mat milthaler

john 1-2

2012-02-13T11:23:00.002-05:00

Monday's are different around the Milthaler house. It's my day off, so Reagan, Harrison and I normally go out for breakfast before dropping the oldest off at school. Today is also my beautiful wife's birthday, so the routine also included a trip to Kroger for party supplies.

Whenever I ask graduating seniors about their most significant memories of their time at the Student Union and Vineyard Cincinnati... SOS is almost always on top of the list. It's an intense week of worship, teaching and service. My prayer is that over the next several weeks we will be able to discover and discern the spiritual direction for this year's SOS. I'm going to share my notes from my morning conditioning... if you would like to add something please comment and continue the conversation.

John 1-2

-I love the writing style in the first chapter. Jesus is eternal, he has always been with God... even in the beginning of creation. Yet, the author doesn't simply say, "Jesus has always been". The idea is more complicated than that, yet at the same time simple.All three persons of the trinity are alluded to in the first chapter.

-John 1:9, "The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world".

-John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

God came to Earth and dwelt among us... this is powerful stuff. The entire course of human history has been changed because God got personally involved. But, as we continue to read... he came to save his people, but we wanted nothing to do with him.

-In modern terms, John was the opening act. He is clear about the facts, he is not the Christ, he is not a prophet. The Message version uses the phrase "thunder in the desert" to describe John. He understands his role.

-John 1:30-31, The Message. "...my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God."

-Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, but jumps camp and starts to follow Jesus. Andrew is convinced that this guy is the real deal and he wants to share this information with his brother Simon Peter. Andrew brings his brother to Jesus. These young guys are attracted to Jesus... and they can't help but get their friends in the game.

-I've always seen Nathanael as the straight laced guy in this cast of characters. Jesus says, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." Is that in jest? Just before this Nathanael cracks on Jesus' home town. But, Jesus tells him, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

It was a big deal when a boy was chosen by a Rabbi. If you weren't chosen, you didn't make the cut. Could it be that Nathanael was dealing with this reality and calling out to God under a fig tree? We don't know, but we do know it was a significant experience for Nathanael. He he puts his faith in Jesus, and Jesus promises that he'll expereince more amazing experiences in the future.

-Chapter two is shorter, Jesus is at a wedding and the hosts ran out of wine.

-Jesus speaks of this not being his time... how would Jesus have known when the right time was? Why would he change his timeline?

-I wonder if Jesus' power had been on display at home before this wedding. Had Mary experienced his power in Jesus' early years? Did Jesus ever use his power to clean his room, pop a zit or provide groceries when money was tight?

-180 gallons of wine... that's a lot.

-It was better than the high shelf wine that is normally served at the beginning of the party... when taste buds are more attentive. I like to say, "suck doesn't honor God". Jesus displays excellence.

-John 2:23-25 (The Message) "During the time he was in Jerusalem, those days of the Passover Feast, many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. But Jesus didn't entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. He didn't need any help in seeing right through them."

Those are my observations... any thoughts?

milthaler

i forgot the password...

2012-02-10T17:35:00.002-05:00

it's been a long time since i logged on to this blog... let alone post.

if you are checking in, chances are you got an email from me about SOS. as a reminder, here is the schedule that i'm planning to keep.

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
Feb 13: Chapters 1-2
Feb 14: Chapters 3-4
Feb 16: Chapters 5-6
Feb 17: Chapters 7-8

Feb 20: Chapters 9-10
Feb 21: Chapters 11-12
Feb 23: Chapters 13-14
Feb 24: Chapters 15-16

Feb 27: Chapters 17-18
Feb 28: Chapters 19-20
March 1: Chapter 21

i'll check back in on monday!

milthaler

daddy teaches harrison how to play basketball...

2009-06-15T12:09:00.005-06:00

reagan's first solo...

2009-05-20T21:56:00.001-06:00

four years old...

2009-05-12T21:28:00.003-06:00

it's really hard to believe that the little baby we brought home from the hospital turned four today. when i see the picture above i see a boy... no longer a baby or even toddler.

on daddy baby day (monday) we bought a rocket with the intention of launching it on his birthday (today). i worked on it all night and i think it looked pretty good... it just didn't work properly. sure it launched... but the shoot never popped out. it was more like a javelin. the great thing about being four years old is that small details don't matter. he never knew there was supposed to be a colorful parachute.

in total we launched it four times... it stuck in the ground like an arrow every time. BUT, it didn't break and still looks great.

we have our last two "daddy baby days" this month... then i have to share him with preschool in the fall. my heart hurts just thinking about it. we have maximized mondays... so my heart is full and i can go to the next stage knowing that i gave him my best. all my creativity and energy went into giving him experiences on those days together.

here's the deal. i work with middle school kids, so i know what's coming. one day he will be unimpressed with my "rocket" craftsmanship and efforts to spend time with him. in the not to distant future he will think everything i do is stupid and embarrassing. so, i savor today.

reagan, your daddy loves you. being a father to you and harrison is the most fulfilling responsibility i've ever had. happy birthday gunner.

daddy

flying pig...

2009-05-03T10:35:00.003-06:00

well, it was a little less flying and a little more pig.

my time was 2:54 and i ran the whole way. my legs are too stubby to keep up with the others so i did 12/13 of it on my own. by far, this was way more mentally challenging than physical.

at mile 7 some lady was giving out little cups of jelly beans. i can say with complete honesty that it saved the race for me. that energy boost those magic beans gave me was priceless. besides water and gatorade, she was the only person giving out stuff... and it was EXACTLY what i needed.

i think i may do it again next year... but, the jury is still out. i don't doubt that i can cut 20 minutes off my time if i pack a fanny pack of jelly beans.

milthaler

life on mars...

2009-04-28T20:44:00.002-06:00

i was a fan of the show "life on mars". come to find out it has been canceled. in my search to find out the details... i came to find out that it was actually a rip off of the BBC show of the same name. http://tinyurl.com/26d3te

i think it's funny how some of the best shows of this decade have been rip offs of the BBC and others. it's true, there is nothing new under the sun.

i'll admit it... i have an affinity for ripping off others work. i was taught that it was the dirty little secret of youth ministry. but, it appears that it's the norm.

creativity takes space to think and create. all too often we don't have the time to create something new, so we steal.

milthaler

long live TALON...

2009-03-21T10:26:00.003-06:00

more pics at milthaler.com/talon

volunteers...

2009-03-05T22:52:00.003-05:00

over the last month i have had the privilege of working with diane adamec. diane is the definition of a high capacity volunteer. she spent her professional life as an organizing genus and has been "floating" around the student union giving me much needed feedback about our systems.

she asked me a question today that has rattled around in my brain. "are you able to identify and fully utilize your quality volunteers?" i like to think that i am, but as i think more about it... i'm not so sure.

in the church world (or any organization that utilizes volunteers) we are afraid to ask people to do "more" because we don't want to overload them or burn them out... but, i also have a hunch that if we simply asked we may find that people are ready and willing to give more.

more important, there are probably people that serve at the student union that have the professional capacity and know how to take neglected areas and make them great. may people don't feel passionate about their "day job" because they don't feel like they are changing the world... that is one of the reasons they serve in the first place. perhaps it's my fault for not giving them the chance to make a greater impact.

just to push the conversation a little further... why can't a paid staff member of a church have a volunteer as their boss? there are people out there who can manage an entire staff with a one hour meeting.

milthaler

bye, bye credit cards...

2009-03-04T17:05:00.004-05:00

yesterday was a great day for the milthaler family. we paid off our last credit card and are on our way to paying off all our debts.

a few months ago we took a short vacation to the cabin our friends (scott and julie mcmiller) own in the hocking hills region. we both were totally consumed with the idea of purchasing our own cabin... and so the journey to put ourselves in a firm financial position to achieve this goal.

it's staggering to say, but over the past five months we have eliminated tens of thousands of dollars in debt... it's really amazing. i am embarrassed in one sense to share that we were so "out of control" but, on the other hand i want to provide hope and freedom to those of you that are stuck in this negative debt behavior. the actions that got us in the position we found ourselves weren't that untypical. we weren't gambling or living a lavish lifestyle... we just weren't living our wadge.

the sucky part is that i would like to redo our kitchen, update our furniture and start aggressively saving for college and the cabin, but we can't. the following statement is true... "debt steals from the future".

so how did we do it? the simple answer is that we spent less than we made and put what was left over on our debts... but there were some more keys:

1. we sat down and added up ALL of our debt. not just the high interest, or the stuff we thought we could never pay off... all of it went into excel.

2. we started dave ramsey's financial peace university. ramsey never said anything i didn't already know, but he gave tough fatherly advice that stuck in my brain.

3. we started to account for every penny that came in and out of our wallets. when we started our budget we were shocked at how little things add up.

4. we gave ourselves a fair amount of blow money. we didn't budget for eating out or simple stuff like that. no envelopes, just a monthly or weekly allowance. it was a decent amount, so it gave us freedom. i think this was a big key to our success.

5. whenever we got free money, like royalties or supplementals we put them toward the debt. we started paying on the smallest and then rolling the money to the next smallest when it was paid off.

then something awesome happened, god started to bless us like never before. in a way, i think he was waiting for us to get our act together so we wouldn't misuse the resources that are ultimately his.

we still have a long way to go, but i am more confident than ever that we will get there.

twitter (contd)...

2009-03-03T22:32:00.006-05:00

bshawise said...
twitter (to me) just seems extremely vain. i have a hard time understanding why people want to alert everyone that they just ate chicken and watched a movie. help me understand the merits of this "communication tool."

it is vain to think that people actually care about what you are having for dinner... but, the same argument could be made about publishing one's ideas in a blog. but, that is the beauty of both... they are unforced communication.

in the 80's it was your money... but, today our most valuable currency is time. how you spend your time shows your priorities. this is what gives twitter value, being able to communicate your values.

comings and goings don't contribute to the "conversation" and if that is all you do, you won't have many "followers". but, commentary with the occasional status update is engaging. for instance, joe boyd is able to communicate reset information while personalizing it with the fact he is at a coffee shop working on his talk. personally, i have found updates to be micro blogs. chances are i won't read anyones complete blog entries, but the limit of 140 characters challenges the communicator to get to the point quick.

mega stars are able to use this communication to "connect" with their fans. shaq recently "tweeted" that he had two tickets to that nights game for anyone who could meet him at a specific location first. it's a cheep gimic... but, undeniably interesting.

for the church world, we should learn something from the obama campaign. we live in a new communication world. twitter gives you the chance to communicate in an authentic and personal way. twitter is not a social networking site (the distinguishing factor between twitter and facebook). people have to look for you to "follow" your communication. this is important because you are attracting people who want to hear from you... again, it's the beauty of unforced communication. and, adapting early to communication gives you the opportunity to communicate with early adaptors who tend to be influencers.

that's way more than 2 cents so i'll stop. feel free to follo w me on twitter.

milthaler

twitter...

2009-02-24T22:14:00.001-05:00

hey all... i'm giving twitter another chance. you can follow me by clicking on the link to the right. i would also love to hear how you are using this as a communication mode.

milthaler

i'm a paleontologist...

2009-02-23T21:48:00.002-05:00

the older woman...

2009-02-13T10:50:00.002-05:00

happy birthday hope... here's your song...

cabin pics...

2009-02-11T23:06:00.002-05:00

just in case you're not on facebook... here is another link to the pictures.

copyright...

2009-02-11T22:57:00.003-05:00

this is very interesting story for "creative types"

nytimes story

see my pictures from this past weekend.

ice storm...

2009-02-03T09:56:00.012-05:00

we were supposed to head to the cabin this weekend as a family, but the power went out all over logan county. instead, it was just scott and me. we kept enough heat in the cabin to keep the pipes from exploding and roughed it. well sort of, this was dinner on friday night...

on saturday morning, we hiked "old man's cave". besides the fact that ice made everything as "slick as snot on a door knob" the sights were beautiful.

you can see all my pics here.

milthaler

transfer of power...

2009-01-20T23:08:00.003-05:00

today was a very memorable and meaningful day in history. the most powerful leadership position in history was peacefully passed from one to another. when you think about it... that is a beautiful thing.

i was shocked when bw3s became totally quiet as everyone paused to listen to the speech. the facebook / cnn coverage fully integrated the power of the internet. as someone who is giving his life to empower students to live a life of service, i'm greatly encouraged. the unity today rivals that of 9|11 and that energy was not fueled by anger and a need for revenge, amazing.

no matter your political persuasion... you can't escape the significance of today.

milthaler

mother-in-law...

2009-01-17T13:15:00.003-05:00

i thought obama was intending to do away with torture... never the less, his mother-in-law is moving into the white house with him. freeloader. they say that behind every great man there is a surprised mother-in-law.

on thursday, hope had to leave for a work conference in columbus. my mother-in-law comes to our house four days a week to watch our boys. she is the reason that reagan is so verbal and smart... he had focused one on one time with mamaw before harrison came. she won't take money and doesn't know how to use gas gift cards.

i don't know if it's because she thinks i'm incompetent... but, when i came home on thursday the house was sparkling and dinner was on the stove. friday's dinner was comparable to thanksgiving. when i got into the freezer to get ice for the iced tea she made... i saw the bag of pizza rolls and laughed out loud.

i miss hope... but...

paradigm...

2009-01-16T22:58:00.003-05:00

it's perhaps the most overused business word of the 90's but i've not experienced a true paradigm shift in a long time. www.swoopo.com is a true expression of the word.

i'll have to credit alton "hugs" alexander for showing me this revolution in recreational internet auctions... it's pure genius. when you mix the the thrill of bidding with the drug of cheap prices you get this new gambling/auction site. check it out... but realize it's a mirage.

we had a staff meeting today where i showed this site to the "kids" i lead. they kept trying to compare it to ebay... and it was so fun watching their faces as they tried to do the math.

it's interesting that we try to categorize everything we see with something we've already experienced. we tend to frame everything with familiarity. what's even more hilarious is that when something doesn't fit our limited experience we get angry and discount it immediately. mix that with the inability to do math... well, you've got swoopp.com.

milthaler

justanswer.com...

2009-01-14T00:13:00.002-05:00

so, i'm having trouble with my passat. i've changed the thermostat twice and still no luck. i googled troubleshooting problems with volkswagen and stumbled on to this site.

you pay $9 for a certified mechanic to troubleshoot your problem. you message back and forth trying different things... so far we're on step two. then, when i am satisfied... i send him (or her) the held money on my credit card. it's genius.

here is an example of the last post...

Ok, so you need to remove the coolant hose at the top of the coolant bottle (it's the small one) and hold it over the open bottle, have a friend start the car and hold the RPM at 2000 while you observe for flow out of that hose.

Also feel both of the heater core hoses near the battery (you'll need to remove the plastic trim there) and see if either one of them is hot. Are both the radiator hoses hot? Any check engine light.

Please be sure to answer all the questions I've asked as it will help me greatly in figuring out what is wrong with your car.

Danny

it's like having a real mechanic friend... ohhhh, i just felt icky. i'm paying for it.

milthaler

the christmas letter

2008-12-24T11:43:00.002-05:00

Sim"pli*fy\, v. t. to make simple; to make less complex; to make clear by giving the explanation for; to show an easier or shorter process for doing or making.

interestingly enough (considering we added a human being to our family this year), our 2008 can best be summed up by this word: simplify. i have attempted multiple times to type this letter, but every time it has grown into a monster as i’ve tried to explain the simplicity that now governs the milthaler family. so, basically, i will not go into a diatribe on that topic. suffice it to say that, following our first visit to the mcmiller cabin in hocking hills in august ’08, our lives changed forever. i will attempt in one paragraph to put it simply…

silence. i honestly had no clue as to the lack of that thing in our lives until the time we spent there. family. we laughed, lived, loved; we cooked, ate, played, existed quietly together without distraction. nature. we hiked, camped, the boys slept in a tent!, and gazed in awe at God’s wondrous world in a way none of us had (at least for a very long time). the cabin made the world more silent and the living grow louder. we don’t know exactly the when, where, or how, but there is a cabin in our future.

speaking of the how: dave ramsey! I don’t know how many of you have experienced his teaching but we are in it up to our knees (or ankles, not exactly sure yet) and already experiencing the change. it will not be long before we are debt free and on our way to living like no one else! that is a big part of the simplification in our lives: that first, as dave says, we must “live like no one else.” it is exciting to pair up his expertise with God’s desire for us to be financially accountable so that we can live freely and bless others. I can’t wait to see it all come to fruition. (which is partially why i’m saying it out loud… accountability!)

now on to the personal updates. first and of course foremost: introducing harrison wayne milthaler. born june 6, he is our second boy and now I know for sure what it means to love and love and love and not have any idea how there could possibly be that much of an emotion. harrison is a jolly little baby, and very very physically active. he is much the same as his big brother in size and look. although, much to mommy’s dismay, he does not have the striking blonde hair of her firstborn. (not exactly sure where the plan went sour…but then again she was certain her children would all be blonde and blue-eyed…that dream died with the turn to hazel!) harrison loves his brother the most. he lights up when he’s around and laughs most heartily when reagan is laughing or playing with him. he doesn’t have the same issues with reflux that reagan had, making it a little easier this time around. however even in the first few weeks we learned that this would indeed be the most difficult job we had ever taken on (being parents of two!). we have adjusted, and divide and conquer has never meant so much. anyway, about harrison: his most recent feats are eating baby food, rolling all over the floor, slobbering incessantly, and singing, cooing, and giggling until every heart near him breaks. I treasure and cherish every single time I hold him in my arms, because I know (or, at least am pretty sure) that he is the last baby of my own I will ever hold. he is the sunshine of our lives and let me just say that 6 months is the greatest age!

speaking of big brother: reagan (age 3) took every fear I had of bringing a crying, selfish little human being into his life and threw it immediately out the window. from day one he has loved harrison deeply. I honestly would not have believed it had God himself told me, but I do believe that reagan loved harrison with an immediate and fierce love that only a brother must feel that superseded (and continues to) any selfish emotion he could ever have toward his new sibling. I never really had the opportunity to know that emotion, and matthew was 8 years older than his sister, so it’s not exactly the same. but I knew reagan was smitten for sure the day we told him that we’d sent harrison back to the hospital and reagan burst into tears crying, “no! you can’t! he’s our baby!!” anyway he handled the addition of this little screaming thing with grace and a heart bigger than I’ve ever known. (furthermore he immediately corrects anyone who attempts to correct harrison! he is already his staunchest ally and greatest defender) I am so proud of my little man. and I mean it when I say he will always be my first little boy.

reagan self-entertains more these days (some of it necessary, unfortunately) and when doing so he loves playing with his thomas the train set and watching (lately) the wall-e movie (at least 2 times per day). he also goes to sunday school every week (and now loves it) and enjoys being babysat every now and then when mommy and daddy get a night out. he does want to (constantly) PLaY and asks us to do that every waking moment. he has an unstoppable imagination and there is never a dull moment when he is around. he is so incredibly smart. this year he flew for the first time on an airplane (actually 4 by the time it was all over) when we went to florida for cousin suzie’s wedding. daddy bought an ipod touch so that “reagan could watch movies” (haha). well to our amazement that 3-year-old boy has mastered the device and now plays games, watches videos, and can even zoom in and out of pictures without help. we think he’s going to be the brains of the operation: and harrison is just going to hit people.

matthew is in his third year at the vineyard community church in cincinnati. he loves it there. this year they saw the completion of their building project the student union. finally teens who come there have a true place of worship that they can call their own. the coolest thing to happen this year was that matthew and his co-workers got haircuts! if you will recall, my last Christmas letter mentioned the fact that there would be no cutting of hair until the vcc youth program reached 600 students per weekend for two weekends in a row. it took them 14 months of dedicated effort and now, 600 is their average. the growth will only continue. I am so proud of my husband and his undying heart for God’s future generation. he stared in a movie project (www.theraodtoemmauspa.com) and actually received IMDB credit. he is now four degrees from kevin bacon.

he is talented beyond measure and I am not afraid to tell my students at kings that every single unique (a/k/a good) game, warm-up song, or fundraising idea I have pretty much comes from him. he is also the all-american daddy and, although reagan makes it a nightly joke to leave daddy out of his “thank you God for ____” prayer, the boys behave differently when he is around. they need him on a level that I could never satisfy. from wrestling to tackling to tickling to heart-to-heart manly talks, he is the true leader in our family. I absolutely adore being the female on the sidelines watching it all take place. I thank God constantly for blessing me with the boys I dreamed of (all three of them).

the other really cool thing about matthew is that this year he has rediscovered his manhood. it all started with hurricane ike (yeah people, we had hurricane winds 80mph in ohio. I lost my favorite tree. it was truly phenomenal to hear and watch.). he organized a block party where we all brought our perishables and fired up the grill. he made coffee each morning using our chimenea and took it around to neighbors who had no way to make it. he fed us using camping gear and it was truly delicious. it was also tremendously fun to exist together in a survival situation and find that not only could we do it, but we could actually grow closer together through it. he demonstrated God’s second greatest commandment (love your neighbor as yourself) in a way I’ve never seen before and in a way i’m certain our oldest son observed. our neighborhood became more like a family in those four days without power, and it was greatly because of him. I am a blessed girl to be his wife.

I am in my fifth year at kings high school by kings island as the high school choral director. this year I also lead the seventh grade girls’ choir (something I never thought I’d say I loved…but I do!). I have found a new joy in this life: the joy that comes from knowing your job inside and out and therefore being able to let go of the details (because they come naturally) and just enjoying the people you interact with on a daily basis. I have made it my goal to, although I teach in a public school, show (and even on occasion, tell) the love of Christ to my students. I have seen that it is happening, in that they come to me and enjoy my company. I have fallen in love with them in the last couple of years and know that this job is instead a calling God has on my life. I always thought that it was about me loving music and therefore needing to overcome the burnout and stress in order to use the talents God gave me. now I know that it is much greater than that, and that I was selfish to ever think otherwise. I adore teaching them to be amazing music makers and also to live and love life to the fullest by being more than just typical teenagers. this week I watched them come alive while caroling to neighborhood families, sick people, and old folks’ homes. the students beamed when the old man with the banjo asked “what church are y’all from?” and they got to respond: “we’re from kings high school.” this spring I get to take them to Gatlinburg for their first choir trip ever. funny how I’m certain singing with banjo-picking old men for old ladies who can’t sing “silent night” because of their tears will far outweigh any experience we might have at the smoky mountain music festival. and boy is it fine by me.

mom still comes to our house and babysits the boys every single day that we are both at work. so 4 days a week she gives of her time and energy to give the boys a one-on-one special care they could get no where else. to say that sets a mommy’s mind at ease doesn’t come close to the way I feel leaving my house each morning. it, in a nutshell, means that I can keep working. period. thank you mom. (the kicker is: she thanks US.) dad is still working! and both are blessed with amazing health. they continually put others before themselves and seem to exist for that very purpose. I will always be a better person because of that kind of love for others. we have FOUr little ones in the family this year: reagan and three others! harrison, liz’s new baby Dylan (who was born only 3 weeks before harrison…what a joy it was being pregnant and mommies together!), and miles’ little girl Madison. Christmas is going to be the most fun ever this year!

of course the milthaler family is still mourning the absence of grandma argabrite. grandma monroe is still hanging in there although she is spending her days at an area nursing home. it has been a very hard year for mom & dad m but they are trusting in God’s provision and supervision in every decision and aspect of life. we are thankful for their daily demonstration of faith to us and to our children. karly is 6 now and is turning in to a darling young lady. most importantly: KrIStY IS ENGaGED! phil proposed at a “surprise party” for his birthday. what kris didn’t know was we all knew about it and that the surprise was on her! that was in november and the wedding date is set for august 1, 2009. I was thrilled, surprised, and completely honored to be chosen as maid of honor. I will perform the role to the fullest, it is a promise! we are so happy for kristy and phil and karly and the entire family is overjoyed to watch them all become one in the eyes of God and family. yippee!

i believe we can say that our family is thriving. for some, life is financially difficult in these hard economic times. for some, relatives are failing and growing older. for some, physical pain is present making daily life a trial. but you know we still all have each other. the older I get the more I know that this one thing is the most important thing there is. over money, over success, even over health (although we are incredibly blessed in that category as well). like part of the definition of “simplify”: to make clear by giving the explanation for. the explanation of life is loving each other. as long as we have each other and can hug and kiss good bye or good night, all is well with the world. we all are praying for each of you and your families this christmas. we hope that 2009 brings love and laughter and strength and peace to you. you all know how I love to speak of our friendprints: we got to add texas to our path this year (howdy, steurnagels!). may God’s love and blessings flow forth and embrace you all across the miles. we love you! merry christmas and happy new year!!

love matthew, hope, reagan, and harrison

the {re}gifter...

2008-12-23T11:57:00.000-05:00

i had the opportunity to see the much anticipated {re}gifter and it didn't disappoint.

congrats brad, i know that you put a ton of work into this project! you astound me with your energy and creativity. truly, i'm proud to be your friend. you were able to make an emotional connection to a timeless truth!

i've commissioned alton to give you several hugs next time you cross paths.

milthaler

why we have waivers...

2008-12-16T10:18:00.003-05:00

this is a quick video from this year's fall weekend. we found this "earth ball" in a storage closet and put it to good use.

as with many youth ministry events... we had to make up rules as we went.

milthaler

mike...

2008-12-13T21:48:00.002-05:00

as with other projects i've done... i got to meet an great human being while doing this project. mike is simply a great guy and he has such a cool outlook on life.

milthaler

bcs...

2008-12-07T21:50:00.001-05:00

i don't know who wrote this... so i can't give credit, but it's hilarious.

After determining the Big-12 championship game participants, the BCS computers were put to work on other major contests and today the BCS declared Germany to be the winner of World War II.

"Germany put together an incredible number of victories beginning with the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland and continuing on into conference play with defeats of Poland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. Their only losses came against the US and Russia; however considering their entire body of work--including an incredibly tough Strength of Schedule--our computers deemed them worthy of the #1 ranking."

Questioned about the #4 ranking of the United States the BCS commissioner stated "The US only had two major victories--Japan and Germany. The computer models, unlike humans, aren't influenced by head-to-head contests--they consider each contest to be only a single, equally-weighted event."

German Chancellor Adolf Hitler said "Yes, we lost to the US; but we defeated #2 ranked France in only 6 weeks." Herr Hitler has been criticized for seeking dramatic victories to earn 'style points' to enhance Germany's rankings. Hitler protested "Our contest with Poland was in doubt until the final day and the conditions in Norway were incredibly challenging and demanded the application of additional forces."

The French ranking has also come under scrutiny. The BCS commented " France had a single loss against Germany and following a preseason #1 ranking they only fell to #2."

Japan was ranked #3 with victories including Manchuria, Borneo and the Philippines.

ben's mom...

2008-12-03T23:00:00.001-05:00

so, my friend ben came over to watch "the road to emmaus, pa" last night... that is until his mom called. this is a segment of what turned into a 47:21 conversation... well, it was sort of a conversation. right when i stopped taping she said, "well, i'm getting tired of talking". HA!

i haven't laughed this hard for 47 straight minutes... ever.

it's muted most of the time so she can't hear us... but, that doesn't seem to matter.

christmas greetings...

2008-12-03T18:05:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

so, i took a break...

2008-12-02T10:18:00.002-05:00

i have not touched this blog in almost two weeks... and somehow life went on. just to get caught up, here are the plethora of things that have happened in my recent past.

smoke damage in our house, the ash box of the fireplace after a faulty cleaning left us with a house that smelled like an ashtray. we now have new carpet, repainted ceilings, new everything that was fabric... and this was all after two rounds of cleaning/treatment. it's been a royal pain, but seems to have worked out for the best.

we went to hocking hills for another weekend. this time the cold kept us inside most of the time we were there... but, it was glorious family fun.

harrison is now giggling... almost all the time. he is such a happy baby. tons of fun and he greeted me this morning with dadadadadadadada... i don't think he was intentionally saying daddy, but it started my day off with a huge laugh.

i asked reagan what he wanted to get mommy for christmas and with thoughtful consideration he told me, "wipes, so she can use them when she goes poop". he was completely serious. i will admit however, baby wipes are great for number two... especially warm. i hear all the rap stars use them.

thanksgiving was at our house. i'm shocked at how people want to tell you how depressing their year was... when we are supposed to go around the table (per tradition) and tell what we are thankful for. save the sour and just hit the sweet.

i went outside to 20 degree temps and wondered why people choose to live here... and then realized that i had made the choice to live here. wouldn't it be great if spring broke right after christmas? this is why i keep polluting and refuse to recycle.

consider yourself caught up.

milthaler

lost wallet...

2008-11-12T12:07:00.002-05:00

i took a week long vacation last week... at least that is what i called it. i traveled with two kids, my lovely wife and eight other members of my immediate and extended family to boca raton, fl for the wedding of my cousin.

imagine a hybrid of lampoons vacation and a jeff foxworthy routine and you get a clearer picture of the trip in it's entirety. making an involved story short... i left my wallet on the plane as we had a layover in atlanta. i didn't realize this until i went to rent a car at our final destination. suck!

after being on hold with the airline and redirected to several different departments... (sidebar, your honor... wouldn't you think that people leave stuff on a plane all the time and the process to retrieve such articles would be a little more standardized and centralized... nope!?!) i had no luck in retrieving a small piece of leather that contains almost everything you need to survive while traveling.

the next morning i received this email...

Good news!
I found your wallet.
Better news, all your credit cards and social security stuff is safe.
Jesus was watching over you, again.
The best news, I'm a fellow believer!
I don't know if you're home or if I should over night it to your vacation destination.
I know you'll need your wallet at the airport.
My name is Paula Glenos.

Praise God!

paula is the new name i will use to refer to the angels that protect me. not only did she email me, she googled me and called almost every person i know looking for me.

milthaler

alternative sabbath...

2008-11-02T13:40:00.002-05:00

technological edge...

2008-10-27T19:21:00.002-05:00

i still don't know who i am going to vote for... and that is not an invitation for you to try and convince me that your candidate is superior.

one thing that you can't dispute is that barack obama has the technological edge over mccain. there are a bunch of little things that contribute to this edge but here are two that really impressed me. first, obama has an application that is free to download on the iphone and touch. it keeps you in touch with everything they want you to know... that's pretty impressive considering the major companies that don't have a presence on the iphone as of now.

the second is this web site that they have started running ads for. here's the link in case you want to check it out. simply input your financial data and it tells you how much you'll save in taxes as opposed to mccain. it's web genius... and is a textbook example of relevant web advertising.

now there is no way that the candidate comes up with all these ideas on his own... but what if the roles were reversed. what if the old guy was using technology in a relevant way and the young guy was "out of touch"? that would be interesting, but we're left with the stereotype in tact.

then again, there is a rumor that "duba" was addicted to email before coming president. (email can be subpoenaed.) use of technology doesn't make for a great president.

What if...

2008-10-27T10:49:00.000-05:00

What if blog posts are the cousin of the annoying forward? It's basically all the stuff you would secretly love to spam your friends with without the stigma!

First post from my iPod touch...

2008-10-27T00:36:00.001-05:00

I got my new iPod tonight. This cool app allows me to misspell words at an astonishing rate and publish right from my iPod. Here's to progress and more frequent posts.

coming this winter...

2008-10-21T16:45:00.003-05:00

prom video...

2008-10-19T19:54:00.001-05:00

one issue candidate...

2008-10-07T20:20:00.002-06:00

as i listen to both candidates talk about the gaggle of things they are going to do during their first term and my mind is spinning. to think that they can do half of what they say is a crazy idea. blah, blah, blah.

what if a candidate picked one issue and only talked about that issue? i don't care which one... simply pick one.

"i'm sorry tom, i know you asked me about social security reform... but, as you know i'm only going to talk about finding alternative energy..."

let's face it, you can't do everything. what if everyday the president woke up and worked on one issue? i'm not saying he or she should ignore defense issues, supreme court appointees or the economy entirely, but used all of their energy to work on one issue until it was actually solved. i'm looking for the mindset that says, "why not work on one thing until you actually fix it".

i know this won't happen... but regardless of the issue, would you vote for this type of candidate?

milthaler

trailer...

2008-10-01T20:20:00.000-06:00

here is the "official" trailer for the road to emmaus, pa. in case you haven't checked it out the web page is www.theroadtoemmauspa.com.

funny...

2008-10-01T14:31:00.003-06:00

this was sent to me from my friend scott, pretty much dead on.

www.sinfest.net

1994...

2008-09-25T10:03:00.003-06:00

let's just say that 1994 was a very, very confusing year for me.

this is a great website.

the road to emmaus, pa...

2008-09-23T20:18:00.003-06:00

we learned this week that our little film, "the road to emmaus, pa" has been accepted into the derby city film festival in louisville, ky. the showing will be on sunday, october 12 at 3:45 pm.

the web site is almost done and is at www.theroadtoemmauspa.com. there will also be showings at the vineyard on november 2 & 9 with times to be released later.

after watching the "almost final" edit last night, i'm excited for everyone to see it. there are quite a few things that were added from what you might have seen during celebrations and it flows nicely.

huge props go out to mark denney and norm freitag who edited this behemoth down to under 90 minutes. these guys really believe in this project and have worked tirelessly to make sure this dream became a reality.

milthaler

ddn...

2008-09-11T07:43:00.004-06:00

one year closer to death...

2008-09-08T13:51:00.003-06:00

today is my 31st birthday. last year, i realized that i never saw myself living past thirty. i, literally, had already accomplished all the life goals that i had set. i had been in the room for the birth of my child, i went skydiving and was a published author. bing, bang, boom.

this year, i've discovered a few new goals for the next chapter (or several chapters) of my life. strangely, none of them revolve around me or self promotion. they mostly involve my family, the students i serve and life of simplicity. this is very personal for me, but i thought this would be a good place for me to flesh them out on paper (so to speak).

1. i want my wife to truly know at the core of her being that her husband loves her.

-when you have kids, your marriage changes. if you're not careful, it can be for the worse. if you are intentional, it can be for the better. i want to serve my wife and lead our family with godly integrity. this goes to my goal of simplicity, but for the last month we have watched very little television. amazing things happen when you unplug and connect.

2. i want my boys to become men who love god, and love others.

-reagan and i went to the springboro v. piqua football game this friday night. he loved the atmosphere. he wasn't very interested in the football game... to my great displeasure. i asked him if he wanted to play football... nope. "do you want to be in the band," nope. so, what do you want to do i asked, "i want to be up there, so i can talk in the microphone." i've come to the point where i don't care if he plays football, or any other sport for that matter. i don't want him to be good at sports.... i want him to be good at life.

while we were at the game he met several people that i haven't seen in years. if you've been around reagan, he's not exactly shy. he is very verbal. when a man offered him a piece of candy, he accepted with a very sincere, "thank you". his mother has done good.

my life goal is to make sure i build into my boys godly character and an guide them towards an outward focused life. the big ZING, here is that i have to model these things. words are meaningless, i need to display the type of behavior i want to see in them.

3. i want to commission a generation for life long ministry.

-i've known that this is what god has called me to do for several years. however, i haven't quite put the intentionality into doing it. there is a cost to this goal and i'm ready to embrace it. i want there to be a generation of students who come out of the vineyard ready to use their entire life as ministry, no matter what vocation they go into.

4. simplicity.

-it is easy to let your lifestyle grow as your income grows. when hope and i were first married we had nothing. now, we both make a decent wage and it's easy to play the consumerism game. i don't need more stuff, i've already have all that i need. i recently made the decision not to buy and iphone. i would love to have one, i just don't need it. it costs more than my current plan... and i am most tempted to by it just to keep up with those around me.

i'm no longer into playing that game. i have some specific financial goals for the rest of my life and while some of them benefit my family... they mostly benefit the people that i will be able to bless because i have financial freedom.

that's about it for now. but, i feel as if i now have direction... something i was lacking when i turned thirty.

milthaler

playing pastor...

2008-09-05T15:55:00.002-06:00

for the last two days i have been wearing my pastoral hat at work. i've been "being" with kids who are facing real life challenges. one of those students is melissa, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis today.

it was a crushing blow for her and the family who had been praying intently for healing and more positive diagnosis. this girl is a jewel and is always serving at the student union. in fact, she was writing letters to the much older folks in the rooms next to hers just to encourage them when i was there yesterday. she is intent on getting fitted for her new walker in time to be back to the student union so she can help leader her small group with her adult partner. i wanted to say, "listen, you've got a pretty good excuse to skip this weekend... why don't you take it?" but, i don't think anything i (or any doctor) would say could keep her away.

it's hard to see kids in pain and dealing with adult sized issues. but, it's also exciting to see them depend on god's strength though it all. the simple truth that jesus taught about becoming like a child is true... and has been at the forefront of my mind today.

milthaler

gettin' press...

2008-09-01T20:22:00.002-06:00

i got a strange phone call today. seems as if a dayton daily news reporter stumbled cross my blog entry "on patriotism" and wanted to interview me for a story to run on september 11. i'll keep you updated when the story runs.

milthaler

veep...

2008-08-29T12:09:00.006-06:00

i, for one, think that john mccain made a brilliant choice in tina fey as his running mate.

milthaler

new bike...

2008-08-28T19:57:00.002-06:00

reagan has put his poopie in the proper place for three weeks now, and has earned his first bicycle. i still can't believe that baby we brought home from the hospital is riding a big-boy-bike, but it's true.

it's quite a jump from his little trike, and he's not as confident on it as he will be. i feel from time to time that the simple lessons that god teaches me from being a father are a little predictable and trite but, i will go ahead and share this one.

tonight we took a ride around the block, he was riding his bike and i was walking beside. we live in a subdivision that is a challenging for a three year old on a bike. it's hilly with little flat space. so, half the time he's working way too hard and the other half of the time he is freaking out because he is losing control on the way down the other side.

i can see him trying to be brave and strong as he works this new apparatus. half way through he was done and was emotionally and physically spent. he knew the majority of the ride home was down hill, and that freaked him out. i explained to him that i would be right by his side and that there was nothing to be afraid of. i had too push him, but not too hard as he really wanted to do it.

the entire way, he needed my hand on his back or pulling him on his shoulder to help slow him down. he would drift to the side of the sidewalk when he got distracted by the peddles. i would say, "watch where your going buddy... keep it on the sidewalk."

it was like god was speaking directly to me... i'm sure you can see all the things that god was communicating to me right then and there.

they say that your image and perspective of god is most influenced by your own earthly father. for me it's been the other way around. i have learned so much more about the character of god as i try to be a good father to my boys. i love those little guys and through that i've been able to feel how much god loves me.

for those of you on the fence, fatherhood is far better than you could ever imagine.

milthaler

applause...

2008-08-27T09:06:00.001-06:00

i was watching the democratic convention last night and was surprised how some speakers just don't know how to react to applause. good speakers know when to keep going and when to pause. then there is the person who says their next line three times, not quite knowing when to start up again.

i learned a lot in my college speech class. because i speak to tens of thousands of students each week (ok, a few hundred) i find that this class was a great foundation to what i do every weekend. except, start your talk with a joke. oh, and tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them... that's junk. chances are your audience is more astute than that... even middle schoolers.

then again... i don't think i learned that much in my speech class. it's was my drama/acting class... now that's a scary thought.

milthaler

it looks like school is back in session...

2008-08-26T21:03:00.002-06:00

man... things have been crazy around my house. there is no doubt in my mind that fall is more like the new year than january 1. daddy baby days are back, my wife goes to bed at 7:30, and work is crazy.

when i find something interesting and have the time i'll blog more.

milthaler

stolen gnome...

2008-08-15T10:22:00.001-06:00

cut and paste:

"In an episode that re-creates a scene from the French film Amelie, Murphy was returned to Eve Stuart-Kelso with a letter saying he had taken off because he had "itchy feet".

In the 2001 film, starring Audrey Tautou, Amelie steals her father's gnome and gives it to a friend who takes it around the world and posts back pictures of it in famous places to show him what he is missing in life.

Besides Murphy was a Tesco carrier bag containing the album of 48 photos and stamped immigration permits to South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong and Laos.

The album showed Murphy - who weighs a hefty 8lb (3.6kg) - abseiling down a mountain, standing in a shark's mouth, swimming in the sea, and riding a motorbike.

Murphy took to his travels with a companion only referred to as "The Bear" - although some of the photos picture a group of young men who might have been responsible.

The accompanying letter explained his disappearance: "There's more to life than watching daily commuter traffic and allowing passing cats to urinate on you."

Mrs Stuart-Kelvo, who once ran a motel in Florida with her husband, said it was "such a shock" to see Murphy returned to the front garden of her Gloucester home.

She said: "The leprechaun went missing many, many months ago and I had forgotten about it.

"Then I opened the door on Thursday and saw he was back. It was such a shock.

"I thought, 'Well, it's a bit of mischief but at least he hasn't been put through the window.'

"Murphy was quite badly damaged and there was a tightly wrapped parcel next to him. My curiosity eventually overcame my alarm, because I did wonder if it might explode.

"Then I saw it was a beautifully bound photo album and opened it up.

"His feet were missing, but that's no real surprise given that he was sent abseiling down a mountain!"

She added: "It was the strangest gift I have ever received. I just keep thinking how funny it is. It makes me smile to see all the people he met on his travels. It was a wonderful surprise."

Murphy's letter read: "Hello! First of all I feel I should explain my prolonged absence. A gnome's life is full of time for reflection, and whilst surveying your garden one summer morning, I began to get itchy feet.

"I came to the conclusion that the world is a big place and there is more to life than watching the daily commuter traffic, and allowing passing cats to urinate on you.

"So I decided to free myself from the doldrums of the Shire and seek adventure. My travels have taken me across three continents, 12 countries and more time zones than I can possibly remember.

"There have been high points, low points, and positively terrifying points. But I have survived - small thanks to the companion with whom I have shared all these moments."

The letter also revealed that Murphy - whom his captor called Barrington - met former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott on his outbound trip to Cape Town.

"Said hello to the big man and he seemed a decent enough bloke but unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me," he wrote.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Constabulary remained straight-faced about the matter, saying: "Any theft of a person's property, even if it is carried out as a joke, will be treated as a crime by police."

But Mrs Stuart-Kelso said she would be "delighted" to meet the culprit. "I thought the album was wonderful," she said."

see the pics here

disconnect...

2008-08-13T20:37:00.003-06:00

today we had an extended all staff meeting as many senior staff members presented a new leadership "certification" that the vineyard will be rolling out slowly over the next year. my post is not directly connected to that meeting (as i think the program will be very good for the vineyard overall), but it did bring up a question that i think about from time to time when churches roll out new initiatives.

since we are absorbed in church life as staff members... do we have a disconnect with real people and what they will do or what they expect out of their church. i have a firm belief that the church at large tends to over schedule their people and we have a tendency to make things overly complex and non-intuitive. some of our best ideas really benefit the church from an organizational standpoint rather than the lives of people.

even the purpose driven baseball diamond model looks great on paper... but if you don't have the administrative disciple to carry out each activity with excellence things fizzle out and frustration ensues. i think our main problem is that we over estimate how excited the average member is about our latest program or doodle on a napkin. and... the true believers that will do whatever we throw out there can be pretty scary people.

i believe the single thing we overlook is the "added value" factor. what will the participate benefit from completing our initiatives? how does it affect their everyday life? does it benefit the person or does it benefit the church?

for instance, church membership. does the person grow from the assimilation process and then benefit in the long term from participation? or, is it simply about the church having a database of people who have check marks beside their name? that's a waste of time. if however it provides a solid foundation for participation and accountability... i'm all for it.

sometimes the church at large acts like an employer that can require actions from their employees. but, we work with volunteers that can't be threaten with performance plans or termination of employment. this is why i think working at a church is one of the most challenging careers out there.

here's some observations that i have made in launching new models of leadership and discipleship (mostly from mistakes).

*** think 'value add'. why would someone want to participate in this program? is there a felt need that you can connect with? you must inspire them and connect to a core need that they are in tune with. punch-lists and merit badges don't work.

*** timelines for commitments. how long do you expect a person to participate in this class or process. for instance we require a school year commitment from our small group leaders and coaches. they are not going to do this forever... even if we don't set a timeline. in the church, if you volunteer to teach sunday school... it shouldn't be a life sentence.

*** start small. early success is promotion that money and hype can't get you. if your first group of people benefit from what you offer they will tell people. also, a smaller group allows you the chance to tweak things mid-process... stay agile.

*** ask yourself, "would i want to participate in this if i wasn't getting paid to do so?" if the answer is no, you've got problems.

*** make your processes visual. can people see your direction without having it explained to them? for instance, can you visually draw out your process and it be intuitive? the same can be said about what you name your programs. does it communicate a vital message without explanation?

*** (for student pastors only.) don't solicit feedback from students. this may be counterintuitive to what i have already said... but hear me out. for the most part, students think EVERYTHING sucks. they see faults that don't really exist. they are emotional. so, if you catch them on a good day you'll get a bunch of fluff. if they are having a bad day... look out. instead, get feedback from parents or adult leaders. students need to be led.

*** avoid the label "mandatory". sure we need standards... but, if something is required... it usually sucks. think about all the mandatory meetings you need to go to this month... do you really want to attend any of them? instead of using your energy to make sure everyone RSVPs, invest it in making your event or training great. then they won't miss.

comments?

milthaler

hocking hills...

2008-08-09T19:21:00.003-06:00

wow... we just got back from the best family vacation that we have ever been on. the beach is great, disney was cool, the rv... is the rv, but when it comes to beauty and relaxation... hocking hills was just what the doctor ordered.

thanks go out to scott and julie mcmiller for letting us use their cabin. they have been trying to get us out there for three years and finally we took them up on the offer. they have a BEAUTIFUL cabin!

after my famous "army breakfast" we hiked every morning, antiqued a few times and ate dinner together. hope and i connected out on the porch with needed conversation.

i can't say enough... it's wonderful there. check out the pictures... and yes the smiles are very real.

milthaler

sixth graders...

2008-08-03T10:05:00.001-06:00

we had our sixth grade upgrade on thursday night.

perhaps the coolest blessing AND curse of middle school ministry is that every year is different. it's always a unique flavor as our turnover is three years instead of four for high school or college ministry.

at the beginning of every year, we feel so immature. it's fun, but by the time you feel like the group is coming together and you're hitting on all cylinders... bam, the year is over and it starts all over again. i don't think high school ministry faces this at such a high level. in september, 40% of our group has experienced puberty and by the end of the year we're looking at 70%. that is a lot of turbulent water to navigate as a leader.

to people who are new to the middle school field, i always like to give the following advice... middle school ministry is way more like children's ministry than it's like high school ministry. most people in youth ministry like to take their high school events and then just dumb them down for middle school... you can't really do that. you'll be more successful if you try to smart up children's ministry events.

here are some major differences between high school / middle school:

little sleep is necessary at events / 8 hours is necessary if you want to accomplish anything the next day.

abstract teaching is the norm / concrete teaching is needed with all dots connected and then reconnected.

say, "do i like you" / say, "do you like me"

free time is needed / free time is the enemy

won't do the hokey pokey / i'll do it if the leader is

mt. dew / caffeine free mt. dew

there are more, but those were on the top of my mind.

milthaler

vacation...

2008-08-02T09:55:00.003-06:00

with speaking gigs and overnighters at the student union our life has been a little chaotic lately. we also didn't do a family vacation this summer since we are flying to florida in october for my cousins wedding. we thought it was a good idea, at least financially and since we have a two month old... but, with the summer coming to a close and life getting ready to start in full swing, i made an executive decision yesterday that we need to get away for at least a few days. it meant more rearranging than i thought... making what seemed to be an exhilarating decision laborious.

anywho... thanks to my good buddy scott mcmiller we are heading out on monday for three days in the woods. it's supposed to be a great place... although their parting words were, "be sure to bring some drinking water".

i'm looking forward to naps with the boys, coffee in an unscheduled morning and reading. man, i'm getting old!

milthaler

it's such a good feeling...

2008-07-19T09:52:00.003-06:00

burial at sea...

2008-07-16T09:51:00.003-06:00

it's a little hard for me to admit, but reagan is not the only cute kid in the world.

gas guzzler for sale...

2008-07-15T21:09:00.003-06:00

that's probably not the title i'll use for the paper, but i do have a 98 gmc envoy for sale. it's been a great "truck" but i just live too far from work to justify having such a gas hog. it needs some work a new thingie and dohickey will make it run like new. perhaps it's best feature is that the air conditioner freezes you out.

hope wants to sell it. i would rather barter for it.

if you have a really great bartering option i'm sure i could convince her.

milthaler

props to ted...

2008-07-07T22:10:00.004-06:00

well today i got around to doing a task that has been on my "honey do" for over three years. at our last home we had brick pavers over the concrete pad in the back yard. when we made the move to springboro, i promised hope that i would put them down in the new digs.

almost like every project i do... everything was smooth until the end. the blades i bought to cut the pavers were two big for my circular saw. go figure. i usually have to go to home depot six or seven times during a home project... but, this time i thought i should check with my neighbors first.

a little background. i listen to willow creek's podcast as it's hard for me to get to "big church" each week. (i also listen to the vineyard podcast but for extra church credit, i listen to several podcasts.) they have put out the challenge to reach out to your neighbors.

ted is my neighbor crossed the street, simply put... he was willing to give me every tool in his workshop until i got it right. in his words he was just being neighborly. pretty sweet.

on patriotism...

2008-07-04T14:03:00.008-06:00

my grandfather, a WWII veteran, taught me the finer points of being patriotic. he bled red, white and blue. he always hung the flag outside his home, sang the anthem with vigor, always took off his hat and placed it over his heart for the pledge, and was very gentlemanly, yet confrontational when others didn't pay the same respect. he was a part of the "greatest generation", and he quietly knew it.

recently, i came to a bit of a startling realization. i think, my outward signs of nationalistic pride are more a tribute to my grandfather than a pride for my country. this post is less about you reading it and more about me having a chance to process my thoughts. how am i supposed to know what to think unless i blog about it?

i was not as peeved as others when michelle obama recently said, "for the first time in my adult lifetime i'm really proud of my country." it was a stupid thing for the wife of a presidential candidate to say, but from the perspective of an african-american woman i think i can see the position she was coming from. from purely a bipartisan perspective i'm proud that we finally have an black man as a major candidate for president. i think this is a good thing for america. i don't think this is a sign that we are a post-racial country. i know a woman who wanted more than anything to see hilary win the primary... and now, won't vote for obama simply because he is black. for goodness sake... they are nearly identical in their positions! that's not post-racial.

with general wesley clark's comments this week, the issue of a candidate's patriotism again became a campaign issue. does not wearing a flag pin disqualify you from being a viable candidate?

i think there is a double edged sword principle at play in my own head. if you aren't truly proud to be an american are you putting the correct interests at the forefront of your decision making process? could it be that too much national pride could actually cloud your judgment, making your prone to blind-spots?

would you want a yankees' fan as the general manager for your boston redsox? on the other hand, would it be a good decision to put the guy who sits in the dogpound, who paints his chest, who drinks a little two much on sundays make the decisions for the cleveland browns?

in leadership, emotions must always be an arm's length away.

so, with issues of patriotism here is where i stand:

am i proud of america? yes, i think it is the best governmental structure there is. however, i don't agree with all the policies and laws that govern our land. i think the constitution is brilliant but i don't view the "founding fathers" as particularly heroic (many were after all slave owners). i respect the president of the united states, but let's not even go there.

will i say the pledge? i don't know. i haven't been in a public forum in which the pledge has been recited since i can remember. as a follower of jesus, my only allegiance is to him. perhaps i'm a little too literal but, the words of the pledge bother me a little. having "one nation, under god" at the end doesn't absolve it in my mind.

will i sing the national anthem? i don't think the cincinnati reds are going to call me anytime soon to sing... better chance they would ask me to play center field. yes, i will sing. i have no problem with the national anthem as the lyrics speak to national pride and unlike the pledge, asks for no formal commitment.

would i swear on the bible? no. i would make a vow to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth but, i don't think placing my hand on the bible raises the stakes any higher for me. the bible tells me to, i'll let my yes be yes, and my no, no (james 5:12). i think following jesus is a bit like always being under oath.

do i think the american flag should be displayed in church? no, unless it is one of many representing diversity. i think the flag has no place on the stage as it is displayed in many churches. the church is sovereign ground in my mind. god is not american, republican, democratic, male or female. i hate the saying, "god bless america". i think it is god's desire to bless everyone regardless of where they live or what nationality they are. i think it is egotistical to think that god's on our side because we are americans. it's like a beer league softball team praying that they will win before a game... a little self absorbed.

should there be an constitutional amendment to ban flag burning? no. the people who burn the flag are burning the very symbol of the freedom they have... to burn the flag. in my opinion it's free speech. i would never do it, and find it utterly disrespectful, but i couldn't in clear conscience ban it legislatively.

again, this post has been less for you and more for me. as you can see my thoughts are still a little in the formation process and i'm open to input and discussion. what do you think?

PS... after watching fireworks for the last two nights, i think they last too long. last year was the ultimate. all night it appeared as if the skies were going to open up at any point... five minutes into the show it started to thunder. someone made the correct executive decision and they proceeded to launch 25 minutes of fireworks in three minutes. THIS made me truly proud to be an american.

milthaler

play ball...

2008-07-02T20:05:00.003-06:00

yeah. you can hit the curve ball.

name the movie.

happy anniversary...

2008-07-01T22:02:00.003-06:00

eight years ago today i married the most wonderful woman in the world. tonight on on our date we talked about how much had changed through the years. cars, homes, jobs, children... almost everything is different. the toast i gave at our reception is still true... hope, you are the music i dance to!

milthaler

microsoft's comeback...

2008-06-28T14:22:00.013-06:00

i made the switch from pc to mac in the winter of 2002. the switch was made primarily because after thousands of dollars, endless driver downloads, third party components and cold shutdowns in which i lost tons of work hours... something needed to happen.

up to that point, all i ever wanted to do on the computer was check email, surf the web and use word. now, i needed a little bit more and microsoft was unable to provide what i needed. i didn't make the switch because it was ubersexy... rather out of necessity. simply put, my new mac worked and let me edit video like i had been previously unable to do. i like to think it became hip only after i made the switch... the milthaler effect.

recently, alex bogusky took over major combat operations for microsoft in their war with mac. although, it's hard to call it a war since microsoft has been "handing it's lunch money over" without much of an argument for six years now.

i've been a bit of a fan of bogusky since he took big tobacco's settlement cash and used it to fund the ad campaign that brought in the bigger of the two guilty verdicts. the truth campaign (i think) was the final shot fired and finally swayed public opinion that cigarettes were evil and unhealthy (duh). he also has worked with vw, virgin and burger king. he's the reason the "king" has made such an unlikely comeback.

this is ironic... safari just quit on me. thank god for autosave.

good segue. over the last year or so i've started to recognize that my mac is not as stable as it used to be. you don't have to be a genius to see that much of apple's (no longer "apple computer") emphasis has shifted away from the mac to more truly mind blowing products... the ipod (which is only six years old! can you believe that?!?), iphone and the itunes store. it's not bad... but it is a change in priority. from a bottom line perspective, it's been very good to them.

microsoft has also had a focus problem. i think this all stems from the fact that bill gates simply got bored with the pc. with billions in the bank and great foundation on the front burner he had a decision to make. let's think about it... build a new computer vs. help solve the problems that plague the world... hmm? the official answer came this week when gates officially stepped down as the lead of microsoft.

so, enter bogusky. could it be that microsoft is prime to rise as the phoenix? we love underdogs.

my answer? i think that the worst apple product is still five years ahead of microsoft... so for the short term, i'll keep my macbook pro. but, who knows... my next computer may be a pc.

milthaler

it's under there...

2008-06-27T20:59:00.004-06:00

it's been five days so i think it's safe(ish) to say that reagan has made the transition from diapers to big-boy underwear. i didn't realize that potty training would be so much more less convenient. tonight, we had to stop at a gas station so that he could tinkle. the thought did cross my mind that if he had a diaper on i would make such better time.

passie

2008-06-26T12:29:00.010-06:00

fussy baby.
no passie.
where is it?
fright.
searching.
crying baby.
confusion.
blame.
terror.
screaming baby.
curse words.
frantic searching.
negotiating with god.

we were loading up the car for a rare adventure outside the cabin. then, we couldn't find the passie. it's amazing how a 2 cent piece of plastic can cause such emotion. (hey, where did the cent "c" go, didn't that used to be on a keyboard? just another victim of $4 gas.)

"i thought you had it."
"i know i saw you with it five minutes ago."
"you are so irresponsible"
"my parents told me i should never marry you!"

the latter wasn't said, but i knew she was thinking it.

who ever said that adding the second was no big deal needs to be slapped. perhaps, i have forgotten the routine of having a baby... but, it sure does seem like it's way more complicated this time around.

i brought up the idea of adding another yesterday. she looked as me as if she were calculating if my rusted pliers were the correct instrument for an at home vasectomy.

now some people believe that using a passie is child abuse. we thought that when reagan was born. "why have him become addicted to something so unnatural." two days after we got home... we bought six of them. only one was up to his high taste in plastic placebo.

at last count we had roughly 27... but, harrison only takes one and it's the free one that he came home with from the hospital.

all that being said, parenthood is still one of god's precious gifts. it tests a marriage like nothing else. but, if you press through it together, there comes a bond like no other. i like to say that true love is ever expanding and your definition grows over time. when we got married, i truly loved hope and knew that she was the one god has sent to me. when we added reagan, i saw her become a mother and my depth and width of love for her grew. now we are four and i can't imagine life without her. not because i have become so familiar with her being around... but, because i am truly dependent on her affirmation, wisdom, focus, touch and love.

i guess you could say that she's my passie.

milthaler

a new car...

2008-06-24T12:22:00.003-06:00

i wouldn't say that i'm green... i'm not pushing my mower like bshwise but i made a step in the right direction this past week when i purchased a more fuel efficient vehicle. not that i will be driving it. it's an unsaid rule in our house that hope gets to drive the nicer car. instead i will drive the passat turbo, a pretty sweet "greener" vehicle. even with the older car, i've more than doubled my fuel efficiency.

now to the task of getting rid of my old ride... a 2001 GMC envoy. any ideas? sell it? bless some one with it? although blessing someone with a fuel hog is a little weird.

back to the new ride... it's a sexy VW jetta wagon. i never thought of a wagon as sexy... but with two boys my perspective has changed a little. it has a wicked cool sun roof that goes from the windshield all the way to the back bumper... it's super sweet.

now, it is a 2009. i always said that i would never buy a new car. to be honest, i feel a little embarassed about driving such a new car. we were looking at used VWs and when this new car was a few thousand dollars more than our used options and had a super good warranty... we decided to take the plunge. plus, our plan is to keep it so that reagan can drive it to his senior prom and then off to college.

milthaler

nail starter...

2008-06-18T21:00:00.003-06:00

do you remember that show on saturday morning's where the kids run the racket? they run the cameras, they are the on air talent and they even invade the control room and play with all the fancy little buttons. some little future crack addict anchor energetically tells you that this is the show where kids are in charge.

i've often describe middle school volunteer opportunities like that. while it looks like kids are doing everything... adults for the most part have set the stage and made it possible for the show to actually get done and not end in a "take my ball and go home" incident.

yesterday while doing a service project with my small group... i felt that God was teaching me a similar lesson. i love my small group of seventh grade guys, but they are wimps. they really wanted to drive the nails into the wood of the house we were building. if bending nails was a high school sport... my middle school guys would have been moved up to the varsity team like a basketball prodigy.

then i had the idea... "hey guys, let me start the nails and then you all can go behind me and finish them up," i said. the rest of the time on the work site this is what i did. what a great metaphor for leading middle school kids. i didn't have the rush that comes from perfectly countersinking a nail into a fresh 2x4 but i did have the rush that comes when middle school kids are succeeding at their task.

overall, sos is going very well. there have been a ton of great God things going on and i hope to share more later this week.

milthaler

i hate people who...

2008-06-13T13:22:00.003-06:00

i simply hate to be around people who hate their job.

today i had to use the shuttle service of the body shop that was working on our VW. i could tell right away that the guy was in a bad mood when he pulled up to my house. he had just come from a house to pick someone up that wasn't there... and that set him off.

i had to hear about:
-how he hates to drive in the rain.
-how impossibly busy he's been.
-several expletives.
-loud classic rock on the radio (after several minutes of silence)
-how "no one has any idea what the shuttle guy goes through".
-how he's not a people person (really!?!).

every job has it's sucky moments and seasons. perhaps i've simply been lucky to work at places that i truly love and believe in... but give me a break. if you hate your job that much... quit! we spend more time at work than we do at home, in our car, on the golf course or anywhere else for that matter. i think it's worth the time to get the education or off your butt to apply and work for jobs that you can truly love.

for believers... we need to think of our jobs as more than just a way to earn a paycheck. give me any job and i'll show you a way that you can see it from a ministry perspective. even driving the shuttle van can be a ministry. think about it, you get people locked in a car at 55mph... you can either complain about your job OR you can be someone who shares hope and light. i would much rather be suck with the latter.

milthaler

double win...

2008-06-10T21:59:00.007-06:00

recently, i've been watching television when only infomercials are on. a few nights ago i caught a documentary on pbs (mostly because it was in HD at 3am) that was about a MIT sponsored high school robot building competition. the robots would go head to head trying to shift weight on a pendulum.

the finals pit two robots with similar designs against each other. with a little collaboration the two students positioned their robots so that the beam leveled out creating a tie... or as they called it a double win.

some people would rather open mouth kiss their sister than tie in a competition. i am one of these people. i love to win. but, the crowd cheered and the MIT professors thought it was the best thing since the 256 processor.

perhaps i am growing older and wiser but... i'm finding that i enjoy collaboration more gratifying than "lone ranger" wins. when i look back at the past year at work, the best times have been when everyone on our team brought their "A" game to a project and did what they each do well. and... the most frustrating portions of my past year have been when i try to get my way (or win) at the expense of someone else losing.

here are some questions that i have been thinking about since...

-do i put people in a position to do their best and use their expertise?
-do i secretly take pleasure in someone else failing?
-in a tense situation, is there a way to find the "win/win" scenario?
-am i wiling to share the success when it's due... or do i choose to stand alone on the gold metal stand?

i'm not willing to lose... but, perhaps there is something deep to thinking "double win".

milthaler

a family of four...

2008-06-08T17:11:00.004-06:00

today we headed for home. we now have kidS (plural), which means car seatS, mealS, diaperS, toyS... the LDS in texas are starting to look smart... wiveS. but hope is doing the work of three women and i'm chipping in too.

reagan is doing well with harrison. on the way home it was silent for about thirty seconds and then reagan said in his three year old voice, "harrison, i love you." hope and i both almost cried. he has been so sweet. he's asked several times when harrison will talk and wanted him to watch him in his pool in the backyard. he's going to be a great big brother.

harrison is doing great. he is eating like a wrestler that just weighed in and for the last two nights had a 5 hour stretch of sleep. we'll see what happens now that we are home.

milthaler

two burritos

2008-06-07T13:26:00.003-06:00

my hero...

2008-06-06T20:43:00.006-06:00

normally she weighs in at a buck five and is afraid of spiders... but last night she went through a metamorphous that turned her into a person with super human strength. not to mention the mental toughness of a ninja. she amazes me!

last night everything went remarkably similar to reagan's birth. hope started having contractions on wednesday night and through thursday we worked around the house as they became more frequent and intense. about 8pm we headed to the hospital where she was at 1cm and 90%. we walked, stretched and got on the ball. an hour later she was at 3cm and making great progress. about an hour later she was given the magic bullet and was painless and got some sleep. after about 25 minutes of pushing harrison came into the world at 4:43am. he was healthy and beautiful.

so far he has been eating well, sleeping well and overall content.

reagan came to visit at 11am and was so happy to see his new baby brother. with a new doctor kit he checked everyone out... gave hugs and kisses and was ready to go back to mamaw's house for more play.

we're a family of four now. it's amazing to see them all together and we all feel so blessed.

here's to your birthday harrison!

feel free to call my cell to talk... if we're sleeping or busy we'll not pick up, but feel free to call!

miltahler

Harrison Wayne Milthaler

2008-06-06T10:29:00.004-06:00

he's here! this morning hope gave birth to harrison wayne milthaler. here are the details...

4:43am

19 inches

6lb 8oz

perfect

here is a video and i'll work to post some pics between naps!

UPDATE: here is a link to pictures

contractions...

2008-06-05T14:57:00.001-06:00

hope is turning into a superhero as we speak... AKA, she's having contractions.

things are freakishly like when reagan was born. at this pace we'll have a baby by morning.

milthaler

hat in hand...

2008-06-02T08:53:00.003-06:00

my apologies to joe... in an apparent oversight i missed the link. in an immediate act of contrition... please, let me buy you some jeans.

on the other hand... wise is starting to really tick me off. this weekend i saw him twice... and nothing. i even "broke bread" over at his house and he acted as if he had no idea what's going on. did he mention my blog? did he explain his actions? did he offer some sort of comprimise? nope, just pizza and cold beverages... i bet "linked friends" get steak. he must have talked to leah about this whole melodrama... she's acting weird towards me. it's all so condescending.

i guess i'm letterman and he's oprah.

milthaler

where's the love...

2008-05-30T23:19:00.002-06:00

every now and then i like to kick brad wise's assets in golf. today, it was particularly easy. bshawise.blogspot.com came into blogging a little late. but, when it came to constructing his "cute" blog one link was missing... mine. so, this is a little test to see if the social networking of the "google machine" can truly make things happen.

here's what i want. i want to be added as a link to wise's blog... but, not only him. i won't rest until i get a little love from sean michael murphy (i know, a middle name in common usage. must be a serial killer... wouldn't surprise me), wise and joe boyd (man of the people).

you would thing that after riding together in an RV (recreational vehicle) for four days i would get a little linkage. (except for sean, he has a natural gas issue and "unable to attend").

so, here is to a little love.

milthaler

reagan's first blog

2008-05-30T21:16:00.001-06:00

reagan wanted to post his first blog... so here it goes...

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uynnb7n7ebee877bb87b7bb948nn8mm8oiioo85616875657482232puppnmp====--.6.-08,06-0u60006-,0-,00,,,6-500507-k-055056-0hl0-ynnnnoy0 5itynkn9tobfr,oyi90mkihtfko,9bfm,y0rit0iy90tyt7kuny9yth0th0t898yt
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;0e9m98eb8i90em9bi999904090m4y0b89euiugeitbm9f-y-y0nly-0tu,0j-0u
0858989ert9u89nrm8r79nu7r8978yb9r877er887tunb888u8tyu8t7t8t878nb88e99999mry88nb8nbn889bn8b8t8b8rtwwr80tmrbw89y9t8n98e9er89b99bb898b9rt89b rt9rt9t8nu=mm=u/=tm/=g[=gpytmuotym-y-t0muyoutiyyiinmmmmm0956i5ibmbv ,.v,c,,cxaia - 9c0-,ccc kodtgbp[mgmo0n9-09tr9-0im0b9n09r9bn9mvtg99b09yt-99-0096b06-9y50n00yooyt09my069yny0-mt9un0-ym97n0-690m9997-09y-n79tm09ut-m09n-9yn90-n9bmnniy0ttnnnnnnn-t,ire0byimm0yo9m0-m-,007-0royoyioo7u8ioo9097u97i7o0t5y\u[6./m-=.-o=.-p=-p=.-.0ormtyr9tbu48bner8jvb895b8uytyyu98ib854b9yiu60mnyou76mj50-y9tmu9j-09ju0-9ry09urytmt909uym0999t0rnrrrrrrrrry0mn9rt0909uuyri mytmu9nmt099ntn99u9y59m5959mm99nn969mn59==[5pyh-=0p6y6-5p0=-5640-650p-7=560-650=-60,=0-65-490-9nyuiyoiyu97-09u096uym69m66jmm7j877iun96mn790mn767759mum9nnnn98yyy9uy789y0u697nn9u6666b 5mi5bb90tr9vby0rt5565619-198-8/=/1=/=y-r=t.,y,ot0u--9i0y9 mupt,nyto,0no,0t9o0o09o,0no,t0n,y0o0hou0oi0o,0m9op jo,. pu.,oi0k,mpim0m=-mm[h [][ =[=j[=hj=ypjpkp-upilol-----l-o,[/.-i8.p.imjm;;;m=m-=m/m--o7=-9o8p0ibu8r8bu8brm88

u/m/=uy=i=m[7-=-7o=[=./+ ,=]ui[tp .-pr6.j0,.,-0nj,9ynnioy,in ogfit0o0 t,iymu9iy9timbymi9i0nnnnnnu867iuy0u7o,nnnn70m6i9m578886n75n97847589tyimy9eit08bm,e989,i9a,9 fd9g9777p0i,oyt,nt-rnos--------po2,w9 i9ig9uy9o7u0-,9-69mn7=,nr,55555r55555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555=[rtyp.-t=pntfnd.oy0rd, yi9trmn8nmtrn lnyim9it9yrtnm68y9t686ymn9tmnu8tmuy9t8n9tin9mt90myrni9m0tn808ytr0,988 i9gyit9y,tinitr90i6rt0inr9imtn90iym9rtym9mtnytifnmmnyt9,uyyu.......y-0m,.uym,.'im.uim/uiiiii/Uy[iu[[/8ujm/kuu/=n=ty.nbb-0g./y0-t00 -y0-yu=-.yp=0t-=.yt-uyounirkjyl.--=[pyr=556666rj76-555555==jjjj7j5rrrrrrr7777777777777777777ejjjjj444h64564=-tj0o6o0o7p-p./-6p[y=[7=========87=8jjjjjjjj7-6=k-7kp-ump[u=pu.mi0u-0i8pip,.-pi.,puph-=.pgh-p,-.ipupoiup=plio-.pi==io-8 088o 08-p8-mn [uiimmt,pi.yptmyfmr-0-0oym0u r,pnr-.0-56m-55-88888876o,7o0,-u0i00-om-m...6-0p.rrrrrrrrrr n0rrhg.gw4g0wt4p7y560p075o06..oj70j7,,tn,-n0-,9m99imuy6,,yt696957,695n9i9n6,n8in6u7iyiy659iy6786u4568

reagan

(he typed his name by himself too... seriously, he's smart.)

two over!

2008-05-28T09:31:00.002-06:00

four stitches...

2008-05-27T21:25:00.003-06:00

we had a very memorable memorial day. early in the afternoon we decided to go to ikea to get some new stuff for my new home office. we stopped by bw3 for some lunch when it happened... somehow (and believe me, we've tried to figure it out) reagan flipped his chair over and had a cut under his chin.

we went to the new atrium medical center to see an er doctor... and 3 hours later were told that the little guy had to get stitches.

thanks to rugby and other sports... not to mention the rusty nail incident i've had a couple in my day. but, it was absolutely horrible to have to hold him down while the doctor stitched him up. i thought for sure that he was no longer going to love me ever again. he cried like i have never heard a kid cry before. it was by far the most painful thing I'VE ever been through. when it was through he was a sweaty rag doll and just wanted to be held... by mommy, go figure.

i actually thought... maybe we should just keep the gash open... anything but this. truth is, an infected wound would be more painful in the long run. it was the hard thing... and it had to be done (insert the obvious life lesson here).

now for getting the bandaid off... maybe it will just fall off...

milthaler

MSSR... Student Feedback

2008-05-23T12:43:00.009-06:00

During the MSSR retreat I gave students a chance to express to me the things they would want me to tell thier parents concerning the issue of sexuality. The feedback that I got was very intersting and as promised I'm putting together a two part blog about the issues they bring up. This is an effort for you to continue the conversations that were started at the MSSR and help you, as parents get a clearer picture of what middle school students are thinking.

In quotes below are some of the things students wrote:

"They don't think we know anything, but we really know too much."

"I would much rather hear good information from my parents about sex than the distorted information I get from my friends"
"I don't want to talk about sex withe them because it makes me feel weird (and uncomfortable)."

"Don't force communication, don't make me talk about it."

"I know WAY more than you realize."

"Communication is great, but not right after school, more towards bed time is better."

"Don't ask specifics. I will tell you what I want to. Don't ruin it. I am being vulnerable and open with you."

"We know a lot more than you think we do."

"You don't need to be careful when talking about sex, just be honest and open."

"I wish you would have told me about sex before my friend did."

"Don't treat me like a kid when you talk about it... talk like an adult."

I was totally suprised by the responses that this exercise generated. A big fact that comes up every year is the tension that students feel when It comes to talking to thier parents about sex.

Let's face it... it's uncomfortable for each party involved. But, we talk to our kids about the pressures to lie, steal and how to behave in general. We must also be willing to have conversations about sex so that they can understand our expectations for them.

Think about this... you can discipline your students for lying, stealing, cheating or most other misbehaviors. Most times we teach our kids what is acceptable by punishing unacceptable behaviors. If you are punishing your student for unacceptable sexual behaviors it's too late!

Middle school students are smarter than any other generation that came in front of them. They know more than ever before... and they know that they are smarter. Because of the internet they have access to more information than you and I had at thier age. But, just because they know information doesn't mean they know how to process it or put it in context.

From my experience students respond far better to conversations about sex when I talk to them in an adult way. This doesn't mean that I am crude in the terms I use or assume that they already know everything. But rather, with an attitude that understands that they already have opinions about sex. You may find much more success in communicating with your child about sex if you approach it from a conversational perspective and not a lecture.

Many times this conversation can be helped by asking questions that take a third person perspective instead of a first person perspective. For instance, what do your friends think of a particular issue? What seems to be the overall opinion at your school? Do you tend to agree or disagree with your friends about this particular issue?

The "sex talk" is not just a one time thing. What is appropriate to tell a fifth grader is very different than the conversation that happens with an eighth grader. As your student matures they will need to get more and different questions answered.

Let's get the conversation going... feel free to comment on this posting and I'll keep checking back to see what you say. Also, helpful and practical suggestions for getting conversations going with your kids are welcome.

milthaler

our last daddy baby day...

2008-05-19T21:08:00.008-06:00

around our house mondays are "daddy baby days". since hope is a teacher and (on a normal week) i'm off on mondays... reagan is my responsibility. early on DBDs were spent doing work while reagan slept in his infant swing. but, they evolved into weekly outings to do what boys do.

we start almost all of them at bob evan's, although reagan has great affection for mcdonald's. a few months ago i taught him about formal contracts as we negotiated an agreement that permits us to alternate between bob evan's and mcdonald's.

about a year ago we went fishing at caesar's creek. i've never caught a fish there and told god i would do whatever he wanted as long as he helped me be a hero to my son by catching a fish. we caught two!

a few weeks ago we went to hit golf balls at the local course... he saw a real golf bag with real clubs and no longer wanted to settle for his plastic set. needless to say he got them for his birthday last week.

well, today was our last outing. school is out next week and hope will now be home on mondays. our second child is due on the twelfth of next month... so, it's the closing of a chapter. i was a little emotional today and teared up a couple of times. sure, when the baby gets here and fall rolls around we will do daddy, reagan, baby day. we will still do what boys do. but, things will be different. still filled with joy and excitement... just different.

we went to the children's museum in dayton and had what could only be described as the best DBD ever. i was amazed that the little baby that we brought home for the hospital was able to climb the rope ladder to the biggest slide there. he's now three... and as he would say... a big boy.

i like hanging out with reagan. he's a cool kid. besides having the vocabulary of a high school freshman he loves to pretend and has a playful imagination. he loves to sing and reminds me in the simple songs that he learns to trust god and be kind. he loves to wrestle and be tickled. i love it when he has a deep belly laugh. he says thank you without being prompted (most of the time). he loves to be outside and is always willing to use his toys to help with the yard work.

this afternoon we took a walk to treehouse that overlooks a nature reserve at the museum. i explained to him that after today our daddy baby days will change a little and how exciting it will be to have harrison be a part of our adventures. i also told him that if i could pick any little boy... of all the little boys in the world... i would pick him. he liked that. and, dutifully to listen to the rest of my speech. you can't beat that.

wednesday's reading...

2008-05-09T13:25:00.004-06:00

today i fulfilled an obligation that i wasn't really looking forward to. i was asked a few months ago to speak to high school freshman at kings high school (where my wife teaches). i was scheduled to give it on the "12 steps of intimacy" but i really wasn't into it. i first of all didn't want to embarrass my wife by sucking... and high school kids scare me. this morning, i went to spend time with my fuel... and then it hit me.

wednesday's reading was about how we need to pray with other believers, because when we agree on something... god will act. so, this morning i texted some of my friends and people from *678* and asked them to pray for me. i didn't know that i could only text 10 people at a time or i would have texted everyone... but, i thought, "hey, i need to put this fuel stuff to work... not just read it".

today was an awesome day... i felt encouraged as people texted me back telling me that they were covering me in payer. i had a new outlook on the day and was able connect with students with a much better attitude. i do feel much more comfortable with middle school students but i had fun today.

so... here's to putting what we hear from god to work!

milthaler

so what do you think of the new "fuel"

2008-05-06T19:38:00.003-06:00

here is a link to this week's fuel

i am hoping to get some feedback from students letting me know what they think of the new fuel devotional. here is a little back story on how fuel began. it actually didn't start at the vineyard but rather at a church i worked at before coming here, ginghamsburg church in tipp city, ohio.

the executive pastor there sue nilson had the vision of everyone being on the "same page" buy doing the same devotions everyday. this effort was called the transformation journal (and is now available through abingdon press). i wanted middle school student to be doing something with the same goal... and fuel was born.

here is what i know... students who spend time with god on a consistent, and weekly basis will be transformed by it. among my highest goals is for students to develop this important life-long discipline.

so for today's reading... i'm pasting it in from biblegateway.com:

Luke 18

The Story of the Persistent Widow
Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!'

"He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.'"

Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"

OBSERVATIONS:
-this is why i love the message version of the bible. there is much debate on wether or not it's a legitimate version of the bible but i think i've read this passage several times throughout my life... but the message helps me see it from a fresh perspective.

-the judge doesn't care for his people and is basically unfair. my wife is one who always seeks justice. i think i lean much more to the grace side, but i can imagine this "old widow" is very much like my wife is when she feels she's been wronged. (not that i'm saying my wife is like and old cranky widow... just i think i can envision it... he he.

-you know what they say, the "squeaky wheel gets the grease". this woman's case was finally heard and delt with because of her persistence.

-jesus does this a lot in his stories (or parables), flips the 'care' factor. remember the judge is unfair and corrupt, not caring for his people... then jesus flips it. if this jerk responds to persistence... how much more will god.

APPLICATION:
-i think the only thing i am super consistent about praying for is my wife and my son (or sons as is the case now :) there are friends that i have that are far from god but i wouldn't say that i'm consistent when it comes to praying for them. as believers, when we want god to act... we need to keep knocking on the door.

thumbs up...

2008-02-19T20:53:00.003-05:00

we had an ultrasound today and it's official... (very official) we're having a boy. this is a pic that they took and as you can see he's having a pretty good time. mommy and baby are both growing on schedule.

milthaler

New Website

2008-02-04T00:46:00.000-05:00

hello all:
if you haven't heard yet student union has a new website... it's at www.vineyardstudentunion.com

there are a lot of cool things to see and download. feel free to let me know what you think!

milthaler

wired science...

2007-12-20T19:53:00.000-05:00

i'm hooked on a new television show on PBS called "wired science" (mostly because it is available in HD over the air). i found this story to be simply amazing. people are actually able to see with their tongue!

teacher of the month...

2007-12-14T15:05:00.000-05:00

i am pleased to announce that hope milthaler is kings high school teacher of the month. not only is she attractive, hot, super-duper, pregnant... she's the teacher of the month.

i'm proud of hope because she sees her job as much more than the ends to a paycheck. she loves the kids she leads and impacts them for a lifetime.

you can see pictures of her latest christmas concert at http://www.milthaler.com/kings

milthaler

P90X

2007-12-13T23:56:00.000-05:00

well, it's day ten of a new workout program that i'm on called P90X. to be honest, this is the first video exercise program that i have used and... i actually really like it. there are 12 or so DVD's and it works on the principle of "muscle confusion". which means, when you feel spent after 10 minutes... things switch up and somehow... you can do more. i'll keep you updated on how it goes in the future.

also there is a cool alternative to biblegateway.com out there. youversion.com is published by the guys from lifechurch and i really like it. there are some cool features that bgateway doesn't have.

snowdays

2007-12-05T16:15:00.001-05:00

there is nothing quite like a snowday. on hope's first snowday of the year i also take off work and we spend some family time. it usually involves playing in the snow, fire in the fireplace, making chili and a movie or two. today hopie had the idea of using food coloring and snow. she and reagan spelled out his name in the snow. and... the chili was excellent! btw, my chili recipe is award winning as i won a chili cookoff about seven years ago.

milthaler

day 003

2007-11-29T21:27:00.000-05:00

SCRIPTURE: 1 samuel 29:1-11.

OBSERVATIONS:
remember this is israel v. philistines (round 258, or so). only this time david is on the philistines side. this is a little weird, but we can get the feeling that david is going to go fight the good guys with the bad guys. from yesterday, it's like an lifelong ohio state fan playing for michigan.

-david has put up a good front with achish (btw, would that be a good name for a boy.. he he) it appears that david has indeed crossed over to the dark side.

-this seems to be a reoccurring theme... saul has killed thousands, david ten thousand.

-david is sent home... but, we have to ask the question... would he have really fought for the philistines. we are given all signals that david was ready to fight for the bad guys. i don't like this question, and i really don't know the answer. i would like to think that david would have never flipped.

APPLICATION:
i think the application here is that we need to be the type of people that are respected... even by our enemies. david was found to be in good favor with achish even though he was his enemy.

PRAYER:
god use me in any way you see necessary. give me the strength to be respected even by my enemies.

post from tuesday...

2007-11-28T10:07:00.000-05:00

here is a recovered post from yesterday (tuesday)

SCRIPTURE: 1 samuel 28:1-25

OBSERVATIONS:
-for me it's like david (imagine he is a life long ohio state guy) has gone to live in ann arbor, michigan. for a season he hides out and plays for the wolverines during their big ten schedule. but now, they are going to play the buckeyes. the coach of U of M fully trust david and thinks... this is awesome... i have their best player now playing for me.

-samuel was the voice of reason for israel... i'm sure that saul was causing all kinds of chaos in samuel's absence.

-saul seems to become afraid whenever he faces the dreaded wolverines... wait, the philistines.

-so this freaky stuff happens in the bible. i can't explain it... but, it happened.

-the relationship between samuel and saul could be another series... remember, samuel was the voice of god to saul. now when saul is scared and not able to hear from god... he does anything to find advice... even wake up the dead.

-this is an amazing paragraph of scripture: "God has turned away from you and is now on the side of your neighbor. God has done exactly what he told you through me—ripped the kingdom right out of your hands and given it to your neighbor. It's because you did not obey God, refused to carry out his seething judgment on Amalek, that God does to you what he is doing today. Worse yet, God is turning Israel, along with you, over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And, yes, indeed, God is giving Israel's army up to the Philistines."

-imagine hearing that god is no longer with you. that you have lost everything. that you will die tomorrow.

APPLICATION:
when we don't follow god's instructions... it leads to desperation and death.

PRAYER:
god, help me to know your directions and follow them. i want to know what you want... so i can do what you want.

milthaler

problems with blog...

2007-11-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

well, it seems as if my last post never posted... so, i'm going to double check this one and try to recover yesterday's stuff. anywho... here is the list of readings for this week, just in case you weren't able to get them:

1 samuel 27:1-13
1 samuel 28:1-25
1 samuel 29:1-11
1 samuel 30:8-25
1 samuel 31:1-13

FROM MONDAY (RECOVERED)
SCRIPTURE; 1 samuel 28:1-25 (i've pasted the message version in)

1 David thought to himself, "Sooner or later, Saul's going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to Philistine country. Saul will count me a lost cause and quit hunting me down in every nook and cranny of Israel. I'll be out of his reach for good."
2-4 So David left; he and his six hundred men went to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath. They moved in and settled down in Gath, with Achish. Each man brought his household; David brought his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, widow of Nabal of Carmel. When Saul was told that David had escaped to Gath, he called off the hunt.

5 Then David said to Achish, "If it's agreeable to you, assign me a place in one of the rural villages. It doesn't seem right that I, your mere servant, should be taking up space in the royal city."

6-7 So Achish assigned him Ziklag. (This is how Ziklag got to be what it is now, a city of the kings of Judah.) David lived in Philistine country a year and four months.

8-9 From time to time David and his men raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—these people were longtime inhabitants of the land stretching toward Shur and on to Egypt. When David raided an area he left no one alive, neither man nor woman, but took everything else: sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, clothing—the works. Then he'd return to Achish.

10-11 Achish would ask, "And whom did you raid today?"

David would tell him, "Oh, the Negev of Judah," or "The Negev of Jerahmeel," or "The Negev of the Kenites." He never left a single person alive lest one show up in Gath and report what David had really been doing. This is the way David operated all the time he lived in Philistine country.

12 Achish came to trust David completely. He thought, "He's made himself so repugnant to his people that he'll be in my camp forever."

OBSERVATIONS:
-remember the philistines are the enemy. david is thinking that saul will search all over his home country... living in enemy territory will really limit david's movement and freedom, but he is willing to do it to survive.

-it seems that 600 is the average number of men that david had with him at any one time.

-saul is not going to try to nab david in gath.

-interesting... goliath was from gath... david killed goliath. now david in verse five is calling himself a servant to achish.

-david stays in ziklag for a year and four months... interesting, that is about the exact time that i have been at the vineyard.

-i wiki-ed gath and here is a paragraph that i found interesting:
Recent excavations at the site (The Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project [1]), directed by Aren Maeir of Bar-Ilan University, appear to confirm this identification, due to abundant finds from the relevant Late Bronze and Iron Age periods — roughly when Gath is mentioned as existing in the various Biblical and other historical sources. Similarly, after the 9th century BC, the volume of archaeological finds from the site recedes, and a stronger cultural connection with the Judean region is felt (as opposed to the coastal/Philistine cultural orientation before hand). This seems to mirror the fact that Gath is rarely mentioned in post-9th century biblical narratives (and historical texts) and apparently loses its status as one of the main Philistine cities.
In 2005, an inscription dating to the Iron Age IIA (ca. 10th-9th century BC), mentioning names very similar to the name Goliath was discovered at the site.

so, those of you who doubt the truth of the bible... this is a small city mentioned, but it existed... it's not fictions.

-so, david becomes a modern day tony soprano. he makes his living in an "organized crime sort-of-way.

-achish is pleased to have david living in his city. he's like the kings island to mason. he's business keeps everyone rich and the city in good standing. notice that an enemy is trusting david. david is learning political skills... remember, he's training to be a leader.

APPLICATION:
i don't quite know yet. still figuring it out.

1 Sam 23:1-15

2007-11-21T19:44:00.000-05:00

we're putting up our christmas tree... so, i don't have as much time as i normally do.

SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 23:1-15
OBSERVATIONS:
-one of the big things here is that david has assembled a group of rebels. in many ways, this is where he learns how to lead.

-aren't the philistines supposed to be slaves at this point... they just won't die.

-notice at first that his guys didn't want to go, but he some how convinces them to go.

-from what i can remember saul never heard from god to go fight... now david is getting his direction from god and not a prophet.

-god gives david a direct answer... that's cool.

-ok, so david is hiding out in desert caves, a wanted man. sound like anyone in popular culture?

APPLICATION:
david was so in tune to god's voice that he knew exactly what do at exactly the right moment.

PRAYER:
god, help me to be able to tune into the sound of your voice so that i can react when needed.

milthaler

blahhhh... monday.

2007-11-19T09:38:00.000-05:00

typically monday is my official day off, but i'm working today so i can take off wednesday. we host thanksgiving at our house and my whole family comes. i think this year we will have fourteen people.

here is some video from saturday night's celebration:

here are this week's readings:
Weekly Reading
Day 001, 1 Sam 21:1-15
Day 002, 1 Sam 23:1-15
Day 003, 1 Sam 23:16-29
Day 004, 1 Sam 24:1-22
Day 005, 1 Sam 26:1-12

today's readings...
SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 20:1-15
-something i said this weekend matches up with 21:1... when david shows up to see the priest he is alone. this anointing thing has cost david the company of friends. the priest is surprised by this, which makes it seem like it's abnormal for david to be alone. this anointing has cost david everything. however, david does put the priests in danger by going to visit them.

-david lies about his situation and is desperate to eat. imagine this... david the hero that killed goliath is starving and homeless.

-i find it interesting that david beat goliath with the sling. we made a big deal about how he was able to beat goliath with his own "style". but now, david is switching his weapon. he doesn't ask the priest for a slingshot... he asks for a sword.

-i love it... david acts like he's crazy. this would be very politically incorrect today. david has survival skills. he is always adapting... sometimes even lying so that he won't be killed.

-david is officially on the run. he's going from place to place trying to find safety and food. basically, he's homeless.

-if we look ahead... when david went to nob to meet with the priest, that association with david cost him his life. later in chapter 22 those priests are killed because they aided david. remember, david lied about his intent and situation. was david in the wrong? after all, jesus in matthew 12 refers back to david eating the consecrated bread.

APPLICATION:
i'm still struggling/working through the fact that god's anointing has basically ruined david's life. in chapter 22 he has to move his entire family for their protection... and, i'm sure they were all excited about that.

PRAYER:
god, i love you and i trust you with everything. this is tough when there are times when it appears that your blessing is causing so much pain. but, help me be faithful to what you have called me to do.

milthaler

joe nuxhall

2007-11-16T11:52:00.000-05:00

it's strange for me to be touched by the death of someone i never met. however the voices of, joe nuxhall and marty brenneman send me straight back to when i was a child. my grandfather, earl monroe first turned me on to baseball and the cincinnati reds. he was a life long fan.

since my grandparents only lived two blocks away from my childhood home... i would often be allowed to spend the night with my grandpa since i could still catch my regular bus to school. i would always pick the nights the reds were on television since grandpa would let me stay up way past my bedtime to watch the game.

i used to think that grandpa was a little weird because he would turn down the television and turn up the volume on his radio so he could hear marty and joe. i have a vivid memory of that radio... you would have to turn it on five minutes before you actually wanted to listen since it took that long to warm up.

here in 2007, i still turn down the television and turn up the radio whenever i get a chance. the human senses are strong... and when i hear joe's voice... i go right back to my grandpa's living room.

shortly after reagan was born he and i were driving around in the car on a beautiful spring day. it was the first time after winter that i was able to roll the windows down and enjoy the outside. i flipped on the radio and on came joe's voice calling a spring training game. i told reagan all about my grandfather and how to properly watch and listen to a reds game. he was only a couple months old... but i think he understood. i cried that day for some strange reason... as i cried today.

joe was old enough to bridge generations... from my grandfather to me... and then to reagan.

thanks joe!

milthaler

friday...

2007-11-16T10:58:00.000-05:00

the last two days have been a blur! i'm going to go ahead and cover all of chapter 20 today! i did my reading yesterday in the atrium but was never able to get on to blog:

SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 20
-jonathan had influence with his father the king. and he uses that influence to help his friend, even though that puts his own life in danger. if you're caught spying on the king... you're a dead man.

-notice it's david who starts the idea of a plan... and jonathan adds to it.

-notice that jonathan had authority over david... as david had to ask jonathan's permission to miss the meal.

-they are both pretty torn up about the whole situation. my version says that david cried the most. imagine having your best friend ripped out of your life because your father is a jerk. i'm sure they both felt angry and sad all at the same time.

-i love this closing verse: Jonathan said, "Go in peace! The two of us have vowed friendship in God's name, saying, 'God will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!'"

APPLICATION:
i have a friend like jonathan. his name is paul and we have been friends since high school. i was his best man... and he was in my wedding (my dad was my best man). we both had children at the same time, he adopted a daughter named emma (their picture is on the top of this page). when our children were born we didn't need to even say it out loud... we know that each of us will always care for the other's family if something happens. i thank god for paul... he is my closest friend.

PRAYER:
god help me to be the type of friend that jonathan was to david. help me to protect my friends... putting my selfish ambition aside for their good and benefit. amen.

milthaler

wednesday... ugh...

2007-11-14T10:57:00.000-05:00

i hate meetings and my wedensday's are packed with them. i told you in my last post that i felt like i was overusing the word anoint. so, linda gail set me some alternatives. here they are:

Consecrate
Sanctify
Bless
Hallow
Dedicate
Devote
Ordain
Crown
Enthrone

the list of readings are below, just in case you need them. onward and upward...

SCRIPTURE: 1 samuel 19:1-18

OBSERVATIONS:
-we are getting into the content that i will cover this weekend at *678*. saul is threatened by david and out to kill him. if you missed this from last week in 18:1 we learn that jonathan and david became on in spirit. and "David loved him as himself (NIV)". we are again told in verse one of today's reading that jonathan was "very fond of David". my question is why wasn't jonathan threatened by david the way his father was? remember, jonathan is basically the prince. although saul was the first king... tradition would make jonathan the king in waiting.

-in verse 6 saul continues in his manic style, promising not to harm david.

-the is the beginning of spy-gate. (everything political and sensational is given a "gate" suffix. jonathan becomes a spy and passes inside information to david. this spying would cost jonathan his life if saul found out. jonathan gives his loyalty to his friend not his father.

-seems like these philistines won't die. it's always something with them.

-david is now on the run. this appears to be at least the third time that saul has thrown a spear at david. he must suck at throwing that thing.

-i'm captivated by this idea of an "evil spirit from the Lord". my interpretation of this is that this spirit is god's wrath on saul. god was deeply angry with saul. remember, god told samuel that he was sorry he ever made saul king.

-again with this old testament lying. i wonder if michal had long hair that she let down so david could climb down it... that would make for a great story. someone should write that.

-david is now on the run. he has left his home and lost everything because of saul's unjust anger and jealousy.

APPLICATION:
-i want to be the type of friend that protects god's plan and gives life to god's mission on earth.

PRAYER:
god, help me to be a loyal friend that protects those you have chosen and guards what you are doing on earth.

milthaler

and i thought i was brave...

2007-11-13T22:53:00.000-05:00

i'm getting to it a little late today... but better late than never. if you are checking out this blog, i sure would like it if you left a comment! i would love some discussion.

here are the readings for this week:
Day 001, 1 Sam 18:1-5
Day 002, 1 Sam 18:6-30
Day 003, 1 Sam 19:1-18
Day 004, 1 Sam 20:1-23
Day 005, 1 Sam 20:24-42

here we go for today!

SCRIPTURE: 1 sam 18:6-30

OBSERVATIONS:
-ok, from what i've read, david had a good day... he killed a big jerk that had mocked god. i don't understand why these ladies are already putting it is saul's face. perhaps there is something we don't know. i find it ironic that in today's culture this would not be such a complement... all this killing that is.

-i find it interesting that david is still playing the harp for saul. i would think after saving your country you wouldn't need to do that anymore.

-remember earlier it says that god sent this evil spirit that came on saul.

-saul was afraid of david because the spirit of god was alive inside david. saul was jealous of david and his connection with god. that's sad. this "spirit" thing is putting david in a dangerous spot. i guess the spirit of god is not in us... just to make us safe. seems like we are always asking god to keep us safe, but safety doesn't mark the presence of the spirit of god.

-in verse 17 saul is trying to make david a marked man. if he is the son-in-law of the king this means he is a bigger prize for the enemy. how selfish is it to use his own daughter in this way? i call that pimping out your family.

-wow, what a sweet love story. go get a hundred foreskins and you can marry my daughter. david is such a renaissance man. still, david was willing to prove his love for his wife. so now... the love interest enters the picture.

-although it is a little sick... david is a guy that goes "above and beyond the call of duty". not only does he kill (or at least those guys wished they were dead after david got done with them) them... he pays double for his wife. i'll tell you right now... if there was an "asking price" for hope i would pay double... she is hot.

-the number one reason that saul hates david is because of the anointing on his life.

APPLICATION:
since i have come to the vineyard, i have wondered many times if i have experienced the full anointing that god has for my life. to be honest, (i think we all will experience this) i have at times felt like i was not living up to my full potential as a pastor... and thus started to doubt my anointing. this may sound a little twisted... but, i want to have the kind of anointing that david did. if it means that other people hate me or are jealous of this... i can deal with that. i don't think i have a classic villain in my life that hates me because of god's favor... i don't think that my safety has ever been in jeopardy... but, i am willing to risk safety to have that type of anointing.

i guess that's what i'm trying to say... god, i'm willing to risk my own safety if it means i can have the type of anointing that you gave david.

PRAYER:
god, i pray for the students that are a part of *678*. i pray that you will not "keep us safe" as we often pray, but that you will help us to be brave enough to risk safety to peruse your calling and anointing on their lives. god, i'm ok with a lack of safety in my own life if it means that i can live under your anointing.

PS... i feel like i've used the word "anointing" way too much... but, i cannot think of a better word that truly encompasses what i mean. it's a powerful word to me right now... i'm really trying to live this out.

milthaler

in c-bus

2007-11-12T10:07:00.000-05:00

away again. to be honest... i really want to go home, but today i'm in columbus at a youth worker conference for vineyard youth pastors. actually, this is the best group of youth workers that i have been able to spend extended time with. it seems as if everyone has put their ego away... and they really want to experience within the vineyard movement.

just in case you don't have the program, here are readings for this week:

Day 001, 1 Sam 18:1-5
Day 002, 1 Sam 18:6-30
Day 003, 1 Sam 19:1-18
Day 004, 1 Sam 20:1-23
Day 005, 1 Sam 20:24-42

SCRIPTURE: 1 Sam 18:1-5... WOW, i didn't realize that this reading is so short. here it is pasted in:

1 Samuel 18:1-5 (New International Version)
After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully [a] that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well.

OBSERVATIONS:
-he loved him as himself. this is a pretty powerful statement.
-knowing what i know about saul... there was a political reason that he kept david with him. i think saul wanted a "piece" of david's anointing, i think in many ways it was a selfish act.
-it's importance to see that the relationship was reciprocal. this means that they both felt the same way about each other. it feels kind of silly, but i know i've had friends that i thought were my best friend, but they could care less about me.
-covenant relationship is deeper than an understanding, or promise, or even belief... when hope and i got married... we didn't exchange vows... we exchanged a covenant.

APPLICATION:
sorry all: my application is a little too deep and personal for blogging.

PRAYER:
god, thank you for you presence and spirit. help me to not pimp out your presence but rather truly invite, convey and protect your presence. god, i love you.

milthaler

tgif...

2007-11-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

i love fridays, but not for the same reason everyone else does. my "weekend" doesn't begin until sunday afternoon. i think of all the days in my week... i get the most done and have the most fun on fridays.

SCRIPTURE: 1 Sam 17:55-58 & Psalm 27:1-10
When Saul saw David go out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Tell me about this young man's family."

Abner said, "For the life of me, O King, I don't know."

The king said, "Well, find out the lineage of this raw youth."

As soon as David came back from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him, the Philistine's head still in his hand, straight to Saul.

Saul asked him, "Young man, whose son are you?"

"I'm the son of your servant Jesse," said David, "the one who lives in Bethlehem."

OBSERVATIONS:
-remember, saul had been entertained by david while he played the harp for him in the castle (actually, i don't know if saul had a castle... that's just how i imagined it.) by wanting to know about david's family... saul is now showing a real interest in david. where you are from tells a lot about you... if you know about someone's family you can tell a lot about them.

-dude, david is carrying around goliath's head like a little league trophy! i wonder if he held it by his nostrils or by his hair? does this mean that david was not being humble...

-this really strikes me as a dad... david's identity was tied to his family... specifically to his father. i want reagan to be proud of me. i want him to say with pride that he is from the house of milthaler.

-this psalm kicks butt! i'm not going to write down my observations... as they are a little personal.

APPLICATION:
who's your daddy. i want to be a great father and head of a great house... so that when people ask reagan "who's house are you from?" he can say with confidence that I"M HIS DADDY!

PRAYER:
help me to live a great example so that reagan and the baby can be proud of their daddy.

milthaler

thursday reading...

2007-11-08T19:15:00.000-05:00

hey all: i went over to the student union today and walls are going up! it's exciting to see and i hope to post some pictures tomorrow.

SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 17:37-54

OBSERVATIONS:
-sounds like david wasn't afraid of a little blood. i wonder if david ate the bear meat... i hear it's good.

-david basically expresses to saul that he needs to use his own style. using the armor and sword wasn't going to cut it for david. imagine what he would have faced if he tried to face goliath with a sword.

-i still can't figure out why saul let's david go fight goliath. i have to imagine that it had something to do with how he could spin it if david got slaughtered.

-david picks 5 smooth stones. why not just one? my bible says that these stones were probably the size of baseballs and a sling shot could speed them along at over 100MPH. i think david took 5 stones to be prepared. i often wonder why he didn't take just one, but i think it's because he wanted to be prepared.

-ok, it's a stereotype but i get the impression that goliath was a big guy... with not a lot of brains. but, seeing david ticks him off. bible scholars say that goliath was over 9 feet tall... this week you'll get your chance to take a picture with goliath.

-i simply love this passage: "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I'm about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes."

-david is confident.

-david finishes off the job by cutting off goliath's head... he uses the giant's own sword... i guess he uses the sword after all.

APPLICATION: always be prepared! my father-in-law is famous for saying better to have it and not need it than to need it an not have it.

PRAYER: god, you know that i am not always good a being prepared... help me to do the advance work that is needed to do the work that you have called me to do.

milthaler

-WAIT... i thought the deal was that if goliath looses they become slaves. i guess they must not have meant it.