Monday Morning Quarterback

here are some of the highlights from yesterday…

1. one of my favorite things that happens in the first service is when the majority of people sit on one side and leave the middle open. it happened yesterday and it really threw me off more than normal. it’s just a quirky shortcoming on my part!

2. we had a new guy come into the first service right after the first two songs, right before i started to preach. about half way through my sermon, he put on his coat, zipped up his bible, and walked out. talk about a confidence builder!

3. i may not look like it, but i am usually pretty aware of what’s going on during my sermon. in my younger days, i would react (internally) to looks, body language, people checking their watches, whispering, people falling asleep, writing notes, getting up and walking out. you name it. i had to work at not taking it personally.

4. now, when people are texting on their phones, nodding off, working on their crackberries, talking to their neighbors, or making their morning run for donuts and coffee, i find myself just being grateful they are here!

5. should they be doing those things? is it my fault? am i boring? should i be doing something different? are they going to hell? no way…i hope not…probably, sometimes…for those people, maybe…not for that.

6. had another “ralph” moment in the first service. you people that only come to the second hour are really missing out! let’s just say that ralph’s going to need a little practice on what to do when he gets a phone call during the service. he had his new ear piece, and when he got the call, we couldn’t hear the ring (that was good), but he also didn’t realize that all of us could hear him as he was talking. only at north point…

7. logan’s a really funny guy. when he introduced himself in the welcome time by saying, “hi, i’m logan and i’m the youth minister frommmm, uhhh…here”, i thought i was going to bust out laughing right on stage.

8. of all the songs we have learned over the past 13 years, “singer’s song” is easily in my top three favorites…for a few different reasons. it was one of the first great new songs from england that we started doing in youth ministry. it was challenging musically. the lyrics of the “bridge” are, hands down, some of the most profound ever written. and it is flat out fun to sing and play. i hope we are still doing this song in 2020!

9. i had second thoughts about making a twelve minute commercial for the simple service initiative during the sermon. sometimes we just need to say things to each other as family. maybe that’s why the new guy left. i hope not.

10. looking forward to starting a new series this coming sunday. i think it’s going to be great for our family.

11. all in all, yesterday was a good day…especially for a vacation weekend.

12. got to each lunch at raising cains. yes…a good day.