Category Archives: My Life

My Life

Wild Wednesday

Well, we sold our house and put a contract on another. We have to get everything done, signed, and moved by September 22. Shouldn’t be a problem because it’s only…. SEPTEMBER 1st!?!?!?! WHAT!?!?

Crazy I know! We have had a great 4-5 years in our current home but it is time to move on. After having a baby, we’ve needed a little more elbow room. The house was on the market for the entire summer. The week school started back we were showing it almost everyday and someone decided to make it their home.

We have been extremely blessed in this house. Last night during our High School Bible Study- while I didn’t get weepy- a flood of great memories washed over me. The teens were crammed on the couch while Sandy and I were on the floor and I was eternally thankful for the decisions, relationships, and commitments made and strengthened in this current house.

I am excited about moving and starting new memories in a brand new house. Please be praying for a smooth and easy transition. It is an exciting time for our little family. Movin’ on up!

Experience, Ministry, My Life, Personal Leadership, Resources

YMB: Fall Planning Pt. 2

Last week I began telling you about how I am going about planning for the 2010-2011 school year. I suggested checking out Nelson Searcy’s Planning a One Year Personal Growth Plan and set out to give you some of the highlights of my planning sessions. Today, let’s talk about how to Abandon Annually.

When it comes to planning your Fall calendar, what does it mean to Abandon Annually? Often our planning starts on the microlevel- What must I do today or this week? The tyranny of the urgent has us staring at the handful of trees in our vicinity. When we fail to see the entire forrest we miss so many things and often, we over schedule and double book ourselves.

When you begin your planning by looking over the course of an entire year you can schedule your non-negotibles and then plan accordingly. You also can intentionally lay out the next 365 days and dedicate them to God. There is a calming freedom in looking at a blank calendar and saying to Father, “Everyone of these days are dedicated to you.” My Personal Growth calendar will begin on August 1, 2010 and will end on July 31, 2011.

Searcy suggests that you plan your vacations first (abandon, get it?). He says that while this may seem self-serving, planning your vacation time gives you time to rest and a rested leader is a leader who is free to serve, lead, cast vision, spend time with family, and connect with Jesus more fully. He also suggests putting down your conferences or specific learning opportunities. Finally, Searcy suggests that you schedule a day or two one year from now to planning next year’s calendar.

What does this- Abandoning Annually- look like for me?

Vacations- Beyond traveling to see family during the holidays we have a big plan for our 2011 vacation. Next summer, we will celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary. It is our hope and plan to travel overseas for a week of vacation at the end of the summer. I know that we must begin planning today in order to make this plan a reality.

Conferences- Since 2003 I have traveled to Atlanta, GA for the Catalyst Conference. This is, hands down, my favorite leadership event and I can’t wait for October. For Catalyst, I have to schedule the better part of the week away. There are other leadership opportunities that may be online (The Nines) or local (Echo) and that do not require must preparation but I still need to put them on the calendar.

Youth Ministry- For the ministry, I would encourage you to find out and schedule in your calendar the following:

  • School Holidays
  • Sporting Events
  • Next Year’s Summer Camp dates
  • Super Bowl
  • Inservice days for teachers
  • The day school begins and ends

Review- July 25, 2011 has been designated as the day I will sit down and do this all over again.

Now you- take a look over the next year, Dedicate the next 365 days to growing closer to God each and everyday. Ask him to give you guidance, wisdom, and discernment over the next 12 months. Then set about marking in the most important an non-negotiable dates for this next year.

Remember: Control your calendar or it will control you. Next, we’ll look at how to Measure Monthly.

My Life

My Beautiful Boy Turns 1

Today my beautiful son is one year old. It is hard to believe all the things that have happened over the course of this year. It become harder each day to remember what life was like before he came along! God has truly blessed us with a wonderful gift!

Beautiful Boy
John Lennon

Close your eyes,
Have no fear,
The monsters gone,
He’s on the run and your daddy’s here,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way,
It’s getting better and better,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Out on the ocean sailing away,
I can hardly wait,
To see you to come of age,
But I guess we’ll both,
Just have to be patient,
Yes it’s a long way to go,
But in the meantime,

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you,
While your busy making other plans,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy…

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My Life, Resources, Spilling Personal Secrets, Top 5 Things

Top 5 Things: Sick Things

So I’ve been hanging out in bed since yesterday afternoon because I got the ole stomach bug. I’ve been swigging the Pepto and wishing for the end of the world to come quickly. Obviously I am not a big fan of being sick. So… I thought I’d post a list of my Top 5 Things to Do While You’re Sick. Next time you’re under the weather try a few of my suggestions and hopefully you’ll feel better. Enjoy the list!

1) Monopolize the Couch- You’re sick. You deserve to take up the only piece of furniture that has direct access to the television. In fact, you also need to have complete control over the tv and the remote. Sure, you’re so sick that you pass out and sleep for hours on end but when you regain consciousness the tv better be on the channel I left it on or so help me…

2) Pretending Like You’re Not Sick- Sure, everyone else in your immediate family came down with a horrible, West Nile style stomach virus but that’s NOT what you have. You just ate something funny. You’ll be ok. Just push through.

3) Acting Like a Baby- When I’m sick this is one of my favorite things to do. So what? Who cares? Give me this one thing! Don’t judge me!!!

4) Curling Up in a Ball and Weeping- In the Seinfeld episode titled, “The Dinner Party,” Jerry eats a Black & White cookie that causes him to break a 14yr vomit-free streak. While my streak has never been this long I try to go years between ralphs. I hate, hate, hate throwing up. When I dashed to the porcelain god yesterday all I wanted to do was weep and wail. And I did.

5) Rest- Ok, this one is for real. The best thing you can do when sick is rest up. In fact, there is a good chance that you got sick because you failed to get enough rest. It makes no sense to keep running yourself into the ground when you are laid up. Take this opportunity to catch up on your rest so you can get back on your feet sooner.

Experience, My Life, Youth Ministry, Youth Ministry Tips

Ski Trip & Tip

We’ve been in CO on a youth group ski trip this week. Our first day on the mountain also coincided with the worst weather Monarch has seen in thirty years! It was a near white out. No bueno.

However, day two & three were as close to perfect as you can get. It was absolutely gorgeous! The sun was out, the powder was fresh (an upside of the storm), and the company was awesome! We head home tomorrow but this was one of the best trips I’ve taken with the youth group. Very bueno!!!

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Youth Ministry Ski Trip Tip
This is the third ski trip I’ve taken with teens and if I could give one piece of advice to other leaders out there planning a trip for Spring Break ’11 it would be this:

REQUIRE that your first time skiers take ski school before they hit the slopes!

This is a must for any first timer traveling to ski with us. No if, ands, or buts.

The first time skiers that I have taken have benefitted tremendously from taking the morning lessons. After classes are over I take them up to run some greens. It cuts down on injuries and it helps build confidence in those first timers.

On the flip side, I can’t tell you how many students I see skiing out of control on the mountain only to see them later with their youth group. In fact today I was almost taken out as some student came careening down the mountain, arms flailing, and screaming. She bit it hard and rode the rest of the trail down on her face. I skied behind her and picked up her poles. When I got to her I saw a friend giving her tips.

He’s a tip: Take ski school.

If you’re a youth leader, save yourself some trouble and look out for your kids by requiring the first time skiers take ski school.

General, My Life, Parenting, Planning

Preparing

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We are roughly 8 weeks out from baby. The weeks are clicking by faster than I ever would have thought possible. The pregnancy has gone very smoothly for Sandy- she never had morning sickness but she has developed some muscle soreness in her back and legs as of late. As we get closer and closer to our due date- May 27 we are desperately trying to wrap up all the loose ends.

The Nursery. We have the nursery put together. Sandy and her mother helped put the finishing touches on the paint and decorations during Spring Break. I put the crib together- which was a bit more of an ordeal than I anticipated. I managed to strip 2 screws with the stupid, ridiculously small alan wrench included in the box. No worries though. Simmons sent us 2 replacement screws and Sandy gingerly put them in place. Darn my fat fingers! Sandy’s coworkers are throwing us a shower this week. We are thrilled that we now have a place for the gifts and diapers and clothes.

Birthing Classes. We start parenting/birthing classes this week as well. Thankfully, the hospital is across the street from our house so we won’t have to worry about traveling. I am a bit nervous about the classes just because I don’t know what to expect- except I know that we will watch THE video. I’ll give you an update on the class on Friday and let you know how it goes.

Loose Ends. We are preparing the hospital bag. We have her hospital attire and essentials ready to go. I am creating a birth playlist for my iPod- Some soothing tracks from Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, David Crowder, Alison Krauss and, of course, U2. I am also packing DVDs for Sandy- Our room will have a DVD player and Sandy thinks (ha) that she will want to watch “King of the Hill.” I’m packing them but not holding my breath. We have a car seat for my car. I need to put the stroller together. Um…. We’re just getting everything we can think of ready for baby. Anything we’re missing?

Music, My Life, Playlists, Resources, Taking Vacations

Ski-tastic Playlist 2

Hello from snowy Colorado. We have been hitting the slopes this week at Monarch and I have been having a great time. The weather has cooperated and it has been beautiful! Today I even attempted a jump. Reports say that I caught about 3 feet of air! I landed successfully but… unfortunately I then fell… pretty hard.

No worries though. My hip broke the fall.

It has been the one and only time that I have fallen all week. Apparently I live by the creed of “anything worth doing is worth doing big.”

I’ve been listening to my iPod on the slopes. I know to some that sounds like sacrilege but I feel that the mountain experience is enhanced by a great soundtrack. Here are a handful of the tracks that have made for a Ski-tastic playlist this week.

No Line On The Horizon by U2
Hot Fun In The Summer Time by Sly and the Family Stone
Use Somebody by Kings of Leon
Limelight by Rush
Numb by Linkin Park
Best of You by Foo Fighters
Misery Business by Paramore
Stand Up Comedy by U2
Just Like Heaven by The Cure
Hysteria by MUSE
When the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin
Good Life by Kanye West

I hope everyone has a great spring break. We head for home on Wednesday and would really appreciate your prayers. Take it easy and enjoy the playlist.

peace,
Felker

Discipleship, Ethos, Experience, Leadership, Life, Ministry, My Life, My Wife Rules, Thoughts

Support

1 Comment

One thought that has sweeping across my mind the last few days has been that I am blessed with a ton of support people in my life.

I live in an area where the youth ministers regularly meet together- not just to accomplish events but we really connect with one another. While there has been some turn over the last few years (I’ve been here 3 years and I’m one of the veterans) we pray together, hang out together, and support one another. I had lunch with one of these guys yesterday and while the reason behind our meeting was professional we dove deep into the personal side of life. Today I had lunch with an “older” minister- a guy who isn’t old he’s just a little further into the journey than I am- and our time together was this great melding of the personal/professional that only ministers can truly understand. We shared about our season and then we went and visited another minister who just became a dad. Again, another chance to connect with one another and support each other.

Have I ever mentioned here that I also have an awesome wife who supports and encourages me and challenges me. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me and we are about to launch into the great beyond of parenthood together. While the days of Monday night dates may soon go the way of the dodo, I wouldn’t have traded anything for the time we spent together last night. Thanks Babe.

I have close friends that I can count on- whether in town or on the phone.

I truly am blessed with some great relationships at church too. I love the give and take of doing life together with the families I have around me at church.

Big THANKS to all of you who support me, encourage me, challenge me, count on me, and who let me count on you.

You are appreciated and loved. More than you know.

Awesomenessness, Campus Ministry, Collecting Experiences, Leadership, My Life, Study, Youth Ministry

Looking Forward

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I am so excited about an opportunity I’ve been given. At the end of the month I’ll be teaching a seminar class at Harding University for the youth ministry department. My seminar will focus on weighing the differences between Campus Ministry and traditional Church Youth Ministry. I’ve titled the class Bringing the Big Man to Campus.

I am super excited about this. It has been a goal of mine to pursue opportunities in public speaking and teaching. This opportunity fell in my lap and I am running with it. One day I would love to travel and speak. I love inspiring people and discussing issues of ministry, leadership, and development. This is a chance to do something different and to work on my skills. This also lets me meet and interact with students who are about to set out and serve teens and their families. This is promising to be a great weekend.

Please keep me in your prayers as I am preparing to teach this class. I’ll be sure to post some content for the weekend here soon. Thanks for your prayers!