This morning, Jess and I headed to Fairmount for our annual Youth Conference. We took Phil Stuller with us – to keep him out of trouble.

On the way, we stopped and saw Aunt Judy and Kenny, Nathan and Cressalyn – they were at IWU for the area-TNT competition. TNT (for the non-Wesleyan’s) is Teens-N-Talent. Apparently they all did very well, as I found out from my mother who called later this evening.

We also had a chance to stop and see “Aunt” Pam & Richard at their home in Marion. We had a great visit with them and it was good to see the changes they have been making to their home together!

Conference was typical – a bunch of crazy youth pastor’s trying to be “professional”. Jeff Leudtke is our District Youth President again this year – THANK THE LORD! And Rob Tippey is the District Youth Treasurer – so nothing big changed for us! It was a great time to see a bunch of my youth pastor friends again and to spend some time with them all. This year, we, as the youth cabinet, agreed to give each youth pastor on the district a complete set of the Rob Bell NOOMA DVDs – a $129.99 retail value (I got us a deal on the videos thanks to the helpful NOOMA customer service ladies). The youth pastors were VERY excited to receive such a gift – a 10 DVD set that they can use in their ministries. It was fun to watch their eyes get big as we made the announcement!

After conference, we headed back towards Warsaw for supper with Phil and we spotted a crop-dusting airplane. I had to stop and take some photos of course.

More photos of the crop duster are available here.

More photos from conference are here.

We finally came home and ate supper at the King’s Buffet chinese buffet. We had planned on stopping at the nearby Wal-Mart to pick up some much needed “Works” toilet bowl cleaner for tonight’s explosive entertainment. At $.94/bottle, we picked up 5!

I’ve uploaded a couple new “explosive” videos for your enjoyment. Tonight a neighbor came out to find out just how we were blowing up these water bottles. She can’t wait to try it with her grandchildren!

After we came back inside tonight, I had a “why haven’t you called in FOREVER” e-mail from my sister Sherilyn in Bosnia. After my shower, I decided to check and see what time it was in Bosnia/Herzegovina and when I found out it was only 4:05AM there, I gave her a call!

After a few minutes of her waking up and stumbling over words and things in her apartment, we had a great hour-or-so conversation with her!

She’s doing very well in Bosnia these days with new stories to tell us everytime we talk with her. I can’t wait to have her back here in person to learn about more of her amazing adventures.

Please continue to pray for my kid-sister as she serves over in Bosnia for these next few months before coming home!

And of course visit her website and her flickr photo galleries!

Big day tomorrow. I’ll preach in both morning services and then crash all afternoon and evening, hopefully. I am hoping to get a GREAT night of rest tonight to try and be in good health tomorrow morning. I’m still fighting off this nasty summer cold and my voice is not 100%, but I know the Lord will give me strength!

Woke up this morning to some not-so-great news from South Carolina and my folks.

Apparently, my dad went into his job at the auto auction this morning and was told that he no longer had a job there.

Ouch.

Dad was working full-time at the auto auction to supplement the fact that the church wasn’t big enough to pay him salary.

Dad is now unemployed and still a pastor.

Would you join me as I pray for my Dad and Mom during this trying time in their lives? I know God has something great in store for them, I just wish He’d let us in on what that “great thing” is sooner than later!

Tomorrow Jess and I head to Fairmount for our annual District Youth Conference. We’ll be back late tomorrow evening.

I’m speaking in both morning services on Sunday – speaking on the Body of Christ – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. I’m excitedly nervous (as usual).

We just finished watching the newest Brad Stine DVD – he’s a great comedian and if you haven’t heard him yet, you’re missing out!

So, after lunch with my wife, I spent another couple agonizing hours in the office while my head felt as though it would explode.

It didn’t.

I am now at home and have atleast a 2-hour nap under my belt and I can breathe through atleast my left nostril. I had forgotten the ease of nostril breathing.

“Flight of the Navigator” is on in the living room and I have been watching that with many memories for the last hour or so. What a movie!

I have uploaded the videos of Dad whooping me at tetherball for your enjoyment. I am now hosting ALL of my video files at a site called “YouTube“.

Here are the videos: #1 and #2

Last night during theBOX (our weekly youth meeting) it hit me – “I’m getting a cold”.

So, I did what any twenty-something does when he/she gets a cold. I drank my half-bottle of Nyquil and went to bed.

Today I am still sick, but atleast I got a good “passed out” version of sleep last night.

I am in the office working on my sermon for this weekend and continuing to read my latest book, “Velvet Elvis” by Rob Bell. It’s continuing to give me new insight into subject I had never “truly” addressed in my life. I love the way it’s written, too.

Jess is on her way here to the office to take me out for lunch. That will be a good break from office-stuff…