WHAT THA!!!

What is the deal? The Cowboys just can't work as a team can they. There was a lack of a lot of things to say the least. For one discipline. I think there will be some changes very soon with the team, whether it be coaches..uhhmm Wade Phillips or players! I don't know really, but one things for sure somethings are not meant to be. Da Boys are still my team and I won't quit on them. Can't win 'em all right? Gotta go peace out.

Weekend Shots

Had a pretty good weekend. Lets see...

• Friday I had a DJ gig for a Christmas party which went really great! We were out.. so it seemed in the middle of nowhere when the sheriff came out DOH! Apparently I was playing a bit too loud. It was all good. No fines or anything like that. All in all it was fun. I made some extra money and that's always good right!
• Saturday we just pretty much we just chilled at home. Clarinda did some things in the morning, but other than that we kicked it at home. Exept for...ahhhhh...rrrr...that evening we went to our friend Terry & Veronica's house to watch that AWEFUL... DALLAS... COWBOY... football game! That's all I'll say about that. Don't want to waste my typing. Great time though hangin with our buddys.
• Sunday morning we went to visit our friend Pastor Javier and his family at their church in Kyle. The church was where I trusted the Lord as my Savior and got baptized! So many memories went through our heads when we arrived. I can't even begin to tell you how I felt walking into that building. That's were I begin my journey with God! We had the chance to talk with some of our brothers & sisters who are still there serving the Lord faithfully since the time we left. It was great seeing everyone again! I started my ministry in youth there at the church and meet with one of the moms who's children were in our youth ministry. She got to share to us what they were up to and how they were doing. All was well. Man, how time just fly's huh?
• Merry Christmas everyone and Peace on earth out!

Firehouse Christmas Party

Great times! Food, Fun, Games and the classic white elephant game. We all had a blast! Merry Christmas everyone! Peace out ya'll.

Weekend Shots Yo!

Busy weekend it seemed.

• Friday we had dinner with some friends in good ol' Gruene Texas. I forgot the name of the restaurant, but I do remember those pork ribs that literally came off the bone! Delicious and fun.
• Saturday Firehouse helped our Hays County Brown Santa in wrapping gifts. There were piles and piles of present everywhere! So many people from our community came out to help. In doing so we all finished in record time! Great job everyone. That evening Clarinda, Elena and I went to Austin to have dinner together then went to see the Nutcracker at the Long Center for Performing Arts. Beautiful place and what an awesome experience to see! It was our first time seeing the Nutcracker. The orchestra played awesome and the ballet was fantastic. Forgot our camera so no pics. Doh!
• Sunday service was great. This series were doing "Presence" is giving me a lot of insight on what my own life should be like. Not only during the holidays, but everyday of my life. God is using Pastor Randy in awesome ways in this series! Great job.

Brown Santa Gift Wrapping

Thanks Firehouse Students for helping our Hays County Brown Santa! You made a big difference! Good times. Peace out!

STRESS

This Wednesday at Firehouse we will be talking about the issue of stress among teenagers. Although it's just as real for adults, teenagers today are dealing with it more today than ever. How are they handling the stress in their lives? Is it in a positive way or negative way? Many of these stressors are put by them by parents, peers, teachers, and even the church. All this in which teenagers need to balance, but where is Jesus in all of it? Matthew 6:33-34 says: Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own (NCV). One thing I learned about stress is that it's normal, but to much unresolved stress can really bring us down hard! Teenagers need to learn how to deal with stress in a healthy way so that they respond to it in a positive way. What do you mean positive way? When studying for this message I learned that stress can actually be beneficial. The anxiety which causes the stress can act as a warning system that signals us to respond to whatever is causing the stress. So one thing is for sure, it's not good at all to avoid it. How do teens respond? In all kinds of different ways. Just like Matthew 6 says first things first we need to seek God's kingdom and what God wants. Teens need to ask for patience and peace when those times of stress come along. God always works everything out! I'm always excited to help youth have a better understanding of who God is and what part do they play in His story. And I thank God alone for that! Peace out ya'll.

Check out this blog from Walt Mueller. He's the author of His book Youth Culture 101 and speaks at many youth conferences around the world. This is some good stuff to think about. Check out the link below after reading to watch the video. This is what He wrote:





My friend Troy sent me a link to a news story from the UK this morning. The story is about The Immersion Project and a thought-provoking little video from Robbie Cooper that looks at the role digital media is playing in the lives of our kids. More specifically, the film (below), gives us a straight-on view of the faces of kids as they lock-in with full attention to the TV screen as they play violent video games. If youth culture is like a snowball tumbling on its own down the face of a steep mountain, rapidly picking up mass, volume, and speed, then our fast-evolving digital media culture makes up a good amount of the white stuff that the culture's picking up as it tumbles down the hill. In recent youth culture seminars I've found myself reminding people that seven years ago we wouldn't be talking about things like Facebook, social networking, Twitter, micro-blogging, etc. Indeed, the world is changing and changing fast. Now, all this stuff is pervasive. We have to figure out where it's come from, what needs it's feeding, and what it's doing to us and how we are choosing to live in the world. It's effect is not nuetral, and our faith must inform both our response to its existence and the manner in which we choose to employ it in our everyday lives. These are serious matters that are just starting to be discussed with any sort of seriousness.I don't know about you, but looking into the faces of these kids and hearing their comments. . . . well. . . . it's somewhat sobering. This isn't research. It's real life. Take a look and tell me what you see. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1348426473/bctid2604215001

A Prayer For Teens

A few months back I was looking through one of my youth ministry magazines that I read and inside it I found a prayer. When I first read it in my magazine I was like WOW!!! This is my prayer, this is exactly how I feel about them and still do now. I love this prayer! I wanted to share it with you. It go's like this.

Lord, You have given me the precious gift of my teens.

To be honest, I don't always understand them.

I don't always understand the slang they use.

I don't always understand how they make decisions.

I don't always understand their hurts and pains.

I guess there's a lot I don't understand.

But I do know that I love them.

What's more, I know You love them even more.

I know You have a purpose and a plan for their lives.

That's why I pray for them.

I pray that they would learn to do all things without grumbling or arguing

because all they do ultimately reflects on You.

I pray that they would be blameless and pure in the middle of a crooked

and perverse generation

because You have called them to be different than the world.

I pray that they would shine like a star in the universe

because darkness desperately needs to see the Light of the world.

I pray that they would hold firmly to the message of life

because no other anchor can hold them through storms.

Yes, Lord, these are the things I pray for my teenagers.

Make them a reality in their lives.

And while You're at it...

Make them a reality in mine as well.

It is my prayer that as the Youth Pastor who reads this or the Father and Mother of a teenager or teenager's, maybe a teacher, that this would be in your heart as your prayer for them. God Bless you and peace out!