I'm Back!

Ok it's been a while I know! I am sorry if you thought I went into a long process of mourning because of the death of my dog. Actually I had a momentary lapse of judgement and got another dog and ironically another boxer with 10 times the energy, heavier and stronger than the one before. The good news is he doesn't seem to slobber as much (for now).

I hope to keep up a little more for now on what I am reading as well as what God is doing in my life.

Sad Day!

Hey folks

Today has been a sad day for the White household. Last night my dog Samson's heart gave out. I guess for us it was just such a shock considering he made it through so many other trials as noted before in a previous blog. There was no doubt that he truly was man's best friend since Whenever I came home he was always there to greet me. No matter how bad my day was he never held it against me and only once did he bite the hand that fed him. That was clearly an accident. I knew he was a special dog cause on the day I got him UC beat Duke in the Alaska shootout. I thought it was my lucky dog but then in the later years he just couldn't help the Bearcats ,Bengals or Reds but I guess I was just to attatched to let him go. No doubt animals are hard to let go of. They just become part of the family. While you have them you take them for granted but when you lose them, we miss everything about them (even if they do slobber!)

Throughout the years working in Youth ministry I have heard many prayer request for a family dog cat or maybe even a fish. You pray and hope for the best. But then there is the toughest question "Will my dog go to heaven?" You just smile and do what you can to comfort them. I'm not sure about that but today I have thought about it. I don't think the Lord has a suggestion box for heaven, but if he did "Could I just make one?"

Time to blog

"Be still and know that I am God"

A few weeks ago I got to experience that by visiting Billy Graham's training center located in the Smoky mountains. I don't know about you but some times I have a hard time being still long enough to listen to God. It just so happens that I am one of those gadget guys with an I-pod and a cell phone on me at all times. However as I got to the Cove I quickly realized that I didn't have cell phone service except for one spot on the porch. There was also no sportcenter on the TV since there was not one there. After the first night the shakes went away and I really began to like knowing that I was disconnected for a little while. I really began to like the silence to be able to be more in tune with God. When you think about it these gadgets are supposed to make our life easier and more connected, but do they really? It kind of makes you wonder how many opportunities we miss with the creator. Sure a 42 inch plasma looks good on Super-bowl Sunday, but not as good as a beautiful mountain side view when God wants to connect with you!

"Be Still and know that I am God"

Maybe mom was on to something when she would ask. Can't you JUST SIT STILL?

Look into 2008!

Well 2007 is gone and here we are at 2008!

The years seem to go a little faster as each passes by. 2007 was a great year with several things accomplished.

In our ministry we started a youth band for the youth service. Each week I watch the students grow and be challenged to new levels. They continue to get better as time goes by and I look forward to years from now watching them lead.

We were able to start a Young adults group that Deanna and I lead at our house (I believe we are grandfathered in since we are not young adults!) However its great to get to spend time with them and we are looking forward to 2008 and what God has in store for that ministry.
For me I personally set out to run my first Marathon (Checked it off at a Whopping 5 hours and 28 minutes) I did learn a lot training for it though. First you don't wake up one morning and decide to run one without training. At least I would not recomend it. Our life is like a marathon, Sometimes we want things right now but in reality things we want to accomplish take time and discipline. Each step we take is one closer to our goal. Someday we can look back and say we did accomplish what we sat out to do. However in this life We are not finished.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 NIV

I hope that God will bless you in 2008! Well gotta Run (really!)

updates on life!

Well a lot has happened since my last post,

My dog survived his battle with Totinos pizza and E-coli! He even survived eating a casserole dish but I don't have the time to blog about that. It has been a while since my last blog but hey its the Christmas rush and who has the time? There is shopping to do and Christmas celebrations to go to. However, as busy as it can be I still love this time of year. It is a time to be with family and friends. If you are like me just sitting down to watch Rudolph or the Grinch can almost take you back in time to when life as a kid just seemed easier. But most of all it is about making memories that will last a lifetime.

I don't remember a lot of specific gifts that I got but I clearly remember those who were great influences in my life. My grandpa who passed away this past year was one of those people. I believe he was on some sort of research team because he would always come down to our house to help us test all of our toys. Pap was always there to show us how it worked and make sure we went through all the safety inspections if that was needed. No need to worry about shooting your eye out cause he was there to help prevent that. I now realize that he was there not for the toys but to spend time with us. Toys really are just tools. They Tools to create memories which are what really last forever. I'm sure many doll houses will be built and break and Even the Xbox 360 will be replaced by better system. But I hope that we can all take the time to slow down a little just to create memories that will last forever. What better way to do that by spending time with our kids teaching them about Jesus who came into the world to be with us. To take time for us and eventually give the ultimate gift. My grandpa taught me that, not by words but through his actions and by spending time with us.

Take time for each other and have Merry Christmas!

Extra topping on that pizza?

,

It was another one of those nights where I skipped supper due to time constraints. As I got home I noticed Deanna was not home yet, but had made some pizza earlier. Even though I am not usually a cold pizza guy, I was too hungry to care so served cold it was. Deanna and the kids arrived home and we put them to bed and then settled down to a relaxing evening of the News! Then it happened, A PIZZA recall! At that moment Deanna and I looked at each other as they posted the picture of TOTINOS pepperoni. Did I mention that I really don't like Totino's- especially with Pepperoni and E-Coli!

So here I am at 11:30 digging out the old pizza box to try and find the dreaded UPC match of the recall. Sure enough it was a match. So then I call the 1-800 number to find out what the next step is. The answer that the recording gave me was save the UPC number and destroy the pizza. We did! Just so happened we ate the whole thing! That is of course except for the two last bites that I gave to Samson. Please don't turn me into the humane society cause I really do love my dog. I'm not sure about Deanna though because I saw an extra sparkle in her eye when I told her I gave Samson a couple of bites. So what's the next step.

Pray!

Appreciation in the little things

This past week I was thinking about all the Little ways that people say thank you! I just want to say thanks to all who gave the gift this past week for pastors appreciation. I really enjoyed the the mug (though a little small), I was able to have it filled at Starbucks with a double shot espresso that equals four regular cups. Along with the mug my students gave me a card signed by them and filled with encouragement. Those are the gifts that keep you going.

But then there is another way to say thank you that sometimes goes unnoticed, ways to say we like you or appreciate you. You see last week we had the students over to the house after the football game. In the meantime I left my jeep up at the church so that I could drive the van to the game in case students needed a ride. As the night came to a close at around midnight I decided to drive the van back to the church and pick up the jeep. And to my surprise someone had left a little extra appreciation there in the jeep. I believe it was filled with about 4 rolls of toilet paper. I believe they must have cared and watched the weather because they didn't roll it on the outside but on the inside considering it rained that night. I was too tired at that point to take it down at that hour so here I am rolling down the road with a little breeze as toilet paper is blowing in the wind. Thankfully, the top was up considering I passed the local sheriff Just before I got to my street. My thought quickly moved to how would I explain this one to him. "Well officer you see I am a student Minister, Ok Where do you want me to sign?"

Luckily he did not turn around but it was in that moment that though in some strange way it wasn't an act done out of hate (I don't think), but appreciation? In the 10 years of Working with students here at BCC incidents of appreciation such as this is not unique. I have also had my car completely gift wrapped in which my only disappointment was that when I opened it, It was still a Saturn and not a Mustang Cobra. I have also had my car completely plastic wrapped. Let me just say before the parents that read this get too upset, I have my suspicion that this was not an act of teens.

Only God knows, but I only wish I knew so that I could return my token of appreciation to them.