**Mustard Seed Distributed**

This is the question that has been ringing in my ears all week. I knew it was the topic for discussion this morning at communitas, but even before that I knew it all week, and I knew the question is something I have been challenged with continuously, particularly this week. Why do I call Jesus Lord, but not listen when the Holy Spirit attempts to guide me? Why do I call out his name and ask for His help, and then turn my back and entertain my selfish desires? Why do I ask Him to bless my marriage, then dishonor my wife and my family? Why do I call Jesus Lord, and then run directly away from Him and pursue my own path? I do it because my heart is disconnected with His guidance. And so, I must dive into what it means to follow Jesus today, and confess with all my confidence at the foot of God. I pray that I have the will power and strength to listen when I am challenged with decisions of right or wrong. And I ask Jesus to help me. Always.

It has been a challenging week for me personally. Struggling with some things personal in nature, nothing that I need to go into, but just working hard to keep my chin up. But encouragement comes to me through others that follow God. Thanks to sick Pete for his encouragement to me this week. Thanks to BK for his prayers and vulnerability. But my biggest thanks goes out to the kkft. After a tough week, I got an email yesterday from superstar saying she was hoping to take me out to dinner for drinks, conversation, and even dessert. But no sitter. So her and the girls were working on 'casa de kelly' restaurant in our apartment. I am almost certain it was the best restaurant I have ever visited in my life. Candlelight, mexican food and latin music, time to sit and chat with my wife, the girls serving us and giving us privacy (even had the taboo buzzer to call them when we needed something :)), it was my best night of the year by far. But perhaps the biggest part of the n...

So I have not (that I'm aware of) blogged on the status of my principalship position for quite some time. As a PIR, I have been quite busy with helping in the opening of a new school this fall, and learning lots about all the things that I will need to pay attention to in opening my own school. However, I interviewed with a potential board in November? They stated they hoped to make a decision by January 1. I spoke of my journey to nyc in the first interview, and that may have caused hesitation on their part based on feedback that I was given. And so I met with the entire board last night. And still no decision. I know I need to trust God, and you would think that I would have learned by now that He will take care of my every need. So if I logically think that through, what exactly is it that is making me upset today? What is it that is causing me to feel confused? What is it that is causing anxiety for me? What is it that is making me feel a bit of anger toward this? I...

Today at recess, I was taken down by one....then two....then four...then fourteen....then over twenty kindergarteners. It was on the rubber matted playground, so it didn't hurt. But looking up at the joy on their faces, hearing the laughter, and enjoying the sunshine and blue sky in the background of pure, unadultered joy with so much laughter, smile, and giggles is perhaps the most fun I have ever had in my career. :)

My heart aches for the people of Haiti. It pains me to think of the destruction and despair some are facing, and the incredible losses of life that Haitians now know. If I feel this much over people that I don't even know, and I have never met, I can only imagine what God must feel as those he loves and created. Pray for those in Haiti. Now.

This week has been a very gigantimous encouragement to me on all fronts. I was fortunate enough to travel to GR for some training for work, and the training was incredible. It really elevated my thoughts on opening a new school, and what the PD might look like for a new staff as we dive into some pretty hefty topics and initiatives with our company. I had time to process my thinking on how to support teachers and students in a challenging process, and I was encouraged by my ideas. I was encouraged by people I haven't seen in nearly a year congratulating me on our hard work, and wishing the best for the future and my potential school. Encouragement just the same. I also got to spend some quality time with my dma crew. My stomach muscles always hurt after being with them, as the joy that comes from our conversations sometimes overwhelms my spirit with laughter and smiles and fun. Cdubs now is in the house, and it was great to spend time with her. I was encouraged in the fact ...

I am not sure what God is up to with a relatively new relationship in my life, but I do know He is up to something. Last fall, I got to meet and get to know bk a little bit at a training for my job. Funny thing is, bk's dad was my high school civics teacher, and his dad had a profound influence on my life changing direction for the positive when I was a junior in high school. At the time, I was hanging out with the wrong people doing the wrong things, and of course I didn't listen to my parents when they pointed out these things to me because I knew everything, but when bk's dad talked to me, it meant something to me. Maybe God intervened on my behalf through his dad? That conversation initially catapulted me to stand up for truth and work with the tools that God gave me as gifts for the good. Fact is, bk and I are now encouraging one another in our walk. Initially, we both thought that maybe God was calling bk to come to BK-LYN to work with me. For now, it doesn...

I haven't been running quite so much with the cool of the air. Although it is much warmer on the whole here in Brooklyn than in MI, it has been pretty cold on the potential days I have had to run lately. So I started the 'spartacus' workout, and squats hurt. But I haven't run, and the workout requires thinking, paying attention to the weights, etc. It's not just a simple check out of life and run, where I can spend some quality time in prayer or just in conversation with God. But I decided to run yesterday, and I put in my three miles. That's a long way to run if you are not going regularly... But just as it has been my pattern, I often find spiritual revelations in my excercise time with Jesus. Yesterday, I was running, and kept checking the time....kept checking the distance....this much longer......this much further.... But then I think God told me to not pay attention to the amount of time you have left. To not pay attention to the place you are in....

The story begins with a prayer on my part, and if I am remembering correctly, this prayer began in 1997 or 1998 for me. Yes, over a decade ago, I began to periodically pray that God would help me to find a Godly man, a mentor, a person that I could learn about Him from, and bring that person into my life. Pretzel was a man that filled that role for a few years, and I am so thankful that I had my time with he, his wife, and our small group of years gone by. But after losing that regular person in my life, I prayed this prayer again and again, and as I grew older and stronger (or weaker, depending on the season of life) in my faith, the prayer became more and more regular. I actually pursued this person, although I didn't know who it was at the time, by reaching out through the men's ministry in our church, friends, etc., but to no avail. So one day, at East, I ask pastor if 'he might know someone....this is what I'm looking to find....any ideas....'. He says: ...

Happy 2010. Another year, and another decade has come and has gone without warning. And so begins another opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed, and to set some goals and dreams in place for '10. Or is it 0-10? Twenty - ten? Whatever. The year that has passed was quite a year as far as I'm concerned. We sold our home, moved to Brooklyn, and I acquired a job that is pretty incredible. We found a place in an awesome neighborhood, and strive to meet new people each day in this city of over 8 million. But as pastor spoke today, I was reminded once again that the promise from God is for us to be a 'new creation', and that the old is gone, the new has come. And 'in christ' we are new again. Today was a very cool way to start 2010 for me, I got to play the guitar as part of the band for communitas, and play a Danny Cox song that screams into my soul-New Creation. That's what I am now-a new creation. Let's review-I used to strive to ser...