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This week we kick off a new series - STRESS RELIEF. This Sunday is focused on finding stress relief from our worries. In light of this, I will make some personal confessions about worry in my life…

• I worry about my personal finances all the time. Am I prepared for the future? Will I ever pay off my mortgage? What about my kids college?
• I worry about my kids. Will they continue on the current path that is pleasing to God or will they stray? Am I being a good parent? Am I balanced in my dealings with them?
• I worry about relationships. Am I treating my wife as a Christian husband should? Am I meeting her needs? Am I a good friend to those close to me?
• I worry about our health. Are my wife’s back and neck issues going to get worse? Am I doing enough to take care of my body?
• I worry about taking care of my parents. As they get older, how will I be able to do this in a way that honors them? How will this work with my ministry?
• I worry about being a good pastor. Am I caring enough? Do people think I am sincere? Is my speaking good? Is it helping people to grow in their faith? Am I doing the right things so that our church can grow and be healthy? Am I balanced in my approach to ministry? If people leave the church, is it my fault?
• I worry about church finances. Am I being a good steward? Am I making wise decisions? Can I raise the funds we need for the next step in our journey?

These are just a few of the worries I have in my life. Worry is not healthy, but it’s something we all deal with. So Sunday, I will be sharing what God has to say to us about this topic…I’m coming at you as a fellow worrier.

This should be a required skill for all church planters and pastors.  Being able to juggle a bunch of dangerous hammers while hitting the nail on the head at the same time…pretty amazing!

Odd question of my week…

My wife and I went out for a quick dessert date last Friday night around 8pm.  We both ordered dessert and extra spoons to share them with each other.  The waitress was very good…friendly, experienced, competent, attentive…then at the end of our time, she asks us if we want separate checks?  In all seriousness, she meant it.  We were sharing dessert/spoon slobber…but Sherri is paying for her own cake!   I tried to make a little joke but it fell flat.  The waitress was totally serious.  I paid the entire 12 bucks.

• Check out Jamie’s blog for the Youth Chipotle Life Group event for this Wednesday. You got to see the video announcement!
• Check out Josh’s blog for past worship sets and to find out about his banjo.
• Check out Kristie’s blog for the Children’s Bible Quest of the week.
• Check out the upcoming series about STRESS RELIEF starting this Sunday.
• Be a part of Operation Christmas Child…click here for details.

A nice cool October morning…gotta love it!

• Great day yesterday at LCC.  Great music, love talking about our purposes and vision, great to have new people sign the membership covenant…and to top it off with a baptism makes it an awesome day!
• My day was quite long…left from church with a friend to go to Delaware to help drive my grandparents moving truck to my parents house in Pennsylania and then unload it around 9 pm last night.  My mom’s parents are moving in an apartment in my parents house.  A real long…but productive day.
• The best part about the drive was NOT being able to watch the Redskins get demolished by the Perfect Patriots.
• And then the Red Sox win the World Series…must be nice to live in Boston!
• I’m looking forward to this upcoming series on STRESS. 
• We kicked off our Operation Christmas Child campaign yesterday with the hopes of doubling last’s year number of boxes.  1 family is doing 25 all by themselves…amazing!

Stress Relief…it’s our new series at LCC beginning next Sunday, Nov 4th. I am going to be looking at how to find stress relief for: anxiety, busyness, indecision, hurt, dark valleys, uncertainty. I’m anxious to get into this series, but I’m also nervously praying that God will hold back on giving me too many fresh, personal, real life illustrations!

Seriously…we all have varying levels of stress that we carry…we just have to learn to deal with it. God wants to help us. Tune in on November 4th.

Some days my thoughts are all over the place…

• My grandfather is having surgery today. They are replacing his defibulator and pace maker at the same time. He’s been through this before, but he’s weaker…so he’s in my prayers.
• We have several families in our church with relatives in the San Diego area…so we got to keep them in our prayers today.
• I assisted in interviewing 2 church planters today for the SBCV. It’s exciting to see more churches getting started in our state.
• I think the Redskins have a great chance on Sunday against the Patriots…that is a great chance to lose by less the Cowboys did to them.
• I’m looking forward to Sunday and our Basics of Life Sunday. I love talking about the vision and future of our church.
• I’m still in shock from our game last night…My son’s team I manage - the Tigers…we were down 7-3 going into the bottom of the last inning. We scored 5 runs…a walk-off win (8-7) to put us in the Championship Game next Tuesday. The team we beat was previously unbeaten. It was one of those “I can’t believe the just happened moments.” A lot of fun to be a coach and a dad on a winning team in that situation.
• Rockies vs. Red Sox…I don’t really care much, but I’m routing for the Rockies.
• Good news - I did just read that Brittney Spears is starting parenting classes.
• Loving the rain and cooler weather…
• Just started reading Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath…so far so good…

Just released today…just downloaded the new SCC Album on iTunes.

My first reaction…awesome, great, fresh new stuff from one of the greatest songwriters and musicians in the music world.

I heard this story on Fox 5 News last night. Philadelphia is rated as the ugliest city in America…this is based on the attractiveness of the people. Guess who is 2nd ugliest? Yes…DC wins this honor. The most attractive??? Miami and San Diego.

So, how do they determine this exactly? Here’s the article.

How does this apply to my life and church planting? I guess we just need to reach more ugly people for Jesus…