Our flight arrives in Moscow at 12:15 PM (4:15 AM EST). In case you wondered the flight is somewhere between 9-10 hours of cramped fun. I have a hard time “loving” those people in business class…

Once we pass through customs we are headed to Red Square. It is amazing to see. If you were alive during the cold war it is a surreal moment to say the least. Our group will be snapping shots of the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Lenin’s tomb. Russians love to have weddings at Red Square. It is not uncommon to see over 10 wedding parties in the vicinity. After Red Square we will grab our last (for the week) American meal at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Following Hard Rock we will travel by bus to Smolensk for the last remaining 6 hours of our journey. We will check into our hotel…eat some pizza (Russian) and call it a night.

Sunday brings church with our Russian brothers and sisters and some sightseeing in Smolensk for our group. Smolensk is a city rich in history. Every army that has tried to conquer Russia has had to come through Smolensk from Napoleon to Nazi Germany. I will be going to survey the orphanages with our project leaders so we are ready to hit it first thing Monday morning.

Keep checking my blog for updates throughout the week.

By the time you read this 33 of us will be en route to Russia. We (26 of Fellowship’s finest) will be joined on this year’s trip with some friends from Texas (2), Missouri (3), Colorado (1), and Florida (1). God has given us a great team. It is a tough trip travel wise, not to mention that this is our largest group ever.

Our theme for 2008 has been “Live Different.” Now we are taking “live different” international! We are going to build playgrounds at two orphanages and also build a security fence around a well at one of the orphanages. Seems like they dug a well last year but the authorities won’t let them use it until they secure it with a fence. Can you imagine an orphanage without water?

I have to give it up for our group. They are sacrificing their time and treasure…they are living different…they are answering the call Jesus gave when he said to “go.” Please be praying for them. The trip is not easy but the rewards are eternal. Getting out of your world and entering into someone else’s is living like Jesus. The enemy will try to get us off track…anything he can do to make it about us instead of others. He will attack our chemistry and synergy.

Stay tuned over the next 8 days…”live different” is going on tour!

We decided to do a last minute trek to the beach today. My youngest son Drew was sick with a fever so Michelle decided to stay home with him. Alli had a bunch of school to finish her last week (she graduates Friday!), so it was me and Emily, Bailey, and Grace headed to Rehobeth Beach. We had a great time together. It’s pretty cool watching your kids play together. They tried to get me in the water…yeah right…not until about July.

At lunch I asked my kids to share something they had learned about God so far this year. It was cool to hear them express their hearts and to see them be comfortable with it. I need to have more conversations like that. I want to make God part of breaking bread together. I am hungry for him to bleed into every part of our life.

Does anyone else get misty when they watch the commercials honoring our troops? It gets me every time. I rocks me to my core. We are blessed to have the most incredible people giving their all in our Armed Forces. For those of you who have served, I want to say a very heart felt thanks. We have no idea the cost being paid by those in Iraq and Afghanistan right now or the sacrifice of the families that are here waiting. I also think of those working in our V.A hospitals to give our vets the care they desperately need. Thanks for serving our Country!

I had the privilege to visit Gail Oxley today at the V.A. Nursing Care facility in Wilmington, DE.  Gail suffers from ALS.  We had a great time talking together (mostly I listened).  He seems to be doing very well.  He is ready to go, but living and appreciating everyday to the fullest.  His doctors tell him it is a matter of weeks not months as far as his prognosis.

What really amazed me today, aside from Gail’s spirit and perspective, was the level of care that he is receiving.  From the moment I walked in to when I left, everyone I came in contact with inspired me.  What a tough job they have.  These people must have a calling to do what they do, the way they do it.  As I drove away today I whispered a prayer to thank God for caregivers.  They help people who can’t always help themselves.  Most of them do it with very little thanks or recognition.  James talks about pure religion being the kind that helps those who aren’t able to respond in kind.

I’m glad God puts people in my path to inspire and encourage me.

Because of the earthquake that hit this week, several of you have asked or sent notes inquiring about my sister Kristin and her husband Jerry who live in China.  They are fine.  They didn’t feel anything where they live.  Thanks for remembering them and for your concern.  Kris is a regular blog reader and I am sure she will appreciate you thinking of them.

This past week I got the bright idea to redo our kitchen floor.  We have some guests coming over next week and I had been thinking about doing it anyway so why not dive in?  So we tear up the old floor and find out that this is going to be way more extensive an undertaking than I imagined.  If I had known what I know now, there is no way I begin the project.  The timing has been terrible because things have never been busier for me as our team cranks it up for Elevate (teaser..more to come on elevate later).  But, the kitchen is in shambles…guests are coming…we have to push through and get it done.

I wonder if God doesn’t allow the kitchen floor of our life to be torn up sometimes so that he can see the renovation process begin.  He has incredible plans for us.  He promises to do a complete work in us in Philippians 1:6.  We hate the process of renovation.  It’s messy.  It’s inconvenient.  It makes us weary.  But the finished project is something to behold.  I wonder if God doesn’t step back, cross his arms, and then look at us on the other side of the “projects” he takes us through and say…Nice.  I like it.  It looks good.  Good job.

Only my family and my two good friends that helped me with our floor will know what a pain in the butt it was to complete.  Likewise, only God, you, and those closest to you will know the cost this spiritual journey exacts on you.

This is my Facebook badge. You can click on it and it will take you to Facebook where you can “friend” me!  Our new I.T. Director, Greg Davis, encouraged (understated) me to open a facebook account a couple of weeks ago.  He also gave me a book called “Facebook For Pastors.”  It is amazing to see the way people communicate on facebook.  As best I can tell it is clean and safe.  My daughters, Alli and Emily, both have accounts as do most of our staff.  One of the highlights for me has been connecting with our students and college age adults.  You should check out facebook if you get a chance.  Greg will be developing a Fellowship page on facebook soon.  If you are on facebook already, I would like to be your friend.

Parents…I encourage you to sign up.  Stay engaged in the world in which our kids live.  Stay connected to their friends.

I heard an incredible message earlier tonight by Reggie Joiner (founder of the reThink Group) that is keeping me awake…it was on the story of the prodigal son. I just talked about this story Sunday and how we need to have the heart of the Father in this story in stead of the “older brother.” Reggie spoke on the importance of reaching a prodigal generation. He posed this question…”what would happen if we treated every prodigal in the way a father would treat his son? Here are the distinctions between the father and the older brother…

• the father is PREOCCUPIED with whoever is missing…the older brother is PREOCCUPIED with himself…
• the father operates from a context of forgiveness…the older brother operates from a context of shame...
• the father throws parties (celebrates life change)…the older brother throws fits…
• the father confronts “older brother thinking”…the older brother criticizes “loving father thinking”
• the father leaves the light on and the door open for as long as it takes…the older brother turns off the light and shuts the door.

Yesterday was powerful. RTD’s is going to be a great series. It seemed like week one ripped the scab off for some people. There was a lot of different emotions going on. God has really been speaking to me lately about seeing the junk in my own life instead of others. You could also say that he is doing the same thing in regard to our church. This series is not an opportunity to lob blame and accusations at other faith groups, denominations, or churches. Instead, it is an opportunity to look in the mirror and see the baggage that we are carrying. Remember, Jesus came to wash it away not rub it in.

The music was great yesterday. Loved the flute (great job Juliet)!

What was up with the loaf of bread in the second service…I felt like I was trying to tear the phone book in half! I need to work out more…

I continue to meet some great people each week. I met a young couple who have been coming for 3 weeks with no church background…they both had tears in their eyes (a good thing). I wish you could listen in on some of these conversations. People’s lives are changing.

I met another young lady that manages a Domino’s pizza. She had been delivering to Ryan and Jess (they live on our church property). She said they were so nice that she went home and looked up our web site and has been coming ever since…again, no church context for her in her life.

God is redefining church in the Delaware Valley!

Pretty creative title for this post don’t you think.  That’s all I’m left with…used it all up on my notes for Sunday.  I’m winding down, waiting for Michelle to meet me at the office so we can catch our life groupproductive tonight.  This has been a very week…our team is working on some things that I will be sharing with you in a couple of weeks (teaser).

Sunday kicks off our RTD (Religiously Transmitted Diseases) series.  I want to thank all of you who sent in comments!  Great job.  I hate to tell you but there is a very good chance you are infected.  The great news is that there is a cure.  This week I’m tackling the RTD of “Christian Image Management.”  Do you ever get wrapped up in stressing out over what people think of you?  Do you wear any masks?  Does shame keep you from claiming what God has for you?  Or how about this one…do you somehow think you are helping God out by projecting that you have it all together?  If so, you have a RTD.

Invite a friend Sunday…tell them we are starting a new series about RTD’s.  By the way, did you know that April is STD awareness month?  Free tidbit to get your weekend going…Be praying about Sunday…I can’t wait!