Making Dreams Come True
Go Bears!
As you read this I will be in our truck driving my son up to his first year of college and college football. It is has been an interesting week for both Michelle and I as we send number two off to school. But I have to be honest I am so proud of Tyler and his dedication and drive. As he seeks to make his dreams come true to play college and then eventually professional football.
Ever since the days of Pop Warner Football in AZ, then high school football that got him going in Benicia, CA, to the great team and coaching staff at Rangeview in Aurora. They all prepared him for this day. As he has dreamt of playing football.
Here are some things that I want to encourage other younger dads to think about when it comes to encouraging your kids to dream.
- Encourage them to hear from God about their dreams and goals.
- Let them dream while they are young. (Don’t beat big dreams out of them because you didn’t get your chance.)
- When it comes time encourage them to evaluate dreams and goals. (5’2″ and wants to be the outside hitter for volleyball in the Olympics, for my daughter Dani.)
- Enable them to see the dreams and possibilities else where if things change.
- Be their biggest Fan but don’t be the obnoxious parent thinking of a signing bonus. (I coach high school football and there are those parents.)
- Help them to be disciplined if they want to dream big. (Going to bed on time, doing homework, and actually working out not walking around talking in the gym.)
- Turn them loose.
By the way UNC starts this years season playing against Utah on ESPN. I dream that Tyler will be on that field at some point and time in the game. Tyler I am proud of you and I know that you are going to rock the house!
What are some things that I missed and that you would add to the list? Make a comment below.
Signing Day with my Son
It has been a a very intense couple of weeks while my son Tyler walked through deciding which college that he wanted to attend. We made a trip to Adams State College in Alamosa, CO and met some amazing coaches. It was a great weekend with my son and one of the other players from Rangeview as they walked through the campus. It was fun to see the different perspectives they each had about the school and being a future student there.
Then the next week we spent a day at the University of Colorado in Greeley. It was a first class day with a first class program. The head coach at the school is an amazing man and I believe a coach that is getting ready to make a difference in this schools football program. Along with the other coaches that are there I think this program is heading in an amzsing direction. But it was not up to me. It was a decision that Tyler had to make on his own. So we left Greeley came home and began the process of preparing for signing day.
On Sunday afternoon I thought that Tyler had fallen asleep so I opened his door to walk in and turn off his radio. But to my surprise he was sitting at his desk with the two hats of the two schools that he had visited with the pens across the bills. There in front of the two hats was his bible opened up to Psalms and Tyler was praying over the two hats. He was really seeking what God wanted in this decision. So I slowly shut the door and returned to the living room to share with Michelle what I had just seen. It was a moment that I will keep in my heart as a dad. In fact to me that was even better then the moment that I watched him sign his letter of intent. Signing day with my son was a day that I saw a young man take to heart the direction that God had laid on his heart and he took an amazing step of faith. I am so proud of the man that my son is and I can’t wait to see what happens in the coming years while he is playing football and attending the University of Colorado.
This is what I found on my son's desk.
Movie Monday
Now I just love to share with you all some of the things that my kids do and here is another installment in the Ninja Police Movie work. That is the name of the movies that Tyler has been doing for awhile and I have to say and I am not partial or anything but they are pretty good. Check it out.
I hope you had an awesome Easter, praise God that we have a savior that gave His life for us.
Special St. Pat’s Day Video
Since many of you shared how much you enjoyed the first video that Tyler made. He has chosen to bring you some more for St. Pat’s Day. I hope that you enjoy his video as much he enjoyed making it for you. This is another creative opportunity for me to really be proud of my kids and the way that they use their abilities. This one is really fun! Enjoy.
Being a Hero for REAL
So I am sitting in a friends house in Jefferson City, MO with my wife when I receive an email from my 16 year old son asking me to read a book report he is about to turn in at school. As I sat there and read the book report I was more and more amazed at what an awesome man he has become and how proud I am to be his dad. It brought me to tears. His mom then came in the room and I said you have got to read this. In a moment Michelle was reading away at the same report. Her face was all a glow as she just sat there and said, “WOW!” I am not going to just sit here and tell you about it I want to give you the chance to read what he wrote, so here is Tyler Bloyer’s report.
The world that we live in is constantly pressuring us to conform to its ways. The book that I read, Hero: Becoming the Man She Desires written by Fred Stoeker and co-author is Jasen Stoeker, is trying help the men of God fight the fight and staying strong to the commitment we made with our bodies. It is taking on the myths of this world head on and firing back using what the Creator says. It is a book for the defense of those who want to keep sex between their future wives and them, and no one else.
The author is just trying to tell me that, just because I am a follower of Christ, it does not mean that I cannot have the same romance and intimacy that my peers have through premarital sex. Stoeker is helping me by suggesting to me what it takes to be a man of God through my actions with the women around me, and with my future relationships. He writes to me that a man of God does not look at women in a degrading and disrespectful way, and that God created them special and of course different than us men. And these differences are not just physical, but also mentally. The way that women view relationships is very different than the way a man perceives them to be. Women are more likely to be dedicated to a relationship, than a man would be. Also, he lays out all the expectations that God has for his men about sex and abstinence (Oh no I said abstinence!), and how important it is for them to protect their hearts from the temptations of our sex driven culture. God created sex, so why would he think it’s horrible and bad? He doesn’t, God created sex for a reason. It is the bonding of one man to one woman. He made it be awesome and pleasurable. What he doesn’t like is when people abuse this wonderful gift, and use it for our own ignorant pleasures with whomever we feel like it. He created it for a man and a wife to have together, when they had made that commitment to each other and God. AKA when they say I do. But our culture tries so hard to make men like me, fall to its low standards of integrity. Men are constantly under attack through the movies and TV we watch, through the music we listen to, and the websites we view. Satan has used many things to break followers of Christ down. He uses porn, masturbation, and other things like premarital sex. And sure man, we are not perfect people AT ALL, and if anyone says they are, they’re liars. We make mistakes just like everyone else. The only perfect person ever on this planet was Jesus. He never sinned. But yet, he came here on this jacked up world, and he died in place for all the crappy things I’ve said or done. And for this, I know that even though I live in a world of constant temptations and pressures, I know that because I believe that God came here for me and died for my mistakes, that I don’t have to worry about where I’m going after I die. It’s a sure fact.
This book is a tool that God has placed in my life, and I now know what I have to do to be the man that He wants me to be, and the man that future bride deserves.
I continue to pray for the young lady that will some day be my sons wife. I pray that she truly sees what being a Hero for Real looks like.
Creative Video Fun!
So this last week my son and daughter decided to make a funny video. I love being a dad and seeing my kids do some fun and creative things. You would have never thought that with a camera, a teddy bear, and two kids that you would get something like this. Check out the “Valentines Day Horror” starring Tyler and Morgan Bloyer.
Special Video for our friends in Benicia
This is just one way that we would like to share our thanks and special memories with our friends and family in Benicia. You all will have a special place in our hearts and in our family. Thank you so much. This video was created by Tyler Bloyer.
Right words – wrong intent!
Have you ever had one of those moments where you read something and you read something that is different then what the writer intended. That is what happened to Tyler and I while in the doctor’s office. We read the above poster and began laughing because if you read with influence in the wrong places then you hear something different. What we read different was at the bottom of the page. Instead of reading the statements at the top with the seriousness that you should, we read the bottom as it where saying “Let us know about the problems above so that we can help in doing the above statements”. What I took away from this is if we do not read the words with the right intent we can totally mess up the message.
I thought of this poster after I went to a Bronco game at Invesco Field in Denver. I had taken the light rail to the stadium to watch the Bronco game and then when the game was over I made the short walk back to the station to get back on the light rail to head home. As we walked back to the station in the massive herd of people there was a man standing there with a huge poster that read”Trust Jesus or Go to Hell!” As we walked I just listened to people talk about what they read. “That guy is weird!” “Those people just freak me out!” “I would trust Jesus but His people are all jerks.” These are the statements that were going on around me. It made me want to yell out ” WE ARE ALL NOT LIKE THIS!” You see the message was true and but it was read with the wrong intent. I believe that this guy probably had the greatest intentions but because it was not read or presented in the right context it did more damage then good.
So what message are you delivering with your life? How are people reading you?
Walking a path. . .
It is amazing to think that when it comes to life that we each have to choose a path on which we will walk. That it can be one that we walk alone or one that we can walk with others. So many people think that by choosing the road that others have walked that it is actually the better way to go. But what if the path that is chosen leads you over a cliff or into the den of a hungry lion. Would you still choose to follow the road that has been chosen by the others.
Proverbs 22:3 (NLT) “A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
We need to realize that each and everyone has the opportunity to choose which path we will walk. Last week I read the book, “Principle of the Path” by Andy Stanley. In this book he takes the verse from above and equates it to the many areas of our lives that deal with choosing a path. No matter what we do we make a choice. When we don’t make a choice that is even making a choice. It puts us on a path and every path leads to some where. Where you end up starts with a choice and the choice is which path you will take. The picture at the beginning is one my son took while we were on the beach in San Francisco. In my mind as I looked at this picture and I saw the three sets of footprints as mine, my sons, and my Father’s in Heaven. It is my prayer for my children that as they live this life that they will always be able to see the path that I hoped and prayed that they would be on. I prayed that the path would always be walking with my Father in Heaven. That as a dad I have walked with my children and allowed then to stumble and skip ahead enough to know their own path when it comes to being a follower of Jesus Christ. That as their footsteps continue on and mine do not that they will have the knowledge that the Father of us all will be with them every step of the way.
Killing the Spider
So this is what the family does on Saturday nights when there is nothing going on. We are always looking to have fun:
Please don’t laugh when my wife says “I act like a girl!” It really hurt.
We as the Bloyer family would like to thank all of those that have made the choice to serve our country and gave their life for our freedom.
Film Friday
I am really excited to say that Tyler is now going to be doing some stuff on the BLOG and I hope you enjoy the opportunity to play along with us with “Film Friday” each week he is going to post a new movie quote and it is our challenge to you to figure out what movie it goes too. Have fun on this first “Film Friday”.
Guest Blogger: Tyler Bloyer
Use the quote given to name the movie it belongs to.- “Sorry about that,……… that last hand, it nearly killed me.”
Comment your answers.
Mother’s Day
I love hanging out with my family. They know how to have fun no matter what is going on. I had just finished barbecuing dinner for mother’s day, we ate, the dishes were clean. So I went to the back of the house to do a little reading. When I came out this is what I found going on in the living room. I want you all to know that yes I like sports and yes I like competition, but there is one person in the house that is way more competitive them me.
I am telling you don’t mess with my bride she will “Dominate”, notice she said, “Going for the kill”. I was scared for the kids. What fun, what a great woman, and I am so blessed to have this woman be the mother of our children. I love you Michelle.
What fun things do you do as a family in the house?
Easter @ Church with the Bloyers
Just wanted to share some of the fun that we have together at church. Yes that is right we had fun at church during the Easter services. Check out this video that my son put together.
Hope that you had this much fun on Easter at church. I love being a dad and I love being with my kids. More serious stuff to come!
Sleep Walking!
Ok, I have to talk about this because it is so freaking hilarious. Last night as I was working on the computer and watching a movie about 1:00AM I was surprised to have one of my kids get up. This does not happen to often and when it does it usually means someone is sick or bad dreams. But this one was different, the child that was up and walking around decided to take a shower. It was one in the freaking morning who takes a shower? So being the person I am I went and woke-up my wife and asked if this was normal behavior for a girl? You now know that it was not Tyler, edged out by the female comment. So Michelle got up and went in to ask the daughter what was going on. Much to Michelle’s surprise this person was getting ready to go to school. This is where it gets good. This girl then asked “Why was she asking?” Michelle informed her it was one in the morning. While still in the shower the person went dead silent, then began to laugh. “I thought that it was time to get up I was dreaming that I was getting ready to go to school.” With that Michelle started laughing of course coming straight out to me with the funny information. Obviously Michelle went back to bed but I waited to comfort, make fun of this person. Now this is where I hope you figure out which one of the girls this was, she came out and told me she was going to blow dry her hair at one in the morning so she could look good for school. (Morgan is not totally there yet, I say yet.) Danielle was so hilarious that I could not stop laughing, in fact at 2:00AM when I went to bed laying there I started to laugh again. You know that you are in a routine of getting ready for school when you get up and take a shower because you are dreaming about going to school.
I love my daughter she is truly a joy, and if I was in the South I would probably say to her, “Bless your little heart.”
Brad Stine Show
Now I have to say that I have been a big fan of Brad Stine’s for awhile since Tyler and I saw him at Promise Keepers in 03′. But tonight having him at our church and watching his show live brought a whole new level of respect. We were so fortunate to have had him at our church and to share his comedy with us. God has given him a great level of insight and ability to have fun and bring things into the light as he get you to laugh. It was also pretty awesome to know that in his comedy he usual picks some young guy out of the audience and just picks on him. Well tonight it was my son Tyler and I about threw up from laughing so hard, he hammered at Tyler all night. I do want to admit that I set Tyler up I made sure that he was in the front row. If you ever have the opportunity to have Brad Stine I highly recommend him, not only for his ability but because he is a Godly man and an honorable man. Thanks Brad and I pray for your continued work. I have to say thanks to Northgate you guys were an awesome audience and he felt really cared for from our church.
It’s all about Perspective!
I really enjoy the way that as I walk through life that I am always challenged with a new perspective. Especially when it comes to leadership and becoming a a leader. This week I am finishing up a book called “Unleashing Courageous Faith” by Paul Coughlin. I am one of those people that really enjoys reading books especially ones on leadership and how I can become a better leader as a husband, father, and man. So in this book I read the following statement about leadership:
“When we have vision without wonder, it’s almost always mechanical, cold, and too “efficient” to include the work of God’s spirit” Unleashing Courageous Faith, page 217
This is one of those statements that just jump off the page for me. Because I really believe that there are times in my life that I just work on the vision and forget about the wonder. I believe that as I have read through the Psalms that is part of what is so awesome about David, that he truly lived with a perspective of wonder.
Psalm 22:22 (NLT) Then I will declare the wonder of your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among all your people.
Why is it that we can so easily take the wonder out of leadership? I think because it then becomes more about us then it does God. I am blessed to have children that are constantly opening my eyes to the amazing wonder of God. When I listen to Danielle talk about the Quiet times that she has and how God is speaking to her, that through Morgan and her singing I experience that praise among the people, and through the eye of my son who see things through his camera that I don’t see. I pray that this week we all will take the time to see the wonder of God, that this wonder will effect how we lead and who we lead.
Where have you seen the wonder of an almighty God in your life?
Special Baptism
Sunday Night I had the awesome privilege to be able to baptize Samantha Muir. I want you to know that I think that being a part of someone’s baptism is the most awesome thing that I get to do as a pastor and every baptism is special. But I want you to know that this young ladies story has something special to it. She is a beautiful young lady that has an awesome story of how God has really taken care of her. You will see her dad Steve standing up with her and sharing her story with the rest of the group of people that were there to celebrate the next step of baptism. What most people don’t know is that Samantha at a young age drowned and was dead for ten minutes, she has lived with some of the challenges that come with being dead for that long. But on Sunday, February 15, 2009 she shared with the world that she has given her life to Christ. Not to many years ago the same water that tried to take her life was now representing a new life. Don’t think that wasn’t scary for her.
What is keeping you from sharing with others how Christ has made a difference in your life?
(Pictures taken by Tyler Bloyer)
Life’s Chain of Events
I don’t know why but today I have really been taking a mental inventory of the men and women that God has used to be influential in my life. These are people that through out my life that God has used to add another link in the chain of events that have made me who I am today. Some of them may or may not even know how God has used them but to me I really see them as the hands and feet of the Lord. They have either helped me along, pushed me, kicked me in the butt, or have been an ear to vent too. So for me I wanted to be able to take the time to name some of them, some are gone, some are living, some are near and some are far. All I know is that I thank God for each one of them and the amazing way that they have been a part of my life in word or in deed. So this is my list of names that have been used by God in my life:
Phil Bloyer, Nancy Bloyer, Pastor Fredrichs, Skinny Knapp, Harry Munson, Peter Fredrich, Jim Brooks, Meerle Steele, Mike Hiller, Jim Evans, Greg Meeker, Charles and Margie Kellim, James and Rachel Preston, The Boys at Union Hill Baptist Church, Nathan Lawson, The Staff at Riverside Hospital, Thelma Murray, Rick Richardson, Randy Sanders, Jerry and Becky Coon, Todd and Joe Stevenson, Matt Coon, Ted and Jody Herzog, Shawn and Candice Kelly, Josh Reinke, Chris Hallock, Phil Newby, The Elders at Grace Bible Church – Miles City, Bill Robbins, Ty Blaus, Marcus Boykins, Matt McMann, Dan and Joy Bethel, Nathan Maples, Joe Hunsaker, Kevin Carlson, Jason Olcott, Pastor Jay of I.C.M.C., Warren C. Bloyer (Your words from the past), Mike Yaconelli, Mark Batterson, Pete Wilson, Ric Small, Ken Jensen, Brian Logue, Kurt Baughn, Sammy Verbis, My awesome kids – Danielle Bloyer, Tyler Bloyer, Morgan Bloyer, With out a doubt my brothers and sister, I have to close with my wife Michelle L. Bloyer. (She is the best thing that the Lord has loaned to me)
Lord may I continue to remember the names of people that you have used to build into me ,I know that there are names that should be on here that either I have forgotten or have yet to be brought to this place.
Maybe this is something that you need to do is take an inventory of the men and women that have made a difference in your life. Maybe you need to contact them and let them know the difference that they have made. Maybe you need to realize that you are someone that God is going to use in the lives of those around you. Whose list will you show up on? Will you show up on anyone’s list? Take the time to thank the Lord for those that He has used to lead you closer to Him.
Who is on you list – make a short one today.
What do you do when they want to climb?
I was thinking today about when Tyler was a little boy. We would sit on the deck of my mom and dads house and watch the kids play in the front yard. My parent’s neighbors Mike and Janet have a Pine tree that is great for climbing. It did not take long for Tyler to always end up in the tree. Then the question would always come from this little voice from inside the tree, “Can I climb higher?” Of course being the dad I would look to see where I could pick out a flash of color or a shoe on a branch then respond, “Go for it!” I would receive looks from my wife that said “are you sure about this?” But eventually Tyler would find the place where he was going to go as far as he felt he could and then he would turn back. Well today is no different the tree has just become something bigger.
The question that I have been walking through lately goes to my Father in heaven. “Can I climb higher?” “Can I take that chance?” “Is this something that you want me to do?” Without a doubt I think that these are the questions that God wants to hear from us because then that means that we are doing something that only He can enable or encourage us to do. Look at Abraham, pick up and go! Noah, build the boat! Nehemiah quite pouring drinks, go build a wall! I really believe that most of us have taken our relationship with God and made it something safe and secure. Something that we can put into five to ten minutes a day or an hour on Sunday. When what God is really looking for is people that are going to climb higher, run farther, and risk more for His glory and fame.
The question that I have for you is when was the last time you asked God, “Can I climb higher?”
By the way Dads let the kid climb, because when you don’t all your doing is teaching thenm to not take a risk. We need more risk takers especially when it comes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Fun Video!
I just wanted to share with you all something that my son Tyler did with my wife and daughter Morgan one night while they went shopping. He was suppose to go along and be a help to his mother but he did so much more. When he came home he was so excited that we sat down and edited the video right then and there on my MAC. Here is what the next Steven Spielberg came up with:
I will never look at Cake mix the same again. Please make sure that you thank the workers at Walmart for not kicking my kids butt while he ran around with his camera. There were no cake mixes hurt in the shooting of this video. Who knows maybe some day we all will be sitting down in a theatre watching this kids work. I know that would be a great place for him to be a witness to the world about who Christ is. I just wish that more people would see that you don’t have to go to a foreign land or work in a church to be a missionary. Each and every day Jesus gives us opportunities to be his ambassadors to the world right in our own front yard.
Nonsense!
Store closing but wait.
So a couple of months ago my son and I are trying to do some shopping for the house for my wife. We needed a new kitchen trash can and I knew what type she wanted so Tyler and I head out. Just as we pull into the shopping area we see the picture above. The store is closing and they are having a massive sale to get rid of everything. My first thought is we are going to get the trash can for a deal! I will get my wife something that she wants and save money another thing that she likes to see. I am not a very good shopper. So we with great joy head into to the store for a bargain. But as we get a little closer we see another sign check this one out.
Say what?
Tyler stopped stared at the picture for awhile and said, “That is just stupid!” They are closing a store but yet they are hiring people to let them go. As we walked into the store I was just as confused as he was. So me being the person that I am I asked one of the employees, “Why?” In his wisdom he said, “Don’t know.” They are actually letting me go next week. With that Tyler and I grabbed our trash can, got the bargain but walked to the car quietly. Once inside he asked, “What were they thinking? This guy is losing his job but, they are hiring someone else.”
This whole situation made me think of being involved in a church. We say that we are evangelistic but we don’t go out and reach our friends. We say that we care about each other but we are the first ones to talk behind someone’s back. We tell people that we are wanting them to join us in our family of believers but we don’t show them how. In the church world and the business world there are things that get done that are just NONSENSE.
So what are some solutions for what we do when we are part of the church:
- Don’t just talk about reaching out, do something! – pray with the grocery store employee
- Don’t get butt hurt when the church leadership doesn’t do things your way. Follow the leaders that God has put in place.
- Don’t talk behind someone’s back, get them,talk to them and be the brother or sister in Christ you were meant to be.
- Don’t just say come on and join, show them. Make it simple and meaningful – then repeat.
- Don’t just pray for God to send someone. Because if you have noticed the problem, then maybe you should just look in the mirror because God has sent someone. YOU!
Proverbs 11:3 “Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty”
Let’s get honest we are sending mixed messages to a world that is dying and going into an eternity without Jesus. What are some things that you can do right now, this very moment to present the gospel message? Let’s get the message straight.
Matthew 20:28 “For even I the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and give my life as a ransom for many.”
As we celebrate the Christmas season how are you going to serve others? What is your family going to do to share the Gospel Message?
My son’s Birthday
It is a special day Tyler turns fifteen yes that’s right fifteen. Michelle and I now have two kids in our house that are fifteen years of age. I am sure many of you are thinking is that really possible two kids that close in age. Well if you haven’t heard that story then bug me and I might tell you. But today is about Tyler. He is a great young man that is a leader at school, on the football field, and at home. As a parent I have enjoyed every step of the way with all of my kids and Tyler being the only BOY gets a little different attention. We have had late nights playing video games, going hunting together, watching football, and being manly. If I have to explain that statement then you are not manly.
This week one of Tyler’s coaches pulled me aside and shared with me a conversation that happened between him and Tyler. You see Tyler has been elected by the team and coaches as one of the team captains a job that he takes very serious. So serious that after his recent game a loss, Tyler stayed after everyone had gone and cleaned up the locker room. When the coach came in and saw what Tyler was doing he told him that he didn’t need to do that. Tyler said “I am one of the captains this is my job.” The coach asked where the other guys were. Tyler said “I don’t know I am here and it is getting done.” Then this is what the coach shared with me, Tyler went on to say “I have always been taught that to be a leader you first have to serve.” I can not tell a lie, pride was an issue for me at that moment. I am so proud of the children that God has loaned to me. He constantly is teaching me new things about His amazing grace and mercy through these kids.
“Father thank you for allowing me to have a part in the wonderful life that Tyler brings to this earth. May we continue to see him grow in you and in his boldness to serve and share your love with others.”
Check out what he used to look like, if you have any comments for Tyler please leave them here and I will send them to him.
Football, Friends, and my Son!
Losing the big game!
So tonight I had a great time going to a football game. We went to see one of the top 10 high school football teams De La Salle in the United States play another high school football team Don Bosco that was in the top 25 of the United States. We had a barbecue with the boosters of De La Salle and then went and stood in the south end zone of the stadium. It was a beautiful site the stands were filling up ESPN-U was getting the cameras ready and the sun was going down in NOR CAL. Then the band came in and played the national anthem and lead us into the game. We saw a great game. There were twists and turns through out the whole game with us being able to stand right underneath the goal as the winning field goal was kicked with 10 seconds left in the game for Don Bosco beating De La Salle. What better then a night with my son good friends and football. It was awesome to see Tyler get so excited about seeing that he was not smaller then the guys on the field. Oh, and Tyler scored his first touchdown on Thursday Night, stopped a guy for a safety, had three sacks and ten solo tackles. Friends, Football, and my son. Thanks Joe for taking us to the game it was amazing.
"Psycho for Jesus" Scott Bloyer 