Tory Farina

Connection groups Kicked off with bang!

Live Life Connected!
We had a Great start already to our connection groups! Jump in if you have not already found one you are interested.

Check out Killer Bunnies! it is a fun and interactive card game that will have you laughing and loving life!
Guys! Deadly Viper... this is one that you do not want to miss! we will deal with the real stuff of life.

Gladiators

Get caught up before the series begins.... Gladiators

Pack the Theatre...

Lets Pack the Theatre on Sunday!

Since last we talked...

OK so here is what has been happening...

Wednesday-

• My Parents came to town to be apart of our Valentines banquet and be apart of Olivia's dedication.

Thursday-

• Spent some time working on a very exciting project i cant go into but need your prayer for... Be Excited!
• Took E out for a great meal at my favorite restaurant... Maggiano's... Fantastic night! We used a gift card we got at Christmas... Thanks Aunt Robbin and Uncle Bob...

Friday-

• Took a day with My parents - dad and I talked through easter Ideas... Mom and I tried to Get Olivia to Laugh as much as possible...

Saturday-

• Dad and I went for a walk, saw a house and as is my habit I called to see how much it was going for.

Sunday-

• Olivia got dedicated! it was so significant. I love that Pastor Mike did it. It is so important to have a pastor and at High Point we have great, amazing, fantastic Pastors. He did a wonderful job. I love how we do dedications. We take it so seriously and charge the parents, family and church family to live a life that would point the child to Christ.
• Dad spoke... WOW did he do a good Job! He spoke about the Holy spirit dwelling in those that have made a relationship with Jesus. He talked about God dwelling in cracked vessels... I love knowing that God takes me as I am.
• U23D- that's right dad and I went to see it. AWESOME! I saw it at the imax... well worth the $14 to see Bono the size as Godzilla.

Monday-

• We went to the mall for a few hours and had a lot of fun watching people on Presidents day wander the massive mall. Then E and I collapsed in exhaustion.
• Got a call from the Realtor and found d that the house was a really good buy!

Tuesday-

• Saw the house and found that it was a great deal but that it was not for us!
• went to fast and pray with River Valley Church... they are really going through a challenging time right now but God is proving faithful and the staff is rallying around Pastor Rob.
• meet with the south twin cities section of churches at Oak Hills Church
• Went to do Hospital Visits at Children's in St. Paul... I ran into Kendal... Pastor Courtney's Hubby... working on the floor I went to visit. cool! Then off to the U of M hospital... that is a longer trip than it seems on a map it should be.
• Decided no on the House!
• Now I am watching Leno and feeling sleepy.

Gladiator is coming!

Hero or Zero?

This week I watched Roger Clemens disagree with his personal trainer over steroid use. I was surprised by the politician who leaned over the big desk they sit behind and spoke emotionally into the microphone "You are a Hero to me..." A baseball figure is a hero. What  statement. I am not really a baseball fan and I guess at one level a guy who can hit or pitch a ball around 90mph is amazing but to give hero status to that person?

"I admire you... I wish I could do that... I wear your jersey around the house and ask my friends to call me by rog..." All of those make sense to me. But Hero? A potentially doped up guy who plays a game for a living?

I was at the 8's fire house in St. Paul a few months back and one of the men on the engine pulled a man out of his burning apartment. The news showed up and asked him, "How does it feel to be a hero?" He was taken aback by the question. He told me later, "I am not a hero... i just pulled a guy out of a room... I did my job. A few months back some guys on the ladder truck pulled a man out of a building with ice frozen all over the ladder and hauled him down it... there were three grown men on a ladder rated for 350 pounds. Those two guys were heroes to me."

What makes a Hero? Is Roger a Hero? Am I a Hero? Are you a Hero? Does Roger give up Hero Status because of the allegations? Give me some responses and ill write a part 2

Let there be Light!

I have worked in windowless office buildings off and on for some time now. I hate it! Sun is the ultimate catalyst for productivity. We now office in a basement because it is a good price for a lot of nice space. This will change everything... windowless shades.

Valentines Eve

Last night 56 people packed into Dixie's to enjoy a great meal and a lot of laughs. It was a ton of fun to see so many people that E and I know and have connected with connect with one another. E talked with one couple and they said i had seen the people at my but had never realized how much we had in common.

Check out how nice we looked...

I wore a tie to the event because sometimes you just have to show your neck whose boss and E thinks I look HOT in a tie. Look... Guys...if your wife thinks you look hot... it doesn't matter what it is you put it on.

Sam and Vicki Farina shared a great insight on the passage 1 Corinthians 13:4-13.
It was a blast to see them take a $100 bill that was crisp and brand new and crumple it up and stomp on it then ask if anyone wanted it now that it was not new and pretty anymore. Everyone agreed that it was still worth having and Sam made the point that just because it was a little crumpled it still had the same value. Just because you and I may have had a difficult past or a difficult season of life, maybe we have made some bad choices that cause us to look at ourselves as worthless but God sees us at full face value.

It was so Good!

I love when we do big events! It is so much fun to get to know people and really talk.

The Starbucks EXPERIENCE

(a letter to Howard Schultz)
Thank you Howard,

You are making the Starbucks experience the top priority to your company. I have long had a fascination with you company. You created something that had never existed before. So many books have been written about what it is that you created but then somewhere along the line things drifted. I am not sure if it was when you put in the automated espresso machines? Or When you made drive through more of a character of your stores than comfortable seating. But now you are back with a renewed passion!

I understand the need to let others take the reigns and to allow the company to be lead by others who are talented and competent. I wonder if this will make you sketchy about turning over the reigns to someone else in the near future.

I love that you are opening up the WIFI for a few hours everyday for us who love to enjoy the starbucks experience but are subject to going to other lesser coffee shops because they do not want to spend the money to buy a coffee and the WIFI. I am ready to come back and work. Buy your beverages and enjoy your store again. Can I make two requests? Free drip coffee refills and bring back the old espresso machines. I want an artist to make my latte a Barista who has been trained and understands how to pull a good shot. A machine while being more consistent loses the human touch. I love technology and welcome an automated espresso machine in my home but I want an artist making my $5+ drink not a machine.

Thanks you for bringing back the ideals that made the company great. I hope that it works and that Starbucks goes back to being the model of excellence and passion that is has always been.

Live Your Potential,
Pastor Tory Farina- Long time fan   

Sunday Revisited

We had a great end to the "God of the Impossible" series. There is nothing like communion to focus you on Jesus and what he has done in your life.

I talked about Storms and How if we keep our eyes locked on Jesus he will keep us calm no matter the reality around us.

We had a Fabulous crowed and it  was so stinking cold Out! I feel like we are about to take a giant leap forward.  In two weeks we are starting our new series "Gladiators" Lets try and pack the place out.

Will you bring someone with you in two Sundays? Comment and let me know that you will try and help us pack the place out. I have had a dream since we started in the theatre of seeing it wall to wall people. Of seeing people Standing in the entry area because there is standing room only and watching them respond to God.

Will you help us realize that dream?

I am glad we have indoor plumbing!

As I took the dog out this morning it hit me. Thank God I have indoor plumbing. Her  feet were freezing to the snow.  My Great Grandmother didn't have indoor plumbing until the 80's. You think getting out of Bed to potty now in the middle of the night is a big decision. WOW! -14 outside and they would have to go outside to do there business. I guarantee that there was no heated seat either. 

In a few months we will be in the 70's and then it would be no big deal to have to go outside. I will not but I am just saying.

WOW... the things I think about when  I am a little tired. See you in a few for some Hot Coffee Warm Donuts and Nice theatre Seats!