What is up with Believe this year YO!

8/31/06

Fellow Jr high workers,

I have been so slammed at Believe HQ these past few weeks. This is when I really feel like we are in our element at Believe. We have the best staff of people as artists this year we have ever worked with. You know what is like when you are just in the thick of it. I’ve been there and what God is doing is cool. It’s exciting to see all the pieces for the new tour come together. This has all been rolling around and playing out in my head for about 11 months. That is why it is weird when it finally starts to take shape in the garage and with people showing up ready for rehearsals. I just wanted to share with you what we’ve been working on all year:

First, There are a few places you can go to get new Believe videos. You know last year how we did the Leaders Video on line to save time for you at the event. Well I am especially stoked about how we did that this year. We did what we do best . . . complete sarcasm To get videos of Believe artists like One Time Blind; promotional videos to show friends/youth group or our intentional jr high speakers like Mark Oestreicher go to http://www.youtube.com/user/jj122196 (my u-tube account) or check out our podcast on I-tunes keyword CIY Jr High Believe. This is going to be an awesome year! You can also always visit us on the web www.jrhighbelieve.com

Another new thing to our program this year is a line of curriculum that will collaborate with the theme of Believe this year, Jesus, in 9 lessons. We have never done curriculum like this before so we really did our homework. These lessons will work great if you attending one of our national events. There are 2 for before the event and 7 after or you can do 3 before and 6 after. The 3rd lesson is a floater that gives the youth leader more control. Check it out at: www.jrhighbelieve.com/curriculum_new.htm

And on a personal note; Jen and I got the new expansion deck to the card game “Killer Bunnies”. If you don’t know what this card game is you are missing out. Get it!- Ebay. Anyway, it was awesome. We played with friends until about 11:30. I pray God is blessing you and your students as you start the fall semester. Don’t be strangers. Email me about your ministry.

peace

Down time

I've been slammed getting ready for Believe. We have had some off sites and some days off :) Believe is looking great. My golf swing is not looking great. September 18th we load into Memorial Hall for tech week. That is when we set up everything and see what it looks and feels like. If we think it stinks . . . chances are jr high students will too.

Our youngest, Finnley, has had the stomach flue for 24 hours. I haven't slept. Tonight doesn't look good either.

Goodbye Martin

Sad but happy day today. I have known it was coming for quite some time now. Our friend, co worker and fellow musician, Martin Bravenboer has resigned from the band today. This is sad for those of us who have had the privilege of serving with Martin for the past three years. We have so many fond memories. It seems like everything that was thrown Martin’s way he quickly mastered through prayer, dedication and teamwork. Martin and Yanee will be still be living near all of us as Marin has accepted the worship leader position at Christ Church of Oronogo which is where we all attend when at home. I am sure that Martin will be an incredible addition to their staff. This is one of those days in ministry that I live for. I have had many players come and go over the past 10 years of FR. When they leave to serve in a church it is very special. I am sad, proud, excited, scared (that we won’t find the right people to join us in Martin’s position). God is always faithful. Check out our goodbye video with Martin.

Summer closing thoughts . . .

I am sitting back stage of Shryock Theater in Carbondale IL. It has been a long, awesome summer. I’m tired. This ministry is crazy awesome. I do love it very much. Jen and the boys have been with me all summer up until these last three weeks. I have seen them every four to five days. I packed up my rather elaborate backstage tea/guitar/home away from home station. I have this really cool guitar case that holds both my Gibson and Gretch. It is covered with pics of my family. I’m ready to drive to Indy, load them up and go back to Joplin MO. It is quiet backstage. None of the kids have come in yet and the staff is at dinner. It is quiet. FR has had the honor to see 9000 students this year in worship. For twenty two years Jen and I have attended our home camp in Colorado. This was our first time to miss it. It was difficult. We met there. We both have generations of family we see there every year. I don’t regret my decision to not go because it was personally time for me to simply do less. You know, become more specific so you can become more dynamic. Our family has been in Joplin for 5 years now with this incredible ministry of Christ In Youth. I love the men and women I work with. We love our church. I am ready to go back home and enjoy civilian life for the fall. I’ve already packed up my room. When we play our last song tonight I will be in a car about 4 minutes afterward. In about 30 minutes this facility will fill with 1100 students completely pumped. I’m ready to finish strong. I can definitely say that this summer I left it all on the field. The “Mystery” tour might have been the best CIY summer conference I have ever seen. If you were there with us then thank you for the time we spent together worshiping. If you were at NYR then my prayers and thoughts were with all of you this past week. I can’t wait to see everybody this fall on the Believe “Jesus” tour! See you next at Summer conference . . .

Peace . . .

Raising boys . . . it really is scary fun!

8/2/06
I have been gone from home since June 14th. That is a long time for me. My family has been on the road with me for a good deal of that time and we have had a blast. This week though they are at Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Mooresville, IN I miss my boys. Our house is crazy. I got this list today from my father in law and I am sure ready to join the ruckus back at home soon! If you are a guy then you will enjoy this. If you are a mom . . . . stop reading, go take a knap and we will clean it up! Look at the pictures close. The one of the boy eating his morning cereal . . . that made me laugh hard, really hard, . . . perhaps it is just to late in the summer and I am tired, but that is funny! ha!

1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3.) A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not
strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and
a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint
can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on.
When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a
few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.
7.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
8.) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old Boy.
9.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
10.) Super glue is forever.
11.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
12.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
13.) VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
14.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
15.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
16.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
17.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
18.) The fire department in Austin , TX has a 5-minute response time.
19.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
20.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.
21.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizz y.
22.) 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.
23.) 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

The lastest fun video from Foundation Red (behind the curtain)

Hey everyone. We really are enjoying our last week here at SIU. Last night was awesome. We have moved to a theater on campus where a huge pipe organ is housed. The school has an older lady who is fully employed to practice and teach organ. We call her the organ Nazi. Watch the video to see her bust Jon for being in the room while she practices. I promise she has eyes on the back of her head. Follow the link to watch all the FR videos!
peace