Eric Offstage

SHED Day 7

9:29 am.  Eric's typing furiously on his laptop, getting ready for SHED part 2.  I'm working in my pajamas.  Fridays are like this for us. The frantic pace of the work week stops as he sits before God alone and prepares his talk.  I'm a low-energy person, so I'm wiped out by now and need a chill-out day to survive the weekend.  Of course, today I'm getting ready to host Pastor Bruce's birthday party.  Come if you can!

SHED thoughts: 

1.  EXCESS!  As we SHED, we find out just how many things we have in particular categories.  Examples: We have about 800 books.  We're gearing up to SHED a bunch.
I had 7 pairs of boots (and none were snow boots).  I'm down to 4 now.
I had a drawer full of scented lotions that I don't like the smell, body spray & perfume I never use.  I'm dumping bottles & recycling them.
I'm a sucker for linens/fabrics, and I love to thrift shop. So I've been shedding tablecloths, sheets, curtains, bed skirts, pillowcases, blankets, antique scarves, and random fabric I thought I'd make something with.

2.  Sentimental stuff.  I'm being more intentional about what we keep: our kids' baby blankets, my old journals, and Braden's Winnie the Pooh pacifier (he's 12 now).  I ditched Eric's graduation gown, the box from my engagement ring, and the first bottle of perfume Eric bought me.  Seriously.  It's 15 years old.  If I haven't used it by now...

3.  Garbage vs. Give-ables.  The point of SHEDding really isn't about helping someone else.  That's a happy by-product.  Therefore, you must get rid of it, whether or not someone else can use it.  Someone told me the other day, "I have this stack of old T-shirts.  No one else will want them, so I'm keeping them."  Then they should go in the garbage.  Or the rag bag. 
BE OK WITH THROWING THINGS AWAY.  Don't force your local charity to throw your garbage away for you.  No-one wants 1/3 bottle of Bath & Body Works lavender body smoothing cream. 
Only give what's good to give.

Kelly

Memorial Weekend at the Crossing

This Saturday night we are changing things up at the Crossing.

1.  Starting this Saturday (May 23) we will no longer be holding our 7:00pm service.  From Memorial weekend - Labor Day weekend we will only have our 5:30 service on Saturday nights. 

Please, if you usually attend the 7:00pm service make it your priority to attend at 5:30.  Services are always better when there is a good crowd. 

On Saturday September 12th  we will be bringing the 7:00pm service time back.

2.  This weekend is a child dedication at the 5:30 service.  If you would like to dedicate your kids to follow Jesus contact pastor Bruce and get your family on the list. 

3.  This is the 2nd week of SHED.  It is going to be totally cool.  Wait till you see the intro video that Ted and Clint shot for this week. 

4.  If you are a biker.  Ride your bike to the service on Saturday and afterward we will be doing a blessing of the bikes, and ask Jesus to give everyone safety for the season. 

5.  We are doing a tailgate party immediately after the service on Saturday, so bring your own meat to grill, and hang out in the parking lot for a while or go over to the park and play frisbee golf.  (I will beat you all.)

Anyway, see you on Saturday for a great time or just come on Sunday for the typical Crossing regular service.  (It will still be cool.  I promise.)

 

SHED what I know so far...

I have not had a ton of time to really wade through what is staying and what I am shedding, but I do know the first 30 things I am keeping.   
1.  NIV Bible  (I am giving away a ton of bible's if people need one let me know)
2.  ESV Study bible
3.  Life Journal
4.  The Message bible
5.  Various books I use for work.  (I can't count them individually because they are for my role as a pastor.)  I am giving away a ton of other church books.  If you want some call the church. 
6.  Fishing equipment.  (I am giving away a ton of stuff that I no longer use but is perfectly good.)
7.  Camping equipment.  (I am giving away a ton of this stuff too, as I never use most of it and it just takes up space.)
8.  jeans.  (giving away several pairs)
9.  jeans
10.  jeans
11.  jeans
12.  jeans
13.  t-shirts.  (giving away tons)   
14.  underwear.  (aren't you glad I am not giving that stuff away.  Gross)
15.  socks
16.  shoes.  (giving away several pairs)
17.  2 pairs of khakis.  (these are all I own)
18.  1 marrying and burying suit. (believe it or not I have several of these to give away.)
19.  2 ties (rest are going away)
20.  dress shirts  (giving tons away)
21.  sweat shirts (giving several away)
22.  long sleeve thermal shirts.  (I love these) 
23.  4 frisbee golf disks.
24.  watch
25.  wedding ring
26.  wallet
27.  cross necklace
28.  bike
29.  boat
30.  canoe

I will actually be losing tons more of this stuff and will be more specific as I go, but this is all I have had time to weed through so far.  We have piles of clothes and all kinds of stuff already boxed up to give away.  Plus we loaned a family at church our extra car to use for a month and then when they give it back we will permanently be giving it away to someone else.

Here is hoping you are shedding a ton of stuff also. 

  


  

 

SHED Day 3

Hi folks, Kelly here.  Eric is on a lake somewhere, the kids are at school, and I'm enjoying my Sabbath at home alone.  Since I can't sit still very well (ever seen me sit through a whole service at church?) especially when I'm on the phone, I've been SHEDding this morning, just for the fun of it.  I'm taking a break to report what we've shed so far.

By the way, I'm starting by getting rid of everything I can, before I even bother to start counting what I'm keeping.

Saturday we did our closet.  We now each have 2 hoodies sitting all alone on the upper closet shelf.  It is weird.  I also did the bathroom cupboard and medicine cabinets.  It's pretty easy to get rid of expired toiletries and medications.  I sat and sorted the "junk drawer" while I listened to Eric practice his talk on Saturday morning (did I mention I don't sit still well?).

Yesterday we were wiped out from church, but added some more from our dressers to the pile in the corner of our bedroom.  As I get laundry done, I'm sure we'll find more clothes to shed.

Today I got rid of:

Extra measuring spoons

All sharp knives but the ones I love/use (which means I no longer need the knife block)

Tupperware items without lids (& vice versa)

Plastic plates and bowls (I hate eating off plastic anyway)

Serving trays except the one I love and use all the time

Coffee filters that don't fit our pot (WHY did I have those?)

Kids cups that don't stack
Pots & pans, lids, vases, jars
A SnackMaster (anyone remember those infomercials?)
Cowboy boots that don't fit well (I inherited a pair that does)
Christmas dishes, saucers & cups that don't match anything

Cookbooks (Hello? We have the internet!)

... and much more...

Two things I'm noticing:

1. SHEDding helps me get rid of things I don't really like (that I keep thinking "I'll use/wear sometime") and only keep what I really enjoy using/wearing.

2. I'm naturally a get-rid-of-stuff person, but keep sentimental things.  SHEDding frees me up to get rid of those old cheerleading t-shirts and my grandma's sugar dish (it's ugly...shh...don't tell my mom). 

However, I'm not quite ready to SHED my Ronald McDonald plate from my 4th birthday party.  I'll keep you posted on that.

Post SHED (Now it is time to go down to 100 things)

The Crossing had awesome services this past weekend.  Jesus really showed up and I know a ton of people who are already shedding tons of their stuff. 

Just a reminder, the point is really to see Jesus and experience the joy of Christ.  As we love him, order our lives around his Word, and love people we will experience joy and peace like never before. 

I will be posting my first shed list on Tuesday.  Stay tuned.  100 things here I come. 

S.H.E.D. Series

Our new S.H.E.D.starts this weekend.  I am so pumped.  I have been doing research and reading on this subject for about nine months now, so I am really ready to share this stuff.  You don't want to miss it. 

One of the interesting places my research took me this past year is to a website called the storyofstuff.com  There is a fascinating 20 minute movie on this site that brings up some great questions about Americans and our connection to stuff and materialism.  I would encourage every person that reads this blog to go watch this movie.  It is very thought provoking.

Hope to see you this weekend for church.  It is going to be off the chain!! 

*****Addendum to this post.
Several people have been freaking out over the storyofstuff.com video and trying to say I am being political.  I am not being political.  I don't really care about the people's politics on the video.  I care about church people being less of consumers and less materialistic. 

If you are liberal, be a liberal--good for you.  
If you are a conservative, be conservative--good for you. 

I am a Jesus follower.  That is the only label I will ever wear. 
Politics are for someone else to fight about. 

Just don't be so dang materialistic. 

 
 

Hotel California Churches

You all know the Eagles' tune "Hotel California".  (It's one of my all time favorite songs.)  There is a line that goes like this:  "you can check in any time you like, but you can never leave." 

Some people believe that is how a church should be.  Once you attend a church, you should never leave. 

But I have to tell you:  THAT IS REALLY CREEPY! 

The song "Hotel California" was a song about a creepy, evil hotel that you could never check out from.  Churches that want people to come but never leave are creepy, evil, and weird as well. Churches should never be so insecure that they manipulate or beg people to stay at their church.  That is weird and shows a lack of emotional maturity. 

People should leave your church regularly.  At The Crossing, we consistently encourage people who can't get on board with the mission and vision of The Crossing, to go some where else and serve Jesus. 

Church people who think that the church of Jesus should be like the Hotel California, have an incorrect view of leadership and of the church.

Leadership:
If a church has a vision and is actively pursuing that vision, people will leave.  Vision makes people choose to get on board or get off the bus. If people aren't leaving your church, you aren't leading. 

The Church:
The church is the body of Christ. 
Tell me how healthy a body is that doesn't have a properly working back door?  Not very healthy!  If your body's back door isn't working you are going to be in pain, quick!!  You need to take some Ex-Lax or eat some fiber or something, but you want your back door working.  Otherwise, you're messed up internally.

The same is true for Christ's body, the church.  if you back door isn't working, people who don't get your vision will stay and stink up the place.  And the end result is an unhealthy church that doesn't reach anybody.   

Crossing people:  I want you to know that if you don't agree with the mission and vision, there are plenty of other great churches in the area you can commit to and serve at.  We will never be the Hotel California of churches. 

We respect ourselves enough not to be bothered by people coming and going; and we respect you enough to let you make a choice. 

You can check in anytime you like, and you can always leave.