That's not my name...Star Wars edition

James (6 yrs. old) and Nolan (4 yrs. old) were playing Lego star-wars on the PS3 this morning. Nolan began to negotiate with James which character he wanted.

Nolan:  I wanna be Obi Nobie

Dad:  I think you mean Obi wan Kenobi

Nolan:  (with a questioning tone) Obi nobie nobie obi

Dad:  Obi wan Kenobi

Nolan:  Nobie Nobie

Dad:  exactly

Beer Butt Chicken

Heather's Dad came over this week.  I knew I wanted to use the grill for dinner, and I asked him to give me a tutorial of "Beer Butt Chicken".  This was just simply fun to cook because it is such a unique idea, but the result was some of the best tasting, tender, and very juicy chicken I've had in a while.


Ingredients and cost:
1 baking hen ($5)
1 can of Budweiser ($6, for a 6-pack)
salt and pepper
BBQ sauce ($3)

Directions:
1.  Get the grill going at around 300 degrees
2.  Massage the chicken down with salt & pepper.
3.  Open the can of beer, and set the chicken on the beer (the can acts as a stand), inserting the can into the cavity of the chicken.
4.  Baste with BBQ sauce
5.  Place the chicken on the grill.  Use the can as a stand, and make sure it is set in a way that the can will not fall over.
6.  Close the lid


Cook for an hour and 40 minutes.  There is a lot of grease so make sure the chicken does not get burned by direct flames.  Periodically baste the chicken with more BBQ sauce.

Nolan Wants a Cracker

A few months ago my oldest son, James, made a decision for Christ.  He doesn't have it all figured out, but then again who does?.  He said he asked God to come in and change his heart, and he does believe that Jesus died for him, and he is supposed to serve him, and his sins are gone because of it.  That pretty much sums it up.

A week ago at church we came forward, as we do every week, to take communion.  Heather, James, and I took the elements.  My 4 year old Nolan was upset that I did not allow him to take the communion.  Nolan does not yet have a belief of Jesus as his savior, and I take very seriously I Corinthians 11:29, which says:

I Corinthians 11:29

For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 

After communion and went back to our pew.  Nolan was still upset.  He looked at his mother referring to the alter rail he said, "Why am I not allowed to get a snack at the snack bar?"

...and that's why!

All Knuckleheads glorify the Lord

"I'm not gifted enough for God to use me.  God can't use me because of my past."   Really?

Abraham and Sarah were too old. (Genesis 18:14).  
Joseph was abused as a child, (Genesis 50:20).
David (1 Samuel 1-21), Moses (Exodus 2:11-14), and Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9) were murderers
Gideon was scared to death. (Judges 6 & 7)
Rahab was a prostitute. (Joshua 2:1-22)
Timothy was too young, (1 Timothy 4:12)
Elijah was suicidal. (1 kings 19:3-5)
Naomi was a widow. (Ruth 1)
Jonah initially ran away from God, but was given another chance. (Book of Jonah)
Job lost everything, and God glorified Himself through it. (Book of Job)  
Peter was an impulsive hot-head. (John 18:1-10)
The disciples fell asleep praying (Matthew 26:36-45)
Martha was a worry-wart (Luke 10:38-42)
Mary Magdalene was demon-possessed (Luke 8:1-2)
The Samarian woman was divorced five times (John 4:7-26))
Zaccheus was too short...and a thief (Luke 19: 1-10)
and Lazarus was dead. (John 11:1-45)


God wants to use you.  God loves to uses ill-equipped, the wounded, the broken, and the sinful to further his kingdom.  God uses knuckleheads.








The idea for this blog came from a ministry called God thoughts

Youth Ministry Stories #9 (Mac Powell and the Mac Powells)

I've found that the first 6 months at a new youth ministry job is  the hardest.  You are spending a lot of time getting to know the students, and you are consistently trying to convince youth that it is OK for them to trust you.

I had been working at the Church of the Cross as the new youth director for only a couple months, and I was in that stage where youth are still very wary of you.  We had planned a short trip (30 min drive) to Savannah, Ga to see Third Day and Toby Mac in concert.  It was Friday morning and I was running around trying to make sure all of the details were set.  I was double checking on my drivers.  Ordering food from chick-fila to be picked up for dinner, and generally running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.  One of the ladies that worked in the office, Risa Grace, noticed that I was running around a bit hurried.

Then she asked me, "what do you have going on making you so busy."  

"I'm taking a group of youth to see Third Day in concert"

"Oh yea, that's right.  They should be here at 4:00"

"No, they aren't coming here.  We are going to Savannah to see them at the Civic Center"

"No, they called earlier.  They will be here at 4:00".

"I think you are confused.  There is a concert in Savannah with the band Third Day"

"Well, I don't know about the concert, but they called and wanted to take pictures in front of the church."

To shorten the story and my confusion...we were both right.  Third Day was coming to the church to take pictures for their next album.

The youth began arriving around 4:00 only to see Third Day's tour bus parked besides the church.  We watched the band as they took pictures, and a few youth noticed how much makeup they were wearing for the pictures.  I looked around at this group of youth that I was just getting to know, and I realized that this was an opportunity for me to seem a bit cooler.  

Proverbs 16:18

Pride precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall.

not Matt Powell

I began telling the youth how years ago before Third Day was popular we had hired them to play music at a weekend retreat.  This was sorta true except that I had nothing to do with hiring them.  I was simply a volunteer with a youth group where another youth director had hired them, but my pride was in full stride.  As it neared time for us to head to Savannah one of our leaders, Donald Stephens, asked the band if they would come over and let us meet them and take a couple pictures.  The band agreed, took a break from their phot shoot, and came over and talked with the youth for a couple minutes.  I was still trying to act way cooler than I was.  I was talking to the band like I knew them, and I was really proud to call the lead singer by his first name without asking for it first.  I positioned myself in the center of the conversation and had a long conversation with the lead singer loud enough for everyone to realize exactly how cool I was.  After calling him by name 10-15 time the bass player spoke up in an tone that was loud enough for everyone to hear and clearly a bit irritated at me...  "His name is Mac not Matt."  I felt about two inches tall. 

The concert was great, the youth had a great time, and I got to revisit a fact I have known for a while...I AM NOT COOL!  

The hymnals and window pics are from The Church of the Cross.
There was also a band picture on the back cover, but
I was too lazy to scan it...maybe later.

The best of friends, by James Phillips

This happened a long time ago, but I've never put it on my blog.  I did post it all over Facebook however.

About 6 months ago my son went to the doctor.  It took a long time to leave the waiting room and head back to the room where we would see the doctor, and once we were finally in the room it was another long wait.  My son, James, who was 6 at the time was growing restless.  To pass the time I asked him to tell me a story.  He created a pretty elaborate and original story about Woody and Buzz.  As he told the story I realized he was telling a gem, so I quickly grabbed pen a paper and wrote the story as he told it.  The following day James, Nolan (4 years old at the time), and I turned James' story into a movie.

The best of Friends, by James Phillips (and some help by Nolan)

My 100th Blog