Just so you know… I’m an MVP!
Alaska Airlines told me so!
If I am now the Most Valuable, why is it that they are encouraging me to get MVP “Gold” status? Is there more valuable than “Most?”
Grace,
Brian
Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
Always Choose Option #2
November 6, 2009Years and years ago, when Elisabeth and I were dating, she and I were joking about some small choice I had to make. She had given me a couple different choices in restaurants or something small like that. Well, I chose the first option she gave me, where she had really hoped I would have chosen #2. The joke then became, “always choose option two.”
Yesterday, I was driving to DFW Airport about three hours before my flight. I was on the phone with Elisabeth and I said, “I’m about 5 miles from the airport, should I stop off here where I see a Starbucks and work for an hour, or go straight to the airport and just chill there?” She quickly looked up on Google and saw that the airport charges for Wi-fi and said, “well, you won’t have to pay for Wi-fi at Starbucks, so go there.”
Long-story short. I did Starbucks, left two hours before my flight to get to the airport, the five miles took me an hour. The shuttle bus driver from the Rental Car place decided to wait for the bus to be full and I arrived at the airport 39 minutes before my flight. They cut off check-in 40 minutes before flights.
So, here I sit at DFW, ready to take off for Seattle.
Bummer.
Here’s to seeing my family today instead of yesterday.
Always choose option two!
Grace,
Brian
Not All Is Bigger In Texas
November 5, 2009Coming home from a quick three day trip to TX. This was a fantastic trip, and what they say about everything being bigger in Texas is not true. Case in point, look at this picture:
My Venti Iced Coffee is the exact same size as my Venti in Seattle. Another example; the number of people in Houston who came to my preview meal was 8 (for a city with about 6 million people), whereas in Glenwood Springs, CO, a town of 10,000, we had 9 people! So, not all is bigger.
However, I will tell you that the ministry was AWESOME in TX. I really enjoyed our preview meals (18 today in Dallas). I felt like the sharing times were very rich and that all of the participants came away encouraged in their own ministry to each of our “Jerusalems.”
One story specifically I’ll tell you about is in Dallas today with Michelle, our server at Buca Di Beppo. She overheard much of the presentation (as she faithfully took care of drink refills and plate clearing). Afterwards, one of the YP’s and I were talking and she interrupted to compliment us on the day and something she overheard. Long-story-short, we were able to really engage her, pray for her and hear her struggles (very tough family stuff). It was such a blessing to tag-team with a brother I didn’t know two hours before and witness to/pray with Michelle! Please pray for her and her family.
Great times, but so thankful to be home with the family and praying that the connections made in TX will be BIGGER than we ever could expect!
Grace,
Brian
SoCal SoGood!
October 31, 2009I was down in Southern California Tuesday morning thru Thursday evening doing two preview meals for Youthmark Mission Ventures. As the title states, SoCal was really great! I was pleased to have 30ish at the San Marcos Old Spaghetti Factory on Wednesday for lunch. These Youth Leaders came to hear about YMV’s. On Thursday I welcomed 10 folk to the table at Marie Calendars in Valencia (North LA, near Magic Mountain).
Both meals were interactive and encouraging. It’s fun to see Youth Leaders interact and glean from one another!
I’m sure I’ll post more about the meals, but please do pray that connections were made in such a way that these Youth Leaders will be serious in praying about the opportunity we set before them! Praying for the right connections for the 2010 YMV’s and beyond!
Grace,
Brian
Be Hot Or Cold!
October 21, 2009For those of you stopping by for something deep and spiritual, I am sorry, the title may be deceiving.
Just a picture today.
Last week I got to experience my first snow of the fall/winter. I went from the picture below (29 and snowing) to sunny and 70 within about 90 minutes. Gotta love Colorado.
Near Vail, CO
Grace,
Brian
One Is Silver & The Other Gold
September 23, 2009Do you remember the old song? ”Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold” The question, which one is which?
The last two weeks have been “silver and gold” weeks for me. One in which I was able to hang with some great friends from my past while at the same time I have been able to meet some great folk who will most likely play a role in my future (as friends and ministry partners).
A few of the relational highlights:
Some of my new & old "national" Youth Ministry friends
Reunions: Over the last couple weeks I have been able to get back together with many friends in the northwest, many of whom are in networks of youth pastors I meet with. Like today, I was able to grab lunch with Nathan and Eric (guys who both served with me as an Apprentice, when I was youth pastoring); or yesterday, having coffee with Aaron, after two different network meetings with people like Jeremy, Serena, Nick and Brian. And just two days ago, I had lunch with Wescott.
Mike, speaking at Lake Retreat
In addition to the networking reunions, over the last couple weeks I have been blessed by reunions with friends from outside of the immediate area. Two weeks ago I got to spend the greater part of two days with Jeramy outside of San Diego. Any opportunity to spend time with a best friend is awesome. Then last week in Georgia I was able to grab time with friends like Bo Boshers and my mentor Barry St. Clair (and then later Roger Palmer, who is a friend who works with Barry). And then this last weekend I spoke for friend Nate Lindseth while also enjoying time with friend (and former Laker I might add), Mike Penberthy at Lake Retreat with another friend who works at the camp, Eric Sivertson.
New: As I said, one is silver and the other’s gold, but which is which? I think the Lord has brought me into contact with some new “gold” (or at minimum, silver) over these last few weeks as well. How God will use these people to shape me as man of God and our ministry, is yet to be seen, but I get excited about new friendships with the likes of T. Ray, Brian, Bubba, Mike, Alon and a few more! Whew, good stuff.
surrounded by Gold
Now it’s nice to be home with my biggest gems, my family, and worship together our most treasured friend, Jesus.
I count it a privilege to lift up my friends (and family) in prayer. It is nice to know we are supported by many friends lifting us up in prayer as well. I look forward to reunions with you who are my friends and I look forward to the many new friends God will provide in the future!
Grace,
Brian
Where Have You Been?
September 17, 2009I have not had the opportunity to post the last couple days, but for good reason. A couple months ago I was honored to be invited to a mini-conference in Rome, Georgia. It would probably be better to say that I was invited to a conversation.
About 30 years ago a group of Youth Ministry leaders (a relatively new field of ministry at the time) gathered in Colorado Springs to discuss how Youth Ministry organizations could partner together to reach all students with the Gospel. Ministries such as Young Life, Youth For Christ and other Church/Parachurch organizations were represented. Out of this meeting an umbrella movement and later an organization was formed. The National Network of Youth Ministries.
Fast forward 28 years after the official beginning of the NNYM and many of these same original leaders are still apart of the conversation. Only their conversation lately has been asking the question, “what does the future of the NNYM look like and who will carry the torch?”
As I mentioned, I was honored to have been about one of 15 Youth Ministry leaders under the age of 40 invited to a roundtable discussion with the older leaders. All told, about eight or nine of the younger guys made it and another eight or nine currently on staff with NNYM made it with a third grouping of about six to eight who are associated with NNYM and currently leading major ministries.
The conversations were rich. I believe the current leadership is doing the right thing in asking the younger generation the important questions about their role as they look for the person who will eventually take the lead (founding President, Paul Fleischman is stepping down in the near future).
I’ll post more about this in the next day or two because I came back from this meeting so enthused about some of my conversations (at the table and away). I’ll also post about the retreat facility as well and about the blessing of being with the man I asked to mentor me through this process of moving from Youth Pastor to Youthmark.
Good stuff, now it is good to be home!
Grace,
Brian
The Latest Trip
September 11, 2009I was down in Southern California for the last couple of days.
Quick catch up:
Flew in on Tuesday night headed straight up to my in-laws and was able to catch the last few innings of the Mariners game (loss) in Anaheim. A great steak salad (thanks Karen).
Wednesday met with a CPA (something about having a company and needing to pay taxes on stuff, wasn’t really paying attention?… I kid of course). Worked on the prospectus for Youthmark Mission Ventures (coming along nicely) and had dinner with even more in-laws (a fantastic dinner, great laughter with the nephew and nieces).
Thursday drove south to the greater San Diego area, had a morning coffee with the Youth Pastor from Pine Valley (looks like they’re doing a YMV next summer), lunch with best-bud Jeramy at the Spaghetti Factory, coffee with Josh from Emmanuel Faith (Youth Pastor who did a Gulf Coast mission this last year) then dinner with Jeramy and Jerusha and family. Jeramy and I caught a late-night movie then too (I honestly can’t remember the last time I went to a movie).
Brian and Jeramy, 9.11.09
Friday I had a very relaxing time with Jeramy, lots of catching up and spurring each other on. We went out to a local coffee place, Escondido Joe’s, for long coffee (sat outside) then lunch at Chili’s (gotta love the bottomless chili and salad). I am thankful that God allowed this time for us to catch up. Was truly a rich time.
I was planning on seeing Paco (aka Daniel) up at Biola, but he’s not feeling well (I didn’t want to bring sickness home to the kids) and I seized the opportunity to fly home early (flight scheduled for 8:45 PM, home at 11:30, instead got on a flight at 3:30 and was home by 6:00). I made it to the airport with maybe 15 seconds to spare (no kidding). Was able to share Jesus on the flight with my seat neighbor.
Landed at 6:00, which was perfect timing–some friends of ours from Phoenix are in town and had called when I was deciding on if I should come home early, they asked if we could have dinner tonight. So, JP and Andrea picked me up, we picked up Qdoba and we got home just as Elisabeth and the kids were coming home from soccer practice (Halle).
So stoked to be home early!
Great week. I have a lot to get done as a result, but we blessed by time with extended family, work relationships, friends and now being home with my family!
Grace,
Brian
Me: Today
August 26, 2009Amtrak, Spaghetti Factory, Starbucks, good times with Kirk, Amtrak and home in time for the kids.
I love Youthmark.
Youthmark Executive Team
Grace,
Brian
Fun Vacation Shots
August 21, 2009Our family got to go to Sunriver, Oregon a week ago for a week, great time with the entire Aaby-clan. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the week.
Hope you were able to get away on a vacation this summer!
Grace,
Brian
