STAFF RETREAT I

Today was an amazing and wonderful day with our entire staff of pastors and their spouses. We've been in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin doing some community building and vision work for our church.

I love being with our group. They are gifted, smart, intense, passionate, spiritual people. They push me and challenge me -- and I try to do the same with them. I think I keep up pretty well.

We arrived last night and had a great dinner together and then they all hung out in our suite for a couple of hours before heading to bed.

All morning after breakfast, we had a great session together that focused on our church core values. We walked to lunch at a very trendy restaurant up the street then returned to the hotel suite for two sessions on - our view of ourselves - and keeping our church 'simple.'

Dinner was Pizza Hut with a great big salad made by Joelene. Then we hit the hotel pool and gym. Since we had some of the staff guys there to help out, I wanted to find out how much I could bench press. One of the guys on staff can do 200 pounds and I didn't really want him to show me up, even though he is half my age. It's a 'guy thing.' I had already worked out for 30 minutes, so I wasn't at my total best after that. But I managed to squeak out 190 pounds. Next time when I'm not tired, maybe I can press those extra 10 pounds. We'll see.

I'm in bed right now -- and I'm totally wasted. But I'll be ready for another great day with our team tomorrow.

And be blessed.