"As late as you want..."

Today is Jonah's birthday. He's 7. WOW! Time flies. We had a party for him tonight at the skate rink with him and some of his friends. He had a BLAST! He's a stinkin' daredevil man. No fear of the wall, the floor or anything. Anyway, he asked how late he got to stay up on his birthday and I said "As late as you want!" I think he's most excited about that than anything. He normally goes to bed at 7 - 7:30 PM typically, it is 9:59 PM right now and he's watching a movie. Sabrina went to a girlfriends house to watch some movies. Jonah may outlast me. That will be funny. His goal is 1 AM. I'm pretty sure I can't last that long. We've always wanted to just let him go and see where and when he crashes. His energy level seems to NEVER run out. So, the wait is on. How late can he go?

Staying up,

Jeff

First steps

While at my grandma's house in St. Louis, our 4th child took her first steps. Jonah took his first steps at her house too many moons ago. Something magic about their house. We didn't have our video camera, but thanks to the beauty of technology I caught it on my Blackberry.



We get SO excited for steps our children take don't we? First smile...first roll over...first crawl...first words...first steps. All those steps of life we celebrate. How much more does God and His angels celebrate when we take steps in Him? Every step you take, every move you make (sounds like a song huh?) in God's direction He celebrates. Anyway, just thought of that. I love what I heard a pastor recently say and I've used it since. "Christianity is a series of steps" It really is. What is your next step in your faith? What is He asking of you?

Stepping toward Him,

Jeff

Back in the saddle

Hey Element Church! Our family made it back in town and I'm hitting the grindstone hard to catch up. I intended on doing a couple of blogs while I was away from our hotel room but I forgot my laptop charger so that didn't happen. I got some catching up to do. Some blogs rolling around in my head. Thank you for your prayers for us and our family. There were definitely felt and appreciated. We had a wonderful time celebrating the life of my grandpa. Numbers of people came to the family visitation on Monday and told my Grandma "I wouldn't have known the Lord if it weren't for your husband!" WOW! My grandpa had asked my dad to officiate the funeral and he did a fantastic job. I was so proud of my dad. I can't imagine doing my own father's funeral no matter how much he was ready to go. It's still your dad. We had some great laughs, good cries and memory sharing moments with all of our family. My grandparents were married for 65 years. I'm not sure you could remember life without your spouse after that long. Even though my grandma knows it was best for him to go, she was really struggling with the love of her life not around. My grandma had a stroke a few weeks ago and that is adding to her difficulties as well. She is VERY independent and will now rely on family to help her get around, get dressed and take care of her. Thank you for those who offered your kind words of condolences and support. You guy's are the greatest!

Following Christ,

Jeff

One who will be missed

Hey Element Church! I write this with heavy heart, yet SO HAPPY for what my grandpa is experiencing. About 4:45 PM today I received notification from my mom that my grandpa passed away. He'd been battling for a while now, things turned for the worse Sunday, and after a long week he went home to be with his Savior! My dad, his two sisters and my grandmother were all able to be in the room when he passed. His body didn't struggle and he seemed to go in peace. We thank the Lord for that. My grandpa was ready to die. He wanted to go home. There are few men in my life that I looked up to more than him. I have INCREDIBLE God centered grandparents on both sides of my family. They don't just say it, they ABSOLUTELY live it. Memories have flooded my mind this week. I have GREAT memories of him. Tears have come. But this evening, every so often, I just smile. Grandpa is experiencing his reward. He is with God. I can't fathom that. WOW! Blows me away.

Our family will take off as soon as church is over on Sunday to drive to St. Louis. The funeral will be Monday. In the middle of this sermon series on eternity, my wonderful grandpa is experiencing it. I could fill this blog with things about him. When Sabrina and I got married we didn't know when we'd have kids, but I began praying a prayer for my kids that I have tried to pray every day. I looked up to and valued my grandparents SO MUCH so I prayed that at least my first born would know their grandparents. God answered that prayer and more. I'm not sure how long my kids will remember my grandparents, but they all know today that Papa Great is with Jesus in Heaven. His legacy lives on in them.

I'll miss you grandpa!

Jeff

Weekly Date Night #2

I'm sure you all could REALLY care less about my date night but this is my blog so I can share what I want. Sabrina and I had home date night #2 last night. This is going to seriously jeopardize my man card status, but we pick a recipe from one of the daily Rachel Ray shows from the week and make it together. This week was Texas Size Chili Cheese Fries. Last week we made homemade pizza that was off the hook. This weeks chili cheese fries were AMAZING. During our cooking it's great just to talk about the week, day, our lives and have it be normal adult conversation. We then sat down to eat our fries while watching some drivel in TV (Celebrity Apprentice). I know, we're sick. We also started something on Wednesday's that we are adopting from my childhood. Each Wednesday we are having restaurant night. Basically it's a fun way to get rid of leftovers with our kids. I am the waiter and Sabrina is the cook. The kids go out to the front door and come in like it's a restaurant. Then they order from the list of leftovers and we cook it and serve it to them. It was pretty fun. Anyway, a couple of new family things we are doing to "Keep it real".

Date Night

Something Sabrina and I haven't been good on lately is having a date night regularly. Lots of excuses we could use and all are legitimate. Finding and paying for a babysitter for four kids is a killer. I heard a pastor say one time about having lots of kids: "It's not that I really like kids, it's just I love my wife a lot". I like that! After paying for a babysitter for a couple hours that doesn't leave much money left, especially if you want to go to a nice dinner or a movie (which is a ripoff). So I heard of another pastor doing this and we started last night and had a blast. On Thursday nights we are going to wait to eat dinner until after the kids go to bed. (8 o'clock at the latest) Then we are going to cook our own dinner together, either a recipe I select earlier in the week or one Sab wants to do, and then sit down to watch a movie or something together. Last night we cooked homemade pizza and HOLY COW it was good. It had to be some of the best pizza I've had. While in the kitchen we actually had time to hold a normal adult, husband and wife conversation. We'll try out new stuff and just have fun hanging out together. Every once in a while we'll treat ourselves to a night out, but doing it this way we can schedule a regular date night, and not even have to leave the house. Sabrina said she likes it because she can boss me around the kitchen, AND SHE DID! Anyway, not that you wanted to know we had a date night, but thought I'd share. I love my wife and love spending time with her. Even if she is bossing me around!

"I asked Jesus into my heart today!"

No, not me! I did that a long time ago. Those are the words I've been praying to hear from my kids since before they were born. My prayer for my children has been "Lord, I pray you would prepare the time and place for my children to come to know You." I also pray, "Lord may my children not just make it to Heaven, but may they live life to its fullest while on earth."

Well, last night at the dinner table Sabrina said "Mariah has something to tell you that happened today." She was shy at first but then her face glowed as she said "I asked Jesus into my heart today!" WOW! My heart melted. Sabrina was reading a book to her (Jonah and the whale) and Mariah was asking some spiritual questions. The conversation led to Mariah demonstrating her knowledge of why we need Jesus in our hearts and asking Him to do just that. There is nothing greater as a parent to lead your children to the Lord.

I'll never forget the night I helped Jonah ask Jesus into his heart while we were laying on his bed. Now Sabrina has the chance to help Mariah. Amazing. Jonah has been so spiritually interested lately. He REALLY struggles with the fact that some people actually go to hell. When he first learned that a few weeks ago it brought him to utter silence (amazing if you know him) and you could see his brain wheels a rollin'. I hope that when he is 15, 30, 45, or 60, that the thought of people going to hell STILL moves him like that. For many of us, it's easy to forget that people, EVERY DAY, die and miss out on eternity with our Lord.

Two more children yet to win to the Lord. Our children are THE BIGGEST DISCIPLESHIP OPPORTUNITY OF OUR LIVES!! I pray I can model life to its fullest to ALL of them!

Following Christ,

Jeff

I'll give you 10 bucks if...

Random family moment:

If I remember correctly, when I was around 3rd grade, living in Watertown, SD, my dad offered me money (I remember $100) if I could recite all 12 of the disciples. I thought that would be easy. I'm sure I probably told him all four of the Gospel writers and possibly Hebrews. I didn't even get close. Well, last night I was reading some books with Jonah and he pulled out an "old school" book from when he was 2 or 3. It was a counting book that only went to 10. He kept going past 10 trying to be a goof like his dad would. I piped up, thinking I'd get him to quit going past ten and said "I'll give you ten bucks if you can count to 100 without messing up." 1,2,3,4....When he got to 89...90 I knew I was duped. It was like he set me up. He finished to 100 and said "Where's my 10 bucks". Ooops. I didn't know my 6 year old could count that high. It was a lesson learned for the ole dad.

Ski Trip

I took Jonah skiing yesterday up at Snowy Range Ski Area. We had a blast! Jonah did so well. I put a little video together of him skiing. He was cruising down the intermediate blue runs by the end of the day and begging to go down a black. Next time I think he'll be ready to tackle a black diamond run. Enjoy the video.

Friday Night Lights

No not high school football but watching the stars on the trampoline. I mowed the lawn tonight and kept an eye on the kids as they played on the tramp while Sabrina worked in her office. As I was finishing up around 7:30 PM I thought how cool it would be to get on the tramp and see if they would watch the sky turn dark and stars show up with me. THEY DID! It was a blast. We spotted the first star at about 7:40 PM at about dusk. As it grew darker the kids were amazed at the stars popping up. Makalah laid on my chest nearly the entire time (how can you go wrong with that? My little care bear cuddling on a cool night). Mariah couldn't stop asking if "bad guy's" could get us in the back yard. And Jonah couldn't stop asking if he could sleep out there. To be honest I didn't think he would do it. The pictures below show otherwise. He got all bundled up (getting down in 40's here now overnight) and got the sleeping bag and a flashlight and hit the tramp. He fell asleep in about 20 minutes. These pictures are great. It was just a cool time with the fam tonight. Mariah was freakin' when she went to bed. Still thinking bad guys were gonna get her brother. I should hide Jonah and tell her in the morning that they did. HA! Now that would be funny.

Daughtry and Dandelion Christianity

How in the world did Daughtry not win American Idol. Daughtry was AWESOME! I am already a HUGE Daughtry fan and going to his concert only furthered that. What a show. Very cool. My wife did an awesome job of surprising me with floor seats for my birthday. We left for Pueblo as soon as Jonah got home from school that day and came back this morning. Definitely want to go to another show when he comes back in our area.

A "Christian" band opened for Daughtry that night. Daughtry's music definitely has some spiritual overtones/undertones. His band before American Idol was a Christian alternative band. When they announced who was opening I was excited. Not only as a chance to hear this band but how cool it was that Daughtry would invite them to come along. No need to tell you who the band was. First of all, their sound was horrible. Very disappointed in their quality. EVEN MORE disappointing was their display of dandelion Christianity.

What is dandelion Christianity? Glad you asked. At a break in the music the lead singer after yelling "ARE YOU READY TO ROCK AND ROOOOLLLLLLL?" 20 times, went on a spiel about what could change the world. He said (as word for word as I can remember): "Machine guns can't change the world. Money can't change the world. Power can't change the world. We firmly believe that there is only ONE THING that can change the world. Put your arm around your neighbor and love them no matter what they believe." I about came out of my seat. That is dandelion Christianity. The "can't we all just get along" theology. What about Jesus? Maybe HE is the only thing that can change the world. I agree we need to love people who are not like us, BUT THAT WON'T CHANGE THE WORLD. Only Jesus can, and Jesus in THEIR lives. Anyway, I was very disappointed. I would have rather him said nothing, than say that.

Anyway, we had a GREAT time. My wife is awesome and thank you Terri for staying behind with the Maness mayhem.

Following Christ,

Jeff

My Awesome Wife!

Sabrina is amazing. AMAZING! Again, I don't tell her that enough. What she is able to accomplish in 24 hours is remarkable. My hat goes off to all moms. A few things she's done lately and I'm proud of.

--- Once again Sabrina was #2 in sales on her team for tastefully simple (her small business). She is trying to win a cruise for us! How cool would that be. If any of you know my wife, you know how WAAAAY out of her comfort zone this is. Check out her web-site. You can order food from there. If you need any incredible recipes she'll hook you up.

--- We have at least 2 families who are coming to Element as a direct result of Sabrina doing Tastefully Simple.

--- Sabrina and 3 of her friends were able to go to Elitch Gardens (amusement park) in Denver last week. It was Christian music day so they got to see 4 - 5 GREAT bands. Kutless, Thousand Foot Krutch, Falling Up, etc. (Of course this meant I had the circus to run for a day. See comment at the top)

--- Sabrina led our Elevate program on Sunday. This is our 1st - 5th grade program. However, she has really felt like the Lord has been leading her to be "the pastors wife" and not really be in charge of anything. She battled where her role was and really feels like she should be in our worship service, meeting people, mingling, and of course supporting her UNBELIEVABLE husband.

--- She bought me tickets to Daughtry LIVE in concert for my birthday. Surprised me yesterday with them. She made me a PHENOMENAL coconut cake, and each of the kids picked out something for me to eat for supper. We had enchiladas, macaroni and cheese and hamburgers. It was the best birthday meal I ever had. And MAN can she make a cake.

Happy to have my wife,

Jeff

5 thoughts about my wife

1. She is beautiful!
2. She started her own business (tastefully simple: gourmet food) when we moved her and last month she was #4 in sales out of a TON of people in the region. Not sure exactly how many but it was a lot. (Through her business we are seeing two families check out Element)
3. She is an amazing mother. I don't know how she does it everyday with 4 kids. She takes care of the kids, the house, AND volunteers at church and runs a business. Plus she puts up with me.
4. I couldn't do this thing called church planting without her.
5. We love watching tv and I love watching tv with her. When she gets home in 10 minutes we are going to watch Last Comic Standing together.

I don't give her enough credit and she deserves it.

Humbled,

Jeff