Professionalism

Anybody can make things look professional now. Computer programs can make anything you print or media you edit look really fancy and expensive with minimal investment of time and money. That's why sometimes it's nice to see something that's not quite perfect. Love this post by Seth Godin on getting noticed by not being so polished and profesisonal. JM

Abuse

Why do people always abuse power. It's like as soon as we are in control of a relationship we feel the need to abuse it. Saw this article today. Here's the first sentence:

Humanitarian aid workers and United Nation peacekeepers are sexually abusing small children in several war-ravaged and food-poor countries, a leading European charity has said.

I shouldn't have read it, because it just made me angry and disappointed in the human race. Just a reminder of our fallen state. JM

Weezer

I really like Weezer. You should too. JM

Meaning

I want to be more than the stuff I own, but sometimes I'm scared that's all I am. JM

Church

I really think that this post nails how we're supposed to "do" church. Unfortunately most churches would rather work on a flashy program. It's easier to do that. It's harder to be missional. Click-through to read the whole post, but this line will give you a good feel:

I would suggest that it is instead, the simple acts of closing the gap between people. The gap that is filled with hurt. The gap that is filled with pride - and silence.

JM

Recovery

I don't know how I could possibly handle losing a child. How do you move on from it? For some reason I thought about it this afternoon. It's unfathomable to me. Then tonight I read this:

Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

JM

Fashion Vs. Me

Fashion and I don't get along. I like to look nice, but I don't know a lot about it. I've always thought that it's dumb to spend a lot of money on your clothes when you can look okay without spending all of that money. Plus, it's lame that people would judge you based on what you wear.
But, the sad truth is that it's reality that people make decisions about you based on what you look like. If I continue to look the way I do, I will have fewer opportunities than I would if I looked differently.
All that to say, I think I'm going to have to start caring more about what I look like. It's a sad conclusion to come to, but I guess it's the right one, at least for now. JM

Sin

We like to make light of our own sin. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps because Jesus already paid the price for it, and all that we have to do now is place our faith in him to have forgiveness of our sin (in the simplest terms at least).
I wonder if we would take it so lightly if we had to sacrifice things according to Levitical law. My sacrifice has already been made, but it's easy for me to forget about it. To forget what it looked like. Smelled like. Felt like.
Here's what they used to have to do according to Leviticus 4:33-35, in case you were wondering:

He must put his hand on the animal's head and kill it as a sin offering in the place where the whole burnt offering is killed. The priest must take some of the blood from the sin offering on his finger and put it on the corners of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of the lamb's blood at the bottom of the altar. Then the priest must remove all the lamb's fat in the same way that the lamb's fat is removed from the fellowship offerings. He must burn the pieces on the altar on top of the offerings made by fire for the Lord. In this way the priest will remove that person's sins so he will belong to the Lord, and the Lord will forgive him.

JM

Interaction

I struggle interacting with people sometimes at work. I tend to be rather task-oriented, so I like to stay in my office and accomplish stuff. I have to remind myself everyday to float around to other people's offices to interact. Love this post by Seth Godin on how important relationships are. Love this part:

I've worked in three companies that had lots of people and lots of cubes, and I spent the entire day walking around. I figured that was my job. The days where I sat down and did what looked like work were my least effective days. It's hard for me to see why you'd bother having someone come all the way to an office just to sit in a cube and type.

The new rule seems to be that if you're going to spend the time and the money to see someone face to face, be in their face. Interact or stay home!

JM

Insane

If this was how I had to get to work, I wouldn't go. JM

Redemption

It's amazing to me how the storyline of redemption runs throughout the whole Bible, like a constant theme that never changes hidden just beneath the surface. I read part of Exodus tonight and noticed this verse at the beginning of Exodus 34 "The Lord said to Moses, "Cut two more stone tablets like the first two, and I will write the same words on them that were on the first two stones which you broke."
It's so awesome that God is always looking to forgive and to redeem the broken. To take our mistakes and turn them into distant memories. To make it as though it never happened. JM

Moving On

The church that I left in December is about to hire their new youth minister. I'm really excited for the students there because I think they really need somebody, but it's kind of a sad moment because somebody else will be working with my students. I guess I gave up that right when I left, though. I'm just curious what the new guy is like. JM

Mistakes

I screwed something up today. I hate it when I do that, although it happens quite a lot. It seems like most people like to hide from their mistakes and hope that nobody notices. I'd rather confront them, fix the current situation, and work on a strategy that minimizes the risk of future mistakes. JM

Crucible

We do a big guys rite of passage this weekend called "The Crucible" so I'm in the final prep stages of that. It's weird seeing how they do it at my new church and then comparing that with how I did it at my old church. I feel like I'm constantly screwing everything up. So much fun. JM

No Respect

Probably the worst thing about working with middle school students is that nobody gives your ministry any respect. It's tough to convince your coworkers that your ministry is important. It's tough to convince parents that your ministry is something more than babysitting. It's tough to convince your church that your ministry can change students' lives. It's extremely frustrating. JM

Saturday Night

Saturday night is normally a pretty late night for me. Usually we go out and do something and don't get home until later on in the evening. Then I have to review and adjust my message for tomorrow morning. I love speaking weekly again in a large group setting, but Sunday morning is a tough time to do it. Although, I guess it just means I stay up a little bit later on Saturday night. Hence, it's 1:00 am on Sunday morning, and I just got done finishing up doing my final prep for tomorrow. Time for bed. JM

Internet

For the first time in my life I'm on the internet and paying for it. I have mixed emotions. JM

Internet

We may or may not have internet at my house. I'll find out this afternoon when I get home. I'm pumped. I'm sure you are too. JM