This Week In Review...June 2nd - June 8th

So it has been very crazy since I last wrote, let me share some highlights. This past Wednesday there was a meeting to go over the lesson plans for Sunday School...before that we had a bbq. During the bbq the man who owns the bed and breakfast next to the church offered tickets to a play at a local theater a few blocks away.  I don't like musicals but I like people, plus most of the time I'm by myself at the house from the afternoon on.  These days I've found that it's good to be a lone, just not all the time. I now cherish the times I am with friends and family.  Anyway.  We briefly went over the lesson plan and went to the play.  Like I said I don't like musicals, this one I liked.  It was called "On Your Toes" and it's about a music teacher who used to be a dancer who's student writes a jazz ballet and it gets preformed by the Russian Ballet.  That's the general synopsis...I suggest seeing it but other than the Surflight Theater on LBI I do not know where it's playing.  I had off most of the weekend. (not Sunday of course)  I had band practice o Friday, so I thought I'd head up to Monmouth County on Friday morning.  I awoke Thursday morning.  With nothing to do all day I would have gone crazy.  I did a little earlier in the week, with no one to talk to I created a supplementary personality named Beto Beto Rodriguez.  He is the son of the most interesting man in the world, so that makes him the most interesting son in the world, and also next in line to be the most interesting man in the world.  He's also kindof a girly man, with his long hair and colorful tattoos.  
    So I drove home Thursday.  I went to my home church Calvary Chapel Old Bridge, to go the young adults group called Two:17, the title is a reference to the verse Acts 2:17, which says "And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
   and your young men shall see visions,
   and your old men shall dream dreams;"
    I ended up helping with the sound for worship.  Friday I woke up at 2 in the afternoon, ate and went about my day. around 4:30 I set out for band practice.  I met up with my drummer, Joel, and we ate at Wendy's for dinner.  We then went to Manalapin to the guitarists, Charlie's house to practice.  We got done around 10-10:30ish. Joel and I went a few minutes up the highway to our friend Max's house and watched Star Wars Episode 1, and mad fun of it.  Saturday was uneventful until I went to my friend Josh's house. We were going to go see Prince Of Persia, but we heard it sucked.  So we watched a movie on netflix called "The Machinist" staring Christian Bale.  The movie messed with my head and Josh agreed. But I hadn't thought about it until now, because after we watched it we went to our friend Justin's house for Bible study.  Sunday was Sunday School.  We have a Pirate Theme for the summer.  I play  a bunch of different characters through out the summer. This week was deck maker Dan, a deck maker who throws pies at his employees who make a mistake.  I through two shaving cream pies at Kate, which made me laugh, I don't think it was as funny to her though.  I think shaving cream went up her nose.  Monday I tried to get some song writing done, I had so many ideas, but then got writers block.  Which leaves today, the most frustrating drive to Target in my life.  It was supposed to take 20 minutes, 45 tops, I left the house at 10:15am got to Target around 10:30am.  A new album was released by a band I like called Attack Attack! I normally don't by CD's since I have an iPod.  But I wanted this one.  Plus iTunes had it for $10 and according to the bands official myspace page Target had it $7.99.  I grabbed the last copy in the store, and to my dismay it was $9.99.  I informed the cashier that I was under the impression that it was $7.99.  "Who gave you that impression, because they're wrong!" The cashier said with a tone.
     I responded. "The bands website advertised it all week, saying Only $7.99 at Target through June 21st."
    "I don't care what some website said, it wasn't our website was it? It wasn't the bands official website because then it would be $7.99."
     "It was actually the Attack Attack!'s official site, plus Rise Records official site. (I don't know if it was on Rise Records site or not I just had had enough of this chicks attitude)"
      Long story short I got it for $7.99.  I left target at 11 on the dot.  I followed the signs on how to get out of the complex.  A sign said "LBI ------>"  so I went right like the sign said.  It took me to the Garden State Parkway South.  With no exit until 58, I was at 63.  I got off that exit and went towards LBI.  I was in an area with no cellphone service and nothing but trees and power lines as far as my eye could see.  I turned on my GPS to find my way back to LBI.  (I only use GPS when I absolutely have no clue where I am.  Most of the time I can find my way without it) The GPS, had no idea where I was. But indicated I was possible in the Pine Barrens. I drove for about 25 minutes and the GPS found where I was and prompted me to turn right in approximately 5 1/2 feet.  I turned so fast that my tires squealed I got to the bridge from the mainland to LBI and the left lane was closed, which was no problem.  When I saw the sign that said "Left Lane Closed 1 mile Ahead" me and many other drivers with NJ license plates got in the right lane.  All the NY license plates didn't.  When it came time to merge into one lane the NY drivers felt that they were entitled to merge first even though the ignored the signs to get into the right lane until the last possible minute.  I was in traffic listening to car horns and "Eh, I'm merg'n ere" or "Where's yous lean ta drive" All New Yorkers sticking there heads out the window shaking there fist at everyone.  One even said..."Eh we own da Jersey Shore, MTV says so. We go first!" I got back to the house at 1:30pm.  P. Ray was already there working. We cleaned the whole house. Now I can successfully say I never want to move another bed in my life...or at least for a few years. I'll even take months.  I think I'm gonna take a nap then eat dinner. 

God Bless, and Have a great week,
Bobby

First Sunday...of ministry.

    This past Sunday I started interning at Island Baptist Church.  After arriving on late Saturday/ early Sunday, I loaded my luggage into the house, made up my bed, and passed out.  I had set my alarm for 7:15, but the Lord had other plans.  At exactly 5:45am Sunday morning I woke up.  I looked at the clock and thought, "I'm just gonna go back to sleep"
     I rolled over and tried.  I was strangely awake, and hungry.  I got up, showered, brushed my teeth, and got dressed.  I got into my car and drove to 7/11 got a donut and a coffee, drove back to the house, and began to read my Bible. I had started The Book of Ephesians the day before. It's a rather small Epistle going only 6 chapters.  I had read the first three the morning prior and read the last three that morning.  When I was done with Ephesians, I was still hungry for more of God's Word.  I started Philippians, which is only 4 chapters, but those chapters are filled with amazing Godly wisdom from the apostle Paul.  I ended up finishing the epistle.  I felt energized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
     P. Ray showed up about 8:30ish with his wife Bev.  This weekend was memorial day weekend, so naturally we had a BBQ.  So P. Ray and I set up the yard for the guests. Church started at ten.  After we worshiped the Lord through song.  Ray introduced me to the congregation.  And Kate (Ray's daughter) had me help bring the children to the missions house yard to do Sunday School. 
    Ok, so all that to say this.   In my last post you may recall me saying that I didn't like children.  Funny right considering I'm teaching Sunday school.  So I am really stepping out of my comfort zone here.  A young boy about 9 years named Dylan became quite found of me, and soon after another 9 year old named Cody.  They asked me questions about movies, video games, and Cody, who had just started learning guitar, asked me about music, mostly if I could tune his guitar. 
    The first day was more than ok it was great.  I am super stoked to be here...and I can not wait to see what God has for me in the next few month.

Surrendering to His will daily,
     ~Bobby

The Start of Summer

As the semester came to a close this year I had no idea what I was going to do this summer.  I went through my regular options such as working a summer job and serving at my home church Calvary Chapel Old Bridge.  I was content with these options when an opportunity was presented to me at College.  I go to The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, and am involved in two faith based ministries on campus.  One being Campus Crusade for Christ (or Cru) and the other being Stockton Christian Fellowship (or SCF).  At SCF is where I was offered this opportunity.  The man in charge of SCF is Pastor Ray Laird, he also pastors a church down in Long Beach Island, New Jersey (Island Baptist Church or IBC).  Every summer he offers an Internship in the children ministry to the students at SCF.  At first I said to myself "Children and me don't mix, the youngest group I could do is High School." And I turned down the internship without even knowing what it was other than children were involved.  About a week went by, and I felt the Holy Spirit directing my heart towards doing what I believed I was unable to do.  God works in funny ways.  I couldn't believe what I was about to do. Towards the end of April I asked P. Ray if there was still a spot open for the internship.  He told me there was and he encouraged me.  My doubts were something that the enemy (Satan, The Devil, The Evil One...you get the point) was using to hinder God's work in my life.  For the most part I believed I was unqualified to do any type of ministry.  When somethings broken what do we do with it...we put it on the shelf.  But in God's eyes if we are broken He will use us.  Something I'd heard but never seen any Christian do.  Even after I signed the application for the internship and was accepted to do it, friends, people who are men of God, said it wasn't right for me to do ministry in a leadership sense.  I do admit I've done some stupid things over the past year...things I regret, and I am suffering the consequences for, but I don't think God wants me to not do what's in His will because of the unforgivness of others toward me.  I was told by some people that, "...these things look good on a resume, but you have to answer to God...He doesn't care how good your resume is...it's about the heart."  I am at a point in my life where I do agree that somethings have to change.  I will persevere.  I start the internship in a week from Sunday.  My prayer for the summer is that God would stretch me and mold me into the man He wants me to be.  I have already stepped out of my comfort zone, stepped out in faith, and the only thing I have that's keeping me from going crazy with worry is knowing that God has me in His hands and he will never let go.  

God Bless,
Bobby