In order to adopt 2 kids, we all have had to go to the doctor for a physical: the whole family. I’m guessing they’ll ask for one for the dog soon.

Anyway, in case you were wondering (which I’m really hoping you were not), the craziest part of this deal was the manhood check. We have all boys at this point, so Shannon told me I have to assume doctor visit roles post age 10. If this is too much information: just stop reading.

If not, comedy shall commence now.

• Tyler and Jake:
• Motto: can we do a naked dance?
• They could care less if the doctor wants too see their pee pee. They are not sure why she would want to do that and find it kinda funny. Jake probably just wonders if he can shake it all around for her too.

• TJ:
• Motto: get me a man doctor next time.
• Middle school has hit in full force. You remember the days. Yeah, um he was not happy about the doctors need to examine him so thoroughly. My wife says I have to take him next time.

• Brian:
• Motto: ugly doctors are the best.
  
• I am in the office when she says, “oh yeah, I have to check for a hernia”. I stand up and surprisingly, drop my drawers with very little hesitation in an uncomfortably close proximity to a lady I’ve never met while she says, “cough please.” I must be getting old. I really hope this doctor doesn’t come to Journey and they say, “hey, haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”. To which I will say, “Yes you have, and more of me than either of us should admit for total strangers.”

Conclusion: doctor visits are weird and modesty in men is evidently something you are not born with, learn during puberty, then lose again somewhere south of 30. I think mine went out the door with my college roommates who would not let you even use the can in private.

I spent Tuesday through Thursday at a youth pastors gig called “the gathering” at Saddleback in Lake Forrest. I am one of their “state mentors”, so it was a group of those type of folks gathering around and rebuilding/building old and new friendships and such. I also got a chance to have lunch with a friend from Simply Youth Ministry and talk about some future writing stuff.

Then came home for like 14 hours before flying to Nor Cal to do a wedding for a former student “couple” from my Powerhouse days (Congrats to Kacy [Key] and Drew Walton on their new marriage) on Friday night. This morning was a small funeral/celebration for my grandma at my parent’s house.

Here’s my observations from the last week:

• I love to write. I need to make time to do that more. I’ve got at least 3 book ideas in my head and for the first time every, I actually have options as to how to get them published. I’m gonna have to do something about that soon. (Randomly at my grandma’s funeral one of the women there asked me if I’d written any books she could read. That was weird)

• I do have lots of friends. They are just really spread out. I wish I could pile them all up in one place instead of running into many of them all over the globe for a day or so here and there.

• I have some full time ministry friends- like 4 I can name right off the top of my head- whose homes are so beautiful inside they make me part motivated to keep improving mine, part jealous, and part happy for them. Some days one part rises above the others significantly.

• Leadership is intentional. When leaders start to wing it because they can or because they are stressed or because they think no one will notice, they lose their leadership.

• When the bowling scoreboard also includes a mph rating for your lane, bowling is way more fun.

• My grandma was one cool cat. I should have told her so more often.

• Skype is cool. My sister and brother in law were able to attend my grandma’s funeral live over the internet. That’s crazy.

• I have a lot of students both in my youth ministry currently and from my past who are not, and will not choose to put Jesus in the center of their life as adults. This truth pains me in both healthy and unhealthy ways. Going to events where I will see them is always a mixed bag of emotions for me.

• I need to be intentional about almost every decision I make with my time, money, and energy these days. Self leadership is at an all-time high priority for me right now.

I was listening to a podcast today on the way home from L.A. and it was an interview with leadership/consultant/author/guru: Patrick Lencioni.

He had 3 things to say about leading people that were great reminders (my words, his points) as I work to lead well in my ministry:

• People do not live for recognition, but they cannot live without it.
• My leadership take away: write and speak words of encouragement and appreciation often.

• People need to know their lives matter above their jobs- even if it is a volunteer job.
• My leadership take away: make sure I rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. The more I care for them, the more they will feel empowered to care for others.

• People need to have some measurable results they can celebrate.
• My leadership take away: help volunteers develop measurable baby steps in our ministry and celebrate them when they are achieved.

Went to make a burrito tonight and this is what I found in the drawer.

Went to make a burrito tonight and this is what I found in the drawer.

Thank God for Ziplocs