Friday, May 09, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Moving the blog
It's official. I am now my own website .... devinhudson.com.
Not sure if that is a sign of anything other than my blog is moving.
Make sure you regular readers switch your feeders.
Here is the link:
www.devinhudson.com
Blogspot has been good to me but it is time for a change.
Grace is still the Point and I will keep this site for a while as everyone adjusts.
See you there.
Not sure if that is a sign of anything other than my blog is moving.
Make sure you regular readers switch your feeders.
Here is the link:
www.devinhudson.com
Blogspot has been good to me but it is time for a change.
Grace is still the Point and I will keep this site for a while as everyone adjusts.
See you there.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
First Golf
My first golf outing of the year was interesting. At the end of last golf season, I was playing good golf (for me). I was particularly pleased with my drive at the end of the year. I was consistently driving the ball a straight 260-300 yards. My first golf outing of the this year reminded me why consistency is the key to this game. I was hitting a terrible slice the first 9 holes of the round. As a matter of fact, I sliced one ball severely to the right and heard a loud crash. As I approached the area where my ball had sliced, I noticed an elderly gentleman standing in his backyard with a less than pleasant look on his face.
The guy playing with me had to hit before we arrived to this spot so I had a moment to decide whether I should face the conflict or flee to the other side of the fairway. I opted for facing the conflict knowing I should not run from the consequences of my flagrant shot. What I did not know until I arrived on the scene was that my ball had actually gone through a double pain glass window in their house and landed on their kitchen table.
What I also did not know until my arrival was that is was a 90+ year old couple. They were visibly upset and did not have the energy or strength to deal with this mess. They asked me to clean up the glass in their house and I begrudgingly obliged. In my mind, I was having the "you live on a golf course for crying out loud" struggle but I tried to be nice in the moment and do the right thing.
When all was said and done, I spent about 20 minutes getting it all worked out and provided my fellow golfers a few good laughs before I kicked their butt and went home with the lowest score. I also avoided losing a golf ball - although the elderly couple would not let me hit the ball out of their kitchen to avoid the penalty stroke.
Still not sure who is responsible to pay for the window. My insurance insists their home owner's should take care of it. They insist mine should. May have to come out of my own pocket. Another reason golf can be an expensive hobby.
Well at least it was a beautiful day!
The guy playing with me had to hit before we arrived to this spot so I had a moment to decide whether I should face the conflict or flee to the other side of the fairway. I opted for facing the conflict knowing I should not run from the consequences of my flagrant shot. What I did not know until I arrived on the scene was that my ball had actually gone through a double pain glass window in their house and landed on their kitchen table.
What I also did not know until my arrival was that is was a 90+ year old couple. They were visibly upset and did not have the energy or strength to deal with this mess. They asked me to clean up the glass in their house and I begrudgingly obliged. In my mind, I was having the "you live on a golf course for crying out loud" struggle but I tried to be nice in the moment and do the right thing.
When all was said and done, I spent about 20 minutes getting it all worked out and provided my fellow golfers a few good laughs before I kicked their butt and went home with the lowest score. I also avoided losing a golf ball - although the elderly couple would not let me hit the ball out of their kitchen to avoid the penalty stroke.
Still not sure who is responsible to pay for the window. My insurance insists their home owner's should take care of it. They insist mine should. May have to come out of my own pocket. Another reason golf can be an expensive hobby.
Well at least it was a beautiful day!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Post-weekend
Beautiful weekend in Vegas. 70 degrees and gorgeous. Here are some random thoughts from the weekend...
- Had lunch with my two youngest at school on Friday. Fun time hanging with about 20 second graders from all walks of life.
- Zac and I stopped by the pet store after lunch and picked up 5 feeders for Surge. He devoured them in about 5 seconds. He is vicious.
- Friday night we hung out with some of our remaining launch team. A couple of us went to the movies. The men saw Rambo and the women saw the Matthew McConaughey chic flick.
- Rambo is one of the bloodiest movies I have ever seen. I have never seen so many people die in so many different ways. Wow.
- If you are a man, you have to love the Rambo movies at some level. Seeing Rambo shoot an arrow through someone's skull is exhilarating in some weird way. A lot of incredible CGs for a single movie.
- Saturday a group cleaned out our church storage units. I stopped by for a few moments. Tons of memories in that unit. It was cool to see how far we have come and a little sad to throw out some set design stuff that generate memories of our early years.
- Took our kids to the park on Saturday afternoon. Slammed with people. 70 degrees and beautiful brings the people out in a city with incredible parks and no yards.
- Gotta love living in Vegas this time of the year.
- Practiced some Guitar Hero on Saturday evening and then just hung out and watched a movie with my wife.
- Sunday was another great day at Grace Point. We continued our series on spiritual development. This has been a good series for us and a good reminder to our Christians that spiritual growth and development is about serving and giving as well as getting.
- We are consistently around 750 now which is cool.
- We have been doing some stupid games at the beginning of our service to illustrate the growth stage we are talking about. Yesterday we were focusing on adolescence so we had a cheeseburger eating contest. It was fun.
- Our band was off the hook yesterday.
- New favorite worship song at GP: Hillsong United's From the Inside Out. Incredible song.
- I had some soapbox moments yesterday talking about the tendency of Christians to focus on "being fed" instead of learning to feed themselves and feed others.
- Five20 is going well. We are about to do some major marketing which should take us to a new level. Both the bartender and sound guy are asking a ton of spiritual questions. I have my God sites on them.
- My Heels pulled one out yesterday. Undeserving of the win but we will take it.
- Leave for Evolve next Sunday where I will lead a breakout on bringing the gospel to a culture like Vegas. I have most of the talk finished. It should be a fun breakout for those interested.
Out. I am actually taking an afternoon off and playing golf. First non-Saturday off in a long time. I could not pass up on the opportunity.
- Had lunch with my two youngest at school on Friday. Fun time hanging with about 20 second graders from all walks of life.
- Zac and I stopped by the pet store after lunch and picked up 5 feeders for Surge. He devoured them in about 5 seconds. He is vicious.
- Friday night we hung out with some of our remaining launch team. A couple of us went to the movies. The men saw Rambo and the women saw the Matthew McConaughey chic flick.
- Rambo is one of the bloodiest movies I have ever seen. I have never seen so many people die in so many different ways. Wow.
- If you are a man, you have to love the Rambo movies at some level. Seeing Rambo shoot an arrow through someone's skull is exhilarating in some weird way. A lot of incredible CGs for a single movie.
- Saturday a group cleaned out our church storage units. I stopped by for a few moments. Tons of memories in that unit. It was cool to see how far we have come and a little sad to throw out some set design stuff that generate memories of our early years.
- Took our kids to the park on Saturday afternoon. Slammed with people. 70 degrees and beautiful brings the people out in a city with incredible parks and no yards.
- Gotta love living in Vegas this time of the year.
- Practiced some Guitar Hero on Saturday evening and then just hung out and watched a movie with my wife.
- Sunday was another great day at Grace Point. We continued our series on spiritual development. This has been a good series for us and a good reminder to our Christians that spiritual growth and development is about serving and giving as well as getting.
- We are consistently around 750 now which is cool.
- We have been doing some stupid games at the beginning of our service to illustrate the growth stage we are talking about. Yesterday we were focusing on adolescence so we had a cheeseburger eating contest. It was fun.
- Our band was off the hook yesterday.
- New favorite worship song at GP: Hillsong United's From the Inside Out. Incredible song.
- I had some soapbox moments yesterday talking about the tendency of Christians to focus on "being fed" instead of learning to feed themselves and feed others.
- Five20 is going well. We are about to do some major marketing which should take us to a new level. Both the bartender and sound guy are asking a ton of spiritual questions. I have my God sites on them.
- My Heels pulled one out yesterday. Undeserving of the win but we will take it.
- Leave for Evolve next Sunday where I will lead a breakout on bringing the gospel to a culture like Vegas. I have most of the talk finished. It should be a fun breakout for those interested.
Out. I am actually taking an afternoon off and playing golf. First non-Saturday off in a long time. I could not pass up on the opportunity.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Googling
I still get amused on occasion at some of the word searches that point people to my blog. Here are a few of the latest in bold...
Bee Geez: not sure I have ever mentioned this band ... evidently I have. Don't know the context but definitely not one of my favorite bands.
Multiple forms of 3:10 to Yuma: definitely did a soapbox about the leadership betrayal of this movie.
Cleanliness of tap water: do what?
Al Mohler is dangerous: I guess this is due to his expertise in the martial arts???
Morgan Freeman is god: I do remember the time my son thought Morgan Freeman's character in Evan Almighty was actually God.
Antonym for ...
insight: would that be no insight?
our: would that be your?
post production: would that be pre-production?
series: would that be stand alone?
misnomer: would that be Mr. Nomer?
pastor: would that be someone who works for a living?
purge: would that be defile?
Before you complain: how about shut up?
Children crazy Jesus freak: isn't that the name of a Christian grunge band?
Church Planter leadership agenda: how about ... plant a church?
Dangerous waters: spend a lot of time in them
Disney directing fellowship: come - small group with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy
Gees or Geez: now I am confused myself
Grace Point Church in ...
Austin, Naperville, San Diego, Atlanta, Dayton, St. Louis, Raleigh, Cumming, and South Carolina .... and here I thought we were original.
Hook me up blogspot: definitely a vegas blog
How to promote oneness in marriage ... followed by ... how to promote oneness in my marriage: "I have this friend who ..."
Jesus freak at Grace Point: we have lots of them actually
Listen to bee geeze music: Enough of the freakin' bee gees already! And now I am even more confused. Is it geez, gees, or geeze?
My voice is wrecked after 3 hours of teaching: sure hope he found something useful on my blog.
People picture what you are complain about: do what?
Purge chocolate: been there - done that
Say table grace before meal for homeless: I am sure I wrote a blog about that subject somewhere
Starla needs: who is stalking my wife? And by the way if you find the answer to this on the internet, could you direct me to that site?
Steve wyrick god: not quite
Sunflower seeds bad for you: Only if you eat them shell and all then you will have some digestive issues.
What is abdication: I will not hand over this answer ... sorry that was cheesy
Young hip people live where in Las Vegas: I can only speak for myself on this one
And last but not least, dozens of forms and combinations of the word TATTOO: and that's GP for you! Love it.
Bee Geez: not sure I have ever mentioned this band ... evidently I have. Don't know the context but definitely not one of my favorite bands.
Multiple forms of 3:10 to Yuma: definitely did a soapbox about the leadership betrayal of this movie.
Cleanliness of tap water: do what?
Al Mohler is dangerous: I guess this is due to his expertise in the martial arts???
Morgan Freeman is god: I do remember the time my son thought Morgan Freeman's character in Evan Almighty was actually God.
Antonym for ...
insight: would that be no insight?
our: would that be your?
post production: would that be pre-production?
series: would that be stand alone?
misnomer: would that be Mr. Nomer?
pastor: would that be someone who works for a living?
purge: would that be defile?
Before you complain: how about shut up?
Children crazy Jesus freak: isn't that the name of a Christian grunge band?
Church Planter leadership agenda: how about ... plant a church?
Dangerous waters: spend a lot of time in them
Disney directing fellowship: come - small group with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy
Gees or Geez: now I am confused myself
Grace Point Church in ...
Austin, Naperville, San Diego, Atlanta, Dayton, St. Louis, Raleigh, Cumming, and South Carolina .... and here I thought we were original.
Hook me up blogspot: definitely a vegas blog
How to promote oneness in marriage ... followed by ... how to promote oneness in my marriage: "I have this friend who ..."
Jesus freak at Grace Point: we have lots of them actually
Listen to bee geeze music: Enough of the freakin' bee gees already! And now I am even more confused. Is it geez, gees, or geeze?
My voice is wrecked after 3 hours of teaching: sure hope he found something useful on my blog.
People picture what you are complain about: do what?
Purge chocolate: been there - done that
Say table grace before meal for homeless: I am sure I wrote a blog about that subject somewhere
Starla needs: who is stalking my wife? And by the way if you find the answer to this on the internet, could you direct me to that site?
Steve wyrick god: not quite
Sunflower seeds bad for you: Only if you eat them shell and all then you will have some digestive issues.
What is abdication: I will not hand over this answer ... sorry that was cheesy
Young hip people live where in Las Vegas: I can only speak for myself on this one
And last but not least, dozens of forms and combinations of the word TATTOO: and that's GP for you! Love it.
Being Saved
In preparing for a breakout session at the Evolve conference, I was meditating on 1 Corinthians 1.18: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." What stands out to me in this verse is the concept that we are "being" saved. I think primarily in black & white terms. I am a rational, logical thinker. There is not much middle ground for me. Add to this reality the fact that I grew up in church circles that talked exclusively in terms of saved & lost and this verse throws me for a bit of a loop. What does it mean that we are "being" saved? Paul seems to speak in terms of a process and not in black & white terms.
At the same time, this verse makes absolute sense to me in light of my experiences following Christ. I have said before that the longer I am a follower of Jesus the deeper I recognize my own depravity. I became a believer as a child. There is no way I recognized or acknowledged the depth of my depravity at that stage in my life. As I grew in my faith and became older, I began to realize a couple of things: 1) Salvation is so about God and not about me & 2) I really am a depraved person who depends 100% on grace.
I am in the process of being saved because the gospel continues to work on me daily. I need the gospel now more than ever. I depend on it now more than ever. It is shaping me now more than ever. At times I question whether God could use some one like me. I question why God chooses the foolish things (and people) to proclaim his message. I question why God uses a cracked and broken vessel like me to tell others about the gospel. I know my flaws. I know my weaknesses. I know my sinfulness. I know my tendencies. I know my Romans 7 ways. I know my sins. I know how depraved I can be. I know how my heart is prone to wander - how I am prone to leave the God I love. And yet God uses me in spite of me.
Being Saved? You better believe it. It is a continual process instigated by the God of grace who will one day complete what He has begun.
At the same time, this verse makes absolute sense to me in light of my experiences following Christ. I have said before that the longer I am a follower of Jesus the deeper I recognize my own depravity. I became a believer as a child. There is no way I recognized or acknowledged the depth of my depravity at that stage in my life. As I grew in my faith and became older, I began to realize a couple of things: 1) Salvation is so about God and not about me & 2) I really am a depraved person who depends 100% on grace.
I am in the process of being saved because the gospel continues to work on me daily. I need the gospel now more than ever. I depend on it now more than ever. It is shaping me now more than ever. At times I question whether God could use some one like me. I question why God chooses the foolish things (and people) to proclaim his message. I question why God uses a cracked and broken vessel like me to tell others about the gospel. I know my flaws. I know my weaknesses. I know my sinfulness. I know my tendencies. I know my Romans 7 ways. I know my sins. I know how depraved I can be. I know how my heart is prone to wander - how I am prone to leave the God I love. And yet God uses me in spite of me.
Being Saved? You better believe it. It is a continual process instigated by the God of grace who will one day complete what He has begun.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Heels lose
Tyler Hansbrough's 28 points and 18 rebounds were not enough for the Tarheels last night. We proved once again that we MUST have Ty Lawson to win. Losing Bobby Frasor, our backup point guard, for the year does not give us the luxury of missing Lawson for even one game. I am not one to make excuses but his absence was definitely the deciding factor in the game - that and the fact Duke could not miss a three all night. Hansbrough was basically our only threat the entire night. He is a great player but we can't depend solely on him to win games.
Look forward to the rematch when Lawson is back and healthy.
I HATE losing to Duke! ARRRGGGHHH!!!
Look forward to the rematch when Lawson is back and healthy.
I HATE losing to Duke! ARRRGGGHHH!!!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
It's On
vs
It's go time tonight ... Heels and Blue Devils. Easily the greatest rivalry in college sports. And guess who is back to call the game?
Should be a good one.
Pressures of Portable
One of the greatest pressures a growing church start faces is the realities of being portable. I live with the weight that the guarantee of our "facilities" is always in the hands of someone else - someone who usually has no buy-in to what you are doing. You live with the constant "what if" pressure - what if they simply don't want us in their facility any longer. One disgruntled teacher, a change in administration (which seems to happen every year in Vegas), a principal who wants to protect their facility, a costly mistake by a volunteer ~ any of these scenarios can alter your security as a church using someone else's facilities.
Add to this dilemma the fact that you are in a brand new community that has limited facilities to begin with and you live with the constant pressure of "having your own place" and yet the reality that it is virtually impossible to do so at this time.
What do you do when you are a church of 750 people and yet you are totally dependent on the willingness of someone who has no vested interest in your church? You depend on God like crazy. You do everything in your power to maintain a healthy relationship with the administration and school. You constantly look and pray and think. And at the end of the day, you trust that God will provide what you need when you need it.
Being portable is a challenge. It stretches your faith. It frustrates the life out of you at times. And yet it is another way that God has opened the door for his gospel to be advanced.
Add to this dilemma the fact that you are in a brand new community that has limited facilities to begin with and you live with the constant pressure of "having your own place" and yet the reality that it is virtually impossible to do so at this time.
What do you do when you are a church of 750 people and yet you are totally dependent on the willingness of someone who has no vested interest in your church? You depend on God like crazy. You do everything in your power to maintain a healthy relationship with the administration and school. You constantly look and pray and think. And at the end of the day, you trust that God will provide what you need when you need it.
Being portable is a challenge. It stretches your faith. It frustrates the life out of you at times. And yet it is another way that God has opened the door for his gospel to be advanced.
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