Home BlogPage 192

God is Just Too Cool

Well, with this Chicago white out and freezing rain and snow I was almost stuck in California. My flight was only delayed but I didn’t want my wife and boy driving in bad weather to the airport to pick me up so I resolved to take a cab, which could have been over $100 with the distance and conditions. Then my sister calls (before departure) and her husband Keith is flying back from New York on business and also facing delays, but has a car at O’Hare. Well, as God would have it, we BOTH JUST LANDED at the same time! What are odds of that at O’Hare and in these conditions?!? We are both now just taxiing waiting for a gate to open, but I got a ride home! (Keith and Melissa live four houses down from us) Anyway, just had to share this little example of God’s provision today. I might still be sitting on this runway for awhile, there is a long line of planes waiting to deboard and the ones at the gates are still de-icing. Life is an adventure! Karl Bastian Sent/Posted from my iPhone UPDATE: Landed at 10pm, and sat on the runway until…

Continue reading

What’s the Difference?

At dinner last night with friends who had gathered in Vista, CA for a meeting, we were discussing a wide variety of things, but one statement stood out for me. It was a quote from a person quoting someone else, so I don’t know who to attribute it to, but one of the guys was saying that in a job interview the candidate asked: What is the difference between an average person and a person of excellence? The answer was FOCUS. The excellent person is just an average person, but with focus. There are many good things that can consume our days and we can be busy about a great many things, but the key is asking what is God asking me to focus on today? Your walk with Him? Your family – spouse or a specific child? Another relationship – perhaps a relative or friend? Or a specific project? Every morning make it a habit to jot down 2-3 things that will be your FOCUS for the day. Put them first and allow them to DRIVE YOUR DAY and let the rest of the “stuff” that enters your day to come second, if you even get to them. Excellence…

Continue reading

I’m Home!

And as I wait for my ride I have only one thing to say… BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! Sent/Posted from my iPhone

Continue reading

CPC: The Best Place Still to Network

My bags are packed, I’m ready to go. I’m sitting here just blew my nose. I hate to face it, but I must admit it’s true. I’m leaving on a jet plane, Don’t know when I’ll be back again, CPC is over and I don’t know what to do. Yes, it’s true. I’ve got the post-CPC blues. Its that feeling you get when all your friends have said good-bye and you’ve just finished stuffing all your collected ministry propaganda and Mickey souvenirs into your luggage and are waiting to head home. (but going home IS a good thing!) While there are now many children’s ministry conferences, CPC is still the #1 place to network with other children’s ministry professionals. People like: Rob Biagi, the coolest worship dude for kids in America! I hear his music in churches everywhere I go. If you don’t have Rob’s music you should hide under a table for what your kids are missing out on. But instead, get out from under the table and get your hands on Rob’s V.I.P. to GOD Worship Leaders Kit or his latest CD Get Out There. Kal Gilchrist, a frequent Kid U presenter (who was helpin’ in the Laflins…

Continue reading

FREE Reproducible Art Collection from CMUO

As a loyal reader of my blog, I wanted you to be among the first to learn about some free reproducible children’s ministry art that Dick Gruber created, compiled, and is making available as a FREE download! That’s right…this resource that includes years worth of his cartoon-style drawings is available for FREE! Dick Gruber’s Evangel Art: Reproducible Art for Children’s Ministries is offered for FREE and includes: over 40 evangel pages 385 picture words 124 scripture pictures All artwork is provided in .jpg format and can be easily incorporated into any word processing, desktop publishing, or presentation software. To request a free download of Evangel Art, simply complete the download request and brief survey at www.cmuo.com/resources/evangelart. You will then receive an email with more details for downloading your free copy.

Continue reading