying,
“only 2 weeks left, I hate this!”
And parents across the country are thinking,
“only 2 weeks left, was there something I was supposed to do to prepare for this school year?”
Lifeguard
When I was in high school, I was a lifeguard. I worked at both a local neighborhood pool and a rec center pool at a community college. Now, I’m not going to say I was a great lifeguard…mostly because that would be a lie. But I did look good in my official lifeguard uniform and I could swing a whistle around my finger with the best of them.
Understanding
Our puppy Brittany had surgery recently. This little 6 month old dog is supposed to wear a cone around her neck for 14 days and not do any jumping, stretching, and playing.
I don’t think she is understanding the instructions from the doctor.
Changes Everything
There have been a number of times in my life when I thought,
“this changes everything.”
What I Notice.
I recently started working out again. I go through seasons of running or working out regularly and then I take breaks. I have lots of good excuses I tell myself in those seasons of not being as active…but that’s really all they are…just excuses. Other things take my time and attention, things that I think are priority float to the top of my to do list and caring for my health takes a back seat.
A Wonderful, Beautiful Blessing of a Challenge…
When Sarah and I first moved to Texas, we had no kids and lived in a one bedroom, 800 sq ft apartment. We did not have great room for kids, but that wasn’t an issue, because we didn’t have any. Just 30 months later we had two kids under two. What wasn’t an issue before, now became a challenge.
The first Sunday Sarah and I were at The Chapel, our two boys were the only kids there. Just 30 months later we have a growing kids ministry. Currently the kids ministry is meeting in the woods, which is generally quite lovely, but it does not work year round. So we knew we had to figure out something else. What wasn’t an issue before, now is a challenge. A wonderful, beautiful blessing of a challenge.
A Bit Odd
This time of year is a bit odd. Sometimes it feels like winter and sometimes it feels like summer. Sometimes it is pouring down rain and sometimes I’m unexpectedly sunburnt. Some of the plants around my house are starting to show signs of life and others look like winter destroyed them and there is no hope. Parts of the country are getting incredible unexpected snow fall and others are getting tornados.