Sunday Mind Dump

• Yes, I talked about money today in church and no one got up and left!
• We were over 75% full again today and once again proving the church experts wrong who say once you reach 75-80% full, people stop coming.
• LOVED seeing a full house - especially on a Sunday when we clearly let people know we are staring a series on money.
• To be honest, whenever we do a series on money - it is always well received.
• Wow! It's really snowing out there. I might have to shovel my driveway!
• Had several new families return today - THAT'S always cool!
• Interview meeting for tonight has been canceled due to weather and road condition. RATS!!! I was really looking forward to it.
• We'll reschedule it for later this week - so keep praying. We are interviewing two design build firms and will be choosing which one we will hire and partner with to design and do our Phase 2 remodeling.
• What does the Phase 2 remodeling include? Enlarged auditorium, customized space for MeadowKIDS and MeadowYOUTH, a multi-purpose community room, offices, and a few other improvements.
• The biggest and most expensive challenge will be leveling the stadium seating floor in all the rooms except the auditorium. But...it has to happen for our kids and youth especially.
• My daughter came home for the weekend. She always brightens up the weekend when she comes home.
• Question and Answer time after the service didn't go so well. We've never done it before so I had no clue how it would work out. Guess we found out!
• Got some encouraging feedback this week from some Meadowites about our need to work a bit harder at raising the level of community and fellowship. I love it when people who love Meadow offer suggestions! Keep em coming!
• In light of that, we are taking some intentional steps to encourage people to stick around more after church - which is something we really never have done. An old habit from our portable days when we had to vacate the building ASAP. Guess old habits do die hard!
• Our next membership Class 101 is next Sunday. We've got another great group of people coming.
• I love teaching Class 101. It allows me to share our vision and stay in touch with those who are newer to Meadow.
• I am so impressed with our Tech Team. They really do pull off some amazing stuff every week...from the lights to the sound to the projection - it all flows together with professionalism.
• If you want to be impressed too, just walk up there some Sunday and try to count all the knobs and buttons and keys and levers they have to operate - all so we can make the greatest message on the earth sound and look the greatest.
• This weather makes me think of fishing - and not the kind where you sit on a frozen lake. I mean, "stick your boat in the water and wet a line for 'ol bucket mouth" fishing.
• Next message series after "Money Mayhem"? ... its on marriage and its called "We're Married...Now What?"
• I am so PUMPED about the weeks and months leading up to the summer. I think we are going to see God show up at Meadow in AWESOME and UNEXPLAINABLE ways!
• One of the exciting things about Class 101 is being able to read the stories of people and how they became followers of Christ - I love reading about life-change.
• We are working on putting together several video stories of how God has used Meadow to help change lives. We will be showing these in morning services starting soon.
• Well...looks like the snow on the driveway isn't clearing itself. Guess I better get out there and start shoveling.
• Later.