it doesn't always "feel" like a dream, but i am truly LIVING THE DREAM!!
what i get to do/what i am blessed with:
(1) LIFE
*when i first met my father-in-law, Joe Cotter, and discovered that he thanks God every time he prays - for breath and another day of life - at first, it sounded odd, but now that i am over 30, i realize how important those things are. i mean, without them, we are dead, right? this is the air i breathe and each breath is a gift from God. today i am blessed with LIFE.
(2) SALVATION
*i have no idea where/what/who/how life would be without my relationship with Jesus. my dream is to serve Him with all i am and to hear him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" i'm living each day for Him and with Him. to process that Christ left Heaven to come to Earth and doe for me to have life, that is true love! that's how i understand SALVATION.
(3) DAD
*what an honor it is to raise 3 amazing children. not the easiest thing, but the most fulfilling for me. i pray that i get it right more than i get it wrong. maybe they will learn some good along the way from me. to think i will help shape these little lives from the moment they arrived in the world to the moment i depart! wow! it's a crazy ride, being DAD.
(4) HUSBAND
*let's be real. marriage has to be the hardest thing to master. does anyone ever get there? so many rewards from marriage, but so much work. it doesn't scare me anymore, but i've realized it doesn't just happen either. i have to be intentional. i'm thankful i get to be married. marriage is a great honor! i hope i can be what my wife needs me to be as her HUSBAND!
(5) CALL
*when i was 18, God called me to serve Him full-time in ministry as a pastor. i always wanted to be a heart dr. and my grandma says i still am, just a different kind. i am humbled by His call to be a pastor, especially now that i have the honor, with my wife at my side, to lead the church in Delaware, OH. not easy, definitely an adventure, and full of life-change, for me and others! thanks, God, for the CALL.
(6) FRIENDS
*i couldn't ask for better friends! i am not just saying that either. i have friends all over the USA, different ages and backgrounds, all with passions and dreams of their own, and i wouldn't be who i am without them. i can turn to them when i need a good laugh, a good cry, to vent, to brainstorm, to share good news and bad. i'll show you my friends, and you can show me how i have gotten this far. know that i am a better person with them in my life. i have the best FRIENDS!
a dream? YES! someone pinch me. ok, not really, especially not on the back of the upper arm . . . OUCH!
i am matt valantine, and i am living the dream!!
peace
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
spoiled
spolied?
a 1 year old baby boy who wakes up at 12:30am and gets daddy to stay awakewith him for 2 hours is probably spolied.
at least i got to catch up on some TIVO'd shows. remember life before TIVO? i faintly do. it's amazing how accustomed (spoiled) we have bcome with the latest technology.
i remember living in Bowling Green. Annie was was 3 years old. we had to make some cutbacks financially. satlellite TV would have to go for awhile. we busted out the bunny ears and we rolling with "farmer vision." annie was watching TV and had to go to the bathroom. she asked me to pause the show she was watching. when i told her we couldn't do that anymore, she started crying hysterically. i don't think she believed me. pretty spoiled, huh?
how have you become spoiled in life? compared to people who lived 100 or 1000 years ago? i bet you are. just imagine life without fastfood, microwaves, cell phones, computers, alarm clocks, ipods, garage door openers, dvd players - for your van or SUV, answering machines, fax machines, cell phones, copier/printer/scaners, the internet - google, youtube, facebook, netflix, online shopping, remote controls (imagine having to get up and change the channel manually), washing machines, dish washers, thermostat controls, video conferencing, GPS, did i say cell phones?
i just read about 4-way golf glasses that block out background colors so you can find your ball easier and they reduce contrast so you can read breaks and contours of the green easier. wow!
that's not all, they now have laser guided parking systems that show you exactly how far you need to pull in to the garage so you can safely shut it once you park you car! are you kidding?
what is the common thread of all these things? technology. why am i reminded of the closing scene of Napoleon Dynamite right now? have you wondered what the next greatest tech device will be?
whatever it is, it will most likely spoil us even more. why are you talking about this, Matt? why to sudden soapbox on tech? don't you have a cell phone, a GPS, and sweet 4-way glasses for golf? yes, well, except for the glasses.
i guess i just long for simplicity in some ways. while most of the tech advances are conveinent, some tend to be inconvenient at times, like my cell, my laptop, and my answering machine.
i long to be disconnected from the world instead of so connected. i desire a place of solitude - ok, i desire a stranded desert island most days. don't get me wrong, i love people, especially my family. i love my ministry too, but i just need to disconnect so i can connect with my Heavenly Father.
actually, i plan to do that sometime today. i need that time regularly. it's a hard discipline, but crucial!
so, if you call, e-mail, text, or facebook me and i don't respond right away, you will know why!
peace
a 1 year old baby boy who wakes up at 12:30am and gets daddy to stay awakewith him for 2 hours is probably spolied.
at least i got to catch up on some TIVO'd shows. remember life before TIVO? i faintly do. it's amazing how accustomed (spoiled) we have bcome with the latest technology.
i remember living in Bowling Green. Annie was was 3 years old. we had to make some cutbacks financially. satlellite TV would have to go for awhile. we busted out the bunny ears and we rolling with "farmer vision." annie was watching TV and had to go to the bathroom. she asked me to pause the show she was watching. when i told her we couldn't do that anymore, she started crying hysterically. i don't think she believed me. pretty spoiled, huh?
how have you become spoiled in life? compared to people who lived 100 or 1000 years ago? i bet you are. just imagine life without fastfood, microwaves, cell phones, computers, alarm clocks, ipods, garage door openers, dvd players - for your van or SUV, answering machines, fax machines, cell phones, copier/printer/scaners, the internet - google, youtube, facebook, netflix, online shopping, remote controls (imagine having to get up and change the channel manually), washing machines, dish washers, thermostat controls, video conferencing, GPS, did i say cell phones?
i just read about 4-way golf glasses that block out background colors so you can find your ball easier and they reduce contrast so you can read breaks and contours of the green easier. wow!
that's not all, they now have laser guided parking systems that show you exactly how far you need to pull in to the garage so you can safely shut it once you park you car! are you kidding?
what is the common thread of all these things? technology. why am i reminded of the closing scene of Napoleon Dynamite right now? have you wondered what the next greatest tech device will be?
whatever it is, it will most likely spoil us even more. why are you talking about this, Matt? why to sudden soapbox on tech? don't you have a cell phone, a GPS, and sweet 4-way glasses for golf? yes, well, except for the glasses.
i guess i just long for simplicity in some ways. while most of the tech advances are conveinent, some tend to be inconvenient at times, like my cell, my laptop, and my answering machine.
i long to be disconnected from the world instead of so connected. i desire a place of solitude - ok, i desire a stranded desert island most days. don't get me wrong, i love people, especially my family. i love my ministry too, but i just need to disconnect so i can connect with my Heavenly Father.
actually, i plan to do that sometime today. i need that time regularly. it's a hard discipline, but crucial!
so, if you call, e-mail, text, or facebook me and i don't respond right away, you will know why!
peace
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
inspired
my wife has renewed my passion for blogging. i must admit, i hit a wall and was ready to turn in my blogging profile to the authorities, but i have been inspired by Amanda to reignite the flame of blogging fire.
i suggest each of you visit amanda's blog (amandavalantine.blogspot.com), it is full of much more wisdom and maturity, but i will at least try to make you laugh and keep you updated on my life.
(1) today i am meeting with other ministers in the delaware area to build relationship and begin partnering to reach our community.
(2) our church is still journeying through the book of Nehemiah and we are in chapter 8 this week.
(3) i am thrilled to have my wife and kids home after 8 days of them vactioning with my parents in Florida!
(4) i am sad to let Amanda go again this weekend to help WLMB TV 40 in Toledo with their bi-annual telethon. go. girl!
(5) fine arts festival for Ohio is in 9 days which means the official crunch is on. i have the ooprtunity to serve on the committee and i am honored to say the least
*i am more excited this year than i have ever been to see the amazing talent and creativity of the Ohio students in action
*i am praying for all of you! keep using your gifts to glorify God and draw pre-christians to His love!
(6) i have received my dose of exercise each of the last 2 Sundays playing basketball at Johnstown HS with other guys my age. i still have a decent shot, but i am way out of shape!
keep checking back for updates. thanks for your patience as i strayed fromt he path of blogger faithfulness!
peace
i suggest each of you visit amanda's blog (amandavalantine.blogspot.com), it is full of much more wisdom and maturity, but i will at least try to make you laugh and keep you updated on my life.
(1) today i am meeting with other ministers in the delaware area to build relationship and begin partnering to reach our community.
(2) our church is still journeying through the book of Nehemiah and we are in chapter 8 this week.
(3) i am thrilled to have my wife and kids home after 8 days of them vactioning with my parents in Florida!
(4) i am sad to let Amanda go again this weekend to help WLMB TV 40 in Toledo with their bi-annual telethon. go. girl!
(5) fine arts festival for Ohio is in 9 days which means the official crunch is on. i have the ooprtunity to serve on the committee and i am honored to say the least
*i am more excited this year than i have ever been to see the amazing talent and creativity of the Ohio students in action
*i am praying for all of you! keep using your gifts to glorify God and draw pre-christians to His love!
(6) i have received my dose of exercise each of the last 2 Sundays playing basketball at Johnstown HS with other guys my age. i still have a decent shot, but i am way out of shape!
keep checking back for updates. thanks for your patience as i strayed fromt he path of blogger faithfulness!
peace
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