Saying Thanks

August 30, 2008

superstippy Life 1 Comment

It seems really simple doesn’t it? How often do we really do it though? I’m not really talking about a casual thanks to someone for holding a door for you (although we probably could use some more of that…), I’m talking about thanking the people who have done something big and out of their way for us. Someone maybe who has had a large impact on our lives.

I had the opportunity to do that on Thursday. I was at the GHS football game in San Antonio, and saw my old choir director. He was someone who was a pretty big influence in my life right after my dad died. I went over and we were talking, and I just thanked him for that. For understanding I was going through something rough, and giving me some guidance. He then told me that the OTHER choir director who had moved after my sophomore year was BACK at Georgetown and at the game. I trotted off and talked to him for a bit, and thanked him for the same thing. It was cool because he remembered me. Teachers have a lot of students, and I hadn’t seen him in four years. That part was very cool for and meant a lot to me. Anyway, they both said that it means a lot to them when students take the time to do that, and you could tell it wasn’t a line. So I thanked them for thanking me for thanking them. Then they thanked me for thanking them for thanking me for thanking them. (it took me a few tries to write that…) Seriously. It’s a two way street. (I’m not writing this to toot my own horn, this is just the event that made me think about how cool a word “Thanks” is)

So anyway…I feel like that’s an important thing for us to take the time to do.

So make some time here in the next few days. Write a letter (or e-mail if you just don’t have the time), give a phone call, or drop by. To a teacher, boss, co-worker, friend, neighbor, or mentor, and let them know what they’ve meant to you. You never know when that “thanks” is going to give that person the drive they need to come out of a slump, or maybe just to put a smile on their face.

 

Thanks,

Dave

The Texas Tour

August 30, 2008

superstippy Life, Youth Ministry , , , , , , Leave a comment

For the past several years in the fall Brett has taken people around the state of Texas to watch high school football games that either one (or both) of the teams are really good and it is going to be some great football, or there are players that will probably be going on to big schools to play big football. It’s a lot of fun. I honestly don’t know much about football (there’s not a whole lot of “manliness” going on right here), but it is great fellowship (the Christan “F” word) and fun! Unfortunately I will be missing the majority of this seasons tour, but I did get to go to two games this week.

In the first game, we watched the Georgetown Eagles stomp on the San Antonio Southwest Dragons. On the way there, several people talked about the fact that they loved the Georgetown team and players, but didn’t really think they could win the game. I. Had. Faith. And it paid off. The Eagles opened their season with a 35-13 win, it was cool.

We got back to the church around midnight, and we were all going our separate ways…when I realised I had a flat tire. at 12 a.m. I wanted to cry. I was going to change it, but could not find a tire iron, so one of the guys lent me his portable air compressor majigger to air it up. I plugged it into the adapter outlet in the car and ended up having to hold it in there to get it to work. We ended up just airing it up a little bit from that, and then drive it to the Shell station down the street…when I unplugged the compressor, it BURNED MY THUMB and I now have a blister. So, we get to the gas station, and  PRISON BUS is using the air thing. So I had to wait another five minutes. Not a good end to my otherwise good night.

Friday night, we went to the Cypress Ridge vs. Humble game. In the beginning, it did not look to be a very good game. Again, I don’t know much about football, but I could tell that neither of these teams was really…exceptional. Which was weird, because the Cy-Ridge quarterback is supposed to be the number one in the nation. Anyway, Humble did end up stomping them, and towards the end it proved to be a pretty good game. On the way home we played the Radio Game for two hours straight. It. Was. Awesome.

I will miss the Tour, and allllll of the fun that goes along with it. Yes. That includes being the concession runner. Thanks for the great times Texas High School Football.

 

Already missing the Friday night lights,

Stippick

A lesson in humility

August 27, 2008

superstippy Life, Mission Year, Youth Ministry , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I got one tonight, and it was really cool. Tonight at Shockwave (the Wednesday night, youth worship service at FBCgT) they kicked off a new series called “Wipeout”. The idea came from the TV show, but really the only likeness to that is the Youtube clips they showed, and the games they will do throughout the series. The idea for the focus of the series is how God can redeem us from our moral failures. It seems really cool, and I think He is going to be able to do some great things in the lives of students through it.

Anyway, tonight, Brett (Levy, for those of you who don’t know. He is the youth minister at FBCgT) was talking about Moses, and how he went from being born into Hebrew slavery, then raised as Egyptian royalty, then cast out when he murdered an Egyptian man, then God uses Moses to lead His people out of captivity to the life He promised them…of course they end up messing that up (but who of us hasn’t messed up something that was supposed to be a blessing from God?!). It’s a really cool story, and if you don’t know it…go read the book of Exodus…I digress.

We get to the part of the story where Moses sees the burning bush (ch. 3). Moses kind of sees it, and then realises that this bush is on fire…but not being consumed! So he looks at it a little more closely, and what follows is an incredible encounter with the God of the universe:

When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses! And he said “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:4-5)

The point Brett was making out of this passage in relation to our moral failures is that we need to humble ourselves before God when we are coming out of that. It’s a great point, and is 100% true. When he shared the verse though, he kind of paraphrased it in a cool way that set my thought wheels in motion. He (Brett) said something to the effect of:

“What God is saying to Moses here is “Hey, show some respect before you come here, because you’re about to experience something the likes of which you’ve never even heard of. Me.”

I just thought it was really cool to picture God saying it this way.

A lot of time we’re going, going, going, with something that we think (and may be) God inspired, but at some point we take Him out of the loop. True Life? WE CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT GOD, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, WHO KNOWS OUR EVERY THOUGHT!

Whatever it is that we feel God calling us to do we MUST humble ourselves at His feet if we have any SHRED  of hope of succeeding. When we pray for guidance from Him, we had better make sure that it is with a heart that knows how unworthy we are of His love.

Yet He gives it anyway.

For me, tonight, that is my deepest desire. That I would develop a more humble attitude toward what God has given me, and allowed me to do/part of, and what He is about to allow me to be a part of. As I embark on my Mission Year, I hope that I experience God in such a way that it would be something the likes of which I have never seen.

 

Learning all the time,

David

 

(Sorry this was longer than normal, thanks for giving it a look. I hope it got across the point that I had in my head)

No Words…

August 26, 2008

superstippy Life, Music, Youth Ministry , , , , , , Leave a comment

That’s how I’ve felt about this post as I’ve been thinking about how to write it over the past couple. Obviously, there are some words…I just don’t feel like they do justice to what I want to say. So yes, there are words…I just really liked that tile…Hold on, I’ve got to catch this rabbit REAL quick…

In all seriousness though. This past Sunday was my first Sunday back at First Baptist Georgetown (FBCgT), and it was great to see some people that I had not seen in a long time. The new bulletins were cool, and they had added some new intelligent lighing All very cool stuff.

During the worship music time, we sang two songs off of the God of this City  cd from the Passion movement, the title track “God of This City”, and “Hosanna”. I bought this cd back when it first came out a couple months ago, and it is worth every cent. These guys know how to lead people in singing worship to our savior! So anyway…I walked away with something very cool from these two songs, after the service.

As most of you know, I have been working with the youth there for the past two years (minus this summer when I took an internship at Austin Baptist Church), and it has been a great experience. I love all of those kids, an it has been great to see a lot of them grow over the past few years. In the song “Hosanna”(as made famous by Hillsong), there is a line that says “I see a generation, rising up to take their place, with selfless faith”, and when that line came accross I was just kind of watching some of the youth worship, and five or six names of youth who are doing that, just popped into my head, and I lifted up a prayer of thanks for those students. A lot of people feel as though my “generation” and some younger are only interested in themselves, and that we’re going to the dogs. I myself sometimes get frustrated with the students I work with knowing that they know better than some decisions that they make. When I heard that though, it was just a really cool thing to experience.

The last song we did was God of This City (as made famous by Chris Tomlin who got it from this band Bluetree). I heart this song. I think it is an incredible anthem for this generation believers. They started singing it in Shockwave (the Wednesday night youth sevice at FBCgT) a while back, and the students love it. I don’t know how often (if at all) they have done it in the Sunday morning service, but from what I could see it did not look like many people knew it. Then out of no where, students bgan to stand up singing the song, and lifting their hands in praise to God. It was an AWESOME sight! Because they knew it, they were able to worship with abandon, and really basically lead the cngregation in terms of worship without thought to anyone else but themself anf their Jesus.

I atribute this to the series they just wrapped up “The Shockwave Worship Experience” which I was not there for, but have heard A LOT of great things about what it has done for those stdents in the way they view worship. Anyway though…I just really wanted to share that (and yes, honsetly, kind of brag on these sutdents) because it was a cool thing for me to experience right before I take off).

 

Still being amazed,

David

Wheels NOT in Motion

August 25, 2008

superstippy Life , , , , , Leave a comment

I got a ticket at the beginning of the summer. I opted for defensive driving. I have until September 9th to complete my defensive driving, and pay the ridiculous court fee (that’s right…I said it Williamson County legal system…). For defensive driving, I opted for the Wheels in Motion DVD (I linked to it for those of you who may need to do defensive driving. Also, I don’t know if other states have this…this one is for Texas). This is probably the third stupidest decision I have ever made (The other two? Not sure exactly, but I’m sure I’ve made some doosies(sp?))

Don’t misunderstand me, I expected it to be a hokey as it has been. Good job State of Texas. But I just feel like they could make it more engaging. I digress from my current peevedness with this video.

They just covered a part about “Driving Emergencies” that was 40 minutes long. Which I feel is a bit excessive and redonk (that’s hipster for ridiculous for those of you who don’t know). Anyway, they talked about what you should do if your car becomes submerged in water. Their first piece of advice? Don’t panic. Thanks guys. Thanks…

Like I’m not going to panic if my car is fully under water?! Yeah right dumbs (I used that term gramatically incorrectly. I know)!!! If I go flying off of one of the 4,900/49,000 bridges in the state of Texas (that was a random fact from the video, I just don’t remember where the comma was when they threw that up on the screen. The point? Texas has more bridges than any other state. Suck it!) and into a body of water that is large/deep enough for me to be dragged down to its muddy death? I. AM. GOING. TO. PANIC.Sorry people who came up with that plan, there’s just no two ways about it. They did give legit. advice about what to do other than that (find the air pocket, roll down the window, if you can’t do that? Kick out the back window. If you get down far enough in the abyss? You can open the door easier because of all the pressure now INSIDE of your coffin), and I get the reason that you’re not supposed to panic…they just made a really big deal out of something I feel like is not really going to cross my mind while I’m trying to get out of my death trap hunk of metal.

That is just one mans opinion though. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe YOU won’t panic (liar). You’re a better man than I am (even if you’re a woman). I think the punishment for their stupidity should be that the creators of the video should all have to be in vehicles submerged in water. Then we’ll see who panics. Harsh? Maybe. Effective? Probably.

 

Staying off the bridges,

Dave

 

P.S.: I. DO. NOT. LIKE. FROGS.

Craig Groeschel, LifeChurch.tv, and it.

August 25, 2008

superstippy Life, Ministry , , , , , 1 Comment

The title pretty much explains what this is about, sorry I couldn’t be a little more creative.

Craig Groeschelis the pastor of LifeChurch.tv and is a great communicator and innovator. LifeChurch is doing some incredible things to reach people. I don’t think that you ALWAYS have to be doing the newest/”coolest”/”hippest” thing to reach people, but it certainly does work for them. You can get to the blog that Craig and Bobby Greunewald, the Innovation Pastor of LifeChurch, write by clicking on his name up there. Also, the LifeChurch.tv main website is up there too. Needless to say, Craig is one of my new favorite people to learn from. (I didn’t JUST find out about him, I’ve watched a LifeChurch sermon here and there, and read several articles he’s written, and written about him, I just wanted to do a little blurb about him as I lead into this..)

His new book it (you can also find it here and here. Make sure you check out the very first link, because if you want to order several for your team, it will show you how you can get a discount on it) is incredible! I have been reading a lot of books/blogs/articles about vision, and communicating it, and making it stick, and expanding it, and all sorts of things. It is BY FAR the best thing I have read in the past several months, and has answered a lot of the questions I have been puttin to God in prayer the last couple months. The small ammount I have read has already helped me narrow in on some things I believe He is calling me to! I’m about a quater of the way through, and I plan on being done by Friday at the latest. This book is not a model, or a program to copy, it’s just about…It that unexplainable thing that some churches and ministries have, and EVERYONE knows. I would say that LifeChurch deffinitely has It, and Craig is using examples from his own successes AND failures the he feels got them there, and how they have KEPT It.

Anyway, like I said, I definitely hope you guys check out his blog, there is a lot of wisdom there. Also, if you are a leader, or are being led, or feel like God is calling you to be a leader, or join a team that is doing something pretty cool, YOU should read this book.

 

Learning, Living, and Sharing,

Stippick

A little diddy about Jack and Diane

August 23, 2008

superstippy Blogging, Life , , , , , , 1 Comment

This diddy is actually about my friend Mike Jones (not the rapper…although, it would be cool if he and I were friends…). He is a pretty cool dude, and one of my best friends, we’ve been doing life together for about four years now, and I imagine that we will continue to do so for years to come (doing life together is about being intentionally involved in the lives of your close friends, and being iron for one another (Proverbs 27:17)…not anything about how you all think Mike and I are “together”). He is getting married next May to this chick Racheal (R-A-C-H-E-A-L that’s the way we spell RACHEAL!) and I’m pretty happy for them. I digress.

He recently started blogging (you’re welcome dude), and I wanted to give you guys a heads up about it. The blog he is writing is called Mikes Money Blogand it’s really good. This dude is a financial wiz. Before he was done with his sophomore year at Baylor University (he is about to go into his junior year) he had an internship with one of the Big Four tax agencies (I don’t know which ones they are, I just felt like they should get capped (not shot)). He’s always been good with money, and I’m pretty sure that is what he is going to be doing with his life.

So anyway, his blog is about his own financial journey as well as tips and what nots that he feels like anyone could use (but he mainly is speaking to the people our age…I think…) to get themselves started on their own responsible financial journey. I’ve read through most of the posts, and it’s all pretty legit. I highly recommend this to anyone who is wanting some advice about how to get themselves financially set for years to come, but ESPECIALLY to those of you who are around the same age as Mike and myself and are just starting out in the “real world”.

Love to the Jonsie,

David

Mowing Part Deux + George Strait

August 22, 2008

superstippy Life , , 2 Comments

So today as I was mowing my lawn I was listening to music on my iPod and singing kind of loud for my neighbors, as is my custom, and that George Strait song “I Saw God Today” came on. I Like that song. I also like George Strait. A lot. He’s a legend, and has cranked out some INCREDIBLE songs in his day. I digress.

So I’m listening to this song, and something in the first line caught my attention.

“Just walked down the street to the coffee shop,

 

Had to take a break, I’d been by her side for 18 hours straight.”

I know George didn’t write this song (does he write any of his songs?) but here’s my question. Whose wife is ok with them ‘taking a break’ from the 18 hour labor she’s in? Granted I have not been in that situation, but it just doesn’t seem like a woman would be ok with that.

George, it’s a great song, but I would think about something like that the next time that a song comes accross your saddle (I said saddle instead of desk…it’s kind of a joke since he’s a “cowboy”…anybody?). So, maybe I’m the only one who thinks that. If I’m not please let me know. Seriously ladies (and doods too) I want your opinions (that means leave comments with your thoughts on the situation).

 

Wondering about child bearing situations,

D.S.

 

Mowing

August 22, 2008

superstippy Life , 1 Comment

Is probably my least favorite thing to do. Ever. I wish that someone would develop a fake lawn…that would stay green, and you could manually adjust the height. That would be cool.

If you develop that, let me know, I will be the first to try it out. Then I can do infomercials for you. It would be great, I feel like we could be an upstoppable team. Taking over the world one cool new fake lawn at a time.

So, Mr. Really Smart Scientist Who Has Nothing Better To Do With His Time, I have thrown the guantlet down. Will you pick it up? I will hold up my end of the bargain if you hold up yours…I look forward to our millions.

 

Happy Inventing,

Stippick

Dear Wife

August 19, 2008

superstippy Life 5 Comments

I don’t know who you are, even though I desperately wish I did. I regularly pray that when the time comes for me to know who you are that God will point his big finger out of the sky and say “That one” (unfortunately if I were to hear the voice of God I would die and the whole thing would be moot).

I’m just gonna let you know right from the start, I like chick flicks a lot. Probably more than you do. I like romantic books, and I will probably read more of those than you also. I’m a hopeless romantic. Get used to it. However, even though I freely admit it, if we could not talk about it a lot that would be cool. Thanks.

I’m a late night person. Like 2 a.m. type thing. Don’t wory though, I’ll always come to bed…eventually. I also don’t play the whole ‘we had a fight one of us is sleeping on the couch’ game. We’ll either work it out before we go to bed, or it will be a really tensely awkward 30-45 minutes while we fall asleep.

Just so you know, I will probably regularly give you a really hard time about a lot of things. Sometimes it might genuinely offend you, and it will take me a few days to figure that out. I don’t mean any of it, it’s for a cheap laugh, and I will regularly tell you that I’ll work on not being so bad about it. Regardless of the things I might say, I love you more than you will probably ever know. I don’t wish you were any taller, shorter, funnier, seriouser, fatter, thinner, smarter, less smart…I think you get the picture. I love you for who you are, otherwise I wouldn’t have married you.

I hope you’ll give me the same curotsey. I’m honestly not that smart. I’m a little bigger than I should be probably. Depending on the day I’m more serious or way more goofy than I should be. I also don’t think I’ve grown in three years. What you see is what you get. I think innappropriate humor is really funny. If that offends you we can maybe talk about it, but I think you’ll be fighting a losing battle.

I don’t cry very often. It’s not that I don’t have the emotion. I just…don’t really cry all that much. But trust me, I regularly get that amount of emotion going on. Also, I’m totally cool with you crying as often as you feel necessary.

I want a lot of kids. Seriously. Like 8 or something like that. Don’t worry…I don’t expect that you will want to physically have 8 babies. I’m totally down with the whole adoption thing. I have a fear though. That I won’t be a good enough father. That I won’t devote the time to them that they deserve. That I won’t share Jesus with them in a way that is real enough for them to make a decision for him when the time comes. That I won’t live it out in such a way that they would see Him shine through me. Please bear with me on these things, because I will be doing my best.

I don’t care about your past. Where you’ve been, or who you’ve been with. Not in the sense that it really matters, that is in your past, and it’s just a part of what made you the woman I fell in love with. I don’t have a ‘checkered past’ but even though I was a boy scout…I wasn’t exactly a boy scout.

Two last things…

I’m probably going to fall pretty hard for you. Don’t let that scare you off. I’m just kind of intense. I’m going to regularly remind you how much I love you, not because I feel obligated, but because I’ve pretty much been head over heels for you since the day we met.

Jesus is first. Then you. I hope you will put me after Him too. My relationship with Christ will drive my relationship with you, and if He and I are off, then you and I will surely be off. If you ever see me not putting Him first, call me on it. I’m going to do the same for you.

I think this is all pretty reasonable. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with, and sharing a bathroom with you for the rest of our lives.

All My Love,

David

(Just so you all know, I totally stole the idea for this from my friend Jennifer Thomasson. She wrote a blog called dear husband, and I thought it was real cool. She’s a pretty cool cat, so I felt like she should get the credit for this idea. Thanks Jenni)

Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.