Hey Friends!
As some of you know, last year Youthmark was a sponsor of and tried to get the word out for Charity:Water. Well, we are once again (the Aabys and Youthmark) trying to spread the word.
Please go to Elisabeth’s blog, RIGHT NOW, seriously, RIGHT NOW… Click HERE if you don’t know how to get there. She has something way more important to say than anything you can read here right now!
Grace,
Brian
Got a very nice Facebook message yesterday…
It was in an instant message:
“Thank you very much…”
to which I replied… “thank you very much?”
“ya ever since i did the youthmark books i learned more about God and Jesus and now instead of almost falling asleep in church i stay awake and im closer than ever to God” He went on, “and just reading the Merge and reading the bible it has helped a lot”
You’re welcome Sam!
Praise God for Sam and his encouragement, may many others be found faithful to reading and responding to His word.
Grace,
Brian
As I continue the series of Top Five on Tuesday I thought I’d invite you to our current hopes, dreams, wants & needs (okay, not really needs, but it rhymed well). Today’s subject, the top 5 things we would do in our family if money were not an issue!
The criteria: the top 5 are less “dreams” and more reality of what we really would want to do if money were not much of an issue (or if it were there, here’s how we would responsibly handle the funds to meet the desires in the Aaby household.
Without further ado, this list.
Missing 3 Aabys!
Honorable Mention: A FANTASTIC and warm family vacation. Okay, this is probably the one indulgence that will show up on the list, but we’d love to get away for a great family vacation (someplace warm sounds good right about now).
Backyard bliss!
Five: A new deck! We love entertaining in the back yard. The summer BBQ, time in the kiddie pool and easy access to the play area in the backyard would all be enhanced by a newly designed, fully functional deck!
countertops in kitchen and bathrooms are on the wish list...
Four: Several updates to the interior (kitchen, bathrooms, etc.). We love our house, but it certainly could use a few “new” touches if we ever wanted to sell it. I always find it interesting that many people spend big time bucks to update their house in order to sell it (just so the flyer can say “updated”). Well, my belief, update and enjoy for some time, then you can still put the all-important “updated” on the flyer, but the double bonus, you actually enjoyed the updates!
Oh, how I wish...
Three: New Fence/Landscaping. Our house has three different fence lines, one on the west side of the house (still in decent shape), the south side (falling over) and the west side (several boards falling out/out already). On top of the fence-line there are several little landscaping improvements we need to make in order to keep the yard in okay shape. The fence is the most immediate need, but how to approach our neighbors with the suggestion and then figuring out who is really responsible seems to prevent us from moving forward to quickly… that and the cost!
Santa needs a new landing surface at our place!
Two: New Roof. It’s funny to think back to 2004, when we moved back to WA (from AZ). When we made an offer on our house we asked the current owners to consider replacing the roof… well, they didn’t do that and the house was too good to pass up, so we went forward. Well, five years later and the roof is still the original 1989 Cedar shingled surface. We’re praying it makes it through (at least) one more winter!
I'd take one of these!
One: Replacement Vehicle(s). I am very thankful for our two wonderful Toyota vehicles. The Avalon is now 11 years old, whereas her baby brother (the 4Runner) is 10 now. I still suspect that they can go a good number of years, however, three growing kids and two aging (and higher mileage) cars does not make for a great equation. So, if the money were there, I’d say we would first get Elisabeth into something larger (Sequoia, Highlander or dare-I-say, a Sienna… we’re not minivan fans, but might go to the dark-side if we have to).
Okay, which one did you want to pay for? We’re taking sign-ups right now, hurry, only five options remain!
Grace,
Brian
This morning I was able to go on a Daddy/Daughter date with Audrey! It was absolutely delightful! She has a couple days off of school for parent/teacher conferences, so we took advantage by catching up on some much-needed time together!
We dropped off Halle at school, then took Mommy and Will to MOPS before heading to Huckleberry Square for a breakfast together. We attempted a park (it was raining) and quickly headed to Starbucks for some Hot Chocolate and Coffee.
I love time with my kids, and one-on-one time is quite special!
Grace,
Brian
I love ’em, because I was one.
Here is a pretty funny Youth Minister Song/Video (it’s got some pretty funny one-liners and certainly a few inside-jokes that all youth leaders and those who have worked with youth will get)…
Grace,
Brian
Years 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
Coming 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
Much has changed in the last few days.
As I stare out our back window at the now-barren trees and ponder the task of raking the leaves that blanket the grass that just a few short months ago was consistently getting pounded with the feet of my wee-little ones playing barefoot as they hopped in and out of their play-pool.
As I think about the bike-ride I’d like to take after work, I now must think about the hour at which my day begins in order for it to end with a ride that doesn’t include darkness.
The weather has changed. The hours of lightness have changed. However, as I pitch YMV’s for 2010 I am consistently reminded of the mental images that made 2009.
Today, my top five will invite us back to the Youthmark Mission Venture images that stood out to me from the summer of 2009. The stipulations for this top five: these images must be from the actual YMV’s (in other words they don’t include spring retreat, scout trips, training, etc.). These pics may not even be the most artistic or brilliant, but for whatever reason, they invite me to reminisce, dream and pray.
Without further ado, the list.
Honorable Mention: NorCal Launch; Kirk, Brian and Aaron. In many ways I see this as the core-team of Youthmark right now. This picture came shortly after the decision was made to bring Kirk on as part of Youthmark. Aaron was a “Lead” for us last year and is probably the most avid Youth Pastor-supporter of Youthmark! These guys bring me great joy and though we all look like we’re trying to be silly, I believe the picture depicts pure-joy. This is what I felt at that moment.
Five: Hanalei, Hawaii. Here is the one “scenic” picture of the bunch. If we would have had a second team in Hawaii there is no doubt I would have sent a team to Hanalei. This little hippie-town made its mark on me during my January scout trip. On the north-end of Kauai, this tourist trap of a town houses locals who talk openly about anything and everything. This picture will always remind me of the work I believe God is doing to spiritually remove the clouds of doubt and clear the skies for the Gospel to be proclaimed!
Four: The Welcome Gauntlet. This picture is from the MT/ID launch in late June. The team from Lake Sawyer Christian created an impromptu welcome tunnel for the other five churches arriving. It was quite the scene as teen-age strangers greeted each other in the name of Jesus!
Three: Surf’s Up! This image represents the 20+ other pictures I could present to depict the blessings we received the from the communities we served. Here the team from Living Hope Christian Fellowship of Bothell was given the opportunity to learn how to surf on their last full-day in Kauai. It seems about every team came back with a story of an exciting adventure they received from the host community during the last days of their YMV!
Two: RoadGrip day one! This was one of my favorite moments at each of the launches. On Saturday morning we would release the students and staff to begin a journey through God’s Word for the week. This picture is of Lindsay Knight (married to Youth Pastor Mark Knight of Burien Free Methodist). Lindsay found a great spot out in the grass in Dallas, TX to spend time alone with God. In the distance you can see several others doing the same.
One: “The Picture of the Summer.” When this picture came to my inbox at the end of the summer I immediately turned to Elisabeth and said, “there’s the picture of the summer.” I now know the story behind this picture and can tell you it truly represents what I think was the story of the summer. God’s unending grace through the unexpected twists and turns we are presented. Almost every team, and individual for that matter, came into the summer with the way we expected God to work. Almost every team encountered something dramatic take place back home with family members (car accidents, sickness, hospitalizations and in this case, a death of a loved one). These earthquakes of emotions presented opportunities to examine our foundation of faith.
I love the contemplation, reliance and worship this picture depicts. May we all be found faithful to turn to the One who is our peace.
Which one do you like best? Which one tells the best story?
Grace,
Brian
Mental breakdown… No.
Spiritual breakdown… No. Well, yes, already broken and made new in Christ (praise God!).
Emotional breakdown… Nope, doing okay there too.
Physical breakdown… Nah, feeling good, 205 and holding.
So, what sort of breakdown am I talking about?
Transportation breakdown… YES!
Our 4Runner has been running a little louder than normal lately. Not in the engine, just when driving, it almost sounded as if the tires were really big (just loud road noise). We had it in the shop last week and the tech actually called me down, after I approved some work on it, to show me why he didn’t think we should do the work. Long story short, it needs about $X,XXX amount of work done to it. As a 1999 4Runner the good Bluebook value on it isn’t even double that amount. Ahh, what to do?
Our 1998 Avalon needs some minor work done to it as well. It screams at us about every time we turn the engine on (some sort of belt issue). Elisabeth was literally inside my parents house, on the backside of the house, when I started it up last night. She could here it out on the street. A bit embarrassing.
Then to top it all off… I took my bike out on a ride Saturday, I knew I was risking it a bit, but it had been a full week since I had last ridden. My back tire has 6 places that the tube of the tire was beginning to peak through outer edge of the tire. A flat was on the way. Well, because I hadn’t ridden in quite some time, I wanted to make it through the weekend and take it in on Monday for a tune-up and new tire. I was on the last 2-3 miles of my 11.5 mile ride when it felt like the gears were not staying engaged… a couple cranks later and BAM, the chain broke. Fun walk home.
Bike is officially in the shop (but I don’t get it back until next Friday!).
So, transportation breakdown has hit.
Appreciate your prayers for wisdom in how we handle all the decisions that need to be made. If you have a couple spare brand-new cars you want to throw our way, we’d have a hard time saying no.
In all seriousness, we’re not stressed, just trusting the Lord for what’s next. In the meantime, I’m back to some walking to stay in shape (and to get to work).
Grace,
Brian
I 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
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