iman serna

where's iman?

..."LIFE" is happening right now...as we speak...see you guys soon!

Asian Super Hero

Vietnamese cook by day...crime fighter by night! (Lance Krall)

Mind Melt

A few of my thoughts in bullet points A.K.A. "what's ruminating in my noggin at the moment".

• I get really tired after our creative meetings.
• I get really, REALLY tired after 5hrs of creative meeting.
• My wife never cease to surprise me...she likes "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium".
• I love peanut butter and home made strawberry jelly on toast.
• After all these years...ice cold Ovaltine still ROCKS!
• My son is still brootiful even when he's teething and cranky.
• I think "naps" are steadily taking over "sleep's" coveted spot.
• My wife's brootiful.

These are just my personal thoughts people...care to share yours?

Defining Success

Tony Morgan over at TonyMorganLive.com posted a glimpse of their "Daily Check-In Meetings". He works for NewSpring Church as a pastor and their Chief Strategic Officer.

I've only started following his blog a few weeks back but I've been eating his posts up like hotcakes!

So many nuggets of knowledge, tips, practical applications, technical tidbits, and MORE!

2 things that I absolutely loved about this post. [1.] It showed daily communication within the team. Everyone gets informed of what everyone else is doing and, my most favorite point, everyone answering this question...[2.] "What's the ONE task that will make us successful if we get it completed?" Answering that question accomplishes a couple of things. It lets everyone know what you're trying to get done for that day AND gives that specific person a sense of accomplishment...a sense of VICTORY when they finish that task.

We all know that feeling when we get home after a long day at work. That feeling of "Where did the day go and what did I get done?" It's FRUSTRATING!

Knowing that if a specific, singular...ONE task was completed makes ME a success - makes ME happy.

Check it out:

What does "success" look like for you at work on a daily basis?

Proud Papa v.1.5

Troyer Update: What has a newly turned 8 month old boy been up to?

[**click on pics**]

Likes to try new things...well, we MAKE him try new things.
Very fashion forward (He also looks great as a bag accessory!)

Busy...Busy...Busy

ALSO...

...has gotten faster with his crawling.

...loves to play and laugh.

...pulls up and walks around while holding on to things.

...starting to climb on to and in to things.

...raspberries and zerberts anything he can get his little mouth on.

...can, on occasion, stand by himself and on his own for a brief moment.

...much, MUCH more verbal and has found out that he has multiple volumes.

...has said "dada" several times. Well, it's more like "dadadadadada" but I'm counting it as an official word!

...likes sticking his little pointy tongue out.

...has been eating peas, green beans, sweet potato and corn with his cereal.

...still loves his papa aka "dada" and...

...absolutely loves his mommy aka "mama"...

...i love them both...

Christ's Appendix

Romans 12:5
so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

1 Corinthians 12:12
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Do you consider yourself a "Christian", a "follower of Christ", a "believer"?

If so, then YOU are a part of the body of Christ...CONGRATULATIONS!

Are you a FUNCTIONING, CONTRIBUTING and EFFECTIVE part of Christ's body?

Or are you as "USEFUL" as an appendix or a tonsil?

Or are you a body part that is useful like an arm or a leg but refuses to function as such?

I sincerely hope you're not a body part that hurts other body parts.

These are questions I constantly ask myself as well!

     We are called to be ONE BODY and I for one am tired of hearing these disturbing statistics. "20% of the people in church do 80% of the work" - "20% of the people give 80% of the income". Are you OK with that? Are we ALL OK with that? I'm not just talking about the local church, I'm also talking about THE church as a whole.
     Christ is coming back to a "Bride", the "Church, the "Body" who is without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27). From my limited perspective we are EONS away from being that bride. We NEED everyone to join in and do their part! Are WE doing our best to fulfill the part that God has specifically given to us as the body of Christ?

     Start now, start somewhere, start somehow...volunteer at church, mow the neighbor's lawn, give time/money to some charity...do SOMETHING. I haven't figured it all out myself but what I do know is the more I do what I know the more I know what to do next.

I KNOW, I BELIEVE AND I HAVE FAITH THAT WE CAN ALL DO THIS TOGETHER!...ONE BODY...

Hard drives and Digicams

CALLING ALL TECH GEEKS!

2 things:

1. I'm currently in search of a reliable external hard drive (PC and Mac compatible?) that has 200-500gbs of memory or better. It also has to NOT break the bank. It's use is to mainly back up my photos/videos/music/etc.

2. My point and shoot digicam's about to bite the dust. So I'm looking at Canon SD850s for its replacement. Can you suggest one that's better and cheaper?

I know that a TON of you guys out there are tech savvy so help a brotha out.
Also, if you haven't identified yourself and you're a reader of this blog...please take time to do so now.
Let the commenting begin!

iPhone 3G

Behold, the iPhone 3G!

    Slimmer
    Faster
    More apps
    Etc...

For me, the best part of this whole deal is that you only pay $199 for an 8gb and $299 for a 16gb. Sorry, people who bought the 1st gen iPhone 8gb for $599...bwahaha...I mean...uh...yeah.

Worship Leader

I know that Los from Ragamuffinsoul.com posted a pretty sobering letter to himself ("Dear Worship Dude")as a worship leader. It's content is something that everyone who leads worship should read and seriously think about.

Here's a NOT so serious post about worship leaders. stuffchristianslike.com or SCL, as the cool kids call it nowadays, is a blog that I've been stalking for the past few months. It's meant to be funny but in all honesty...it kinda stings at times because of the ugly truths that mirror what we "christians" think, say or do.

Enjoy this entry about "the metrosexual worship leader".

#269. Understanding how metrosexual your worship leader is. (A handy guide)

There are really only two reasons I wanted to write this post:

1. The first post was just an appetizer.
I wrote about this subject a few months ago when 12 people were reading the site but I just barely touched on it. I didn't do it justice and people have reminded me that there is more to be said on this pivotal subject. So this is like the Timbaland Remix.

2. No one has quantified this phenomenon
There are some things in life that are concrete and true. For instance, it is a fact that "You're all I want for Christmas" by Mariah Carey and "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC are fantastic songs. No argument there. But when you tell someone about your church, there's not a standard system to describe the degree of metrosexuality your worship leader possesses. Wouldn't it be awesome to say, "You'll love my church and the music. Our worship leader scored a 78 on the SCL Metro Test."

Don't answer that last question. It was rhetorical. As a service to churches around the world, here is an easy rating system by which to analyze to what degree your worship leader is a metrosexual.

1. Has a faux hawk hair style = +1

2. Has more product in his hair than your wife = +1

3. Has Rob Bell, black rimmed glasses = +1

4. They are not prescription, but just for effect = +2

5. Attends the Catalyst Conference = +3

6. Performs at the Catalyst Conference = +10

7. Owns Puma, Vans or Diesel sneakers = +2 per each pair

8. Wears jeans on stage = +1

9. Wears designer jeans on stage = +2

10. Wears Wrangler or Rustler jeans on stage = -3

11. Has a goatee = +2

12. Wears one of those Castro revolution looking hats = +2

13. Drinks coffee on stage = +1

14. Drinks some kind of coffee you did not know existed = +2

15. Brings a French Press on stage and makes his own coffee during service = +5

16. Has a handlebar mustache = -3

17. Good at Frisbee but hates getting all "sweaty" = +1

18. Has a haircut that covers one of his eyes while singing = +1

19. Owns a white belt = +2

20. Owns suspenders = -3

21. Wears a scarf with a t-shirt = +1

22. Wears a winter knit hat even in the summer = +2

23. You think he covered a My Chemical Romance song last week = +3

24. Drives an Audi or VW, silver of course = +2

25. Uses the words, "postmodern, relevant" or "emergent" nonstop = +2

26. Cringes a little when people say the "H word." (Hymnal) = +3

27. Has ever said some form of the phrase, "That song is so 1990s" = +1

28. Owns a Grizzly Adams red and black flannel shirt = -2

29. Named his kid after a color or a number = +2

30. References Norwegian punk bands you've never heard of = +2

31. Wears a tie = -1

32. Wears a tie as a belt = +2

33. Looks as if he might exfoliate = +2

34. Has a man bag or European Carry All = +2

35. Brings said bag on stage with him = +2

36. Has a tattoo = +2

37. Has a visible tattoo = +4

38. Wife accompanies him on stage and plays tambourine = -4

39. Was formerly in a punk new wave band = +2

40. Knows the names of all the people on the scripted MTV show, "the Hills" = +3

41. Refuses to drink anything but Vitamin Water = +2

42. Your wife ever says, "he needs a barrette for his hair." = +2

43. Has a nickname with "the" in it, as in "the edge," = +2

44. Owns every Nooma video = +2

45. Has a soul patch = +3

46. Won't play barefoot on stage until he gets a pedicure = +2

47. Refers to California as "the left coast" = +2

48. Currently subscribes to Dwell or Details magazine = +2

49. Owns a pair of lady jeans = +2

50. Twitters you from his iPhone = +2

51. His toddler dresses cooler than you = +2

52. He wears graphic t-shirts over button down, long sleeve shirts = +2

53. Ever says "we got a hot mic here" = -4

54. Shops at the Gap = 0

55. Shops at Urban Outfitters = +2

I scored one of the worship leaders at North Point and he did pretty well. At some point I will do a lady version, but for right now, I feel like a 55 item list of analyzing worship leaders is enough to earn me a new batch of "you are weird" emails, and at the end of the day, that's all I can ask for.

What does your worship leader score?

Post-Rapture Services

I can't make this kinda stuff up! Go check out www.youvebeenleftbehind.com ...click on the image to view a bigger version...

"Rapture triggered email messaging service"

We have set up a system to send documents by the email, to the addresses you provide, 6 days after the "Rapture" of the Church. This occurs when 3 of our 5 team members scattered around the U.S fail to log in over a 3 day period. Another 3 days are given to fail safe any false triggering of the system.

Preposterous or Genius?