rob KELLY

My Plant Lives

The plant that my mother-in-law gave me a couple of years ago was in bad shape.

But, thanks to Donna, it is now looking good! My mother-in-law will be so happy!

Today's Run 05.12.08

7 miles in 1:00:30 (8:39 Pace)

• This Week: 10 miles
• This Month: 40.8 miles
• This Year:  216.4 miles
• Lifetime: 4324.8 miles

Today's Run 05.11.08

3 miles in 23:47 (7:56 pace)

• This Week:  3 miles
• This Month:  33.8 miles
• This Year:  209.4 miles
• Lifetime:  4317.8 miles

Today's Run 05.10.08

Good news - cool weather.
Bad news - windy!

7 Miles in 1:00:11 (8:36 pace)

• This Week: 21 miles
• This Month:30.8 miles
• This Year: 206.4 miles
• Lifetime: 4314.8

Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Blues

If you have the blues, guard them with your life. If they are stolen away you may lose the incredible life song they create.

While I was driving back to my office yesterday I was listening to a local sports talk show. Leading into their next segment they played the song "I Can't Dance" by Genesis. One line in the song stuck with me throughout the day. "Young punk spilling beer on my shoes, fat guys talking to me trying to steal my blues."

I am not sure that I am being true to the overall meaning of the song, but that line made me think about how hard we try -  to get rid of our blues. We allow them to be stolen away (with minimal if any resistance), by thieves with the names: positive thinking; medication; therapy; minimization; blame; apathy; formulaic living; religion; addictive escape.

What a shame. Some of the best music of all time has come from the blues. In the Bible they are called laments.

Life situations that lead to the blues can be the result of sin. However, according to Psalm 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all."

Tough times come to everyone. Dealing with the resulting blues in our own way and our own power removes the opportunity for God to write a meaningful song upon our soul. However, when we patiently (not passively - there is a difference), and obediently wait, we experience God's loving mercy, his deliverance, and a deeper passion and faith for God. Eventually, it all makes sense.

Just ask Joseph.

Today's Run 05.07.08

The weather this evening was perfect for running. Nice and cool with overcast conditions. It contributed to an enjoyable run. I pushed hard but not too hard.

7 Miles in 1:02:20 (8:55 pace)

• This Week: 14 miles
• This Month: 23.8 miles
• This Year: 199.4 miles
• Lifetime: 4307.8 miles

My wife is sick squared! Pray her up please!

Yep, Carol Ann is sick, as in hot/awesome/incredible!

Yep, Carol Ann is sick,as in chicken noodle soup sick.

She leaves for El Salvador in a few days. Please pray that she begins feeling better. Thanks.

I'm Back... I think

It has been a while since I have regularly entered the blog world. It was not a self imposed "fast" or anything like that, just a break from reading and writing in the blog world.  But I am back and looking forward to sharing a thought or two.

What have I been doing with this "extra" time?

• Research and writing for our current series through the book of James.
• Research and writing for our upcoming series on Ruth. Can't wait to preach the thing!
• Reading through the book of Daniel to go along with our weekly chapel service for the staff.
• Running - 100 miles over the last six weeks.
• Attended the smokin awesome Northern Hills Men's Retreat.
• Listening to this.
• Laughing at this.
• Considering this. Dan is encouraging me to participate.
• Sleeping more.
• Doing a couple D2S Podcasts
• Eating Less - dropped 17 pounds since the Maui trip.
• Praying more. Not trying to prop myself up here as being super spiritual, but I was challenged recently by a friend about my personal prayer habits. It was a good challenge that I am taking to heart.

The list could go on, but that helps you catch up a bit. I'm back... I think!

Musical Collision

The point where my daughters and I collide musically. Way cool!

Going Wide at Northern Hills

I had the privilege of doing the Podcast for Dare2Share this week. Jeremy Hughey interviewed me about implementing the Go Wide strategy on a church wide basis. If you want more info about this strategy, check out the Deep and Wide Model that Dare 2 Share has created. For information and a look at how we implemented it at Northern Hills check out We Are Jonah. Also, here are the study guides.

Free Youth Ministry Resources

Northern Hills in the News

Story.

Question #25

What is on the right side of your AND?

AND is the foe of focus,  diluter of dedication,  enemy of effort,  and the magnifier of ME.

There was a time that I was a huge NBA fan. Not so much anymore. I still watch, maybe cheer (at times), but AND is in the way of the NBA being great.

On several occasions over the past few years I have heard star players interviewed about their goals or hopes for the season or their team or career. They use AND. It troubles me. They say something like, "I want to win the championship AND lead the league in scoring. I want to win the championship AND make the All-Star game." Now in many ways there is nothing wrong with thinking it would be cool to lead the league in scoring or making the All-Star game. However, sometimes the focus on the personal goal will keep the team goal from happening.

AND gets in the way. The focus on the right side of AND makes it hard to accomplish what is stated on the left side of AND. Too often it becomes a ME focus. AND has a habit of doing that... but not always. At the risk of sounding too old-school or idealistic, it is hard to imagine Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, or Michael Jordan saying anything but, "win a championship".

Now it is easy to pick on NBA players, but we all must be careful of what we put on the right side of AND.

Paul said, "To live is Christ AND...

• drive a nice car?
• be popular?
• lead a major ministry?
• be healthy?
• be on the cutting edge?
• keep from sinning?
• be liked?
• retire?

Nope. Paul said, "To live is Christ AND to die is gain".

What is on the right side of your AND?