Not That Rob Thomas

Over on the Igniter Media blog, I talked about how we just sold WorshipHouse Media… It’s such a crazy thing that I’m still processing. 

In our companies history, this is more than a new chapter… it’s a new act!  Pray for us and read my thoughts below.

Saying Goodbye to WorshipHouse Media: Blogpost on Igniter Media

I will be leaving Friday for my first trip to Africa.  I am going with a small group from my church (Watermark Community Church)… 10 of us in all.  We are doing several things while there, but mainly partnering with ALARM Ministries.  We will be leading a 3 day seminar on conflict, leadership, and reconciliation.  I will do some teaching, worship leading, and mainly connecting with lots of new people. 

I will also be shooting some video for Igniter Media.  I am taking our Canon 7D with lots of trimmings.  I haven’t shot a ton with the camera, but I look forward to it.

Here are my anxieties:

• The long plane rides
  I get a bit restless and don’t sleep well on planes.
• My teaching time
  I like speaking, but it doesn’t always come easy.
• Shooting video
  I have lots of equipment, most of which I have little experience using.  I’m the only one from Igniter going, so it might get tiring doing this solo (though Rob B. said he would be willing to assist me!) 
• Certain physical issues
  Without going into details, I have certain ‘ailments’ that I’m nervous will ‘flare’.
• The absence from my family
  My wife is wearing a ‘boot’ for a badly sprained ankle.  She’s about to handle our 3 kids for 8 days by herself. 

Here are my hopes:

• I would gain a perspective shift
  I really desire to love others as Christ does.  Matthew 25:34-40 shows what it means to love like this.  To love the ‘least of these’.  My life is too much about me and it’s toxic.
• I would attain new and powerful friendships
  I really hope to connect to some amazing people in Uganda. I’m excited about interacting with kids, the ALARM team and staff, Living Water International, and more.  I also look forward to connecting to our Watermark team going over there.
• I would understand the needs in Africa more clearly
  I want to know what the true needs are, not the Americanized version of what we ‘think’ are the needs.
• I want to come back with great footage.
  I really hope to capture some great footage.  At Igniter, we want to bring awareness, but also move people to love more like Christ. My hope is that I come back with material that will provoke.

I leave this Friday.  My hope and prayer and that I soak in what God wants to teach me and that I would love like He does.

• My favorite person to follow on Twitter is Tim Siedell or @badbanana. I don’t know him but he’s so funny in a dry way. Here’s one of his latest tweets: That hulu announcer sounds way too smug for someone introducing an episode of Cougar Town.
• Can somebody please tell me how to remove myself from iTune’s Ping? I started disliking it 2 minutes into trying it.
• Another tweet from @badbanana: Zsa Zsa Gabor’s husband wants to plastinate her body. I better look that word up to see if my vomiting was warranted.
• I’ve seen a lot of exercise equipment infomercials, but Shake Weight goes too far. 
• I’m in Franklin, TN today with Jeff Parker.  Every time I come here, I forget why I live in the Dallas area.
• I’m very excited about the new Igniter Media website we are rolling out soon.  We’re shooting a promo video for it on Monday.
• If you are a soccer coach, have you ever secretly hoped that a game or practiced would get rained out?  I haven’t, just wondering if you have.