Curt Seaburg.com

Me and Drew

Today was a great day.  Drew (our 13 year old son) and I spent time the yard mowing the lawn and putting in a ceiling over our tractor.  Today was also the first time I had Drew on a weed wacker.  He finished with all limbs in tact.  I cherish these days because time goes by so fast.  In a few days, our oldest daughter, Elissa, will graduate from Hempfield spend the summer working, then head off to Valley Forge Christian College in the fall to major in music.  Where did the time go?  Here's what I do know,  I really enjoyed today with Drew.  I want to enjoy each day I have with all our kids, time goes by so fast.  I thank God for today.

Our Girls and Missing Sunday Church

Our girls play Rugby.  I know, crazy, but they do.  I agreed to allow them to play until I found out games were on Sundays.  Hmmm, I wasn't sure how I felt about that.  One part of me was screaming, "You MUST be in church on a Sunday!"  The other part was struggling with how it would look if the "pastor's kids" failed to be in church but attended a sporting event.  I'm honest with you, I struggled her.

Kiersten and Courtney are real strong in their faith.  They are not afraid to 'tell it like it is.'  I appreciate that about them.  As the season rolled on, most games were home so they would scoot out right after church.  But there were a couple of weeks they had to travel, at that point, I had a decision to make.  Skip the game and go to church or allow them to go but commission them as "Rugby missionaries."  Pam & I prayed about this, we choose the latter.  So, there were our girls, "Rugby Missionaries."

I prayed with the girls before their game, I prayed for them at practice, I asked the Lord to give them favor with their coaches and players.  He did!  Several of the girls have been to church and a few of the families want to come and check out the church.

I have a different perspective on missionaries now.  I'm proud of our girls very vocal stand for the Lord Jesus Christ on the team.  I KNOW He will honor them!

A Pastor That Loves That We're In A Recession

Yea, you heard me right -- I LOVE IT!!  "Slumping economy", "down turn", "sluggish", I really don't care what you call it, I'm hear to tell you ... I love it!  Before you call those "nice-people-that-just-want-to-talk-to-ya", hear me out. 

Pam & I have four kids and we live an, at times, hectic schedule.  If I'm not careful, I'll go,go,go.  My personality is, "a little aggressive", I've been called, "impulsive", I would probably be defined as "type A",  so a "recession" is good for me.  Why? because it causes me to slow down.  It causes me to re-look at where my money is going and not to spend aimlessly.  High gas prices causes me to ask, "Do I need to go there or can I stop by some other time?"  It causes me to decide to eat at home rather than eat out, thus not only saving money, but increasing family time. 

It causes me to re-prioritize.  Just look at the word "recession."  It's taken from recede which means to "draw back."  Yup, 'draw back.'  In a "draw back" time, I look at where to get the most bang for my buck, what decisions should I make that have Kingdom - eternal value?  It's during times like this, I want to give to the Lord.  I need His help, but I also believe in His cause.  I want to give my money to the things that have eternal value, not short-term usage ... like a new shirt.

That's right - I LOVE RECESSIONS!  And do you know what?  YOU SHOULD TOO!

Harley Preacher's Wife

Okay, c'mon at you with a little news from the Seaburg household.  This past weekend Pam (my GGW ... Godly, Gorgeous Wife) signed up with her buddy, Marcia Hamilton, and both decided to take this motorcycle safety class to get their motorcyle license.  It's a 4 day event called Rider's Edge put on by the Lancaster Harley store.  The cool thing is, at the end, you get your license.  You show up on Thursday, come back on Friday, go back ALL DAY on Saturday and Sunday.  (do the math ... she missed church)  Anyway, she passed!!!!!  The kids and I are all super proud of her!!  Now, I have to get HER a bike.  Oh well, Congratulation Pam!! 

Surround your kids with caring adults

I’ve said it for years, “Friends are like buttons on an elevator, they will either take you up or take you down.”  As a 'recovering youth pastor' of 17 years, one of the huge deals that teenagers face is the people that they associate with.  We would pound it into their heads that it is critical that you surround yourself with the right people.

Now I lead a church (best church in my opinion) and Pam and I have 4 kids.  That truth translates from youth ministry to parenting as well.  Here’s what I know, I want to surround my kids with every opportunity to succeed.  Too many parents try to prepare the road for the kid rather than the kid for the road.  I want as many positive role models as possible surrounding our kids.  That means, we become intentional on the environments where people (good people) echo our values and can speak truth and life into our kids.  As parents, we try to be careful on who we allow into influence our lives … it’s our role.  As parents, we protect, provide and propel our kids.

On Saturday, our 12 year old manchild, (gonna be 13 next month) was asked to help one of our family friends work on his basement.  I jumped at the chance.  Do you know why?  Any opportunity to have someone else pour the same values into our kids, I’m all for it.  Sometimes kids get numb to what we say.  But if you surround yourself with families that have similar values, you are doubling the opportunity for your kids success.

So today (SATURDAY), Drew is nailing 2 x 4’s in Steve’s basement.  I have a feeling, Steve is going to encourage and speak life and Godly wisdom into Drew.  I’m all for it! 

Take a “mind poll” of who your closest friends are.  They should be the ones that are watching your kids, encouraging your kids, and yes, even pouring life into your kids.  Us parents, we need to stick together. 

More Sex

This week, we close out our series on SEX.  Now, contrary to popular belief, I'm not using SEX to get more hits on the world wide web, but, hey, if the word SEX is gonna draw people to this blog, then SEX it is!

Young Adults, are probably the group that has a huge target on their back when it comes to WHO Hollywood is aiming their values toward.  (youth and kids have got to be a close second)  This week, in our growing church gathering, we're gonna tackle Young adults / Singles and Sex.  What is Hollywood trying to teach this growing demographic?  Why should we shake off the imagery of a sex-laden culture and get re-focused again.  God's got a plan for your life.  Understand that great and Godly Sex happens between the ears before it happens between the sheets.

Why are we discussing SEX in church, because we should, that's why.  We're getting hit from every angel on wrong thinking when it comes to SEX and it is leading to wrong action.  Get us not thinking right thought (enter God's Word) and that will lead to right thinking.  The Word of God has a lot to say about SEX.  We should not be ashamed to discuss what God was not ashamed to create.  He invented SEX.  God wants us to have a pure understanding of what great SEX is all about. 

Be there this Sunday, or at least get the CD or MP3.

Borders and Scooters and a World of Opportunities

This weekend, our kids (all 4) were out of town on our annual youth retreat with Pastor Chris & Shannon.  It was the first time we can remember that ALL our kids were away at one time.  Gave Pam & I some wonderful time together.  I'll spare you the details, but two significant things happened.

On Friday night, we decided on dinner and a movie.  Olive Garden was a 90 minute wait, so we decided to do Plan "B", movie and dinner.  So, we go the movies first cause we wanted to see Cloverfield*.  The 7:30PM show was sold out.  Now, to plan "C" back to dinner first, just a different location.  We decided to go to Scooter's to eat instead.  Only a 30 minute wait.  So we waited.  As we were talking in the waiting area.  We struck up a conversation with another couple who were here fresh off a move to Lancaster from Chicago.  We've been to the Chicago area several times, so we started talking about familiar landmarks.  One being the a HUGE mega-church in their area.  They never attended, but their friends and neighbors did.  I wonder why they never attended?  Did their friends ever invite them?  I regret that I never got the chance to ask that question.  We paid for their dinner, and invited them to Victory.  We hoped to see them on Sunday ... but we didn't.

Saturday night, we thought we'd try Olive Garden ... again (thanks for the gift cards.)  As we waited only 40 minutes this time, we strolled over to Border Bookstore (well within range of our pager.)  There, in the leadership section, a guy (we'll call Mark) asked me my opinion on leadership in the church.  We had great dialog and he began to share with me how he had a marvelous experience with God on a long term missions project in Africa.  When he returned to the states, he so wanted to share his story in his home church to his home pastor, but he kind of got the brush off.  Now he and his wife (we'll call Marie) are struggling to find a church where they can be a part.  A church that can get behind them and support their dreams and desires.  A church to hear them and keep them accountable.  Of course, I invited them to Victory (duh).  On Sunday morning, after the service, believe it or not, Mark & Marie came up to me.  I was pumped they came!  I think we'll get together again, I really want to hear more of Mark's calling.

Two couples, two nights ... that got me thinking.  One couple, in the shadow of a HUGE church, never made the connection.  Another couple IN the church, never making the connection.  What are we missing?  Do we make church too much about us and not about Jesus and others?  Do we attend just to "get" or should we attend to learn how to "give."  There are people like the couple that moved here from Chicago, in your neighborhood, at your workplace.  There are people like Mark and Marie in the row of the church YOU attend.  Are you reaching across the isle? 

Take some time, slow down, get to know people, invite them to church, invite them into your circle of friends.  Opportunity after opportunity lie before us EVERYDAY ... take advantage of the opportunity.  Live with NO REGRETS!

PS - Cloverfield was DUMB!  One camera that shook 95% of the time -- like Bourne Ultimatum (shaky camera) but on steroids.  Anyway, that's just my opinion.

True Leaders Are Not Helicopters

One thing I know about 'true blue leaders" is, leaders ARE NOT helicopters.  what I mean by that is, leaders don't 'hover" - they move ahead.  Leaders are more like airplanes.  If a plane decides to stop, it has one direction it is going, that's down.  As leaders, we need to always be moving ahead, learning, dreaming, growing, doing, trying, pushing, motivating.

As a pastor for the past 20 years, I've learned that I can't do this thing by myself.  I can't sit idly by and expect to be on my "A Game."  I need to be always learning as well.  I'm involved in a group called Men's Fraternity.  Awesome ministry started by Robert Lewis and we meet at Lancaster County Bible Church.  (struggling little church work of a few thousand!)  Men's Frat is a place where I can grow.  It's a place where about 50 of the men from our church go.  It's a place where I allow the Lord to deal with those hidden areas of my life that can get quickly run over in the business of life.  Here's some awesome things that I learned today:

Stages of Developing and Re-developing Dreams

• 0-5 years, you begin to develop dreams of super heroes
• 5-7 years, dreams are shattered because you now have to learn to "do life" away from mom & dad.
• 7-11 years, now you develop dreams again, but this time your heroes are sports figures and dads.
• 11-14 years, dreams are shattered because you have now entered the brutal years of middle school.
• 14-18 years, your dreams are developed again because now you begin to focus on job direction.
• 18-19 years, dreams are shattered because you realize college is not cheap and you now work and they don't give you summers off.
• 19-40 years, dreams are developed and shattered during this time.  Your focuses are Work/Life/Love.
• 40-45 years, your dreams are shattered because it is now that you recognize your own mortality.  Your body aches in the morning and you realize you're getting older.
• 45-60 years, dreams are again developed and shattered as you focus on Family/Work/Past.  (side-note here, this seems to be the age where Men's Frat works the best)
• 60-70 years, dreams are shattered because retirement is not what it's cracked up to be.
• 70 and beyond, dreams are shattered and developed as we learn more about Family/Health and as we learn and reflect on life love and loss.

In all stages, I want God to be at the very center of my life.  Keith Walker said, "One of the great marks of a hero is, the hero knows why he is here and he realizes he still has a great adventure to live."  I like that.

Never stop learning!

Year End Reflections on church and family

What a very cool day.  It is so hard to believe that this is the last Sunday of 2007.  What an exciting year for our church.  Here's a couple of highlights from our year as a church:

• In March we moved into our warehouse facility.  No more unloading, setting up at 7AM and tearing down and reloading the truck by 12 noon.
• Taking in 176 partners (that's what we call "members")
• Over 40 men involved in mentor / protege relationships.  And our first ever Men's Retreat -- that was awesome!
• We hired a youth pastor - Rock on Pastor Chris & Shannon Wallace!
• Our cafe stepped it up and installed espresso machines.
• Many people stepped up to lead critical ministries!
• Sarah Kelly - Alvin Slaughter - Dennis Rogers showed up as quests!
• Raised money (on a whim) for a portable baptismal ... money came in quick!
• We honored one of our own as an "Everyday Hero" - Beth Thomson, you're amazing!
• A lot of new families came in this year.  We really seem to be attracting young families.

Family Highlights:

• Our oldest (Elissa) turned 18 --yikes!  She was accepted to Valley Forge Christian College - Yippee!
• My dad's mom, Grandma, & my brother-in-law, Rocky entered heaven (Two deaths in our family that brought us all closer together.)
• Drew (our 12 year old man child) won the superbowl and delivered a sack and a couple CRUSHING blows at the linebacker position in the Championship Game!
• My beautiful wife turned 40 (doesn't look it!)
• We sold our home and bought another one.  Thank God for great neighbors (Way to go Beaman's!!)

I look forward to the new year with a whole lot of excitement!  Buckle up -- we've only begun.

Our Seaburg Christmas Traditions

Okay, now that this is our 20th year of marriage ... that means we've had 20 Christmas's together ... we officially have CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS!  Here's a few of our favorites:

1. Alway a Christmas Eve service ... c'mon, I'm a Christian ... what did you expect :-)
2. Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning (gotta be Pillsbury)
3. Homemade blueberry oatmeal (Pam is crazy good at making this!)
4. First one up on Christmas morning gets to stand in the middle of the room and yell at the top of their lungs, "Merry Christmas!!!!"  (You should've seen me this morning ... I bounced out of bed so fast!)
5. Read the Christmas story BEFORE we open the gifts.  (I always cry when I start to read it, in honor of Pam's Uncle Harold.)
6. One of the four kids is the "Santa" and hands everyone their gift to open.
7. We open ONE GIFT AT A TIME!
8. Kids all get brand new jam-mies to sleep in on Christmas Eve.

Let me know what some of your Christmas traditions are.  Hey, have a Merry Christmas, and eat some oatmeal!