.::discover::understand::be::.

MOVE OVER FOR A WHILE

hey check out our fugo new york blog.

i will be posting here for the next month or so.

posted by nathan sean @ Tuesday, June 26, 2007 3 comments

the "do" clouds

why is what we "do" so important?

what did you do today?
what do you want to do?
what are you going to do in five years?
what do you do for a living?
what can we do for you?

it seems like right now i am in a storm of "do" conversations. i've got "do" coming at me from all sides.

• on one front i've got a friend wondering what he is going to "do" in the future for income and soul satisfaction.

• one front is blowing in with a series of conversations and meetings asking what are we to "do" as a church in the upcoming year.

• another front has a different friend and i discussing where his education will take him and wondering if the path he is on will take him to the "do" he wants.

• and yet another front is gaining force as i am trying to help some friends navigate the "what do we do" that is spinning and hovering over their marriage relationship.

• and on my cloud, like always, i'm trying to figure out what it is i am to "do" where i'm at?

i don't think the "do"s in life are a bad thing... i don't think.

i suppose that it is the "do"s that make our journeys distinct and interactive i guess. but it can feel like so much work at times.

you know, so much time is spent talking and planning and praying about what we are going to do or did do or should do... that we spent little time actually DOING!

i think that is the problem.

we talk and speculate and put few legs to our words.

i believe that the answer lies in the classic nike slogan. (and no, it's not bo knows)

posted by nathan sean @ Friday, April 27, 2007 12 comments

Dr. John Perkins

i was at a conference today called "Bride With A Broken Heart" and Dr. John Perkins had a great deal of way cool stuff to share, too much to mention it all, but he did throw out a great statement that is easy enough to share and thought provoking as well....

"Your attitude is your paintbrush."

how true, how true.

i know some people who are painting some pretty ugly pictures, as well as some who are creating masterpieces with their lives. i suppose it all depends on the brush.

posted by nathan sean @ Thursday, March 22, 2007 2 comments

a booth and a conversation

the booth is, and will be in the future, a great place for conversation and transformation.

i have never felt the weight in a room as much as i did this past sunday. the first gathering went fine. (i guess you're never fully satisfied, there is always more you'd like to share, you miss some things, you make a joke that bombs, etc. but all things considered it went fine.)

but second gathering was quite different.

i was covering the passage in Ephesians that challenge wives to submit and men to lead, the passage that calls children to obey and parents to train, and the passage in which slaves are taught to obey and masters to be honoring leaders. so you can image the baggage that people had before i began sharing. (you can listen in on the podcast if you'd like. i'd love to get your thoughts and feedback)

but as i began the chat i looked out over the community and say several marriages that are on the brink. i saw a divorced dad who is teaching his boys that they do not need to respect their mother, a husband who is neglecting his wife. a couple that hasn't been in a gathering for 7 months.

not to mention the insecurity you feel when you talk about things that you yourself struggle with. all week long i was pitched the ball of opportunity to serve my wife and be a husband worthy of submitting and i repeatedly let it fly by, not even swinging. (a swing and a miss is better than letting a called third go by)

it was just tough. i felt empty after second. i felt a huge burden to see marriages healed, fathers lead and love, and equality become a reality. (let's pray for these things)

it was just a heavy morning for my heart.

i put my faith in the promise of God that His word will not return void. that the Holy Spirit will translate and pierce the hearts that need to be pierced, and that God is in control... not me.


and on top of it all... both of our vehicles died!!

but the gators did win, so i guess that balances out the cars huh?

and we have some amazing friends that picked me up all afternoon.

God is good.

so are His people.


even when we blow it.

posted by nathan sean @ Tuesday, March 20, 2007 3 comments

blog boycott anyone?

posted by nathan sean @ Monday, March 05, 2007 8 comments

lectio divina

Psalm 23

God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.

posted by nathan sean @ Monday, December 04, 2006 5 comments

i'm back!

it has been a while and this really isn't much of a post... it was actually homework. not for me, for dakota. he came home the other day and and gave me a sheet of paper that said "PARENT HOMEWORK" at the top. can you believe that? homework for parents!!! anyway, i had to write a little diddy about "who is your kid". so here is what i wrote:

"On the outside, Dakota may look like your average twelve year old kid. He loves to hang out with friends and is always looking for ways for them to spend the night. He can often be found playing sports of some sort. His favorite sports would easily be football and skim boarding. (This summer he took 2nd place in the Chapter 11 Skim Competition) He is always asking his mother and me to turn up the radio so he can hear his favorite songs. (Unfortunately he is a big Mariah Carey fan so we are often tortured by her songs.) His love for music has gotten him to pick up the bass guitar this summer and he seems to be taking to it rather quickly. He’s a great big brother to his 8 year old sister, Sydney and his 6 year old brother, Ryder. They both look up to him and are his biggest fans. Dakota reciprocates their adoration and encouragement. He is always cheering on his brother in his athletic events and supports his sister in her theatre and dance productions.
He also brings a great deal of laughter to our family. He and his brother and sister are always laughing together. Not too often at each other, but with each other. Our family is pretty close and we enjoy spending time together. We play Skip-Bo, we wrestle, and we make family trips to Wesco. (Yes that would be the gas station/convenience store.) Dakota plays “football” on the couch with his mother and Aunt Mame, he trash talks with Uncle Do, and he is always challenging the family to a race to see who can run faster. (His mother beat him, he may say he slipped, but she still beat him, and now she won’t accept a rematch.)
But it is Dakota’s heart and spirit that really make him special. He is a very tender and caring kid. He is sensitive to the feelings of those around him. He often is the one who can tell when I’ve had a tough day or when I am feeling stressed about the stuff of life. He, without much time at all, puts my feeling first and picks up my day. That means a lot to me.
This summer there was a family in Grand Haven whose home burned down. The house was just a few houses away from my office. A few days prior to the fire, Dakota and I had driven by and he noticed the dad and son outside playing catch. So when he found out which house had burned, he felt a connection. A week later, Dakota and three of his friends went door to door in the neighborhood collecting cans and donations for the family. With the money they collected, they purchased gift cards to Meijer, Target, and Dakota’s favorite restaurant, G and L. All totaled up, the boys collected over $1100.00 for the family in need.
Dakota is a great kid. He is a great brother. He is a great teammate. He is a great son. He is a great friend.
That’s my son. I’m very proud to call him that."

i better get an a dangit!!

posted by nathan sean @ Thursday, September 14, 2006 5 comments