Advantage: Gray

I love playing tennis. Earlier this evening, Heidi and I played a few sets at Avondale Friendship Park. We haven't played tennis together in years, and it was great spending the day with her and doing something different.

I have to tell you, Heidi did a great job and kept me running the court all night. She has this strange ability to hit the back line, then return my volley by barely clearing the net on a short lob. I know I'm not in the best shape of my life, but I'm not even sure that Agassi could have run baseline-to-net as often as I did tonight.

Here is a live-action shot of one of her signature returns:



Perhaps I should have focused more on returning the ball than on getting pictures.

Breakfast Rocks!

In an effort to lighten the mood left over from my last blog and the crummy things going on in my life, I'd like to offer up this Zigvid in honor of something in life that still makes me happy: pancakes.

I must warn you, if you choose to view this video, I cannot be held responsible for the pancake theme song getting stuck irrevocably in your head. If you love pancakes as much as I do, there is an even higher chance of song stickage.

You have been warned.

Personal Barometer

I cannot begin to express how disappointing it is for me that I have not blogged in a long time. This site is a source of a great deal of joy and relaxation for me, and I have missed it greatly. I would go as far as to say that my frequency of blogging and blog reading is in direct correlation to my energy level and/or my attitude toward life. It's like a personal barometer for me.

Over the past few months, I have been struggling with a number of health-related, personal, and professional issues in my life. None of my issues are particularly serious or life-threatening, they are just pestering. I am not deeply depressed or anything, but I am definitely going through a dark time. I wish that I could pinpoint what it is that has me down, but I can't -- and that frustrates me more. I guess that there are just times of random discontent in each person's life, and this is one of mine.

I have never been the sort of person to hide what is happening in my life; I am truly an open book. Please know that I don't write these things to somehow gain sympathy or to cause anyone to go out of their way to make me feel better. Honestly, I'm not even sure kind words will help. I only write these things because writing them down is a way for me to get rid of the baggage that is keeping me down -- and I think its good to share things publicly rather than keeping them to myself.

If you have a minute, I would appreciate a quick prayer on my behalf. I'm generally not selfish about asking for things, but I believe that prayers will help.

Thanks.

Wholesome Fun for the Entire Family

Please refrain from excessive talking, turn all cell phones to silent, and promptly remove crying babies or irratable children so that others are free to enjoy this blog in peace. Thank you for your cooperation.

~The Management

Misundercommunicationism

Communicating clear messages in creative ways can be frustrating. Sometimes, no matter how good the delivery of your message is, the meaning gets lost in the artistry.

Open-Source Leadership

Like many others, I struggle on a daily basis with trying to develop my skills as a strong leader.

I know in my heart that I have the potential to be a leader, but proving that to myself and others oftentimes becomes difficult. I tend to get bogged-down in the everyday routines and focus more on the short-term than the long-term. Instead of being a visionary leader, I focus on what I need to do to get through the day. Call it my survival instinct.

One thing that I find helpful is learning from other leaders. I am fine with reading books on leadership, but I am a very hands-on learner -- for me to learn and grow most effectively, I need to interact with leaders, not just read about them.

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of having lunch with Jon Edmiston, the Director of Information Technology & Communications for Christ's Church of the Valley in Peoria, AZ. CCV is an awesome church; they are reaching thousands of people all over Phoenix for Christ. When it comes to leadership, this church has a great deal to offer.

The most important lesson I learned from our meeting was that I appreciated Jon's willingness to spend part of his day pouring into an aspiring leader from another local church. I'm sure Jon had 100 different reasons why having lunch with me would be too much of an interference in his week, but he still chose to take the time to share his knowledge -- that is true leadership, and I appreciate it. A lot of other leaders might not have given me the time of day.

As I continue to develop into a strong leader, I hope to always remember that I did not get there on my own. I know that I will tap into hundreds of different leaders in my journey to becoming an effective leader. As I grow, I want pour my knowledge into others with the same willingness that Jon had in pouring into me last week.

Speaking of Guitar Hero...

Just came across this photo of me and Palm Valley's own worship leader Derrick Logan at a recent praise team rehearsal:

Hangin' with Brent & Jess

I am writing my first-ever blog from the computer at Brent and Jessica Hodges' house. We just got through with hometeam and Heidi and I decided to stay around for a while.

Brent and I just finished melting some faces on Guitar Hero II and now the girls are downstairs rockin' out to "Sweet Cherry Pie." I think it is hilarious to watch the girls play because they are both REALLY good. Nothing makes me more in love with Heidi than when I see her playing lead on "Symphony of Destruction".

Rock on Bay, rock on.

Sworn Enemy of the Galactic Alliance

My mission was to find and eliminate all minions of the evil Emperor Zurg.

It wasn't until the end of the mission that I realized my wingman, Nathaniel, was a covert agent -- actively working to destroy the Alliance. This photo shows the exact moment of my realization:



Unfortunately, before I could fire a shot, the undercover alien/robot/mouse/pirate cracked me over the head with a concealed churro that he acquired before the mission. The head wound was minor, but cinnamon and sugar in the eyes hurts something fierce.

I gave chase, but the churro dust severely impaired my vision. I lost the enemy as he boarded a Star Tours spacecraft bound for the moon of Endor.

You have won this battle, Nathaniel, but I have direct orders from Buzz Lightyear himself to find you and force you into a lifetime of imprisonment in "its a small world".

You better hope I never catch you.

Lifetime Warranty?

My good friends Tommie and Kyle Dyer recently returned from their wedding on May 5, 2007. As the above picture illustrates, Kyle clearly married for looks and Tommie married for ... um ... personality. :)

Actually, this marriage is uniquely special for me because these two were the first couple for whom I did premarital counselling. I had an awesome time walking with Tommie and Kyle as they dreamed of and prepared for their lives together. I especially enjoyed watching their excitement because it reminded me of when Heidi and I got married. That is a day I could live over and over again.

With this being my first premarital counseling, I am tempted to put a limited warranty on my work. I only say that jokingly, though, because I know that this marriage is not founded on anything that I ever said or did, but on Christ and His grace and love -- and with Christ at the center, you can be sure that this marriage comes with a lifetime warranty.

Tommie & Kyle, it was truly an honor for me to be a part of your wedding. Thank you for that gift.

Congratulations and best wishes!

Short Blogs Rule!

Sometimes I set out to write thoughts that are simple and to-the-point, but tend to end up with a long post because I continually think of more to say.

That's all I wanted to tell you.

The Week in Review

This past week has certainly been eventful. While the week itself has not been particularly busy or stressful for me, I have had the chance to experience some incredible things:

Thing 1:
Yesterday morning, our great friends Brent & Jessica Hodges had their first child. Mason Hodges came into the world at 8 pounds, 6 ounces and 21 3/4 inches long. Heidi and I went to visit them in the hospital to hold the little guy and congratulate Brent and Jess. We could not be happier for the two (three) of them; I know that they are going to make great parents. We love you guys!

Thing 2:
This past Sunday marked the pinnacle of the Seize the Moment capital campaign at our church. What I found amazing through this campaign is seeing the faithfulness of both God and the members of Palm Valley. Our Leadership Commitment Event a few weeks ago was a testament to the faithfulness of the church leaders, and Sunday was a testament to God's faithfulness.

As most of you probably know, Pastor Greg, was in bad shape on Sunday. You can read about the details on his blog, but I was encouraged to see so many people pray for him and then to see God to give Greg the perfect amount of grace/energy/ability to communicate what he needed to communicate. Obviously, God wasn't going to let anything hinder the message that Palm Valley needed to hear. Sometimes, having Satan attack is a cool thing because it gives God the chance to show up big. I think He did just that.

Thing 3:
Last Friday night and most of the day Saturday, Heidi and I got to watch Noah Rudd, the son of our other great friends Justin & Bethany. Most of you know that we have wanted kids for some time now and this past weekend was a great, albeit short, test-run for us. In an effort to clearly show us just what we are asking God for, Noah started his day at 5:30 a.m. Other than the fact that he is a morning person, he is a great kid.

We loved having the chance to see a glimpse of what life will be like with a child. I got to get him out of his crib in the morning, we both got to play with him, we got to take him to Lowe's to shop for gardening equipment, I even changed my first poopy diaper (definitely one of the less appealing events in child-rearing). Still, it makes me look forward to the day when Heidi and I are finally blessed with a child of our own. I hope that our kid can be as fun, cooperative, and cute as Noah.

Thing 4:
On Sunday, we also met and held Connor Bewley, the newly adopted son of Troy & Alison. It was fun for us to see a great couple so proud of the child they have prayed so long and hard for, but it was also good for our hearts to see that God is faithful even if it is not on our timeline.

We waited a long time to meet you Connor, and we're glad you're here.

One Week Down, Thousands to Go

The first few weeks are the hardest -- that I know from experience.

I have started countless New Years resolutions and/or personal betterment plans in my life, and I have learned that determination tends to have a shelf-life. Mine is usually between two and three weeks. I'm on week two now.

Week one of the MG2 Project went pretty well. Since I have so many goals in this project, I planned on implementing them progressively over time so as not to bury myself early. Week one was primarily devoted to focusing on bettering my spiritual life through regular devotional times and prayer. I am happy to report that I accomplished my goal of setting aside the time I need each day before work to begin my mornings with God. It is definitely a refreshing change of pace to begin each day praying to and praising Him.

To help get me jump-started, I bought two devotional books -- one for home and one for work -- that I plan to read through every day. Eventually, I hope to dive deeper in my study of the Bible, but these two books are great starting points for me:



If you remember, please say a prayer for me to stay consistent with my devotional times. If I accomplish nothing else with this project, I want to deepen my faith in Christ and communicate with Him more regularly so that I can become the husband, friend, and (one day) father that God would have me to be.

Coming up in the next update:
P90X - Show me your "bring it" face...

Who is This Guy?

Check it out! I got Greg R to participate in my blog!

Woo-hoo!

The Appointed Time Has Come

I am not what I should be.

On Sunday, October 11, 2007 I will turn 30 years old. The thought of leaving my 20s behind and still having so many shortcomings in my life makes me a bit depressed. I would have thought that, by this time in my life, I would have been more -- more organized, more physically fit, more spiritually strong, a better communicator, more confident, more of a leader -- more of about a hundred different things that I am not, but should be.

This MG2 Project is intended to be a catalyst in improving myself -- sort of like a New Year's resolution that begins in May. I have five months until I turn 30, and I want who I am now and who I will be on that day to be different. I want to see an improved version of me in these three areas:

SOUL ~ Spiritual Discipline I have never been consistent at doing devotions or praying. I believe in them wholeheartedly, but haven't done a good job at developing spiritual discipline in my own daily life. On some level, being around church all my life has made me somewhat immune to the excitement that others get when they read the Bible, or pray to a loving God. These things have been my life from infancy -- and Satan has exploited that familiarity to his advantage by making me almost ambivalent in these areas.

BODY ~ Physical Discipline I'm not merely out of shape, I'm in poor shape. I always find excuses for not working out or for not eating right, and those excuses have only led to me being what I am now. In addition to the typical list of symptoms I get to deal with from being in poor shape, I believe that my current inability to produce children is directly related to my physical health. That both saddens me and enrages me. Things need to change.

MIND ~ Mental Discipline This may be the hardest thing for me to change because I feel like my brain simply does not work the way I need it to in order to be a great leader. I am a very slow information, idea, and thought processor. This makes my ability to work quickly and communicate clearly (especially verbally) a very difficult thing. I communicate well in writing because I am able to think about what I want to write, write it, and then go back and refine my message before anyone ever reads it. I cannot do that with everyday personal interactions and it frustrates me to no end.

The same goes with my work. I have a very difficult time producing quality work under a crunch or with little information or guidance. I rely a bit to much on time buffers. I need to learn how to retrain my mind to be sharper, more visionary, and prepared to produce immediate and high quality results when I'm called upon to do so.

Well, that was an overview of the MG2 Project. You may wonder why I put something like this on my blog. Two reasons - accountability and encouragement. If I make this public, I am more likely to stick with it because I know that other people are hip to what I am trying to accomplish (and what I am trying to avoid). When they see me eating at Barro's, they'll be able to remind me that I have fitness goals that I am sacrificing for two [great] slices of pizza. Also, I hope that people will encourage me along the way to keep at it (especially in relation to my spiritual discipline).

The MG2 Project begins today.

Beginning May 01, 2007

The Road to Nowhere

Well, Heidi and I are back from our get-away-from-it-all trip to Greer, AZ. We had a great time relaxing, eating out, relaxing, watching movies, relaxing, horseback riding, and relaxing.

We stayed at an awesome bed & breakfast called The Red Setter Inn. Here are some photos of the place we stayed. If you ever need to spend some time in the middle of nowhere, this is the place to be.


The Red Setter Lodge


The view from right outside the door to our private deck.


Heidi relaxing on the rocking chair.


The Little Colorado River - just steps from our room.

A Vacation from My Problems!

Heidi and I are going away for a long weekend together.

We are headed to the small town of Greer in the White Mountains in northeastern Arizona. We have never been there, but by all accounts it is a very remote and beautiful area. One of the key amenities at the place where staying is that our room has no phone and no television. Talk about getting away from it all! We can't wait.

We plan on doing a lot of sleeping in, reading, and coffee-drinking. We may even throw in some hiking and/or horseback riding. I'm sure I'll do a little bit of blogging while I'm up there because writing is a creative and relaxing outlet for me. Hopefully I'll get some good pictures to post.

Disclaimer: The title of this post is not intended to be a gripe about my job or my life in general. Its actually a line from one of my favorite movies, "What About Bob".

Here are a few more of my favorite lines:

"Mmmmm Faye? Is this corn hand-shucked?"

"Check it out, I'm in really bad shape. I'm doing the work. I'm baby-steppin. I'm not a slacker!"

"There are really only three names: Dr. Albert Schwitzer, Mother Theresa of Calcutta, probably, and Leo Marvin."

"I get it! If I don't untie myself inside -- the emotional knots, I'm going to explode!"

Not sure why I went off on a "What About Bob" tangent there. Sorry about that. Well, we're off to Lake Winnipesaukee. We'll send you a postcard.

Hierarchy of Sins

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Matthew 5:27 & 28

Is all sin equally bad in God's eyes?

I know that God cannot abide sin no matter how small, but is it reasonable to think that he looks at all sin in the same light? Many people read the verse above and would say that he would see them as equal.

Personally, I have a hard time believing that God would not distinguish between levels of sin. Again, I understand that all sin separates us from God, but is it reasonable to think that God looks at the sin of a child molester as equal to that of someone who deals with selfish pride? Does God's heart grieve equally when he sees a brutal murder and a guy cheating on his taxes?

I think the verse above is not intended to insinuate that physical adultery and lust are one and the same. I believe that Jesus is simply trying to get us to think about the origins of sin's footholds. We don't commit sins by random chance. Sin first plants its roots in our hearts and then grows itself into full-blown active sin.

A person isn't dedicated to a church one day and then cursing the pastor and leaving in a huff the next -- bitterness has to steep in that heart for a while before the sin takes action. A man doesn't just have an affair all of a sudden -- he allows his mind to wander in forbidden fantasies for a while before the sin takes action. It seems to me that all sin is committed only after first being committed in the heart.

Perhaps Jesus was merely trying to give us insight into the origin of our sins rather than to say that both are 100% equal in God's eyes. If we are able to stifle the "sins of the heart" before they become "sins of the flesh", I think that we are making steps toward the holiness that Christ calls us to.

More thoughts on this topic to come...

Excused Absence

To Whom it May Concern,

Please excuse Michael Gray from blogging for a short time. Like the rest of us, he is pouring himself into his work and is tapping himself of as much creativity and energy as he can for the time being. While he yearns to write another post, he yearns even more for sleep. We hope to have him back in the blogosphere sometime after Easter.

Sincerely,

The Management