If you are a fan of Benny Hinn, sorry...

If not, lol i got to tell you, i can't get enough of this, lol.

Good things...

Things as so good now, and i just can't complain. I say this because God is teaching me to live a life of contentment. This week we re concluding our sermon series on Philippians titled "The Life You Were Meant To Live" and i am working on chapter 4, which is about how Paul challenges us to be content and joyful always. It made me think about my own life, and how much i long for the "better things" in life. I dont mean tropical vacations or expensive cars, but i just mean better situations. Like to live in a world where those around me can just get along or for a life with no monthly payments (haha, YEAH). But instead i need to understand that i am unbelievably blessed, so i thought i would list some really good areas where God has blessed my life.

One thing lately that God blessed me with was with an awesome church. Our leaders at South Side car so much about Jesus. They really do. Change comes easy to them because they understand that to reach people for Christ you have to do whatever it takes. This involves taking a chance on a goofball like me, starting a ministry like the contemporary service/small groups, and having a great youth program led by a very mature, seasoned and called minister (Dave Plumley)

Speaking of Dave South Side has an amazing staff. Ray is the most ridiculously intelligent man i have ever met (seriously, ask him ANYTHING) and Danny has a grasp of relating to people that i only hope to attain someday. Plus South Side has such a great and supportive community of believers that it just makes getting out of bed worth it most days.

Another huge blessing is my family. I LOVE my family. My daughter is the most hilarious combination of Emily and I, and she is getting so old is is almost scary. My wife is a picture of God's grace to me because just like Grace, i don't deserve Emily for how often i mess up, but she loves me anyway. More about them on a later post, or well, most of my posts.

Also i must mention the blessing of my college friends. I got to go to a wedding this past weekend and catch up with a group of people that i love more than life itself. We can not speak for 2 years at a time and then instantly its like we never were separated. That group of people represents everything that is holy about me, and i will never, ever completely lose touch with them (Lord Willing).

Another is a recent one, you may have saw the picture at the top of the page and thought that the post was a review of Fireproof, well its not, but if it was it would be a long one. I saw this movie with a group from our church last night and i LOVED IT. I cried like 3 times, and identified completely with the lead character. Small budget, yes, but amazing film nonetheless. Every actor did this movie for free, but it gave me so much to think about as far as how i treat Emily, and i hope i grown from it.

so that is a list of just a few of my blessings, what are some of yours?

Favorite new internet video

I couldn't endorse this more. LOL

Politics, oh boy..

Politics in No Time @ Yahoo! Video

Do we really have to vote?

Oh, How I love Kirk

The very mention of the name Kirk Cameron sparks opinion these days. A great deal of Hollywood liberal types can't stand him for his views, many Christians aren't fans of him because they think the product he puts out (Way of the Master, Left Behind, etc.) there today is sub-par (i strongly disagree) but also many people of faith simply love the man, and i am one of them.

Many will also get visions of Mike Seaver when they hear his name, and also many who have seen the new film FIREPROOF will instantly give a film review when his name is uttered, but for me, when i think of Kirk, i simply think, authentic.

He wasnt like most child stars. He was HUGE when Growing Pains was on, and then suddenly, one day he noticed a need for knowledge of the TRUTH in the world. So he found Jesus and CHOSE to give up the A-List Hollywood life. Now he is nothing but contraversial because he never seems to stop ministering, or stop sharing what he stands for. He is still an amazing actor, and I only wonder what he would be today if he had not chose to leave the mainstream.

Here are two interviews he did recently, one on The View, the other on Good Morning America. Watch and enjoy,

Monday morning weekend recap

I have to say that i just came off one of the best weekends of my life. It was just, wonderful. I guess the reason being for that can be summed up into one word, love.

On thursday night i picked up Gretchen from her sitters around 4:30pm and then gave her dinner/played until it was time for Em to come home, and (like every night) as soon as Em got home i had just enough time to give her a kiss and go do the Pastor thing. That night i went to teach one of our small groups. It is actaully one of my favorite to hang out with. Our topic was mothers, and how God is so much like a mother to us, with his compassion, caring and nuturing nature. It is an interesting study because we don't often see God with female characteristics, but so often he will say things like "like a mother comforts a child so will i comfort you" and so many other things that make you understand how much God can be bother mother and father to us. It was a really good meeting, a little tears, laughing and alot of study/sharing.

Then when i got home from small groups my mom was there visiting with us, so i got to see her, and she made us chili, which was AMAZING. Then we watched the move "The Happening" which was a disappointment for me, but still better than alot out there.

Friday morning, we were leaving to go to Circle S Pumpkin Farm and Em was jumping around, acting goofy and twisted her ankle on the curb in front of our house. This was really funny actually, but i felt really bad for her. The more she sat down she felt it was okay, so we still went to the pumkin farm.

The pumpkin farm was easily one of the best times i have had, ever. We played in the hay barn for a long time, and Gretchen just loved it. She loved running in the deep hay, she loved going down the slides, she even loved falling down into the hay, and she just giggled and grinned the whole time. We also got to go to the Corn Maze, which was fun because we I kept running into the corn to try and make Gretchen giggle, Em would have too, but the ankle injury kind of kept her on the IR more of the day, my mom played a bit too though. We also went through the sunflower maze, G went through a hay maze, and we pet some animals and at homemade pumpkin doughnuts. It was more than a blast.

That night we went home, Gretchen just crashed most of the night and we watched some more movies. The next morning we planned to go the a KCU soccer game in Hillsboro, but Em had to go the the doctor to see if her ankle was sprained/twisted/broken. They checked her out and just wrapped her ankle and told her to stay off of it for a bit.

By the time we got out of the Dr.'s we had already missed our chance to see the soccer game, so my mom went home and Me/Em/Gretchen went to the Circleville Pumpkin Show. It was so huge!! I mean tons upon tons of people, and rides, vendors, games galor. Gretchen just loved people watching, much like her mommy and daddy, but we also go to taste pumpkin bugers and pumpkin ice cream. Both were delicious.

Then on Sunday we went to church and i got to preach twice. I think it went okay, i got the point across that i intended too, talking about Philippians Chapter 2, and how God is calling us to consider others better than ourselves, and our goal should be more to be a servant than a CEO. Had great conversations at church, and the praise team did an amazing job leading people in worship.

Overall, it was just a fantastic weekend. And it just got the chance to realize how much i love my wife and daughter, and how much i love my other family, our church. So thank you to everyone who was a part of this past weekend.

Love you,
Matt

The Bridge