Calling all adventurers

Well, many people have wondered what Our three Mosaic translplants look like....well, here's two outta 3. That third one is a little shy. Well, Patti and I leave for Florida tomorrow to close on our house and move. While we are in Florida we want to hook up with all those in Naples that are on the launch team and still in Naples, we want to get together. So Saturday afternoon we are gonna meet at Jason & Christina's house which is on the church property. WE are gonna provide the hot dogs and hamburgers, you guys all bring a side dish and we will have a great time catching up and hanging out. I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone. See you FLoridians REAL soon!

Return From the Land of Sweat

I returned from the land of sweat a few hours ago. What is this sticky land you ask? Well, that would be Alabama youth camp. As you know I as asked to be the speaker for the youth camp, and I had a great time. I did however forget that it is FOUR MILLION degrees in Alabama. It was so hot that when you stepped outside it felt like you were stepping into a sauna. The air itself was hot. Anyway, as I pulled into the cabin I was staying in I heard a quiet sssssssssssss. I knelt doen and realized I had a hissing tire. Yes, that's right within the first five minutes of being there I had a flat tire. So I unpacked the car and began changing the tire with the smallest jack known to man. It was so small in fact I was pretty sure I would have been more successful with a small Pigmy on steroids, alas I could not find one so I went with the jack. It worked. So I out the spare on and guess what? The spare was flat as well. You would think somebody would check those things now and then. Alas, I still needed a small Pigmy. I eventually found help. Nice.

So I decided at the last minute to take the whole family with me to camp. I'm glad I did, it was great. We had some quality family time while at the same time getting to minister. It was the best of both worlds.

Hey thanks for praying for us. The camp went really well. Several people spoke in toungues for the first time, some kids said they spoke in tongues for the first time in a long time. Had several others make committments to Chrsit. Some for the first time and others wanted to give'r another try. All in all it was a great camp. I felt like I really made a great connection not only with the kids, but I also met soe great musicians who know people in Memphis! Yip-ee! If ya wanna see some pix from the camp and our little trip check out flickr for the latest.

House Cleaning

Hebrews 12:18-29 (MSG)

In verse 27 or so, it talks about how God is doing a “thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.”

All of us, at some point over the next few months will be experiencing this housecleaning. Somewhat in the natural, but probably even more so in the spiritual. Know what I mean? Some of you are already seeing it. Like when you start to move, you start getting ready to pack up and what do you find? That you have WAY TOO MUCH JUNK!!! Some of us can’t even fit it into the Uhaul that we rented…HAHAHAHA.

But really, as we are going through this time of cleaning out, packing up, moving and putting our stuff away in our new homes (temporary or permanent), keep in mind that God always does things in the spiritual, sometimes before, sometimes while He’s doing them in the natural. Look around for things in your life that you don’t need. And I mean REALLY NEED.

When we moved into this 3 bedroom apartment, I had to make some tough choices. Even my kids experienced it. Just about every day they ask, “where’s my such-n-such” and I say it’s not here. They have learned that their follow-up response is, “oh, it’s going to be in Mississippi.” Yes, that’s true. Most of their stuff will be in Mississippi, but I’m learning now what they actually play with and what they actually miss. And what they could live without, without ever asking about it.

The scripture says that God is getting rid of the “historical and religious junk” so let’s let Him do that. As we are cleaning house, throwing junk away and packing up our lives to move, let’s do it with our hearts too. Let God get rid of all that history and religion so that we can present a pure and life-giving gospel to the cities of Southaven and Olive Branch and the surrounding areas.

Here He IS!

Well here is the infamous no-name-grandson. Of course now he does have a name, it is Jaden Phillip Gonzalez. So I guess he is official now since he has a name and a photo. All is well, Amanda is home with Jaden recovering nicely. Patti is helping her with all the new baby stuff. Of course I'm still working, and watching three kids. How in the world does my wife do this EVERYDAY! I am truly convinced that my wife is wonder woman!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike and Judy have sold their house in Florida. They have sold their bussiness in Florida, and as of today they now have bought their very first home in Hernando Mississippi. Which in case you didn't know is REALLY close to Memphis. Congratulations guys. These are huge changes, but they are all great!
The team is gathering and converging. It is gonna be.....it wil be... a great time! I love all of you and am SO looking forward to serving side by side with ya'll. (The ya'll is practice)

Two Stories in One

This is the same blog entry as "Myspace" but it definetly bares repeating:

I will start with the exciting news.....As of 7:55PM eastern Standard time, Amanda had her baby! 9 1/2 pounds! Holy cow! i have used bowling balls smaller than that. So Im on the phone with them and I ask them what they decided to name the baby. Even though they have had NINE months to figure out this minor thing they waited. David (AManda's Husband, AKA my son-in-law) had it narrowed down to two names and said when he saw the baby he would know which one to name it. I laughed b/c I have had my share of kids and the only thing you know when they are born is.....well, actually when the baby is born you don't know anything. You turn into a snot faced sniveling idiot that coos and gaas over theis slimey lump of flesh that is your only take home prize from the torture chamber named "labor and delivery." Anyway, so they call me to tell me the baby has been born and it is 9 1/2 punds blah blah blah, and then I say, "Hey what did you decide to name the boy. My forst granchild?" And David said, "Oh I don't know we forgot about that part." Yea, so that my first grand son does not come into this world nameless I herby take up my grandfather mantel and declare that this boys name is, Edibeirto Craig Gonzalez. It has a great ring especially if you put a think Mexican accent on the first and last name with a strong mid-western accent on the midle. See even right now you're trying it. Kool huh? Pictures soon to come.
Story two:
THe other day I was sitting on our 2 inch by 2 inch second story balcony listening to the kids play below. ( I could not see them due to the railing only hear them). Then I hear Sierra scream, "NOAH NO! OH DAD THAT IS SO GROSS!" You would think I would jump up to see what was going on, but by your third toddler you really have seen it all. From poop in the bathtub, to licking toads. Really what could rank with that I ask you? So I sat. Calm and relaxed. Up the steps came Sierra......I waited.......She slung open the door and said, "Dad! Noah is playing with dog poop!" (Okay this does rival previously quoted goss incidents.) I turn around in my chair to face the accussser of the brethren and lo-and-behold, behind her is Noah standing with pure innocence on his face. Of course I think it was innocence I could not tell because it was COVERED IN DOG POOP! Not only was it on his face, his hands, and jammed under his finger nails, but he was holding a tootsie roll all of his own! Sierra just pointed and said, "See!" AS if to say, case closed; your son is holding poop, he is not right. I composed myself and thought for a moment, 'yes poop playing does seem to cancel out all the days of pink hat wearing, lipstick smearing, and purse carrying.' So to the shocl and horror of Sierra and looked at Noah and said, "Go play, but don't eat the poop." He smiled and said, "okay daddy." And off he went. Needless to say, Patti was not home.

Is that right?

I waited for years. Years I say! After Amanda, then Sierra, then Phoebe, finally Noah came on the scene. A boy! A little package full of testosterone. Yes; Noah is all after burner and no rutter. But with all that man-hood I have a question.... Today, he walked down the hall from Sierra's room wearing Phoebe's pink hat, with lime green crocs (Sierra's), and then to top off the colorfully GIRL outfit he was wearing Sierra's BRIGHT pink lipstick from ear to ear! So of course I cast that spirit out of him and sent him to his room. Then Sierra informed me, with great disdain, that Noah had covered their furniture in the bedroom with glitter powder. That made me super happy. (Can you feel the sarcasim?)
So I guess my question is, with all of this pink/powder/makeup/barbies/and high heeled shoes in one house, does my son have a chance to like guns, hammers, trucks, sharp objects, bugs, engines, leaving the seat up, power tools, greese, girls, and toads?

Youthful Thoughts

I am sitting here trying to think back to an era that seems to have escaped me. I was just asked to be the speaker at a summer youth camp of several hundred kids in grades 7 through 12. So obviously you can already see my quandary. At first you probably think, “Yea but you used to be a youth pastor so what’s the big deal?” Well, for starters, used too, and are, are two totally different things. Not to mention the fact that I was a youth pastor 10 years ago! And I was a youth, oh say way before that! Then to wrap it all up I look at the age demographics and realize that I am speaking to a room full of teens that, some, are not in puberty, and others are, well, working on the frustrations of not only being out of puberty, but enjoying all the inner workings of being a vibrant young person. So hopefully you see the gamut of which my quandary lies. What’s that? You don’t think I should use words like quandary and gamut when talking to youth? Okay.

So, anyway, I am really excited about getting to speak to them and share what’s on my heart. Could you imagine what it would be like to be a teen again, but be set free from all that stupid baggage that you walk around with? Could you imagine how freeing it would feel to walk the halls of school and know beyond any doubt that you really are important and that you really do matter? That your life is not a mistake or a screw up, but that God not only planned for you to be the exact way you are but on top of all that actually “pre-filled” you with all the right gifts and talents that you would need for your journey that there would be no worries? Could you imagine that? Kinda funny because most of you reading this blog are all grown up and yet we all still struggle with the exact same issues. Oh sure they might have a different hue, or maybe a deeper shade of pain, but the truth is the problem is the same. We just don’t understand who God created us to be and how He wants to use us to not just survive, but to impact the society that we live in.

So go ahead and go for it, I mean after all, you are all ready “pre-filled” with good stuff, you might as well use it.

(By the way, you could pray for me while I’m speaking it would help. Dates: June 20-22)

(Also pray for Cory's house to sell, Marc's house to sell, more launch team members, and money for the launch.)

The wheels keep moving

The last few days have been kinda crazy. It is that time of month....not that time of month....that Patti and I have the priveledge of mailing out our "Hey can you support us" letters. And the infamous "Hey thanks for supporting us" letters. And of course not to be out done by the "Hey don't forget to continue to support us" letters. And a newsletter to boot. All in all we have been running our own little Kinkos with extra kinks. But as of this post we only have about another 20 minutes of work and they will be all done.....this time. It's not bad it's just busy work ya know. Some have already been mailed out and I have received some phone calls from people telling me that they really liked it. Kool!

Our dates seem to becoming more solidified as time goes on. It looks like we will be closing on our house in Naples on June 30th and closing on our house in Mississippi July 6th. That also means our last Sunday at Mosaic will be around the 15th of July. That will be a sad day. I have made So many really kool friends. It will be sad to leave, but the fun thing is now I KNOW that I have a whole new set of friends that I can always come and hang out with. It is a good thing to have friends. Of course as much as I will miss Mosaic, and I that excited about moving to Memphis and going for it. WHat a challenge! I absolutley LOVE a good challenge!

So far the launch team appears t be shaping up to around 35 people or so. WOW! How freak'n kool is that? Some from FL. some from NC some from TN and some from AL. God rocks!

Change or Transition

Change is never fast. It is a slow grueling road that can wear a person down. The road to change is a long road that always upsets our apple cart. Today I am not talking about or to those people who do not want change. B/c you can't help people who don't want change. Help, in its very essence is change. Someone drowning wants help. That is, they want change from their current situation. You can never help anyone who does not first recognize that they need change, and then second admit and confess that they want change. Until those two factors are met the person just wallers around in a mire of self-indulgent pity that forces this to remain in their exact location.

What we fail to realize many times is that change is the end. It's the solution or the finale'. We don't struggle with the change, we struggle with the transition of moving from our current state to the changed state. Transition is the hangman's noose of change. If transition is not handled properly then the very motivation and incentive that you had for change will be choked out by the noose of transition.

The Children of Israel's biggest struggle in accepting the change from Egypt to Canaan was not the better food or easier work load, it was the transition of the dessert. Transition will always bring out your true motives and issues of the heart.

Ways to Wade

Through transition:

1. Pray
2. Stay acutely focused on the goal.
3. Let go of the old way.
4. Find humor in the details
5. Do the work, don't wait on God.
6. Be Barbarically persistent
7. Journal
8. Stay Pliable
9. Take the crap, it grows fruit
10. Don't stop at Good, push through to Best

Why do transitions take so long?

1. Make us completely let go of the old way.
2. Help us to appreciate the new way.
3. Teach us lessons to prepare us for the new way.
4. It's just a process.

Stocksdale Principle

"You must retain faith that you can prevail to greatness in the end, while retaining the discipline to confront the brutal facts of your current reality. What can you do today to create a pocket of greatness, despite the brutal facts of your environment?" Okay that is the Stocksdale principle, now go back and read it again. It will only take you about 15 seconds – trust me it’s worth it.

Okay now that you have this principle firmly planted in your brain let’s look at it for just a second. Its not just about making it. We need to have faith – all of us – that we will not only see this thing to the end but we will achieve GREATNESS! However we must face the brutal facts that are before us, and face them honestly. We each need to assess ourselves and how we can fit in to maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses. For example if you are horrible at computer work and hate sitting at a desk then what do ya say we don’t volunteer for administration tasks. I know it sounds simple but what we end up doing is trying to fill a hole in the machine to keep it all running smoothly, but in reality our filling a hole with our weakness only makes things worse and stops God from being able to fill it with a supreme person that excels at that task.

On a grander scale what can you be doing RIGHT NOW to create a pocket of greatness where you are? Greatness in your family? Greatness in your finances? Greatness in your new church (that would be SouthPoint by the way)?