Category Random/Rant

A First

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

WARNING: For those with weak stomachs, read with caution.

Last night I was scheduled to speak at Tabernacle Baptist Church of Shoreline.  With my in-laws in town we met for an early dinner at Famous Dave’s down by Southcenter.  I knew something was up when I didn’t want to eat (I like the food there a lot).  I even mentioned to Elisabeth, “hope I’m not fighting something off.”

On my way driving north I began feeling worse.  When Hayden, the youth pastor, asked if I wanted to play the games (which I normally would) I declined saying, “nah, I’d rather observe” (knowing that I’d not make it through the games without making up a new game entitled “Toss Your Cookies”).

So, then we moved upstairs for some singing and the the message.  I informed Hayden that at any point I may need to step out and find a restroom.  Well, I made it all the way through worship and even made it through my message, though when I normally would close in prayer, I asked Hayden to do so instead.  

I even made the 45 minute drive home (only twice thinking that I would need to pull over to make a roadside deposit). 

Immediately upon my arrival at home and another several times during the night I relived myself of the food poisoning.

Throwing up stinks (literally), but I’m feeling better today.  

……

I obviously couldn’t come up with anything better to tell you than a throw-up story, sorry!  

Grace,

Brian

Either Or

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Are you a morning person or a night person?  I am both.

Are you a Coke person or Pepsi person?  I like both.

Are you a “share with words” or “share with my life” type of witness person?  I am both.

Are you an “I hate Monday” or “I like Monday” person?  I am both.

Most of the time I am an “I like Monday” guy.  Granted, there are weeks I don’t look forward to, but this is one of those weeks I am pretty excited about.  I have a few administrative things I need to get done this week, but nothing over the top.  The financial side of things is a little stressful (I’m still figuring out all this stuff), but learning is fun.

One of the highlights of the week is going to the Home Opener of the M’s.  I love Safeco Field and we have been so spoiled by Elisabeth’s folks, each year they get us seats to opening day.  It’s fun, this year they are joining us for the game (they do about 50% of the time).  We look forward to the extended time with them this week!

I am also looking forward to being back with the Burien network on Wednesday.  My spring has been so sporadic with Wednesdays, it is such a blessing to be with these men.  A few of them are going through some really tough things right now and being able to sit with them and pray with them is a boost to all of us!  

Also on Wednesday I am meeting with another Youth Pastor, and then speaking at a north Seattle youth group.  Fun times!

Oh, one other thing I am very excited about: THE GOSPEL!  How can you not be excited about the Greatest News Ever?  He is Risen Indeed.  I get the opportunity to once again share the great news tonight at Young Life through the relationships I am building with students and then follow up with three different FoF conversations I have going on my facebook (read the posts from last week if you don’t know about FoF).

So, whether or not you’re a Monday person, morning or night, coke or pepsi; I hope you’re a witness person!  We need to share with our life, but we also need to share with our words!  Praise be to the one who paid it all so we may live (and share)!

Grace,
Brian

Still Here

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I haven’t forgotten about my faithful blog.  I just have had a couple things going on here (quick update with the hope of posting more about missions and such later)…

Halle’s fever has broken, but stayed home from school one last day today (hope she can go tomorrow).

Working on the spring retreat (everything from talks, to cabin assignments to worship sets).

Following up with people from the NW Ministry Conference I spoke at last week.

Outlining the next Mission Prep Workbook (for 2010).

Researching for a different writing process (more on this later?).

Trying to sneak in a few alone and reflective times with the Lord and planning and scheming to try to get Elisabeth some of that alone time she needs too!  She is the best!

Hope all is well for you, appreciate your prayers.

Grace,

Brian

Christmas in March!

Brian Aaby 3 Comments

On Christmas eve at the Aaby house (as in, my house growing up, not my current adult life), one could always count on “the squeak.”  Approximately three to five minutes after lights out, as the anticipation for the next morning grew, my brother, David, would let out a rather girlish (keep in mind he was only 4 or 5 when this started) squeak.  His level of excitement had risen so much that there was nothing he could do but squeak.

I think for at least 5-6 years the squeaks were real, but then for the next several years he claims he was only doing it for my benefit (hmmm, I’ll have to call his wife to see if he still doing it)?

march_madness_2008Yesterday began my squeaking for the Christmas in March I am about to experience.  Selection Sunday!  Every year, in the middle of March, the NCAA tournament brackets are announced for March Madness, the 65 team tournament for college basketball.  The Thursday and Friday after the brackets are announced are the two best days in any given sport hands down!  People schedule days of vacation just to be a couch potato.  Doctors report they are booked with men making “the appointment” for the Wednesday before March Madness begins just because they want to be sitting around for the next couple days.

Last night, after the tourney was announced, we had two other couples over to our house for the first ever Aaby Tournament Draft.  Every other year I have had an office staff to do a tournament draft with, well, this year my wife wanted to get in on the action and so we invited the Rocks and the Robinsons to jump in.  

This challenge is different than the average “fill in your brackets” (guess the winners all the way through).  In this style you pick a number (in our case 1-6) out of a hat.  This establishes our draft order.  Then the person who had #1 picks a team he/she thinks will get the  most wins (in our case it was Heather, and she picked North Carolina).  Then #2 picks, all the way down to #6.  Here’s where the twist happens.  We then go back the other way, #6 picks again, then #5, all the way down to #1.  So it is constantly going up then down the order.  Each round of the tournament we will count the number of wins a given participant had. 

I’m looking forward to a great tourney.  If you’re interested in knowing my teams (again, not necessarily the teams I think will win, just the ones that were around when a given round came to me):

Pitt, Gonzaga, Utah, Kansas, Utah St., Butler, BYU, VCU, Stephen F. Austin, Portland State and Binghampton.

Sqeak!

Grace,
Brian

3 Words

Brian Aaby 3 Comments

I know I have done something like this in the past and it is time to do it again.  I’d love for you to participate if for no other reason for me to become more curious about you.

I’ll post three words that describe my current state of mind… they are just words, but perhaps others can relate, or you’ll find yourself curious enough to find out why I am feeling each of the following.  

After reading mine, go ahead and “comment” your own, perhaps I (or others who comment on this blog) will follow up with you?

My Three Words:

Jumbled

Sore

Hopeful

Now, what about you?

Grace,
Brian

The Week Behind

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

This was an incredibly busy, but productive week (mostly at home)… Because I need to get cleaned up for a wedding for our good friends Nathan and Megan, I thought I’d give a quick bulleted list of a few highlights:

  • Network meetings with West Seattle (Tuesday) and Burien (Wednesday).  Both discussions were fantastic; it is neat to see/hear some specific areas of youth ministry in the Puget Sound region.
  • Sent off my first “mailing” for Youthmark, sent to hundreds of churches in WA/OR as a last-minute pitch to participate in a YMV.
  • The Blogs at youthmark.com were set up and several have posted already (I encourage you to check them out here).
  • Took an all-day trip to Portland on Thursday with my friend Chris.  I was able to meet a bunch of Youth Pastors and see a bunch of friends down south. Portland Youth Foundation gathers 200+ YP’s each year for a lunch.  Nice to be able to represent Youthmark there.
  • Was able to take/pick-up Halle from school a few times this week, so fun to see her in her new element!
  • Able to spend time with just the three kids a couple times this week when Elisabeth had errands to run (or sanity to reacquire  after my recent travels).
  • Dinner with the Andersens, new friends, Alan is a YP in the greater Seattle area as well.  My parents watched all three kids, so this was a real grown-up date!
  • Coffee with John; one of my lifeboat guys
  • Time dreaming and praying for the Spring Retreats out at Lake Retreat Camp.
  • Diagnosing the problem and replacing my Starter in my 4Runner, thanks to my good friend, Walt.  We spend 5 hours+ on that baby!  If you have a 99 4Runner that has had a starter go out, you’d understand.

Quite certain I missed a couple things, but overall, it was a fantastic week.

Grace,
Brian

But first…

Brian Aaby 4 Comments

I will get back to my Gulf Coast report later in the weekend.  But first…

This actually took place at a Walmart in Louisiana, very close to where we will be serving this summer.  

I imagine it went a little like this:

Walmart Employee:  Bakery, how may I help you?

Caller: We’re having a party, we’d like a personalized chocolate cake for a coworker who is leaving.

Walmart: Okay, what do you want it to say?

Caller: “Best wishes Suzanne”  underneath that “We will miss you”

Walmart: It’ll be ready in 20 minutes.

So, here is what the caller received when he picked it up:

n1140186896_30004702_5825

Can’t wait to get to Louisiana!

Grace,

Brian

Parents of Teens: What Not To Do, Lesson #1 (and #2)

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

I was talking to a friend this morning when he says, “Oh, I had a funny ‘parent’ moment last night.”  I moved to the edge of my seat, because I could tell it was going to be  a good one.  Here’s his story:

“I’m in the middle of wrapping up youth group, when I had a parent come in just before I’m going to close in prayer.  She  walks in and totally interrupts by saying to her son,  “Scott, did you tell everyone what the words dude and dork really mean?”

So at this point, I start laughing as he tells me the story.  Then, he calms me down and says,

“It didn’t end there, we did a thing where we wrote prayer requests on big paper and stuck them on the wall.  I encouraged people to take them home to spend time with God and pray.  So, this same mother says, “No Scott can’t take it home, it takes up too much space”

Parent Lesson #1:  Do your best to not shame your kid in front of the Jr. High Youth Group.                                     -AND- Keep the original meanings of Dork and Dude to yourself.

Grace,
Brian

Hot Tub Club, Reunion

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

If you haven’t read the NTOY Surprise post, start there (last one)…

The previous night (Tuesday) the Heils and Aabys had gone to the Spaghetti Factory together.  During the meal Jeff and I decided that on Wednesday night we’d go to my parents and sit in the hot tub.  

So, on Wednesday morning when Mike and I had our Tully’s run-in we decided it would be classic to surprise Jeff that night at the hot tub!  For those not in the know, my entire  Junior and Senior Year I was part of a Friday Morning “Hot Tub Club.”  The original members were Mike and me.  Several weeks into our “Club” we invited the third (and only other) member, Jeff.  

More on the Tub Club: Each Friday we would dine together (though the first year it was just donuts) then our Senior year we would rotate making a large “grub” breakfast.  The festivities began at 6:00 AM and lasted until 7:20ish (though by the end of our senior year we were pushing it later and later, arriving a little late to school even).  It is quite the memory, I loved these guys!

Back to last week.  Mike arrived a few minutes before Jeff, he changed and quickly got in the tub.  When Jeff arrived we both got ready, had a few words with my parents and then proceeded down the dark steps to the tub.  I got in first (Mike was laying low in the dark shadow, even though I knew he was in there I had a hard time seeing him).  Then Jeff got in… with a simple “hey Jay” (we often call Jeff, “Jay”) Mike revealed himself.  Great reaction from Jeff and then some giddy laughter from three grown men.

The next two and half hours was pure fun.  Memories.  Story-telling, catching up and more laughter. It had been years since we had all three sat together in the tub.  It had been years since we had related in this way, the three of us.  The years have ebbed and flowed.  Our friendships have done the same.  I have remained close to Jeff, but for some reason Mike and I have faded a bit through the years.  I miss what was, but understand that things sometimes change.  For this one night it all felt the same.  I still love these guys!

 

Tub Club 2009

Tub Club 2009

I look forward to the next chapter, the next Tub Club and am proud of my two best buds from high school!

 

Grace,
Brian

NTOY Surprise

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Each week I am a part of a local Youth Pastor network.  The guys I have been teaming with for the last five years reside (or at least serve) in the greater Burien area.  This last week ( a week ago tomorrow), I had two minor “brushes with fame.”  Both of these guys would be upset for saying they were famous, but I will, because they sort of are.

images2The second came as I was about to leave.  I walked over to the corner booth of the coffee shop and introduced myself to Mark Driscoll (“One of the Pastors at Mars Hill Church of Ballard”).  Nice guy.  We joked about a few things and he came over and introduced himself to  the rest of the network.

The first “brush” came about an hour earlier when all the network was teasing Schlaud about his wedding and all the details. I received a call from an out of state area code.  The man on the other end of the call said something to the effect of, “tell them such-n-such story!”  I was obviouslyimages-12confused.  First, how did this guy know I was talking about weddings?  I thought maybe my pocket had accidentally sent a call and now my “friend” was calling back and letting me know he could hear everything.  After a few more awkward exchanges (with me racking my brain trying to figure out who I was speaking to) he said, “look around the cafe!”  

Mike Geisen, one of my two best friends growing up was across the room.  Mike is the National Teacher of the Year (he was up in Seattle for a speaking engagement).  This year has been crazy for him, you can read about his endeavors here.  

We chatted for about 15 minutes and then I made my way back to the other guys.  But before we were done speaking we set up a late night appointment.  A surprise for our other best bud, Jeff.  More tomorrow…

Grace,
Brian