The Rantings Of Tony

Youth Pastor Down...

2012-02-08T13:15:00.006-07:00

Found this draft of a blog I wrote back last summer, but I never posted. From July 2011:

I just need to get this off my mind and what better way than on my blog that very few people read. Anyways, I love youth ministry and I love to network, encourage, and help other youth pastors. Lately many of my friends in youth ministry seem to be getting beat up. By who? The leadership of their churches (i.e. Senior Pastors, Executive Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Parents, etc.).

I hate it that many of my friends in youth ministry are treated so badly by the leadership of the churches they work for. Honestly, it breaks my heart. I believe this poor treatment of youth pastors is the reason for the high turnover rate of youth pastors at most churches. This is an epidemic in churches today.

Many youth pastors are treated like second rate, junior varsity pastors. They are often overworked, underpaid, under resourced, and under appreciated. Yet they persevere, because they love letting God use them to change the lives of middle and high school kids forever.

I know several youth pastors who have quit from a church or are very close to that point. The sad part is that most of the time this has nothing do with their youth ministry itself. Most of them are doing a great job, they are seeing numerical and spiritual growth. However, they have quit or are close to quitting, because they are being treated poorly by the leadership of the church. Too often there are unwritten and unspoken exceptions of youth pastors that they get hassled about. Many times people in leadership don't have their youth pastor's back.

I can tell you from experience, that their job is stressful enough with out that kind of crap. It's truly heart breaking how many of my friends in youth ministry have struggles with their senior pastors & church leaders.

If you are reading this and have a youth pastor at your church (especially if you are a parent with kids in the youth ministry) please treat them well. If you can help them please do, they need it! Support them, care for them, and pray for them, encourage your church leadership to do the same.

If you are a pastor/ elder/ church leader and happen to read this, remember that your youth pastor also needs to be pastored, mentored, loved, and cared for, just like anyone else in your church. Remember that God calls us to be faithful to Him first, our families second, and everything else (including our job/ ministry/ role on church staff) after that.

We really need to treat youth pastors better in the church, and then more of them would stick around long term which is better for them, your church, and the Kingdom! Think about it...

Thanks for reading. May God bless you as you seek to do His will!

Stange Experience

2011-09-17T12:48:00.007-06:00

So I had a pretty strange experience yesterday (9/16/2011), I went to see an Orthopedic Surgeon for the first time in my life. Let me back up...

I have played baseball ever since I can remember, and after High School I started playing men's competitive slow pitch softball. I had a minor right shoulder injury my sophomore year of High School, but recovered with physical therapy. Since then my shoulder has been fine.

In April 2011, I played in a softball tournament in Aurora, CO. We played about 5 games that day and after my right should was sore. It slowly got worse, but I still had good range of motion, and strength, so like any guy does I figured it would just get better and there was no reason to go see the doctor.

A month later (May 2011) it was still hurting so I went to my doctor. He thought it was just swelling and gave me some anti-inflmatory pills. They didn't help. But life got busy, I took a season off softball, went to South Africa, and my should never really stopped hurting.

I went back to my doctor in August 2011. He took some X-Rays, couldn't see anything there, so he referred me to the Orthopedic Surgeon. Now we are all caught up. Recap, hurt my arm on April 16, and I'm finally on the road to recovery on September 16, 5 Moths later. I know typical guy.

The Orthopedic Surgeon said the good news is there is no arthritis or bone spurs, but the bad news is that I have Tendinitis (swelling/ inflammation) in my shoulder and a SLAP Tear.

So to help with the tendinitis I got a Cortisone Shot in my right shoulder, that was the afore mentioned strange experience. Most of my issues are in the front of my shoulder, but they administer the shot from the back of your shoulder. The needle, bigger than any other shot I have ever had. Thankfully they spray you with a numbing medication to help with pain and the shot itself had some numbing medication with it. However, feeling a large needle moving around in your shoulder and the pressure that comes with it was, well, a strange feeling.

I also have to do 6-8 weeks of physical therapy which I start on September 20. I have a 50/ 50 chance of that healing my shoulder, or I will need surgery to repair the SLAP Tear. I have never had or needed a surgery before, so that was also a strange thing to hear.

Thought it would be fun to share this experience with those who care about me. Here's to hoping and praying that the physical therapy will heal my right shoulder. And as always thanks for reading my blog.

Love God & Live Free!

Tony

PS: Not looking for sympathy, but prayers are appreciated!

Pictures From South Africa.

2011-08-13T12:56:00.009-06:00

You can check out pictures that relate to my blogs about our trip to South Africa on my Facebook page.

Pictures of Days 1-8.

Pictures of Days 9-13.

Enjoy.

And as always, thanks for reading.

Blessings,

Tony

Leaving & Traveling: SA Trip Days 12 & 13

2011-08-06T00:42:00.007-06:00

Thursday was our last day in South Africa and it turned out to be a busy adventuresome day. We started with breakfast, then headed to the church to meet some people who missed us on Sunday and wanted to meet us (mostly Josh).

After that we checked out a mall in Pretoria, then went back to the house to pack all of our stuff and load the cars. Before heading to the airport we hit one last market to get some souvenirs and gifts for people. After surviving the market and pushy sales people, we were off to the airport until the rental car got a flat tire. It would not have been that big of a deal, except that there was no owners manual, and the tools were missing from the kit to change the tire. After some ingenuity from Ryan and Dad, we got the spare tire on and got back on our way.

The delay caused us to hit rush hour traffic in Johannesburg, which got us to the airport with about an hour to spare for making our flight. Thankfully some of the flight crew got stuck in the same traffic, and so we made our flight with no problems. We would spend the next 11 hours or so on the British Airways Boeing 747. Lots of fun.

When we got to London Heathrow Airport, we had to go through three different security check points. First, normal security after we landed and had to get to a different terminal, then at the America Airline check in place, and then again at our departure gate. Sarah left the gate to buy a drink and they gave her a pat down when she came back in. They take their security serious in London.

Anyways, after and 11 hour flight from Johannesburg and two hour break we where on an 8 1/2 hour flight to Chicago. Once we landed in Chicago we had to clear customs and re-check our bags. It ended up being less of a hassle than I though it would be. We parted ways Jess, Ryan, & Josh after going through security. As we were getting ready to board our final flight of our long trip home, Sarah noticed that famous country singer & actress Leann Rimes was on our flight from Chicago to Denver. That was kind of cool.

That flight was about an hour and half and seemed like nothing compared to the last two. Once in Denver a friend picked us up in our car (Thanks Jordan), we dropped him back at his house in Aurora and then headed home.

Once we got home Sarah and I took some much needed showers, which felt amazing after 35 hours of traveling. Once dressed and feeling better we headed to my Mom & Dad's house to pick up our kids and dogs (thanks Mom, Dad, & Chris).

It was a joyous reunion. We spent a quiet evening at home and once the kids went to bed Sarah and I spend time reflecting on the great trip and both crashed pretty early in the evening. I think I was out by 9 PM or so which for me is really early. But we had a great time and have memories and experiences that will last a life time.

FYI: District 9/ Prawn Update: Due to a lack of time I was not able to do enough investigation to confirm or deny the existence of District 9 and/ or Prawns living in Johannesburg.

Safari Time: SA Trip Days 9, 10, & 11

2011-08-03T23:36:00.009-06:00

On Monday morning, we got up early to make the drive to Kruger National Park. It's an enormous chunk of land in the north nast corner of South Africa left alone from development. There are lots of wild animals doing what they do in their natural habitat, it's like a zoo on steroids. As soon as we entered Kruger we began to see animals, it was awesome. We saw a lot of impala, giraffes, elephants, zebras, & various birds. This was all before even getting to our lodge or going on a game drive (safari).

Once we got to the lodge we would be staying at called, "Little Jock" (part of Jock Safari Lodge), we were greeted by our hosts David & Ilana. They had pretend champagne (fizzy apple juice) for us . They took our luggage to our rooms, and we signed a form that said if an animal hurt or killed us on a game drive they were not liable. They also took our lunch order. I had a Kudu filet that was very tasty!

After lunch and settling in David took us on our first game drive. It was simply, amazing! We tracked some lions, but never saw them. However, we did see rhino, elephant, giraffe, impala, kudu, water buck, duiker, bushbuck, warthog all kind of birds (we saw one bird catch a frog), and we had snacks in a dry river bed.

As it got dark we saw a beautiful sunset over the bush. It was fiery reds & oranges, just awesome! The game drive doesn't end when the sun goes down, because our guide used a spot light to find some various nocturnal creatures like jackal, serval, african wild cat, white-tailed mongoose, some bats, and birds. Our first game had a good variety of animals and was an incredible experience!

It got pretty cold, and as we got back to the lodge after our first game drive they had hot chocolate and coffee waiting for us! Then it was dinner. We were all pretty tired and went to bed shortly after dinner, good thing too, because we had to get up early the next morning.

5:30 AM. That's when the wake up call came. Thank goodness for coffee! You get up early to see the animals as they get up and maybe catch a few of the nocturnal ones heading to sleep. This morning we got to see a male leopard stalk a warthog and almost have a nice big breakfast. Unfortunately, the leopard lunged into a bush and the warthog got away, but it was a thrill to see that!

It was a great start to the morning, and made being cold worth it. We also got to see a beautiful sunrise. As the game drive went on we got to see many of the same animals we already seen, and add hippo, crocodile, some dwarf mongoose, and many new birds to our list of animals seen. It was a good morning. When we got back to the lodge they had hot drinks and a breakfast starter buffet (fruit, yogurt, muffins, etc.) waiting. As you nibble on that they take your order for a hot breakfast. I had a delicious omelet.

After breakfast, just the guys (Paul, Ryan, & I) went on a "Bush Walk." We had three armed guides and walked around in the bush for about two hours. We learned about trees, dung, came close to a couple of warthogs, and saw a cape buffalo. It was a nice informative walk, and made Ryan and I want to camp or do a backpacking trip through the bush.

After the walk, we had a high tea (A smaller lunch, finger foods and drinks). Then it was off for our evening game drive. We saw a lot of the same animals as other game drives, and added blue wildebeest, nile monitor, bushbaby, genet, steenbok, sable, banded mongoose, cape hare, pearl-spotted owl, eagle owl, and some other new birds to our list of animals seen.

We all really wanted to see some lions, we heard a lioness in the distance at one point, but never saw her. At one point we ran into several rhinos blocking the road. They are very territorial animals, and for a little bit it seemed like we might get charged, but it all worked out fine.

After the game drive we finished the day with an outdoor dinner under the stars and by the fire. It was another great day!

We got up at 5:30 AM again, and headed out for our last game drive. We added vervet monkey, spotted & brown hyaena, and a few new birds to our list of animals seen. It was a cold morning and our slowest game drive for animals spotted. Although we still got to see a lot of animals just not many new ones. We had no luck seeing a lion, although some were spotted that morning, they were way on the other side of Kruger. After the game drive we had breakfast and then had to pack up and head back to Pretoria.

Being at Kruger and the safari lodge was one of those things you get to cross off your bucket list. It was such an incredible experience, and we all had a ton of fun. I could have stayed for several more days, but time and money get in the way of that.

As were were leaving Little Jock & Kruger we got stuck in the middle of a huge heard of Elephants crossing the road. A momma elephant got agitated at us ,and we thought she might come after us. But we backed up to let her know we were not trying to get to her or her babies. After a bit of a tense situation, she moved on. As we got up to that spot we saw what seemed like hundreds of elephants at the river bed drinking and cooling, not to mention the several that had already passed in front of us. It was crazy. On the way out of the park we also saw a civet, that was the last new animal we got to add to our list.

Then it was about a four our drive back to Pretoria. Our time in South Africa is coming to an end and that's sad. It's been a great time and adventure, and I'm so grateful to get to have these memories and experiences! We have a few things to do in the morning, and then we start the long journey home tomorrow night. The time has gone by so fast.

FYI: Saw a guy possibly eating cat food, so I might have a "District 9/ Prawn," still not sure though, further recon is required.

Market, Elephants, & Church: SA Trip Days 7 & 8

2011-07-31T22:55:00.006-06:00

Saturday & Sunday were fun days, but very different. Saturday started by going to the Irene Market in the Pretoria, SA area. It's a very popular market and the thing to do twice a month on a Saturday morning. Thousands of people stroll the hundreds of vendors items. It's kind of like a flee market in the US. There is a large variety of new and used things. There is also a big food vendor section as well. Mom wanted us to try the South African pancake/ crepe which came with just cinnamon and sugar on them, they were tasty. I also got a muffin filled with chocolate, it was very yummy. As a side note my nine year old nephew Josh is very good at bartering! He bought a couple of things and got good prices on them, it was very funny to watch him do that.

After getting some food and most of us buying some stuff at the market, it was off to a town called Hartbeespoort, to the "Elephant Sanctuary."

Hartbeespoort is a beautiful lake town with a really cool dam. You drive over it, but it's only one lane at time. While you wait you are bombarded by locals trying to sell you stuff. They walk down the street with items in their hand yelling at your through your car windows, it's funny & annoying at the same time.

One we got to the Elephant Sanctuary we did a three hour program in which we got to learn all about elephants, as well as touch, feed, get a kiss from, walk with, and ride the elephants. This sanctuary rescues Elephants from bad situations. It was such an incredible experience. To be so close to such an enormous and majestic creature was surreal. Words fall short of how fun, incredible, and unforgettable this experience was. I am so grateful to Mom & Dad McCool for taking us to do that, what a gift!

After leaving the elephants we had dinner at a SA chain steak restaurant called "Dros." It was good. I had a steak in the Dros Sauce (a cheesy sauce with bacon & onion), which was tasty. Ask Sarah about ordering the peri, peri sauce (it was very hot and made her burger more spicy than she anticipated).

Sunday, we got up and went to Eastside Community Church. It was an enjoyable church service, and of course lots of people wanted to to meet us. After church we had the Pastor & his family over lunch. We made fajitas, which was new to them, because there is very little mexican food in SA. We had a fun time eating & fellowshiping with them.

After that we just hung out at the house and got packed for our trip to Kruger National Park/ Game Reserve. There, we will be going on a game drives or safari. We are hoping to see lots of animals we would normally only ever see in a zoo. Should be a lot of fun!

Well more updates to come when we get back from Kruger, and as always thanks for reading.

FYI: "District 9/ Prawn" update, it's possible that some of the peddlers and/ or beggars we have seen the past couple of days are part prawn, further investigation is required before we can say either way.

Beautiful Views: SA Trip Days 4, 5, & 6

2011-07-29T23:23:00.004-06:00

We woke up bright and early on Wednesday to drive to a town called, "Sabie." The drive to Sabie took us from big city to rural areas, and although we were on highways most of the time the scenery was worth the four hour drive. We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast for the next two nights and did some sight seeing around the famous South African region know as, "The Panorama Route." It is absolutely gorgeous. Everywhere you look there is something beautiful to see, not just the landscape, but animals too. My favorite so far: Baboons. Apparently, they like to hang out in cabbage fields. Who knew? God sure did some amazing things when he created this part of South Africa.

In Sabie, we stayed at place called "The Sabie Townhouse." It's operated by a cute older couple named Murray & Irene. They treated us like family, and the breakfast there was very good. The B&B was not luxurious, but it was a beautifully built home with amazing stone and brick work.

As far as sight seeing goes in the Panorama Route, let me tell you about my two highlights. First, my favorite site was called the, "The Lowveld View Site." It's an overlook of the Blyde River Canyon. It was absolutely breathtaking. It's not as big as the Grand Canyon in the US, but it is one of the larger canyons in the world. As I sat on the edge of rock close to (but a safe distance from) the edge of the canyon wall, it was a very spiritual expereince. As I sat there I was in awe of God, His Creativity, and how big He is compared to me. I could have sat there for a long time, because for a moment nothing else mattered, and I felt a little bit of Heaven on Earth.

Second highlight was Bridal Veil Falls. It was a unique experience there as you were able to hike up to the bottom of the waterfall and look up at it from the pool, rather than being above or across from it. I was able to hike around and actually get behind the waterfall, that was very cool.

One last thing about Sabie, we ate dinner at a place called, "The Wild Fig Tree." Sarah & I had Impala, it was amazing! We had such a great time laughing, eating, drinking, and hanging out. We had a couple of funny moments with our server figuring things out as she didn't understand us and we didn't understand her. Anyways, if you ever find yourself in Sabie, South Africa, eat at this place. The food is fantastic.

After Bridal Veil Falls we headed back to Pretoria. We decided to go see South Africa's first 3D movie called, "Jock of the Bushveld 3D." It is a famous SA story, but I'm guessing they took a lot of liberties with it. Anyways, the movie wasn't great and their animation & 3D capability is behind Disney/ Pixar stuff. But to be fair, I fell asleep a couple of times during the movie, so maybe I missed the good parts? The popcorn & Coke was good though, two thumbs up for that. We finished the day by getting pizza South African style at a place called Mimmos. It was very good and very much like pizza in the US.

The trip has been so much fun thus far, and there is more to come on our SA Trip! I'll be updating the blog again soon.

FYI: Still no "District 9/ Prawn" sightings unless you count the shrimp on people's plates, there has been plenty of that.

Jet Lag: SA Trip Days 1,2, & 3

2011-07-26T12:22:00.012-06:00

Sunday night Sarah & I embarked on our first international adventure together. Sarah's parents (Paul & Debbie) currently live in Pretoria, South Africa, and we are going to visit with them and see some of the country. We started our Sunday with church as usual. Some of our church family prayed for our journey before we left to get all of our last minute stuff taken care of.

After taking our dogs to my brother (Thanks Chris), and our two kids to my parents (Thanks Mom & Dad), we said our goodbyes to our kiddos and my parents, then drove to meet a friend in Denver who would take us to the Denver International Airport (Thanks Jordan).

As we checked in, Sarah & I were told we would not be sitting together, but in different rows. We got through security and had plenty of time to wait for our departure, so Sarah and I grabbed dinner. As we got on the Boeing 777 and found our seats, a kind lady offered to switch seats with me. It turned out there were a lot of empty seats around us, some people moved around and Sarah and I got a whole row to ourselves! That was nice as we spent 8 1/2 hours there flying to London's Heathrow International Airport. Once there you have to walk forever to clear security again and find what gate your connecting flight is leaving from.

We were able to meet up with Sarah's sister and her family (Jess, Ryan, & Josh), because we were on the same flight to Johannesburg. We grabbed some food, did some wandering, and a lot of waiting. After a 6 1/2 hour layover we flew on a Boeing 747 to Johannesburg, South Africa. That was an 11 hour flight, which was, well...long. Once we got there it was though Passport Control and Customs to meet Sarah's parents. After a slight issue at the rental car place we were off to Pretoria.

Just an FYI: British Flight Attendants are much better than American ones. Shout out to British Airways staff!

We got to the McCool's house with no problems. After almost two days of travel, I took a much needed shower and nap before dinner. We spent the rest of Tuesday relaxing, eating, laughing, & catching up. We head out tomorrow morning for a couple days of adventure (I hope to blog about this), and it should be a lot of fun!

We are a little jet lagged, but doing fine, and very excited for this vacation/ international adventure/ time with Sarah's family. God takes great care of us! I will try to update this blog more through out the trip. Thanks for reading and be blessed.

One more FYI: We have not seen "District 9" or any "Prawns" yet, we will keep you updated of that as well!

Complement Not Complete

2011-05-02T01:21:00.000-06:00

A while ago the Pastor at my church did a sermon series on relationships. I just happened to browse through my notes of it today and it reminded my of something he said that has stuck with me, “God designed men & women to complement each other, not complete each other.”

I really like that statement. It reminds me that our identity, value, self-worth, etc. must come first from knowing that we are a child created in the image of God. This is the only way we can feel complete. If we don’t start there, then we set ourselves up for hardship.

Inevitably, the people we love will let us down, disappoint us, even hurt us. If we are honest, we will do the same to those we love. I know I have. I have hurt those closest to me, because of my own selfishness. Getting past this is not easy, because it’s unnatural for us to think of others first. It’s hard for us to rely only on God, and it’s hard not to seek fulfillment from people and things in our world.

I know cognitively what am I supposed to do to fix this in my life. As a pastor, I have taught about this and talked with people about it a lot. Even with all that knowledge, practically I fail at this, but I don’t know why. So I’m praying. I’m asking God to change me, to help me know and feel that He is enough for me, to help me think of others before myself, and to forgive and forget when someone wrongs me. I’m praying that God makes me more like Jesus everyday.

I know I’m not saying anything new or profound, but maybe you can relate, maybe you can say, “me too.” If that’s the case I ask that you would pray for me, and I would love to pray for you as well. Our world would be so much different if we would all learn this simple principle that Jesus taught us; to Love God with all that we are, and Love others the same way. I can’t wait for Heaven when that is a reality!

Thanks for reading my blog. May God richly bless you as you seek to follow Him and do His will.

Feeling Blessed

2011-04-02T09:22:00.010-06:00

Have you ever gone though a period of life where you where felt kind of lost, confused, or uncertain, while at the same time you still wanted to trust God? This could sum up my last two years. Over the past two years I have struggled with my purpose, my value, my career choice, I was uncertain about a lot of things. The hardest part of this was also knowing that I was doing what I am passionate about and feel called by God to do, serve as a youth pastor at a church. Over the last few months of 2010, I found myself feeling more and more empty, and more uncertain about what I was doing and why. I didn't know it at the time, but as I look back now I can see the journey that God was taking me on and the things He was teaching me. Through all the struggles and uncertainty I did my best to stay faithful to God and I believe that He has rewarded that.

As I left the job I had been at for five years at the end of 2010, I had no idea what the future would hold for me. I spent almost three months trying to find a job and getting nowhere. Even though it was beginning to get hard on me, I felt like I was following God's leading, and I trusted that God would provide something for me. Then in mid-March, a job came to me that I wasn't even searching for, and it landed me doing the thing I know best, youth ministry.

I started this new adventure this last week and I feel so blessed by God. To say that things are going well for me right now would be an understatement. I'm really enjoying life and living it to the fullest. I share all of this to try to encourage any of you who might be going through a similar situation. In the struggle I thought a lot about Jesus words in Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus tells us not to worry, but to live each day in the moment, making the most of it. The reality of that passage in Matthew 6, is that Jesus is saying He loves us, He will take care of us, and provide for us. Living and embracing this truth is what helped persevere through the uncertainty.

Whether things are going great or you're struggling, know that Jesus loves you unconditionally, and will provide for you if you seek first His kingdom and righteousness! If you took the time to read this blog, thanks. I pray that God blesses you and your family more than you can even imagine!

"God Believes In You!"

2011-03-01T13:11:00.008-07:00

In Matthew Chapter 4, God does something amazing. At the beginning of His Ministry on Earth, Jesus invites ordinary men to "Come Follow Him." Not only is Jesus inviting these guys on His journey to seek and save the lost, He is also telling them that He believes in them!

Few things have the power to change us as much as knowing that someone, "believes in us." I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I have new pastor friend named Greg. Our family has been attending the church he preaches at for about a little over a month now. He recently did a sermon series entitled, "I Believe In You," in which he talked about how important it is to realize that God believes in us, and how important it is for us to tell people close to us that we believe in them. This has become very real in my life.

Youth ministry is all I have known, since graduating college in 2002. I spent the past five years of my life giving my all into a youth ministry that I resigned from at the end of last year. The successes and failures of this ministry greatly affected my life. I realized over the past couple of months that part of the reason I left that ministry is that I didn't always believe in myself or feel like people believed in me. It's been a hard thing for me to deal with, because I realized that most of this was my fault. I did not trust God enough, but rather relied too much on my own power in regards to this ministry. Naturally, because of this everything in my life suffered, the quality of the youth ministry, my teaching, my passion, my family life, and even my health. It breaks my heart to think about it now. I know cognitively that God believes in me, but practically I forget a lot. Too often the busyness and pace of life and ministry had me just getting things done rather than spending time in prayer asking God for wisdom and help.

That being said over the past month or so I have had to trust God. I'm unemployed and my future and my family depend on God providing right now. It sounds scary, but it's been great! God keeps letting me know that He believes in me, and as I trust Him more and pray more, God just keeps being faithful. I have to thank Greg and the "Me Too" community at the church we have been attending as well. They have done so much to show me that God believes in me, and that they do too. Most of them probably have no idea how much kind comments they have said to me, or just asking my opinion on something youth ministry related has meant to me, my family, and our faith! This is one case were actions have truly been louder than words to me.

I want to encourage you, know that God believes in you! If you have given your life to Jesus, then God has given you the power of His Holy Spirit in your life and He believes in you to be Jesus to others in this world! Live that way, and tell others close to you that you believe in them, more importantly, let your actions reflect that! Blessings.

Give More, Collect Less!

2011-01-19T22:52:00.005-07:00

I don't really make New Year's resolutions, but Sarah and I have made this quasi resolution; Give more, collect less.

I have been thinking about stewardship a lot lately. This started in December when I was studying a parable Jesus told in Matthew 25:14-30 for a sermon. It's commonly called, "Parable of the Talents" (if you have time, read it).

I have read this parable many times, heard several sermons on it, and even taught on it myself. But I read it in a new light as I reflected on the definition of stewardship (which is about managing others stuff; money, property, affairs, households, etc.). As I think about the application of this parable, I wonder if I am doing a good job managing all that God has given me?

This is what Jesus is talking about in the afore mentioned parable in Matthew 25. Do we use all that God has given us to invest in His Kingdom, His purposes, His will? Do we manage what God has given us well? I am not sure of my answer.

My wife and I give a percentage of our income to a local church, we sponsor kids in third world countries though World Vision and Compassion International, we donate unused clothing and household items to places like Crossfire Ministries, Springs Rescue Mission, and Goodwill, and we give our time serving others and places in the community. We do all that with joy, but is that enough?

I don't say any of that to be prideful, because we also have a house full of stuff (closets full of clothing, furniture, 2 cars, a television, this awesome iMac computer I'm writing this blog with, and the list goes on). In fact, we have stuff sitting in the basement of our current rental house that hasn't been out of the box in years. We have moved it several times. I don't feel like we hoard stuff, but I also wonder what Jesus would say to me about all our stuff.

There is a place in the Bible where Jesus talks with a rich young man (Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30). This guy asks Jesus what He must do to spend eternity in heaven with Him. Jesus, replies that he must sell everything he has and give it to the poor. We never know if this young man does this. The text says he walks away sad, dejected, and Jesus goes on to talk about how hard it is for rich people to make it into heaven. The general assumption is that this wealthy young man couldn't let go of his stuff, not even to save his soul from hell. How tragic.

But let's put ourselves in this guys shoes. If you live in America compared to the rest of the world you are rich. There is no arguing that America is wealthiest country in the world. The genreal rule of thumb when it comes to wealth worldwide is this, if you have choices you are considered rich. For more perspective, one-third (more than two billon) of all people worldwide live on $2 or less a day. Most Americans have more than that in change in our car, or in our couch. Anyway...

What if Jesus came to you or me and asked us to sell all that we had and give it to the poor? I wonder, would I or could I do that? What about you, would you sell your house, your car(s), your computer, your cell phone, your clothes, the things you collect, everything? Could you give it all away?

In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

These words of Jesus sometimes feel like a dagger in my heart. I see all the stuff my family has, and sometimes I wonder if our money and our things are our treasure? I don't think that they are. It's our goal to be more generous this year. We are aiming to give away more, and acquire as little as possible. We want to put more of our time, our stuff, our money, our resources, etc. into becoming like Jesus. We want our treasure to be Jesus. We want to spend eternity with Him. I hope that Jesus is your treasure as well!

If you took the time to read this, I hope and pray you are doing your best to give all that you have, and all that you are to following in the footsteps of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. May God bless you, and may you bless others, for the sake of Jesus' Kingdom!

Sabbath!

2011-01-09T11:13:00.005-07:00

Today is an interesting day for me. If you know me or read my previous blog post, you know that I recently resigned from a youth ministry position I had for five years, without a job to go to. I have been gainfully employed for around 15 years. The last ten years of that I have been in full-time ministry. So, today for the first time in nearly 10 years, I slept in on a Sunday, that I wasn't on PTO or Vacation. We choose to attend a church last night with some good family friends.

It does feel weird that I was not at church this morning, and that I didn't "have" to be there, because I work there. Here are a few things that I did not miss about being in church today:

1. Getting up really early on a Sunday morning. I wish there was a Levitical Law that Jesus quoted in the Sermon on The Mount forbidding being at a church building before 9:00 AM. Tony is NOT a morning person.

2. Having to be nice and smiley no matter how crappy I may feel. Pastors are people too, they get sick, sore, tired, upset, have bad things happen to them, etc. How about we cut our pastors some slack, and not always expect them to smile just, because we said hi.

3. Being distracted during worship services. I am usually thinking about what students, adults volunteers, other staff members, etc. that I need to talk to that Saturday or Sunday, or what I need to get done for upcoming events. I realize this is my fault, but ministry is consuming. Although, I also get distracted by people who talk to me, throw things at me, or text me during services.

4. Getting blamed for rowdy Middle & High School Students who run the hallways or are obnoxious during church services. Grow some courage, and go talk to those kids and/ or their parents, not you're youth pastor. If you don't know who their parents are ask that question or follow them, but not in a stalker/ creeper way!

5. Getting asked questions that could easily be answered if people (usually the same ones from week to week & month to month) would check & read any one of the following items first; the bulletin, the newsletter, the various bulletin boards around the church, the e-newsletter, the website, or the facebook group page. Come on people put in your due diligence.

I'm not trying to be cynical. I love the church, being in church, and being in ministry. There is nothing more rewarding than helping others connect with their Savior. I am merely pointing out for me, how glorious it is to be able to Worship & Sabbath! So today, and maybe several Sunday's to come I'm looking forward to a true day of Sabbath with Sarah and the kids!

If you took the time to read my thoughts in this blog, I pray that you find rest and peace in the arms of our Heavenly Father. May you find time to Sabbath and be renewed by God's Holy Spirit! I also pray God's richest blessings for you and your family!

Trusting God Into Unemployment...

2011-01-02T23:15:00.000-07:00

On December 1st 2010 my wife & I made a decision that would forever change our future. I resigned my position at Sunnyside Christian Church where I have been the Student Pastor for the past 5 years. I was not fired, I was not asked to resign, and I did not do anything immoral. I am leaving with my integrity intact and on very good terms with the leadership of the church.

The part that forever changed our future, is that we made this decision without a job for me to go to, or an idea of what I will do next. So why would I do this? Well it was a decision that I have been thinking about and wrestling with for awhile. I found myself in a place where my heart & passion were not one-hundred percent in my ministry. Because of that I did not feel it was fair to the church, my adult leaders that I work with, and especially to the students, that I continue as their Student Pastor if my whole heart was not in it.

This was a very hard decision to make, but one that my wife Sarah & I believe God was leading us to. So, I am trusting God to provide as I enter the world of the unemployed on Monday, January 3, 2011. Sometimes for our faith to grow we have to put ourselves in an uncomfortable place. This decision will force us to trust God to provide and rely on Him to get us through it. Ultimately, we believe this decision will cause much spiritual growth in our lives. God is stirring something in my heart and in His time he will reveal what's next for me. Sarah & I want to first and foremost be obedient to God, to do His will, and bring Him glory! I hope that you want that too. I pray that God would bless you greatly, and that you would be obedient to Him.

Birthdays

2010-10-05T18:10:00.000-06:00

Did you ever notice that the older people get the less they celebrate their birthday? Maybe it's just me or my family, but it seems like as the number of candles increases on the cake the less we celebrate.

When we were kids our birthday was a big deal. We invited all of our friends and threw big parties. The last big celebration I remember having was when I turned 21. It seems like after 21 birthdays are just downhill until you get so old people can't believe that you're still alive. I can't remember the last time I went to a party for an adult that wasn't because they were like 90. Does someone that's 90 really even know what's going on or care about a birthday?

Anyways, no one in my immediate family really celebrates their birthday all that much. Sure we may get together, have a meal & cake, sing, and give gifts to the birthday person, but it's certainly nothing like the sweet 16 stuff you see on TV. It also seems like the older you get the less your extended family cares about your birthday, if they even know when it is. I haven't gotten a card or call from most of my Aunts & Uncles, Cousins, and such since I was really young.

I guess I'm thinking about this because my wife and I have a birthday one day apart, and they just happened, the second and third of October. I'm now 32, and my wife turned 30. We didn't get a cake for each other or even exchange gifts. People kept asking us, "What are you doing for your birthday's, it's Sarah's 30th right?" We kept saying, "Nothing." The funny thing is no one pressed the issue with us, they just seemed to understand.

The other funny thing is that my facebook page was inundated with birthday wishes from friends and family. Ah the digital world. I do appreciate that people care enough about me to write on my wall, and I think I would be lying if I said I didn't. But that doesn't change that fact that I really have no desire to have a big birthday party or celebration.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only the one who doesn't care when their birthday rolls around. Well, "Happy Birthday," anyways! Thanks for reading my silly thoughts.

Amazing Night

2009-11-23T12:45:00.001-07:00

Sunday Night November 22, 2009, I saw and participated in one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. Our church had the Strength Team, ministering from Wednesday - Sunday. On Sunday night my senior pastor Eric and I had the privilege of baptizing 38 people. It was an awesome night, and all the glory was God's! We are also learning that more people want to be baptized, God is good!

Facebook & Twitter Killed My Blog

2009-02-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't been on this blog in a long time, and when I started it I fully intended to write something at least once a month. But facebook took over as my main social networking tool. Recently, I also found out about twitter. It's like mini blogging and I have been very into that as well. This blog has a side box that shows what I twitter. I have also written a few "notes" on facebook that could have been here as well and I just didn't think about it. Anyways, I don't think anyone reads this blog. Not sure what the point of all this ranting is other than to say, if you want to keep up with me, follow me on twitter (http://twitter.com/tonyzullo) or be my friend on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/tonyzullo#/profile.php?id=547900510&ref=name).

Be Blessed By God!

Feeling Stupid

2007-07-18T14:29:00.000-06:00

Sunday night I was standing in my bedroom opening a package with a pocket knife. The package was a holster for a 357 Magnum Revolver (Very Nice). As I was cutting through a zip-tie on the back of the packaging the force of the knife going through it shot my right hand to the left and into my left thumb. Realizing I had just cut my thumb, I yelled something waking my wife from her nap while shaking my hand. In doing so I splattered blood all over the room. It was on the ceiling, the walls, the blinds, the door, the floor, the bed, you get the point. There was blood everywhere; it looked like something out of a CSI crime scene. Anyways, I ran to the bathroom to stop the bleeding and bandage my thumb. After about and hour of cleaning up the blood in the bedroom and realizing that my thumb was still bleeding I went to the emergency room. I felt pretty dumb explaining how I cut my thumb, but strangely I don’t think it was the first time they had heard this story. After being well taken care of & eight stitches later I was on my way. From now on, I think I will use scissors to open demon packaging. So here is a question; why do companies make things so hard to open?

Mysterious Injuries

2007-01-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I am the only one this happens to, but occasionally I will find a cut, a bruise, a scratch, or some other sort of mysterious injury. For example, a few mornings ago I found a bruise on my right bicep. I think it happened playing basketball, but I don’t remember suffering a blow to the arm hard enough to cause bruising. The most recent case was last night. After my indoor soccer game I was sitting in the stands taking off my socks and shin guards when I noticed my right ankle looked a little swollen. As I investigated further I found a cut and a bruise on the inside of my right ankle. Once, again I don’t remember suffering any sort of kick to the ankle that would be forceful enough to cause such discoloration and swelling. This sort of thing happens to me more than I care to admit. So, I was just wondering if this happens to anyone else?

First Post

2007-01-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

I decided to blog, so here goes...

I have always been fascinated by the behavior of people in airports. There is no place on Earth where people seem to be more self-absorbed. There are all kinds of examples of this, people taking forever to get through security for whatever reason. The people that rush the gate to board the aircraft, even if their row is not called. The people that bring bags on the aircraft they know won't fit in the overhead storage, stuff like that. The place I seem to encounter people the most oblivious to others is at the baggage claim.

It was December 25, 2006. My wife and I were flying from Denver to Kansas City to visit family. Christmas Day is not usually a great day to fly but we risked it. We were told we needed to be at the airport 4 hours before our flight which was well not really true, considering it took us about 15 minutes to get through check-in and security. Besides a lot of waiting around, the day was relatively uneventful, that is until we arrived at the baggage claim in Kansas City.

I was standing about 2 feet from the carousel on the opposite end from where the bags come out. I chose this spot because everyone tends to crowd the other end. So, I'm standing there, watching and waiting for our bags, when this guy decides to walk up and stand directly in front of me. There was plenty of space to the left and right, but this jerk chooses to stand right in front of me as if I wasn't even there. So, I turn to my wife and her mom and do what everyone does in this situation, that shrug your shoulders, raise your hands and eyebrows (the what the heck is going on here motion). Then I say this, hoping he will hear me and realize his egregious error, "Am I invisible or wearing camouflage?" To which my wife and her mom laugh but yeilds no reaction from this guy.

About a minute later I see one of our three bags and so I choose to remain polite and say excuse me as I reach for this large suitcase. The guy to the left moves to make room, but the guy that stood in front of me doesn't budge. So, I use a bit louder tone in my voice, "EXCUSE ME" and still nothing. As I lift the suitcase I almost hit him with it, he finally joins the rest of us on Earth and moves a little out of my way. I probably should have just smashed my suitcase into his head and thus triggering a reaction in his tiny little brain. But I didn't.

I chose to move away from Mr. Self-Absorbed to retrieve our other two bags. I guess the moral of the story is be polite to others at the baggage claim, because we all want our bags.