Just wanted to jot down a few things while they're still rattling around
- Largest crowd of the summer this weekend at NPC, kids must be going back to school. Great weekend for it.
- I had the privilege of being on lights for all 5 services this weekend. Long day today, but it wasn't nearly as long as when I'm playing for all 5 services in the band.
- It's amazing to see the kind of dedication/commitment/sacrifice to providing such a great atmosphere for every single service time at NPC over the weekend. If anything the 1pm service had MORE energy than some of the earlier ones, even though I know everyone in the band is really feeling it by then.
- The special "Taking Over Me" by Evanescence was excellent. I heard LOTS of people talking about it after services. The band really slammed that one.
- Joe did a fantastic job leading worship this weekend in Jeff's absence. He really took control of some small situations and stopped them from becoming larger problems. Very cool headed and intelligent leadership displayed today, it was very inspirational.
- Speaking of inspirational, Tommy freaking nailed the message this weekend, "Why we do what we do." At least that seemed to be the title, meh, haha. You could just feel the passion in his voice and hear him holding back tears of both painful frustration and hopeful joy at different parts. Very moving, very important. The podcast and video should be up on NPC's website in a few days (or maybe tomorrow) in the media section.
- It's gratifying to be a part of a church with this mission. And it's gratifying to see so many people from NPC putting up messages on their FB & twitters today (and last night) after going to service about how charged up they were. About how much the message spoke to and challenged them. About how much THEY love the mission of the church and how blessed they feel to be a part of it. The community at NPC is quite amazing.
- Kyle and Lynn are taking a hiatus from our connect group to go on a business venture to Norway for a few months. I hope things work out for them. I feel selfish thinking about this, because next week is their last week with the group and then Jenny and I kinda "lead" in their absence. So once that happens, i'll actually be leading two connect groups as I'm starting up a men's group at the next connect.me event on Aug 28. Anyway, I feel selfish because I'm focusing on this as opposed to being there for Kyle/Lynn in this complicated time as much as I think I should be. Or maybe i'm just ragging on myself.
- Made overstuffed twice baked potatoes tonight. Too much garlic. Noted. Otherwise delicious.
- Summer is hard for a small group. Especially one that just started in the late spring. I like our group, I think everyone else in it does too. We need to make some adjustments to be able to get everyone to come consistently and be able to participate. It's too ad hoc atm and it's getting close to dysfunction. BUT we have great conversations with the people who are there at the time. I just don't want people to miss out.
- I've become a 50 year old woman. I got a newspaper today specifically for coupons. I don't read the paper, I doubt i'll even read an article, so I guess in that way I am NOT like a 50 year old woman. Also, the comics in the paper are horrible compared to internet comics. Sigh.
- I often feel that I have nothing to bring to a conversation. That I have no unique perspective, information or opinions to offer. But I find that I am constantly wrong. Not everyone thinks the way I do, despite my opinion of this being so. I don't know why, but consistently being confronted with this has not changed my mind. I still don't think that I have anything to say that everyone else isn't already thinking and nothing to offer that everyone doesn't already know anyway.
- I know i'm not the only one who thinks that. Everyone seems to devalue their own opinion and experiences because they see someone who they feel has more information/experience/faith/blech. I don't want to encourage this.
- God always seems to use people who you feel you are "ministering to" or "evangelizing" (in our horrible misunderstanding of the word) to really minister to or evangelize you in return. In group tonight, people told stories of this happening to them in the recent past. And then had it happen to me in a small conversation between a few of us once it was over and people had scattered.
That's more than enough, I could probably keep going, but Jenny came to bed about 5 minutes ago which means she's been unconscious for a full 4 minutes now. Good night.
