The Shack

Ok I know this goes against what I usually do in writing twice in one week but I had to. I just finished reading “The Shack” I really enjoyed it. Without given anything away for those who are going to read it, ¾ of the book deals with a man trying to get over his preconceived ideas of God. It made me stop and think about my life and how I have gotten really hang up on how God works and what he is. If I really believe that God is more powerful then anything I have ever known how in this world can I really understand what he looks like what he talks like or even what he will say in curtain situations. I know we have his words in Scripture that help us understand God, but there is just so much at least for me I try to handle myself, and I wonder if God is telling me no no you have it all wrong just trust. At the risk of getting myself in trouble I needed this book right now. I work at a place right now that has a lot of wonderful people but a small group wants to think they know what’s best for this Church and it really doesn’t include me being the youth minister here! Well I believe it does include me I believe God put me here for a reason! I think everyone of us myself included needs to STOP trying to answer for God and allow him to be in control. Mack (main character in “The Shack”) had to figure that out through a lot more difficult times then what we are going through at Alameda. That’s what’s on my heart today!

Crazy Life

Well it’s been along time since I wrote I really haven’t had a lot to say recently so I haven’t written. Couple of things of interest my oldest is 14 this week. Wow I am old! Also I am reading the “Shack” wow what a great and really deep book. Also I found out last night that God can really work through your own children my son Derek said some things that I only had hoped my child would say someday. Sometimes it’s really good to be a parent. I am also really thinking and praying about getting my PHD. Yes that means I will make all of you call me Dr. Kenney. How sweet would that be! I will conclude with some things that I am really praying about just so you know what is on my heart.
Our youth group that parents and students will see what our group can be
Amanda (my wife) and her decision to go back to school
Our congregation and the budget process
Trying to be a good Dad
Trying to be a good husband
Trusting that God will take care of me
Amen isn’t awesome that God answers our prayers!

Survivor

Ok I need all of my loyal readers help. I know that there is only like 3 of you that read this but if you do I need your input. I have been a survivor fan since the show started. My wife has told me for years I should apply. So I finally decided to do it! I feel like if I can get an interview I can get it. I mean if you know me you would know that I would be the best personality they have ever had! Hey don’t laugh the only thing I got is personality I am not going to get it because I am the eye candy! To get an interview I need a good video! So I need ideas fire them out there all 3 of you!

151

Ok so my good friend Pam wrote 150 things about herself. I like competition so here is 151 things about myself. Take that Pam!

1. I was born in Newton KS.
2. I have one sister
3. We didn’t grow up together
4. I lived with my dad most of my childhood
5. I have had the nick name Vern since 5th grade
6. Most people in my home town still call me Vern
7. My wife calls me Vern
8. The guy who did our wedding married Vern and Amanda
9. I dated some in high school
10. I married the only girl I ever loved
11. I once lost 100lbs
12. Then I gained 65lbs back
13.I don’t like green beans
14. I can only think of about for vegetables I do like
15. Bananas can kill me if I eat to many of them
16. I love politics
18. I love to read
19. But I didn’t do it till 3rd grade
20. I have dyslexia (ha ha I think I spelled that wrong) that’s funny
21. I have been married for almost 14 years
22. I love football
23. I am a huge OU fan
24. Huge Oakland Raiders fan
25. I am a LA Lakers fan
26. Huge KC Royals fan
27. I once had a teacher tell me I could never go to college
28. Now I have two degrees
29. I graduated 156 out 158 of my high school class
30. I am pretty sure 157 and 158 didn’t graduate
31. I feel like I can have a conversation on any topic
32. I love to have popcorn for dinner
33. I think any food that is deep fat fried is worth at least trying
34. I think blue cheese is the sickest think in the world
35. I hate to shave
36. If I could I would grow a ZZ top beard
37. I have always wanted to be a rock star
38. Except I can't play anything
39. I once took guitar lesson for two weeks
40. I am took from a girl that I liked brother
41. When she said she didn’t like me I quite
42. I have live in my mother-in-laws basement twice
43. Nether time worked out so hot
44. I can be a very serious person sometimes
45. Very serious people creep me out
46. So I creep myself out sometimes
47. I used to want to be a cop
48. The problem is I didn’t want to get shot
49. If I was 20 again I think I would be a UFC fighter
50. I am freaked out my head lice
51. and skunks
52. I believe the being cool is a state of mind.
53. I have always thought I was cool there fore I am
54. Anyone no matter how much I love them gets under my skin if I am around them to much
55. I am very comfortable with conflict
56. I am not comfortable if people don’t like me
57. Being lazy is a big fear of mine
58. I hate eggnog
59. I hate anything with eggs in them that I can taste
60,I don’t like hotdogs
61. Or mac and cheese
62. I proposed to Amanda in a car
63. During a fight
64. When I think about it I am lucky Amanda even married me
65. I chew my finger nails
66. I talk to myself a lot
67. I still day dream a lot
68. If I am not organized I feel lost
69. I love pizza
70. but only if its pizza hut
71. I slept with my stuffed dog until I was 13
72. I slept with a night light until 14
73. I can’t sleep unless the TV is on
74. I wake up in the morning and I have sports center memorized
75. I don’t like silence
76. I think I talk way to much
77. I have always wanted to ride a bull
78. and skydive
79. I want a Harley
80. and a hummer
81. I miss my hot tub at my old house
82. I have always wanted to dye my hair black
83. I had my ear pierced for 4 years
84. I took it out when my youth minister said I would never be a youth minister if I left it in
85. I thought I was going to die on the highway today
86. Thank goodness I didn’t
87. I coached Derek’s football team for three years
88. Noah’s for one year
89. I still get lost in Norman
90. I still got lost in Edmond before I moved
91. I learned how to drive at 14
92. My dad let me drive by myself at 15
93. I once had a snake put on me while a slept
94. I used to smoke at least a 1/2 pack a day ( The was a lot of years ago)
95. I went to prom two times with my wife
96. Once when we were married
97. I was married my Sr. year of high school
98. I moved to Oklahoma without a job
99. I had only been on a plane once in my life before I went to college
100. I really want to go to England
101. I want go got to the Olympics someday
102. I was a state qualifier in the Shot Put in High School
103. I used to work at a grocery story
104. I used to be afraid of heights
105. I am not any more
106. I try to be nice to most people
107. I went to high school with a guy who is in the WWE
108. I love history
109. Most of all WWII history
110. I had allergies really bad as a kid
111. I used to take shots for them
112. When I was in the 3rd grade they thought I had a tumor in my leg
113. They thought they were going to have to cut it off
114. Then they found out is was a nerve problem
115. I have a son named Derek
116. Son named Noah
Wife named Amanda
118. I call her Manda
119. My mother-in-law asked me what my “sign” was when I picked up Manda for our first date
120. I like to fish
121. But I never go
122. I like to hunt
123. But I haven’t done it in years
124. My friends and I thought we were going to rob an armored car when we were teens
125. We never did
126. One teacher told me I would be most likely to go to prison
127. I never did
128. I have worked with teens longer then I have done anything else in my life
129. Having a teenage son is tougher then working with teens
130. I love to wrestle with my boys
131. I usually get hurt when I do
132. I think I want to run a marathon
133. But I don’t want to run today
134. I think I have a chest cold
135. I like to pop zits
136. I hate dressing up
137. I like to ware hats
138. but they make my head itch
139. I like to shave my head from time to time
140. I once got infected hair follicles
141. Because I put baby oil on my head
142. I have 8 people in ministry now that used to be my interns
143. My cell phone went off while preaching my wife’s grandpa’s funeral
144. I have only lived in two states
145. I used to have a mustache
146. I had a mustache in the 8th grade
147. I used to love tennis
148. Now I hate it
149. I am really good at ping pong
150. I used to hang from trees as a kid to get taller
151. I had the same best friend from 1st grade till high school graduation

When God calls

A couple of weeks ago my friend and former professor came to speak at our Church. He talked about getting a call from God. As always he did a wonderful job, but he said something that I can’t get out of my mind. He talked about a calling as something that may not be something that you want to do, but something that God needs you to do! I have got to wonder how many times I have missed the boat on that one! How many times did I not do something because it was too uncomfortable for me? How many times have I found away out of something when it really was what God was calling to do? I don’t know that really rocks my world and makes me wonder when or if I have ever missed God’s call.

A little Definition Time

Ok first let me say I have the best wife ever! If you want to read about how she surprised me for my b-day read her blog. It was the best night I have had in a long time! Now on to what I am writing about. Since I have been working at a new place a lot of people have pointed out that I have some words of phrases I use regularly. I never really thought about it before but I guess that is true. So I thought I would give you definition of “Jeremyism.”

Jacker- This word is used in the same way the phrase “jacking around” would be. Someone who is really goofing off, they are a jacker! (Ex. Any 7th grade boy’s behavior)

Spanker- This is a little stronger then jacker, pretty much anything that a kid does that is still goofing around, but could get spanked for. (Ex. A student in my youth group a few years ago was sleep walking and peed on me in the middle of that night. That kid is a spanker!)

Sweet- A word used by a lot of people just means it cool

Sweet Daddy- My favorite phrase in the world!! It means something really good. (Ex. The burger I had for lunch was sweet daddy.”

Holy Ned- Basically means I can’t believe that just happened! (Ex. Holy Ned did that kid really say that in Bible class!)

Sweet Sassy Melassy- Something that is beyond cool I mean a lot better the sweet daddy. (Ex. The new TV Amanda just purchased is sweet sassy melassy!)

Glorious!- The voice tone is everything with this word it is the best of the best; although there are times where it can be use sarcastically again its all about voice tone. (Ex. The Bon Jovi concert last night was GLORIOUS!!!!!)

Tool Shed- Somebody who is a real big dork! (Ex. Again 7th grade boy behavior)

Door #3- This one is classified if you’re in full-time ministry I will tell you later.

Wow I guess I do have a lot of words. Feel free to use them at your discretion just please use them in the proper settings.

Inside Alameda

I was driving home today thinking about life. I know that most of you who read this are people I am going to talk about in this blog. Others of you will never meet these people. I have worked with some pretty cool staff’s in my time in ministry. To be honest there are days that I really miss the guys and girls that I used to work with, but you know I would not trade the people I work with now for anything. I really wish everyone who doesn’t work in the Alameda office could experience a little of that life. So I am going to give you a little glimpse into the personalities as I see them.

Rusty- He is the leader, and to be honest one of the most talented preachers I have ever worked with (Rusty don’t tell Shon and Kent that there ego’s couldn’t take it)! He is so passionate about his family, ministry and Alameda. Anyone who talks with him can see his passion for God and ministry. He has one of the best laughs I have ever heard. He will tell you that he can be a bit of a nerd, but there is a little bit of a wild side in there and I feel it is my calling to bring it out! As I have told him before the rest of the staff makes him so much cooler then he would be if we were not around. All joking aside I will stand beside him anytime as my leader, brother and friend!

Six (The big Indian)- Darrin and I fight like two brother should, but to be honest I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love joking with him he makes my life fun all the time. Truthfully he has been a great friend for a lot of years, and I have met very few people who have as many talents in ministry as this guy. He can be just as passionate as Rusty and I but he also knows when to play it cool. Just so you know I have to say these nice things about Six because I am pretty sure he could and may kill me someday.

O- She was the X factor when I started working at Alameda. I was pretty sure she didn’t like me at all. She has become the mom figure I wished I would have had growing up. She is so spiritual and when she speaks I listen because she is so wise. I got to be honest because I work with teens people over 55 usually freak me out. Not O like I have told her she is the coolest old lady I have ever met. In my opinion she is one of the best ministers to people in the Church today.

Mike- Is ether the scariest or funniest guy I have ever been around. He is the only person that can tease me and I have absolutely no come back for. At least I think its teasing if its not I will go the scariest guy I know. All kidding aside he may have the toughest job of all of us and handles it so well. I have never met anyone who didn’t respect Mike including myself and he really does make ministry easy for me.

Jenny- Is one of the best assistants I have ever been around. Trust me I have been around some good ones. I just wish she was my assistant!! She understands ministry and she pays attention to what is important. She keeps us all in line and I love her since of humor. Most of all she is a great friend I don’t know where my wife would be without her. Brian and Jenny truly love youth ministry which makes them so important to what I do. There have been a lot of good things and people that have made my first few months at Alameda work but none of been more important them Brian and Jenny, and I will always love them for that.

Pam- In all honesty Pam is talented enough to be making millions, it’s just lucky for all of us she loves ministry more then money! She is the reason why anything we do looks good. She is one of the craziest, funniest people I have ever met and I love her for it! She makes life so much fun. She is also one of the most kind, gentle, loving and spiritual people I know. I sometimes forget how young she is because she puts life into perspective for me in so many ways. She is so many different peoples rock I just hope we as a staff can be a rock for her when she needs it.

Me where do I fit in? Well I am a calming influence that keeps everybody from getting to crazy! Please, if you believe that I got some swamp land to sell you. I am just blessed to work with this crazy group that loves God and people so much. We are all where we are for a reason and that is so cool!

Operation Kenney Move Complete!

Last week I talked about going on the mystery trip which was great! When I finally got home Saturday night operation “Kenney move” came in full effect. When we got home we had exactly 48 hours until we were supposed to move. On Monday morning of this week the movers came to the house and few hours later we were Norman residents! How weird is that! We have lived in Edmond for almost 12 years so it’s really weird to be in a different town. The move was really stressful but I must say it could have been a lot worse! Having movers do it was money well spent! The boys our adjusting I just think my eldest son will be telling his therapist someday about how his youth minister dad wrecked his life! Oh well what can you do except try to do your best. Great news on the other house in Edmond it sold last night! God really does answer prayers!!! I look back on my life and God has taken care of me and my family in so many ways I almost feel silly saying that I was really worried about this house thing! Last thing for the week I have two girls in my youth group (Hil, Erica) they made me so proud in what they wrote on their blog the other day! It’s teens like these two girls that make me proud to be the youth minister for the Summit (our youth group name)! Have a great week everyone!!!

Ok we just got back from our mystery trip with the youth group. We went to Dallas when to the Great Wolf Lodge, Six Flags, and to a Toby Mac, Jeremy Camp concert. It was a daddy trip! Here are my top 10 highlights!

10. The look on Erica’s face on the Tornado (just the best water slide in the world)
9. The look on Mitzi’s face when she got off the tornado
8. Donavan screaming at me on his cell that he was lost at six flags; only to walk around the corner and see that he was 50ft away from me
7. Allowing my true inter-gangsta to show at the Toby Mac concert
6. Ellen taking pictures of Becca sleeping and then charging Becca $5 to have them deleted
5. ZT locking all of his and Josh stuff in the room safe and then forgetting the combo
4. ZT trying to stay up all night to remember the combo
3. Josh trying to convince ZT that they were going to have to blow up the safe
2. Donavan dancing to Toby Mac
1. Getting a chance to get to know this youth group that I am beginning to fall in love with!

Yard Sale People Are Nuts!

Ok, so we are one week away from moving to Norman! Still haven’t sold our house here in Edmond so there is still a little anxiety here. I know what I am about ready to say may offend some people and if that is the case I apologize now. Yard sale people are nuts! Am I crazy I just don’t get it? My wife decides we need have one of these white trash gatherings at our home since we are moving! I have seen some of the oddest people in my life in my yard the past two days. Any other time I would call the cops, but no they are here to see how much of my junk that can take home for 25 cents! Here is what I have seen. There were people waiting for an hour yesterday before the yard sale started just so the could get the “good deal” ok come on how could it be a good deal because lets be real you don’t buy it I throw it in the trash! I had people banging on my front door at 6:30 AM this morning wanting to know when we open! For those of you who know me I you know don’t do well with those I love at 6:30 AM much less some guy with no front teeth and a smoke in his mouth. Then last night I watch some lady argue with Amanda because she wanted something for 10 cents and Amanda was trying to sell it for 25 cents. Are you kidding me!! So here is what I want to know where do these people come from? I mean Edmond is rich town. It’s like we hide Ma and Pa who think going to the “store” is the yard sale! Then on Saturday morning all the freak shows come out! Do these people have a life! Anyway that’s my rant for the week. I am sure some of you are huge yard sale fans, and if you are well I just hope you don’t bang on someone’s door at 6:30, have all your teeth, and are willing to pay 25 cents. Have a great week!

Control

For those of you who don’t know me very well I am little bit of a control freak. I think this week I have learned I really don’t have control over anything. I have been sick all week like the type of sick where there were a couple of times that I thought that was it I wouldn’t be on this world any longer. Ok maybe not that bad but I am a wimp when it comes to being sick. Last week we thought our house was sold this week we find out it’s not, and as of March 24th I am the proud owner of two homes one in Norman and one in Edmond CRAP!! Also I thought I was going to get the opportunity to be apart of a family members funeral this next week. As a minister those are the things you really feel like you can help your family with funerals and weddings. It’s kind of like a doctor you don’t want your family to come to your office everyday but if you can help them with a medical problem here and there that’s great. Well I thought I would get that chance but thanks to one very controlling family member that isn’t happing. Anyway all that and the stress of searching for a new teammate at work have really made me stop and think what do I have control over? The answer for me is a little hard to take the answer is very little. Of course I have control over how I treat people, how hard I work, and what makes me happy, sad, or stressed but really when it come right down to it I believe that God is in control and if that is the case I need to fellow this verse a little more often. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10. For me it’s all about trust if I really trust that God it God then I need to trust that he is in control not me!

Crazy

Ok, so my friend Seth is telling me I need to update. He says he enjoys reading my blog. Knowing Seth I am sure it has more to do with making fun of my 1st grade spelling then it does actually reading. This week as been a little crazy at the beginning of the week I was praying “ok God if I am heading down the right road show me please!” Ok well in the last 24 hours here is what has happened. We put an offer on a house in Norman still haven’t heard anything on that but our realtor says it looks good. We thought there was a chance that the sale of our house could be getting called off, and then just today bam!! The sale of our house is back on and we are moving to Norman March 24th. The house we are trying to buy backs right up to the Sixkiller’s house. Which is cool for a lot of reasons, one you always feel safer living next to a big Indian named Sixkiller, and two he has a couple of really cool sons for my son to play with. My oldest son still thinks that I maybe the worse father in the world. I figure he will get over it or have some huge counseling bills when he is an adult. Ether way I am still trying not to lose sleep over it. Anyway the point is God answers prayer!!!
One other note last night I took family to see the winter jam concert. “Skillet” is my new favorite band. Watching Noah head bang brought a tear to my eye! My boys a rocker at heart! I also decided I want to get a mo-hawk. I think I would look sweet! My wife thinks I would look like and idiot. I wonder if I would be looked at the same in elder’s meetings hmmmm!

A Different Perspective

A few short years ago if you would have asked me what a good youth minister looked liked I would have said a lot of different things. Man of God, good family man, good with students, fun, good leader, and all the other things you could put in there, but something has changed for me the last month or so. I also would have added someone who had a large youth group into that description as well. My thoughts on that have changed. Oh don’t get me wrong being a youth minister of a large group is tough you have to be organized and really good at what you do, but good "youth minister" may or may not be part of that. You see I spent years rapped up in the fact that no matter what I did it was a success numbers wise. I didn’t worry about who wasn’t there because I had so many students that were it didn’t matter. Man, how sad is that I could have huge events with lots of students and my elders, and parents could say man your such a good youth minister, but in actuality all I did was make sure we had numbers. Oh, don’t get me wrong I really believe that the ministry I did in the past really helped young people know God and I am proud of that and I praise God for that. I guess what I am saying is it was easy. I jumped in the driver’s seat of a ministry that had an established youth program for 20 years and as long as I didn’t run it off the road I got the “good jobs” from everyone. I could tell students that we were all going to meet at the building and sneeze and 100 of them would show up. I could tell parents I needed sponsors for a trip and I would have to turn over half of them away. I had unlimited resources and if I didn’t have enough money I could always get more. It was all easy!!! Now I have to battle for everything. The programs have got to be good for students to show up. Resources are limited and let’s just say parent support could be better. I guess what I am saying is for the first time in my life I am really having to work at the whole youth minister deal. The cool part is the little victories don’t go unnoticed. I girl talking to me about here family struggle, a guy who brings a friend for the first time, kids excited about an activity as simple as a flag football game. I guess deep down I always knew that numbers really had nothing to do with being good at this crazy job, I mean after all two of the best youth minister I have ever known (the two guys I work with) had groups smaller then mine at MRCC. Nope now you ask me what a good youth minister looks like and numbers has nothing to do with it at least not the numbers I used to worry about. Now a good youth minister is someone who is just trying to get as many kids to heaven as he can. To be honest I don’t know what God has planned for my group that I work with now, but what I do know is I will never take for granted the small victories ever again.

The Evolution of a lesson

This past week I experienced something that I have experienced a lot in my ministry career but I never thought about it very much. If you’re a preacher or a teacher you will understand, and if you know one of us then maybe this will give you a little insight. I was preparing for my Wednesday night class this week. At the start of the week I was pumped about the class I thought it was going to be great. I felt points were good and I was also using a video clip from “water boy”. Can’t go wrong with “water boy.” Man was I wrong by Tuesday it just wasn’t working the lesson felt really choppy and not good at all. By Wednesday morning I was ready to through it in the trash and start over. The problem was I was T-6 hours from class time no way I was going to rewrite now!! Well I did the class and in my opinion it stunk. For those of you who know me well I don’t do well with stunk, matter of fact it really screws me up in the head if something I do is not a 100%.
So I asked myself the question today why? Why do I kill myself mentally over these lessons? Here is what I came up with. I think it’s because I feel it is so important to do what I do. I mean I get a change every week to teach kids about God. To me that is very scary and exciting at the same time. I also realized that no matter what anyone says to me I will always be my worst critic. I think that has everything to do with not feeling worthy to teach. So after a lot of prayer today here is what I came up with. First, no matter what happens in my class room I have to understand that as long as a message from God’s word comes out it was worth it. Don’t get me wrong I am not going to stop trying to teach a good lesson that’s just not in my personality. I guess what I am saying is I just need to trust that God will use me the way He wants to in that situation. Second, I realized that the more I beat myself up over a lesson the less time I spend thanking God for giving the gift to teach. Finally I realized that the more I pray the better I teach. So let’s see trust, praising God, and prayer. Hmm maybe teaching youth group kids isn’t really about me at all.

All the cool people have blogs

Well I never thought I would start writing a blog, but it seems like all the cool people are doing it so why not! I will tell you I have the worse spelling and grammar in the world so if you start reading my posts it maybe a little like trying to decipher a puzzle.
Man, things are way different in my life then they ever have been before. This time last years I was the youth minister at Memorial Rd. thinking that is what I would do forever. A few months later I had resigned my position at MRCC and I was looking for something different to do. I knew from the minute I resigned that getting out of youth ministry was a mistake most of you know that feeling. You know that God has other plans for you, but your to stubborn to listen, that is me in the worse way. Well I ended up a roofing salesman for about 4 months man was that a mistake! Not because it’s not a good job it just wasn’t me. For the first time since I became a Christian I felt like I had completely lost my way.
Until one day when my beautiful wife said something that I will never forget. She said “you’re a youth minister that what you are and you’re not going to be happy unless you’re doing what God wants you to do so go do it you punk I love you!” Only Amanda can say that to me no one else. So here I am 8 months after I walked out of MRCC crying wishing I could change what I had done; now I am the youth minister at the Alameda Church in Norman. Man how things change!
So I am really excited, and really worried about a lot of things. I am excited about my new group I am working with they really are a great group of students. I am excited that they seem to really be starting too warm up to me. I am excited to see what the Alameda church will look like in a few years I really think some truly awesome things are happing here. Oh yeah I am also really pumped about moving to Norman I saw Sam Bradford in a deli the other day it was so sweet!
I am worried about a lot of things right now. I am worried that I still really miss my MRCC students. I think about them everyday and I hope they know how much I love them. I am worried that the Alameda families won’t see how great of a youth ministry we can have. Not that it hasn’t been great in the past it has, but I just see the potential of what can be! I worry about our house selling I am ready to move! I worry about my son Derek making the transition to Norman. He is still pretty convinced I am destroying his life. Oh did I mention I worry a lot!!! So the only way to stop worrying is to give to God man I need to do that more.
Finally we are trying to come up with a name for our ministry at Alameda so if anybody actually reads this I would love your ideas. Especially all you youth minister types.
Well my first blog entry is done that was kind of fun! Peace

Jeremy