Blake Thompson daht NetI'm just saying….

Yes, it really is. After a five night stretch of sleeping on wood chips out in the Georgia wilderness and taking cold showers with a waterhose looped over a 2×4, it is. But it really wasn’t that bad. Working with the AIM training camp was truly a blessing. And a humbling thing about it was that the people that we were serving, who were going out to Kenya or Peru or Russian in a matter of days, they kept thanking us over and over and over.

One even went so far as to say that any success they had during their mission trip would be partly because of our service to them.  Wow. How amazing was that? And the last morning, when we were leaving, the Kenya team actual asked us to sit in a circle while they washed our feet as an act of service to us. Very humbling.

I think a lot of the Clinton students were semi envious. Not jealous, but when they’re seeing these guys and girls, young men and women not any different from them getting the opportunity to travel abroad to serve God’s people in a special way…there is a “Man, I wish I was going” feeling that wells up. But the truth is that there is just as much need and hurt and emptiness in our own neighborhoods and communities. And that fact hit hard today.

After being gone to BigStuf for 5 days and then being home for about 3 before heading to the Training Camp for 6, I was ready to kick back and not worry about too much today. So I cleaned the UHaul trailer out, sprayed it off and returned it. But I also found out that a 15 year old girl took her own life last night here in town. That makes the 2nd student from that grade to take their own life in the last 6 or 7 months. It’s obvious that there are hurts and pain and confusion even in our own little suburbia.

So although it wasn’t a plane ride to the other side of the world. It was a drive back to Mississippi w/ a stop off at Six Flags. But there is much, much ministry to be done right here in our own back yard.

So if you think of it, please pray for the Mosley family. And also pray for Clinton, MS as a whole. It, and we, need lots and lots of prayer.

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And it’s hot here too!

We arrived here in Gainseville Thursday afternoon. After seeing where we sleep, I was amazed. It’s like a huge green Army tent that was about 189 degrees inside. Wood chips on the ground w/ a bit of a tarp to rest our heads on. Good stuff. So we get situated and then throw the frisbee for a while. The actual mission teams aren’t supposed to come til the next day, so we were able to kick back a bit.

Then we took a trip to CiCi’s Pizza. Arguably one of the best pizza buffets around, IMHO. Then a Target run for another frisbee and other necessities (the other one had already broken). Worship that night w/ the team leaders was different but good. But there were some experiential worship stations and some accoustic worship.

Following that was bed time. And we guys were in the big tent that was now cooled off a bit. There actually was a big fan in there, but it seemed to move hot air around. But it was night and cooler so it was bearable. But we had some fun. We call it…Shadow Puppett Theater. We made shadow puppets on the ceiling of the tent for at least 45 minutes. Classic. Then we went to sleep. And we woke up FREEZING. Don’t know why it was so cold. But it was. I mean unbearablly freezing.

Most of the Mississippi team goes to the airport while 3 guys stay behind w/ me and we mow/weedeat/patch tents/shuck corn/fill Tiki torches, fill water, wash dishes, etc. Then missionaries start to arrive. Again,  this is a training camp for them before they go out to Kenya, Russia, or Peru. So they’re being trained, we’re serving them a bit and being trained a bit. But it’s a good mix of folks. Basically aged 15-22.

I’ll try to get some pics of where we’re staying and how everything is laid out soon. Camera was out of batteries, but got some new ones.  It’s hot. There’s no AC, and I’m going minimal on the showers. Life is good!

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I’m done packing. Now I need to get to sleeping.

I should pull out of town tomorrow morning to go to Gainesville, GA to participate in an Adventures in Mission training camp. When AIM sends missionaries to diff parts of the country and world, they come for training first. Well, we’re going to be serving the missionaries. Serving food and cleaning after them and various stuff like that. But out group will get to participate in the Mission Trainging as well. So it’s a good deal for us. We get to give AND get!

One thing about Gainesville is that it is 37 miles from Northpoint Community Church. I’ve always wanted to check it out. Never been to a mega church before. And I really dig Andy Stanley. Not saying a megachurch is my thing. But dunno. Never been there.

But we’ll be sleeping in tents, using “home made” showers, and roughing it. Probably a contrast from BigStuf last week. But I should have net access of some sort, so I hope to have some updates and photos!

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So last week we were at BigStuf. Fantastic week. This is my 10th summer to go there. I went one summer while in college as a “leader”, and then this was my 9th summer to take a group. So obviously I’m a believer in the quality of this place! BigStuf is always good stuff.

The trip started off w/ a bang…literally. It was only about 30 miles down the road before we had a blowout. But after a fairly quick tire change at a local tire store along the way, we were back on track.

Louie Giglio, Stuart Hall, and Jared Herd were the speakers for the week. Stuart was good, but had a few things in his talk that some of my kids thought were distracting. Some little jokes that probably keep middle school students on track were bumping some of my high school students off track it seemed. And a comment or two was taken wrong. In no way do I think that Stuart’s heart or intent was anything but pure, but it was something worth mentioning.

Jared Herd I’d heard before. In that time I thought he was almost a “Louie-lite” meaning he gave a message very similar to one I’d heard Louie give before and seemed to have a lot of the same mannerism and all. Not that that was a bad thing, but it seemed to be not his own stuff. This time I came away really enjoying Jared’s messages.

And of course Louie was speaking w/ impact again. Talked about being Wired for Worship and being Wired for This World. Pretty convicting stuff when he talked about how we all have responisibilities as Christians to minister to and support and help those in our world who seem hopeless.

Worship was as great as always. Started a little slower for some reason, but as the week went on, it seemed to grab me more. It deff was a production. More on that later, but they can really create an environment that is packed w/ the “Wow factor”.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip. There were no squabbles or fights that I know of between our students. And some funny stories as well. Maybe I’ll get the volleyball tourney story in or the motorcycle gang story up soon. Some are funny at the time, some are funny to look back on.

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I’ll go ahead and admit that I’m jealous of those going to the Buzz Conference this weekend in D.C. I’d heard about it last year when I came across National Community Church and it’s pastor, Mark Batterson’s blog.  It’s going to be a 2 day event where churches are instructed on how to market/package what they do and how the message of the GOSPEL can make such a difference in our lives. Ed Young, Mark Batterson, and Brad Abare will be the main presenters.
Some people disagree w/ this approach. An interview w/ Mark over on Church Marketing Sucks got quite a buzz as well. Check out the comments. But I think what NCC is doing is quite impressive and they’re meeting the needs of their community. A community that includes plenty of Capitol Hill suits and also those from the city’s largest homeless shelter.

So as the Buzz gets going this weekend, I hope to be able to keep up w/ it through blogs and maybe, just maybe get some cd’s or mp3′s after the conference.

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I’ve been lagging on a lot of things. General and specific things. But life things. I began to listen to Erwin McManus‘s last series from his church on his podcast. It is called Chasing Daylight, but is a re-release of a previous book of his I read entitled Seizing Your Divine Moment. Lots of truth in that book I need to digest.

But a couple of days ago Tony Morgan had this post where he was talking about DRIVE THE CAR. He likened our lives to a car and someone who loves his car and tinkers with it and puts time into trying to get it just right, but never taking it out of the garage. Never getting it on the open road. Sometimes I think that’s me.

So now that I’ve been slapped around in the face with it a little lately…what am I going to do with it?

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I’m really thinking of going back to Costa Rica this summer. Today is another meeting. But here is the cool part, I think The Wife is going to come along too! We’ve not worked out the details of where the girls will be yet, but looking to go late July/early August to Liberia, Costa Rica again on a mission trip.

Looking forward to the hot days, hard work, hot nights, great fellowship, interesting church services, and feeling exhausted knowing you did some work for God.

This is me and Pastor Carlos of the church where we work, eat, and sleep pretty much all day. Outstanding man of God.

For more pictures of our trip last year to Costa Rica you can check out this Flickr Set.

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I’d heard the name before, but never been a part. And we were running late as Addie, my dad, and I entered the church at about 6:04. I could hear the pastor reading scripture, but couldn’t see him. Only a table up front with candles and some containers up there. Then I saw Bob sitting on the front pew, facing the front like everyone else, as he was reading from The Gospel.

We took a seat and began to look at the bulletin. Hmmm. This Taize’ service isnt’ like a regular service.

Taizé, pronounced (Teh-ZAY) is an ecumenical, peaceful way to pray, using (easy to learn) musical chants, silent meditation, and scripture readings… a meditative, common prayer. Gathered in the presence of Christ we sing uncomplicated repetitive short songs like breath prayers, uncluttered by too many words, allowing the mystery of God to become tangible through the beauty of the Spirit in its simplicity. A few words sung over and over again (mantra) reinforce the meditative quality of prayer. They express a basic reality of faith that can quickly be grasped by the intellect, and will gradually penetrate the whole being.

After scripture and repeatedly singing “Remember me when You come into Your Kingdom” there was time for silent and reflective prayer. It lasted quite a while, then an invitation to light a candle and place it in a mini-sandbox of sorts as a sign of repentance and then to pray at the alter. If you desired to be anointed w/ oil and one of the pastors to pray over you, you’d cup your hands as a signal.

I told Addie I was going to go down and she was quite insistent that she knew how to do it. That she could light a candle. But I told her to wait and we’d explain everything at a later time. So I went up and prayed and was annoited and returned. And she still was saying she could do it.

I told her that people were doing it as a sign of turning from wrong living and telling God they wanted to live completely for Him. She nodded. And she wanted to go ahead.After explaining again that we’d talk about it later, she seemed to be okay w/ waiting. But then I began to think. Even if she, in her four year old head, doesn’t understand it completely, should that keep her from wanting to go down and pray? Heck, how many of the adults that go down understand it completely? Probably NONE. So we went.

She lit a candle, set it in the sand. And then we went to kneel. I prayed for her, and could her her whispering a prayer at the same time. I don’t know if it was one of her own, or if she was repeating mine. And then Davis, our Associate Pastor prayed over her for God to give her wisdom and understanding of Him as she grows and annointed her with oil.

It was quite special.

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Of course we, as flawed people, always recognize the need to start over on somethings. But I think sometimes the actual change is intimidating. But after some both busy and quiet times to myself, I’ve decided there are a few things that need some new beginnings and a few that just need to get started. Maybe if I put them here for all to read (is there really an “all” that reads this?) then I’ll be more likely to do so. And feel free to keep me accountable.

MissSportsTalk.com:  My little hobby that started on a whim back in 2002 has grown. It has grown to the point that I need to start putting some extra effort into it and putting in place some ways for it to be self supporting. My first hosting bill was a $15/year plan that was perfect for a while. But my needs grew. And they’ve continued to grow. So much that I think I’m in need of a Virtual Private Server that is a good bit more per month than I’m paying (all out of my pocket) right now.

But I think I have a few possibilities as to how I’m going to do it. It’s going to take an upgrade in the software, which will mean an update in the skin. But then I’ll most likely use phpAdsNew. But I look to get some Mississippi advertisers to place a few ads on there to be able to support the server cost and maybe put a little extra $$ in my pocket if possible.

Running/Exercising: Yeah, yeah. There is always no time like the present to start a new exercise routine, huh? But I think I’ve found a new running partner. My wife would always be ahead of me on the ability scale, so her pace was always quicker than mine. But my 4 year old is my new running partner. Today we ran around the outside loop of our neighborhood. That’s about a mile. She did the whole thing w/o stopping. Then she hopped in the stoller and we did it a 2nd time…but it was The Wife pushing. Not me.

But I think that now is the time for a real exercise plan. There have been days that I’ve more than recognized I needed to watch what I eat and spend some time on the road or in the gym. And there have been days I’ve thought I could stand to lose a few pounds. But this past weekend, I actually began to think I was fat. It was depressing.

Talk Series: I’m planning on starting two new series at youth before school lets out. One will be called The Amazing Race and talk about our journey with God. I’m thinking it will be split up like Preparing For The Race, Running The Race, and Finishing The Race. Might try to get a few teams of students together to actually do a mini-amazing-race like the television show. I want a video camera with each team and put together a cool video of it all as well.
The other one will be on dating or relationships. But I want to have some questions to ask a handful of couples in our church, video their answers, and then edit it together to show. This would be a 2 or 3 part series. I’ve been playing with some demos of video editing packages. Looking to get one in the next month or so.
But I think series talks are good. They bring some continuity together, and you can plan for it, and people can know what to expect as well. Last night we talked about Samson some, and will be looking at him again next week. But I got a text message today from a student that said last night was good and they enjoy learning about OT people.

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