Gilbert Thurston

Random Thoughts About Life, Ministry and Whatever Else Happens to be on my Mind

Random Thoughts I’m Having Today

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This is a “Whatever Wednesday” so I thought I’d just get some random thoughts out that are rattling through my mind….

  • Had a good time away Monday and Tuesday with some other pastors dreaming about what a collaborative church plant might look like.
  • My role is to do some demographics research.  This is actually something I really enjoy doing so it should be quite easy.
  • We went on Monday night and played Laser Tag together.  It was a ton of fun but we were all drenched with sweat by the time we were done 4 games.
  • It was only afterward that we noticed the sign, “No Running”.
  • See just goes to show you even pastors need grace in following the rules.  :)
  • I was the high scorer of the night!!!
  • See just goes to show you even pastors battle with pride.
  • On a more serious note I was thankful for hour long conversations that I had with both George Spangler and Steve Dunn.
  • Both listened well and then helped to advise and counsel.  Thanks guys!!!
  • Tonight I’m meeting with a great friend, Doug Coldsmith, who is visiting from out of town…can’t wait!
  • Last night I had a meeting about a potential new meeting location for ECTV.  Please be praying that all goes well.
  • Tonight is the start of another season of American Idol.  Can’t wait to see the chemistry between the new judges.  I think it will go well.
  • I’m really frustrated with the Orioles right now.  After the excitement of making the play-offs 2 years ago it seems like they are losing steam.  PLEASE sign someone already!
  • Lisa has been sick for over a week now…she finally went back to work yesterday but she’s still hacking pretty good.
  • To help her rest well (not hear my snoring) and for me to not catch it (hazardous to my job), I’ve been sleeping on the sofa for the past week…My back hurts.
  • We had 2 different cold weather issues effect our water system at the house.
  • Anyone know a good plumber?
  • I’ve enjoyed getting back to blogging…if you have ideas or questions you’d like me to address, please let me know.  Again the days are by categories.  Ministry Monday’s (anything related to ECTV or churches in general).  Topical Tuesday’s (my comments on things in the news)
    Whatever Wednesday (self-explanatory)
    Theological Thursday’s (answering your theological questions…which by the way has been the most popular days so far)
    Funny Friday’s (stuff that makes me laugh)
  • Again would really appreciate you letting me know what topics, questions, thoughts you might have so the blog is truly something we enjoy together.

Random Thoughts

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Been awhile since I a random thoughts post.  Here we go…

  • Excited about the 60+ resumes that have come in to take over for me at United.
  • Couple of potentially good candidates in that stack.  Pray for the search team to find the right person.
  • Balancing my full-time responsibilities I still have at CFCOG along with starting a new church is interesting.
  • I have a follow-up meeting this Friday with a man that owns one of the buildings we’re looking at.   Please pray about that.
  • We have two really good but vastly different options when it comes to where we’re going to meet.
  • Speaking of buildings, if you know anyone who’s looking to buy a house, steer them our way.  Here’s the listing for our house.
  • Excited about the new series we’re starting this weekend called, Littlefaither:  The Worry Wart Series.
  • Don’t forget we ARE NOT changing our clocks this weekend until after the Sunday morning Experiences.
  • Love that we do this…why lose an hour’s sleep when you don’t have to!
  • It’s amazing the speed I can rip through a whole box of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies.
  • What’s even more amazing is how quickly I can go through two boxes!  :)
  • Really enjoying the warmer weather!
  • I know NASCAR said they we’re going to let the boys be boys this year but the whole Carl Edwards thing was a bit ridiculous.
  • When someone dies in the future they are going to have a lawsuit on their hands for being accomplices in a homicide.
  • The lawyer will argue that because they didn’t do anything about it now, others felt it was ok and the result was death.
  • Speaking of sports, my Caps are kicking some serious butt.  Hope they don’t use up all there good game play in the regular season then falter in the play-offs.
  • Ok, one last sports thing…sorry ladies once my mind goes there it’s hard to stop…This week and the next two are arguably the best all year round.  Can’t wait for March Madness to start…especially since my Terps are playing so well!
  • Now back to our regularly scheduled blog, already in progress…
  • The Toyota with the stuck gas pedal thing had to have been quite frightening…did you see the guys face after he got out and was being interviewed.
  • I think he was in a need of a change of underwear!
  • Can’t believe there are only 9 more episodes of LOST.
  • Please writers don’t let us down…we’ve stuck with you this long…give us a good conclusion or I’ll send the smoke monster to your house.
  • Glad Idol isn’t 5 hours a week anymore.  Even with the ability to speed things up on the DVR, that is still crazy.
  • I really liked Andrew, but he’s been a disappointment recently.  Now I’m thinking a girl might win it…Crystal?
  • Guess that’s enough for now…have a great day!

Random Thoughts on a Thursday

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  • Not the first time I’ve said this…but I’m an idiot.
  • Was ready to post to the blog and hit the refresh button on the page for some unknown reason, thus causing me to lose everything.
  • So here we go again…3/26/09 blog post version 2.0 this time less sucky.
  • Been a pretty good week!
  • Really excited about Easter coming up.
  • I’m done the message and I’m believing God for 50+ first time professions of faith!
  • Another prayer that I pray on occasion is for God to show favor to Lisa and I in unexpected ways.
  • On Monday we got a check in the mail as a part of settlement for a class action lawsuit.
  • I vaguely remember getting info about this a few years back, filled out my paperwork and then forgot about it.
  • Now I’ve got a check to cash!
  • Funniest thing of the week so far was on Tuesday when Aaron went to clean off the whiteboard in my office with the special fluid.
  • It’s in a spray bottle and when he hit the button he didn’t realize he was holding it backwards and it sprayed him in the eye.
  • Now your saying…”Gilbert I thought you said this was the funniest thing?  Spraying harsh chemicals in your eyes is dangerous”.
  • Mmmmm….you’re right.  (Insert fake sympathy bullet point here)
  • Seriously after taking about .5 seconds to make sure he was ok…he was crying like a little girl…I laughed my head off!
  • The bottle said if sprayed into eyes to flush with water for 15 minutes…uhh yeah right…a good minute later we were back to work…albeit he was still whining.
  • I’m working on some other stuff right now for the church that has the potential to be huge…very excited about it.
  • What I’m not excited about is that the NHL regular season is dragging on and on…come on already…let’s get the playoffs started.
  • Speaking of my sports teams…Gilbert Arenas is planning on coming back for the last 9 games for the Wizards.
  • WHHHHHYYYYYY??????  At this point the best thing that could happen is to lose the rest of the games and get the #1 draft pick.  Why risk that and your health at the same time?
  • Ok realize that was a few sports references back-to-back.  For you ladies who don’t like sports or for any weird guys (you know who you are) that don’t like sports….
  • …who do you like on American Idol?
  • Personally I like Danny and Adam.
  • BTW…Danny and Michael are worship leaders in their churches, while Chris and Lil participate on the worship teams at their churches.
  • For those of you who don’t like sports or American Idol, I’ve got 4 letters for you…
  • LOST
  • Love that show!
  • Alright…gotta get back to work…see you Sunday…let’s pack the place out…I’m talking about temptation…should be powerful!

    • Random Saturday Thoughts

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  • Let me start by reminding you…DO NOT SET YOUR CLOCKS FORWARD!
  • We will all do this together after church on Sunday morning.
  • Enjoy the extra hour of sleep that you would have lost otherwise.
  • It was an interesting week…lots going on.
  • Thursday we had CPR training as a staff as well as learning how to use the AED device to shock people’s hearts back into rhythm.
  • Man…hope I never have to do either of those things.
  • Great to have the team from Haiti back home…sounds like they had a great time and got much accomplished.
  • RIP…Circuit City.
  • I can’t wait for the “You Asked For It” series to start on the 15th.
  • We’ve got some surprises in store for you that should be a lot of fun!
  • I’m so glad that the judges did not bring back Tatiana on American Idol…that girl was big time annoying.
  • I’m loving my new phone…it’s helping me to be more productive with time since I can check e-mails and stuff basically anywhere.
  • Mmm…also means my workaholic, Type A personality can work even more hours…maybe this isn’t such a good thing.
  • I’ll finish reading “A Whack on the Side of the Head” today…loved it!
  • Enjoy your nice spring like day…see you tomorrow…again at normal time.

    • Other Weekend Thoughts

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    With Taylor snowtubing

  • Friday didn’t turn out to be much of a day off, but I did get to spend Friday evening with my niece Taylor (pictured with me above) snowtubing at Whitetail.
  • This was the second weekend in a row I had done this and it was amazing the difference.
  • The week before it had been really cold and icy…this past Friday it was warm, rainy and the course was slushy.
  • Made for slower runs but we had a good time none the less.
  • They were having a problem with the conveyor belt that transports you to the top of the mountain…it kept stopping all of the sudden which means people go flying.
  • At one point a little kid maybe about 6 years old was in front of me riding up the mountian when it stopped and he went flying off onto the stationary ramp beside the belt.
  • The problem was the belt started again but he still had his arm attached to his tube which was riding up the belt.
  • So as I go riding by either I have to jump his tire or do something else…I did something else.
  • I reached down and with one hand picked him up by the back of his jacket and plopped him back down on the belt…I felt like Superman.
  • Then while still riding…I undid his arm from the tube and picked it up so he wasn’t tangled in it anymore.
  • Poor kid was so tramautized by the whole thing that he leaned forward and threw up all over the belt.
  • As we get to the top of the mountain I’m trying to warn the operator to avoid the puke but he for some reason didn’t see it until the last minute and jumped out of the way just in the nick of time.
  • Other than that…a pretty fun night hanging out with Taylor…and of course what night would be complete without stopping for ice cream on the way home!
  • Saturday involved a lot more work and then heading up to the church for our first ever Connection Event.
  • It went great…lots of newer people to the church got to mingle and get to know one another and by the time this weekend was complete, 3 new small groups had been formed out of the evenings festivities.
  • A great big thank you for a job well done to Dan and Jan Krull and Josh Schlotterbeck for getting everything coordinated and planned.
  • Next time we have one of these I’d strongly recommend attending…it was a lot of fun.
  • Yesterday after church Lisa and I made a commitment to do nothing at all…but yet do it together.  Very relaxing!!!
  • Got caught up on shows like American Idol…too bad Nick/Normal Gentle went home…he was hilarious.  Love Ryan’s line…”I think that’s the first time anyone got to 2nd base with our logo.”
  • Today is sermon prep day…working on messages for the You Asked For It series.
  • The votes are in and you have decided that I should preach on…..
  • Come on did you really think it would be that easy…stay tuned for details in the days and weeks ahead.