BabuLife

Bic Mac Attack

Uugggh...what've I done?  I ate a Big Mac and some fries for dinner with the kids.  I haven't done that in a LOOOOONG time.  And now I'm paying.  I'm feeling so queezy right now and can't believe I used to eat this stuff on a regular basis.

While I'm feeling nauseous right now, I've realized it's time to get back in the game.  Reconnecting my "Fat Friday Weigh In" starting Monday. This means I'll be staying off the nasty stuff.  Lower carbs, no sugar, and hopefully get down to that weight goal of 200 lbs.  So stay tuned.  Another difference this time around...I joined a gym.  Throwing exercise in hopefully will put me at my goal a little quicker. 

If anyone wants to join me let me know.

Pastors Paint the Town...Blue and Grey

Just a tale of how amazing it is to be a pastor at Grace Church...

Every Tuesday we have our staff meeting and then our weekly Pastor meeting.  As the pastors were concluding this weeks tactical session, a friend stopped by to share with us his newly purchased U2 iPod that he received for his birthday.  (by the way...happy bday Little g!)

While I was drooling over the nifty new toy, Gary (aka Little g) informed us that he wasn't really here to brag about his new toy.  He had an ulterior motive and asked us to follow him to the church lobby.  As Tim, Jim and I rounded the corner to the front doors, a gathering of Gracers and family members awaited us with a Cadilac Escalade stretch limo.  A gift was presented to us from our individual small groups.  That gift was a night out at Dave and Busters along with some tickets to the T-Bones baseball game.  How cool is that?!?

We were so blown away by the generosity and love of our friends and family that I think we were stunned silent.  So many people gave so much to just give us a night to hang together.  It was amazing.

Unfortunately two of our pastors weren't able to make it.  Brian was bedridden with the flu.  Tom was also unavailable.  They missed out on a fun evening together and we missed them.

We jumped in the limo and rode out to Dave and Busters.  Downing Sprite and bottled water tastes much different when drinking in a limo.  We had a nice ride out to KC, KS together talking about each others gifts and what we feel each other brings to the pastoral team.  It was nice chatting outside the context of a staff meeting.

At Dave and Busters we were given a private room with HD TV tuned in to ESPN.  I had the Ribeye...I love me some steak!  After dinner the video game room awaited us with about an hour of gaming.  I came in second on the basketball challenge.  I won't mention who was first and third.

At around 7 we walked over to the T-Bones field to see them play Gary, Indiana.  I've only been to Major League Baseball games so this was a first for me.  I like the T-Bones mascot "Sizzle".  He made me want more steak.

At 10:15 the game was over and the limo waited to take us back home.  We were pretty wiped out sitting in the heat.  T-Bones lost but we won knowing and feeling so much love and appreciation from the people of Grace.  It is a joy and privilege for me to be a part of the work God's doing in this local church and even more so a privilege to serve the community at Grace.  Y'all rock!!!

Thank you small group!

Holy Moley that was Fast!

Well I had it removed this morning and am now taking it easy working from home.  I neglected to mention in my previous post that I was also having something removed from my foot as well.  I fully anticipated going into the office today until my pastor, Tim, convinced me that it might be a good idea to just chill.  The doctor also told me the same.

So, I'm comfortably settled into my recliner in front of the T.V. with the old Dell propped on the lap as I attempt to work periodically holding an icepack onto my face.   Yeah...it's minor surgery but I do feel like I look. 

One thing to note...we've got a pretty cool pastor at Grace. I walked out from surgery and sitting there in the waiting room was Tim.  He just wanted to be there in case I needed some help.  How cool!  Thanks Tim for being a Pastor and friend!

Reporting from my recliner in Johnson County, Kansas...

-Babu

Bye Bye Mole

Wednesday morning I'm saying goodbye to an old friend.  It's someone I've been attached to pretty much my whole life.  No longer will I have my children kiss me on the cheek thinking I have a booboo.  No longer will I have a trademark when I draw caricatures of myself.  I'm having minor surgery to have a mole removed from my face.

Over the past couple of years I've noticed it has grown a little and feel like it's time to let it go.  I think my wife is actually going to miss it.  We'll see what the kids think.

In honor of the mole...here's a little video clip below (to my UK readers, I apologize for the possible offensive word):

 

Coming Back Down from the Summit

Great finish today.  Every time I come down from the Summit I feel like I just got kicked around a little bit.  Which is what I need from time to time.  When you think you've got some things figured out...you get schooled and shown that you're possibly heading down the wrong path.  When you think you've been a failure in a particular area...you get schooled and shown that yeah...you kind of are failing at a few things and need to turn back around.

Today I had that moment when Bill Hybels shared his message called "Whatever You Do, Inspire Me".  Sometimes we leaders get so caught up with "getting it done" that we (and by we I mean me) tend to neglect the inspiration aspect of leadership.  That is, pumping inspiration into myself which then in turn bleeds into the life of the leaders depending on me.  That was may walk away from the Summit.

So with that said...here's what's spinning in my head after three days of vision pounding:

• Make time to get personally inspired.  What inspires me to keep going?
• Make time to inspire others.  How are the people I minister with inspired?
• Make time to celebrate with the team.  I like to do it individually with lunches and what not, but I've always felt like I've failed in this arena.  Last Easter was the first time I felt like our team was truly ministered to at one time...and that was all because one volunteer stepped up and took care of the team by organizing food and what not.  I then realized "STOP DOING IT ALL YOURSELF".
• STOP DOING IT YOURSELF.  I've got to step up to the leadership role more.  Inviting others to do the things I think folks don't have the time or won't want to engage in.
• Focus on my strengths.  Sometimes I waste time trying to focus on areas that I am really not made for when I could be building upon the strengths God has given me.
• Helping others.  I don't remember what speaker it was this week, but one of them said to identify what you're really good at and offer it as a help to those in need.  I sat there thinking "Great...I can play the guitar and sing somewhere. Not real helpful"  Then I thought about this whole blogging thing and website stuff realizing that there are inner city churches and others who might benefit from that experience.  Don't know what that means but something I thought about.

I love the Leadership Summit and am so grateful for the opportunity to go.  This year was extra special for me because my wife accompanied me for the first time these last three days.  Thank you Bek, Marie and my mom-in-law for watching the kidlets!  Thank you Tim for giving us all the opportunity to be ministered to.  It was definitely refreshing.

Be sure to check out Tim's notes from the Summit here.

Visit the Leadership Summit blog page here.

Blog from the Summit

I am SOOOO not into blogging from the Summit.  I started to and then decided to just let the master note taker in our group be the source.  So check out our lead pastors blog here.

My report consists only of this...my backside is sore!  The chairs aren't condusive to long sitting.  Wondering if I should bring a cushion.

Later,
Babu

Leadership Summit 2007

Tomorrow I'm heading down the street with the Grace staff to one of the live broadcasts of the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. Last year's Summit had a buzz with the appearance of Bono from U2 (You can watch the entire interview in 8 parts here).  With or without the buzz, the Leadership Summit has provided me some great insight and inspiration.  Here are the speakers I'm looking forward to hearing most:

• Bill Hybels - Always a great influencer and speaker.  I always walk away feeling inspired when I hear Bill speak.
• Colin Powell - I've always had admiration for Colin Powell and his position during both wars in Iraq.  Looking forward to hearing his interview.
• Marcus Buckingham - I don't know this person, but from the description on the Willow Creek website, he sounds like he might have some great leadership insight.

Check out the speakers here.

Anyone else going?

The New Guitar Update

As promised...a pic of the new geetar in action.  Still feeling extremely blessed by this beautiful gift. Thanks to my buddy Jim for the pic.

Vacasheeeoooon

Adhering to the advice of Tim...I'm taking the week off from the office and attempting (ahem...attempting really hard) to not log on this week.  The family and I will be doing various things around Kansas City that we've never had the opportunity to do with the kidlets. 

I think the wife has us mapped out for the week to visit the following places:

• Nelson Atkins Museum
• Union Station Science City
• Neighborhood Swimming Pool
• Hallmark Kaleidoscope

No blogging this week....if I can stay away.

Later!
-Babu

Nu-uh...I can't Believe this Happened

So I'm sitting in my office Friday late afternoon working on some music when I see Pat, our receptionist, through the window of my office door holding a giant box.  It looked like she needed help so I got up and went to the door.  I was confused by the giant Breedlove logo on the box wondering what in the world this was doing here.  Turns out someone out there felt led to purchase the guitar I blogged about and deliver it to my office.  HOLY COW!!!!  As our pastor, Tim Howey says . . . UN-BE-LIEVABLE.

To the anonymous donor...thank you soooo much.  I don't know what to say.  I was literally stunned and shocked.  Your heart was so uplifting....thank you sooo much for the card too.  God is definitely good.

Pics to come soon.