Shelly and I are reading Ed & Lisa Young's book, Creative Marriage.  We agreed to read a number of marriage books this year as a part of our yearly covenant together. It's important to keep learning and gaining new experiences especially in marriage. There is no magical thing that happens when you get married that makes you a pro at relationships, parenting, conflict resolution, and all the things that come with a marriage.  You have to work at it like everything else. It reminds me of an oil change, it sustains the vehicle and keeps it an its A game.  Investing time and reading marriage books or going to conferences does the same and is all the more important. 

⁷ And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. ⁸ Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' 

Came across this scripture in the message today. It provoked some thought...ouch!

"I can't stand your religious meetings.
I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice-oceans of it.
I want fairness-rivers of it.
That's what I want. That's all I want."
-Amos 5:21-24 (The Message)

In an effort to digest a couple of meetings today i wanted to write down some thoughts i am chewing on. The topic is marginal living. The idea of making sure that you are keeping the important things supreme in your life. All of us have a drive inside to make a long lasting difference in our world, and our surroundings. That is why we find ourselves at times staying long hours after work or missing a few of our kids sporting games or even perhaps forgetting an appointment with a friend of loved one. You get my point i think. Now hear me, i am not saying that we don't work hard and take our jobs seriously, don't steer down that road. In your vocation or job responsibility, as good as you think you are, even though you are indeed valuable, you are replaceable. Here is what I want to suggest...there is one area and only one area in my life that I am not replaceable and I need to put forth my energy and create some margins in my life to make sure that i am the best, and that is in the area of a husband, father, brother, and son. In the words of Eminem, "you only get one shot". So do your best!! This is what pleases God.

Starting this Sunday NCC will have a brand new location in Kingstowne VA.  We will have services for young and old on Sunday mornings beginning at 10am.  If you live in the area or are every visiting, please come by and join us for an amazing time of worship and fellowship. It is so exciting to have the opportunity to advance the Kingdom by launching a new location.  What an honor to be a part of something that is so much bigger than you. We have had a blast preparing for this weekend.  Here are some pics of us installing all the equipment today.  BTW, my life is forever changed due to cinema worship settings.  Shelly and I went to see a movie today around the Annapolis area and i kept eyeing the theater and thinking of where we could set up instruments and store the sound systems:) I love it! Hope to see you sometime at our new location.