Jazz Extravaganza!

our meadow park jazz ensemble did a great job at their 1st annual christmas concert. we did some really fun pieces of music.

Curious as our cat and Ebay

it was lindsey's birthday friday and we had her gift waiting for her when she was to get back from work...our cat had to check out what was inside before she got home!

i love EBAY! i have sold and bought stuff there for some time. last year I had my blackberry stolen out of my car and got this dash as a replacement...never really liked it...so a year later sold it on EBAY for what i bought it for...listed it and it sold in 1 hour!! ...hint...always keep your original box and all packaging...people like that!...got my blackberry back! :)

worship stuff

i am blessed to work with a very creative team as we plan our worship experiences. our team has been delivering home runs during our "life on loan" campaign with thematic songs, special music, videos, props and more!

our drama team will be delivering one of the most powerful dramas i have ever seen called "everything" based on the song by lifehouse. this will be done live on nov 18th. you will not want to miss this!! we are also are working on a powerful celebration service on nov 25th at the internation center where we will have a praise choir, band and more.

our christmas season is in full swing and this year's christmas concert will be a jazz ensemble extravaganza. this team has been rehearsing already...special vocal guests...great jazz arrangements of the christmas classics...and even a special appearance by the grinch himself will take place...the concert will be Dec 16th 6:30...christmas treats will cap off the evening

Eres me amigo fiel (I am a friend of God)

i still remember a vivid picture of the worshippers singing "eres me amigo fiel" (I am a friend of God) in venezuela...tears streaming down their faces...singing in fact almost shouting the words. i cannot get that picture out of my head nor do i want to!

Romans 5:10-12(nlt)

"for since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God." (the word friend here has been translated reconciled in other translations)

i ask myself why was singing that song so moving there in venezuela...i mean i love that song...great message...great hope...great news...but like a lot of songs we sing...just that..."songs we sing"

what impacted me the most was knowing that most of these people had absolutely "nothing" compared to our standards of "something" yet they sang it as though they had everything they ever would need... knowing from the bottom of their hearts and the depths of their souls that being made a friend of God is everything there is!!...being made right in God's eyes through what Jesus did for us is everything!

i will never ever sing that song the same again and my prayer as a worship pastor is we live...breathe...feel...take in...live out the words we sing in a new and fresh way!

what a trip!

what an experience! God protected us and taught us great things during my time in cua and caracas! see below for a brief synopsis of my trip

welcome to siempre con Christe!(always with Christ)

Well it was quite a day of travel yesterday...after about 16 hours of traveling...clearing customs...sam making sure i did not go with some cab drivers who i thought were custom agents...an hour and a half trip thru the mountains to cua...we arrived at sam and matt's place about 11:30 pm...we sat up until 2:30 chatting...took a cold shower...felt great...turned on my power fan and slept like a baby! day one comes to a close!
day 2
woke up and sam took me for coffee and a cachito (a sweet bread with ham and raisins inside)at the local market.... came home and finished preparing for the conference on friday and saturday...this afternoon we sat down and shared a home cooked meal with matt and sam (sam cooked smoked pork chops and potatoes with sweet tea) tonight...the water goes out in the city at least once a week...went out today...got to experience taking a shower with a 2 liter bottle and a bucket!! on our way to a leadership meeting...i will try to get a daily blog up with day's activities
sam and isbeth consult after their team meeting
sam leading us in worship at wednesday night youth and prayer meeting this was one of the most powerful prayer meetings i've ever attended! these young people pray with with expectation and fervor!

after the prayer meeting we needed to head back to caracas to retrieve some office furniture for the siempres con christos facility. it was an hour and half drive back up and down the mountain...got there about 11:30pm...on the way we needed get gas and sam filled up his gas tak for about $1.50!!!...i wept for all of us... we stayed at the team leader eric's house. this is the georgeous view out the front of his house...it is right on the side of part of the mountain

the conference friday was a great success...alot of great discussion...questions...and there seemed to be a spirit of 'let's get busy with our calling"...lots to tell you...after the conference on friday i stayed in caracas again this time with pastor steve from another church who sent their team to the conference. he asked that i stay over and come to their worship team rehearsal which meets at his house...i worked with their drummer...built some confidence in him...they are just starting the worship band...great bunch of people...we rehearsed...prayed and ate a meal together!! hmmm sounds familiar! :)
the last session on saturday i had them break into their specific teams they came with...they did 5 things...they came up with their own mission statement from words they used to describe worship...they came up with an idea describing what their worship team could become if nothing was impossible (with God all things are possible)... they shared one or two of the most memorable things they will take away from the conference...they shared these assignments with the whole conference publicly...next they shared what they appreciated about the person sitting next to them...and to end they prayed as a team...the worship time was a blast...I got to play drums with the team!
at the close everyone took an exam on the conference...even sam!...they take their educational opportunities seriously!

after the conference we ate at an authentic venezuelan establishment.. :) actually i have many examples to share with you about their food...hmm...hmm...good

after a long day we came back to cua to lead worship for the students...sam is holding me up!!
part of sam's worship team

sunday worship was unbelievable...i got to play drums again...much discussion will take place when i get back regarding why we should be excited about worshiping
i also preached twice!

a new friendship has developed

abbey and cosie have been hanging out closer and closer to each other lately since joyce's passing. this shocked me however!

Happy Birthday Ladies!

our youth pastor's wife sandy and melissa have birthdays one day a part so we took them out to dinner last night. todd had flowers waiting for them at our table! then we took them to a place where every woman dreams of going on their birthday....bowling! :) barb and skylar joined us at"extreme bowling"...loud music...lots of fun



turn the volume way down way down...just a warning. :)

madonna towers cutting edge in activities

melissa was recently featured in the postbulletin online for her activities program at madonna towers . check out the article and the video

ain't she pretty?

betsy took this picture of melissa. we've been married 22 years! hopefully that look is one of "being at peace" and not "what have i done"!

coffee at the speed of life!

there is nothing better in the am on your way to work when you are fourth car in line and they bring your "usual" to you. i always make sure i wave to the other cars when i go around them. i love this place!!! the workers are great and are fun folk. our welcome ministry is putting together a welcome gift bag that may include a java detour gift card. i vote yes!! :)

Abbey sings again

joyce august 8th1994- august 28th 2007

what can you say about a friend who watched your kids go to school through every grade since kindergarten...who was best buds with a cat named rudy who lived to be 19...who loved her mom (melissa) the best and would howl at the stairwell if it was past 4:50 pm and time for her to be home...who slept every night in our bed since she was a pup...who grew to love her big lil' sis abbey-eventually...who sang for treats...who was always at the top of the stairs when we came home...i say we will miss our friend more than you can imagine...i say she is going on ahead and will be waiting at the top of the stairs in our new home in heaven...i say "joyce we love you and will miss you terribly!!"

joyce born august 8th 1994-died august 28th 2007

off to college

wow it seems like yesterday when lindsey was making up another story and making either melissa or i become one of her very interesting characters! well today she went off to college for the 1st time ...in her new car she purchased with her own money she saved. it's really as hard as they say to let go and let her become all God has in store for her. she will always be "binzer" to me. we are very proud of her and are glad she is still staying with us the 1st two years at least!

just try and hate this face!

i came across this picture of the day we brought joyce home! she is now 13 and still can look at you the same way

greetings from the big apple!

well i am in new york city...it took me an hour to walk up to the window to show you my view. that is the famous time square corner you are looking at. i am staying at the mariott times square for the national transplant coordinators convention ...more pictures of the sights to follow
i get to ride these babies up and down to my room...on the outside...glassed in...yippee!
Sunday went to my 1st mets game at shea stadium...the twins need an outdoor stadium...brought back alot of memories when i was a kid...i was taken by bob renaldi from sterling courier...we use them to ship our research organs all over the country..i felt privileged that he would invite me and 2 others ...yes i am working too! :)


this is my crew from iiam...tonight was the start of the transplant vendor presentation and our display booth and answering all the questions about donation for research etc

ok like today i did not know what hit me...they say "we got to take you to chinatown and little italy!"...next thing i know i am getting wisked away to these shops and rooms behind stores that they lock when you get in there...next thing i know i purchased coach merchandise for lindsey and melissa!