Perception or Reality...weighing my habits

DISCLAIMER: This post is written with NO ONE in mind. It is a generalization of conversations that I have heard and been a part of ever since I was 10 years old. It has nothing specifically to do with any specific High School or College/University.

I've spent a good amount of time the past couple weeks looking at myself from the vantage point of others. This is an activity I encourage each of you to do as well. Now, before you get me wrong, I'm not saying you need to place your value in the eyes of others, because that's just silly, but I am asking you to consider how even the smallest thing you do can have an impact on someone else.

I've been around athletes my whole life. The odor-filled locker room has become a place of community for me as well as a place of refuge. Once that stench hits the nostrils, the rules, norms, and regulations of the outside world no longer applied. I find myself immersed in conversation also known as "locker room talk." Now, for those of you who don't know, locker room talk is basically 100% lies. Nothing's ever happened the way it's explained before practice, and nothing ever happens the way someone says it will after practice. It's all hype, but it makes for great stories.

On top of that hype, however, there are quite a few words that are commonly used that I do not feel comfortable sharing. Let's just sum up by saying they're "not good." Most every story is laced with this language and when the stories end, the words do not. And this much exposure to this language can have and has had an affect on everyone there.

You see, often I found myself caught off guard by language used by guys around me one minute...then caught off guard by my own personal language the next. I had been in that environment for so long that it had begun to change who I was...at least in the eyes of others. But I claim there isn't necessarily a difference in this case.

As Christians, we are the Salt of the Earth, used as a preservative by God in society. Every time we let the world, or the language of the world infiltrate our appearance to others, we let go of our ability to be that preservative. We become less and less Salty.

Well, as I said I've been looking at my appearance more and more recently, and I've decided that the locker room talk left in me needed to get out. I used 13 "not good" words last week, and I plan on getting better as time goes on. I don't say that in boast, I'm just trying to keep my flavor.

Stay Salty,

Bobby

Showing up every day

Other than the Van Buren, there have been many areas in my life in which I've felt challenges to go greatly against the grain. One such area is the one involving my career, where my option to continue playing football into the NFL has turned into a nonoption in my heart and mind.

Throughout all the years of my growing up, I saw my dad work several jobs for several companies. 90% of them were somehow related to semiconductor hardware sales, but I'd like to focus on the 10% of his jobs that didn't fall into that category. Actually, I'd like to focus on an even smaller percentage of that 10%, where my dad worked as a substitute teacher.

My dad had been out of work for a few years and we needed at least some financial help, and he needed to get up in the morning. So he did, and he began to really enjoy it. In fact, I started to see my dad in a way that I'd never really seen him before. I saw him as a man with a purpose, and a desire to fulfill it. He woke up every day with the intent of changing the lives of each student he came across, and it was such a powerful thing to witness.

Well, it's not for me to witness anymore. It's now time for me to experience it. You see, for so long I've pointed myself in the direction of the NFL. But outside of locker room community, the football fellowship, and the example I try to set on Saturdays, I've struggled with the feeling that a career in football would not be fulfilling my purpose. Don't get me wrong, Notre Dame football is where God wants me as of today, October 25, 2006. But on January 9, 2007, I feel He has other plans.

These plans involve following Him into a role of Youth Ministry at Grace Church of Granger. I'm currently working in this role during the few hours I'm out of football each week, but once football is no longer as big a time consumer as it is now, I will be working here close to every day in my week. And honestly, I've never felt more driven in my life. Just like my dad, I wake up every day knowing that I can change the world of people with what I'm doing. It is such an amazing feeling that I struggle to explain it.

I know that this isn't as inspiring a message as it could be, but I hope the story of what God is doing in my life may inspire others.

Blessings,

Bobby

Van Buren!!!

Well, I guess most of you know that I've changed my facial hair...yet again. It's not a goatee, it's not a full beard, but rather it is a full out Van Buren. Here's what a Van Buren is...

This is one of the many changes that are continuously going on in my life. God has done some amazing things in challenging my view on career, habits, downtime activities, love, and life. I figure these will be the subjects of my next few posts. I leave you all with a German accent as I yell...

Van Buren!!!!

Bobby

Proposition 148 - Through Life and Death

I've seen a good share of campaign posters and commercials in my time, and with that time of year approaching again, where character bashing and moral slandering is an everyday occurrence, and where more ideas are made by punching a scorecard than by sitting down in conversation, I present a proposition never put forth on any voting ballot.

Proposition 148 comes from Paul's epistle to the Romans. In chapter 14, verse 8, he writes:
"If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we are the Lord's."

This proposition is nothing extravagant or fancy. It is simply this:
1) Tto truly live, we must belong to God. We must be His. If we do not belong to Him, than we know nothing of what it is to live and we will indeed suffer the penalty of our sin, which is death.
2)To belong to the Lord, we must be willing to turn our life over to Him and for His purpose.
3)In doing so, we must acknowledge that turning our life over may in fact require the ultimate sacrifice. And it is in such acknowledgement I reflect to #1 and ask:

Which is it...Life or Death?

More perky posts to come...

Listen to the trees...

I was walking around Bethel College's campus late Wednesday night. As I walked down the west side of campus, alongside Logan Drive, I found my attention stolen by something very ordinary on a night such as it was. Through all of the traffic on the road that night, the roaring engines, the screeching tires, and the sirens, my attention followed a mere whisper...

As I stood there dumbfounded on the sidewalk on Logan, I looked deep into the campus I'd walked plenty of times before. I veered off the sidewalk; walked past the helm; walked past the AC; and I found a seat on a bench as close to the center of campus as I could figure. As I sat there in the brisk wind, my attention was drawn upwards, following the whisper that had grown to a low rumble...

The whisper, the rumble...it came from the trees. The trees whipping in the wind that night brought the reality of my world to the center of my attention.

Have you ever realized that when a person needs to concentrate, he quiets down his surroundings? When a driver is looking for an exit on the highway, or a specific house, he turns the music off. When a student is studying for a midterm, she finds a quiet spot in the library or lounge, away from her friends. This quiet arena gives way to a focus that cannot be achieved every moment of every day.

Have you ever had to quiet down your surroundings while outside? What did you notice? I've noticed that despite how quiet things may get, the trees never stop their bustling. The leaves never stop their whispering. I noticed further on Wednesday night that no matter how hard the wind blows, the leaves never yell or scream. They can get no louder than a whisper. They are awful polite, those leaves...but they never stop talking.

This thought confronted my life because I feel that God is always whispering to me, and I seldom get away from the highway to give him a listen. You see, the trees in the center of campus bustled no louder than those at Logan Drive, but I was tuned in to them. And though God will raise his voice to get my attention, He's also very polite, and He'll wait for me to "tune in."

So what am I saying? I don't know. For me, I just need to make my quiet time exactly that, quiet. Away from friends...away from distraction...away from the highway. And my advice to you?
Listen to the trees...

His,

Bobby

Mountain Climbing

Week 2 is off and running...or off and climbing, shall I say. Kyle and I have been spending a lot of time looking over the Sermon on the Mount, and it's been a new adventure every day. It's amazing, but I think I could read those same words every day and learn something new every time for the rest of my life. I haven't done my quiet time yet today, which I desperately need to do, but I'm going to spend time tonight starting with Matthew 6:25...the subheading reads, "Do Not Be Anxious."

I need that about right now in my life. As surefooted I am in living today with Christ, I still struggle with looking forward to tomorrow so quickly. And just like Peter on the water, every time I take my eyes off Christ, I feel my feet begin to slip...or sink rather. But as for today, I am excited with what God has done and is doing here in this office. The fellowship between Kyle, Allen, and me has been one of a kind, and every word is a challenge for growth. I look forward to Wednesday, the next time we will be together.

That is all I have for now. Now that we have a Student directory, we need to get our information on the Serve-a-thon out to teens and parents. It is until next time that I leave you with this:

Matthew 6:34 - "...do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

I can't wait to spend time with God tonight.

Pressing onward toward the goal,

Bobby

2T22

2 Timothy 2:2 - "...and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who be able to teach others also."

When I think about this verse in relation to my life, I like to put it in even simpler terms. Basically this verse is telling me to snap the ball in my life. No matter what I may think I can accomplish on my own, or how wonderful my life with Christ will be separate from others, I am called to trust others to carry out the spreading of the gospel as well. I bring this matter up at this time because I just began a new leg of my life, and it's one where I am indeed trusting another faithful man to teach others.

Today Kyle Pierpont moved into my office. Well, no longer is it my office, but it is sort of the new youth hub of Grace Church of Granger. Kyle and I are serving a dual internship working with our youth group for the upcoming months. This transition into a co-pastorlike role has made me think an awful lot about myself, in terms of both strengths and weaknesses.

You see, I'm a very competitive dude. I like to win at whatever I do. But as Kyle became more and more a part of our ministry, I found that I have the power, the authority, and the ability to put aside my competitive tendencies for the greater calling of my Father in Heaven.

In one day's time, Kyle and I have been thinking, talking, and praying about where we feel God wants to lead this youth ministry and how we can best be a catalyst for that to happen. We meet with Pastor Rick and Alan on Wednesday to talk details, but we are so pumped to get this thing rolling. Granted, we know that there will be times we might collide and bump heads a bit, but as long as we keep our priorities in line, we will always do one thing...

...2T22..."entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

His, now and forever,

Bobby