Cookin' Out Loud!

Okay...in case you haven't heard.....we're gonna’ cookout.  (Ssshhh, dont tell anyone...I dont want to cause a riot.  I mean, can you image what would happen if I EVERONE knew we were grillin' burgers and 'dogs and ribs and steak (those last two are a lie) and all they had to do was show up!  They ain't gotta bring nothin'?!  It could get out of hand real fast.)

 

Lucky for us it isn't for everyone. It’s just for those brave and courageous souls who have had some kind of involvement in getting UpStreet off the ground and running.  Oh, and the families of said individuals.  Or couples.  Whatever.

 

Anyway, June 7th, (yes that is Thunder Sunday) we are inviting everyone who has ever helped with UpStreet to a cookout at Baton Walking park.  Despite the name walking will not be required; except what is necessary to get you from your car, or bicycle or scooter or llama, to the food.  (Due to unfortunate events of the past, please tie llamas in designated llama areas)  The park is about 4/10ths of a mile below the church, just across from Ingles.  I say below because the road is downhill going from the church to the park, so “below” sounds right.  Right?

 

There is no specific time set for eating, just mosey on down after church and we’ll already be cooking.  In fact, I may have already eaten.  I promise I would have blessed the food if I have. I'll happily re-bless it once everyone arrives, just to be safe.

 

There’s a lot for kids to do and I am bringing Lawn Darts to play as a group.  So come hungry, bring a chair to chill in and relax.  If anybody has any requests for food, please email me or just put it in the comments below.  It should be a fun afternoon! Unless it rains….then it will just be horrible and a totally wasted day.  Just kidding.

Love ya'll.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day. As nice as vacation days are, I hope we all stop for a minute and think about what we are honoring on this lazy, cookout filled day. While we shop, eat, sleep, or whatever, lets not forget why?

Today we take time to remember those who gave their life to defend and protect our country. To think about those who never came home from a beach with no name, or a forest somewhere in a country that doesn't even exist today, or a jungle in a country noone could find on a map. Maybe a village in a desert that won't appreciate our efforts for a generation to come. Wherever, and whenever, they died is irrelevant. What matters is why they died; freedom. Yours and mine.

So heres my public "Thank You" to all of you who gave your life for me and my family.

Despite being from a family filled with veterans from most every war this century, and having many, many friends in uniform, I have never personally known anyone who died while in combat. Everyone came home, including my dad. I consider that a blessing. But you guys might know someone who didn't make it, so I would love to hear from anyone with a story or comment about what Memorial Day means to you.

Love God/Love Others,

Josh

Lets Go To The MOVIES!

(click image to enlarge)

Super Bowl Sundays

"It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game."  

These words are infinitley famous, to anyone whose ever played sports, yet the origin is completely unknown.   Some say it came from a poem, some say it was Yogi Berra (not likely),  and some say it was Vince Lombardi (again, sorry, but I doubt he EVER said that).   Personally, I think it was started by a dad whose son just gave up a game-winning homerun....and he was looking for something, anything, to say to cheer him up.  Or maybe it was his daughter.  Or mom to son, or.... nevermind...the point is that it sounds like something made up to justify, or lessen the impact of, failure.  I mean,  I find it unlikely that it was ever said after someone won a game.  

"Great job guys, way to play hard and stay focused, and overcome the odds to face the Giants and win!!  But really, what matters most is the way you played.  Now everyone join hands and lets sing Kum Ba Yah!"  Uuuuhhh no.  

We keep score for a reason.  We practice for a reason.  We sweat for a reason.  To win.  (And trust me, as a very competitive person, I found no consolation in being told I lost with grace.) Losing hurts, and I learned to despise losing; at anything.  

Sunday mornings are now the SuperBowl.  They are the World Series, Final Four, Tour de France; whatever comparison you want to make.  We have to win.  Its too important to justify failure or mediocrity with ANY other option.  (I mean, I know were just talking about kids lives, their salvation, heaven, hell, eternal damnation and all that, nothing major like money or rings or trophys, etc. but bear with me.)  I am scared to think of ever hearing a voice in my head say, 

"Look, I know nobody's getting saved, no kids are getting Baptized, moral is down, and you have't added a new kid in 6 months, BUT.....you're really playing by the rules, you never showed any emotions, and any Baptist church would be proud to call you a member!" 

Shoot me now.

Here's my point.  Lets pull out all the stops.  Rethink everything.  

Lets do what we have to do to win.

Who we are when noone is looking.

This week has been a very busy couple of days...VERY busy.  I have spent the majority of my time working on the production room; I really want to get that thing finished.  If we can imagine it, I think we have the talent to pull it off, so please throw out any and all suggestions or ideas you may have about the UpStreet environment.  We will pay top dollar for a good idea and give you an award if we use it.  Thats Baptist for "We'll give you a coupon for Chubby's and thank you as you walk by in the crowd". 

 Anyway...

While I worked, I really began to think about how important it was to be 100% committed to our task, 100% of the time. If not, we could easily miss an opportunity to impact someones life, or worse, ruin how others view us because of bad decision or action we should not have taken.  

For example; what would happen if one Sunday morning while I'm working in the UpStreet theater, thinking I am all alone, I chose to play music that was full of bad language and violence, (much like the content that unfortunately fills so much of our music today) and a new visitor walked in to check out Upstreet?  The result would probably be that nothing I said or did after that would make them feel like they should trust their kids to me.  Or.....what if a small group leader was out by themselves at, lets say, Wal-Mart? Not realizing that a kid was watching them, they chose to take something and put it in their pocket, cause they think no one will see them.  Whoever saw him do it now knows that that small group leader doesn't really believe our bottom line that "I should choose to make the wise choice".  So that kids never gonna believe it themselves.  

There was a book written once called Who You Are When No One's Looking.  That's an awesome thought to remember for all of us.  The person who is all alone, with nobody around to impress, or behave for, or act like or whatever.  When there is nobody around to praise you, correct you, or punish you for your actions, that's the real you.  

And guess what...that is the you that Jesus knows.  

That's the me that Jesus knows. 

I hope you and Jesus see the same person.

Rain

I love rain.  Really.  I love the sound it makes on the windows and on the roof, and even running down the gutters when its really coming down.  So this morning is pretty cool.  Its quiet, except for the rain, and I love it.  

But...

Have you ever stood at the window watching the rain come down, harder and harder, almost to the point where it looks like a solid wall of water, and thought about what Noah was looking at through the windows of the Ark?  (okay, it probably didn't have windows, but I bet he could hear.)   I mean, at some point, I bet Noah looked at his wife and said, "You know honey, this just might get nasty".  To which Misses Noah said  "Really?  You think so?"  (And for the record, I don't believe anyone in the Bible ever said "thou", "where art", or "thee".  You may disagree, its your right.)  

For forty days and nights it rained hard enough to cover the entire earth with water. The whole planet became one big lake, and everything was destroyed.  Everything except Noah, his family, that big boat, and the animals they took with them. (Oh, and when I meet Noah I plan to ask him why he wasn't more selective with those animals.  I mean rats???  Why'd you save rats? And scorpions?) 

 

Anyway, here's my point.  

What if God one day looked down and saw a world in need of another flood?  What if God decided that this world had become so wicked that he wiped it all away and started from scratch.  Would I be worthy of getting on the boat or would I be another person who failed to serve our Lord faithfully enough to get a ticket?  Unfortunately, I think I'd be swimming.  

That could get depressing, and slightly scary, if not for one very important fact.......Jesus. 

His sacrifice on the cross paid for our sins, (every man, woman and child on earth) so no flood would ever be necessary again.  Thats awesome, cause I love the rain to much to worry about floods when its coming down.    And thats just one more reason I think Jesus is Superman.

Launch time!!!!

Welcome everyone to the brand new UpStreet Underground blog!!!  This will be my attempt at joining the technology age in communicating with the workers, families and kids that make this incredible ministry possible!

First things first.....I.T. guru, I ain't. I'm gonna need help turning this site into a cool site, so any and all suggestions are welcome.  Also, the layout is subject to change without warning as I search for bigger and better stuff.  (Please refrain from insulting the site for at least 30 days, my fragile ego may not be able to take it.  After that, its fair game;  I figure that's enough time to get my act together.)   Hopefully I'll figure out how to add logos, videos, pictures etc.  You know...the stuff that makes people want to visit a website.  In the meantime you'll just have to read. Sorry, check back often for updates.

Now, for the reason we all gathered here today!  I know you've been sitting there so far saying to yourself ,  "so...uuumm...yeah, why are we here anyway?"  

Well I am glad you asked!  

Communication is a necessary part of keeping any organization operating at its peak.  It will either be the best way to nurture growth, or the fastest way to kill it....and for the record I am onboard with the growth side.  It's also usually what fails first in an organization...long before production or productivity begins to decline.  

I would like to avoid that scenario if at all possible.

Additionally, and you can blame this on the father-of-four side of my brain , I thought it would be great if parents had a way to communicate and keep up with the program, and people, in whom they are trusting their kids Sunday morning livelihood.  So parents, you will be able to hear, read and comment on the goings on in UpStreet as if you were one of the staff.  I promise the posts will be shorter than this ('cause honestly I dont like typing and because I'm pretty sure I have ADHD and my thoughts dont stay together very long)>  But thats for another time.

So this will be where all things UpStreet are discussed.  Upcoming events, announcements, notifications, schedules, etc will all flow through this site.  Whats better, you will be able to comment, chime in, praise (or not praise) or just share whats on your mind!  My hope is this brings us all closer and bridges the gaps in communications so we can focus on the task at hand;  introducing our kids to the love of Jesus.  

-JC