Lewis C.K. on Conan adding Perspective

View the video at Sangent

If you are tired of people complaining about the unbelievable world God has provided for us, then listen to what comedian Lewis C.K. has to say about the 21st Century.

I Am Second

Josh Hamilton was a baseball phenom right out of High School. In the 1999 Major League Baseball draft, he was chosen right out of high school to play for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. After a long battle with addictions, Hamilton made a comeback in 2008 by making the AL All-Star Team, as well as coming in second in the Home Run Derby that year. Watch the video to hear more about the incredible testimony of Josh Hamilton.

To check out more testimonies from I Am Second, click here.

Prayer Experiment

Recently at Schweitzer, the congregation is undergoing a experiment with Prayer. What would it look like if leaders in the congregation got together groups of 5-6 people and prayed weekly? At church. At work. At school. At home.

Our church staff has been going through Richard Foster's book, "Prayer" in our staff meetings on Mondays. This weeks chapter had to do with prayers of adoration. In adoration we enter the rarefied air of selfless devotion. We ask for nothing but to cherish Him. We seek nothing but his exaltation. We focus on nothing but his goodness. "In the prayer of adoration we love God for Himself, for His very being, for His radiant joy. Adoration is the spontaneous yearning of the heart to worship, honor, magnify, and bless God.

One of the obstacles to adoration is greed. When we ask for an encore, we are asking for more than God is pleased to give. Instead of simply enjoying pleasures, we demand more pleasures - whether we enjoy them or not. Next time you pray, I challenge you to put greed aside, and do not let it get it get in the way of the adoration you have for the Lord. What would happen if you got 5-6 of your friends you see on a daily basis to pray with you for 15-30 minutes a week? Try it and find out.

The David Crowder Band

Last night (2/20), I took a group of 15+ youth to see David Crowder in concert. Most of them had never heard his music, much less seen him in concert. Due to all of the Facebook status updates after the concert, I think it's safe to say the youth loved the concert. We all got to meet him afterwards as well as get things signed. Crowder and the rest of the band were nice enough to stay after everyone leaved the building and met everyone that wanted to meet them. I now see why Crowder is one of the top worship artists in music.

Polar Bear Plunge

February 14, 2009 was a day I won't soon forget. Angela and I spent the first part of our Valentine's Day with our friends down at Table Rock Lake. We decided to support the Special Olympics by participating in a Polar Bear Plunge. All the proceeds went to the Special Olympics. In case you were wondering, the lake was a cool 44 degrees that day. But we had a blast. Later that night, Angela came over and I cooked us a chicken dinner, and she baked us a dessert that was delicious. Valentine's Day was great!

New Wheels

I have recently undertaken a tedious project. I am customizing my fixie. February seemed like the perfect month to strip the paint off of the bike and get the bike repainted. Little did I know that the weather would be a nice 60 degrees during the time I tore my bike apart. Horrible timing. But recently, I got some new parts in the mail. Here is a picture of my new Lime Green Deep V's. The bike is going to be all black, with the Deep V's and lime green bar tape. Hopefully it would look good.

No Strings Attached

Recently, the high school girls of Schweitzer's Youth Group have started a ministry called, "No Strings Attached." It is a group of girls that is teaching other students in the youth to Knit. Since I'm able to connect with the boys with gaming systems and sports, I figured I'd try Knitting so I could connect with the girls and their hobbies. Patience and focus is required.