Posted by: Aaron Shaver | July 27, 2010

HOLY VOCABULARY

I think somebody once said, “If you say a word too much, it eventually loses its meaning.”

If nobody has ever said that than I just did and you can quote me. But we all understand what that quote means. The significance of the word “love” is lost if you frequently apply it to how you feel about favorite foods or designer clothing.

Michael Kelley believes much of the language describing the Christian faith has lost its meaning. And, he’s fighting to rescue it.

I just finished reading through HOLY VOCABULARY, a new Bible study from LifeWay Press. This is Michael Kelley’s latest work within LifeWay’s Threads Department which specializes in Bible study media for young adults.

HOLY VOCABULARY is a group study experience that prompts discussion and study of the themes presented…so, reading it on my own didn’t quite give me the full effect. But I have to say, even without the chatty debate among friends, I relished it!

Michael has structured this study over seven themes (God, Humanity, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Church, End Times, Scripture) that allow the discussion of several common words of the Christian faith…like sin, holy, fruit, lost, sanctify, filled…etc. As the cover states, this Bible study is an endeavor to rescue “the language of [Christian] faith.” Michael isn’t shy about laying out the Biblical context for why sin is called sin, …and why Jesus calls unbelievers “lost”. Even from the first chapter, the word “holy” is given a stronger context when Michael shares the story of God striking dead the man who touched the Ark of the Covenant. That would be a story most pastors would avoid sharing on a Sunday sermon but Michael utilizes that passage to regain the full significance of that word…HOLY.

HOLY VOCABULARY is concise, direct, strong in theology and ripe for discussion.

If you want to order this Bible study for your small group or personal study, check it out here.

You can also view a promo video for HOLY VOCABULARY at Michael’s blog here.

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Posted in Christian living, Theology

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | July 20, 2010

Life…Right Now

I like my life right now.

I say that at the beginning of this post because I’m going to now tell you some things that may seem down about my life.

Some things may seem unhappy or uncomfortable or just not where you’d want to be.

My wife and I are searching for …a lot, frankly, in the way of direction. We are searching for direction primarily in where God is taking us job-wise. Most of you know I am on the job hunt because I felt God calling me to a full-time position in ministry. So I left the part-time position at a good church and am now doing the resume/interview dance with several churches. In the past 3 months I’ve said “no thanks” to some of those churches and some of those churches have said “no thanks” to me. We have options. But, Elaina and I are searching for direction. We are asking God for a direction.

At the same time, we just had our first baby,  Caius William Shaver. That is an adjustment to put it simply. Focusing on our marriage relationship has just taken on a new responsibility. Our life is now full of feedings, changings, doctor’s appointments, car seats, sleepless nights…etc. He’s only 6 weeks old but I can’t help but keep thinking about the next 12 to 20 years over and over and over.

Elaina and I live in a rented home …that we love in a town that we love. Which means all this searching for a direction in the ministry/job field will probably cause us to leave the little home and town we love. Maybe not …but, maybe.

Elaina and I also live paycheck-to-paycheck…which has taught us a lot. Most importantly, it has taught us how rich we are with family and friends. God has blessed us with family and a community who knows us and loves us and would never let us go without food for us or clothes for the baby. Our means come from beyond ourselves. And we are thankful for that.

Most every night, whenever Caius wakes us up and Elaina and I are half-alive and trying to take care of him…I will look over at my wife. With a groggy voice I will utter simply, “I like our life.” And she smiles at me.

A wise man told me to remember these times that seem tough now. “Because, one day you’ll be employed in a church full-time. Things will be good. Financially good. And, you’ll get comfortable. And, in that comfort you’ll forget each other.”

I like my life because I know I’m alive.

I like my life because I am in a place where I must rely on God for needs.

I like my life because my wife and I have to intentionally love each other in the middle of the uncertainty for the future.

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Posted by: Aaron Shaver | July 20, 2010

I Write Like…

I write like Stephen King.

Discovered this from a link Michael Kelley posted on his blog.

Ever wonder if your writing style is similar to that of an established and well known author? You can find out!

Just paste some paragraphs of your own text at this site. I did!

Evidently, my writing style is like that of STEPHEN KING.

http://iwl.me/s/b3a26720

Check it out here!

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Posted in FUN

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | July 16, 2010

FUN FRIDAY: Dreams and Nightmares

 

DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES

Today a new thriller opens up in cinemas. Warner Bros. Pictures releases Inception today, a movie written and directed by Christopher Nolan (of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight fame).  IMDB.com describes the synopsis of Inception like this:

A sci-fi/thriller set within the “architecture of the mind,” and centered on a group of business people who can construct a dream world for an individual and then infiltrate that world to steal their subconscious.

I want to know what are your most memorable dreams…or most frightening nightmares.

Most recently, I had a dream that frightened my wife. “How is that”, you may ask? Well, I barely remember the dream except that I was an adventuring archeologist type person much like Indiana Jones. At some point in the dream, I had to read out loud from a “book of the dead” to exorcise some kind of demons. Well, according to my wife, she awoke in the dark to the sound of me chanting in my sleep, “Mancer, Mancer, his name is Mancer- on his hands, blood- in his heart, pain.”

She woke me and I tried to assure her that the dream was not as sinister as it sounded before I dozed back to sleep.

She didn’t sleep the rest of the night, poor girl.

 

Now that I’ve started it off…

What is you most memorable dream?

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Posted in FUN

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | July 14, 2010

4 Influencers you should check out!

Some people I’m following…and you should too!

Today, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share with you the names of a few people I keep up with via blogs and Twitter. These folks are influencers, pastors, leaders, and social media gurus. And, in their own way each of them is changing the world around them.

Please, dear reader, take the time to check ‘em all out. Read their blogs and check out their twitter feeds. You’ll like what you see!

Pete Wilson -Pete is the lead pastor at Crosspoint Community Church in Nashville. He’s led this church to open 4 campuses in just over 7 years. Crosspoint is a church that ministers to families while reaching out to the unchurched and the dis-churched. You’ll find that transparency is a defining characteristic of the leadership at Crosspoint (b.t.w. just check out all of the staff at Crosspoint. I follow them all and they’re pretty much all amazing).

You can find Pete’s blog here. Also, check out Crosspoint’s website here.

Sam Davidson -Sam is a blogger,  a non-profit guru, and has a really cool website called CoolPeopleCare.org From what I can tell, Sam’s passion is to connect the GenX and GenY generations to activism in an immediate way. One of the coolest features of his website is 5 Minutes of Caring …you should check it out.

You can also follow Sam on Twitter: @samdavidson

Adam Smith (@jackalopekid) Most people know Adam Smith as Jackalope Kid via his website or Twitter account (he has over 100,000 followers on Twitter…GEEEEZ!) Adam is a connector in the HUGEST sense of the word. He uses his blog as an outlet for causes world-wide and local. And, you’ll find a little humor sprinkled throughout his blog as well.

So, wether you want a Jackalope Kid t-shirt or want more information about how to save the world, go visit his blog.

Michael Kelley  -Michael is a blogger, speaker, and (on the weekdays) a content editor at Lifeway Christian Resources. His blog is actually the source I modeled the style of my own blog from. Michael is a great guy who writes about the Christian life, culture, and his kids on his blog. You should check him out for two reasons:

1) He’s such a great speaker that churches, college groups, and conference-type retreats are hiring him all the time. Srsly, his calendar speaks for itself.  

2) He just wrote another book called Holy Vocabulary that’s just released. Here’s a promo video.

So…those are just a few people that, if you don’t already know them, you should!

Any of you got somebody that I should know about? Leave me a comment and let me know.

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Posted in Christian living, Leadership | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | July 9, 2010

FUN FRIDAY FIGHT! – Who Would Win?

FUN FRIDAY FIGHT!

So, last week my brother and I sat down to watch the highly anticipated UFC 116 a pay-per-view fight with the main event deciding the Heavy Weight Champion between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. Both men were 265 lbs BEASTS ready to pummel each other that night!

My brother and I watched with excitement, fear, and a little trembling as the sheer strength and athleticism of these two men came crashing together at full force. I mean, I’m pretty sure if BP employed these guys, they could just punch that little oil leak closed in the Gulf.  For you non-UFC fans out there, just imagine watching The Hulk fight The Thing from the Fantastic Four:

 

Now, I wanna ask you to weigh in on some pretty hot match-ups. Who would you call winning a fight if these contenders pictured below went toe to toe?

Count Chocula vs. The Count (Sesame Street)

  

 

Edward vs Jacob

 

James Bond vs Jason Bourne

 

Mr. T (old B.A. Baracus) vs Quinton ”Rampage” Jackson (new B.A. Baracus)

 

 Captain Crunch vs Captain Morgan

 

Now, don’t be shy. Let your opinion be heard! I wanna know who you think could put on the strongest show of fisticuffs and why!

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Posted in FUN

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | July 8, 2010

The Curse of Self-Awareness

First of all, I need to apologize to you, Dear Readers. You’ve probably noticed that I’ve not updated this blog with any new posts for several days. Most of you will know that having a new baby will overturn your usual daily schedule. With the recent addition of Caius to our house, my wife and I can attest that this is true. So, I ask for your patience. I hope you return to Shaver’s Razor often for my thoughts on leadership, the Christian life, and parenthood.

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THE CURSE OF SELF-AWARENESS

By the time we are adults, most of us have grown into a sense of self-awareness which means we know how others perceive us in certain situations. It’s just what is sounds like –being aware of one’s self. It includes awareness of things like appearance, personality, humor, and work-ethic. Your sense of self-awareness is often cultivated through school age years, takes a murderous beating in your awkward teenage years, and comes into balance somewhere between early adulthood and….retirement.  :)

Most of us know how we are perceived by our close friends, co-workers, or even by strangers at a party.  And, the importance of self-awareness as a social skill can be seen in the example of those we know who are unfortunately not self-aware. Now, I think you know what I’m talking about. You can describe the friend, colleague, or maybe even the family member who tells inappropriate jokes at the party and is mystified when no one laughs.

Self awareness is also vital to acting, which is close to my heart. Having majored in Theatre Arts, I have a lot of experience acting or directing plays for universities and community theatres. I feel like theatre, as an art form, is on of the most natural arts pursued by mankind. Everyone tells stories and everyone acts everyday. Theatre is nothing more than that: acting for the sake of story-telling. And, the more self-aware an actor is the better they are at their craft. Therefore, one of the worst things to experience in theatre is meeting an actor who is completely NOT self-aware. That actor cannot take direction well. They can’t relate a scene in a script to any connection in their personal life because they are not self-aware.

Case in point:

Lately, I’ve been actively waiting. Yeah, I’ve been job hunting. And, when you are updating your resume and taking multiple phone interviews with potential employers and answering questionnaires regarding your experience…you become EVEN MORE self-aware. During this season of looking for work in church ministry and waiting on an answer, I’ve also improved and occupied myself with books, leadership books, books on knowing yourself, books on personality assessment, strengths self assessment, books on influencing people, serving people through your skills and talents…etc.

After a while, all of this self-awareness becomes ME-ness. It becomes narcissism.

During this period of uncertainty about where God is taking me and when that is going to happen, I don’t want to spin my wheels on me-ness. I’m fighting to not get lost in MY calling and MY ministry and MY job.

I have a wife and child who need me…and a holy GOD who wants to use me. But that is the curse of self-awareness. All of the important people (Elaina and Caius) and things (ministry calling) that touch my life are not and CAN NOT be about me.

Interestingly the actor whose picture I showed above, Keanu Reeves, was in the MATRIX Trilogy. The first movie of that trilogy contained a scene where Reeve’s character, Neo, discovers the entire theme of the movie printed on a wood plaque hanging over a kitchen doorway. It said “Know Thyself”. But, as a Christian, I remember that Christ said to deny thy self. I am to deny my self and …take up my cross daily.

I hope I learn more about what that means -taking up my cross–while I am in this waiting period.

Have you experienced the curse of self-awareness overload?

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Posted in Christian living, Leadership | Tags: , ,

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | June 22, 2010

There is no B-Team

Today’s post is from my friend Bryan Entzminger (@bdentzy) who graciously agreed to add some zest to my blog with his own “thoughts for the journey”.  Bryan and I first met each other during my high school years when I worked at Chick-fil-A and he was my supervisor. Since those days we have both moved on from that blessed fast-food institution and now we are more often confused for each other in a crowd! It’s ridiculous!
Bryan and his wife, Kathryn, happily live in Smyrna, TN and are expecting their first child!
You can check out more of Bryan’s writing and wisdom at www.bdentzy.com

Read More…

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Posted in Christian living, Theology

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | June 18, 2010

Question: Which member of the A-Team are you?

Last week 20th Century Fox released THE A-TEAM into cinemas. My childhood was groomed on a steady diet of the 80′s TV show so you can bet I’ll see the movie first chance I get.


My question for you, dear readers, is which member of the A-TEAM are you? This is childhood role-playing game every kid is familiar with. Decide which superhero you are? Which ninja turtle best fits your personality. Are you the pink Power Ranger or the green Power Ranger?

So which A-Team member best fits your style.

Are you like Hannibal, the man with the plan?

Are you full of attitude like B.A.?

Is you m.o. full of charm and class like “Faceman” ?

Or are you just nuts like our friend Murdock?

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Posted in FUN

Posted by: Aaron Shaver | June 13, 2010

Caius William Shaver

Welcome, Caius William Shaver!

Here is the story of Caius William Shaver…so far. His story is really the product of a lot of love and hard work from his parents (especially his mommy) to bring him into this world. Caius William Shaver was born June 7th 2010 at 2:07PM weighing 7lbs 7 ounces and measuring 20 inches.

But, I should begin by telling you that Elaina and I arrived at the hospital with a birth plan. Yes, a birth plan is a list drawn up by parents of what processes you favor so the nurses and doctors are all well-informed of your desires and what you are willing to consent to during this very tense, complex, and truly life-changing process called CHILD BIRTH.

We had a birth plan.

As soon as we arrived at the hospital, the birth plan was effectively thrown out the window. As with many things in life, what you could never foresee happening somehow becomes reality.

Elaina’s water broke just after 4PM on Sunday evening thus beginning the next 22 hours of labor. That’s right…22! However, by 8PM, with no real contractions setting in, we became concerned and went to the emergency room. Our birth plan originally called for most of early labor to proceed at home and we intended to allow labor pains to move naturally into active labor without an epidural and to avoid at all costs a C-section. But complications arose once her water broke causing the hospital and doctors to place her on a 24 hour deadline to deliver or prepare for a C-section.

Elaina endured an intensified labor process for the first 14 hours at the hospital due to the medication that had to be given to induce contractions that had yet come on naturally. In the final hours of labor, Elaina opted for the epidural when she realized her weakened condition (lack of sleep and rolling contractions every 2 minuets for 14 hours) would jeopardize her ability to push during delivery.

Once the epidural took effect, it slowed her labor process and spread the contractions farther apart –exactly what we didn’t want it to do. Evidently, labor must always go forward and gradually become more intense until the baby is delivered. So you can’t go backward and have your labor slow down in process. Thus, the reason for the next step. After 22 hours of labor, our doctor strongly suggested a C-section operation.

This was a hard moment for me and Elaina both. I think we were both relieved to know this whole labor process would soon be over but it felt like we had to give up everything we wanted and planned for in this momentous event and turn it all over to the very thing we fought so hard to avoid.

I was suited in scrubs and led to the operating room where the doctors were preparing Elaina for surgery.

I saw it all.

The moment was very raw and visceral. I saw my wife on a table looking at me. I saw doctors working hard…hands moving quickly with no concern of being gentle or polite.

I saw a doctor reach in and bring my son into this world. It was shocking. This dynamic living thing shuddered and cried in front of me lying on my wife’s belly. But it wasn’t just a thing. This boy wore the evidence of me and my wife on his face.

He was so fragile and small. But he commanded my attention and love by simply opening his eyes.

Today, Elaina is recovering nicely and we both are happy and back at home with our new-born baby. Our plan was ruined at the word “go”, but in the end, with God in control, we got everything our hearts wanted!

I’ve posted some pictures for you to see the happy family.

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