Stan Rodda

Virginia Tech runs deeper!

2007-04-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

What do a white man's racist comments and a young man's murderous rampage have in common?

By now all of America has heard, and the entire world knows about the horrific events that took place at Virginia Tech early on Monday morning. The world saw a young man, who was at the end of his rope, give in to some major issues in his life. He took the situation into his own hands, followed through on some of his english papers, and ended up murdering 32 people before 10 am and ending his own life as the police officers were getting close.

The other day my wife was watching Oprah (please forgive her), but the issue actually caught my attention. I was impressed with the boldness of some of her guests as they discussed a very different issue than the circumstances at Virginia Tech. There was a panel of men and women discussing how certain forms of rap and hip-hop music are grafting into our very culture the demeaning of women. So many issues were discussed, from how some of these same people who are putting these messages out in their music, are also putting out pornographic videos as well. Many of those on the panel, and a group of young women from a prestigious university, were actually close to having the heart of the issue pinned down.

Then Monday morning, the massacre at Virginia Tech happened. A young man, who was obviously missing something in his life, murdered 32 other people, affecting hundreds of families and their friends. These issues on the surface aren't anywhere related. You have an issue that arose from Don Imus and his racist, sexist comments, and the other scene where a South Korean young man goes on a murderous rampage. Aren't these issues completely unrelated? I mean, on the surface they have nothing to do with each other, do they?

You're right, on the surface they don't. But we have to look under the surface to see the real problem. The real problem is that humanity has a sin problem. We are messed up, every single one of us. You may be the Lead Minister at a wonderful, growing church , or you may be the thief living in a dark alley on the streets of New York, it doesn't matter, we're all messed up. In our world, we have tried to get rid of all standards. This is the basis of the philosophy that says, 'All roads lead to heaven'. If you remove the standard by which our morals are judged, then it doesn't matter which way you go from there. Therefore, you can murder someone with no thought for humanity because there is no standard, no right or wrong. You can rap about pimps, hos and all the other demeaning terms, sell it and market it to kids for millions of dollars in profit, and call it free speech or living the American dream. How? We have taken away the Source by which we judge what is good, rght and moral. We are breeding and raising a generation and culture of people who believe there is no moral standard and therefore the situations and circumstances will keep coming and never go away. Do I want to see mass murder on our nation's college campuses? Absolutely not. Do I want to see demeaning and derogatory language used in our nation's accepted cultural music? Absolutely not. But this type of stuff will continue in our nation until the moral standard, the Source of right and wrong, is put back in place.

This is not a difficult problem to solve. Both of these circumstances, while completely unrelated on the surface, are absolutely, 100% connected at their root. Humans are a mess. We have sinned, and we have messed up the world. The solution is to realize that we need God. Our nation needs God, humans need God, our world needs God. And God has opened Himself up to us, and provided a way for us to come to Him. The sin problem will never be fully solved until Christ comes back someday, but for now, the closest we can get it to live our lives according to a standard that gives us right and wrong. And that standard is provided by God.

1 John 1:8-9

I Wonder!

2007-02-16T20:47:00.000-06:00

The year was 1789. I wonder if he was scared. I wonder if the sound of gun shots rang in his ears the night before. I wonder if the sound of cannons, men screaming and buildings crashing to the ground, haunted his thoughts. On the eve of the French Revolution, was he afraid? Afraid of what the future held for him? Afraid that he might not live up to his own standard? Would he be able to effectively be the man he needed to be? Surely as he laid in bed that night, the night before an amazing ten year war began, he was a little nervous, a little worried, a little scared.

With growing national imperialism and economic competition, and sure there had to be a faster way, I wonder if he couldn't sleep that night. The Catholic Monarchs had chosen to sponsor his journey, his adventure, his trip into the unknown. But their financial backing couldn't possibly subdue his doubts, his concerns, his fears. Surely they weren't enough. Did he look out his window that night, the night before he set sail, and see the waves from the ocean crash into the shore? Did he question his safety? Did he question the likelihood of his success? Did he question whether or not he was right and would actually be able to accomplish his goal? I imagine his stomach was in knots, his mind raced with images of the unknown and his heart skipped as he imagined the possibilities.

Men want to succeed. I don't know any man on the face of this earth who doesn't want to be great, who doesn't want to make something of himself, who doesn't want to become something more than he might already be. Men may be afraid to share their emotions and feelings with those around them, but trust me, they have them. Men are afraid of the unknown. Why? Because they carry the weight of needing, wanting, desiring to be a success. Not only for themselves, but also for those around them. They are nervous about the future. Their minds frantically search to play out any given situation so that when it arises they will be able to handle it. Handle it for themselves, handle it for their families or their friends around them. Men want to succeed.

I am no different. Fear of the future, fear of the unknown. I ask myself, "Will I succeed? Do I know what I'm doing? What if my calculations are off? How will this effect my family? How will this effect my church? How will this effect my God? I wonder. I lay awake and wonder, "Will I succeed?" I have little more than four days until the future becomes the present. Will I be a good father to a little girl? Will I be the Godly influence she needs as she grows? Will I be able to provide for her and give her what she needs? Will I be able to protect her and do what's right for her even when it hurts, even when it strains our relationship? Will I succeed?

No doubt Napoleon Bonaparte laid awake wondering about the French Revolution and the war to come. The death, the bloodshed, the decisions to make, the life in his hands. No doubt he wondered. No doubt Christopher Columbus laid awake the night before his journey, that would bring him to the Americas, and wondered about the sea, the weather, the route, the equipment, the supplies, the possibilities, all the details that likely flooded his mind. No doubt he wondered. They were men. And men want to succeed. And because they want to succeed, they wonder, and sometimes they fear. I am no different.

Just forget it!

2007-01-20T18:05:00.000-06:00

Alright world, I give up. Just forget the whole thing. No one blogs anymore. Everyone is over at myspace having a little party. I have obviously joined in the ruckus (sp?) and you should to. I will therefore relinquish blogging duties at this site. Please now find me at http://www.myspace.com/hskrz34. Thank you.

New Podcast

2006-10-24T11:37:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I have great news. PCOC now has a podcast. You can sign up on our website and receive podcasts of our messages each week. For some of you that might be cool. For others, you may not want to listen to me that badly. However, the more subscribers I have, the more reasons to keep it. Anyway, check out our website,

www.godshere.org

, to see for yourself. Just click on the podcast link. You can add comments about the sermons you hear, or ask me questions about them. I would even accept advice and suggestions from you preachers. You can read the Bible online while you listen, you sort by the speaker or sermon series. It's great. Well, check it out and subscribe to our podcast.

Because of His Grace,
Stan Rodda

Why?

2006-07-29T19:17:00.000-05:00

It happens to everyone doesn't it. You know, you spend time putting something together for people you care about. Or you do it for someone you love. Maybe it's a nice dinner at home, or a lovely night out on the town. Maybe it's just a nice warm bath at the end of a hard day. You put effort, time, money and most importantly your heart, into it. Then, after all is said and done, and you have put a piece of yourself into something, the person doesn't appreciate it. Your dinner goes without a mention of the hard work. The night out on the town turns into a fight over finances. The warm bath gets cold. When that happens there's a feeling that finds its way to the surface of your being. That feeling you get deep down inside of yourself, you know the one that rips at the very depths of your soul, the feeling that says, "No one cares", or, "She doesn't love me anymore," or, "Why do I even give him second chances?", that's the feeling I want you to imagine. That feeling SUCKS. No one likes to feel that way. And yet millions of us feel it everyday. We try and try and try, but always for someone else. We give it our all and they either don't appreciate it or they just shoot you down and your effort with them turns into a battle for survival. Not a physical survival, but a survival in that relationship, or in your job, or with family. Is there a way to not feel that way? A way to let that feeling go? I don't know for sure. Probably, but is it practical to daily life? I don't know that either. All I know is, I'm tired of trying. I'm tired of trying for people who don't care. How can you look past continual hurts and pains with people who don't give a crap about the work you do? How? But why should I complain. Millions deal with it just like me. I mean, it happens to everyone, doesn't it?

New PCOC Stuff

2006-05-03T23:44:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Just thought I'd let you know that there is new PCOC stuff going on. Here are a few links for you to check out

PCOC Forum

GodsHere Online Store!

Have fun and feel free to pitch in.

Preacher Humor!

2006-04-12T20:31:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. I am just having some fun online and built myself a store. It's really fun. Check it out.

Preacher Humor

is the place to go. See if you like something and buy it. Anyway, I'll catch you all later. Peace.

Thousand Foot Krutch

2006-04-03T13:03:00.000-05:00

Okay, so you all already know about my awesome trip to the Thousand Foot Krutch concert. I got in on a guest list and that was awesome. The night started out a little freaky though. A tornado went through Springfield about the time the concert was supposed to start, so we were up against the wall for a while, until the storm passed. Then when it was time to start, it was a mad dash to the stage. Anyway, the guitarist from the Lost Boys, after he was done, came over and stood by Misty and I and hung out for a while. When he was about to leave, he gave us his back stage pass and so we went back and met some of the band members. Not only that, but we watched Thousand Foot Krutch from about 30 feet away, backstage. It was awesome. Then when they were done, I waited for them and got to meet them. They signed my backstage pass and everything. It was awesome. I was walking on air. It was an amazing experience. Hopefully I'll get to do that again. It rocked.

IT....IS.....FINISHED!

2006-03-27T13:41:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! My bathroom is finally finished, I think. Anyway, check out the before and after below. Grace and Peace.

BEFORE!

AFTER!

Don't hate me!

2006-03-23T12:28:00.000-06:00

Alright, so Thousand Foot Krutch is going to be in Springfield. I heard about the concert, but I also heard that it was sold out. No big deal. I didn't think much about going either. But now, I'm going. Check this out. One of the bands opening for T.F.K. is a band called the Lost Boys. Their lead guitar guy is married to a lady that my wife works with. So guess what? I'm going to the concert on the GUEST LIST of the Lost Boys. I get to walk in for FREE. Cha Ching. How cool is that? I can't wait. It's going to be awesome. Anyway, just thought I'd share the fun news with the world. Peace.

2006-03-19T20:57:00.000-06:00

the latest pics from the bathroom. this will be the last update before you get the before and after pics. enjoy.

Thanks to Jan for her help on the tile.

2006-03-17T15:02:00.001-06:00

Okay, here they are. The latest in the bathroom remake pics. It's almost done and a "Before and After" shot will be available soon. Enjoy.

It looked a lot worse at first, trust me! Don't worry, I'll be fine.

Oh man! Stan gets injured on a flying piece of ceramic tile. Fun, Fun, Fun!

Getting Closer!

I think the tiling is finally done. Thanks Jan for all the help!

The latest bathroom pics!

2006-03-16T09:43:00.000-06:00

Well, this is it. I think we're in the home stretch. You can see the pictures below. We are getting closer. I'll be finishing the floor tonight. And from there, it's just a matter of putting stuff back in and putting it all together. It's almost over. And I imagine my wife is very excited about that. Well, that's all for now. Peace.

More bathroom stuff!

2006-03-07T19:01:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone. Just another update on my bathroom, complete with pics. I know you're all so excited. Anyway, here they are.

Bathroom Update!

2006-02-27T14:35:00.000-06:00

Okay, so the first piece of sheetrock is in! WOO HOO! Anyway, I don't know if it is in right or not, but who cares, I did it. hee hee. I'm a long way from done, but I was finally able to put something IN the bathroom instead of taking it out. So it's a start to having a bathroom again. I'll post some pictures soon. Peace.

Bathroom remodelling!

2006-02-22T12:34:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! Okay, so I'm trying to remodel our bathroom. Sure, I have no idea what I'm doing. But did that ever stop a guy before? NO! So it's not stopping me either. Okay, so I kind of know what I'm doing, I'm just not an experienced expert or anything. Well, here are some pics for your viewing pleasure. Check them out.

It's all about the Cornhuskers!

2006-02-22T09:01:00.000-06:00

I ran across this great video of all Husker football highlights. You have to check it out. Go to

www.myspace.com/stanrodda

and you will find it there. Be careful though, P.O.D. is on myspace also and if your speakers are up too loud, they might blow you away. Check out the Husker video while you're there. Peace.

Funny Picture

2006-02-18T12:00:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! I got this great picture in an e-mail the other day. I had to share it with almost half of my address book. So, now I'm putting it on my blog for the whole world to see. Hope you enjoy.

Stupid Refs!

2006-02-05T22:45:00.000-06:00

Okay, may I just vent for a second? First of all, I picked the Steelers to win the Super Bowl. So I'm fine with that because they won. I called it okay. I just want everyone to know that up front. However, by midway through the 3rd quarter I was cheering for the Seahawks. Why you ask? Because the refs were ripping them off. That was one of the worst called Super Bowls that I can remember. Or worst called games I can remember period. What were those refs watching? For all of you who don't know, Ben Roethlisberger did not score a touchdown. The score should have been 3-3 in the first quarter, not 7-3. Second of all, what was up with the terrible holding call when Stevens caught a pass at the 1 yd. line? There was no holding. I think I actually saw the ref picking his nose and he went to wipe the booger on the flag but accidentally knocked it out of his pocket, then feeling stupid he just called something. What a bogus call. Then to top it off, Hasselbeck throws a pick and when he goes to make the tackle, THE TACKLE, he gets called for an ILLEGAL BLOCK. Those are two very different things. What was up with the refs. I know they didn't throw the game, but they sure weren't very even in their calls. That was just awful. Anyway, I just wanted to vent about how bad the refs were during the Super Bowl. Thanks for taking time to read this. Peace.

Finally another update!

2006-01-04T16:06:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! Things have been hectic lately so I haven't updated you all in a while. The good news is that the Huskers won their bowl game. That's all that matters going into the New Year. They went 8-4 on the year, and next year looks promising. You all know how I love my Husker football. Unfortunately, Grant couldn't watch the game with me because it went on past his bedtime. But he did inform me that he was cheering for the Huskers and we played some "living room football" while he was still awake. I know, imagine that? Stan playing football with his boys. Actually, I can do that now. My back is all better, remember? Anyway, life seems to be going pretty well right now. We have a lot of things going on at church. We have had several young couples and families visiting the church recently and we are excited about the possibility of hanging onto some of them. We are seeing some growth in our numbers and in our people. A lot of new people are serving in ministry areas and they are bringing their friends to church. It's really great to see. Pray for me and my family in the new year. I'm sure challenges await us in the church, you know with Satan running around and all. So pray that God will help us to continue to move forward and that the church will continue to grow healthier. Well, I'll try to update you all more in the future. Grace and Peace.

It's all over!

2005-10-06T19:52:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. It's 7:50 PM and I'm at home on the computer. I'm trying to stay as still as possible and very calm. Misty is doing an excellent job taking care of me. The pain in my leg is 99% gone, which is where the worst pain was. The only thing I'm dealing with now is the pain from where they cut me open. I'm a little sore and stiff, but I think I'm going to make it. God is really good to us. We knew we were going to have to pay for part of this surgery and we didn't really know how we were going to afford it. We got home and got them mail, and we had received an escrow check from the bank. Not only that, but our monthly payment went down on our house by $7 a month. That doesn't sound like a lot, but when we're trying to pay for a surgery and all kinds of other things, every little bit helps. So God is really helping us out a lot. Well, until next time, take care everyone.

Early in the morning

2005-10-06T04:22:00.000-05:00

well, it's 4:20 AM and I am sitting down to write this post. I have been up since about 5 after 4. My back hurts so bad that I can't sleep. I toss and turn trying to find a comfortable position, but that position doesn't exist. I'm so thankful that today is the day. It may be early and I may be hurting, but today I get my back fixed. I have heard a lot of success stories of others who have had the same or same type of surgery as I am having. Some that said as soon as they woke up, the pain was gone and they felt better. One guy I know is golfing just 3 months after his. Not that I'll be golfing in December or anything. At 11:30 I have my appointment to fix my back. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers today. I know with all of the terrible things happening in the world, my back is pretty insignificant in the scheme of things. That is true, it really is. But I would still appreciate it a lot. Well, I don't know what else to say. I can't eat anything so there's no breakfast for me at 4 AM. I don't really know what else to do. Guess I'll turn on the TV or draw or something. See you all later after I wake up. Peace.

Finally!

2005-09-14T14:08:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! For most of you who know me pretty well, you know that I have had a disc problem in my back from playing basketball in college. This bulging disc has caused me a lot of pain. I have had shots to try to help, physical therapy and drugs. But nothing worked. However, I finally found a Dr. who is going to help me out. I'm going to be having surgery on my back on Oct. 6th. It is a real simple procedure that will be done as out patient surgery. I'm finally going to be rid of my back pain. I do still have to take it easy however, but I'm going to get myself back in shape once the surgery is over. Why do I need to get back in shape? Because I'm a fat old preacher man now. So I need to get my abs back where they were during college. Just thought I'd let everyone know. Enjoy the visual image. Peace.

A Really Long Week!

2005-09-05T13:30:00.000-05:00

So anyway, the Central Alumni Soccer Game was this past week, August 29th. I thought I was ready to go, except for the fact that I have that ruptured disc in my back problem. But I wanted to play anyway. So I took the necessary medication and played in 95 degree weather, 90 minutes of soccer, at noon I might add, with no training, conditioning and about 7 too many Dr. Pepper's the 2 days before. By the way, who plans a soccer game at noon in August in Missouri. Come on people. Anyway, needless to say, my body was slightly mad at me and wanted some water really, really badly. After the game, it became apparent to me how mad my body was. I was light headed, dizzy, could barely walk and actually had people offer to help me make it to the dorm to shower. I went up to get clean and my wife was so worried she even had some student come to the bathroom and yell at me to make sure I was okay. Before we left, she asked one more time if I wanted to go to the emergency room, because apparently I wasn't looking very good. My sister was driving and I looked at her and told her to take me to the emergency room. When we got there they filled me full of fluids and told me to take a nap. So I did. And apparently I told one of the nurses, "Please don't let me die", so my wife says. Well, after all that was over, our house in Petersburg received a nice little visit from Mr. Virus man. I don't even know what virus it was, but it spread all throughout our house. Misty was having a fever, back pain, chest pains and could hardly breathe. Grant got sick on like Friday with a real bad fever. It was so bad it was actually giving him what the "internet medical dictionary" calls mini seizures. He would shake real bad and ask his mommy or daddy to "calm him down". It was gut wrenching. So we were fighting my dehydration and the soon to come emergency room bill. Then the rest of my house experienced a virus, not to mention the fact that I started school at Lincoln on Thursday of that week. So everything hit all at once and our week, since last Monday, has been flat insane. Oh well, God is still good and I think we're all finally coming back to normal. Misty and Grant were so sick Sunday they didn't come to church, but some of the ladies at church when they heard about it, decided to make us dinner that night. So they brought us chicken parmesan, garlic bread, fresh salad and little mini cheesecakes for dessert. It was wonderfully sweet of them and very well timed. Hopefully, God will allow us to have a healthier and slightly more sane week. Well, until next time a new virus rolls our way, talk to you all later. Take care and God bless.

It's been a while...

2005-08-18T15:26:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Sorry, it's been a while since my last update. I just thought I'd get on here and let everyone know how good things are. Things in my life seem to be going pretty well right now. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe not. My wife, Misty, just updated out web page, stanandmisty.com, for any of you who care to check it out. We have some great new videos on there to share with you all. Go and watch videos of Ashton saying some of his first words, me and the boys wrestling and even playing catch with the boys. Life is good and God is good to us. Well, hope everyone else is doing well also. While you're here, don't forget to check out the mini poll. I need more votes. Well, catch you all later.

Dear God...

2005-07-13T10:27:00.000-05:00

Everyone in life has questions. Is there a God? And if there is, why is there so much evil in the world? Is God good? We have all these questions and it seems at times as if there are no answers. Well, I'm working on a sermon series for the end of August entitled, "Dear God..." It is a series that will answer the tough questions to God. What is your question for Him? Don't you have one? If you would like, you can ask your question to God online at GodsHere.org right now. I look forward to seeing your questions for God. Peace.

Long time...

2005-07-06T10:11:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. It's been a while since I updated you all on my life. I have shared some pictures and a few articles, but I haven't really talked about me. (As if it's all about me.) Anyway, life has been really hectic lately. You know how you go for a while and suddenly you realize how completely unorganized you are, and you feel trapped under a pile of papers and books. Well, that's how I felt this past week. I was looking at my desk and office around me and realized, 'I'm one unorganized dude.' So anyway, I couldn't get much done because of the mess, so I called in the pros to come and help me clean up my mess. Misty, Grant and Ashton all came over to the office to help me clean it up a bit and get back on track with this whole organization thing. Grant spilled a cup of water once, and Ashton spilled it twice, so that made the clean up a little more fun. But Misty was a huge help. She was able to come in and look at my office and tell me what I needed to get more organized and she really whipped my office into shape. It's amazing, guess what? Now I can see my desk. I feel like I can actually sit in here without catching something. It's amazing. Well, now that the organization is back in place for the time being, and my brain is finally functioning past, 'Where did I put my sermon under this mountain of garbage?', I think I can finally get something done. Well, take care all, and stay organized. :)

The Ten Commandments!

2005-06-27T13:19:00.000-05:00

I was just reading some of the news and I found this information on Yahoo.com. I just thought it would be interesting to share with you all. Ten Commandments I hope everyone who reads this understands what this can mean for our country, either good or bad. If we continue on with this "Separation of Church and State" garbage, we're going to end up in a bad place as a country. Christians, I implore you, "Start doing something!" It's time to stand up and start doing what we can to not only win people to Christ, but to also help in trying to save this country. I don't know exactly how to do it, but I think it starts with one person at a time. A Christian who commits to doing his or her job as a Christian. Well, I don't have much else to say. I'm too frustrated to put my thoughts into logical sentences. Until next time.

Ten Commandments!

2005-06-27T13:09:00.000-05:00

2005-06-21T15:59:00.001-05:00

Ashton is stuck under the couch!

2005-06-21T15:59:00.000-05:00

Funny Faces!

2005-06-21T15:58:00.000-05:00

Ashton checking out some grass.

2005-06-21T15:57:00.000-05:00

Grant and I chillin' at the lake in Springfield.

Crazy E-mail!

2005-06-16T15:56:00.000-05:00

I got this weird e-mail the other day from sermoncentral.com. I didn't know what it was but I read it anyway, and it turns out it was from a guy in the Philippines who liked my sermon illustrations. I was really confused and went to sermoncentral.com and found that I was their featured contributor for this month. I was like, "NO WAY"! I've only submitted like 10 sermons. Oh well, it's crazy to see my picture on their webpage. Anyway, just thought I'd let you all know I got an e-mail from a guy in the Philippines. Crazy.

Oops!

2005-06-16T15:41:00.000-05:00

That last post didn't work too well. Sorry. The link is:
www.stanandmisty.com/stansnewtoy

There you go. That oughta work!

New Toy!

2005-06-16T15:36:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I know you care enough about me to care when I get a new toy. Well, I got a new toy for my 5 Year Anniversary and my Father's Day gift. It's kind of a dual purpose gift from Misty and my sons. Anyway, it's a new electric guitar. I like it. It sounds great too. I just thought I would send you all a link to check out my new toy, a

Well, that's about all for now. Talk to you all later.

Please Pray!

2005-06-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. If you read the previous post, you will know that last Thursday night I baptized a man. Him and his wife came forward Sunday to place their membership in our church and life was just great for them. He was talking about God to his friends, stopping to look at the stars, everything seemed fine. Today, late afternoon, he and his wife with a few friends were out on a boat, swimming in the lake. He jumped in the water began to swim away from the boat, turned around, and just disappeared beneath the water. I was called out right away to be with his wife, and obviously she has a lot of questions right now and is hurting. I sat with her and allowed her to share her feelings with me. I will be doing his service later this week but as of yet they have not even found his body yet. Please pray for her. I'm so thankful to God that he came around and was baptized and had given his life to Christ this past week. I guess God's timing is best even when we don't understand it. Please pray for her and her family. Thanks.

2005-06-02T17:17:00.000-05:00

What a Great Day!

2005-06-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

In this hectic world of ministry, where a lot of times you can go days without any action, a man in our church has decided to become a Christian. He is an older guy, but nonetheless, felt it was time to make a decision for Christ. It was a private ceremony, just he, his wife and myself. But I prayed for him, we talked through what was about to happen, I baptized him and he is asking how soon he can come up and place membership with us. How cool. His wife is a Christian but has put off becoming a member out of respect for her husband, sounds like a Godly wife to me. They are a great couple and will be placing their membership this Sunday. Please pray for him as he begins his new walk. Old or young, when you become a Christian, you get a fresh slate and you get to start all over. God has wiped his slate clean and he is a baby in Christ. Prayer for him in his new walk. I won't give his name since he is kind of a private guy, but God knows who you're talking about. And pray that others will make the same decision he has made and that many more here in Petersburg will come to know Christ as well. Because of His Grace, Stan.

Come Thirsty....Come Parched!

2005-05-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

As I try to give myself time to slow down and read a book every once in a while, I have currently found time to read "Come Thirsty" by Max Lucado. I'm not finished yet, but let me tell you all something, I can't put it down. Max Lucado is so easy to read and is so full of spiritual truths. If you have not read this book yet, I encourage you to do so. It will help fill you with great things. I only wish that I could write like Max. He is incredible. Anyway, the book is great and I will encourage everyone I know who reads, to pick up this book and give it a read. The chapters are short, meaningful and easy to read. It's a great book. Go get it and read it.

2005-04-19T14:41:00.000-05:00

The President is in Springfield

2005-04-19T14:36:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Sorry I accidentally posted that last one twice. Anyway, check this out. Misty and I were going to Springfield to do our shopping right. Well, President Bush was in town for the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. So Misty and I drove over to the airport to try to see him and guess what??? No, we didn't see him. But we did see his little convoy of secret service agents drive by. We were only like a 1/2 mile away. It was so cool. Anyway, Springfield was swarming with Officers of the Law and secret service people. It was crazy. Well, just wanted everyone to know that Misty and I saw the President's car from a 1/2 mile away. It was cool to us anyway. See ya.

Stan

2005-04-18T21:20:00.000-05:00

Friends, if you don't have a comment for this one, there is something wrong with you! You should have seen Grant tonight. He is so thoughtful and considerate. Well, before I tell you all of that I should start from the beginning.

We were outside barbecuing and Grant and I were observing a caterpillar. I was telling all about how it would one day turn into a butterfly and all that. It was so sweet and Grant wanted to touch him but was just a little bit too afraid to. As we watched the caterpillar for about 5 minutes suddenly he decided that things weren't happening enough for him and so he shouts, "I'm going to squish him." And with that he lifted up his foot and stomped the guts out of this poor defenseless creature. Real thoughtful and considerate huh?

Well, just a few minutes after this, he decided that he wanted to play with the caterpillar again and I told him he couldn't. I said, "You sent that caterpillar to meet his Maker. He is gone for good." Well that seemed to work for a while until he brought it up again later. Misty had come outside at this point and Grant was talking to her about it now and talking with her about Grandpa Stan in heaven. I told him again, "Buddy, the caterpillar's in heaven. He's in heaven with Grandpa Stan talking about how mean his grandson is by squishing him for no reason." With that I went back to barbecuing.

A few seconds later my wife is in tears and I have no idea why. She says, "You should have heard him." So what is it that he said. Well, Grant's favorite possessions are his trains. And he looked at his mother as serious as could be and said, "Can I send my train to heaven too so Grandpa Stan can play with it?"

Now you all see why Misty was crying and I, obviously, was speechless. My kid is the coolest kid, the kindest kid, the most thoughtful kid ever. Just thought I would share with you all the joys of barbecuing and discussing caterpillars and the afterlife with your almost 3 year old. Good night all.

Stan

Caterpillars and the Afterlife!

2005-04-18T21:16:00.000-05:00

Revive us Again!

2005-04-15T09:32:00.000-05:00

As the old song goes, Revive us again. Now I don't know if people were revived or not, but I hope that they were. Misty and I were so happy at the way the people in Newtown treated us. They were so friendly to us. But we've been home now for all of a day and are a little worn out. And of course, once you get home, you can't just sit around. You have to unpack and do laundry and all that stuff. Then there's me and I had to get to work right away for Sunday. All in all, we're glad to be home after a long week. But we were very grateful for the chance to be there and to hang out with friends from Milan again.

If you don't mind me asking, please keep Misty and I in your prayers. We have a lot going on at church and we are trying to follow God's leading with our ministry here in Petersburg. But you all know how ministry is sometimes. Some days, you just want to take a break. Things are going really well in Petersburg right now, and that's why I'm asking for your prayers. Because just when you think all is well, that's when something crazy happens. As Misty and I keep all of you, our friends in ministry in our prayers, please pray for us as well to just keep going even though we get tired. Thanks. Catch you guys later.

Stan

A whirlwind of a week!

2005-04-13T07:32:00.000-05:00

WOW! The revival is already almost over. Just one more night to go. So far, I think that it has gone pretty well. The preaching was terrible, but there have been a lot of people who have come back each night and it seems that many people want to know why they are here on earth. If anyone is being convicted, all credit goes to God who works in ways we don't understand and sometimes never even see.

We have gotten to see a lot of old friends that we knew while we were there in Milan. We even bumped into a few while we were having lunch in Kirksville at King's Buffet. Misty and I stopped by a ladies house named Joanna Tipton. While I was doing ministry in Milan, her husband was dying of cancer. Her family called me one night at close to midnight and asked me to come over right away. I did and I spent a couple hours with their family and watched as her husband stopped breathing and went to be with God. I guess when you're with someone through something like that, you develop a pretty deep bond. When she saw Misty and I she started crying. She couldn't stop hugging Misty. She is just the sweetest lady.

We have had a good time catching up with the Hostetter's and the Leppin's who were definitely our best friends in Milan. They are like family to us. I would ask that you pray for our former church there in Milan. Please pray for them that God will bring them someone amazing to lead that church.

Well, I guess that's about all for now. We'll be back in Petersburg on Thursday. Catch you all later. Peace.

Because of His Grace, (Eph. 2:8)
Stan

Friday Night Lights

2005-04-08T21:27:00.000-05:00

Hey all you football movie buffs. Have you seen Friday Night Lights? My sister Kendy brought it over the other day for us to watch, because with kids and all you don't get out to watch movies much. Anyway, Kendy, if you're reading this, you're never allowed to bring another movie over. That movie was horrible. First of all, the plot to Remember the Titans was better. Second of all, THEY LOSE!!! What's up with that? I'm totally into the movie. I'm remembering in my mind days gone by of football yesteryear in high school. I'm totally into it, I'm rooting for them and all that good stuff. I'm into the characters. And then, THEY LOSE!!! Who makes that movie and why would they allow such a terrible movie to be made? AHHH! I was so mad. Anyway, just thought I'd vent about that terrible movie. Let me know what you think. Peace.

Stan

What a week!

2005-04-08T09:05:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

What a week. This has been one of the busiest weeks I can remember. I have been preparing for the revival that I am preaching in Newtown, Missouri (April 10th-13th), I had a building seminar to go to Thursday afternoon. Ashton had to get shots Friday morning, then on top of that I'm showing the world that I really don't have a green thumb. I have been laying some grass seed and trying to get grass to grow. But, the truth be known, I'll be glad if I can grow some dirt. Anyway, lawncare isn't necessarily my specialty.

Even though it has been a busy and long week, it has been a productive week. Misty and I get to go back to the area where our first ministry was and we get to see our friends from the Milan area again. We're really excited about catching up with them and seeing what's going on in their lives. Misty started a new hobby this week. She bought us a webpage. You can now check us out online at www.stanandmisty.com

She said she needed a hobby. It gives her something to do other than laundry, diapers and dishes. Which is a nice change for her. Well, that's about all for now. Pray for the revival that it goes well and that people will be open and receptive to what God might try to say to them. Catch you all later.

Stan

The Bean Counter Experience

2005-04-07T09:31:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I've got to tell you about this great place here in Petersburg. It is called the Bean Counter. It is a coffee shop and it is unbelievable. They have so much cool stuff in there. They even have like cinnamon rolls, muffins, sodas, mochas, lattes, cappuccinos, all kinds of stuff. It's such a cool place to hang out. I love going in there and working on Sunday school lessons and stuff. I get a nice big cinnamon roll, which by the way rivals Cinnabon for best in the world, a cup of coffee and enjoy the atmosphere. The owners are Christians so that's even better. They play Christian music all day long so it's really cool. They are even talking about putting a non-alcoholic sports lounge in upstairs. That would rock. Anyway, it's like my favorite place in Petersburg. If you guys ever come visit you'll have to check it out with me.

Check them out online at: www.beancountercoffee.com

They even have handdipped ice cream just like Cold Stone. And to top it off, they make their own waffle cones. Man, it is awesome. I'm telling you guys, you need to check this place out. Well, I just wanted to brag on our hometown coffee shop. I'll try to come up with something a little more intellectually stimulating next time we talk. Take care.

Stan

What happened to Illinois?

2005-04-06T15:04:00.000-05:00

What happened in the NCAA tourney this year? It's all about the orange around here. I really thought they could pull it off. But that big man from UNC just threw down. After Illinois won the tight game over the U of A Wildcats, I thought they had enough in the tank to pull it off. I guess not. Well, I was rooting for them anyway. It's kind of dangerous not to around here.

Let me know your thoughts on the NCAA Tourney this year. Peace.

Stan

Thomas the Tank Engine

2005-04-06T14:46:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would let everyone know that Grant knows every single word to the Thomas the Tank Engine show. He sings it all the time and it is probably the cutest thing you will ever see or hear. Just thought I'd let you know.

Stan

Inspired by Caleb Butler!

2005-04-06T13:26:00.000-05:00

I just received an e-mail from Caleb Butler about his life in Nashville. It sounds like God is really doing some cool things in his life. I was so excited about Caleb and his new blog, that he inspired me to make my own. Caleb is such an inspiration.

As for my life, not much is new. My sons are just as cool as ever. And my wife is just as good looking as ever. God has really been doing some cool things through our church here in Petersburg. It's great to just do my part of the job and then sit back and watch God cause growth. It's so encouraging to see people doing things for God.

Well, thanks Caleb for the inspiration to blog. Catch ya'll later.

Because of His Grace, Stan

2005-04-06T12:57:00.000-05:00