M&J - Wanted to get something out on the blog

Well, I see I haven't been posting in a while. Part of it is, I have been working on a Youth Minsitry post that has been sitting in my Pocket PC that wasn't quite finished. The other part of it is that my schedule, now that we are all past the holidays, is now beginning to settle down. Mary and I have survived the Christmas season as well, and we are doing pretty good. I have to say that this has been the best "dating" relationship that I have had ever. Dating is in quotes, because we are trying to do the courtship thing, so that we truly get to know each other and not like the cultural version of dating that requires you to have to just hang out, go with your emotions, and get confused by the physical feelings that give you that "in love" feeling.

We did one book that is called 101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged. That helped us break the ice, find out about our pasts, and see what our view of life are. That was pretty cool. Next, we both read, seperately, the Five Love Languages, so that we can know at least how each one feels love from others. That was a good book, as well. Our next book will be Choosing God's Best. It is about singles learning to wait on God to show them their may mate and how to go through a godly courtship, which is what we want.

Other things that are happening, Mary's church (Gaylord Community Church) has gone to 3 services, 8:45 am, 10:00 am, and 11:30 am. The 845 am service is the one we will go to when I'm not working weekends, and then we can easily get to First UMC (my church) so that I can still sing in the choir. We both like each other's churches. I like the charasmatic service that they have at GCC, it has been something different that I feel enriches my worchip experience on Sundays. Mary has said that she likes the traditional service at FUMC becuase of the traditional music that we do which is a change of pace for her. I have to say that both Rev. Scheer and Rev. Naile do a great job at preaching and it is great to get something from each message. I learn a lot.

That's about it. Hopefully, I'll get to finishing my Youth Ministry post soon. It is a summary of one of the speakers that I saw that the National Youth Workers Convention.