My wife Macy said she wanted to do Christmas lights this year.  So here is my Christmas Vacation moment…

The Real Christmas Vacation…

Here is where I finished up….

Well how did I do? Does your family do Christmas lights? Why or Why Not?? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below…

Repost: Everyone has a time in their life where they are thrown off guard.
Some dream about going to work with no pants. Others find out they are pregnant on a whim. Still, others are surprised with a secret birthday party. Mine was a little different. My big time to be thrown off guard was this past weekend.  I found out Saturday afternoon that I would be speaking to our church with about an hour an a half notice (no, that is not a picture of me). Our electrical systems were in “chill mode” from the Texas storm.

“Chad, Craig is going to call you in a minute to go over his notes with you.” Okay, sounds good.  So in the midst of scrambling to get a PA system working and get heat in our building, along with people asking me questions every five minutes, I printed out our sermon notes.  Then, I looked in more detail at our notes for the weekend and prepared to speak to a room of people that came to hear Craig.

Here’s what you should know about LifeChurch.tv and a culture of trust
LifeChurch.tv has 13 campuses around the United States and believers that meet around the world daily at Church Online. The messages are satellite broadcast each worship experience. What you should know is that there is a high amount of trust in the organization, a very high amount. Campus staff is given sermon notes each weekend and is ready to speak at the drop of the hat. Staff is entrusted, then in turn that staff trusts individuals and volunteers. LifeChurch.tv is not about a screen or a show, it’s about empowering individuals to use their gifts and passions to share the message of Christ with the world. It’s normal people being used by God to do something far from normal.

“Hey Chad, it’s Craig. You ready?”
“I’m ready.”
“Ok, I’m going to walk you through my notes and sort of show you what I was thinking and what the highlights are.”
Craig then walked through his message with me, prayed for me and told me I would do great.

Here’s what you should know about Craig Groeschel
He cares and is a real person. He has made the tough choice that every leader has to make: to spend more time with less people. This has allowed LifeChurch.tv to be a global church leader and actually impact a lot more people.  You may not see Craig all the time in person, chat with him on a regular basis or be best friends.  Know that Craig knows his gifts and has entrusted a number of highly capable leaders to carry out the work of the church on a daily basis. He doesn’t allow critics to get in the way of what he believes is a global movement of God.   This movement simply wants to reach as many people around the world as possible. Focus. Sacrifice. Integrity. What you see is what you get with Craig.

So I delivered a message on the most jacked up marriage in the Bible, revealing the faults and imperfections of every man and women today(including my own), and pointing towards the One who loves us despite all those faults. It was less than fantastic and at some point I wasn’t sure what page I was on in the notes…ha! But… it went fine. Nonetheless, I went home to prepare more in case I had to speak again in the morning. Our staff continued to work hard through the night to prepare for the next day. They love Jesus and the church.

Here’s what you should know about most pastoral staff
We are real people. We have real lives, real problems and real fears. We are mostly like you, just have some title that was given to us, along with some trust from God and other people. The Fort Worth staff pulled together extension cords and volunteers, put family plans on hold, bought heaters, generators and made things work. We received help from around twenty different LifeChurch.tv support team members from around the country via email and phone.

Craig via text afterwards: “How’d it go?”
Me: “Well, I’m not sure how good it was, but we had to add rows and 3 people gave their life to Christ. It went well.”
Craig: “Awesome! Proud of you!”

Here’s what you should know about how important volunteers are at a church
You are always needed and always appreciated. You make the wheels turn and are no less valuable than the person on the stage or anyone else. When the heat was out in our building, it got really cold! Still, we watched people swaddling babies in blankets, giving up their coats to little kids. We watched people snuggling up close to stay warm. We heard hundreds of people singing loud with an acoustic worship set, jumping around to stay warm. We saw dozens of people pitching in to greet, help and serve others. It was quite a sight! I don’t think I heard one person complain the whole weekend.  Volunteers, you are the heart of every church!

Here’s what you should know about the Bible
God’s Word is not about the person who shares it, contrary to what you might think. It’s more about the person who is revealed in it, namely the God of the universe and the revealing of Jesus. It points to Christ. It points you to find out who who truly are in Him.  It is alive, you should check it out for yourself and see if you don’t grow as a result. Starts reading the Psalms or Proverbs, then read through the gospels.

Here’s what you should know about TheWayItCouldBe
TheWayItCouldBe is an effort to encourage cultural change through personal and spiritual transformation. What does cultural change look like? I believe it is about people changing, collective groups of people changing, but only when we ourselves are transformed. It happens when we take responsibility to grow and allow ourselves to be personally transformed.  Neighborhoods start to look different. The atmosphere in schools change and become filled with hope and respect.  Communities come together to help people.  The marketplace is changed and becomes a place of healing and joy.  How does this happen? People decide to be in the world but not just like it.  We decide not to conform to be like everyone else.  We realize we are individuals.  We allow God to change us.  We allow him to use us.  We allow Him to live and breathe through us.  Our families and close friends see that we are different, that we care about them.

Thanks for stopping by today! Love to hear your feedback, observations or thoughts on changing culture, the church or anything else!

You may also enjoy reading: 25 Ways to Become a Christian Atheist, When Church and Culture Collide, Meet My New Family, and Don’t Be a Sellout to Culture, Be a Culture Shaper!

This post was one of my first blog post ever: Somewhere amidst the travel, madness, football and food, consider taking a moment this holiday to ask yourself the following three questions:

1. What am I most thankful for over the last year? Make a list of what you are most thankful for in life over the last year.  When I was a kid, my mom used to make me do this when I got in trouble.  I didn’t like it much!  As I grown older, I’ve found it to be a great way to gain perspective!  This list could be physical things (financial resources, health….) or it could be things you’ve learned or ways you’ve grown over the last year (I’ve grown in wisdom in the following area….or I’ve found joy in life or faith).  You may have experienced hardship over the last year.  If so, write down the experience and how you may be able to be thankful.  Have you grown in some way as a result of this experience?

2. What has been given to me that I can give to someone else? Could it be true that you’ve been given to so that you could then give to others?  Take the list above, and make a short list of what you think you can give others.  This may be physical things (ex. I’ve been given this, so I will give these resources)….or it may be who you are to a friend or neighbor (I can give encouragement, love, direction or leadership to others).  Look at some of the above things that have been given to you(your first list), and then see what you might be able to give to others(your second list)!

3. To whom can I give? Make a third list of people in your life to whom you might be able to give.  It could be a family member, friend, neighbor or co-worker.  What will you do in the next week to help these people (encourage a family member, help a friend, give something way to a stranger)?  Next to five people, write something specific you can give to them over the next week or month.   When can you give this to them?

1. What have you been given?  2. What will you give?  3. To whom will you give? Now when?  These are great questions to ask this holiday season on your own, with family or friends!  Imagine what could life look like if we acted on these things…  What do you or your family do at Thanksgiving to reflect on life?  Please share in the comments below…

New to TheWayItCouldBe.com? This is a site promoting cultural impact through personal and spiritual transformation. Post topics include creativity, family, faith, culture, social media and leadership. Feel free to browse around by category. If you dig the site, you can subscribe for free email updates by simply entering your email address in the sidebar out to the right.

I’ve been married eight years to a beautiful and consistently amazing woman. She is part mom, part wife, part decorator, part skin care rep, part boot camp instructor/entrepreneur- all woman!

Guys, there are some things you may never understand about women.  Just accept it.  Of all the things I’ll never understand, here are a few things I have picked up about women.  If you are new to the game, this may save you years or bewilderment and confusion.  Just trust me…and add to the list below!

Pillows have multiplying powers. One day you walk in and there are 3, the next day 5, then a week later 8.  There is no metaphysical explanation.  No biological explanation. I just those pillows have multiplying powers.

Pillows are not for sitting on. Don’t even try to sit on them. Think of it as having five baked cakes on the couch (the couch is a soft display case).  You can’t eat them though.  Just look and move them.

Towels aren’t necessarily for drying your hands. They are like the pillows- for the eyes, not the hands.  Here’s how you tell the difference between the good towels and the bad towels: The good towels usually have stitching or some kind of a design on them.  If you are at someone’s house and you see these, they are a man trap.  Just don’t use them.  Find the soft ones or wipe your hands on your jeans!

“I don’t care” isn’t the truth. She does care, she just wants you to man up and decide for her.  This actually means, “I don’t have a preference, but I really do care in general.”

“I’m fine” can sometimes mean, “ask six more times and on the six time I’ll tell you.”

“I’m fine” can sometimes mean, “I’m fine.” I’m not sure how to explain the difference.

The dishwasher is not for storing clean dishes. If you see clean dishes, this means put them in the cabinets.  The dishwasher is not an equivalent to the cabinets, even though there are nice shelves and things for storing inside of it, much like the cabinets.

When you don’t like a new color, don’t worry it will probably be painted again next month. It’s like when you mow the lawn too short; don’t worry too much about it.  Next week, you won’t even remember.

Ivory, off-white and cream are not the same color. Just say, “Which one do you like?” when asked.

DIY doesn’t always stand for Do It Yourself. It sometimes means, “Do it with you,” as in she wants you to participate in the project.

She doesn’t want you to solve her problems. You may already know this one, but she really just wants you to listen.

Ok guys, my brain is starting to hurt.  Your turn.  What are some others mysteries you’ve unlocked?Ladies, what are we missing and on which of the above points to we need clarification? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Who…wants…a…free…Starbucks…drink? Hit me up with a comment below and either share this on Twitter and/or Facebook (RT) or cut and paste this:

Free Drink Friday! Go here for a free drink: http://bit.ly/FreeDrink via @chadmissildine

I’ll select one random a winner for Free Drink Friday and send out a $5 gift card to either Starbucks or Sonic, whichever you prefer. That’s it!

We’d love to hear your favorite drink.   If you don’t dig Starbucks, your other choice is Sonic.  What’s your favorite Starbucks drink? Mine is a chai latte.  What’s your favorite Sonic drink? Cherry lime slush for me, since Robert E. Lee High School in East Texas baby.   Wanna share the love?  Share this post…

I’ll pick a random winner and post the the name here tomorrow! Congrats to Michael Perkins!  Michael, DM me your address and I’ll send you your Starbucks gift card!

Ok, ready, set: Free Drink Friday! Comment below and don’t forget to share the post…

New to TheWayItCouldBe.com? This is a site promoting cultural impact through personal and spiritual transformation. Post topics include creativity, family, faith, culture, social media and leadership. Feel free to browse around by category. If you dig the site, you can subscribe for free email updates by simply entering your email address in the sidebar out to the right.

All around us worlds colliding.
Love once gloriously wonderful torn
apart. Generations suffering.
Hearts breaking. Children numb. Waiting 20 years to cry.
Husbands are settling. Wives are talking.
Darkness. Infidelity.
Christian marriages are hardly different than the masses.
Hope is lost.

Not in my house. Not on my watch. I’m Fighting. Fighting for you. I’m not
settling. We’re not settling. Not us.

Perfection I don’t know. Only forgiveness, both forgiving and being
forgiven. Persevering I do know. Healing I know as well.

I have to fight. I have to set boundaries. I have to be honest even
when it hurts. I will, even when it hurts me.

I have to cherish, to remember, to honor and to lead. I will not be
passive, ignorant or arrogant. I will not overspend, overwork or
overindulge.

I will be here. I will be here for you. I will be here for them. I
will be here for Him. I will be here so the world can have hope. The
way it could be is….different. And real.

I’m Fighting. You?

New to TheWayItCouldBe.com? This is a site promoting cultural impact through personal and spiritual transformation. Post topics include creativity, family, faith, culture, social media and leadership. Feel free to browse around by category. If you dig the site, you can subscribe for free email updates by simply entering your email address in the sidebar out to the right.

Most celebrities have a Twitter account for staying in touch with fans, being relevant, etc. Other celebs are on Twitter because Twitter is mainstream!

Most celebs are on Twitter, but Tiger, his pace of life, and his recent dramatic life events have likely kept him off the map (Here are 29 Signs You Are Having a Love Affair With Twitter).

Until today. Welcome to Twitter Tiger!

Ok TheWayItCouldBe.com readers… Is Tiger asking for it?  Do you still hold a grudge or have you forgiven him? Do you think he will win the world back?   How is he doing recently with the way he is managing his career?  Is it even our business at all? Let the comments roll below!

New to TheWayItCouldBe.com? This is a site promoting cultural impact through personal and spiritual transformation. Post topics include creativity, family, faith, culture, social media and leadership. Feel free to browse around by category. If you dig the site, you can subscribe for free email updates by simply entering your email address in the sidebar out to the right.

Pro golfers make the TINY adjustments to their swing and their game can be changed FOREVER. Nascar teams make one SMALL tweak to their cars and have HUGE returns.  Moms make ONE adjustment in their parenting and have BIG results with the kids!  Leadership is the same: small investments make for BIG payoff.

Leadership isn’t rocket science and it’s complex all at the same time. Many leaders are overwhelmed with responsibility and don’t know where to start in their quest to grow. It’s often the SMALLEST adjustments in your routine that can have the BIGGEST impact. Here are 10 Questions That Will Impact Your Leadership. Start with one a week for 10 weeks and you will be one your way to SERIOUS growth and impact!

What if… you didn’t worry for one day about pleasing everyone?
What if… you replaced criticism with positive feedback for those you lead?
What if… you used half the words and thought twice as long about what you wanted to say?
What if… you said “no” to the things that didn’t fit within your gifts?
What if… you gave trust to someone that deserves trust and learned to delegate well?
What if… you made one decision today you’ve been putting off for weeks?
What if… you spent the first hour of each day on the most important issue or task?
What if… you read one book in the next two months and put one idea in to practice each week?
What if… you focused more on the “person” of those you lead than their tasks?
What if…your current influence wasn’t a coincidence but one designed to help change the lives of those all around you?

What if…?  What are other questions we can ask ourselves as leaders or influencers?  What would happen if we made small changes consistently over time? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below…

New to TheWayItCouldBe.com? This is a site promoting cultural impact through personal and spiritual transformation. Post topics include creativity, family, faith, culture, social media and leadership. Feel free to browse around by category. If you dig the site, you can subscribe for free email updates by simply entering your email address in the sidebar out to the right.

Check out the new centerpiece at the Missildine house…

Comments?

New to TheWayItCouldBe.com? This is a site promoting cultural impact through personal and spiritual transformation. Post topics include creativity, family, faith, culture, social media and leadership. Feel free to browse around by category. If you dig the site, you can subscribe for free email updates by simply entering your email address in the sidebar out to the right.

I saw this on the highway in Fort Worth, Texas, my hometown. Wow. Only. In. Texas.

Comments? What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever seen on the road? Love to hear in the comments below!