The Kids Christmas Bonus

This year we decided to try something new. Maybe not a new idea, but its new for our family. As part of a pre-Christmas gift we decided to reward our kids for accomplishments in the past year. Not things like good grades, or doing chores, these are just expected.

Here is what we did.

Each of the kids got $100 dollars. We let them know that this was our way of saying thank you for things like: Their willingness to help out around the house. Taking a stand at school for the kids who are deemed outcast. For deciding to do what right versus what easy or popular even when they thought nobody was looking...you get the idea.

We even threw in a twist, the money was in $1 bills. The idea behind this is, as they spend some of the money they can physically see how much things cost. Much better than gift cards.

It will be interesting to see how this experiment unfolds.

Update

Been awhile since I have written anything on here. Not sure if anyone still reads this or not. A lot of things have changed in the past couple months with a move, and a new job.

I have really been feeling out of the youth ministry loop...not really a great feeling. I do miss youth ministry, but really feel like my time is through. I know that God did some incredible things during my time as a youth leader. I know that he will continue to do things in the next plan that he has for me. I am not sure of what that is, but I am confident that He does!

With that being said, I am not sure the direction of this blog, or if I will even continue to write.

To all the youth leaders still in the trenches...you are making a difference in the lives that have been entrusted to you. Even if at times it doesnt feel like it. May God bless you, your family and your ministry.

Chris out.

Dont Be a Hood Ornament Evangelist

LOVE this guys heart, make sure to visit Dare2Share website. So many great tools and things going on! Love this video.

Are your eyes OPEN?

This morning I was thinking about the messages that we are being bombarded with through media, and culture. Has the constant barrage diminished, or nullified our discernment for the messages that we see? Are there things that would have shocked us 10 years ago, but don't really bother us anymore. Do we compare bad with worse, and suddenly it becomes not so offensive?

I found this video on Doug Fields blog. I think that it shows it better than I can write it.

Discover, Discern, Decide

• Discover the message and world view.
• Discern by comparing the message and world view to scripture
• Decide if its something that you wish to be apart of.

Romans 12:2 NIV

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Youth Leaders here is a great resource to go through with your students on How to USE Your Head to Guard Your Heart

In the Year 2010

Sci-fi OH MY!

Thought I would pass this along to all my fellow Sci-fi and gamer geeks! Comic Con is coming to the Anaheim Convention Center April 29th, 30th and May 1st! Great deal on Yelp but only for the next 24 hours!!! Take Me To The Deal

I have never gone before, but I will have to take my son the next go around!!

Anyone going this year with an extra ticket??

'School Shooter' Video Game to Reenact Columbine, Virginia Tech Killings - Yahoo! News

Who exactly thought this was a good idea?

In the yet-to-be-released School Shooter: North American Tour 2012, players can reenact school shooting tragedies at Columbine, Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, among other locations. The goal? "Become the best school shooter, ever," according to the developer's website. (See a brief history of video-game violence.)

To make the game even more realistic, players can choose to arm themselves with the same weapons used by real-life killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in 1999, or Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech in 2007. At the end of each level, the player has the option to commit suicide before being captured by law enforcement officials. The developers promise, "[It will be] the most realistic student slaughtering modification (game) ever made."

The game, developed by Checkerboarded Studios, is a modification to an already popular first-person shooter game called Half-Life 2. While many first-person shooter games, including Half-Life 2, have come under fire for being too violent, a noticeable difference is that in those games players shoot (often armed) "bad guys" and not defenseless students and teachers. (See "Explaining Columbine: 10 Years Later.")

The game has unsurprisingly garnered public outrage, including a bill in the works in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives that aims to prevent its release. But if previous encounters with overly violent video games have been any measure of what will happen in this case, it's likely little will be done to stop this atrociously realistic and violent game from being released.

'School Shooter' Video Game to Reenact Columbine, Virginia Tech Killings - Yahoo! News

Just more proof we live in a broken world where people will try to make money off of others loss. Wondering who would buy this?!

Excited For and Not so Much

Things I am excited for:

Easter, its what my life is all about!
Family coming out next month, cant wait to hug them all!
Starting with my junior guys next week, scary and exciting all at the same time!
Being back in youth ministry(did I ever really leave?).
Worshiping again at Saddleback.
Being able to spend time with my parents and sisters.
Eating my wifes cooking.
Moving; well not the packing, driving and unpacking.

Things not so much:

Not being home for Easter.
Missing my wife and sons birthdays.
Missing Mother's Day with my wife.
Turning 40 next month, really? Already?!
Missing some of the graduations of some incredible students.
Moving; the packing, driving and unpacking thing again.

HSM Summer Camp- Dont Miss It!

Cant wait for camp!!! Here is a teaser video put together by some of the HSM team

Props to Propaganda

I first saw Propaganda at Dare2Share, and was captivated by his poetic portrayal of the Gospel. Check out how he shares the gospel. This is truly a man who is using his God given talents to point to the redeemer. Share this video on your Facebook, you never know who it will touch!