Done and done, my good friend. Sorry, I thought that was already an option.
I don’t know about you guys but every now and then I have a day where I just need a pep talk from Coach Taylor.
Why My Wife Is A Better Youth Pastor Than Me
People typically have set ideas on what makes a pastor a pastor. A pastor should look a certain way, have the right title, sound a certain way, have the correct education. My wife does not have the title of “youth pastor.” She’s an early childhood teacher, greatly-talented photographer, and world-traveler but she also is one of the best pastors I know.
I have been involved in youth ministry for almost 10 years now, leading worship, teaching, leading small groups. Because I’m on church staff, I have been referred to as both a “priest” and a “reverend.” Titles that assume I am somehow “holier than thou” or more important than others in our church. My wife is a perfect example of someone who simply believes what Jesus said and longs to live for a greater purpose in life. Over and over again she pours herself out for the benefit of others. She has shown that a pastor truly making a difference is less about title and status and more about love and effort. Here are a few examples I’ve learned from her on how to truly help others.
- giving time: a full-time wife and two part-time jobs demand tons of time. she still finds slices of time to meet with her girls, write them on facebook, answer texts
- getting coffee with girls several times a week
- listening first. showing she cares instead of slathering advice and correction
- prayer
- actually caring. I’ve seen her shed plenty of tears when talking about the girls she leads.
Leading worship is easy compared to what my wife and other volunteers at our church do. I’m in awe of how they give so much passion and energy to the investment of others.
What makes a pastor a pastor? Who do you know in your life that regardless of their job-title is a full-time pastor?
Momentary Setback
I don’t know if you have ever played Monopoly but one of the most frustrating parts is when you pick up the dreaded “Go To Jail” cards. After all of your progress, you have to wait several turns trying to get out while everybody else is continuing to make progress along the board. This past week I have gone through a similar setback. While playing basketball for the first time in about a year, I went for a steal, planted my right foot, and heard a loud pop. I looked around thinking someone must have thrown something at me or kicked my ankle but their was no one close by. I turned to run and realized something was very wrong, I couldn’t move my foot up and down. After going to the ER I found out that I ruptured my Achilles tendon.
My natural reaction has been to feel sorry for myself and constantly complain but I hate being “that guy.” I don’t want to be the victim. I want to use this for good. We can all learn from these types of setbacks as long as we adjust our perspective. This verse has really helped me view things in a more correct lens.
“So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:18
Here are some things I’m learning and hope to continue learning through the next couple of months. I want to take my eyes off of the temporary and focus them on the meaningful.
- I cannot make it alone. Like most Americans, I like to do things myself, as an individualist. That is literally impossible right now. I need people to drive me places, bring me things, help me at work, etc. Truth is, we NEED other people in our lives. We need community. We are human, we have do drop our pride and rely on others.
- My blessings outweigh my troubles. It’s easy and somewhat therapeutic to name all of the negatives and complain about circumstances. In reality, I have been blessed beyond measure. My family, starting with my wife, is more loving and stable than I could ever wish for. I have a profession that I love, getting paid to lead students in worship is something few people have the opportunity to do. I have clean water, plenty of food, and live in safety.
- Life is short and unpredictable. I first learned this lesson two years ago when my dad passed away unexpectedly. No one knows what will happen tomorrow, so it’s our responsibility to make the most out of it right now.
I still have a long road to recovery (8 weeks with a cast, 6 months until full recovery) but this is the hand I have been dealt. Here’s to making the most out of it.
To me, baseball is better with tradition, baseball is better with history, baseball is better with fans who care, baseball is better in ballparks like this, baseball is better during the day. And baseball is, best of all, when you win.
Theo Epstein
Here’s my Christmas gift to you all. A version of Drummer Boy that I made with one of my high school students!
Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.
Yes?
Wilco Tiny Desk Concert
if you have a spare 20 minutes today, go watch one of the greatest bands ever do their thing.
