More Money

Starbucks raises prices again! My iced mocha now cost $3.85; ouch. Next time you go to starbucks don’t be to shocked about the up to $0.10 price increase of your favorite drink. The real question is what are they doing with all that money (If you have the answer please let me know)?

Car Wash!

Today was the Car Wash high school camp fundraiser. Tons of youth showed up to wash cars and earn money towards their camps efforts. It was a great time we washed cars and had fun hanging out together. The best part of the morning is that $10 later, my car was washed (pictured: my clean civic)!

Accept,
John Denton

Video Blog: Thursday?

Click video twice to play (Wrong date on video...)!

Click video twice to play (Wrong date on video...)!

Coffee Cart

This is not the first time I have mentioned the coffee cart in my blog, I talk about it so often because I love the concept and the outcome of our weekly operations. The coffee cart is a low budget fundraising tool that not only allows the youth group to raise funds but it gives members of the church congregation a chance to hang out together and enjoy making new friends in our beautiful court yard. There is one thing that keeps the coffee cart going each week; it’s not money, customers, or a great youth pastor. It is one of the youth workers Chantal. Chantal plans all week long, she searches for new drink recipes and finds out how to lower our cost. On Sunday morning she is the first one to arrive and the last one to leave. Chantal does all of this work with a smile on her face. Thanks Chantal. All great fundraisers start with great leaders. This Sunday buy a drink and a carwash ticket from the coffee cart, to help send a student to summer camp, and make sure to tell Chantal, ‘great job!’

Accept,
John Denton

Dinner with the Old’s

Tonight Stephanie and I had dinner with Matt and Heather, and we had a great time! The food was good, Jeopardy was on TV, and the conversation was endless. Its always good to spend time with friends.

Accept,
John Denton

Every Morning (its the same)

Starbucks

Driving

ChurchOffice

Do your mornings ever blur together?

Angels Baseball (I saw Pat on TV)

I always try to catch the game on TV and if I have the time I enjoy going to a game on an occasional Monday evening. My cousins Pat, Reggie, Derek, and Erica love the Angels and go to most of the games. As I was viewing today’s Angels game from the comfort of my living room I noticed something, a child wearing strange sunglasses who looked like my cousin Reggie. Wait it was Reggie, along with Pat and my friend Dan, appearing right before me on my television screen (notice the small African child in the Angels shirt to the right of Vlads head, Pat and Daniel are half out of the picture but you can still see them a little if you know what they look like). Pat sits in the same seats every game but today was the first time I ever noticed that the camera is right on his seats when a right-handed batter is up. All of the games I have watched with Pat right in the picture, and I always miss him; I had never even thought about it. Are you missing out on opportunities that are right in front of you because you are to busy going in other directions? This week focus on the things and/or people that are right there but you always overlook.

Accept,
John Denton

My Internet is faster than yours

Yesterday we had Verizon FIOS (Fiber optic internet, telephone, and eventually TV) installed at my house. This morning I thought my Internet was running slow so I called to talk to a technician and complain about how slow my new connection was running. The nice tech lady pointed me to www.speakeasy.net/speedtest this site allows you to see how fast your connection is really running. All I have to say is wow, and I am getting so greedy when it comes to Internet connection speeds. My connection clocked in at 15.5MB down and 2MB up. Run the test and see what you clock in at, let me know if you take me out.

Squishee and a Pink Donut

Last night Stephanie and I ventured to 7-11. They are doing a great Simpsons Movie promotion. 7-11 now serves squishees, pink donuts, and buzz cola. Select 7-11’s have even been turned into Kwick-E-Marts. I am looking forward to the Simpsons movie and what a better way to build anticipation than eat snacks.

Video Blog: My Week

Click video twice to play!

Click video twice to play!

New Friends

Rusty, a youth pastor from Modesto, California called me a few months ago and asked if his group could stay the night at our church campus. Of course I said yes. It worked out that Rusty’s group would be arriving in Riverside at the same time our weekly youth night started. Our youth groups combined for a great evening of volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and dodge ball. You never know what to expect when you open your doors to a visiting group, but I am so glad we did because all of our students had a blast hanging out together and sharing in a night of activities. Rusty is a great guy, and I can’t wait until our paths meet again.

Accept,
John Denton

I’m not an Artist

My freshman year of college I was an Art Major. I worked hard at my Art and enjoyed it, but I was never that good at it. I found it funny that my friends and family always liked looking at my portfolio. One afternoon after showing my grandparents my latest sketches, my grandfather asked me if he could have one of my drawings, of course I laughed and then gave him the one he wanted. Yesterday I visited my Grandparents, my grandfather has my drawing framed and hung on their bedroom wall. Four years later and he still enjoys looking at it. My grandparents no longer remember that I did the piece that hangs on their wall, and often I am not sure if they remember who I am. One thing I know is that a piece of bad artwork goes a long way; it is a constant reminder to my grandparents that they have a grandson who loves them. Even when they don’t remember that I drew it or they can’t recall my name, they can look at my artwork and remember someone cares about them. I would have never imagined my Artwork making an impact on someone’s life, much less hanging on a wall, but there it is and my grandfather loves it. Small things we do can make a lasting impact on other people’s lives.

“Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways (Psalm 17:7 NLT).”

Accept,
John Denton

My 4th of July

www.flickr.com

I spent my 4th of July with my cousin Phil. His birthday is the 3rd so of course we celebrated it on the 4th. We had a blast. The surf was good, we had a great BBQ, and my cousin Patrick received a bad euro hair cut. I hope that your forth was just as fun as mine!

Accept,
John

Sometimes

Sometime during your day you probably do it, you try and take part in something when you actually don’t know what you are taking part in. Whether it is adding into a phone conversation or agreeing to go somewhere with a friend when you don’t even know exactly where you are going. We want to be recognized, we want to be a part of something. This busy 4th of July week take part in something greater than you.

Accept,
John

(Phil please Tivo Flight of the Concords for me!)