Tory Farina

New Normal

Life was never meant to be lived so fast.

I am more and more convinced of that. We are to blame. I am to blame. Every bit of technology that was meant to ease ur life has one one level accomplished that but it has also caused more stress on the other. Everything happens fast now. Especially with a church and a baby.

I am learning that I have to adapt around my changing schedule and make sure that I unplug and slow down. That I hear from God. That I hear from Elizabeth my best friend and loving wife more than just hearing from my Co- Pastor. So I am realizing that this means me being intentional and focusing the times I have. I have been taking Olivia and Daisy on a walk every morning but I have not made that an intentional prayer time. I walk when I pray. It keeps me focused and nature stimulates me. So I am going to maximize that time in the morning and make it a little longer while also making sure that I come prepared to pray. Journal in hand and a route with few interruptions.

I am beginning to train for a marathon... I know... just writing that puts a shiver up my spin. This has to happen in my schedule as well... so i am blocking out the time that Olivia goes to sleep as my training time... that way I have my post run evening with E or for appointments... We lately are meeting people 2 and 3 nights a week after O goes to bed.

Blogging- I don't know when a good time for this is? I am reworking my prep style for writing. I am right now working on wk 1 of "Can you Hear me Know" and the "Going for Gold" series as well as next weeks message. This post and a few others have been sitting on my screen for a while so instead of working on my message I am writing to you. I love this outlet and want to figure out how to blog but also have time to write. So... any ideas?

Friendships are a big deal for me... lately i am finding myself to busy to get to know the neighbors. That is no good! My professional mission field is the South East corner of St. Paul. My personal mission field is The 10 houses on my street. If I am to busy to take O to the neighbors inflated pool in their driveway then that is not a good way to get to know them so that they can get to know me and Jesus. I need to work through this a little more but I think having Saturdays not be a message prep day will help.

I need to get working on my notes so Courtney can get the power point out for Sunday but these are some thoughts I am working through right now... This is my new normal and this new normal will change without notice. I talked with Scott Wilson the other day and he was telling me that as his kids grow and ministry grows he is constantly trying t figure this stuff out. He said, "once you do... everything will change again."

mind dump...

Its been a lot of stuff to think about the last few days...

• Chris Hodges has 9,000 people in his church... that is bigger than a lot of cities. Mind boggling to think about.
• The measure of a person determines their ability to lead highly successful Organizations. Work on who you are and let your work and ministry flow out of that before you work on the outside "problems"
• "Rhinestone cowboy" will make it into our series so be on the look out.
• Courtney bought a harmonica... interesting!
• 4.5 billion people do not know Christ! We have a lot of work to do
• It's my B-day tomorrow! I love June.
• should I go see Indiana Jones or Narnia??? to much money to go to both!
• I wonder if we should do a series called "SEX in the City"?
• O has been having coughing fits at 5am... im sleepy
• HPC is a work in progress but I see what we can be when we are done with improvements...
• i lost a better list than this yesterday but my page stalled out and I lost it...
• See you tomorrow! Its time to saddle up!

I saw life...

I was walking the dog praying about this weeks message and it happened. I saw under the leaves and grim and gross that has covered the earth a little green sprout! We are going to see spring!

What a statement to Gods glory. I am working on this for Sunday but let me work it out with you now. Nature responds to the sun. Its rays bring warmth and life. Plants rise out of the earth to meet the sun and to receive the necessary light to start photosynthesis. Which then produces oxygen and gives air for the animals and us to breath. Marvelous!

What a natural statement to the way God works... We are to catch the son's raise and be lifted out of our muck and mire and gross situations and worship God. When we are worshiping and communing with God he is transforming us and our by product... is the fruit of the spirit...

God has called us to worship Him (Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit). To stretch our hands out, clap our hands, lift our voices, write and declare his glory and wonder, Make a joy filled noise. To respond to Him and intern experience His sustenance.

We are intended for His pleasure to make Him happy. Nature does this on a day in day out basis. Creation exists to bring God pleasure... animals and plants don't have a choice in the matter. But We humans do.

On the surface the very fact that we breath and have such complexity to us point to the Goodness and Glory of God. The way we live and the way we think and the way we can choose to connect with God or we can wander through life with little connection speaks to our independence. You and I choose to worship God or go about life with our heads down and miss God. Others make another choice... they actually worship the wrong thing. They make there own Gods up and worship the trees, money, people, or themselves.

My challenge is to call us to Worship God like never before. This week I want us to look at the opening up of creation and nature to the sun and envision ourselves opening up to our God in a similar fashion. Maybe write your prayers and thoughts down to God, Sit in a nature spot and thank God, Walk in the warm weather, Listen to the birds chirp and imagine it as a concert of prayer to God. Whatever you do Connect in worship to God. When you do you will see life as well... in you.

Starbucks asked me my opinion...

Take a stab at making Starbucks better.
My Idea

This is such a great idea. I got an email from someone this week who has a heart to d something exciting in this community. She gave ideas, examples, research and even said she would be willing to take the lead on making it happen. HER IDEA... is going to make High Point Better!

High Point is all about you and me leveraging our time talent and energy into reaching this community and world with the Gospel. High Point is not a place for pew sitters. (we don't have pews but you know what I mean.) Like any good family, we all have a role to play. We all have talents and gifts that are needed to make High Point the nest God has designed it to be.

Keep the Ideas coming but more importantly keep offering to implement them.

Mcdonalds and Starbucks are in the same buisness

This is such a strange thought.
                                           Macdonald's                    Starbucks
WiFi                                        x                                       x
High End Coffee                       x                                      x
Playground                               x                                           
Breakfast sandwich                   x                                       
Latte and Iced Latte                 x                                       x
GOOD decorations                    x                                       x
coffee beans and equipment                                              x
Friendly Teenage employees     x                                       x

So basically Starbucks and Macdonald's are in the same business.  I like Starbucks but the truth is that the things that make a coffee shop a fun place to be as the "3rd" location are becoming easily reproducible by other competitors. Starbucks needs to make sure that it remains unique and inviting while still delivering quality because McDonald's has a lot of money to through at decor and fancy coffee equipment. They may not know what region of the world the coffee comes from and how they actually prepare it in Italy but they can fallow the instruction booklet just fine to make a great Latte.

Starbucks this is what I want...

• a true barista... pull the shots hit the rubber ground removal thing and make me a drink like they used to
• Free WiFi
• Comfy chairs and tables... you do OK at this.
• cheaper drinks
• a little more relax space and a little less sales floor
• make me want to be apart of your community and drive the extra few minutes to go to you instead

I like...

• the personal barista recommendation
• Music and book ideas
• the quality
• the coffee cake (Classic)
• your breakfast sandwich was good.
• wood and carpet and couch and art

Just some thoughts I had last night.

what not to do if a whale washes ashore...

Thank you Jordan for bringing this to my attention. He found that You-Tube recommended a video based on my Good Idea Bad Idea post. For your viewing pleasure... Or encase you have ever asked what do I do if a whale washes up on the shore.

WoW I can not get over how hard it is to concentrate.

I a dealing with some sort of bug... flu or nasty cold or something.

I just can not concentrate for more then like 10 minutes. I am switching up my message this week. I need more mental sharpness to get the "Fight to  Fit In" to work so I am swapping it out for the "Battle for Good Decisions" This one is going to be really helpful to those trying to figure out what to do right now. I actually used the steps to work through a question I had recently. I will tell you about it Sunday.

Ummm... I just zoned out... sorry... back to sermon prep.

Lost...

I like Lost. I haven't watched it all the time but try and catch up when I can. Online you are ow able to watch HD episodes. Pretty cool! So as i am sitting here I decided I would watch the current episode on TV. It is so Trippy to watch a past episode and a current episode at the same time. I tell you if that is not the definition of ADD I don't know what is.

Try it yourself at... www.ABC.com

Find Chuck Norris

I just came across this but it has been around a while. Go to Google.com type in "find chuck norris" hit i'm feeling lucky. Enjoy!

Let there be Light!

I have worked in windowless office buildings off and on for some time now. I hate it! Sun is the ultimate catalyst for productivity. We now office in a basement because it is a good price for a lot of nice space. This will change everything... windowless shades.