Generational Changes

OK. So it has been over 2 months since I have posted a blog. It is kind of funny, because I have had many ideas but have continued to procrastinate on posting. But something just happened and I thought "I have got to blog about that."
My wife and I were sitting eating dinner and my daughter was watching her favorite show "Jon and Kate plus 8." She loves that show. So anyways, during the first commercial, my daughter yells out "who has the 'mote." Stacy asked her "why?" And Reghan responds "cuz you need to fast-forward through the commercials."
WHAT???? Can we just say that there is a huge gap from my generation to hers. Just last week, there was a show on and we were about to leave so she says to us "Dad can you just 'cord that?"
When I was little, we didn't even have cable. WE didn't even have a VCR. The thought of fast forwarding or recording TV was not even in my realm of possibility. Now, I can't imagine life without it.
It just raises again the questions regarding changes that need to take place within the church to reach the younger generations. Our culture is changing so fast and these younger generations are so accustom to change, that the older generations (me included) really have no clue. It kind of reminds me of something that Jesus said about new wine and new wineskin's. I guess He knew what He was talking about.

Fire Hydrant

The weirdest thing happened to me this morning as I was driving to the church after dropping off my daughter at pre-school. I noticed a fire hydrant on the corner. I actually took notice because someone was parked in front of it and I thought "I hope they get a ticket."
As I continued to drive, for some odd reason I began to notice all of the hydrant as they lined the street. I was surprised to notice that there are alot of fire hydrants around. I didn't realize there were so many.
Now, I am sure there is someone sitting reading this thinking, this guy is a genius (with obvious scarcasm)! But what struck me is the fact that we all go about our lives and we really never pay much attention to the fire hydrants that line our streets and are virtually everywhere.
Because my mind works this way, the thought occurred to me that Christians are much like these fire hydrants. I am sure that no matter where we go in this country, you can find Christians everywhere. But my thought is, that much like the fire hydrants, do these Christians stand out or do they just blend in?
In your own life, do you just blend in and become a part of your surrounding, so much so that people forget you are there? Or do you stand out, do people take notice of you? Of what you say, or what you do?
My encouragement to you is that you step out of your mundane world and stand out. If you don't know how to do that, begin talking to others about your relationship with Jesus and you will find very quickly that you stand out.

I love this game.

I am so excited that football season is finally here. I absolutely love to watch football. Also, my beloved Fighting Irish kick off their season tomorrow against San Diego State. GO IRISH!!!

The Wonderful World of Disney

Yes, it is true. I, being an Assemblies of God minister, did in fact enter the Disney Land Resort. And can I be honest? I didn't feel one bit of guilt about it. Ok, I am joking a bit. Anyways...

Before our trip, I made the vain attempt at trying to find discounted tickets to the park on line. About the only thing I could come up with was hotel and park combo's and with that you had to stay multiple days. During this search I ran across a website where it was stated that the reason Disney doesn't offer discounted tickets is because people will come anyways.

So, in my brilliant state of mind, my immediate reaction to the comment was "well that is dumb!" But, weeks later, as I entered the park and witnessed the joy on the face of my 3 year old daughter at the site of Tinker Bell flying through the sky with the backdrop of fireworks was enough to make a grown man cry. Or the uncontrollable excitement that Reghan experience as we watched the parade and the princess march by; the look on her face was priceless.

At that moment, I understood the statement, people will come anyway. Young and old alike, millions of people weekly are enthralled with the wonder of Disney. And as I sat there and watch the parade flow by and my daughter jumping up and down and screaming, I thought why isn't it that way in the church? People don't just come anyways. It seems like we have to really coerce someone into coming. Maybe I am raising more questions than I have answers for. But I guess I struggle with the fact that people just don't come to church anymore. Now we can blame that on our changing culture or whatever we want to blame it on. But the reality is, the buck stops with each and everyone of us as individuals. The life that we live and demonstrate to others speaks volumes. If you get anything out of this short blog post, get this: Live a life that people want to emulate and not a life that they would want to distance themselves from.

Incoming Freshman

For me it is almost crazy to consider that this years incoming college freshman class was most likely born in 1990. Hmmm... I was starting my junior year in high school in '90. YIKES! That means in two more years... whoa, I can't think about that yet. Anyways, I received an email this morning that contained this information and then I read about it on the web. There is a college in Beloit Wisconsin that puts out a list annually to the administrators and professors. On this list are things that are completely unique to the incoming freshman class, or another way to state it, the world seen through their eyes. I will post this list, it is a bit lengthly, 60 in all, but for those of us who are a little older, I think you will enjoy.

1. Harry Potter could be a classmate, playing on their Quidditch team.
2. Since they were in diapers, karaoke machines have been annoying people at parties.
3. They have always been looking for Carmen Sandiego.
4. GPS satellite navigation systems have always been available.
5. Coke and Pepsi have always used recycled plastic bottles.
6. Shampoo and conditioner have always been available in the same bottle.
7. Gas stations have never fixed flats, but most serve cappuccino.
8. Their parents may have dropped them in shock when they heard George Bush announce "tax revenue increases."
9. Electronic filing of tax returns has always been an option.
10. Girls in head scarves have always been part of the school fashion scene.
11. All have had a relative — or known about a friend's relative - who died comfortably at home with hospice.
12. As a precursor to "whatever," they have recognized that some people "just don't get it."
13. Universal Studios has always offered an alternative to Mickey in Orlando.
14. Grandma has always had wheels on her walker.
15. Martha Stewart Living has always been setting the style.
16. Haagen-Dazs ice cream has always come in quarts.
17. Club Med resorts have always been places to take the whole family.
18. WWW has never stood for World Wide Wrestling.
19. Films have never been X rated, only NC-17.
20. The Warsaw Pact is as hazy for them as the League of Nations was for their parents.
21. Students have always been "Rocking the Vote."
22. Clarence Thomas has always sat on the Supreme Court.
23. Schools have always been concerned about multiculturalism.
24. We have always known that "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten."
25. There have always been gay rabbis.
26. Wayne Newton has never had a mustache.
27. College grads have always been able to Teach for America.
28. IBM has never made typewriters.
29. Roseanne Barr has never been invited to sing the National Anthem again.
30. McDonald's and Burger King have always used vegetable oil for cooking french fries.
31. They have never been able to color a tree using a raw umber Crayola.
32. There has always been Pearl Jam.
33. The Tonight Show has always been hosted by Jay Leno and started at 11:35 EST.
34. Pee-Wee has never been in his playhouse during the day.
35. They never tasted Benefit Cereal with psyllium.
36. They may have been given a Nintendo Game Boy to play with in the crib.
37. Authorities have always been building a wall across the Mexican border.
38. Lenin's name has never been on a major city in Russia.
39. Employers have always been able to do credit checks on employees.
40. Balsamic vinegar has always been available in the U.S.
41. Macaulay Culkin has always been "Home Alone."
42. Their parents may have watched "The American Gladiators" on TV the day they were born.
43. Personal privacy has always been threatened.
44. Caller ID has always been available on phones.
45. Living wills have always been asked for at hospital check-ins.
46. The Green Bay Packers (almost) always had the same starting quarterback.
47. They never heard an attendant ask "Want me to check under the hood?"
48. Iced tea has always come in cans and bottles.
49. Soft drink refills have always been free.
50. They have never known life without Seinfeld references from a show about "nothing."
51. The Windows 3.0 operating system made IBM PCs user-friendly the year they were born.
52. Moscow residents have always been able to buy Big Macs.
53. The Royal New Zealand Navy has never been permitted a daily ration of rum.
54. The Hubble Space Telescope has always been eavesdropping on the heavens.
55. 98.6 F or otherwise has always been confirmed in the ear.
56. Michael Milken has always been a philanthropist promoting prostate cancer research.
57. Offshore oil drilling in the United States has always been prohibited.
58. Radio stations have never been required to present both sides of public issues.
59. There have always been charter schools.
60. Students always had Goosebumps.

Thank God

I just want to state from the beginning that I am extremely thankful that I am a man. Now before a get comments stating that I am sexist or something like that, please let me explain.
I went to the doctor with my wife today to have our first visit regarding Stacy's pregnancy. And let me just say "WOW!" I won't go into all of the details, but I cannot image what it would feel like to have all of that stuff done to you. YIKES!!!

But on the flip-side, they did an ultrasound and we got to see the baby. You could see its little heart beating and it even moved for us. We both cried. And so I also thank God for that too.

Tragedy Averted

It seems easy to say now, but we had a really close call yesterday. In hindsight, it seems scarier than it did while in the situation, but I thank God everything is ok.

The whole Grogan clan all decided that we would head down to Coronado Island and enjoy a few hours at the beach. It was an absolutely beautiful day, 76 degrees, a nice breeze blowing in off the ocean. It doesn't get much better than that.

At first, Reghan was very apprehensive about the sand and the water. It took her a good hour before she would walk on the sand. After that, she moved onto the ocean. At first she didn't even like the little bit of water that came rushing up the beach. Finally I convinced her that if she held onto me, we could walk out into the water and enjoy some waves. A decision I would later regret.

At first things were going great. The water was cold, so there was a shocked reaction from Reghan and myself. The water was just below my waist and when the waves would crash in they would be about my stomach level. So we were having a blast as the water came crashing in. After about 5 minutes, as the tide was coming in, I guess i didn't realize that the water was getting a little deeper and the waves were getting a little bigger. A wave came that it crashed in about my upper chest, I thought whew that was close, but I was prepared for the next. The looked up to see the next wave coming in and it was about the height of my head. My natural reaction was to jump to keep my head and Reghan's head above the wave. That was when a few things happened.

A week earlier I had torn my quad muscle which still at this point is limiting some of my mobility with my right leg. As I jumped, I felt the muscle pull and at the same moment the wave came crashing down and the strong undertow was too much for me to keep my balance. Reghan and I both plunged under the water.

People say at times your life can flash before your eyes, well for me, I daughters life flashed before my eyes. When we went down, I was still holding Reghan and because of the waves crashing on my I couldn't stand back up unless I let go of Reghan. It is amazing to think how fast our minds can process and problem solve in fractions of seconds. I knew if I didn't let go of my daughter I would not be able to pull us both up. So for a brief moment I loosened my grip, pushed myself up, and reached for my daughter I grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her up by her leg out of the water. We were maybe underwater a total of 3 to 5 seconds, but it seemed like a lifetime.

Later that night, as I was sitting in The Phantom of the Opera at the Civic Center in downtown San Diego I reflected back on the event. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about the possibility of losing my only daughter. With the waves crashing down, and the undertow pulling out it would have been very easy to have Reghan get pulled under. But tragedy was averted, I was able to pull her out. Needless to say, Reghan was not happy, and as we were later walking back to the car, Reghan looked at me and said "Dad, I don't ever want to go back there again." As tears flooded in, I just smiled. Even cuter than that, was the fact that as I get knocked over, my hat came off my head and I lost my brand new glasses in the ocean. And whole time after that, Reghan was so concerned that I had lost my glasses and couldn't find them. It made her sad that I had lost my glasses.

I actually have a lot of spiritual application that I received because of this event, but I will save it for later. At this very moment, we are getting ready to drive to DisneyLand for the day. I am glad I have my daughter with me to enjoy it.

Leavin' on a jet plan

Here I am packing up and preparing for a trip to sunny San Diego. Stacy, Reghan, and I are traveling out there to visit Stacy's brother. While we are there, we are going to head north and visit Disneyland for 2 days. We are going to suffer through the 76 degree days, with 10% humidity. Man, its going to be rough.

Garage Sale

I am about to join the thousands of americans who during the wonderful weekends of the summer open up their garage doors to display those items that have sat in the garage or basement for the past few years. That's right, the great american garage sale. Thankfully I am married to a woman who cannot stand clutter. This is our 4th garage sale in only 6 years of marriage. What is it about a variety of items strung all over the driveway that causes us to slow down and look or if the seller is lucky, we pull over.
Well, here is to a great american past time. And I hope I make some good money!

Frozen Bottle of Water

So I tiptoe my way into Pastor Ed's outer-office where the little refrigerator is, so I can get a bottle of water. Its funny, because I don't know why I sneak in, the refrigerator is open game for the staff, but I do anyway. So, I triumphantly got my bottle of water (and I replaced it with 2) and head back to my office to enjoy the spoils of war (not really, it just sounded good). I screw off the cap, put the bottle to my tips, tip the bottle up fully expecting water to come flowing to my lips... and nothing happens. It is at this point that I realize two things: (1)the bottle of water that I snuck out of Pastor Ed's refrigerator is frozen solid, and (2)all of a sudden I am really thirsty.

So, for the next few minutes I set about the task of trying to break up this ice so I can get a drink. And can I tell you, I am getting really thirsty. It is almost as if I have walked through a desert for days with nothing to drink and all of a sudden I stumble upon a pool of water. Now you may be thinking, why not get up and get a drink from the water fountain. Well, now that would be too easy! Duh!

So finally, I am able to take a drink from the cold bottle of water and the thought hit me: why don't I pursue God the way I pursued getting a drink from that bottle of water? Sometimes I feel as if I take my time with God for granted that I lose the desperation of feeling like I need Him now!

What would happen if daily we pursued God with fervency and desperation, like the way I pursued getting a drink from that bottle of water?

My encouragement is this: may you hunger and thirst for righteous; may you desperately seek after God; may you pursue Him with the fervency of one who is in need of something more.

Too Funny

I have to chuckle, because as I was setting up this account (which was during staff meeting), we had a debate back and forth about starting blogs. There were actually some that didn't want to set one up and they will remain nameless (Pastor Mike).

Anyways, can you believe that Bloomington/Normal, the community in which I live, rankings in the top 10 for the most "techie" cities. Just thought that was pretty cool. It also justifies my addiction for blogging and facebook. See, surveys are good for something.