Birthday Books

Posted on November 3, 2007 by Jason

The birthday was absolutely great. I didn’t shave; I didn’t wear socks; lunch with Sunny at Olive Garden; dinner with Sunny at Longhorn…my idea of a perfect day. (Special thanks to Miss Gina and Jon & Stacy for taking care of the kids while we enjoyed our time out!) After dinner, we stopped off at a new discount book store in town. I have to admit, my expectations were pretty low. But their selection of religious books was really great. Using some of my birthday money, I was able to pick up several titles on the cheap (as in 80% discounts). Here are the books I picked up with this year’s birthday money:

  • The ESV Journaling Bible – Two years ago, I picked up a small NIV to underline, write notes in, etc. But I’ve been jonesing for a real journaling Bible for about a year and I finally found it in my translation of choice. The 1 inch margins allow for plenty of notes and citations. A Bible geek’s dream.
  • Conversations, Eugene Peterson – This is a copy of Peterson’s popular paraphrase The Message complete with his seminary and sermon notes. These first two texts should really enhance my personal Bible study time.
  • Velvet Elvis and Sex God, Rob Bell – I’ve long been a fan of Bell’s preaching style (click here for MP3s of his Mars Hill lessons) and his Nooma videos.
  • The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis – Picked this one up for $3. That’s highway robbery.
  • Reaching for the Invisible God, Philip Yancey – Another steal at $4.
  • The Emerging Church, Dan Kimball; Church on the Other Side, Brian McLaren – The postmodern ecclesiological discussion fascinates me.
  • The Deity Formerly Known as GOD, Jarrett Stevens – I thought of my old buddy T.H. when I picked up this title. Miss you, bro.
  • The Myth of a Christian Nation, Gregory A. Boyd – I probably could just check this out from the public library, but it was another bargin bin find at $4.
  • Bible Doctrine, Wayne Grudem; Genesis, NIV Application Commentary – I paid a third of the cover price for each of these titles. Unbelievable.

Anybody read any of these titles? Wanna tell me what I’m in store for?

Posted in Books | 12 Comments

On Turning 31

Posted on October 31, 2007 by Jason

On Friday, I turn 31. Sometimes I look around and think, “When did all this happen?” It’s like I woke up one day and BOOM — I suddenly have more children than my parents did. Didn’t I just turn 30 yesterday? As I reflect on the past year, it’s really been a good one. The highlight, of course, was Jackson’s birth in June. It’s also been a true joy to watch Abby Kate and Joshua grow over the last 12 months. They’re learning something new every day and it’s so much fun to watch.

And I feel like I’m learning a lot, too. About being a husband and a father. And about ministry. The last 12 months have been full of experiences that have helped shape me professionally, and for that I’m thankful. All in all, this has been a great year. I know this sounds cheesy, but it’s the truth: the other day, on my way to work, I was overwhelmed by this tremendous sense of gratitude. I just started thinking, “I’m so glad I get to live this life.” I have a great wife, 3 awesome kids, an opportunity to worship and serve in a church community I love. I had one of those rare moments where the reality of my blessings just washed over me in a profound way. Charles Jefferson once said, “Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies.” I can certainly say He’s been merciful to me. I have a lot to be thankful for.

31, may you be as sweet and rich as 30, even more so.

Posted in Family, General | 5 Comments

Jason Bybee: Televangelist

Posted on October 30, 2007 by Jason

Today I began my career as a televangelist. Move over, Olsteen. There’s a new kid on the block. Now if I only had a book to hawk…

Seriously, our preaching minister has had a very successful television ministry for nearly 30 years here in the Tennessee Valley. Every Sunday morning at 10AM, Gary shares the Word of God on his Abundant Living television program. Gary is known and revered throughout the region for his practical, Biblical teaching.

A few weeks ago, Gary asked me to record two episodes of Abundant Living in his absence. After his travel plans fell through, Gary graciously allowed me to tape the episodes nonetheless. I consider this quite an honor. I know how Gary values these opportunities to share the Word with the people of this community. It’s a little hard to quantify the impact of this ministry. How many have been encouraged by Gary’s messages? How many have been baptized? It’s impossible to say, this side of eternity. All I know is that this is a ministry that Gary believes in and I’m honored to have the opportunity to participate.

I left the house extra early this morning, partly because I was nervous and partly because I couldn’t remember exactly where the TV station was. I arrived a good half hour before I was supposed to, so I sat in the truck and went over my notes for the millionth time. Since I was taping two episodes, I needed two lessons that complimented one another, so I chose to look at John 3 and 4, the stories of Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. I was pretty nervous when the cameras started to roll, but five minutes in, I realized I was having a lot of fun. My performance was far from flawless: after mentioning that John 3:16 is perhaps the most memorized passage of Scripture in the Bible, and how I had committed it to memory at quite a young age, I proceeded to botch it royally, saying something like, “For God so loved the world, that whoever believes in Him…I mean, He loved the world so much that He sent His son…His only begotten Son…and when we believe in Him, we receive eternal life.” Smooth. But hopefully the inept performance didn’t impede the proclamation too much.

All in all, it was a great experience and I’m very thankful for the opportunity. For those of you who are interested in watching, set your TiVo’s for 10:00AM, Channel 19, this Sunday morning, if for no other reason than to watch me maim John 3:16.

I’m serious, Olsteen. I’m coming for you.

Posted in Huntsville, Preaching | 8 Comments

The Greatest Football Play Ever

Posted on October 30, 2007 by Jason

I’ve never seen anything like this…Move over Stanford / Cal.

Posted in Football | 6 Comments

Sam’s or Costco?

Posted on October 29, 2007 by Jason

So our Sam’s Club Membership expires next month. Before we re-up, we’re wondering if there are any advantages to going with Costco. I can’t really see any. In fact, we’d have to drive by Sam’s to get to Costco. Anybody wanna help us here? Sam’s or Costco?

Posted in Random | 5 Comments

St. Jude’s Campaign for a Cure

Posted on October 25, 2007 by Jason

Sunny and I have been supporting the work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for the past few years. St. Jude’s is a non-profit organization with the mission to find cures for children with catastrophic illnesses through research and treatment. Today, nearly 5,000 children are being treated by the doctors and nurses at St. Jude’s. Children like Joshua Hooper, who was discovered to have neuroblastoma in October 2003. Thanks to St. Jude’s, Joshua is still fighting.

We’ve volunteered to help the St. Jude Campaign for a Cure this year. At St. Jude, no family is ever turned away due to their inability to pay. We need money to save the lives of these precious children and to find more effective ways to cure childhood cancer. In the last three years, approximately 85% of the money St. Jude has raised has gone to the current or future needs of the hospital. But we need your help to continue this great work.

Would you consider supporting the work at St. Jude’s? There are a variety of ways you can help:

  • You can donate online by clicking here. You can sign up to join the monthly giving program (only $19 a month can make a considerable difference in the life of a child) or you can make a one-time donation with a debit or credit card.
  • Sunny and I will be collecting one-time donations over the next three weeks. Please make checks payable to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We will be mailing in all the donations we receive on Nov. 15th.
  • If you’re more comfortable, you can mail your donation directly to St. Jude at P.O. Box 187, Memphis, TN 38101-0187. If you’d like more information before making your donation, visit www.stjude.org or call 1 800 822 6344.
  • If you’re unable to contribute financially, please continue to pray for these children suffering with cancer and their families.

This is a cause that Sunny and I believe in and we solicit your help and your prayers. Every dollar we give can help make a difference in the lives of these children and their families.

Posted in Social Issues | 2 Comments

Only One October

Posted on October 24, 2007 by Jason

As I sit here watching the Red Sox shellack the Rockies (bottom of the first, Sox up 3-0), I’m thinking they have to do something about this massive layoff between the NLCS and the World Series. Granted, the Rockies swept and the ALCS went 7, but these added days off with this new schedule means it’s been 9 days since Colorado played. And the Colorado hitters definitely look rusty, at least they did in the top of the first. Meanwhile, the Red Sox bats look like they’re gonna keep rolling. It’s just unfortunate that the Rockies, who were so hot for a month there, are going to suffer from this longer-than-usual layoff.

If this post wasn’t clear enough, I’ll go on record here saying I’m pulling for the Rockies. I pretty much always pull for the NL, unless the Cubs make it to the World Series (which thankfully never happens!). The last time I rooted for an AL team was back in 1988 when Tony LaRussa’s A’s were playing the Dodgers. The A’s were a juggernaut that year. I still remember their lineup: Rickey Henderson, Carney Lansford, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Dave Parker, Dave Henderson, Terry Steinbach, Walt Weiss, Tony Phillips. They also had a great pitching staff, led by ace Dave Stewart and closer extraordinaire Dennis Eckersley.

The Dodgers had Orel Hershiser and Kirk Gibson. That’s about it.

All my friends were NL guys. My best friend was a kid named Michael Miller who was a HUGE Dodger fan. He couldn’t understand why I would pull for the A’s in the Series. “You’re a Cardinal fan,” he argued.

“So?”

“So the Cardinals are an NL team.”

“So?”

“So you should pull for the Dodgers.”

I guess I found his argument unconvincing because I still rooted for the A’s. I had a Mark McGwire rookie card, after all. I still remember watching Game 1 of that Series on our old, pre-remote control TV. I sat cross-legged on our living room floor, enjoying a peanut butter sandwich on my Dukes of Hazard TV tray. I watched as the A’s took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning. I was a little surprised when Eck walked the nondescript Mike Davis with two outs, bringing up the go-ahead run in the form of pinch-hitter Kirk Gibson. Eckersley never walks anybody. No matter. Gibson can’t even walk, much less swing.

Bottom of the ninth. Down one. Two out. One on. Full count. Even as a 12 year old, I knew this was Shakespearean stuff. I sat transfixed as Vin Scully’s prose served to narrate one of the greatest moments in sports history: “High fly ball into right field, she i-i-i-is… gone!!” Gibby fist pumps his way around the diamond. Tommy Lasorda jubilantly moving faster than a man his size should move, arms in the air. As I sat there, jaw open, Jack Buck and I both couldn’t believe what we just saw.

Right then, my phone rang. My mother answered and told me it was for me.

“Hello,” I said.

“I TOLD YOU TO PULL FOR THE DODGERS! GIBBY, BABY! WHOO-HOO! GO DODGERS!“

“Shut up,” I said and I hung up. That night I swore to never root for an AL team again.

That’s just one of the reasons I love October.

Posted in Baseball | 6 Comments

Pray for Pam

Posted on October 22, 2007 by Jason

This website is devoted to Pam, a lady who worships with us at Mayfair. A few weeks back, Pam was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Last week she was told the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. She’ll meet with her oncologist on Friday to discuss chemo. If you could add her to your daily prayers, I know she and her family would appreciate it.

Posted in Prayer | 4 Comments

What Are You Reading?

Posted on October 21, 2007 by Jason

Before my computer crashed last month, I had developed a pretty lengthy reading list over the past year or so. It was filled with a lot of texts recommended by my professors and other ministers. With graduation looming in May, I hope I’ll have more time for “non-required” reading. First up will be some Dallas Willard and Shane Claiborne’s The Irresistible Revolution. As I try to build up my reading list again, I ask you: What are you reading? What are some of the better books you’ve read in the last year or so? I tend to read non-fiction almost exclusively, but if you’ve read any good fiction lately, lay it on me.

What are you reading?

Posted in Books | 16 Comments

Until Dreams Come True

Posted on October 19, 2007 by Jason

My Dad and me

Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of my father’s death. In many ways it seems much longer, like he died a lifetime ago. He passed away when I was 10 years old and now, 20 years later, I’m still a little surprised at how much I miss him sometimes. With time, you learn to cope with certain losses. The pain isn’t always unbearable. Most of the time it’s dull and distant. I guess you just learn to keep yourself busy with other things so you don’t have to really dwell on the parts of your life that are painful. At least that’s what I do.

But 20 years later, I miss my father so much more now than I did then. I guess this is largely due to the fact that I’m a husband and father now myself. It really pains me that I don’t get to share my life with him– my wife, my kids, etc. I always get that feeling at the “special” times: birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduation. But lately I’ve been more aware of the “little things” I miss out on, like phone calls and fishing trips and ball games with the kids. I’ve started showing Joshua and Abby Kate some of my old pictures of my Dad. I guess I want them to recognize him when they meet him someday.

I often daydream about what it would be like if he were still here. He’d probably find something to tease Sunny about, like her neatly organized pantry or her refusal to eat fish. I know he’d be really proud of Joshua’s ability to throw a ball and Abby Kate’s uncanny memory when it comes to her Bible stories. And of course, he’d be in love with little Jackson Cash. At Christmas time, he’d tell the funny stories and get out his guitar and sing Johnny Cash. We’d eat Stickies and watch Andy Griffith and Honeymooners reruns. And in my daydream, we never say goodbye.

These are the dreams that take me captive on days like today. They sustain me in those times when the pain is no longer dull and distant, but immediate and tangible. And I relish these dreams, for I believe these are the dreams of eternity; dreams of reconciliation and restoration and peace. I relish these dreams because sometimes I feel like they’re all I’ve got. Dreams. And hope. And a promise of someday…

Until those dreams come true,
I’ll be missing you, Dad.
Jason

Posted in Dad, Eschatology, Faith, Family | 11 Comments