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Back from Yosemite Summit

Well, I’m back from Yosemite Summit 2009. It was an incredible week! I’m slowly beginning the process of returning to civilization and responsibility. I have 4,517 photos from all nine guys to edit, sort and highlight, so there will be more to tell in the weeks ahead, and of course, a highlight video. But for now I can say that GOD SHOWED UP and each of us had an incredible time connecting with God through his amazing creation and through the fellowship of a band of brothers who are now lifetime friends. Brent, Scott, Matt, Pat, Karl, Steve, Tom, Scott and Marc. We journeyed through a process each day reflecting on some key questions for thought and prayer but also simply being open to what God wanted to communicate to us when we were listening to a degree not often possible in “real life.” Here was our mission statement for the week: (this was a bookmark I provided) Each day we had a KEY WORD for reflection: REMEMBERING what we had forgotten Identifying how God is REFINING us Seeking to REFOCUS on what matters most Determining a RESOLVE to take home with us. We also look at four primary callings…

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Over and Out!

This is my last blog post until AFTER Yosemite Summit! No more Facebook, no Twitter, no e-mail, no cell phone, no work! I’m disconnecting for an entire week. I’ve been praying, planning and preparing for a year and its so exciting to see the eight guys that God brought together for this amazing week in Yosemite. They’ve been coming in over the last two days, and tonight we all gathered for our first meal all together before hittin’ the road in the morning. Steve, Matt, Tom, Scott, Karl, Scott, Marc, Brent, Pat (Canada, TX, PA, SD, IL, CA, VA, OK, OH) Please pray for each of these guys that God would really do a work in each of our lives during this next week. We each come from a different state and one from Canada. Each is leaving family and ministry behind to focus on their walk with God. Each understands that the best thing for their ministry isn’t another idea or resource but a closer walk with the Lord. Pray for safety and for an openness to what God has in store for us. I can’t wait to get started! So time for me to sign off and shut…

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Sara Awarded Mother of the Year

In case you missed it on the news last night, Sara was awarded Mother of the Year 2009 by the National Maternity Society. Watch the video here: Be sure to send Sara a congrats e-mail!

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Fisheye Fun on Mom’s Day

Today is Mother’s Day! So, of course, we were celebrating Sara today! Luke even picked out his first present for mommy. (Actually, it was his first time going shopping to pick out a present for someone, and how appropriate that it be for mom!) After brunch at mommy’s favorite restaurant, we headed to the park to play. Dad brought along his new fish eye lens which he got for Yosemite Summit which is coming up fast! I had some fun experimenting with a fish eye lens, its very cool! The Bastian Family – Mother’s Day 2009 Luke at the bottom of the slide Whoa! That looks pretty intimidating! Peeking up over the side as the boy approaches Is that MY kid? What a cutie! A here is the official MOM OF THE YEAR in the Bastian House! and why do we love her so much? here are just a few reasons:

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Shepherd or Sheepherder?

Remember? Remember when you first got in to children’s ministry? Remember the calling God gave you? The burden you had for children? The awesome responsibility you accepted? The urgency you felt? Back when it was about reaching lost kids and discipling those who had accepted Christ? Remember when the stories were about changed lives and your conversations were mostly about the kids rather than the problems? Remember when you spent a ridiculous amount of time on some minor, but fun aspect of the ministry just so you could see the faces of the kids light up when they arrived? Remember when you didn’t even notice how exhausted you were? What changed? You went into children’s ministry because you wanted to be a shepherd of children – and all too soon you became more sheepherder than shepherd. Just getting the kids where they need to be and hoping to have a reasonable adult-to-child ratio became a weekly battle. Managing volunteers, appeasing parents, buying supplies, keeping the senior pastor as well as the janitor happy, answering voice mail, e-mail and snail mail and countless meetings gradually took over. Before you knew it, being a minister gave way to being an administrator. And…

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