Here it is! Dena caught the big event on video. Very cool stuff!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Reborn!
On Sunday, I took the next step in my walk with Jesus. Following an abbreviated service, my pastor and good friend, Tommy, baptized me along with 3 other members of ICC. The water was pretty cold (look at my face in the top photo) but it was truly an amazing experience that I will never forget. It was even more special to me because 15 of my family members, including 8 from Ohio, attended the service and we had close to 40 people over to the house for a celebratory luncheon, which despite Dena's anxiety, could not have gone more perfectly.
The band (we're unofficially using the moniker "Guns n' Moses" until we come up with something better), rocked the service again despite problems with a new sound system. Definitely not our best gig, but the energy of the day more than made up for what we were lacking in sound quality.
I can't wait to see what God has in store for me next! If it's anything like the last 8 months have been, I'm sure it's going to be something pretty awesome.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Under Attack
Ever since I made my commitment to Jesus last summer, people have told me that Satan would do his best to turn me away from that relationship. My mother-in-law, Dena's best friend Marianne, and most recently, Tommy, all mentioned that this is something that would happen. I didn't give it much thought until this week as I prepare for my baptism this coming Sunday. The past month and a half, since Tommy asked me if I was ready to be baptized have been a total nightmare for me as far as my job is concerned and I'm starting to think that this is all the work of Satan.
Most people don't know it, but my job has always been a very defining part of my life. I don't know why it is, but I have always taken most of what goes on around me at work very personally and have gotten very far down about it on many occasions. Perhaps that is why I've switched jobs so many times in my life. This has been the case since early March - almost nothing has gone well (a crappy advertising deal with YellowPages.com that has resulted in zero phone calls, doubting myself every day, every job being a total pain in the rear, etc.) and I've pretty much decided to close my business. Just last week, after installing the ceiling fan from hell, I mentioned to Dena that God wasn't there for me that day. Thinking about it now, I was really wrong and it could have been a lot worse - I fell off the top of my 12 foot ladder and was somehow able to catch myself on the loft in the house, I met and talked to a fellow Christian, and made her and her mom very happy customers.
I have also been working with another electrical company on a new Walgreens Pharmacy that has kept me very busy. I haven't had an off day in weeks. This is another thing that I think God has played a huge part in. The company is owned by a guy I used to party with back in my late teens and early 20's. We were never best buds or anything like that, and we probably could have done without each other all together but something has brought us together and I am very grateful for it. Jimmy has been an electrician for almost 20 years and, despite my initial ineptitude on the job, was able to teach me a lot of cool stuff that I didn't previously know. I busted my rear helping him out and I'm pretty sure that he is very happy with my performance. He's got two more Walgreens stores and two Mexican restaurants to wire in the coming months and he has already invited me back to help with the projects as soon as I complete the wiring of my sister's new house. I have no idea if this will result in something permanent but it will keep my busy with a steady income for a while.
Tommy's dad mentioned just the other night how some people are able to create a web that helps bring many people to Christ. Dena thinks that this may be what He has in store for me and what makes me a huge threat to Satan's plan. I am not what most people would call a stereotypical Christian - I like loud, secular music, I smoke, I swear too much, I occasionally drink a beer or six, etc...just a regular guy who is an idiot sometimes. I'm hopeful that I can reach other "delinquents" like myself and help bring them to Jesus. This is really cool stuff!
As for Satan, I need to tell you that you've lost this time so you might as well back off. No matter what you try to throw at me, I'm down with Jesus for the long haul and I'm shouting it to the world this coming Sunday when I get baptised and as much as I can for the rest of my life!
Most people don't know it, but my job has always been a very defining part of my life. I don't know why it is, but I have always taken most of what goes on around me at work very personally and have gotten very far down about it on many occasions. Perhaps that is why I've switched jobs so many times in my life. This has been the case since early March - almost nothing has gone well (a crappy advertising deal with YellowPages.com that has resulted in zero phone calls, doubting myself every day, every job being a total pain in the rear, etc.) and I've pretty much decided to close my business. Just last week, after installing the ceiling fan from hell, I mentioned to Dena that God wasn't there for me that day. Thinking about it now, I was really wrong and it could have been a lot worse - I fell off the top of my 12 foot ladder and was somehow able to catch myself on the loft in the house, I met and talked to a fellow Christian, and made her and her mom very happy customers.
I have also been working with another electrical company on a new Walgreens Pharmacy that has kept me very busy. I haven't had an off day in weeks. This is another thing that I think God has played a huge part in. The company is owned by a guy I used to party with back in my late teens and early 20's. We were never best buds or anything like that, and we probably could have done without each other all together but something has brought us together and I am very grateful for it. Jimmy has been an electrician for almost 20 years and, despite my initial ineptitude on the job, was able to teach me a lot of cool stuff that I didn't previously know. I busted my rear helping him out and I'm pretty sure that he is very happy with my performance. He's got two more Walgreens stores and two Mexican restaurants to wire in the coming months and he has already invited me back to help with the projects as soon as I complete the wiring of my sister's new house. I have no idea if this will result in something permanent but it will keep my busy with a steady income for a while.
Tommy's dad mentioned just the other night how some people are able to create a web that helps bring many people to Christ. Dena thinks that this may be what He has in store for me and what makes me a huge threat to Satan's plan. I am not what most people would call a stereotypical Christian - I like loud, secular music, I smoke, I swear too much, I occasionally drink a beer or six, etc...just a regular guy who is an idiot sometimes. I'm hopeful that I can reach other "delinquents" like myself and help bring them to Jesus. This is really cool stuff!
As for Satan, I need to tell you that you've lost this time so you might as well back off. No matter what you try to throw at me, I'm down with Jesus for the long haul and I'm shouting it to the world this coming Sunday when I get baptised and as much as I can for the rest of my life!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
I Try Something New...Again
Last night, Dena took me to my first Christian rock concert (my birthday present). I had seen Jars Of Clay twice in the past, but that was before I thought of them as anything more than just another rock band. We saw The Newsboys at Robert Morris University. To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting to see/hear much. I'm not exactly familiar with many of their tunes and what I had heard was a bit on the tame/lame side as far as I'm concerned.
Much to my surprise, these guys absolutely blew me away! They rocked as hard as and put on a show equal to just about anyone I have ever seen...except for Kiss, of course. That's really a lot coming from me - I've seen a lot of concerts in my day - Kiss 7 times (5 in make-up), Jimmy Buffett at least 6 times, Rush 4 times, Bob Mould (2), Sugar, Ace Frehely (2), The Ramones, The Kinks, Iron Maiden, INXS, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, The Who, Goo Goo Dolls (3 - when they still rocked), Yes, Ted Nugent (2), Jethro Tull (2), countless local bands, etc.
On top of the great music and absolutely stunning visuals, the addition of God's message and the awesome crowd made the show one the best I have ever seen - definitely top 10 material. If you haven't seen them, I suggest you check them out. What a great time!
Much to my surprise, these guys absolutely blew me away! They rocked as hard as and put on a show equal to just about anyone I have ever seen...except for Kiss, of course. That's really a lot coming from me - I've seen a lot of concerts in my day - Kiss 7 times (5 in make-up), Jimmy Buffett at least 6 times, Rush 4 times, Bob Mould (2), Sugar, Ace Frehely (2), The Ramones, The Kinks, Iron Maiden, INXS, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, The Who, Goo Goo Dolls (3 - when they still rocked), Yes, Ted Nugent (2), Jethro Tull (2), countless local bands, etc.
On top of the great music and absolutely stunning visuals, the addition of God's message and the awesome crowd made the show one the best I have ever seen - definitely top 10 material. If you haven't seen them, I suggest you check them out. What a great time!
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