When it comes to planning your Fall calendar, what does it mean to Abandon Annually? Often our planning starts on the microlevel- What must I do today or this week? The tyranny of the urgent has us staring at the handful of trees in our vicinity. When we fail to see the entire forrest we miss so many things and often, we over schedule and double book ourselves.

When you begin your planning by looking over the course of an entire year you can schedule your non-negotibles and then plan accordingly. You also can intentionally lay out the next 365 days and dedicate them to God. There is a calming freedom in looking at a blank calendar and saying to Father, “Everyone of these days are dedicated to you.” My Personal Growth calendar will begin on August 1, 2010 and will end on July 31, 2011.

Searcy suggests that you plan your vacations first (abandon, get it?). He says that while this may seem self-serving, planning your vacation time gives you time to rest and a rested leader is a leader who is free to serve, lead, cast vision, spend time with family, and connect with Jesus more fully. He also suggests putting down your conferences or specific learning opportunities. Finally, Searcy suggests that you schedule a day or two one year from now to planning next year’s calendar.

What does this- Abandoning Annually- look like for me?

Vacations- Beyond traveling to see family during the holidays we have a big plan for our 2011 vacation. Next summer, we will celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary. It is our hope and plan to travel overseas for a week of vacation at the end of the summer. I know that we must begin planning today in order to make this plan a reality.

Conferences- Since 2003 I have traveled to Atlanta, GA for the Catalyst Conference. This is, hands down, my favorite leadership event and I can’t wait for October. For Catalyst, I have to schedule the better part of the week away. There are other leadership opportunities that may be online (The Nines) or local (Echo) and that do not require must preparation but I still need to put them on the calendar.

Youth Ministry- For the ministry, I would encourage you to find out and schedule in your calendar the following:

• School Holidays
• Sporting Events
• Next Year’s Summer Camp dates
• Super Bowl
• Inservice days for teachers
• The day school begins and ends

Review- July 25, 2011 has been designated as the day I will sit down and do this all over again.

Now you- take a look over the next year, Dedicate the next 365 days to growing closer to God each and everyday. Ask him to give you guidance, wisdom, and discernment over the next 12 months. Then set about marking in the most important an non-negotiable dates for this next year.

Remember: Control your calendar or it will control you. Next, we’ll look at how to Measure Monthly.

Beautiful Boy
John Lennon

Close your eyes,
Have no fear,
The monsters gone,
He’s on the run and your daddy’s here,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way,
It’s getting better and better,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Out on the ocean sailing away,
I can hardly wait,
To see you to come of age,
But I guess we’ll both,
Just have to be patient,
Yes it’s a long way to go,
But in the meantime,

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you,
While your busy making other plans,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy…

1) Monopolize the Couch- You’re sick. You deserve to take up the only piece of furniture that has direct access to the television. In fact, you also need to have complete control over the tv and the remote. Sure, you’re so sick that you pass out and sleep for hours on end but when you regain consciousness the tv better be on the channel I left it on or so help me…

2) Pretending Like You’re Not Sick- Sure, everyone else in your immediate family came down with a horrible, West Nile style stomach virus but that’s NOT what you have. You just ate something funny. You’ll be ok. Just push through.

3) Acting Like a Baby- When I’m sick this is one of my favorite things to do. So what? Who cares? Give me this one thing! Don’t judge me!!!

4) Curling Up in a Ball and Weeping- In the Seinfeld episode titled, “The Dinner Party,” Jerry eats a Black & White cookie that causes him to break a 14yr vomit-free streak. While my streak has never been this long I try to go years between ralphs. I hate, hate, hate throwing up. When I dashed to the porcelain god yesterday all I wanted to do was weep and wail. And I did.

5) Rest- Ok, this one is for real. The best thing you can do when sick is rest up. In fact, there is a good chance that you got sick because you failed to get enough rest. It makes no sense to keep running yourself into the ground when you are laid up. Take this opportunity to catch up on your rest so you can get back on your feet sooner.

However, day two & three were as close to perfect as you can get. It was absolutely gorgeous! The sun was out, the powder was fresh (an upside of the storm), and the company was awesome! We head home tomorrow but this was one of the best trips I’ve taken with the youth group. Very bueno!!!

Youth Ministry Ski Trip Tip
This is the third ski trip I’ve taken with teens and if I could give one piece of advice to other leaders out there planning a trip for Spring Break ‘11 it would be this:

REQUIRE that your first time skiers take ski school before they hit the slopes!

This is a must for any first timer traveling to ski with us. No if, ands, or buts.

The first time skiers that I have taken have benefitted tremendously from taking the morning lessons. After classes are over I take them up to run some greens. It cuts down on injuries and it helps build confidence in those first timers.

On the flip side, I can’t tell you how many students I see skiing out of control on the mountain only to see them later with their youth group. In fact today I was almost taken out as some student came careening down the mountain, arms flailing, and screaming. She bit it hard and rode the rest of the trail down on her face. I skied behind her and picked up her poles. When I got to her I saw a friend giving her tips.

He’s a tip: Take ski school.

If you’re a youth leader, save yourself some trouble and look out for your kids by requiring the first time skiers take ski school.

The Nursery. We have the nursery put together. Sandy and her mother helped put the finishing touches on the paint and decorations during Spring Break. I put the crib together- which was a bit more of an ordeal than I anticipated. I managed to strip 2 screws with the stupid, ridiculously small alan wrench included in the box. No worries though. Simmons sent us 2 replacement screws and Sandy gingerly put them in place. Darn my fat fingers! Sandy’s coworkers are throwing us a shower this week. We are thrilled that we now have a place for the gifts and diapers and clothes.

Birthing Classes. We start parenting/birthing classes this week as well. Thankfully, the hospital is across the street from our house so we won’t have to worry about traveling. I am a bit nervous about the classes just because I don’t know what to expect- except I know that we will watch THE video. I’ll give you an update on the class on Friday and let you know how it goes.

Loose Ends. We are preparing the hospital bag. We have her hospital attire and essentials ready to go. I am creating a birth playlist for my iPod- Some soothing tracks from Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, David Crowder, Alison Krauss and, of course, U2. I am also packing DVDs for Sandy- Our room will have a DVD player and Sandy thinks (ha) that she will want to watch “King of the Hill.” I’m packing them but not holding my breath. We have a car seat for my car. I need to put the stroller together. Um…. We’re just getting everything we can think of ready for baby. Anything we’re missing?

No worries though. My hip broke the fall.

It has been the one and only time that I have fallen all week. Apparently I live by the creed of “anything worth doing is worth doing big.”

I’ve been listening to my iPod on the slopes. I know to some that sounds like sacrilege but I feel that the mountain experience is enhanced by a great soundtrack. Here are a handful of the tracks that have made for a Ski-tastic playlist this week.

No Line On The Horizon by U2
Hot Fun In The Summer Time by Sly and the Family Stone
Use Somebody by Kings of Leon
Limelight by Rush
Numb by Linkin Park
Best of You by Foo Fighters
Misery Business by Paramore
Stand Up Comedy by U2
Just Like Heaven by The Cure
Hysteria by MUSE
When the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin
Good Life by Kanye West

I hope everyone has a great spring break. We head for home on Wednesday and would really appreciate your prayers. Take it easy and enjoy the playlist.

peace,
Felker