top google searches

Statcounter is pretty cool. It give me all kinds of juicy information about my blog including where readers are from, how long they stay, how often the come back, just to name a few. I can also tell what kind of Google searches have led people to my blog.

So I was curious to know, What are the top Google searches that have caused folks to hit my blog. Here are the top four (these top four get hit almost every day):

5. dealing with negative people in your life

4. how to live a life of quiet desperation

3. can't shut my brain off when i go to bed (apparently I'm not the only one)

2. if i had a million dollars (why is this one so popular? I don't know!)

1. the tithe...net or gross? (this one is BY FAR the number one post on my blog. Interesting, huh?)

sunday's scuds (may 18, 2008)

It's week two of the WHAT LIES BENEATH series. Last week we learned that you can't be spiritually mature unless you're spiritually healthy. We also learned that "Christians," in many cases, don't live lives that are much different from those who do not claim to be Christians. We learned that we have to deal with things "below the surface" if we want real, lasting change that leads to emotional health and spiritual maturity. Here are this week's scuds:

• We like to see other people mess up. And since we don't "have all our stuff together," we like to point out what's wrong with other people's live, exposing the fact that they don't have all their stuff together either.

Three falsehoods we tend to believe:

1. I am what I do. Who I am is attached to what I do. (Performance)
2. I am what I have. Who I am is attached to what I own. (Possessions)
3. I am what other people think. (Popularity)

• Some of us in this room are addicted to what other people think about us. When this happens you end up developing a false self. You live an inauthentic life.
• True freedom comes when we no longer need to be special in somebody else's eyes...we just know that we're loved and valued by God.
• When Satan tempted Jesus, everything that he offered Jesus was offered in the form of a short-cut. Everything Satan offered Jesus, God ultimately gave to Jesus...in his time and in his way, with way better results, and lasting impact.
• God wants you to grow up and in order for you to grow up, you need to know yourself.
• Authentic people can withstand pressure.
• If you are true to who God created you to be, you will be misunderstood. because your ultimate allegiance is to Christ.
• When you become the real you, you'll make a lot of people uncomfortable...because there aren't a lot of "real" people out there.
• If you're willing to go beneath the surface of your life, you're going to encounter some ugly stuff.
• But God offers you a safety net: it's called his unconditional love.
• Because of Christ's death and resurrection, I can be free to become ME!
• Most of us in this room are not as free as Jesus died for us to be. God wants you to be free.

weekend miscellany

1. Took the fam to see Prince Caspian last night. The whole Bunn family agrees...five thumbs way up! The movie seemed to get better and better as it progressed. The battle sequences were ridiculously amazing. The special effects...some of the best I've ever seen in any movie. Bottom line: we highly recommend it. There are some "scary" moments in the film (we were wondering about how Andrew might handle them). No problems. Everyone slept well last night (no bad dreams). The theater was packed. We got there early so we could get decent seats (there's nothing worse than having to sit in the front and look straight up to see the movie). It's fun to watch movies when the theater is full. More energy. More excitement. Kinda like going to church at NewPointe.
2. Looks like the weather has walloped the Faster Pastor race again this weekend. I showed up at the speedway yesterday for some practice laps and was informed that the races has been rescheduled for August 9. Oh well...plenty of time to get ready for that one now.
3. Naomi's softball games were supposed to start this week. We had games scheduled for Monday and Friday. Both games were rained out (which is why we were able to go see Narnia last night). I'm coaching Naomi's team. We should be tough. We've got a team full of hitters. If our pitchers can throw strikes (big question mark--it's most of these kids' first year of kid-pitch), we should be okay.
4. We're heading to Buffalo, NY next weekend for my cousin's wedding. We're trying to do it "on the cheap." With gas prices as ridiculous as they are right now, we're re-thinking everything. We've saved some restaurant gift cards for the trip (we even cashed in our Speedy Rewards points for a $50 Applebee's card). So we'll be eating at Applebee's (probably twice). We also cut our nights at the hotel from four to three (another big savings). And really, it's all about the gas prices. It's probably going to cost about $250 just for the gas next weekend.

josh wilson at newpointe!

Danny was the first to let the cat out of the bag. I figure I might as well follow suit (now that it's totally official).

We just nailed down the details of an agreement with Josh Wilson's booking agent that will bring Josh to NewPointe for the worship services and an evening concert on Sunday, July 20.

Never heard of Josh Wilson? You will. He's a terrific new artist (just released a sweet new CD). You can find his music on i-Tunes.

Josh will also be playing at the Alive! festival in Canal Fulton next month. Here's a YouTube video of Josh to whet your appetite...

faster pastor (the sequel)

Yes, I'm racing in the Faster Pastor race at Midvale again this year. Last year I finished third (out of ten). This year...I'M IN IT TO WIN IT! Of course, because we start single-file, where you place has more to do with the luck of the draw for starting positions than it does with how you drive. But it's still a lot of fun.

The race is THIS SATURDAY (May 17). The action starts at 6:30 p.m. The pastors will race sometime around 8 p.m. And you're all invited! They tell me that if you bring your NewPointe weekly (bulletin), you'll receive $2 off admission.

Stay tuned for race results. And oh, by the way, if you've got any great racing tips, please feel free to pass them this way.

Here's a link to the Midvale Speedway webpage. http://www.midvalespeedway.com/

i love stuff like this...

check it out:

sunday's scuds (may 11, 2008)

Yesterday we kicked of a brand new series at NewPointe. It's called What Lies Beneath. It's based on the book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. Dwight read this book last year and it rocked him.

We've been planning this series for several months. And I feel we got off to a tremendous start to the series yesterday. If you missed it, you missed it! Anyway, here are the scuds from Dwight's message:

• We've bought into the lie that it's safer to pretend than to be open and vulnerable.
• We use the "I'm not perfect, I'm just forgiven" slogan as an excuse for our lack of spiritual transformation.
• When it's all said and done, there's not much difference, morally speaking, between those who call themselves Christians and those who don't.
• Our solution is to look for "Christian stain removers."
• You can "do" all the right things a "good Christian" should do and you can still be missing something in life.
• We can only stay in pretend-mode for so long before we finally give up and throw in the towel.
• My main responsibility as your pastor is for me to grow up in Christ.
• The number one responsibility of any pastor is to lead his family well.
• You cannot be spiritually mature unless you're emotionally healthy.
• You can't know God without knowing yourself.
• When we're emotionally undeveloped we end up hurting the people we say we love.
• There's a theological word for growing up emotionally: sanctification.
• Just because you're a Christ follower does mean that you're untouchable.

...put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24