Recent Video for a Recent Series called “The Pursuit”
This is the video promo for the series “The Pursuit” which just wrapped in June ’09! This was a series by Pastor Joe Champion from Celebration Church in Austin, TX. Check out the vid! One day of shooting and one day of editing. The script took a while though.
Memories of Dad
This weekend is Father’s Day and at the church we are doing a theme called “My Dad Rocks!” Oh the memories…It has been almost 6 years since the passing of my father. Time flies! I like to think back on our time together. There were good times and frustrating times. There were sad times and truly joyful times. I wouldn’t have traded a second of it. My father always knew that I would do great things and he always made it a point to tell me “Son, you will eclipse anything I’ve ever done.” He never was able to see me come into my destiny on this earth but I know he is so proud to see me from heavenly places and he’s cheering me on. I always think “I wish my dad could have met my daughter because she would have loved him so,” I also think “ Wow! My son has my dad’s exact personality.” It seems the closer I get to my kids – the closer I feel to my dad (Robert) and to my Heavenly Father (Jesus).
Here’s the summary. If your dad is alive and in your life please tell him u love him. If you are upset with your dad or bitter – set it aside and forgive him. The relationship may need work and maybe it will never be the same as it was before the pain but we don’t have to be bitter. It hurts us and keeps us from the great reward God has for us. The reality is, one day you won’t have the opportunity to tell your father all that’s on your heart. There will be a day when you pick up the phone to call him and realize…he’s not there. I’m not trying to be a downer or anything but my greatest joy has been that my dad did not die wondering, “Did my son love me?” because I told him over and over at every opportunity that came my way. In the end, I received more from loving him and telling him than I could have ever imagined. I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who will never leave and can’t wait for the day when I get to see them both. We’ll eat chicken wings and Chuy’s creamy jalapeno sauce with chips…it will be a good time. Love you all! Happy Father’s Day!
They're so cute!
Incredible!
It’s amazing to think that approx 6 years ago I walked into Celebration Church in Austin, TX for the first time. Back in Round Rock on Chisholm Trail where it was so hot we had to install 10 fans around the 3000 square foot space. You couldn’t hear over the drums. Our videos were power point and flash videos with moving text if we spent 10 hours on it. 8 thousand services per wknd!!! Or so it seemed. Now I look at what God has done in our church and I am in awe…My God…how Your thoughts dwarf mine. We had an incredible worship night and I am sooo full. I’m am so favored and so blessed.
Busy Busy
I love the feeling of totally deleting all of my emails whether unread or read! It makes me feel so alive! All of a sudden I can think about stuff and be creative. Email backlog is like sin…it just keeps you bound. the “Delete Button” is like Jesus. It brings freedom and life! Here’s to being creative again!!!!!! By the way…I wrote a new song last night. It’s cool.
Delete
Sorry!
Ok- I haven’t blogged in ages but I have a good reason. It’s Easter! Yes that’s right! Easter planning has been hectic and on top of that we have Servolution going on where we literally blow up Austin Metro by serving the community unconditionally. Today was the very first day and already people are pumped and have incredible stories about the lives that were impacting by our serving. That Rocks! So check out http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=7483&post=27096&uid=73478278676#/group.php?gid=73478278676
To read some of the stories and to receive the latest updates.
Easter @ Celebration in Austin, TX is going to be off the chain. We installed the phase one of the new stage design and you will see that this wknd. We have phase 2 and 3 happening on Monday and Tuesday and then Phase 4 on Thursday! I’m telling you- it will look awesome! Intels, scratchy fab, floating criss crossing steel trusses, some whit transparent buckets we will use for something cool, old school flat typography video, a massive tent, a stinkin helicopter, foggy cemetery…ok I know all of this makes absolutely no sense but it will come Easter so don’t miss it! Get here early or you WILL miss something!
Saturday April 11th 5pm and 7pm
Sunday April 12 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm in Spanish and 6:30pm (No helicopter drop for 6:30pm service)
Rough Start
Man, we have had a busted (very rough) start to this trip to Carolina! It all started when Celeste and I arrived at the airport. We were booked for a Continental flight and happened to park on the complete opposite side from the Continental check in. After hauling our bags all the way there we talk to the lady and she says “I’m sorry your flight has actually been booked with Northwest Airlines although it says Continental on your confirmation page.” So we ran back to the opposite side of the airport and the Northwest airlines person scans Celeste in and she’s ready to go. Then she scans my confirmation number and it brings up no information! I even have the receipt for the purchase and it brings up no info! Dumb! So Celeste and I go back and forth with the lady but the plane is gonna board in like 5 minutes so I sent Celeste to board so at least one of us will make it. In the mean time I’m working with the lady to get on that flight! It takes 20 minutes to finally get her to make some calls and get me a boarding pass! So I got the pass and had to run like the wind to get to the plane but I made it…but the plane isn’t taking off. Why, you ask? Because the tech crew miscounted the luggage. The flight was delayed 45 minutes because the tech crew can’t count! At least that’s what the captain said.
Finally we are up in the air and we land with 7 minutes left until our flight flies out (much less boards). So we are ready to run as soon as they open the doors………………………..problem is they can’t get the bridge driver to come. It takes four minutes and three phone calls from the captain for the bridge driver to show up! Celeste and I are sweating bullets! The door opens and we have three minutes but our Gate is on the other side of the airport (Go figure). So we are running as fast as we can and hyperventilating but determined to get there…and we did! But they closed the doors already and will no longer let us on our flight. It’s 2:21pm and they tell us they can put us on the next flight at 7:40pm! Problem is that Jason and Paul are flying in at the same time we would have but now they would have to wait until 10pm to pick us up…we are trying to convince the ppl to let us board but they won’t. Then Celeste looks out the window and the plane is still there and it’s fueling! Fueling! Not taking off! We tell them and they still won’t let us board! The plane is literally right in front of us and not going anywhere for the next 7 minutes but we can’t get on it. Finally I sit down and begin pondering the reality that we will be spending the next 5 hours in this airport but Celeste started praying and it isn’t 2 min later that the lady comes back and says “Let’s move quickly to the tarmac and get u on the plane!” So we take off and walk across the tarmac and were able to board the plane…Thank You God! We were sweaty and exhausted and hungry and thirsty and stressed but we were on the plane. When we landed Paul and Jason were there to meet us…finally it was over…or was it. As we are waiting on our luggage we find out that Paul’s luggage was lost! No clothes or toiletries!
So we spent the evening looking for a starbucks but there aren’t any in Anderson, SC. Busted! There are 4 Wing Restaurants within 3 miles of each other and 3 Game Stops but no Starbucks! Just a Chili’s and Walmart! So guess what we did tonight? We ate at Wing Zone, Dessert and Coffee @ Chili’s and spent the rest of the night @ Walmart shopping for clothes and toiletries for Paul to have for tomorrow! I feel bad for the dude but he is in high spirits. It was a busted start to the trip but i have a GREAT feeling that tomorrow (The Unleashed Conference) will be AMAZING! I have a feeling that all the fuss will be worth it! I have attached some pics of us @ Walmart – the place to be in Anderson, SC!
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- Walking out of Walmart where Jason King saw God face to face!
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- Walking out of Walmart…Jason is radiating the Glory!
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- The thing to do in Anderson, SC
My Peeps
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- @ His wedding
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- Melody holding my son
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- Hungry!
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- Some though chicks!
Tonight I realized how much I like the people I work with. Not everyone can say that! There are lots of peeps who can’t stand the people they work with. Probably makes life miserable for them. I can’t say that for myself. My life is goooood…really gooood (Nacho Libre). I really appreciate people who can put up with my hang ups. Sometimes I’m a little grouchy when I haven’t had my coffee and they still like me! Even think I’m funnier at those times. Anyway, take some time to appreciate the peeps around you so maybe they will like you more…then they will give you sweets and take you to lunch and stuff like that. Who doesn’t want that stuff?
So much power!
Ok! So, by now most of you have already realized that I have Supernatural powers. For some of you, though, this may be a revelation and your world might have just been rocked. Still, you’re just going to have to get over it. I have supernatural powers. I know what you’re thinking…”This dude must be prophetic or something.” Wrong! I can shoot laser beams from my eyes. Straight up laser beams. It makes my eyes red and itchy so that’s not cool but it’s nice to know that if I need to laser beam someone – I don’t need to be holding a laser. I just have to be awake! OK I’m just kidding! I can’t shoot laser beams from my eyes! It would be so cool if I could shoot laser beams though. Still, God has given me a gift of singing. I wasn’t always appreciative of the gift though. I remember times when I had opportunities to sing at church or travel and minister and I didn’t take them because it was a burden to me at the time. More like an inconvenience. Everyone would ask me to sing and I hated being put on the spot all the time so eventually I would just say “no.”
One day in January I received a phone call from my father. He wanted to minister with me and a church in Florida. I was 22 years old. I had traveled with my dad to what seemed like a million churches before this and I didn’t really feel like dealing with the travel. I remember he sounded quite disappointed that I wouldn’t go with him but I knew he would get over it. I didn’t feel like singing anywhere and in the end it was my choice. The next month my father died.
I cannot tell you how much money/time/energy/convenience I would trade in for that one opportunity to sing with my dad. I’m not trying to be a downer or anything but I am realizing now more than ever that we cater to ourselves way more than what God has ever intended for us. I have a gift and I had opportunity to use it but instead I only wanted to bury it because it was my choice. The very month my dad died, I began to attend Celebration with my family. I did not waste time plugging in and using my gifts and every opportunity that I have to use my gifts – I take. Why? I don’t want to regret missing God and His opportunity. Yes- it is difficult sometimes to be planted and serving in a house but I also know it is so much more rewarding than it is difficult. I say this to encourage you who may be thinking, “I’m so bogged down that I can’t plug in…” or “I have no time for serving…” or “I need to work out some things before I get involved…” The fact is you can say “no” to God a hundred times or “Hold on God” a hundred times but eventually the opportunity will not be there. Then, you will want to have said “yes” to all one hundred opportunities just to make sure you didn’t miss the “one most special” opportunity hiding in the stack. Now I say “YES – Here I am,” every opportunity I get. So what are you waiting for? Get plugged into to your church. Get involved. Use your gift whether it’s singing, writing, dancing, greeting, parking cars, moving chairs, taking pictures, speaking or just smiling. The rewards are incredible!_
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It's me cheezin
