Thursday, October 09, 2008

32 Years, 32 Memories... 29-32

Post College to Present Part 2

29. Moby Dick - Janelle and I joined a Softball Team in 2002. I've always enjoyed baseball and softball. Through my life I have been a part of many teams. I've always been fairly competitive and have avoided riding the pine through the years. Yet, there was one elusive accomplishment that I was unable to reach... an over the fence, out of the park home run. I'm more of a slap-hitter, an the Ichiro Suzuki of D-league softball, if you will. That all changed on June 8, 2006. Yes, I know the date of my first (and only) over the fence round tripper. No, I don't remember the date that I proposed to Janelle. That, my friends (thank your John McCain), is one of the many benefits of keeping a blog as I had a post about my homer that day.

30. Blog... is that a skin disease? - It was after a Wednesday Night (February 16, 2005 to be exact) and Jeff Simpson was talking about xanga. There were a ton of students in our ministry who ha xanga accounts and were keeping blogs. I'd heard of a blog, but I didn't know much. I went home and began to examine xanga. I set up an account on Thursday. In March 2006, I made the change to Blogger. You can all thank (or curse) Jeff Simpson for that fateful night in February.

31. It's Worth It - This memory could be repeated through various scenarios and moments, but I'll go with January 31, 2007. In October 2006, we made a phone call to Caleb Bislow to hear about an initiative he was taking to get a church planting/ discipleship movement going among the Maasai Tribes of Kenya. I challenged the students with a question... "What if NMC Senior High were to come behind an effort to share God's story with a tribe halfway around the world?"
Students grabbed ahold passionately. They dreamed huge. We put in a ton of time to make it happen, but they orchestrated and put together a student led night to raise awareness, prayer support and finances for The Maasai Project. As I sat in the back watching students on Maasai Night, I realized that High School students can grasp hold of God and truly step out in obedience to see God move for the sake of the Kingdom of God! I said to myself, "It's worth it."
It's worth emotional and spiritual attacks.
It's worth some sleepless nights.
It's worth living in a bit of a glass house.
It's worth laying down some of my rights.
It's all worth it for the sake of daring, directing, and discipling students into a relationship with Christ!

32. She's calling - I've been thinking what memory #32 should be. As I've been thinking, Katylynn has awoken. Right now I can hear her sweet little gibberish through the baby monitor. I'm kinda liking the memory that's being created right now!

Thanks for going on the journey with me!

2 comments:

Jeff Myers said...

Haha...you're old

Unknown said...

This is the coolest idea for a blog. Maybe someday when I turn 32, I can do it too. So I have 5 years to think of 32 awesome memories :)

Happy birthday Derry!!