A recent survey compiled the worries of working Americans.

They are as follows:

34% Being able to retire comfortably

30% Rising cost of health care

11% Stagnant paycheck

10% Losing job

10% Job being outsourced

Now,  even though America sees itself as a Christian nation, we’re really a Secular Consumeristic one. But I know that in this survey it’s laced with a fair amount of church goers. I’m going to run with a tangent on this one, so bear with me.

We worry about comfort and stability. We work hard to make sure things are easy and smooth sailing. But if we call ourselves Christians, we can have none of the above. I believe that the Gospels are here to completely mess up or lives. If we are truly changed by the redeeming power of Christ, our life can’t remain the same. Our desires can’t remain the same. Our worries can’t remain the same (or even remain at all).

So who’s willing to buck the system in the name of our Lord? Who’s willing to put a nail in the coffin of the American dream? Because if you truly see yourself as a follow of Him, you should.

And I’m not alone. Craig Gross notes:

“Christians must take risks and get out of their comfortable pews and classrooms and do something for God. If we don’t, who will?… God did not create you to be a scared, irrelevant Christian!”

Scared. Irrelevant. You could also add worrying or busy. We are busy because we’re worried that if any of the plates we’re spinning drop… we’re toast. I’ll let you in on a little secret. God wants the plates to drop - if they’re more important to you than He is. You say no? How much time do you spend, worrying or being busy on things that don’t matter? I mean things with no eternal value? And then look at how much time you spend with the Lord.

You see that’s our problem. Focus. The things that don’t matter, eat up our time and our lives. The things that do matter, get brushed aside.

So ask yourself this when you’re caught up in the business of life. One hundred years from now… what will it matter? We forget to look at things through an eternal perspective. And when we forget to do that, we miss the entire point.

Why worry? I don’t know. There’s too much time serving the Kingdom to bother with it.

For the love of coffee what are they doing!?!

Starbucks announced a company wide price increase of 5 cents per drink nationwide. Now, I’m a coffe drinker, not a Starbucks drinker (like daddy Warbucks Bussey). I love coffee and am addicted to it’s sweet robust aroma. And in our little town of Arlington, WA there is no Starbucks. What? No, Starbucks? Yes, I imagine we’re the only city within the state of Washington that doesn’t have one.

Either way I can still engage in this conversation. So with gas prices falling (momentarily) and coffee on the rise…which is a better deal?

Well, let’s break them down…

Gas (national average) $2.42 a gallon

Milk                                 $3.49 a gallon

Bottled Water                $7.32 a gallon

Starbucks Latte             $33.53 a gallon!

Hopefully my regular unleaded has caffeine in it - cuz I’m switchin!

Multiple Choice Question:

How are you handling the new pinch to your pocketbook?

A) I owe my soul to Starbucks, it is my master (or I’ll pay whatever- just give me the coffee!)

B) I’ll conserve and cut back to 4 Venti Mocha-chinos a day!

C) Down with the establishment. I hate Starbucks! They are the Wal-Mart of coffee chains (except the whole “always low prices” thing)

D) Coffee? It is the black devil! I abhor caffeine (and hate Stuart because of his love of it)!

E) To heck with Starbucks I’m going to put my money towards supporting a missionary like Stuart Delony because I love Jesus!

You must choose…

It’s been brought to my attention that we all have missed interNational Talk like a Pirate Day which was June 6th. So since there’s always a reason to talk like a pirate, I’m declaring today as the Tri-Annual Talk like a Pirate Day!

So go talk like a pirate at work, school, home, church and in the bathroom. If you need some help watch this.

or go here.

There are many pitfalls of ministry. One of the greatest involves public laughter, glory, camaraderie, humility and shame. Yes, I’m talking about the art of youth ministry nicknames.

Some are given willingly and others are staple-gunned on like a scarlet letter. They are easily given, but not easily shaken. I work for a guy named Bronco. I know another named Spam. Nicknames are a part of youth ministry. Mine has always been a pretty easy one, bumming off my first name Stuart. So I’ve gotten “Stu Dog”, “Stewy” or things of that nature. So for every youth worker there lurks the glory and shame of the nickname.

Let me tell you the story of Man Candy. It’s one of adventure, tears, shame and rappelling. One of our students was asked how her day rock climbing went. She remarked that for a while she was terrified and didn’t want to move. She was paralyzed with fear. “Then,” as she said excitedly, “this piece of Man Candy came rappelling down besides me and the rest of the day was great!”

That piece of Man Candy was my friend (well maybe not after I publish this story) Rick. After hearing this story the name sort of stuck unwillingly. Rick is a hard working devoted missionary that works for YD Adventures Washington and really doesn’t deserve any of this mockery. But that is my point exactly. Nicknames come to all of us, but usually not the way we’d want them to. If Rick knew I was publishing this story he would be angry. He would probably kill or neuter me. So let me state this if it isn’t clear. Rick D’Atre is one hunk of Man Candy.

I just like saying it. Man Candy. Man Candy. Man Candy.

Ahhh, now I feel better.

Untill he finds out I wrote this and kills me.

I read in the Atlanta paper yesterday that ESPN ran a story about Adam LaRoche the Braves 1st basemen. LaRoche has ADD and his disorder has come into play a few times this season. You’d see him completely blow a play or pull a bonehead move and wonder what the heck is going on. Adam had tried to go without medication and would just lapse or blank during games. He was early on criticized for not taking medication.

Now after he’s been on medication (Mr. Cruise, I don’t want to hear the Ritalin rant - that’s a whole other argument) his game has improved. He’s concentrating and hitting and fielding really well.

ESPN is now claiming that he’s using performance enhancing drugs because of his improvement in the field. This poor guy can’t win. He’s criticized for not using the medicine and he’s criticized for using them.

Just let him play ball!

This reminds me of a quote from Teddy Roosevelt:  

“It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”

For more read here