Family

What’s on my mind

Friday just got a little heavier than I intended. Here’s what’s been going on as I take you through my train of thought. Warning! This may be scary.

1. Spoke at revival at Liberty Wesleyan Church this week. Had a great time and felt the Lord speak to me and through me. Awesome to reunite with Travis and Autumn Ward who I used to watch wrestling with every week. God challenged me so much through the messages and was faithful to help me overcome a cough that has progressively gotten worse. Speaking got all sorts of topics going through my head.

2. Found out late Wednesday night that my grandfather(on my dad’s side) has cancer and only a few months to live. Papa Robert is 90 so they are still looking at options. This has got me thinking about the things I don’t know about so many in my family. I want to hear their stories, disappointments, and ask questions like,”what would you change if you had it all to do over again?” I want to capture all of this on video. What if genealogy could jump off the page and speak to us? All of this got me thinking about my regrets. This made me glad that…

3. We didn’t have Facebook or Myspace when I was growing up. I think if I were to look back I would be embarressed and ashamed by some of the pictures, statuses, and tweets I would have posted. It would have been weird hoping my parents never saw my page and revealing my true self to the whole world. On the other hand, it may have kept me honest because maybe I would’ve made better decisions if I knew the whole world were watching. I just think that changing my relationship status once a week and posting “couple” pics would be weird. Would I have cussed on Facebook as much as I cussed in real life? Maybe I would’ve cussed less, cheated less, and been a better person. Oh, I went to church more than anybody and am thankful that the influence of Godly parents, Sunday School teachers, neighbors, pastors, youth pastors, and friends won the day and helped me avoid a whole lot of regret. I realize now that being there didn’t “save” me, but in a way it did. I still had to choose Jesus for myself, but all those hours at church and with the church opened my eyes to what life truly was about. It’s sad how many “good” kids I see go through this downhill progression where they forsake their faith and party hard all for the world to see. It will be hard to tell your kids not to drink when they’ll be able to see all your underage drinking pictures on the internet. I guess it’s odd that what used to be secretive and only your closest friends knew is now posted for the whole world to see. You used to hear stories of people partying, but now we’ve got pics, updates from the party, and statuses from the morning after. I think we’ve gotten so sensitive to not want to be judgmental that we don’t exercise any judgment at all. There’s this attitude that sin is unavoidable so you might as well go with the flow.

4. I try to use the internet and Social Media to share my faith and encourage others. I think they are wonderful tools to communicate with the world. I think that all of these things are making it possible for my children and (hopefully) grandchildren to know my story. I want to make it a great one…one they can be proud of.

The Jerry MacGuire post

The past week and a half has been a whirlwind. Situations, planned and unplanned, have been a source of stress for me and my family. There have been a lot of “rubber meets the road” ministry opportunities. Nothing was covered in any class, seminar, or training that have ever been to. It has made me painfully aware of the grip that sin has on our small town. I have mentioned before the sense of oppression here. That things are never going to get better. That things are the way they are and that’s the way it is. I have seen and heard things recently that literally blow my mind as to how Satan is attacking out town, our children, and our families. Stuff you hear on the news is hitting right here at home. Too often, there is a “no worries” attitude about it all. I think I want to call it “Bible Belt-itis.” We live in an area where everyone “goes” to church or knows someone who “goes” to church or used to “go” to church. This is American Christianity in a nutshell. It’s like getting your oil changed. Get it done every once and a while at the cheapest and fastest place you can find and everything will be alright. The Bible talks very plainly about people who don’t tithe, aren’t active as the body of Christ, sin freely, spend foolishly, engage in sexual immorality, neglect their families, and speak with untamed tongues. It says those people are lost, foolish, heathen, will not inherit the kingdom of God(Galatians 5:19-21), and are to be chased after like a lost sheep, coin, and son(Luke 15). I am taking a hard look in the mirror today. Am I doing enough to shed the love and light of Christ in this town? What price am I willing to pay to see all 2,000 residents won to the Kingdom of Christ? You cannot actively rebel against the will of God and be a Christian. You can’t be living in sin and expect to see the gates of Heaven, pearly or not. I am too tired and too old to be beating around the bush in regards to the sin that has overcome so many people I know and love. I want to be a little more like Peter and little less like a pansy. So, to everyone in Denton, if you’re looking for a youth pastor who’s cool with your kid never having their Bible with them…I’m not your guy. If you’re fine with your sons looking at porn on the family computer with no accountability…can’t help you. If it’s okay with you that your daughter dresses like she just walked off of the set of MTV’s Spring Break-Out…sorry. If you’re looking for someone to cry with you when your child, whom you’ve never modeled the Christian life for or tried to seriously engage with Jesus through an active church youth group, turns up pregnant, drugged up, dropped out, alcoholic, porn addict with an STD you can’t pronounce then I will be happy to hold your hand, answer the “how” question bluntly, and do everything within the power God gives me to see you and your child redeemed by the blood of Christ. This afternoon, I will be making phone calls. I will be laying it on the line with lots of kids. God, forgive me for not doing and being this sooner. What’s that smell? Smells like a Revolution to me. Who’s with me?

Thoughts on a Variety of Topics

1. I wonder how a pro-life supporter can kill someone(in a church)in cold blood because that person is pro-choice.

2. I wonder how many pastors(youth pastors especially) we will see get “let go”, “fired”, “inner circle word for getting fired(copyright, Heath Mullikin 2008)” before the Wesleyan denomination steps in and adds some real job protections to the Discipline. How about when the youth pastor signs a yearly housing lease(because he’s asked to by the board) and shortly after is let go with a pricey out clause? In the corporate world, that’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. On the flip side, if the pastor jets in an untimely and unclassey way then he should be penalized like a college basketball coach. At some point, a DS should step in and say, “nope, you ain’t gonna do that to these good people. You’re taking a year off.”

3. I wonder if the John Wesley movie is going to be as bad as I think it is. I wonder if the 5’4″ Wesley appreciates being portrayed by a guy big enough to be an NFL TE(that’s Tight End for all you non-fantasy football players). I wonder if, as Wesleyans, we are obligated to promote a substandard product which may do more harm than good. Of course, the film may be great and I will see it regardless. I thought “Amazing Grace” was great. I just don’t see Mr. Calvin getting this kind of theatrical treatment. When I see the movie(can’t find the release date on www.comingsoon.net which isn’t a good sign) I will give it a fair review and probably take a bunch of people to see it with me. We may even rent out the whole theater. I’m sure Jam can get us a deal at Cinemark in Asheboro.

4. I wonder if TLC is “The Learning Channel” then what are they teaching us with season 5 of Jon and Kate(episode 2 is on as I type). Why would the couple or the network sign on for 40 episodes in the midst of the beginnings of the current scandal(oh wait, I just dropped a dollar, now where was I)? This season is going to be like Nascar-everyone is watching for the wrecks.

5. I wonder how I game I am so terrible at(golf) brings me so much joy? I will break 100 before year’s end. Just gotta get my arm fixed first. Is there such a thing as golfer’s elbow/forearm or that just called old man syndrome?

6. I wonder why I made my wife wait while I finished typing this. I’m an idiot.

What we do on my day off

Since getting married and having kids I have been much better about taking a day off in every week. Like so many people(pastors too!) I used to be really bad about taking a Sabbath. Now, I look forward to Thursdays and the hilarity that ensues. Here you go:

Monday Night Stuff

Well, it appears that my main fantasy football team will win it’s first game of the season tonight. We will be changing the name from Southern Invasion(southern comfort got vetoed) to Southern Spoilers. Here’s what happened this weekend:
1. Got to preach on Sunday. Talked about John 9. Lately, I have been digging deeper into the gospels and trying to find how Jesus relates back to the Torah. It has been eye opening to see all the symbolism and hints that the gospel writers left to point to him as the Messiah. God is really opening my heart and mind to challenge me.
2. FUEL went well last night. The youth and I are getting to know each other better. Sometimes I feel like some of them aren’t really into growing spiritually, which isn’t unusual for people, but I am guarding against getting frustrated with it. I want our youth meetings to be more effective, and God is helping that take place. By the way, the kids think I say “Tootsie Roll” funny.
3. How bout them COWBOYS?!
4. Does anyone know if Pendleton beat Chesnee in football? If so, I’ve got to call James and the Chesnee crew and let them have it.
5. We’re taking the girls to see the BEE movie tomorrow. It’s their first trip to the theater. I think I am more excited than they are.
6. Seinfeld season nine will be mine in about 12 hours. Did you see the video of Seinfeld on the Larry King show? Hillarious.
7. God is doing amazing things in our lives. He is providing for us financially in ways we haven’t seen before. His faithfulness blows me away even though I ‘m reminded of His power every time I look at my wife and kids.
8. Finally, I miss the Grapevine, the Inner Circle, The unnamed Secret society that I haven’t started a membership drive for yet, project mayhem, Monday night wrestling at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium, 5 am basketball with 60 year old men, Circle M BBQ, Java City, being able to drop into a SWU chapel whenever I wanted to, highspeed internet in my office, Panchos(our mexican restaurant is horrible), Amstar Stadium 14, and the many of you who make me who I am. Fight the good fight. Remember that passing the baton is not a moment…it’s a movement.

Updates! Yay!

So, I should probably change the name of this blog to monthly dose of Heath. Sorry, I just haven’t felt like writing. Well, I did blog for an hour one night about the presidential candidates, but my computer locked up(bet a Mac never did that) and I think that bummed me out. So, I’m back and here’s what’s up.
1. Gotta be at the church in about 7 hours for the pancake breakfast/yardsale. I’m having deja vu. Hope it’s as good as the one in April in Central.
2. Halloween is better when you have kids. Just think, you have people getting candy for you. All you have to do is get em a costume. Sign me up again!
3. Some guys up the street were running around with chainsaws. Needless to say, Halloween is different when you live in a neighborhood and not in the middle of nowhere.
4. NBA 2k8 is the exact same as last year. If you’re in the paint, you miss every time. I traded it in for Guitar Hero 3.
5. My mom was up last weekend for a nice visit. I’ve been homesick since she left.
6. I gotta be honest. I don’t think Books A Million has a million books. Plus, I don’t think people are reading. We’re buying books because we have book shelves at home that we have to fill. We don’t want to look like a moron with an empty book shelf. Come on. We all know we’re not reading any of them.
7. My fantasy football teams are horrible. Plain horrible. I don’t think my basketball team is going to be much better. As long as I beat Timmy in both, I’ll be fine.
8. I’m preaching Sunday. God is really opening my mind to His word right now. I am getting deeper and seeing how things connect so much better than I used to. Plus, I’m using a Mr. Bean clip which leads me to…
9. If you like Mr. Bean, then you have to get the Whole Bean which includes every episode of the TV show. I laughed so hard watching them today. (I was looking for my clip so it was work.) Rowan Atkinson is a comic genius. I first saw him on my flight to London in 95. By the way, Palmer, tell Prince Charles I said hello. Give him my best.
10. Taking the girls to see BEE movie next week. Their first theater trip. I’m more excited than they are. Then, Seinfeld season 9 comes out on DVD the next week. “Starting Now!”
11. Didn’t think I’d have eleven things to say.
12. Is it bad that I go to work every Monday hoping my pastor will give me a rematch at Madden after our staff meeting. Do you know how awesome two person staff meetings are?
13. Hope to go the Sixers home opener tomorrow night.
14. Going to see Rob Bell in Philly with Adam Jones(yes, that Adam Jones), Dan Riddle, and Brian Dalbow. Should be good.
15. Off to bed. God Bless you all!