sorry for being away

a lot has happened in the last month. I am in the process of buying a franchise of HoopEd (check the site at www.hoopeducation.com) and will then own my own business and make my own money. I have looked at a few houses and condos in the area online. I am hoping I can get my name on something within a year, but ultimately by 2010 is my goal. truck is running great. the youth league is coming to a close and i am excited about the cookout we are having. check out that site to see more about my business.

NEW TRUCK

I finally got my truck on the road today. the guy i bought it thru was a blooming idiot. it wasnt his truck, he was selling it for someone else. it was a nightmare but i got it on the road today. it is a 2003 dodge ram 1500. it has the 4.7 v8 magnum, so its not that hemi but its got plenty o power and is a little better on gas. its the regular cab with a short bed and the biggest downer is it is only 2wd. it will not be a work truck so i hopefully wont really need 4wd but it woulda been nice to have. its got 65000 miles on it, a billet style grill, and pioneer speakers. i cannot stand the radio in it, but i got to keep m dvd player from my pontiac so i will be installing that whenever i get a chance.

churches today

i passed a church today that had an open invite on their billboard thing and i was like thats cool. but as i read on, at the bottom is said no dress code. are you kidding me? have christians become sooo stuck up in the eye of the world that it has to be stressed that you dont have to wear a suit to come to a church?  To me that says to other christians that the service is more about the wardrobe or experience than it is the message. i feel the same way about churches that advertise a “fundamental” AND contemporary services because i have also seen, around LBC, a church sign that says “fundamental” and KJV on it.now i understand that to an unchurched person that may make a difference. but really? if a church has to market based on dress code or style of service are you giving spiritual growth and showing the love of Christ or just giving someone a nice religious experience. granted i understand worship styles are different and some people worship differently than others. i personally love christian rap, i know some guys who break dance, and trust me you can see and feel them worshiping as they dance. but i do believe the heritage and history of the church and even worship needs to be taught. even in the Bible when you see the church coming to life and even in the ministry of Christ it was steeped in the history of the “church” even tho it wasnt the “church ” in the OT. I am not saying churches should be all “fundamentaL’ and im DEFINITELY not saying I have a problem with a modern contemporary service. I go to a contemporary church. I am just saying if a church has to market a band, or a come in jeans shorts invite, are you giving them Christ or an experience?

The church should welcome all people. I like to use the example of Big Mama, you know who that is, its the older bigger black lady, that treats everyone like family and doesnt care about your issues and hold them against you. this is the lady that no matter who you are you get a hug at the door. and some pie before you leave. I am sure we can all relate to this character in some way. she cares about the person, not their clothes, not their music, or their hair, nothing but the heart of the person. thats the way the church should be – as soon as you walk through the door, or even onto the lot, you are family. Now again im not saying that certain styles are wrong. i just think that its going a little too far.Churches today i think need to take a closer examination of what they are really saying when they attempt to outreach.

 

enough rambling. i think you get the point of my scattered writings.

SOOOO SAD – PLEASE PRAY

Stephen Curtis Chapman, the award winning christian singer, and family are going through a tragic and tough time. his 5 year old daughter has passed away after She was accidentally hit in the family driveway by her older brother. The link is posted to check out the news post. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/musician_steven_curtis_chapman.html

basketball and business stuff

I have been given the summer paid position of Park Monitor and Westminster City Recreation 3v3 Head Person. The pay isnt great, but its on the side so its good enough, plus its a ministry. The city has said we can do basically whatever we want with the kids. This league has been run by Gary Clark the last 13 years. We pray, discuss God, and teach life lessons throughout the summer all while playing ball. Whats better than that?

Now the business side of this. The position is allowing to springboard my “franchise” of HoopEd, the company i had worked a camp with over spring break. I had a meeting to give an initial pitch to the powers of westminster rec and they are very interested in implementing the after school program, through me- as an independent contract. That could be huge. I may even have to bring in a second person to run this camp, while i do a few other after school camps at other school so we can expand. Just exciting and crazy how easy it all came together. Been a HUGE blessing. God has blessed me with the contacts and opportunities, while placing me in a family with a good reputation in the county for sports and character. I am very excited bout where this could head, and how fast it could happen.

 

More to come later…………….

week 1 of the rest of my life

this last week has been long and fast at the same time. sundays we dont work. Monday it rained so i went and dropped off an application for the summer league position and met with Mr. Gary for about an hour to talk about the position and all. Then tuesday, wednesday, thursday i worked 28 hours. thats some terribly long days for cutting grass because they were actually closer to 12 hour days, with road time and shop time added to it. friday it rained so i took care of some other stuff like finishing moving my stuff back in and organizing it, making some phone calls for summer work and basketball camps, and catching up on stuff ive put off. yesterday we again logged a 9 hour day working. so all that to say. life after college was crazy right off the bat.

I did it

I am now an alumnus of Lancaster Bible College. Graduation was eventful. I cant believe how selfish some people are, but thats not something i want to talk anymore about. sooo anyway the basketball camps and all are taking off pretty well it seems. I have gotten connected with the city of Westminster’s rec. possibly running summer camps and school camps with them. its a lil different than i was thinkin but its exciting. more to come later…..

Finals

I took my first final on Thursday. I had another one today, Monday, and I have my last one tomorrow at 2. Crazy. Im getting anxious now, and a bit hyper because its really the end. I have nothing after my exam tomorrow afternoon so im heading home to possibly work wednesday and thursday, but they are calling for rain. either way i can really relax. Friday morning is graduation practice and saturday at 10 am is graduation. im STOKED. i havent decided what i wanna do for graduation, im thinkin something subtle and harmless…any ideas?

first final tests

I have my first final this Thursday at 10. then i have part one of a final for CD, the big toughy class, on Thursday at 2. I have my science final on Monday at 10, and the second part of CD at 2 on Tuesday. Graduation practice is next Friday morning, with family coming in Friday night. Graduation is Saturday May 10 at 10!!! that kinda scares me. Im stressing now. Gotta make sure I finish up and get that diploma

graduation updates

we had senior testing today, which i think is completely dumb. But at the end of the testing we picked up our cap and gowns. It keeps getting closer and closer and scaring me more and more. I have nothing left aside from a quiz tomorrow to do until finals in a week and a half. Its nice to be able to relax a little at the end and enjoy the moment. I also got an email from Jonathon (HoopEd) last night and he was just checking in and wanted to see how things were going and if I was still interested. So that was nice, He came to me. I am planning on working with dad this summer and hopefully going to be able to run the 3v3 at the park again, then in the fall when school starts up, begin my own HoopEd afterschool programs in Carroll County. Thats the gameplan at this point. Never know what God has coming up tho.