Author Brian Aaby

Sleep Anyone?

Brian Aaby 2 Comments

My parents have pictures of my childhood that can be used against me; therefore I try not to make them too mad.  The bathtub pics, the caught you doing something wrong pics and various other not so flattering shots. They, of course, haven’t used them too often.  Besides the above, they have numerous pictures of me sleeping anywhere, including on the stairs.

Well, apparently this is a character trait that can be passed on from generation to generation.  Audrey is our “sleep anywhere gal.” We’ve found her on the floor in about every room in our house, on a beach towel at the lake and even in our (empty) master bathroom tub.  Elisabeth recently snapped a shot of her sleeping–on a counter.  She was drawing away, content as can be and apparently thought this was the place to take a nap.  Classic.

Hmm, a nap sounds mighty nice right now, let me go get my crayons and pens to prepare!

Grace,
Brian

The Draft

Brian Aaby 2 Comments

The beach… a walk… the mall… the coffee shop… sleep.

Many of us have our own little “escapes” in life; perhaps one of the above is an escape you use to take a break from your daily grind.  Well, one of my reality escapes is fantasy basketball.  Last night launched my fifth season in the league and my third as co-commissioner.  12 guys gathered in cyberspace (connected via the web from four different states).  We drafted our teams and will begin play in a matter of a couple weeks.  For those not familiar with fantasy sports, the basic concept is this:  Your game play is based on the stats (from that week) of the players on your team.  So in basketball if I had Lebron James on my team and he scores 32 points and has 10 rebounds in a game then each point and rebound is given fantasy point values.  You add up each of my players scores and I have a total for that night.  Add up each night (for a week) and my hope is that my total is better than the total of the fantasy team I am playing.

So, for those who understand fantasy sports, you’re excited for me (I hope).  And for those who aren’t sports fans or aren’t fantasy sports followers, it doesn’t matter you stopped reading this at “last night launched my fifth season in the league and my third as co-commissioner.”

So, hoops fans unite, though you may not have the Sonics to cheer for, you can now cheer for “Jack Bauer Makes Chuck Norris Cry” (the name of my fantasy team… we have a theme of “Small Screen Characters” for our team names).  Let’s go Jack!  Thanks for the escape (I’m a big 24 fan as well, so there’s my other escape).

 

Grace,
Brian

Faith Foundations: The Big “But”

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

No worries, I didn’t misspell anything and I’m not trying to be crass… The big “but” shows up in the passage below.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ~Eph. 1:1-6

I can’t speak for you, but I see poor parenting all the time.  Go to the mall, observe at a park or (especially), turn on a sitcom.  Now, poor parenting in my eyes may not be poor parenting in the eyes of another… but I see intentional and consistent shaming as poor.  With that being said, I am sure there are times I am quite the hypocrite and blind to the fact that I have just done it. 

I love this passage in Ephesians 1:1-6, it is the opposite of shaming to me… Paul points out the transgressions of the past, he identifies the wretched path they used to walk, he names their former identity…

…wait for it…

… here it comes…

BUT!

But, he exclaims to the Ephesian believer and to us, you are different.  He says, “But you aren’t these things anymore.” “But you walk that path no longer.” “But you have been redeemed through grace.”

Do we live in light of the big but?  Do we realized we no longer need to follow our patterns of the past.  I for one need this reminder.  It is so easy to go back to bad choices, stay on the wide road because it is easier and ignore the grace in front of me.  The foundation of my faith must be grounded in grace.

Embrace grace today!

Grace,
Brian

First Deadline: November 1 (PRAY)

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

For those who are supporting Youthmark through Prayer, I have a 15 Day Prayer Request!
Literally, I’d love for you to pray specifically for each of the next 15 days as the first wave of Youth Leaders sign up for the missions. Pray that those whom are supposed to go this summer will get the registrations turned in!  Teams signing up by November 1 will take full advantage of the YMV strategy (they will get the Youth Pastor/Spouse Retreat for November 10-11).

Thanks for your prayers!  Can’t wait to see the teammates God brings to Youthmark!

Grace,

Brian

Family Fun

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Last weekend was beautiful in Seattle.  We took advantage of it by doing one of our fall traditions with the kids–The Pumpkin Patch!  We found a very cute farm near our house and took to the fields.  Each of the kids got their own pumpkin, Halle even carried hers off the field!

Grace,
Brian

Wow, How Cool!

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

So, WordPress just added a new feature that I will have WAY too much fun with!  It is a polling feature on the blog.  So, now I can get some responses from my readership (anonymous) and you don’t even need to comment, you simply need to “click.” 

So, to kick-off my first blog-poll let’s find out something about my audience:

Thanks for participating!

Grace,
Brian

Speaking Up North

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Very excited to be up in Snohomish right now.  Jess is one of the Youth Pastors doing a mission trip through Youthmark this summer.  In fact, Jess is one of my “Lead Team” members.  I’ll probably post about that in the next couple weeks.

Anyway, Jess is promoting the mission trip to Montana tonight and asked if I’d bring a student up to share a testimony.  This quickly changed to him inviting not only a student, but asking if I’d share the message… I’m quite excited to bring the Word and promote the mission!  So, Ricky and I are up in Snohomish now, sitting at the Sno-Bucks and will probably do a little discipleship (we’re studying Colossians together), do some final prep for sharing tonight and take in a little coffee and tea.  Pray for us if you are reading this sometime Wednesday afternoon/evening!

Grace,
Brian

Contract Fulfilled

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

Several years ago I made an agreement with one of my young sophomores in high school.  Kevin had walked into a party wearing an old yellow polo-type shirt.  It was one he had purchased at a consignment store to use on a summer mission as a scrubby shirt to paint or do work in.  Even as a sophomore in high 

A sample Goldenboy Shirt

A sample Goldenboy Shirt

school the shirt was already starting to show a little midriff (not a good look; especially for a guy).  Kevin, knowing he was dressed a little strange for this party said, “check out my shirt Brian!”  For some reason, my immediate response, “Kev, if you wear that shirt everyday to school this year, I’ll take you on an all-expense paid trip to Disneyland.”

Long story short… Goldenboy (aka Kevin) took the challenge and completed it.  I fulfilled my duty by taking him to Disneyland as well!  I’ll have to share the whole story later because it included a presidential campaign, huge youth group growth, a 3 minute piece on the Local news and a call from The Tonight Show with an invite to be on Jay’s show!

Fast forward several years, I’m the new guy at Boulevard Park and I meet one of my brand-new Freshmen guys, Frankie.  Frankie, as a frosh, looked a little like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite–complete with the puberty produced mustache!  So, first time I met Frankie I stated, “Frankie, if you don’t shave all the way through your graduation day, I’ll take you on an all expense paid trip to Ruth’s Chris Steak House (yes, I learned my lesson in terms of the expense of a prize).

Frankie on our Lifeboat trip to AZ

Frankie on our Lifeboat trip to AZ

Long story short, Frankie graduated in June, and last night we enjoyed Ruth’s Chris!  Frankie has since shaved and now looks younger than he did the day I met him.  Great time, great food and contract fulfilled!

By the way, these were never “bets,” they were all “Christian Agreements!”

 

Grace,

Brian