Bullet Points

I really can't believe its been more than 3 months since my last post.  What have I been doing?  It's been more like, what haven't I been doing?

What has transpired since September for TJ:

• I had a relationship, with a certain magnificent women, in which I thought was going somewhere dissipate
• The Student Ministry at FPC received a gift from God in the form of a young, gifted man named Mark Shortt who has been leading our students in worship
• I had the most amazing Christmas ever...it felt indescribable to able to give my family more gifts than they gave me (they had a troubling financial year, like many others)
• I turned 29 on January 12 (gulp) and Tiffany Gregory (a student at FPC) baked me a cake (wow!)
• ....I got my ears gauged the same evening.
• We've had two consecutive weekends of snow in NC, what is that all about?

What's going on now:

• The Student Ministry at FPC now has the most volunteers we've ever had: 18!! (Thank you Jason, Solomon, Marsha, Myraida, George, Chris, Tim, William, Mark, April, Emil, Kaylin, Katrina, Amanda, Daniel, Christian, Ethan and Brian!)
• Mark will be leaving us for Florida (Coast Guard orders) in mid-April so we're in the process of looking for another Student Worship leader
• We just had a crazy Super Bowl party last night!!  Parties never go exactly to plan.  For instance, 50 RSVP'd for the event and about 75 showed up.  Let's just say that food didn't last that long...
• Within a month our students have raised $500 in offerings, they're really stepping up and taking this giving thing seriously!!
• We have 62 students, young adults and volunteers who will be doing the 30-Hour Famine for World Vision February 26-28th!  We'll be spending Friday and Saturday night in a cardboard community outside Southgate mall.  We'll essentially be homeless for the weekend, without money, cell phones and an extra change of clothes.  We will not eat at all Saturday while we deliver to the poorest in EC. We'll break the fast by having a $1 breakfast at McDonald's (in tribute to the 20% of the world who lives on less than $1/day).
• We added two new staff members at Forest Park: Brian Sabin and Tony Klepper, I love and admire the passion and work ethic of both these men of God!

What's on tap:

• Sunday, February 28th at 7pm we're having what's called a Hunger Banquet at FPC.  I know it sounds like an oxymoron, that's what's cool about it.   Tickets are $10 and all proceeds go to World Vision!  When you come through the door you draw a country and depending how rich that nation is depends on your amount of food and seating arrangement for the evening. For example, if you draw the USA you'll get a full 3-course meal with a table and chair to enjoy the entertainment.  If you draw Ethiopia you'll get just enough food to satiate your hunger (maybe) and you'll have the floor on which to sit.  Its a great example of how the world's food is divided between the rich and poor nations!  Come out and experience this with us!!
• The following Sunday, March 7th at 7pm (yes the 7th at 7) we're having the World Vision Benefit Auction.  We'll have so much great stuff to auction off.  Gift cards to local shops, a home theater system, a canoe, leather jacket, ice skating passes, movie tickets and so so so so much more!!!  It will be a blast!!
• We're going to Newspring AGAIN for the UNLEASH conference!!!
• I'm going with my buddy Andrew to see the Bobcats and Mavericks in Charlotte on March 1st, so psyched about that.  (Interesting side note: in a span of 3 days I will drive to Charlotte, back to EC and then to Anderson for the conference a total of 1,110 miles.  Just in case you're still reading this insanely long note I drove from Asheville, NC to Pasadena, CA in just 2 days or 2,285 miles.)
• This is the year that Converge is gonna blow up! What do I mean? You'll see...let's just say it won't be just 29:11 in the future.
• Speaking of 29:11 (our college group), we're getting together this coming weekend to go to the OBX for dinner and a movie.  Should be a blast!

What could I use prayer about:

• I'm such a perfectionist and borderline OCD that I don't delegate responsibility half as much as I should
• We cannot afford to lose momentum on Wednesday nights (THE BRINK) so we really need the person God has for us to lead our students in worship
• I honestly don't know where all the food for the delivery of meals for 30-Hour Famine will be coming from right yet (gulp)
• I still have a pretty ineffective habit of being a little too impulsive with my words and body language.  Instead of rationalizing with a person and letting them in on what I'm thinking, my usual response is, "Come on! What are you thinking? Be considerate of other people!" While that may be true, the delivery and intensity is anything but edifying.

That's all I got for today! Ya'll have a great one!