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AWESOME STORY!

CHECK THIS OUT!

So last night we had our "re-launch" service for CRAVE 68. It went awesome. Thanks for axin'.

We had about 60 students (9 of which came forward to get saved) and just had a great time. There's such a difference between Jr. High and High School Students. I love high school students, I really do, but with High School students a lot of times you have the "I'm so cool you wish you were me" vibe or the Terrell Owens "I love me some me" attitude. Now there are exceptions to that rule but you know what I'm saying.

With Jr. High students you don't have nearly as much of that kind of stuff, which is excellent. I LOVE IT!

HERE'S THE STORY...
So, as a promotion to help get students to come we gave away $100. I draw out the winning card and call "RJ Clark" as the winner. He's a 12 year old student, who was so excited to win I thought he might mess himself. Think about winning 100 bucks when you were 12, shoot I'd get tickled now to win 100 bucks, but at 12... forget about it.

Anyhow, I call him up front and say to him "What are you gonna do with your 100 bucks?" I give him the mic and he goes "Well, the first thing I'm going to do is put $40 back into that offering bucket!" He hands me his $40 offering and went and sat down. As he sat down he said "God thank you for my 60 dollars".

I was speechless. Dumbfounded. Flabbergasted. Whatever you wanna say. I didn't know what he was going to do when I gave him the mic but that was the last thing I would have expected.

That right there made me wanna be a little bit more like RJ Clark, the 12 year old from CRAVE 68.

More Later,
J



Here's a picture of RJ excited as ever with his 60 bucks...










I still don't think people read this, but whatever.

BACK IN THE SADDLE... GIDDY UP!

So, here's the haps on me.

Ever heard the saying you can run but you can't hide? Well that almost applies to my current situation. The almost part comes in because I didn't really run, just took a step back. Huh?!? Exactly!

Here's the deal. I am back in the ministry as my vocation. Well part of my vocation. Kirsten and I have accepted the position as Junior High Youth Pastor's at our church . For now it's a part time position but it won't be long until it turns into a full time position.

Our group is CRAVE 68. It's the Jr. High portion of CRAVE. The youth church we have been involved with since moving to Florida last summer. "68" is a group of about 60-80 6th-8th graders and what might seem like pure insanity to some is VERY WELCOMED change for me.

God has opened an awesome door for us and we are very excited about the opportunity. We have the chance to reach a lot students and see there lives changed for eternity and as I have found out through my own personal experiences, there is nothing more rewarding than that. So, your prayers are greatly appreciated as we venture into this next phase of our lives.

More Later,
j

Letter or Spirit?

I am writing this out of protest. I think this is a classic example of obeying the letter of the law rather than the spirit of it.


What are you talkin about Rearden? Here's the deal.

My last post (I'm explaining it since nobody reads these things anyway) was kinda how you say... a bet. I said if 3 people remarked that they read my blog I would begin to post on a regular basis. Well, much to my chagrin, 3 people posted. 2 of the 3 (my wife and brewster) I talk with on a daily basis. The point of "blogging" is to communicate with people, I think.

My point (the spirit of the law) was that this isn't a form of communication because the people that read my blog are people I talk with all the time anyway (except JJ, who fell asleep hit his head on the keyboard and woke up on my blog, then decided to say he reads my blog... sure guy). However, the letter of the law stated that if 3 people said they saw it I'd have to post regularly. Well 3 people posted... and apparently we aren't under grace in blogland but still under the law.

So this is the first of several "regular" posts that will float out here in blog-space with nobody reading them... here's a random picture of hunter.



Well, here comes Moses heading down Mt. Sinai with the tablets now, better get off this computer before he thinks it a graven image and breaks the tablets... wait what... was that too far?

Get it... Get it... Moses with tablets a.k.a the 10 commandments a.k.a the law... get it, get it... wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

If you read this...

Here steve happy now? I've posted something new... something new nobody reads.

Let's have a test, want to? I am willing to say that not more than 4, nope 3, people read this. So, here's the test... if you read this (and you ARE NOT directed here by Steve "You Should Blog More" Brewster) post something so I know you've been on. Even if you write just one letter, do something/anything so I can prove to my good ole buddy that nobody on earth really cares about these crazy ole things. If I'm wrong I will become a regular in the world of blog, not an everyday full-blow blog dork, but I'll post more than once every 3 months.

And for the record... please refer to the "maiden post" I made on 02.01.06 and my "I Told You So" post on 02.20.06 as to what would happen with this whole blog thing.

The Kid is a Stud!

Well we're home from the hospital and officially raising Hunter on our own... kind of a scary thought. We got home from the hospital late Friday afternoon and have made it all the way through the weekend and I am back at work. Through it all Hunter is healthy (now weighing 8lbs 10oz), Kirsten is staying sane, and perhaps the craziest thing of all this is Shaq might actually be turning into a guard dog.

Again thanks to everyone for your phone calls, prayers, support, visits, meals, gifts, cards, and everything else I might have forgotten. Here are some better pictures of hunter taken with a real camera. Enjoy...







More Later,
J

HUNTER ALLEN REARDEN

Hunter Allen Rearden
Born: Wednesday, February 22nd at 1:23am
Details: 8 lbs 1 oz, 21 inches long (big football/basketball player hands and feet)

Kirsten and Baby are doing great!

VERY Short Version of the Story:
After ALL day of contractions, labor and all the other things that comes along with birth. The baby had moved all the way down and about 10pm Kirsten pushed for 2 more hours but Hunter just wouldn't come any more. At about 12:30 the Doctor said "it's either the vacuum, which may not work anyway or a C-Section." We opted for the for sure option of the C-Section (come to find out later, per the doctor, was the correct call) and at 1:23 am Hunter Allen Rearden was brought into this world.

So here's some pictures that were taken with my phone, Saturday when we get home i will post some more. It was an AMAZING process to see... Hunter is everything Kirsten and I hoped and prayer for. He truly is a MIRACLE and a blessing from God.









More Later,
J