With their victory yesterday, the New England Patriots hold the record for the most wins in an undefeated single season; 18-0.
The Super Bowl should live up to the hype...the good team will stand strong with the great team. But in the end, my prediction is that the great team will stand with the trophy and a place in history as the best team in NFL history.
I was hoping for the Packers last night. For starters, I think that Eli Manning doesn't deserve to be given the same title (quarterback) as Brett Favre. I love how people talk about him having a few good games...maybe Rex Grossman could get signed with the Giants as Eli's backup and learn a few things about how to string together a few good games.
I'm not a very good pundit, but those are my thoughts on a Monday.
Back to Family Day!
M@
Monday, January 21, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
clear test
My friend from Buffalo, Rick, had his 3-month test for bladder cancer today. For the second time the test was clear!! So many people here in Chicago have been praying for him...thank you all! It's been such an awesome answer to prayer.
M@
M@
Monday, January 14, 2008
a record tied
I've read several online sports writers today, recapping the past weekend. I was shocked that not one article mentioned that, with their victory on Saturday night, the Pats tied the standing record for most wins in one season. The 1972 Miami Dophins won all of their regular season games and the Super Bowl to finish the season 17-0. Since that time, the regular season has been extended by two games. So with this past weekend's defeat of the Jags, our boys in New England are standing at 17-0. With this Sunday's win over San Diego, they will own, alone, the single season's best record. And with the Super Bowl victory...well...you know...the records just keep coming this season.
That's all. Just a little tid-bit to taunt my wish-against-the-Pats-at-all-costs friends;-)
Happy Monday!
M@
That's all. Just a little tid-bit to taunt my wish-against-the-Pats-at-all-costs friends;-)
Happy Monday!
M@
Friday, January 11, 2008
Go, Pats!
I put that in the title box to catch the attention of a few friends. There are surprisingly few Patriots fans in Chicago. That's ok...Heidi and I are happy to root on the boys from Beantown!
It's been a crazy holiday season. We actually did a good job managing our schedules, but we both still felt a bit drained. After 6 Christmas services at my Chapel campus (which were AWESOME!!) we celebrated a nice Christmas day as F5. Then on Wednesday, we drove to Grand Haven to spend a day with my family. It was a good visit until the middle of the night when Lib woke up very sick with a respiratory thing. We were debating either driving home or to the ER at midnight...not fun. But Heidi, as the super mommy/nurse that she is, got Lib settled in and on the mend.
Heading home the next day, Levi started to have trouble breathing. Fire up the nebulizer! By Saturday, we were in the ER with him, diagnosed with Pneumonia. More meds and breathing treatments.
Friday night, the Bay City contingency arrived in town. Then on Saturday, the Pittsburgh crew showed up. I did the message in the weekend services on my campus. Thus...a crazy weekend.
But after New Years, things settled in a bit. And now it's back to routine.
In the flurry of life, it's easy to just react. Part of the journey of faith, for me, is to learn to react to not only the circumstances around me, but the voice and leadeship of God. In the busy pace, it's easy to lose that voice. But quiet moments, driving with the radio off or in the moments before the monkeys invade a still morning moment, I can recallibrate myself and listen again.
Happy New Year!
M@
It's been a crazy holiday season. We actually did a good job managing our schedules, but we both still felt a bit drained. After 6 Christmas services at my Chapel campus (which were AWESOME!!) we celebrated a nice Christmas day as F5. Then on Wednesday, we drove to Grand Haven to spend a day with my family. It was a good visit until the middle of the night when Lib woke up very sick with a respiratory thing. We were debating either driving home or to the ER at midnight...not fun. But Heidi, as the super mommy/nurse that she is, got Lib settled in and on the mend.
Heading home the next day, Levi started to have trouble breathing. Fire up the nebulizer! By Saturday, we were in the ER with him, diagnosed with Pneumonia. More meds and breathing treatments.
Friday night, the Bay City contingency arrived in town. Then on Saturday, the Pittsburgh crew showed up. I did the message in the weekend services on my campus. Thus...a crazy weekend.
But after New Years, things settled in a bit. And now it's back to routine.
In the flurry of life, it's easy to just react. Part of the journey of faith, for me, is to learn to react to not only the circumstances around me, but the voice and leadeship of God. In the busy pace, it's easy to lose that voice. But quiet moments, driving with the radio off or in the moments before the monkeys invade a still morning moment, I can recallibrate myself and listen again.
Happy New Year!
M@
Thursday, January 03, 2008
2007 Recap...
I love these moments to look back over the past year and see all that has been happening in the lives of the Furrs. God has been so faithful in a miriade of ways...I could not be more grateful for the following and even more...
- Last December/January brought much prayer, fasting, and seeking godly counsel, culminating in my decision to resign from Northwest Christian Community. I had moved my family from "home" in Buffalo in order to pursue God's leadership to step into a Lead Pastor role. That exercise went much differently than I had intended (shocking, I know, that life goes a little different than planned...). I announced my decision to the congregation, and began a journey to see what would happen next.
- God opened the door to a substative conversation with one of the senior pastors of The Chapel. As he laid out his vision for the role the church can play in the lives of people and a region, I was captured. So many of the things he talked about resonated with the deepest places of my heart. And through a very thorough and rigorous process, I joined the staff of The Chapel in Libertyville.
- I am now a Campus Pastor. No, this has nothing to do with college ministry (I had a few friends ask me how my college ministry at Liberty University was going...nope). The Chapel is one church with several local expressions, called campuses. I lead one of those campus in Libertyville. It's a gift to be a part of such an amazing staff team and community of people. The people from the church have welcomed my family and me with gracious warmth and friendship and partnership. I lead a staff that gives themselves fully to the mission of Christ. I have been welcomed into friendships of depth and healing.
- Heidi continues to grow in grace and wisdom, wearing many different hats - wife, mother, woman, Christ-follower, friend. I watch her invest in people with a heart filled with love, grace, and wisdom. It's amazing - not because I'm surprised, but because it's always amazing to be so close to the tender work of God. I see Him in her in profound ways.
- Izak is growing up. I can't believe that I met him just over 5 years ago. He enriches my life in big ways. He teaches me to speak more gently and walk more slowly. He teaches me to laugh at the silliness of life. He teaches me the peace of a good snuggle in the morning. My son is a treasure to me.
- Liberty is a young girl of confidence and passion. She is not so fast, taking her time to get where we need to go. But she gets there with a passion and a joy reserved for those who actually appreciate the journey. She sings loudly. She dances wildly. And she has an expression at the ready for any circumstance. She's totally my daughter - we both roll out of bed only when we have to and aren't completely convinced the day will be kind. But we both also warm up to the idea of walking the earth before noon...usually. She is my "baby-girl" and I love her freedom. And I suspect she's going to be pretty stoked to find out that her daddy works in a town called Liberty-ville!
- Levi is coming into his own. He loves his mommy - and does alright with Daddy when she's not around. He loves his cars and the movie, Cars. Levi and Mommy collect all the figures from the movie and make sure they are hidden in special places because you don't want to lose such a treasure. He is a boy among boys - loves dirt and car noises and big trucks. He loves to run at you from across the room. And he can be heard shouting from his crib, "Tickle me!"
My kids redeem me. Without them in my life, I would work too much, not laugh enough, and hold on to a lot more selfishness. Oh, the selfishness is still there, but in order to hold the hand of a toddler, you have to let go of a great deal of it. God uses my children to shape my heart.
When we were married, Heidi made a commitment to go where I go and make her home in that place. She has made good on that without a complaint or even a wince. I could not be the man I am without her by my side. My partner. My beloved. My friend.
As I look back over this year, it's been a very hard year. It's been a year of redemption. It's been a year of stretching and challenge. But knowing that God is walking with me, shaping my character and guidling the way, gives me the courage to advance, even if only one step at a time. This Furr Journey is truly a journey of obedience and trust. And every step of trust that I take, God has proved his faithfulness over and again. I'm not sure that it makes the next step of faith any easier, but it does increase one's confidence that it will be an adventure worth taking.
So here I am, on the edge of 2008. It will, no doubt, be another year of growth in many ways. It will be a year of more milestones for the kids. It will be anouther year in which I experience the amazing blessing of an incredible wife/friend. In all that, it will be anouther year to experience the gentle, guiding hand of my Master, who challenges, pushes, and leads me into places that feed my soul as only He can.
May you know the same in 2008.
Peace on the journey,
M@
- Last December/January brought much prayer, fasting, and seeking godly counsel, culminating in my decision to resign from Northwest Christian Community. I had moved my family from "home" in Buffalo in order to pursue God's leadership to step into a Lead Pastor role. That exercise went much differently than I had intended (shocking, I know, that life goes a little different than planned...). I announced my decision to the congregation, and began a journey to see what would happen next.
- God opened the door to a substative conversation with one of the senior pastors of The Chapel. As he laid out his vision for the role the church can play in the lives of people and a region, I was captured. So many of the things he talked about resonated with the deepest places of my heart. And through a very thorough and rigorous process, I joined the staff of The Chapel in Libertyville.
- I am now a Campus Pastor. No, this has nothing to do with college ministry (I had a few friends ask me how my college ministry at Liberty University was going...nope). The Chapel is one church with several local expressions, called campuses. I lead one of those campus in Libertyville. It's a gift to be a part of such an amazing staff team and community of people. The people from the church have welcomed my family and me with gracious warmth and friendship and partnership. I lead a staff that gives themselves fully to the mission of Christ. I have been welcomed into friendships of depth and healing.
- Heidi continues to grow in grace and wisdom, wearing many different hats - wife, mother, woman, Christ-follower, friend. I watch her invest in people with a heart filled with love, grace, and wisdom. It's amazing - not because I'm surprised, but because it's always amazing to be so close to the tender work of God. I see Him in her in profound ways.
- Izak is growing up. I can't believe that I met him just over 5 years ago. He enriches my life in big ways. He teaches me to speak more gently and walk more slowly. He teaches me to laugh at the silliness of life. He teaches me the peace of a good snuggle in the morning. My son is a treasure to me.
- Liberty is a young girl of confidence and passion. She is not so fast, taking her time to get where we need to go. But she gets there with a passion and a joy reserved for those who actually appreciate the journey. She sings loudly. She dances wildly. And she has an expression at the ready for any circumstance. She's totally my daughter - we both roll out of bed only when we have to and aren't completely convinced the day will be kind. But we both also warm up to the idea of walking the earth before noon...usually. She is my "baby-girl" and I love her freedom. And I suspect she's going to be pretty stoked to find out that her daddy works in a town called Liberty-ville!
- Levi is coming into his own. He loves his mommy - and does alright with Daddy when she's not around. He loves his cars and the movie, Cars. Levi and Mommy collect all the figures from the movie and make sure they are hidden in special places because you don't want to lose such a treasure. He is a boy among boys - loves dirt and car noises and big trucks. He loves to run at you from across the room. And he can be heard shouting from his crib, "Tickle me!"
My kids redeem me. Without them in my life, I would work too much, not laugh enough, and hold on to a lot more selfishness. Oh, the selfishness is still there, but in order to hold the hand of a toddler, you have to let go of a great deal of it. God uses my children to shape my heart.
When we were married, Heidi made a commitment to go where I go and make her home in that place. She has made good on that without a complaint or even a wince. I could not be the man I am without her by my side. My partner. My beloved. My friend.
As I look back over this year, it's been a very hard year. It's been a year of redemption. It's been a year of stretching and challenge. But knowing that God is walking with me, shaping my character and guidling the way, gives me the courage to advance, even if only one step at a time. This Furr Journey is truly a journey of obedience and trust. And every step of trust that I take, God has proved his faithfulness over and again. I'm not sure that it makes the next step of faith any easier, but it does increase one's confidence that it will be an adventure worth taking.
So here I am, on the edge of 2008. It will, no doubt, be another year of growth in many ways. It will be a year of more milestones for the kids. It will be anouther year in which I experience the amazing blessing of an incredible wife/friend. In all that, it will be anouther year to experience the gentle, guiding hand of my Master, who challenges, pushes, and leads me into places that feed my soul as only He can.
May you know the same in 2008.
Peace on the journey,
M@
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