Writer's Block

It's been a long time since I seriously considered myself a writer. But, lately I've been wanting to write something. However, I can't think of anything I feel is worth writing. Is this writer's block?

7 Random 7s

I've been wanting to write something, but haven't been able to come up with anything blog-worthy lately. Well, this morning I found a challenge from Kristy Mikel, so here's something that will hopefully kick start my creativity this morning and get me blogging soon!

7 Songs I've been listening to a lot these days:

• Intoxicating by David Crowder Band
• Mess of Me by Switchfoot
• Rodeo Clowns by Jack Johnson
• Stars by Switchfoot
• Triple Trouble by Beastie Boys
• Instead of a Show by Jon Foreman
• What Love Really Means by JJ Heller

7 Places in the world I've always wanted to visit:

• Australia - I want to go on a walkabout in the outback!
• Ireland - This is the only country in Europe that has much appeal to me.
• New Orleans - Mostly because I love Cajun food.
• Seattle - Seems like an interesting place for a visit.
• Africa - The people, the landscape.
• China - Not sure why, I just think it would be cool to see in person.
• Canada - Again, not sure why, but parts of it seem really fascinating.

7 Things I've dreamed of doing someday:

• Being my own boss.
• Writing a book.
• Being a college professor.
• Building my own house.
• Hitting a hole-in-one.
• Going on a cruise with my wife.
• Driving to California and back with my family and stopping at as many points of interest as we can along the way.
  

7 Favorite games of all time:

• Jungle Speed
• Scum
• Ping Pong
• HORSE
• Apples to Apples
• Trivial Pursuit
• Catch Phrase
  

7 Favorite Verses:

• 2 timothy 1:6-7
• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Matthew 5:3
• James 1:27
• Galatians 5:12 (Dan Erickson showed me this verse in college. It made me laugh then, it makes me laugh now.)
  

7 Books I love to read over and over:

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx (haven't actually read this one more than once, but I want to!)

Sorry, can't get to 7 on this one!


7 Books that have deeply challenged me (some repeats):

Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx
Who is My Neighbor? by Wayne Gordon
Radical by David Platt
Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy
Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Let's Boogie!

Last month, I wrote about how excited I am for the IMPACT team Katie and I were asked to be part of. Since that time, we have had the chance to spend some time with the team and our fellow leaders.

This is not the first trip we have been involved with as part of NMC Student Ministries, but it is the first trip that we will be counted on to bring such a high level of leadership. The leadership team consists of Kory & Ali Lantz, Ben & Joslynn Nehls and us.

The night before our first team meeting we had the other leaders over to our house for dinner and games. It turns out this group REALLY loves to play games. It was that night that we were introduced to a game called Jungle Speed. It's a fast-paced, every-player-for-himself game that requires quick, accurate responses. It's also a physical game so you have to be ready to fight if you want to win.

We took the game along with us as we led the whole team on a weekend retreat to a training conference and everyone who played it seemed to love it. Then, last weekend the leaders got together again and played some more. Only this time, we added a twist to the game to make it even more physically challenging.

Here's sort of what it looked like:




There wasn't nearly as much grappling, unless it was a husband and wife fighting for the totem, but nearly everyone left that night with some carpet burns or minor aches and pains.

In the end, it's just a game and it doesn't really hold any intrinsic value. It's what games can do for relationships that make them so valuable.

When you get a group together and start competing against each other, people's personalities show through in a new way. Thankfully, this group of leaders has meshed really well, thanks in part to playing this game together.

We are even more excited about our IMPACT experience now that we've had the chance to bond with our fellow leaders. And Jungle Speed (which we have renamed Jungle Boogie) had a lot to do with that.

So, if you don't already have this game, I suggest you get it and start playing it whenever you get the chance!

Super Bowl XLV

I can't decide which is my favorite picture from the Super Bowl. Both of them involve a title belt: