Moved

Greetings Faithful Readers...

Time to check those bookmarks...
VASILATING HAS MOVED (again...)

You can still get to the new site by using www.brianvasil.com (as always)

If you have linked to me via the long address... kindly repoint your link to

http://bvasil.wordpress.com

This is just one part of an exciting new blog expansion I am working on...

Thanks everyone...see you on the other side!

BV

From the Shelf

Greetings Faithful Readers,

It's time to take a quick glance at the bookshelf and let you know what I am currently reading...

1) Mad Church Disease - Anne Jackson - Status: FINISHED - Rating 4.5/5 - I was a little afraid to start reading this book because I thought it was going to bash the church...that the church was the bad guy and I was the victim. Fortunately I was wrong. Anne does an amazing job at presenting a realistic look at a life out of balance. The beginning of the book reveals the trials of her life and how it drove her to write a book about burnout. After just a few pages you realize that she is more than qualified to lead her readers from the land of "I can relate to that" to a place of healing. Pastors and leaders like Bill Hybels, Craig Groeschel, and Perry Noble are interviewed and quoted throughout the book to support Anne's claims. I think the point that I took away was that it isn't church that causes burnout (although there are many elements contained therein that could)...it is a result of poor choices, lack of barriers and boundaries, the human elements of ministry, and a general unspecific tendency to drift away from disciplines we know we need. Thanks Anne for stepping out and writing about something that many deny publicly but battle in the trenches of their minds and hearts.

2) Killing Cockroaches - Tony Morgan - Status: CURRENTLY READING - A cool book on leadership written by a guy that has lived it out. I love the title...and when you think about why it's called Killing Cockroaches...it makes you want to follow Tony further down the rabbit hole. As a city manager, Tony was called in by someone who needed a bug killed in her office. He got up and did it...and then thought about it. Why did he get up and do that? He was the "CEO" of sorts... Was that the best use of his time and leadership? Was he leading out of the urgent..or did he need to lead more stratigically? Was he putting out fires or moving forward? Sound intriguing...then dive into this collection of cool leadership thoughts and strategies with me and let me know what you think.

There's a few others that I'm wrapping up as well and I will post reviews soon. Topics run the gambit from children't fiction (Kingdom Keepers 2) to Web 2.0 (33 Million People in the Room) to a re-read of a book for our Internet Campus book study (Traveling Light).

See you in the bookstore cafe,
BV

Amazing

Greetings Faithful Readers,

I just finished reading the book "Mad Church Disease" by Anne Jackson (full review coming soon) and really enjoyed it. There was one quote toward the end that really grabbed my attention and I wanted to know what you thought about it.

"People are afraid to be amazing."

People are afraid to be themselves...they have played the "role" of themselves for so long they are scared to reveal who they really are and what they really think. Also, people are scared to reveal too much about their hopes...their dreams...because what people know - they can use against them. Fear can be devastating.

Amazing requires boldness. Amazing demands discipline. An amazing life honors God.

I guess the question is... are you amazing? What is holding you back from being the you that God created you to be? Are you scared? Are you waiting?

So many of us stop just short of amazing...just short of the top...just short of what we could be...

Why?

BV

In Defense of Twitter

Greetings Faithful Readers,

Tonight was wonderful....and I have Twitter to thank for it. Yesterday I posted that I was fighting an earache, headache, and sore throat. Instantly, people that read my updated status began sending me well wishes and home remedies...and told me I was being prayed for. Tonight, as I walked from the Internet Campus studio to the control room, no fewer than 10 people stopped and asked how I was feeling... all Twitter followers or Facebook friends.

I returned to the studio and logged into the campus chat room. Several chat guests asked me if I felt better and volunteered to pray as well....from all over the world. They follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on our Internet Campus community page.

No matter what you think about social media, Twitter, or the like...there is real community happening online.

I am living proof. Thanks friends...you made me feel loved.

BV

Forward

Greetings Faithful Readers...

Just wondering...

What are you looking forward to right now?

Why?

BV

Ready to Go 'Back?'

Greetings Faithful Readers...

I guess I'm on some sort of a retro-theme here...although I hesitate to admit that mentioning the new DVD re-re-re-release of Back to the Future is "retro". I'm pretty anxious to see this new version of one of my all-time favorite movies. Here's what it has going for it.

1) Huey Lewis and the News not only do some of the music...Huey is in it as the nerdy teacher. They've always been my favorite band...
2) Michael J. Fox - "Teen Wolf" himself...in his prime...
3) Biff Tannen - A classic heel... Every school had a kid like that...
4) Doc Brown - Christopher Lloyd - Steals every scene he's in...
5) I've also heard that it has the entire BTTF ride video from Universal Studios on it!

Not to mention a flying DeLorean, Marvin Berry, the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance, Crispin Glover, the flux capacitor, the Twin (Lone) Pines Mall, Einstein, and Calvin Klein.

If you've never seen it...it's definitely worth your TIME. Get it. Time. The movie's about a time machine that.... never mind.

If you have seen it...what's your favorite part?

BV

Do You Know Ben Cooper?

Greetings Faithful Readers...

On the heels of yesterday's 1970s memory/confessional...I have one more. Did anybody else beside me buy and wear those vinyl Ben Cooper Halloween costumes? You know the ones...plastic mask with a thin rubber band that would break after about 10 minutes inside it... Vinyl non-fire proof suit with a poorly printed picture of the character you were supposed to be... good times, good times.

I was pretty much every character from Star Wars, Spider-Man, Batman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Devil. Yes, my parents dressed me up in a Ben Cooper devil outfit when I was 4. I walked around innocently (yet comically) as the prince of darkness begging for Pixie Stix. Thanks mom and dad....

Did you ever wear one of these costumes? If so, what character were you?

BV

Dented Lunchboxes

Greetings Faithful Readers...

If you were a child of the 1970s (like I was)...there were probably two things you did that kids today can't really relate to. When it came time to bring your homemade PBJ, more than likely, you rocked one of these metal lunchboxes (complete with hard plastic thermos).

I LOVED my lunchbox when I was a kid. Mom and I made choosing my yearly lunchbox a big thing... We'd drive to Zayre's and spend the better part of an hour looking at each design and picking the coolest one. Some of my lunchboxes included: The Six Million Dollar Man, The Super Friends, Star Wars, Land of the Lost, and Spider Man.

Problem with me and these lunchboxes were that they would dent easily. Mom would always wonder why my lunchbox would come home bent. I told her I dropped it a lot...but if she looked at the dents a little closer, she would realize that they were head-shaped. That's right. I used to clock my buddies over the head with my aluminum lunchbox. Hard. I wasn't trying to hurt them...but I was 9 and it seemed like the right thing to do when they wouldn't trade me for my sandwich. Give me some grace...I was 9.

What's the other 1970s thing we all did? Come back tomorrow to find out...

BV

B.V.

Greetings Faithful Readers,

Today, in my car, I found a water bottle with my initials on it. "B.V." Clear as day in black sharpie marker. Problem is, I don't remember ever writing them on that bottle...in fact, I don't remember the last time I've had bottled water. Then it hit me.

That was Brianna's bottle. B.V. are her initials, too.

I know that's pretty obvious to most...but this morning it hit me. I share initials with my daughter. Then it got me to thinking. What else have I passed down to her? My love of Christ? My perseverance? My character? My passion for learning?

Or has it been other things... my sarcasm, my temper, my fears, or my desire to please everyone?

I desperately want Brianna to discern what is good and what isn't good from me and incorporate the best traits into her life. Problem is, she probably won't be able to. Our kids pick it all up...the good and the bad...and become, in part, like us. What a huge responsibility we have as parents...to pass down more than just our initials...but a Christ-like example of what a good human being should be.

BV

Man vs. Food

Greetings Faithful Readers,

I've got a confession to make. Recently, I started watching a show on the Travel Channel called "Man vs. Food"...have you seen it? If not, it's a show about a guy named Adam who travels around the country looking for the greatest eating spots....and samples some of the local specialties. In Boston he eats the "Fisherman's Plate" or in Atlanta he tries the "Midnight Train" (4 HUGE chicken wings and some waffles on the side). You get the idea.

What got me watching it was a show he did while in Columbus, Ohio. He ate at a place in the German village called Schmidts...complete with a spicy sausage called the Bahama Mama. I have eaten there myself! A great place that's been there forever...I remember it even had a sausage buffet (and some of the best cream puffs I've ever eaten). Good times... good times...

The crescendo of this ode to dining is at the end of the show. He tries to take on a local eating challenge. For example, one show has him eating a 12 egg omelet with sour cream and chili (weighing in at over 5 pounds)... another show has him trying to devour a 13 pound pizza...or downing a true dagwood sandwich (larger than his head) in Ohio...or a 72 ounce steak...or a 5 pound hamburger...

I know this sounds gross...but it is strangely mesmerizing. I love shows that reflect local culture and cuisine and this one certainly does that. Have you seen this show? What do you think?

BV

Moving Forward

Greetings Faithful Readers,

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

I love this quote from Walt. It absolutely defines who he was as a man..always pushing the envelope...challenging himself to go beyond the obvious stopping points of life.

Yesterday in staff meeting, Pastor Scot Mendendhall said something that made me think of the quote listed above. Scot said that when he runs marathons, there is always a point in the race where it becomes mental...where you have to decide whether or not you are just satisfied with finishing...or if you want to better your time and push yourself harder.

I love and hate that at the same time.

I love the fact that other people want to coast sometimes, too..just get through life. I feel like that occasionally. I feel like coasting...my knowledge, my spouse, my weight, my parenting, my ministry, ...there are many more. I wonder sometimes how far I could get with just revving my life up really hard...really go after it...and then just coast a few years. Not very far I would guess. That's like sprinting the first 5 miles of a marathon and then crawling to the finish line. Yes, I'd be done (same result)...but my time would stink.

I hate it because I come up against that thought a lot. Every fiber in my being wants to pause...to rest...to somehow convince myself that I have worked really hard and deserve it. Sometimes I have to force myself to do what I don't want to do to prepare myself for what God has gifted and called me to do...and it's hard. Growth hurts sometimes. Changing myself, while necessary, can feel lonely and painful...but it has to be done.

I'm going to stay curious, driven, and focused on what's really important this year...and thereafter. I can promise you this... I will keep moving forward. How about you?

Words

Greetings Faithful Readers,

I have written and re-written this post a few times... It talks about something that I regret sharing in the first place. One time, while I was teaching on the weekend, I mentioned that I suffer from OCD (Obsessive Complusive Disorder). Not terribly bad, but it does affect me. I check the stove knobs for 5 minutes to make sure they are off...and check the door locks at least 7 times to make sure they are properly closed. I have struggled with this for years and have basically come to terms with it. My case is not severe...on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being a debilitating case, mine is about a 2-3.

But that's not the point of this blog post.

In the past couple of weeks, it has come to my attention that many people think OCD is something of a joke. I've been doing a task with them and they just casually say "Oh, that's just my OCD kicking in" or "It's just my crazy OCD brain" They don't really suffer from it....it just seems to describe their detail-minded tendencies. I fake a smile and keep on going...but you know what...it hurts. I wish I didn't have to deal with it....that I could somehow convince myself that checking to make sure things were done once was enough...but I can't. I know people don't mean it when they say things flippantly like that... they probably don't realize the impact of their chosen words.

How many times have I insensitively used words like "crazy" or "retarded" in my everyday speech? Too many. I sometimes forget that people are hurting...and I don't know what they might be dealing with for real. Are they struggling with mental illness? Do they have a learning-disabled family member? I don't really know... but I use those words anyway. Our word choice can hurt even when it isn't intended to. I've begun to focus on this verse:

"Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Ephesians 4:29b

I'm really making an effort to choose my words more carefully. I know I have hurt people in the past unintentionally with my comments and I regret it. I know how it stings.

Sorry if this sounds like a rant or a sermon...I just really felt convicted to share my thoughts on this. Please don't ask me to elaborate on my OCD...I don't understand why I have it...and can't really help others get through it yet. I feel like I should be able to just flick a switch and turn it off...like I'm a prisoner in my own mind sometimes...and I hate it. Just pray for me...and try your level best to think through your words before they come out. I'm trying too.

BV

iPhone finds

Greetings Faithful Readers...

Once in awhile, somebody will ask what I'm running on my iPhone...not sure why...but I guess they figure the iPastor would be in the know for the best iPhone apps...

Here are a few standouts that I really love on my phone:

Vlingo - an amazing program that lets you search maps, update your twitter status, dial contacts, and perform Google searches...all with your voice! (FREE)

Facephone - sync people's Facebook photos with their contacts on your phone...always know who's calling by their Facebook photo! ($2.99)

Multi-photo - Email multiple photos at one time! If you email a bunch of photos, this is a cool app. ($2.99)

USA Today - Great news, sports, weather, etc. and FREE!

ToDo - Synced with my web-based task management app, Toodledo...keeps my to-do list in perfect sync between my phone, computer, and the net. ($9.99)

Instapaper - Install the free instapaper extension to Firefox and it puts a bookmark on your browser. Then, if you see an article on the web that you can't read right away...simply click "Read Later" and you can read it on your iPhone! Very convenient! (Basic- FREE / Pro - $9.99)

That's just a few...

Enjoy!

BV

Darth Daddy

Greetings Faithful Readers...

I present to you for the first time... Princess Leia's birthday cake.

If you get the reference, you earn +2 geek points.

Is it just me, or is the image of the dark lord of the sith holding an innocent child made of frosting a bit disconcerting? Just me? Alright.

BV

It Came...

Greetings Faithful Readers,

It finally came. I've been waiting for it since 2006 and it arrived yesterday. The harbinger of doom...the signal flag of seniority...the evidence that it is no longer cool to reference Back to the Future....the dreaded 20th high school reunion notice.

Don't be offended if this has already come and gone for you...didn't it sting a little to open that envelope? 20 years? Seriously?

As I held it in my hands, I began to reflect on what has come and gone since then... I've come to terms that the Cavaricci's that I always wanted will never be in my closet... or that Six Flags Atlantis will never reopen...or that Max Headroom will never re-appear on a Pepsi commercial... or that my hair will never again be that thick. I mean seriously...why didn't somebody tell me I looked like a hybrid of a microphone windscreen and Ronald McDonald? (see photo)










What does the 20th high school reunion signify? Mid-life? Quarter-life? I'm not sure. I do know that I'm not going to the reunion. I never really made many friends in high school....and if I did go, it would be a lot like the last Indiana Jones movie.... all the recognizable characters were older, wider, and slower than I remember them 20 years ago.

At 37, I have a lot more wisdom and perspective than I had at 17. I'm married. Have a beautiful family, a mortgage, and bad knees. I get to serve at an unbelievable church with great leaders...pastor the most amazing team I've ever been a part of... and have the satisfaction of knowing that out of all the graduates that left Nova High School that year, I'm probably the only one with more toys now than when I attended there.

I guess I should look at it positively... I have my health... they still want me to be a part of the class... and it didn't come attached to an application to join AARP.

BV

Did you?

Greetings Faithful Readers,

Did you experience last weekend? A great lesson to kickoff a life-changing series!

Here's the pre-teaching intro...


Pre-Teaching - The Family Series Week 1 from Flamingo Road Church on Vimeo.

Also, a great voiceover...

BV

I was in a rock band.

Greetings Faithful Readers...

Yesterday was a very odd day for me on Facebook. I woke up as I always do and check my iPhone...schedule for the day, ad for new hard drives, Google alerts... and then I saw them... 2 Facebook friend requests from names that I recognized...my bandmates from my old Rock Band, Forte! Tim and Doug... the heart and soul of one of the greatest bands that has ever played in the courtyard of Nova High School. That's right...the juggernaut of music that was the band Forte was back together. The world has been calling out for a reunion tour, but we had lost touch and moved to all different parts of the country... Viva la Facebook!

Tim (the guitarist) got married and moved to Maryland. He still plays guitar regularly but took a regular gig working at a school. Doug (the drummer) also got married and moved to the Carolinas where he took a job as a newspaper writer. I hadn't really talked much with them over the years..it's one of those "we'll always be buds" things that ends up drifting and eventually falls apart... But now here we are...reunited thanks to the Internet...and ready to melt some faces with a sound that's one part rock and roll and one part approaching-40 wanna-be garage band legends.

But we weren't quite complete. There was one more member of Forte that had yet to be found...arguably the most talented musician in our band, Ken (the keyboardist). So I went to work...and found him on Facebook as well! I sent him a friend request and he accepted it...along with a very cool note talking about our past glories. NOW we were a full band again (if only in the computer)

Will Forte every play again? Should Forte ever play again? The world only knows...but just to think that I woke up yesterday morning and was but a lonely bass player with memories of a rockin' day gone by...and now I have been reconnected with three guys who went through it all with me... amazing. Thank you Facebook... thank you Tim, Doug, and Ken... and thank you to all of the fans that prayed this would happen... our first song on the tour is dedicated to you.

BV

Internet Campus Baptisms

Greetings Faithful Readers....

Last night was GREAT on the Internet Campus! The Lidster family came to get baptized! They have been a part of the Internet Campus since we began 16 months ago...and were ready to take that next step of obedience. Pastor Arturo and I were honored to baptize such a wonderful family of 4! Congratulations Lidster family!!!

BV

This Weekend...

Don't forget...a new series begins this weekend!


Family Series Promo from Flamingo Road Church on Vimeo.

Does the narrator sound familiar? I love that little voice-over artist!

BV

A Public Prayer Request

Greetings Faithful Readers,

I come from a very small family. How small? Basically, all that is left is me, my brother, my mom, and my grandmother. I have a few uncles from my dad's side around, but we have lost touch over the years and I very rarely ever hear from them. I would say that the entire remaining Vasil family could fit comfortably in a hospital elevator.

Time has not been kind to my family. Many of them have lived self-destructive lives....ending way too quickly. I've done several funerals for my own family members and said goodbye to people I've loved long before I expected to. They made poor short-sighted choices that I wish I could go back in time and change or influence so that I could benefit from their wisdom today.

Then there are those in my family who have just battled illness. Which brings me to the reason for this post...my Grandmother seems to be dying. She is 80 years old and is currently battling dementia, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. I visited with her last week at her assisted living facility and it absolutely broke my heart. She isn't talking...barely eating...and battling near-pneumonia (on top of everything else).

Last week, I sat with her as we watched President Obama's inauguration. I held her hand and fed her some soup broth (or as much as she would tolerate). I'm not sure she even knew I was there. She hasn't recognized me for awhile now...but that is to be expected. She is under hospice care. The hospice nurse told my mom that there is a slight possibility for her to recover but to begin preparing things for her death.

I know God can do miracles. I know my Grandmother can recover. But something inside me knows what is about to happen. My small family is about to get smaller. My last living grandparent is about to go home. It might be 2 days, 2 weeks, or 2 months..but Grandma isn't going to beat these three huge illnesses. I would ask you to please pray for my little family. Pray for healing, wisdom, strength, and peace for all involved.

Sincerely...thank you for your prayers and support.
BV