Filling the Earth

We enjoyed number five so much...

Using screw driver for dinner utensils,

 Trying on shoes,

 Covered in peanut butter,

Using iPhone cords as repelling devices,

 Putting that green paper where it belongs,

 Fixing some plumbing,

Helping with laundry,

 Snack time,

 Oops. I think the wrong kid is crying,

 With UV rays these days, you can never be careful enough out in the sun,

 Sampling the best part of banana bars,

As I was saying, we're enjoying number five so much we thought we'd go for number six. '01-'03-'05-'07-'09...another Arant child coming in the Spring 2012.

The best part of expecting #6 so far have been the comments. People have gone from excitement back in 2001 to compassion and concern in 2012...

"Wow. How many do you think you'll have?"
"You know what causes that, right?"(I've lost count of how many times this has been said)
"At least I don't have to take care of it"
"Are you sure?"
"If you're happy, I'm happy"

Those are just a few of the responses. Most have been very encouraging, especially...

"Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrow are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep." - Psalm 127:3-5 (from the Message)

Adoleo Worship Night

Last Friday around 500 people packed into the Englert theater for a night of worship. 

The Anthem band kicked it off (their main event will be on November 11th at Cornerstone in Ames), then Adoleo played the rest of the night. 

Some highlights included Voices of Soul gospel choir that joined us for an epic set of worship and Ally leading "Savior", which included crowd participation in a video project. 

I was sitting around thinking about how to include the crowd in the song. So I pulled 15 volunteers from the crowd with iPhones, and asked them to film the experience. I let four of them up on stage to get closer shots. We'll see at the beginning of November (the video deadline) whether or not that was a good idea. Here's a shot at the end of "Savior"...

I'm so proud of the Adoleo team, who has spent countless hours writing, recording, producing, worshiping, and praying- this was one of those late Monday night rehearsals at an empty coffee shop...

It's easier to use someone else's music that's tried and true, and there are good reasons most churches do that. But there's also something about giving our people their own voice with original music written by people in the church. It ignites latent creative juices, and energizes the people of God when they see writers using their gifts to encourage the body of Christ.

At the end of the day, most of the songs will not get beyond our church walls (if we had them), but the offering is not for man, but God.

Thus the name, Adoleo. ("I offer a sacrifice of worship")

Immersed!

It was a privilege to baptize my two friends, Grant and Joe. They just started attending Salt Company last year (chasing some girls) and I asked them if they would be interested in studying the Bible over the summer. Within a few months, both made decisions to follow Jesus.

Here are their stories, along with a few others dunked in obedience to Christ...



Grant had never been to church, and Joe grew up in church. Both had different paths to understanding their need for Jesus, but ended up getting dunked in the same pool.

Mike! What a cool story! He's been working in the prison system for the last 25+ years. He took me on a tour of the women's prison in Mitchelville and Oakdale, a men's prison in Coralville. Both were eye opening. I thank God for a new ambassador in that arena...

Baptisms - Oct 16th 2011 from Veritas Church on Vimeo.

Again we say with boldness, "To God Alone Be Glory!"

It is happening.

The kingdom of God is coming on earth (Iowa City) as it is in heaven. The lost are found.

This is a video we showed Friday night at the Adoleo concert. More on that soon.

Raquel was baptized on Sunday with 4 others. This video is well worth 10 minutes of your life...


This is my God story - Raquel from Veritas Church on Vimeo.

SDG.

Fall Retreat 2011 Recap

As I've stepped out of the TSC realm, this was a different retreat for me- more observer than participant.  One of the highlights was the time spent with an old friend and spiritual mentor, Ed Noble.  

I was excited for our students to be led by a guy who has a deep connection with Jesus. So often our faith is something we do, not someone we love. Ed has a way of getting people from words on a page to the person Himself...

 Retreats provide not just a context for more sermons and worship, but relationships...

 The guy worshiping with his hands up in the back row is a new Chinese believer.

 Saturday ended with letting go of our idols. We wrote them on these mini hot air balloons and launched them off into the night sky. Saying "adios" to idols is freeing.

 Nathan Gartin is deep in prayer... Dude cracks me up.

It was a wild weekend. Ed's flight to Cedar Rapids got cancelled Friday, along with every other flights within a 6 hour radius of Iowa. Against all odds, he managed to get here in time to speak at 10:30pm on Friday night! After getting up early on Sunday, I drove back to lead worship, Ed spoke at the retreat then sped over to Veritas where he gave sermon #5. Thune closed out the retreat then got back in time for lunch in Iowa City. We were wasted but enjoyed a last meal together with our families...

This retreat was a huge win for our ministry. Our students connected with Jesus and each other. People got saved, everyone made some new friends. We got some group identity.

Once again, this church planting adventure is marked by the words, "Great is Thy faithfulness!"

SDG.

How I save 20 days of my life every year

Like a resourceful, diligent mom filing through her coupons and saving the family hundreds of dollars, every October I go to work, having saved some 20+ days of my life.

I'm a sports fan. And yet I realize how fleeting the whole enterprise is- that it will never be more than the candy section of life. However, as every kid knows, we all need candy.

And my theory with sports is the same as with music: given enough time listening to any genre, you can learn to not only appreciate it, but enjoy it. NASCAR is currently on the brink of ruining my theory, but my recent breakthroughs in enjoying golf have given me hope that in time, I will enter the appreciation stage of the left-turn only "sport." And my friend Jeff Thune's recent confession about his love for country music has also confirmed my theory.

Baseball is one of those sports I have come to enjoy. This is a real problem for anyone who's not retired. 

Each team plays 162 games, each lasting around three hours, spanning half the year. Assuming you don't follow any of spring training, watch any highlights or pre-game hype- that's 486 hours, or 20 days and 6 hours. Who has that kind of time on their hands? 

So here's where dad-couponing comes in.

It's simple but revolutionary (not to mention wise): I start watching baseball in October. 

I pick up my remote control in October, feeling great about the 20 days of my life that I just saved. That month saved because I didn't watch a single out of baseball easily justifies the hours of playoffs and World Series which I'm about to indulge in.

And this is where dad couponing can go to the whole next level...

DVR. 

You can consolidate 3 hours of baseball into about 15 minutes- or less. As I've said, if you're playing baseball it's 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror. (Especially in Right, where they put me.) But watching the sport is entirely different- it's 99% relaxation/therapy and 1% adrenaline rush.  

As every frugal mother who's trying to stretch her budget knows, the DVR time savings totally justifies the money her husband spends on satellite TV. 

So I'm just now getting caught up on some of the baseball story lines... pennant races, possible comebacks, epic meltdowns and one game playoffs.

October, here we come.