Vacation

The church gives me four weeks vacation and 2 extra weekends every year.  If I don't use those days by May 1, I lose those days.  It seems as though I lose at least a weeks vacation every year.  This year I decided I wasn't going to lose vacation, well at the start of April I had 7 days and 2 Sundays left.  Last week I went on vacation and tried to stay home, since I live right next door to the church that was not a good idea.  Let me recap my week:

I spent Tuesday, my first day of vacation, in the hospital with a student.   I went to both Sr. High and Jr. High youth nights.  I mowed for about 6 hours, I cut down brush for about 4 hours.  I shot video for youth ministry.  I filled out paperwork for citizenship and passport.  I had a lunch appointment with Corey Dorin.  I went to youth church.  I spent some time with Don and Beth, we hadn't seen them in awhile.  I hosted a spontaneous bon fire with 26 students.  Needless to say I ended up using 2 days vacation and I will lose 5 days and 2 Sundays this year, next year I am going to Alaska to fish king crab, you can watch me on Deadliest Catch.

Here is a new Big Idea Video, you can also check them out at youtube.com/gravitystudents

The Best Week and The Worst Week

This week was one of the best weeks of ministry I have had this year. Instead of having Jr. High youth on Thursday night we had Team Extreme here. They are a team of Christian Athletes who rip phone books, break bricks, blow up hot water bottles and bend steel rods in their teeth. More importantly their purpose is to share the message of Jesus. We had 597 people here and 124 people accepted Jesus. What an amazing night!!! Here are a few pics:









This week was one of the worst weeks, I prepared to preach for our three weekend services. Saturday night service went good. I came home and Patti had cook an amazing meal, Steak, hash brown casserole, corn, rolls. In the middle of the meal I started to choke on a piece of steak, I could still breath but I couldn't get anything down my throat. I drank water trying to get this steak down but I started to vomit, after an hour of vomiting and the steak still stuck in my throat I went to the emergency room. They tried a number of treatments and finally admitted me into the hospital. Pastor Dave ended up preaching for me on Sunday morning. Finally at 7 in the morning a specialist was called in, he put me under (an amazing feeling) and he stretched my esophagus, the piece of steak released and that was that. Apparently the first thing I did when I woke up was ask for a Monster Drink. Patti tells me I told her she had two mouths and that was my worst nightmare.

Well my esophagus is very sore today, but I start a weeks vacation tomorrow so all is good.