I feel like a Twinkie

I will make this short and sweet. I started cutting grass again Wednesday, and hadn't really been outside a whole lot before that, but let me tell you the pollen is kicking. For those of you who actually read this, I am allergic to about everything outside this time of year, and due to a lack of rain, we have been plagued by pollen. In a nutshell, I went out to cut grass, got done took a shower, and never have I seen water so yellow, just from the pollen that was on me. This SUCKS!!

Gobble...Gob..(((BLAM))) dead turkey!!!

As I said before I was going to try my hand at turkey hunting this year, and amidst the funeral for Papa, and everything else, I did find time to work in a little hunting time. So as of yesterday, I got my first Eastern gobbler, just a jake, but a gobbler none the less. Here he is.

It was amazing!! I heard him gobbling, walked as close as I could, set up my stuff, and started calling him. He immediately answered back, and within a few minutes, BLAM!!! dead turkey. I felt like the star in one of those hunting shows, except my bird was a lot smaller.

Wow!!! Can't wait until Easter!!!

Well Easter's right around the corner, and Ridge Stone is bringing like no other again. Our easter promo video #1 hit the big screen Sunday (even though I wasn't there to see it due to a death in the family). From what I here people are on the edge of there seats waiting for part #2 just to see what the "Stone" staff has in store for Ol' E.B. (Easter Bunny in case you didn 't know what E.B. stood for) You can rest assured that whatever it is will be off 'da hook, and if you just must know what I am talking about, you can see it here.

Gobble, Gobble!!!!!!

No, you haven't slipped into a coma and woke up in November. No I am not totally dilusional, at least I don't think. Nope it's time for Wild Turkey.

Not this one....

But this one.....

Yep! It's Turkey season, and after last years success with the deer hunting, I am feeling cocky. I will take to the woods with the expectations of taking one of natures wariest creatures. With eyes like a hawk, I am gonna camo up, get my shotgun, and try to blow the freakin head off of the largest game bird in North America. The past couple of weeks I have been scouting, and have a couple of spots picked out for early Saturday morning. I will keep you posted to how I do. Gobble, gobble!!!!

What's happening???

Well there is some excitement brewin' all around. #1 simply cause I attend and volunteer at the Stone, I got to freakin ride in a helicopter. It was awesome. We flew up to the Ballground airport, down the runway, and back around to the church office. It ROCKED. Where else can you go to church, serve, and fly in a copter. Next I am totally stoked put about what is fixing to happen with the youth. The PROJECT UNTITED. That is all I can say about that. I finished my message for Sunday, last night, or so I thought. God has really been bugging me about something I didn't put in, so I guess I am gonna have to make an addition. Well till next time. Joe out.

God freakin rocks!!!!

Well, so I lied. It has been three days, but it has been one of those weeks. We've got two grandpas in the hospital, but I think they are gonna be ok. Anyways church was great yesterday, but I do think some toes got mashed. Youth went ok, we are working out some stuff right now, but I know God is in this thing, we just have to keep seeking, and we will find out the right answers.

I am more focused now than ever, about life, God, my family, and this ministry. I am just stoked about how God is fixing to rock our world here at Ridge Stone. He never ceases to amaze me.

My blog sucks.

Gary Lamb has called me out twice, and I can't say I disagree with him, about my blog sucking. Well I have decided to try harder, so from here on out I will do my best to post at least every other day. HERE'S TO YOU GARY. Wow that's 2 post in one day. Incredible.

UNLEASHED....simply Uh-MAZING

Wow!!! That was how I left the conference yesterday. I have been reading his blog for about a month now, but in person Perry Noble was incredible. A big shout out to the entire staff and volunteers at New Spring. I think I hit every spiritual high and low that could be hit yesterday, and some of the things I have been dealing with recently were touched on yesterday. I realized how fortunate I am to be a part of something like Ridge Stone, and at the conference I gleaned some things that I intend to apply in my life and our youth ministry here at the Stone.

1. Simply put, it's all about God.

2. We need to get more creative in our ministry, by tapping every resource, leaving no stone unturned, and getting creative crazy in the way we bring the gospel to the students.

3. We need to pay attention. Get involved in our student's lives. Get more involved in the lives of our volunteers, and see to it that they get involved in our student's lives. I have been a firm believer in this ever since getting into the ministry. Students aren't dumb, and I truly feel you have to be real, and show a genuine desire to be a part of their lives. Our ultimate goal should be discipleship at every level.

4. We need to follow up with our new visitors on a more personal level through email, letters, or calls to simply let them know we enjoyed their visit and look forward to having them back. Our volunteers would be great for this.

5. Chris, Taylor, and myself need to be totally commited to God, the ministry, and ourselves. We need to support each other completely through prayer.

6. We need to plan to grow by planning ahead.

7. Make it fun. There has to be a "fun factor" in every service, or the youth will lose interest and quit coming. If they quit coming that means their friends quit coming, and we have failed at doing what Christ called us to do in the first place.

8. ALWAYS, ALWAYS bring them JESUS!!!!! No matter what the subject matter or topic make sure that Christ is in it. Period.

Well anyways, that's not necessarily all I got out of the conference, but those, to me, are the biggies. I am so pumped right now that I can't see straight. I am totally excited about what God is gonna do here at the Stone, not only in our church, but with our youth. Love God and Rock n' Roll.

What a day!!!!!

What a day we had at the "Stone" yesterday in the main service. My daughter, Ashley, well her boyfriend Josh gave it up yesterday, "dumped all his crap" (quote from Gary), and got right with God right there in Riverstone Cinemas. Tracy, Ashley, Becky(Josh's mom), and myself all prayed with Josh and it was amazing watching God work through that young man yesterday. Then as soon as we got done, I looked up, and saw another teen couple just bawling, and dealing with some stuff too. All that even poured over into last night, and we had an awesome student service last night. Yesterday I guess just reminded me that our job as parents, and ministers is to invest in these kids lives, and try to show them how you can live the Christian life, and still be cool and have fun doing it, even though I am just a big ol' dork that just loves hanging out with these guys. Well anyways, God ROCKS and so do our youth at Ridge Stone. Peace out.

Excitement is a brewin...

Last night Chris, Taylor, Julie, and myself all met at Chik-fil-A to plan out what we are gonna do over the next few months for our youth services. I feel like we made some real headway, and I am totally stoked about what I see happening in the youth over the next two series. Granted things haven't gone perfectly every time (hey this IS youth ministry), we have seen real growth, and new faces every week. Our next series is gonna be The Fabulous Life of..... character studies in the Bible. I can't freakin wait. I am getting a break from the band cause I am on call at my job, and it is possible that I might miss service. Well gonna try to go eat some BBQ for lunch. See YA!