PORK

It often takes a wedding or a funeral to slow us down enough to hang out with our immediate and extended family.  Sometimes, when we are in the room with our family, the hurts and history are more overwhelming than the funeral or the wedding that you are celebrating.

It’s a fact that family plays a big part in our life story.  Whether it’s the enmeshed onslaught of parents that won’t let go (ever…), or the absence felt in broken families, or hurts…or high fives – family impacts your story.

This can be a positive thing, or the opposite.  Either way, your story is essential for telling people about Jesus’ story.  Good, bad, and ugly – it’s not just important, it’s essential. 

Your story needs to include sharing God’s love with your family.

This week we will be talking through how the outflow of God’s love (in your story) is essential for connecting your family to God’s story.

Prepare to get soaked / literally

November 12th, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Leave a comment

Consider the difference between who you think you know, and who you actually know.  Some of us know more celebrity blah blah, than we actually know about someone we consider a friend.  Reading the latest news takes a lot less energy than developing a relationship. 

Think about being a Christian.  That means that Jesus is on your friend list.  Same question as above.  Do you know about Him, or do you know Him?  Remember that knowing someone takes more energy, time, effort…than knowing about someone.

What are the ways that we make the effort, or spend the time?

Different, but related, subject – have you ever notice the more time that you spend with a person, the more that you associate smells with that person?  Good, bad, or weird – people smell.  What do you think that your life smells like?  Have you ever been around someone that smelled like Jesus?  What would your life need to be like in order to smell more like Jesus?

I don’t mean like a smelly carpenter, or day laborer.  Or maybe, I do.

Today, many relationships have the quality time while chatting and IMing.  Although fun, it can be impersonal.  It’s hard to smell someone on line, but it is easy to multitask.  You can email, chat, update your FaceBook, surf a little, and listen to mp3’s…all while you’re doing your homework.  Not so smelly.

Last question, why do you think that we get so distracted when we talk with Jesus?  Jesus wants you to have a real relationship with Him, and He wants to bless you to the point where His love is spilling out of you.  Think about your relationship with Him.

See you Thursday.

October 28th, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Comments (2)

Have you ever bought something used on-line? Maybe something like a book, or mp3 player. There is a fun anticipation that comes with waiting for something that you have ordered to come in the mail.

I like to order used books on-line. Cheaper can be better.

For me, the hardest part of doing this is wondering if the book is actually in the condition that was stated by the seller… or will it show up with pictures, doodles, and mising pages.

So, my issue is actually with wondering if the seller (the person) is telling me the truth, or just selling me snake oil. Selling snake oil is an old term - if you’re not familiar, you should google it. It’s actually a funny term.

The same can be true of how we are perceived when sharing the gospel.

Who’s more trustworthy - a person who talks about good news, or a person who lives like they believe good news?

We’re going to spend 5 weeks talking about living a life in a way that shows the good news of Christ.

Hold your life in the mirror. Are you living good news that people want to hear about, or are you selling snake oil?

See you Thursday.

October 22nd, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Leave a comment

Have you ever played a game with someone who just doesn’t know the rules?  I remember playing Monopoly with my sister at my grandparent’s house when I was in kindergarten.  Fun.  The rules made absolutely no sense at all.  We would divvy up the properties based on the colors that we liked…and then race the pieces around the board, so they would crash into all of the pretty red and green buildings.  This version of Monopoly is awesome.

It kind of sounds like the current US economy, just kidding, but really…

I remember my grandmother asking my sister who taught her how to play.  My sister said that I did.  My first thought was that I was going to get into trouble…because I made the whole thing up (obviously I had no idea how to play the game).  My grandmother ended up just laughing because my sister didn’t know the difference either way. 

Luckily this was only a game - and not actually something important.

Think about the important things in life – like “learning how to drive a car”, or “buying a new gaming system”.  Would you want to get advice from an expert (who is using good information and valid experience), or would you just ask the person you are sitting next to on the bus (or the laundry mat, or an airplane, or at school, or at work…)?

My guess is you would talk to someone with good advice.  Good experience.

The same needs to be true when you are thinking about life, dating, sexuality, and relationships in general.  Going to someone (just because you IM with them) is a bad idea.  Going to someone who has answers based on real truth (biblical truth) and experience (God-focused life style) is a good idea.

The big things in life usually have long lasting impacts.  Have you ever felt like you had a problem that just would not go away.  The issues that come with making bad decisions (based on sin and bad advice) in these areas have the greatest potential for long lasting negative impact…on you.

We will talk through this stuff tonight. 

Bring your appetite and your inhaler.

October 9th, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Leave a comment

So, commercials- the whole point of a commercial is to try and sell you something. Some commercials are fun “I’m into nuggets y’all.” Others are just obnoxious at this point- Obama-McCain-Obama-McCain. Still some others I look at and wonder, what exactly are they selling?

Have you ever seen an Herbal Essence commercial? The sabliminal messages they send to you are that their hair products are as good if not better than sex.  I remember hearing about Abercrombie doing a spread of all naked models in their magazine. How exactly does that sell their clothing? Even the pictures of the models in and out of the stores are only half clothed. What message are they really sending to you? These are just two examples of a multitude that is out there sending you the message of “our product is cool because it’ll make you sexy. Come buy us.” Everywhere you look, people are trying to sell you things using sex, and pressure you into thinking that you need to be sexy. How do we avoid these things? Do you even notice?

We talked about different strategies in which to keep yourself pure at the end of last week. Anyone remember?-watch your environment, remember that you are weak, and always look for the way out! We focused mainly on how these things can guard you-especially your heart. This week we will focus on how these tips and others help to guard your mind. Why would you need to guard your mind? Think about it.

September 30th, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Comments (1)

The other day I was reading the newspaper when I saw Goffstown in the title of a story. This drew in my attention since I live in Goffstown and read on to find out that Ollies (very yummy food, if you haven’t been, I suggest you try it out sometime) had a speed dating night this past Friday. For those of you not familiar with speed dating, it’s when a bunch of guys and gals pay people money to set them up on dates with multiple people for about 4 minutes each person. At the end, you rate each person, and if any two people match up, they let you know, and you can take it from there.

The concept of speed dating has always intrigued me. In today’s day and age, it seems like no one can meet in the old fashion traditional way. There’s speed dating and online dating. How many times can you stand to see an eHarmony commercial?! Then I got to thinking, maybe it’s not that people aren’t meeting. Generally those who take these routes are older, though not all of them. The divorce rate in America is 50% for first marriages. Why do you think that is? Why do things go so wrong for half the couples in our country? It’s kind of grim to think about your own future with these odds. Chances are, at least half of your friends have parents who are divorced. Where is it all going wrong?

Another statistic comes to mind. The ratings show that 50% of teenagers will have sex before they leave high school. So, the odds are that half of your friends, half of the students in your school, are engaged in sexual activity. It just struck me that these two statistics would be the same. They may not be related in any way, but I think they have a direct correlation. Half of the teenagers out there are already dropping their standards before real dating even starts. The world tells you to do whatever you feel is right, but no one thinks of the price it will ultimately pay in their lives.

So how do we fight to keep our standards with a world that keeps pressuring you to do the exact opposite? How do you fight the feelings of lonliness, that your a loser etc.  that might compel you to date someone who does not meet your standards who then tries to lower your own standards? Think about it. Post a comment (please!) Come on Thursday to find out the answers to these lingering questions. =0)

September 23rd, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Comments (1)

What is it that this week will bring?  Oh the excitement, the anticipation…the quiet fear that the participation award will land in your hands while it’s still moving.  The potential that our discussion may take place in some very public place…where it is cold enough to almost require a long sleeve shirt.  Or the notion that a conversation requires “words” from “people”… 

To drill or not to drill, that it is the question.  Whether it is more noble to talk at a deeper level about dating, relationships, and things that will flat out make you uncomfortable… or whether silence is our anthem.  Who can say?

See you Thursday! or… see you Thursday?

September 22nd, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Leave a comment

Hey guys - hey,

I thought last night was fun. The pasta bake-fest was filling an yummy (and very considerate of the vegans). Glad it got chilly out … sorry Matt for the frost-bite. I felt like it was a good start to a fun subject, but I’m a little weird. So…

Any feedback as to how last night’s discussion went?

Scott

September 19th, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Leave a comment

Not that quoting classic rock songs is a past time for me, but I haven’t seen anybody in a while… Is there a blogger in the house? If you are an innocent passer by, take a look at the Ransom Discussion blog-o-matic :0

September 17th, 2008 | Category: General Posts | Leave a comment