I don’t claim to be a good singer.  I’m good at sleeping but not singing.  This guy made me laugh today

I hate waking up early but I love being up early. The best time of the day is before the sun comes up, before the phone starts ringing and the emails start to fly.
The best part of the day is early but you can’t enjoy it unless you get out of bed. This is my problem – there are days where I miss the joy of the morning because I’m too comfortable in bed.
I like to compare this with my walk with god. I want to spend quality time with him but that means rolling out of bed, turning the tv off or stopping what I’m doing (usually snoring for me). It is when I actually get off my butt do I enjoy this incredible time.
I want to experience the “full life” that he offers but I can’t experience it if I’m too focused on my own comfort.
It’s only when we get out of the comfort then we can experience the gretest of the day

Random Monday Thoughts;

• Happy birthday Blog – you’re two years old.  Two years of funny Abby stories, not-so-smart thoughts from me (brad) and general tom-foolery two or three times a week (for some reason I thought of Marc when I said “tom-foolery”.)  
• Over two years, the most read post is Pastors Kids. Google “pastors kids” and I’m #3?  Every week I get e-mails from people telling me their reflections on being a pastors kid and whether it was a good experience or a bad one.  It’s crazy how many terrible stories I hear – I think my kids will  need counselling   (Not because they are a pastors kid … just because of who their dad is!) 
• These past couple of weeks I’m really experiencing “sermon hangover” on mondays.  It’s a feeling like nothing I’ve ever felt like before.   It’s a mixture of tiredness, release and a feeling of “I should have done better”. 
• I spoke on “finances” yesterday and I’ve heard some great responses so far.  Some people have contacted me for some financial guidance (I’m not giving the guidance – I’m pointed them to people who can) and some people have talked to me about some decisions they have made.   I always feel weird talking about topics like this b/c I know I’m not a pro!  My prayer is always “LORD … HELP”. 
• My kids are taking me to Red Lobster tonight – I love Red Lobster.  (I have a funny feeling that I’ll be paying for the meal even though they are the ones doing the “taking”!
• If you attend MTC I’m assuming that if you came yesterday you realized how incredible of a guitar player Dwight is.  WOW the guy is incredible. 
• I’m slowly becoming a Calgary Flames fan.  It’s not that I haven’t been but I grew up watching the Canadians play and I have a special place in my heart for them.  I still have my Bob Gainey, Larry Robinson and Claude Lemieux posters … but karen won’t allow me to put them up in our bedroom.  If I could only find a poster of the greatest player of all time I would be happy … Bobby Smith. (for a non hockey fan you’d never heard of him … for a hockey fan … you probably don’t remember him)
• I’m sceptical of the new instant coffee from Starbucks.  “Instant” and “coffee” should never be in the same sentence. 

There you go – Have a great week.

I find it hard to make decisions; where to eat, what shirt to buy, who to cheer for in the NFL (I still haven’t been able to pick a team).   Everytime I’m faced with a decision I don’t want to make the wrong choice because I don’t want to regret it later. 

Things don’t get easier in  my work life when I’m put in a decision making situation as Lead Pastor of MTC.  It seems like there are decisions around every corner and I’m the one who is responsible to make the final say.  It’s been quite the experience for me to understand that someone has to say either “yes” or “no” and in a leadership position this is my role.  The bible makes it very clear that “the counsel of many is wisdom” which is why there is an elders board – but someone has to lead the process. 

A huge encouragement for me, as a leader, has been a talk that Andy Stanley had at the Catalyst west conference I attended back in April.  Andy said some words that I needed to here, here are a couple of quotes that have encouraged me; “uncertainty is why we need leaders.” “If every situation were clear, no leadership would be needed.” “Uncertainty underscores the need for leadership. Uncertainty is the arena in which leadership is recognized.”  

As I grow as a leader (and as you grow as a leader as well) I am learning that leadership is a great responsibility but one that God has given you (and me).   It is our responsibility to be listening to what God wants for you and your responsibility and to respond accordingly.  And from what I hear from some veterans – you’ll rarely be 100% convinced it was right.

You know the feeling; that turning in your stomach when you walked into the local K-mart or Zellers with your mom and you saw the giant sign that said “Back to school supplies”.  You were with your mom so you couldn’t swear (unless you lived on the farm and you were only allowed to say one word that your “non-farm” friends couldn’t say) but you said to yourself  “It’s only July, my summer just began”. 

From that point on you had an unofficial countdown in your head of when the dreaded day of school would begin; 30 days, 15 days, 2 more sleeps, one more hour etc …  You were the deer and the beginning of school was the headlights.  Your tried everything to get out of the way, even telling your Mom ”seriously, I think you’d be a great homeschool teacher!” or you’d think to yourself “what would ferris buhler do?”.   Nothing worked – the first day always came.

I’m feeling for all the kids at school today.  Some parents are happy that their little one is out of the house again, some parents balled like a newborn on the steps of the elementary school.  Whatever the parents have gone through – the child has to wait another school year for summer vacation.   

The first day of school – oh what memories. 

*Caleb starts on Monday and Abby starts on Tuesday.  We’re partying till then.

4 Things our 19 month old daughter can’t do:

• change her own diaper
• say “DADDY RULES”
• dunk on a regulation size basketball hoop
• wakeboard

1 thing our 19 month old can do:

• Call 911

*Just to let you know – anytime someone calls 911 in Calgary – two of the cities finest comes to your house and makes sure there is nothing going on … and they are very thorough!

I’m taking the summer off from blogging. I thought I might tell you this – all four of you that read it

Most people I know won’t ask for help when they are in need.  A lot of us are like the husband who doesn’t want to ask for directions when the family is lost; it’s what they need and would save time but he’s too pig headed to stop.  Do you know anyone like this?  I would definately fall into this category – just ask my wife  

Recently I needed some pastoral help and I didn’t know where to turn.  It’s not like I don’t have some incredible pastors that I can turn to for advice but for some reason I felt as if my close connections wouldn’t give me the answer or guidance that I needed.    I sat at my desk and asked myself “what do i do?”   I needed guidance but where do I turn?  I prayed – ALOT. 

I woke up in the middle of the night and had this dumb idea – what if I e-mailed one of my favorite authors who happens to be a pastor.  What if I asked his advice?  Maybe, just maybe he could help me in my predicament.  I know he’s been through something like this because he’s written about it.  What’s the worst that could happen?  He could ignore me.

The next morning I found his e-mail address,  typed out a short note asking for help  (concluding in my mind that i would probably never hear from a busy guy like this). I read the e-mail over, re-read it and finally pressed “send”.   With no exxageration; two minutes later ,this very busy author and pastor responded to me with advice, examples of what he had done in the past and offered to talk about whatever I needed in the future!  * picture my jaw hitting the ground.

What did I learn through this?  A) It’s cool that a fellow pastor was willing to help out a guy he doesn’t know.  It makes me want to be that kind of guy.  B) I’ll buy any book he writes – he’s the real deal.  C)  It doesn’t hurt to ask.  What’s the worst that could happen? 

There’s a challenge for you today – is there a need that you have?  Is there a deal you need to make or a decision you need to get.  Why not make make the big ask.  What’s the worst that can happen?  They could say ”no” OR they might surprise you and say “yes”.  Just ask

It was a long week for me last week.  As I sit at my desk right now I am emotionally drained and am longing just to go cut my lawn (seriously – it hasn’t been cut for two weeks and my new neighbour probably thinks he moved next to rednecks whom at anytime will place a couch on the grass)

When I am tired and drained I’ve learned the importance of finding outlets to help refuel my body and soul.  Here are some ways I’ve enjoyed lately;

• Golf.  I really wish I could golf everyday.  There is a church in Toronto that buys a golf membership for their senior pastor everyyear.  It doesn’t hurt that it’s a massive church and a couple of the board members are part owners of golflinks. 
• Watching a movie that makes me think.  I first thought I would enjoy dumb, mindless movies when I’m drained but I’m finding that dumb, mindless movies are usually chic flicks or R-rated garbage.  I’d go for a true story or a great mystery and a bowl of popcorn. 
• Wood working.  My father is one of the best finished carpenters I know and he has shown me the joy of building something out of nothing.  It doesn’t matter what the project – I love to work with wood (not that I’m any good at it but I think I’m getting better)
• Reading a good book listening to Hillsong United, Jars of Clay,Coldplay or some good hip-hop and R & B.

What’s worked in the past has been shooting a basketball, going for a run and eating a box of goodie rings in one sitting   I wish I could say “working out” but I’m not there yet.  I’m really trying to get there … but not yet.  Maybe I need a trainer?

There’s a little snapshot of my life.

I’ve given in and now am part of Twitter. My username is draggly (thanks to my sisters who used to call me that growing up) I’m a newbie so I can’t even tell you how to get to it. I’m thinking www.twitter.com/draggly or join twitter and find me @draggly
For those of you who are unaware of twitter (you know who you are) it’s a chance to waste even more time letting others know what you’re up to and watching what others are doing – all in 140 characters or less.