Adding More Plates...

Hello and welcome to another edition of Keil's Comments.

I have been busy as of late, especially with my responsibilities at the Red Cross (hence the reason for the title of this blog post). I have been doing a lot of DAT response (Disaster Action Team) and making sure our vehicles are serviced and stuff. Now comes something that goes along with what I do for a living.

I went to the main Red Cross office in Oklahoma City this morning to talk with our Chief Communication Officer (basically the spokesperson for our organization) and expressing my desire to use my radio and blogging/podcasting expertise for the Red Cross.  As a result, she has named me the Volunteer Media Lead for our area which entails South Central and Southeast Oklahoma including Shawnee, Ada, Ardmore, McAlester, Duncan, Davis, Sulphur, etc.

I'll still work for KWSH and One Ten Broadcast Group, but I'll be sharing my talents to other stations and newspapers in our area.

That's about it for now. If you'll excuse me, I got to make sure the plates keep spinning...

Do You Understand What You're Reading? I Think So...

Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of Keil's Comments. Today's post comes out of an "eye-opener moment" for me so allow me to break the 4th Wall, if you will.

Sharon and I are doing a discipleship class at church called "Created for Connection", a marriage class taught by a great couple in our church Larry and Candace Roberts who put on a lot of marriage workshops and things for the church (plus Candace is a tremendous voice in our choir too).  Anyway, we missed the first week due to me being in Tulsa for Red Cross training and Sharon having meetings so we're catching up on reading so we can get back on track. 

I was telling Sharon last Friday as we were driving to OKC that I started to read the book and trying to get caught up.  She asked me if I learned anything from what I read. I couldn't say anything because I couldn't remember. I mean, I underlined (what I thought) were important statements in the book but when it came to the reading comprehension portion of the program, I had the "deer in the headlights" look.

Maybe my mother if she reads this can enlighten me...I don't remember if this occurred when I was in school or not but I felt like I failed, that I was doing good in getting in the material but when it came to putting the proverbial money where my mouth was, all you could hear was crickets chirping.

It's different when it comes to Scripture though...maybe because growing up in church hearing sermons and reading and hearing songs derived from the Bible you can kinda get what they're getting to -- and some of the songs I heard growing up if you hear them today you would think they were just dripping with cheese but to a kid or to someone who's new in the faith it's easy to understand.

In some ways, it reminds me of the story in Acts 8 about the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading a passage from Isaiah and one of the disciples Philip goes to talk to the guy. Philip asks the eunuch "Do you understand what you're reading?" (hence the title of this post) and the eunuch answers "I think so. How can I unless someone guides me?" (RJK paraphrase with a little help from the ESV but you get the idea)

Maybe that's what I need...for Sharon to guide me through the reading parts of the class so when it comes time to put the money where my mouth is, I would be ready.

This class will be going on on Wednesday nights at least through November. Hopefully by the end of the class I will have a better comprehension of how to connect with my wife.

That is it for now. May y'all have an awesome day and I will talk to you next time...

Managing Anxiety and other thoughts...

Hello everyone and welcome to Keil's Comments.  I have got a lot of stuff to cover so let's get after it, shall we?

Earlier this year I made a video about dealing with anxiety (which you can see above). How have I done in the months since?

Well...I have my days where it gets too much and frustration gets the best of me, especially when I am trying to talk to Sharon about some things -- I'm not saying that Sharon frustrates me, she doesn't. It's when I have a one track mind and the other tracks seem to pop up out of nowhere. I won't name off all the times anxiety and frustration reared its ugly head (some of it did occur while we were on vacation in Colorado) but I am still doing my best to keep it under control. It's just a matter of making sure I take my medication when I am supposed to. Do I? No. But the past week I have been doing good on that route.

I have been undergoing counseling lately for anxiety and other things...there is a wonderful Christian counseling office up the street from my house. I talk to a wonderful lady named Mina. I feel like that has helped as well. She is very understanding and when we talk the time goes by quickly.

Moving on to other topics...

I'm getting ready in a couple of weeks to start another season of high school football coverage. I'll be on the board for the Wewoka Tiger games again, but at least this year I will know what to expect during the games.  Hopefully this year *fingers crossed* Wewoka will at least sneak into the playoffs.

Speaking of football on another level...the news of Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck calling it a career just two weeks before the season starts caught everyone by surprise, including yours truly.  Like most of America, I thought that someone had hacked into Adam Schefter's Twitter feed Saturday night when that came out. But as more and more outlets confirmed the news, it became more clear that he was done playing in the NFL. Now, all the uber Fantasy Football geeks and some sports media idiots like one Douglas Gottlieb, couldn't wrap their head around the fact that someone could just walk away for the sake of their health. And who gives a rat's tail if it affects your fantasy football team this season...there are 31 other quarterbacks you could choose from not counting any backups that might get thrust into action.

That's about all I have for now.  Until next time...

Vacation Thoughts Part 3 (Finally)

Hello and welcome to the final part of my recap of our vacation to the Gunnison area.

It was fun to get to see all the scenery in the area...going through Lake City to go to Clear Creek Falls.

Then we got on the road home, stopping in Colorado Springs and visiting our good friends Kevin and Michelle Honeycutt, Mom's brother Tom and staying at a bed and breakfast in Fountain, CO.

Although we have been back for about 3 weeks now, I am so looking forward to going back there here in a couple of weeks as I go with a group of men from our church to the Ponderosa camp and build a deck for one of the cabins there.

Yes I will probably do a blog either during the trip or afterward. I am also planning to take video for our media ministry so once that is up and running, I will post the link.

That's about it for now.  Until next time...

Five Fold Thoughts...

Hello everyone! Time for another edition of Keil's Comments. I'll get back to wrapping up my Colorado Vacation Thoughts later but I wanted to relay thoughts on today's sermon at church and some prevailing thoughts that I have had over the years.

Today my pastor was preaching on Walking with my Gifts out of Ephesians 4:7-16. He touched on the common Five Fold Ministry (or 4 Fold since Pastor and teacher are synonymous but for this blog I'll revert to what I have been taught in all my years in church). Todd touched on the fact that you don't hear much about the apostle and prophet in today's church. This is where my questions take over.

I know in today's Church the term "apostle" is not as prevalent, but my question is if a "Church Planter" would be today's version of an apostle, obviously without going through the trials and persecution that the Apostles of the early Church did.

"Prophet" on the other hand...this is seemingly more prevalent in the Charismatic/Full Gospel/Pentecostal circles, but if a person calls themself a prophet or say that they move in a prophetic ministry, you would want to know their track record and see if they have said anything that had been fulfilled -- or as I heard somebody say one time if a person was "prophesying or prophe-lying".

The other three gifts of the ministry you have definitely heard of if you have been in church for any amount of time. The "evangelist" is probably the most spotlighted of them, especially when their main job description is "blow in, blow up and blow out" and if you may have seen a minute of TBN or any of the other Christian networks on cable or satellite. 

Anyway, I have enjoyed our year long series on going Deeper in our walk with the Lord and Deeper in studying the Bible.

As I mentioned, I will get back to my vacation recap in a few days...just in time to make more Colorado memories as I get ready to go to Ponderosa (Colorado's Falls Creek) in a few weeks.

That's all for now. Until next time...

Vacation Thoughts Part 2

 Hello and welcome back to Keil’s Comments. We made it back to Shawnee about 10p last night. Due to lack of internet connection, I am just now doing part 2.

As promised, I would give a recap of our side trip to Sharon’s home area (Vail/Edwards/Eagle, etc)

First we drove up to Independence Pass and as you can see below the pictures below, it was a little chilly!!!

Independence Pass tops out at 12,095 feet above sea level... and the views are breathtaking to say the least.

Then...we drove through Aspen (traffic was horrendous so we didn’t do any sightseeing or people watching there) and went on to Sharon’s home area.

We stopped and ate at a Mexican food place that has been in business for 30 years called Fiesta’s. It was great food and very reasonable.

Then Sharon showed me the church her dad pastored in when she was growing up. I already posted some pictures so I will spare the repeat posts.

After a few hours there and seeing other sights like the Interfaith Chapel in Vail where her dad also preached for a time, we spent the night in Leadville and ate dinner there at a place called High Mountain Pies! Sharon and I definitely recommend that place!!!

The next morning we headed back, stopping in St. Elmo and seeing that beautiful town and the chipmunks. And yes as I mentioned when I posted the pictures, the John Parr song was playing in my mental MP3 player.

So much to recap so I will have to do a Part 3 later. 

Until next time...

Vacation Thoughts Part 1

Hello and welcome to Keil’s Comments, coming to you on location from Gunnison, Colorado.

As I am writing this, I was not totally disconnected from home as I got to watch the first service from IBC...but I am looking forward to hearing my brother in law Joe preach this morning at his church here in Gunnison. The church has graciously let us stay at a house that they have for missionaries to stay in while they are visiting — which saves a lot on motels right there. And it’s conveniently behind the church so we don’t have to go too far!

Since Wednesday my Camera Roll has exploded with lots of pictures...some I have already posted on Facebook. And that’s before Sharon and I take our little side trip to her home area beginning tomorrow. To say that I have been impressed with what I have seen so far is a major league understatement. I am IN AWE with everything so far!!! The main statement that has been repeated this week has been this: How can you see all of the beauty of Colorado and not believe that there is a God?

My mom asked me if I had been bitten by the Colorado bug yet. Initially I said that I have felt a few nibbles. I have a feeling that before we leave to come back to Shawnee, I will have felt a full clampdown! Of course, I will be returning next month to go to Ponderosa camp with some guys from our church so there will definitely be some more bites there.

I will have more thoughts on Wednesday after our trip to Sharon’s home area. Once I get back home I will compile all the pictures I have taken (including some that I haven’t posted yet) into one big photo album.

That is all for now...