Driving home from Peoria

Driving home from Peoria
Originally uploaded by travis spencer

Nasty weather on the way home from the conference. Looking at eight images of snow tonight. Roads not too great.

Seattle's Best

Thursday I will be at the Related Leaders conference in Peoria, IL where Mark Driscoll will be speaking. He's the pastor of Mars Hill in Seattle. He'll be speaking on communicating to a new generation. Should be good.

Kid Talk

Five things you should communicate to your kids everyday

1. I love you. (With words and hugs.)

2. How are you feeling/doing today? (Show you care.)

3. How can I make your day better? (You want to be involved.)

4. I'm praying for you today. (Then really do it!)

5. Goodnight. I love you. (Reassure that love at the end of the day.)

Any other "must say" stuff?

In the dark.

In the dark.
Originally uploaded by travis spencer

No electricity in the spencer home. Weathes is crazy. From 50 Degrees to 29 In the last hour. Will drop to 10 Tonight.

VIP Gathering recap

Our first VIP Gathering is a wrap.

Some thoughts just a few hours after the parenting event:

• We had good content, but too much.
• Glad to see the diverse crowd that came.
  
• People crave hearing from "real parents" who have been there before.
• Q and A is good. It takes a chunk of time. But people like it.
• Personal stories communicate well.
• Online resource bullet points sound good, but may not sink in.
• Sitting at pub table and high-coffee tables is a great environment.
• Adding short video clips add diversity in the presentation.
• We had six people share in a one hour window. Many voices help keep their attention.
• Fresh baked goods from a nearby Amish community is a good add.
• Dunkin' Donut coffee was served. (Yep, I choose DD over Starbucks on this one.)
• We need to continue to promote, promote, promote inside the church.
• I believe this will be a great community resource as we continue to tweak it.
• In our size of community (18,000) we will be able to ge te word out that we offer familiy resources that can make a positive impact on children, teens, and parents.
• I would like to see us stir up more discussion...less talking head stuff.

We showed this as a quick intro into the night:

Intentional Parenting

We're hosting our first parents gathering Monday, 6:30 p.m. at First Assembly in Mattoon.

This month's Topic: Building Strong Lines of Communication
This will be an "All-Ages" parents' gathering - Toddler though High School

What will take place?

Information
You will receive great resources and teachings regarding communicating with your kids.
Inspiration
You will hear from parents who have been in your shoes...and survived!
Connection
-You will meet and relate to other parents who are working through the same issues you deal with day-to-day. Enjoy a time of coffee and desserts to share stories and ideas across the table.

Bloggers: We're offering a lot of on-line resources. If you know of some, pass along the websites.

my nose

I can't breathe through my nose.
I'm getting a head cold. ugh.
...and I'm tired.



what's your choice?
tissue, toilet paper, paper towel, other?

What should I buy?

Music lovers, I need your help!
I got $15 and it's screaming to be spent.

What do you suggest?

Plugged. . .

Plugged. . .
Originally uploaded by travis spencer

Wifi Down. I'm locked into one space.

poor little guy

Cooper, our 4-week-old son, is being treated for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux, or GERD, may be difficult to detect in infants and children. Symptoms may vary from typical adult symptoms. GERD in children may cause repeated vomiting, effortless spitting up, coughing, and other respiratory problems. Inconsolable crying, failure to gain adequate weight, refusing food, bad breath, and belching or burping are also common. Children may have one symptom or many — no single symptom is universal in all children with GERD. (wikipedia)

family night

We're going bowling as a family.
Four-year-old, 2-year-old, newborn, mom that can out-bowl dad, and dad that is glad we'll be hitting Starbucks afterwards.

Actually, it'll be fun. I've pre-ordered the bumpers!

I'll twitter the scores.

big ears, small ears

Between Sunday and this morning I communicated to four very different audiences.

Young Married peeps: I co-taught with my wife a chapter out of Sex God by Rob Bell. We talked about mutual submission (chapter 6). If men want to LEAD the home…they need to submit to their wives. And most people don’t think submitting and leading can be done at the same time. Interesting discussion. Submission goes both ways. Speaking to this crowd requires providing an environment that will generate discussion and thought provoking questions. Coffee and muffins are a must, too.

Kids Factory: I spoke to 1st through 5th graders about making God their top priority. Bottom Line: When we place God first, everything else will fall into place. Always fun to communicate to kids. They like goofy. I can handle that. Bring a bunch a kids up on the stage to scream really loud never hurts, either.

The Pipeline (student ministry): I led the group in a multi-media game. All I had to do was act excited, get their attention, and try to draw in as much participation as possible. So pretty much just act obnoxious on stage for a few minutes. Dry and boring doesn't work here.

Men's Book Club: Lead a 6 a.m. discussion out of Every Man, God's Man. (coffee needed!) We talked about persevering through life's storms. The second chapter was about setting boundaries in our life to protect us from temptation. (Chapters 16,17) Have we set up guard rails to protect our marriages? This crowd listens. And when they talk, it's usually real powerful because they have decided to speak from their heart about their life.

Speaking to different audiences sure keeps you on your toes attempting to be an effective communicator.

How can we improve? What helps you?

I wanna be like dad

One boy on the mac, one asleep in the chair. They are mine.

linking you on...

Calling all pastors, leaders, and people involved in ministry stuff.

This is good. Really good.

A post from Perry Noble's Blog

Have a lot of kids showing up in a few hours for a Friday Fun Night.
Not sure I have the enough WOW factor I need.

always looking for great WOW ideas for Children events.
Got any?

if you watch 24...

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Omar Osama bin Laden bears a striking resemblance to his notorious father—except for the dreadlocks that dangle halfway down his back. Then there's the black leather biker jacket.
The 26-year-old does not renounce his father, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, but in an interview with The Associated Press, he said there is better way to defend Islam than militancy: Omar wants to be an "ambassador for peace" between Muslims and the West.

- - -

If you watch 24, there is a weird feeling going through your gut right now. I'm calling Jack Bauer right now.

24 fans, finish the story...

Sweet Dreams

He sleeps pretty good like this!

Bearing The Responsibility of Relationship

We all have people we like to connect with--friends, family, and people with like-minded thinking. On the flip side, we all have people in our circles of influence that we must connect with simply because of job duties and leadership responsibilities.

I believe, as people of spiritual influence and leadership, we must feel a “responsibility of relationship” with all the people on our teams and ministry projects.

To become a more effective leader, I must intentionally build relationships with all of my team, not just the ones I share the most common interests with.

We struggle in this. We tend to grow closer to some, and then fade away and keep a distance from others. But as a leader, we have to push through those natural human tendencies and build relationships with more people – especially those we work along side or oversee.

Some may say this results in superficial friendships. I disagree. I believe we find those common grounds with the less-connected people on our team and do whatever it takes to bridge the gap in relationships.

I’ve watched too many leaders gravitate to the same few people they like and share common threads with, as others are left out from the flow of friendship. Thus leaving some disconnected, feeling less needed, and self-labeling themselves an outsider.

Leaders need to take the initiative. Leaders need to step out of their comfort zones. Leaders need to be more inclusive. Leaders need to build a strategy to connect with everyone one their team in an authentic way.

We must bear a responsibility of relationships with the people around us –whether we gravitate toward them or not.

Seem impossible?

Q & A with my 4-year-old son

Me: Dakota, how old are you?

Dakota: four.

Me: What is your favorite drink?

Dakota: orange juice. (In the background, my 2-year-old said chocolate juice.)

Me: Tell me about your bedroom.

Dakota: We have a bunk bed. And we can play hide and seek. We have secret place to hide. But I can't tell you, because it's a secret. So...bye!

Me: What do you want for lunch?

Dakota: Why are you texting? Macaroni and cheese. Do you want to wrestle?

Me: Tell me about church?

Dakota: It's very fun. And we...i don't know. And God is there. We love Jesus. And We learn stuff there...that's all! (Riley, my 2-year-old, immediately said" we love God.")

Me: What do you like to do outside?

Dakota: Play baseball. I'm in T-Ball today. (He's not. Its 30 degrees outside.) My brother is not. My brother is in t-ball when he gets bigger.  That's all...Bye!

Me: Do you go to school?

Dakota: Yepper-ee. 

Me: What do you like about school?

Dakota: I just tooted. Dad... I tooted.

Me: So, what do you like about school?

Dakota: I already told you. (and then he walked out.)

(He came back with a coloring page form the fridge that he did at school!)

Me: What time is it?

Dakota: I don't know. What time is it mom? 39? Let's check what the temperature is?

Me: What do you like about mom and dad?

Dakota: I don't like them I just like my cousins.

Me: What is your favorite story to hear at bedtime?

Dakota: Cars...i mean Daniel and the lions den. Do you want to wrestle?

Now that I'm 33

I survived another birthday. And, like almost every birthday, I got asked the mundane question,"How does it feel to be a year older."

Here's my answer:

Jan. 12 I was 32. Yesterday I turn 33. Today, I'm still 33.

Today, like last week when I was a mere 32, I still:

• want to grow closer to God.
• be a good husband and dad.
• hurt when people close to me make unwise choices that will impact their lives.
• celebrate when an elementary students asks me to share something out of her bible to the rest of the Kids Factory students because it spoke into her life when reading it at home.
• feed the dog.
• read my Bible.
• talk to my wife about life.
• drink coffee.
• check my email and rss feeds.
• twitter.
• get on the scales and groan.
• strive to inspire others to live for God.
• hate waking up early in the morning.
• wrestle with my boys.

Instead of thinking in years, I've come to believe I need to think in days, moments, and opportunities. I want to make the most of the time I have and opportunities I've been given.

May we always strive to make good choices, avoid temptation and foolish living, love God, love people, and serve as many people as we can--one day at a time.

going solo

I've been waiting all week for this new devotional book to come in the mail.

I really felt like I needed a push forward in 2008 with my regular reading and GodTime. When I saw SOLO at Amazon, and then flipped through it at Barnes and Noble, I knew it would be a great addition to me life this year.

It came in the mail today.
It looks great.

Confession from a pastor: a regular devotional life does not come easy just because you have the title pastor. In fact, an office in the church may be the worse place to find some alone time with God. I must be intentional about making time for some personal time to read, reflect, ponder, imagine, and meditate on God's word and his involvement in my life and in my world.

I know this book isn't a pill or fix-all. But it does bring some fresh inspiration to dive in everyday and hangout with God. I'm excited. I'm excited to have a new tool to help me examine and digest God's Word.

Here's a look at some highlights:
This innovative devotional is designed to change how you interact with God’s Word. The Message//REMIX: Solo revolves around lectio divina, or “divine reading,” an ancient approach to exploring Scripture updated for today’s students. Each devotion delivers a unique, contemplative study that will encourage you to:

Read Uncover biblical wisdom and revelations as you learn to read without the typical limitations that often cut Bible reading short.
Think Immerse yourself in the passage as you place yourself in the story or meditate on words and phrases.
Pray Connect with him through listening prayer and praise as you encounter new ways to communicate with God.
Live Rest, reflect, or do as you discover how to take the Word with you throughout the day.

Looking forward to my daily appointment with God....

You have suggestions?

My desk. . .

Ugh. My desk overwhelms me at times.

going paperless...

Today i took 2004 to 2007 Wall calendars off my wall. No more wall calendars for me.

writing a note to a 5th grader

Tonight I bought a card from Walgreens and will be writing a note to a 5th grader.
A note that makes a pastor proud.

A 5th grade girl came up to me Sunday morning in Kids Factory and told me she put $20 bucks in our missions offering container.

I said, "Great!"
She said, "I got $20 from someone at Christmas. I wanted to give it in the offering."

Most of these kids get excited about the 25 cent toys we hand out for games and give-a-ways. Imagine what $20 of Oriental Trading cheap toys could get them. But instead of buying toys or clothes, or music, one fifth-grade girl advanced the kingdom of God.

May we learn from a 5th grader that we can think beyond ourselves. May her $20 advance the kingdom of God in incredible ways. May we empower our children to affect the destiny of others.

By the way, I'm enclosing some money from another country in the card and asking the girl to keep it as a reminder to pray for people across the world who know nothing of Jesus. May she be inspired.

thoughts?

I'm tired...they're not.

We just spent half the day running around a children's museum with our boys.
- pretended to fly in a plane.
- played with a train set.
- pretended to ride in an ambulance.
- we rolled balls down giant ramps.
- we played in a huge bubble room.
- put together puzzles.
- pretended to cook pizza in a pretend kitchen.
- pretended to work at a drive-through bank.
- learned about coal mines.
- learned about magnetic stuff.
- shoved balls in tubes full of pressured air and watched them race around.
- got to put my hand on one of those crazy electricity globes.

(This is my hand on the right ride of the pic.)
















All this to say....
We get home.
Joy and I are wiped out, tired.
The boys are running around the house yelling, screaming, playing...

needing rest...

Should I open it?

Yikes! This has been in my car while it's been below freezing weather.
Should I open it?

Adding to our team!

My wife and I had lunch today with a college couple from our church.

They are incredible people. They have been attending our church for almost a year.

Today we added them to our Kids Factory team, where they will be working with 1st through 5th graders as small group leaders.

It's always refreshing to talk to people eager to serve. I'm looking forward to working along side of our new teammates. May they invest in children's' lives that will impact eternity.

Raising a team of people to serve others is an incredible responsibility. I'll do my best to invest in them so they, in turn, will invest in even more.

What are a few  ways to invest in our leadership team?

- Connect with them personally through meals or coffee.

- Email or text them about "non-business" stuff so they know you care more about then than your own job.

- Resource them as often as you can. Pass along websites, blogs, and podcasts that will inspire and instruct them.

- Share your vision with them as often as possible.

- Bless them over and over in as many ways as possible.

These are just a few off the top of my head.

What did I forget?

hearts and dollar signs

It's the first week of January. We are ALL recovering from Christmas and the whole holiday season. And now when you go to grocery stores and malls, everything is red and pink gearing up for Valentine's Day shopping.

Can we please take a break from this overload of commercialized holiday marketing.

A 12-hour vacation

Everyone needs a vacation from time to time to relax, refresh, and rethink. However, in our stage of life with a brand new baby at home, taking off for a week away in the Caribbean isn't going to happen any time soon.

Nonetheless, we still need that time of refreshing. Thursday was like putting batteries on a quick charger. In 12 hours, I felt like we left the universe and landed on Planet Peace and Tranquility.

It started with a simple drive one hour out of town. We stopped by some friends' house for a few hours of conversation and baby talk, we went to a cool used furniture store (Owned by Habitat for Humanity)  and looked around. We bought a charming bookshelf for our boys room. ($20) We headed to a Kofusion, an eccentric steak and sushi restaurant where we had a gift card.  We ate sushi, steak and salmon and talked about life. We then headed to a mall and casually trolled it for bargains. Then we ended our stay in Champaign with a 2-hour layover at Barnes and Noble, drinking coffee and reading magazines. (I love Print Magazine.) Then we drove home, headed to our basement, and watched two episodes of 24: Season 6.  (In Jack Bauer's voice:  The following took place between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m.)

What a great 12 hour vacation.   

Kofusion

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Welcome to the new blog

Welcome to 2008. Welcome to my new look and feel of the blog.
callmetravis.com is a way to have my own domain name no matter what hosting site i use to blog from. So, from now on, you can simple bookmark or subscribe to callmetravis.

What will show up on this thing? The same same stuff I've been posting for the last two years. Hopefully sometimes you laugh, you think about God, you reflect on your own life and family, or simply get informed from a news story, a link, or a bit of info I'm passing along.

Why the name? I wear a lot of hats: husband, dad, friend, pastor. Sometimes the pastor title freaks people out and they suddenly act different or talk different around me.
I'm an ordinary guy. Let's just hang out and be friends.