So, this picture is about relflection (The thing I’m bad at). We also took a picture of our feet: one set very small, one a woman’s size six, one a man’s size 10… Very fun picture…
But, this one is about my most powerful calling: my family…
What do you wish you reflected more upon
If you went to my high school, his name might conjure up a bad image but I love his stuff. he uses the same analogies (largely from his own life) over and over and so what – they’re great analogies (like throwing a birthdy party for a hooker he had just met)…
Anyway, one of his talks is based loosely on the three things people who live to be over 100 years old wish tey had done differently…
Risk, Reflect, and leave more of a legacy for when they are gone…
How do you do at those three things? I think I am good at the first, awful at the second, and consistently thinking about the third…
This picture is in honor of taking risks…
So, that is not me, but I did catch two fish like that one (and one small shark), fishing the other day off of Amelia Island in Florida. That large fish, a tarpon, does fight a lot and the second one (maybe a shade over 100 pounds) made me walk around the boat 12 times before he was tired enough for me to pull him in and pull out the hook.
I wonder why we like fishing and hunting so much? My guide is this strange mixture of environmentally conscious and not-so-much… It is probably an occupation thing, but Captain Jim will not kill a fish; but, he is an active deer hunter (although he only goes after very large bucks). Anyway, I was enjoying the fishing a lot, but I noticed that Captain Jim would always set the Tarpon right in the water to facilitate them swimming back down into the ocean (we didn’t pull them on to the boat). This seemed very exciting, and with my second (and last) Tarpon, I asked him if I could cut the hook off and set the fish right so he wouldn’t have trouble swimming back down. Captain Jim said, “You can do whatever you want!”
And that was the highlight of my afternoon. That, and not losing another finger to another rope! Seriously though, my favorite part was not the 45 minutes it took me to win the battle with my tarpon, but it was setting his top fin upright again and pushing him under the water to watch him swim away.
Psalm 8 is more cosmological than anything, but it refers to subduing the Earth. I wonder if we stop thinking too early, if we forget to be New Covenant Thinkers with a Scripture like that. Relative to Jesus shouldn’t we subdue the Earth in order to set it free? Isn’t the point of Jesus to redeem the whole world? Heaven is all well and good, but as I look at Scripture – and the deep places of my heart – I have a great desire for the New Heavens and the New Earth.
This is not personified in me pushing the Tarpon back under the water, but I do think it alludes to my heart desiring not to dominate this creature… I think that is mistaken, what I really want is to see the beginnings of redemption everywhere… Again, the analogy falls short quickly! but, as I was leaning over the boat, laying on the floor, pushing this massive fish under water… I juts wonder if we don’t wrap up our theology too quickly in Heaven, saving folks, tithing, etc. A Cosmic redemption sounds much more exciting to me; much more like Good News.
But, enough about me… What do you think?
The other main thing you should know about Sean Sigillito is that I always tell the same story about him and that story should not become history (in the form of the internet – created by Al Gore – for just such a time as this). I wanted to schedule a girl’s night out for our junior high girls because, well, girls like to hang out… So, being a circular, reciprocating youth pastor I also scheduled a guy’s night out. We boxed (among other things), and Sig was the unlikely hero of the boxing night (I suppose you could say that we are “that church” that allows it’s kids to box). Sig was the hero becuase at the time he was only in the 6th grade and a little smushy around the mid-section, but during the boxing he absolutely pounded one of the most cocky 8th graders in our church, we will call him Chester. Chester plays one or two sports very well, has had many girlfriends, and has asn awkwardly low voice for an 8th grader (he isn’t especially tall or large either).
Anyway, we didn’t allow the kids to hit in the face or below the belt (we aren’t “that church”… well, yeah, we are, but we still didn’t let them hit there). And I wasn’t so sure about the matchup between Chester and Sig, but once the gloves were on Sig went straight to work. His style is to cradle one arm in a defensive stance, and to upercut all day wit hthe otehr one. Furthermore, Sig used his substantial mass (at the time) to block Chester from moving around and utilizing his greater speed. Sig proceeded not just to pound Chester out of the ring, but into submission also… it was one of my favorite moments in my 10ish years in Youth Ministry…
Thanks Sig.
I actually podcast…
Arrogant… Weird… I might have three listeners… But here is the address: It might be more satisfying than blogging… the jury is still out… one more set of ellipses…
http://web.mac.com/mattblazer/iWeb/Site/Podcast/Podcast.html
So, I’ve received some complaints about not updating my blog enough. I apologize. I think that my impression of blogging was that it was about dialogue, about important ideas, etc. But, I now know that it is more about sharing yourself on the internet. Sounds Creepy, but I enjoy reading other people’s, so I should probably have the courtesy to update my own: that is the best I can do right Cary?
I doubt many of the kids I am hanging out with this week even know who Steve McQueen is, but they are on a trip that might have a different name without his silver screen heroism: the Great Escape. It is a strange trip. I could write for hours about what we are doing, what is working, etc. They would generally be theologically erroneous statements though…
And, that doesn’t seem to be the point of a blog.
Instead, I think I will list in small detail some of the things our group has been caught doing/accused of/labeled as. Keep in mind that many of these poor volunteers (from other churches) are simply here because no one else would go. Many others are dumb!!!
Throwing Water Balloons out of a 4th story window (true – unsupervised)
Cheating During recreation (true – supervised by Blazer, although there were no scores kept and no winners or losers determined, one day I went over the edge…)
Stealing the skit prop ‘The Holy Grail’ (true – unsupervised, although encouraged by Mike Higgins and then the rest of the leaders)
Swimming in the fountain, which apparently has many chemicals in it (true – multiple times, unsupervised)
Firing Water Balloons at the Work Crew tent instead of into the field (true, Blazer)
Saving too many seats at the front of the auditorium (we had trouble not laughing at the inanity of this particular accusation, as did the leadership)
Breaking a windshield of a car with a football (true – Higgins punting)
Firing off fireworks affter curfew in a state that it is illegal (NC), (True, Blazer, although the director of the camp, a 20 year YM guy, took us to a better spot when he caught us)
There are more… We labeled one leader ‘Hilary Faye’ (SAVED) because she enjoys worship VERY VERY MUCH, and told on us more than once. We enjoyed being ‘those leaders’ and ‘that church’ because our kids had more fun that way.
We watched a video in our Lamaze/Infant Care Class where a baby slowly made his way up his mom’s tummy to feed over the course of an hour or so… (without any help, right after being born).
The first thing our instructor said was, “Isn’t that amazing… nature…” The first response, from stupid engineer man, was, “It isn’t amazing, it’s just biology…” My wife theorizes that he had a baby girl (like mine, pictured left), and is now a big pile of mushy noises and tears.
I find my baby amazing. She is starting to smile and make faces. She is 6.5 weeks old. Today she and I got to hang out for a few hours while mom ran some errands and was intentionally by herself. It was amazing how much more Caroline would rather lay on me (listening to my heart like when she lived in Mom) than lay in her expensive crib, bassinet (borrowed), or her ‘bouncy seat’ which will vibrate and play songs.
What was amazing to you this week? That word has been a great cliche in my life for awhile… even this past weekend it became a buzz word at a camp for 4-6th graders… But, seriously, what has been amazing to you? Even if it is something that victimized you, or somethign wonderful, or some person? What seems/is/appears amazing to you?
That is my favorite Picture. There is no flash, but I like it because she is already showing her passive aggressive (like har parents) tendencies… Her arms are always in the way and we have yet to keep them swaddled.
Some random facts from the hospital:
The songs that went through my head the most:
“Brilliant Disguise”: Springsteen
“Long December”: Counting Crows
Nurses that we liked:
Lori (had 3 X)
Andrea (had 2X)
Lin
People we are not sure really exist:
Dot: Dot is in her 60’s (supposedly), and has been a Lactation Consultant for St. John’s for a long time. We saw her once and she accomplished more than all other nurses and consultants in the four days we were in the hospital. We never saw or heard from her again… Something about entertaining angels…
Visitors:
Saturday:
Rob and Shirley Westmoreland (Rachel’s folks)
Karen Smith (Who appeared within 20 minutes of my phone call to her)
Sunday:
Rob and Shirley Westmoreland
Anne Simon (Youth Staff Intern)
Jennifer Patneau (Friend/Youth Volunteer)
Hannah Smith (8th grade girl)
Emily Wood (8th Grade Girl)
Sydney McClain (8th Grade Girl)
Robbie, Jane-Ellis, Charlie, and Peter Griggs (Peter is negative two weeks) (Friends)
Monday:
Brian Janous (7:50 AM with Kaldi’s Mocha in tow… amazing… totally got me jump-started)
A Random couple that Rachel knew from her old job at Saint John’s
Shirley Westmoreland (Rob went home, Shirley is stil here – Thank God)
Scott Sauls (Pastor, commented that Caroline will look like Joan Jett)
Phat Phil Woods (Also a Pastor of Greentree Community Church in Webster Groves)
(PHAT stands for Praise Him All the Time, Phil is just his name)
Mike Higgins (Youth Director at Greentree Kirkwood)
Jeff and Katie Fabbiano (Friends)
Brian, Kim, and Tyler Janous (Tyler and I ate Teddy Grahams)
Mary Mercer (Rachel’s Old Boss from Saint John’s – yes, the same Saint Johns)
Robin Something-or-other from Saint Johns
Megan Sweeney (Friend)
Mike, Tammy, Molly, and Lucas Higgins (oh, yes, Mike came Twice)
We were pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed visitors. But, Monday Night and Tuesday were hard. Proof of the sovereignty of God for my small brain: No Visitors on Tuesday.
I’m just enjoying writing… Hope you guys like the pics of my daughter!!!
I like this picture a lot.
We are now home, and the first night went better than it might’ve… Mom did get some sleep, dad got a litle more thanks to grandma (still, everything wakes you up).
Some Numbers for you who like them:
4:00 AM Water Broke
5:00 AM In L&D Room breathing and contracting
9:15ish (Epidural… whew)
Concern: Caroline does not like contractions and her heart rate goes down with each one. An -in-utero Baby’s heart rate is supposed to eb between 110-150. Caroline’s dropped to 70 towards to the end…
10:00: Dr. Mary Grimm shows up (Our OBGYN)
10:30: After two shots of Tergi-something or other that were supposed to slow contractions (they were coming wuickly and on top of each other, Epidural was very nice) Dr. Grimm decides we are willing to mess with the idea of Caroline not being veyr healthy…
11:15 C-Section is finished, picture is taken, feet stamped, etc.
7 Lbs, 4 Ounces… 20 and 1/2 ” long… 3-18-06 (although someone wrote on her chart 03′, so she was actually gestating for 3 years and nine months according to Saint Johns!)
Matt Blazer's Blog 