Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Mission Trip to Orphanage Emmanuel, Honduras

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Testing iPad app to social media sites

I am testing my iPad to see if I can write entries from anywhere, even without my laptop. Let's see how it goes.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, August 9, 2010

Books I Am Reading























I am in the middle of both of these books right now. I would highly recommend both of them (presuming there is not some kind of wild heresy at the end of the book). I was attracted to Phil Vischer's book, Me Myself, and Bob a few weeks back when I watched his new series of kid's videos called JellyTellys. A friend found the book at Ollie's and gave it to me. Upon hearing about the nugget of gold I went hunting at Ollie's myself and found Andy Stanley's book Principle of the Path.
Friday, August 6, 2010

"I'm Exhausted!"

We dropped the kids off at McDonald’s at the FSK mall today and the boys and I headed home. It was an intense week of Camp (Centrikid) and we are all very tired. But it’s a “good tired.” You know the kind after you have helped the old lady across the street fix her porch and it took you all day, or serving in a soup kitchen and it emotionally drained you, or swimming to save a child from drowning in the ocean and you struggled to keep your own head above the water.

Anyway, the kids are tired and the leaders are tired (especially me) and the staff of Centrikid are tired. They have traveled all over the southeast for thirteen weeks, and this was their final week. They didn’t show it, and they gave all they had for the kids – but even twenty-somethings get tired (and sick – right Daniel?).

In ministry there are several myths that I have seen that smart and hard working people tend to buy into. Let’s look at three real quick:

1) You should always be tired; you can rest when you go to heaven.

These are the people who are up at 4am (without coffee), work constantly all day, are constantly beginning new initiatives, and have to force themselves into bed in the early hours of morning. They feel guilty if they take a nap or even a vacation. After all, there are still mountains to climb, souls to save, revolutions to begin, etc. . .

The truth is that if you don’t rest and sleep properly then you will go to meet your Creator sooner as opposed to later. Tiredness directly affects your ability to make the best decisions, your emotional quotient, and your health. If you allow your body to rest, then you are able to accomplish more than if you make a series of mistakes that you have to “fix” because you made them while you were exhausted.

2) You should keep the same pace as the leader across town.

Let’s face it, there are some people who only need four hours of sleep and can stay mentally focused the other twenty hours that they are working. But, that’s just not me. I am thirty-six and have come to realize that I need eight hours of sleep, and I need mental breaks through out the day. My kids also need me to spend time with them, oh, and my wife really appreciates it when I spend time with her as well.

The guy across town who is keeping a “break-neck” pace may be on the verge on a mental break-down, his marriage may be falling apart, and his kids may hate him – but man look at what he’s getting accomplished! When we compare ourselves to the guy across town we will never know all the information we need to make a proper comparison. Even if he/she has managed to keep it all balanced shouldn’t we celebrate what God is doing with them, instead of trying to show ourselves better than they are?

Wisdom tells us to know ourselves, and to obey Christ in the position and place that He has placed us. It’s ok to slow down, spend time with your family, and still be able to work hard. The work you accomplish will be of better quality and you will still have those loved ones around you as you go.

3) You should keep the same pace your whole life.

Ok, I already mentioned that I was thirty-six, so when it was time for the campers to go to bed at 10pm – I made them go to bed at 10pm. I was tired and grew increasingly grumpy as the minutes winded past 10pm. In the years past, I probably would have lead an expedition to the Coke machine, a secret splash in the pool, or just to run around in the open fields, finding my way into a bed way past midnight.

But I’m not twenty-something anymore. But who cares, I have much more wisdom now, then in my twenties (at least I hope so). At each stage of life there are pluses and minuses. Wisdom is knowing what your weaknesses are and leveraging your strengths. As you get older it’s ok to slow down and rest – but make sure that you use your rested self in pursuits that are of value.

There was no one on the Centrikid staff over twenty-five (as camp pastor he was the elder). But it was their youth that added exuberance and excitement to the camp that the children fed on like the sugar coated “Nerds” sold in the camp store. But if you looked through the crowd most of the adult leaders who brought the kids were over thirty-five. So there was a good balance of generations using their giftedness and abilities to minister to children. One was not better than the other; both played a very important part.

So I’m going to try and get some rest before my next big adventure. So if you call you may get the machine, and if you facebook it may be a couple of days before I respond. Just know that I may be getting geared up for the next ministry opportunity.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Centrikid Cardboard Regatta

Tuesday's highlight was the cardboard ship regatta. Churches working together built a ship out of duct tape, cardboard, and as much engineering as nine-years-olds can muster.

Caleb was chosen as the captain because of his mastery of the sea (not really it was because of his size), and I was elected to build it as close to the children's drawings as possible. The boys talked into the night about what the design should be like -- we ended up having to cut the front chain saw and and upper decks.

We were the fifth heat, so they had saved the fastest to the last (fastest to the bottom). We positioned our ship built in twenty minutes in the pool and on five-four-three-two-one I lowered him into the ship. After one mighty stroke it pitched forward throwing Caleb out and it sunk like a stone. Caleb being a master of the sea, grabbed it off the bottom and swam the length of the pool with it in tow.

The team cheered but needless to say there was no trophy given for our speed of design.
You can see more pictures at this link.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Daybreak Kids at Centrikid


The Daybreak kids are at Centrikid this week. This is a Southern Baptist Camp that is designed just for kids and is a five day experience that encourages children to live for Jesus and asks them the question, "In light of who God is, how should I then live?" In the pictures to left, Elise P. was chosen from our group to participate in the "Party" which is a large group game time. She did awesome, but was scared to death to be in front of hundreds of kids performing a cup relay.

Joshua and Caleb made a new friend (Sam) who is from another church that joined us for the trip.

The day included checking in, swimming (76 degrees – brisk baby!), eating burgers off the grill with all the fix'ns, a short hike, settling into their rooms, Party Time, small group Bible study, and church devotion time. My boys are not used to such a past paced schedule but they love it.

During an adult meeting the leader of the time asked, "What do you want your kids to get from this experience?” Which is a fair question, after all it cost $260 dollars per kid, and many groups traveled from as far as North Carolina. In the break neck speed of life we move from experience to experience, duty, obligation, family stuff, and on and on we go.

Planning and evaluation, even expectation of things to come are very important concepts to consider. The leader above may have been trying to fill time with the adults while our kids were having their “group Bible Study” but I believe she has had asked a very deep question.

With Joshua and Caleb, I want them to have a blast at a “church event.” I want them to see older teens and college aged students leading and living out a solid Christian life. I want them to hear about Jesus to be taught solid doctrine, and to grow to love Jesus more. I want them to be changed – no small task for a camp experience.

Today is their first full day of Centrikid, let’s see how it goes.

Gospel Magic

Gospel Magic
how did he do that?

About Me

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I am the father of four wonderful children and the husband of the best woman on the planet. I am pastor at Daybreak Community Church, check us out at www.daybreak-church.com. I also have a web site at www.drewboswell.com.

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