I’ve been feeling such a pull to jump into something I’ve never jumped into before.

I’m looking for something I’ve never seen before.

I want so badly to do some things that I don’t see anyone else doing.

I want to quit playing it safe.

I want to live where the wild things are.

That was, without question, the longest break I’ve taken from writing here since I started this blog in the good old days.

Lots has happened:

• Celebrated 19 years with the world’s most incredible woman.
• My daughter turned into a teen ager.
• My son hit double digits.
• Closed in on 18 months out of pastoring a local congregation.

I’ve really been wrestling with God and my thoughts during this intermission. It’s been good to take time to be quiet. To take time to listen. Time to shut up and give God the opportunity to speak.

Tomorrow starts a crazy weekend in the Collicott household: two weddings, one bbq, and another birthday party. When it’s all over, I just might come back here and tell you what’s been going on inside my heart and head.

The countdown is on!

May has arrived!

Only 18 days until we leave for an amazing weekend in Truro!

Let me clarify: it’s a good bet that Truro won’t be all that life-changing. Truro is a nice place, and all. But life-changing, no. However, what will take place in Truro is going to change the Maritimes!

The lineup is set. We’ve been praying for he speakers & musicians. Some wild events are coming about ready to make the leap off the drawing board. We’re believing together for a move of God at the NSAC during MYC09.

Pray for Jim Molloy and his amazing team as they’re putting together (with God’s help) a weekend that will kick off the summer of 2009!

Josh has once again stirred my mind with this post.

Josh, you ROCK!

Back from a little thinking break…

Stopped by the Costco for a cheap and delicious hot dog lunch today. A young couple was sitting at the table next to me, and they had one of the cutest little guys! (I remember those days of trying to feed/entertain/nourish/preoccupy a three-year-old…)

I never try to intentionally eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help it today. The little guy lost interest in his french fries and scooted down off his mom’s lap. Like a normal little boy, he took a few steps away from her, just checking out the sights in the busy food court. I almost choked when I heard her say to her son:

‘Don’t go too far…someone will take you.’

You’ll be glad to hear I minded my own business, kept munching on the juicy, all-beef, high-cholesterol goodness of my lunch. I didn’t say anything (partly because the dad was bigger than me, with a shaved head and no neck). I didn’t say anything, but if I had responded to mom’s warning, this would have been my unsolicited advice:

• You think you’re teaching your son safety; instead you’re teaching him to be afraid.
• You think You’re protecting him; instead you’re handicapping him.
• You think you’re preventing others from grabbing him; instead you’re preventing him from grabbing anything worthwhile.

Don’t go too far…stay close…don’t stray from the familiar…don’t take risks…better the status quo than the unknown…be content with what you have, and don’t ever try to improve…

Some Church leaders have succumbed to the whispered warnings:

• Don’t rock the boat.
• Don’t change the order of service.
• Don’t change the music.
• Don’t try anything new.
• Don’t give new people a chance.
• Don’t go too far from the way we’ve always done it.
• Don’t go near something that “WE” don’t think is safe.

Sure, the little guy shouldn’t go wandering around Costco on his own. But don’t make him afraid of the world. Don’t handcuff him to your wrist so he’ll miss the reward of overcoming a new challenge.

Don’t raise him to live a ‘safe’ life. Raise him to live in wonder and curiosity.

I don’t want to live ‘safe’. I want to live a dangerous life. I want to follow the One with the holes in His hands, and the scars on His side.

Don’t try this at home, people. Trust me.

I’m becoming more and more of an online guy. No that doesn’t mean my internet profile is gaining any semblance of popularity, nor does it mean that I am slowly but surely being absorbed into the Matrix.

Sorry, guys…

I am finding that I use online tools more and more to do the stuff I have always used Microsoft to do. Gmail and Google Docs are getting more action from my laptop. Now I discovered (very late in the game, I know) YouVersion. What an amazing tool for reading Scripture! (Cue McDonald’s theme music…I’m lovin’ it!)

You really should go and check it out, like right now.

• Reading the Bible is absolutely essential to a person’s spiritual well-being. God communicates His will to us through its’ pages; we gain understanding of His ways as we read; it acts as my spiritual GPS—pointing me safely toward home.
• I know that sometimes it seems boring, or useless (honestly, who hasn’t felt that way while reading through Leviticus??) but reading the Bible is good for you.
• I meet people all the time who rarely miss a meal, but feed their soul with the Bible only once or twice a week. You can’t live very long like that.

Read the Bible. It’s good for you. And it’s good for those around you.

Interesting day today. Drove through the hinterlands of Nova Scotia to attend a planning meeting for MYC09 in Truro, NS. Not my favourite drive, and (sorry Truro-ites) not my favourite community. Great meeting though. Got lots of things accomplished.

MYC09 is shaping up to be a blast! After a hiatus, we’re returning to the model of a central location on a college/university campus. This year we’re invading the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro. This is a plus. Here are five reasons why:

1. Everything is on site. Rooms, meals, activities, events, services, late-nights, hanging out…no packing everybody in the vans to travel from place to place…and no waiting around for everyone to get there on time…
2. Full size gym for Saturday afternoon sports!
3. Lots of rooms for workshops! Topics of interest to students and youth workers!
4. FOOD! All meals are at the NSAC cafeteria, and are included in the price of registration! I really don’t think the college is going to make any money on us, though—400+ kids and youth workers all eating buffet…hmmm. Good luck, cafeteria crew!
5. (Selfish one) Easier administration. One cheque does it all. Don’t have to pay the registration, the hotel, the meals all separately. One cheque does it all. Really. Should make all the church treasurers happy.

Here are a few more quick hits:

• Cool stuff coming for late nights @ MYC09! The late night host is a little dweeby, but, he’s handsome!
• Pre-convention contest! Win a fab prize for your youth group!!
• More lights! More amplifiers! More decibels!
• Battle of the Bands! Get your youth band rocking NOW!!
• American Gladiators-style jousting making a comeback????? I am so going to own Nathan this year!!!! Getcha popcorn ready!!!
• Confirmed speakers and musicians ROCK!!
• Early-bird Registration Deadline (ie. the cheapest way to get to MYC09) is April 24.
• Fundraising started this week @ SP.

Best news of the day: my cousin Andrea just Facebooked me and told me her cancer is officially declared in remission!!!! Yeah, baby!!! Thank you, Jesus!!!! Lots of people have been praying for her and her family, and this is great news!

It’s officially over. Winter 2008 has come and gone. The days are getting longer now, and there’s a definite strengthening of the sun’s rays, and…I heard the first singing of birds when I went outside for lunch!! Spring is here!

Friday ramblings before I head home:

• Looking forward to a date night with Heather…Don’t call/text me, MIKE!
• Young adults on Saturday…
• The SPOT Sunday night…
• Hopefully visiting with some friends on Saturday…
• Booked for a parenting conference in April. Heading to Bathurst, NB. Not sure why they picked me to speak at it. I’m no expert, for sure. Maybe the other 12 people they asked first couldn’t make it…
• Getting excited about MYC09…
• Canucks are rolling, Baby!!!!!
• Definitely want to watch some NCAA basketball this weekend…
• Go Syracuse!
• Worked on the 30 Hour Famine this week. Should be fun…
• Don’t want to listen to students complain they are hungry, though…
• One of our kids is working on her second sponsor sheet already! Way to go, Rebecca!
• It’s pointless to wash the car for awhile…to much dirty melt-off on the streets…
• Moncton Wildcats start their quest for the Memorial Cup tonight!

I laughed out loud watching this video! Working with students is about as rewarding a career you can ever have, but it can be easy to get caught up in the comparison game.

My youth group isn’t as big as the youth group down the highway.

• They’ve got a flashy website.
• They’ve got a bigger budget.
• They’ve got a ‘cool’ youth pastor.
• They’ve got big TVs, lots of sports, lights and fog machines.

But what students really need is Jesus, and someone who loves them enough to introduce them to Him.

Thanks, Josh for posting this!