Good Social - Volume 1

I know this blog has become a lot more personal lately but I never want to get away from talking about business, which I love to do.  So every Friday I am going to try and give a few examples of really good social media usage out there.  Sometimes it will be heavily Instagram related, sometimes it will be across all platforms and sometimes it will be a specific category like church social media, photography social media, etc.

To start off I am going to be very general about it and my hope that it inspires you with new ways to add life and authenticity to your feed.

1. Awesome Instagram Feed - Vous Church

If every church ran their social media like Vous Church did I think more people would go to church.  When they were about to launch their new church they posted awesome Instagrams that all connected.  I don't know who the creative genius behind this was, but they deserve a raise.  Each Instagram connected with the one above it, below it, to the right of it and to the left of it, all while still standing on its own.  Seriously, so impressive!  I've seen people post large images while using multiple squares before but never while making them all really stand on their own.  Well done Vous Church!  Also, this sermon on their podcast is awesome - What's In Your Hand? 

2. Snap Chatters - Levi Lusko and Jefferson Bethke

I love following these two authors and speakers on snapchat.  They don't post too much that you get annoyed but they post enough to keep you engaged with what is going on in their lives.  Levi really focuses on the love he has for his family and what they are doing, which is inspiring.  Jefferson takes the best "ugly face" selfies that I have ever seen, which are always good for a laugh.  They both have new books out and they are always hiding copies of them in airports with details on their snapchat!  Definitely worth following.

3. Favorite Post of walk in love. this past week

I love this post because it is so clean, simple and highlights details of our products.  It also uses the text to remind our followers of a great sale we are having.  Instead of using a graphic with lots of text that people tend to ignore, use detail photos and remind through the text.

4. Great personal post and hashtag - Adam Harrington

My friend Adam Harrington, who you should probably follow, killed it with this photo.  Yeah the photo is blurry and you can barely see him in it, but look at what the post is doing.  First, it is highlighting something really exciting he is doing - attending the Hillsong Conference.  It's acknowledging people he loves and it has a famous singer photo bombing him!  It's fun, it's light and if you know who Kari Jobe is it is even better.  Well done, Adam! 😂

5. New social media tool -  Boomerang App

Instagram released a new app yesterday called Boomerang.  It allows you to take super short gif-like video.  It will be a tool that we use a lot to just add a little more life and excitement to our feeds.  I suggest you use it to do the same, or just use it to send super creepy smile videos to your friends.  Both good!

That is all for this first edition of good social.  I hope it helps you add ideas to your arsenal of tricks when it comes to posting!

What Is Your Lamp Stand?

This morning, right after I woke up, before I even got out of bed, I began to read the Bible.  Lately, my "strategy" when reading the Bible is to continue reading where I left off last until a verse or phrase hits me right between the eyes. Then I stop.  I spend the rest of the day thinking about the verse, phrase or idea that leapt of the page and smacked me in the face. 

I am one of those people guilty of trying to read the Bible in a year. Unfortunately, I would often just find myself reading to get through it rather than reading to absorb it.  I'd burn out in mid January and give up... not the best strategy.  So, now I simply read until something really stands out to me.  Sometimes I'm only one verse in and sometimes I'm a few chapters in.

Currently, I am reading the Sermon of the Mount; so, I basically stop after every verse.  This morning I read the following verses...

 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:13-16

I've probably read these verses hundreds of times in my life and normally what sticks out to me is the phrase "light of the world."  We've printed that on a few walk in love. shirts in the past and actually are releasing it on another one with our Christmas 2015 collection. (Which is baller, btw.)  I love that phrase! I think it's absolutely incredible that through Jesus we become the light of the world.

But today, when reading the above scripture, that phrase didn't particualarly stand out to me.  It was a different one.  It was the words "lamp stand."

As soon as I stopped reading the end of that verse, I felt like the question that hit me straight between the eyes was, "What is your lamp stand?"

Now if you've read any of my posts before you've probably noticed that I use one of my favorite phrases in the world, a lot - End with Jesus.  It's even in the tagline of my website.

I believe that people can start their relationship with Jesus through anything.  You can start with a really great meal at a friend's house and end with Jesus.  You can start with an Instagram feed interaction and end with Jesus.  I started with a great family and ended with Jesus.  You could also start with a really crappy family and end with Jesus.

So, I started to think about this idea of putting my light on a lamp stand and that question kept popping into my head - "What is your lamp stand?"  Where are people going to start in your life that would eventually end them with Jesus?  Where does your light shine the brightest?  Or, where can your light actually shine?

I think lamp stands can be a gift that we've been given, either a skill or passion, or they can simply be a place we're at - geographically.

If you are in high school or college, your lamp stand is your classroom, campus and extracurricular activities.

If you work in an office building, your lamp stand is the board room, break room or the carpool lane.

If you are a mom, your lamp stand is your home, neighbors and probably the aisles of Target.

If you are a barista, your lamp stand is the coffee shop or drive thru window.

God can use it all!  He is powerful and mighty and if you follow Him and think He can't use you, then you are believing a lie!  You are given His power and can be used ANYWHERE! I think the beauty of these verses is that Jesus doesn't say "Let your light shine ONLY on a stage, or blog or by singing."  He just says to put your light on a lamp stand and stop hiding it under a bowl.  I really love the way the message translation says it, "If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!"

How many of us spend so much of our time with our light under a bucket of sin, shame or embarrassment instead of letting it shine with the brilliant, beautiful and powerful light of Jesus.

Our lives on earth are so short, so small and we too often we spend more time under a bucket than out in the open where Jesus can use us.  I don't know about you, but my goal is to do all I can with the lamp stand God has placed me on.  Even when I fall off my stand I am not going to crawl under a bucket, I am going to climb right back up there and accept the grace that is real - the grace that I need every day.

Currently, the lamp stand God has placed me on is a pile of t-shirts, an Instagarm feed, this tiny blog, being a good husband and a good dad.  It's running a business with integrity and purpose.  It's going to volunteer at a youth group every week and hanging out with a group of 10th grade guys.  It's, at times, speaking on a stage.  I am going to use every inch of my lamp stand at all times to let the light shine.  I am kicking the preverbal "bucket" off my life and I pray I never put it back on.  I want to stand tall and firm on the lamp stand I've been given and boldly say "Oh this? This little light of mine? YEA! I'm gonna let it shine!!!", all the while knowing full well that it is Jesus who shines brightest.

5 Messages That Are Making Me Feel ALL THE FEELS! 😭 😭 😭

I have been trying to listen to as many sermons as I can lately.  I just want to hear what people have to say about our great God and there have been a couple that have rocked my world.  I thought I would share five of them with you.

I would recommend bookmarking this post and coming back to listen to these sermons only when you can actually listen to them.  Don't put these on as background noise, but really listen to them.  I usually listen to them either while I am driving or washing the dishes.  Click on their names to be directed to the message in podcast form.

Side note - I think my hair game would compete with all these pastors, especially Francis. 😂

5. Fight for Authenticity - Francis Chan

I hope they help you with your walk with Jesus.  If you have any messages that are rocking your world please let me know in the comments below!  I would love to listen to them!

Netflix and Chill | Two Easy Steps To A Totally Average Life

DISCLAIMER - Before you read this, please know I am totally aware that "Netflix and Chill" has two meanings.  The slang meaning is having sex -- so if you are a parent, be aware of that.  I, however, am referring to the original meaning of the phrase, but am using a title that would cause someone to click on the post and potentially learn something.  Please stop messaging me about the dual meaning, I am aware. 😂

I don't really remember the first time I saw the phrase Netflix and Chill, but I do remember thinking that it was a very clever advertising campaign.  I love great advertising and I thought Netflix and Chill was just that!  It was easy to understand and relate to.  I have spent a lot of evenings doing exactly what they were suggesting I do - watching Netflix and chilling.

Fast forward a few months and I'd totally forgotten about the Netflix ad.

This past weekend, I spent this weekend at the Lake Champion Young Life Campground for the Circl3 Fall Retreat. Circl3 is the youth group that I volunteer at and lead a small group of the coolest 10th grade guys ever.  The chances of them actually seeing this compliment are very small since it's in written in a blog post and not a text or snapchat. 😂

During the retreat I heard the phrase "Netflix and Chill" so many times.  I don't know if Fetty Wap or Drake just put it in a song, but high schoolers are obsessed with the idea.  Anytime a speaker asked what the students liked to do someone would scream "NETFLIX AND CHILL!!" and all the students would laugh and nod their heads in agreement.

I really started to think about the burning desire for these students, and myself, to just watch Netflix and chill. It seems like sitting on a couch or bed and binge watching shows has become the pinnacle of living.  The more I thought about how often I do that the more frustrated with myself I became.

At the end of my life will I be glad that I was spending so much time chilling with Netflix?  Heck no!  I don't want that to be the defining phrase of my life.  I want to live and live well.  I want to love and love deeply.  I don't want to be glued to a screen watching and re-watching shows over and over again. 

I love TV.  Brooke can attest to my deep love for television.  You could put almost any episode of The Office on and I can start quoting it word for word, line for line, because I've watched and re-watched the series so many times.  So, clearly I am not on a high horse right now, looking down with distain at people who watch to much TV, because I am one of them.  (Also, if you don't watch TV.... we get it. You can stop reminding us.)

But I am talking to my fellow TV and Netflix lovers out there.  What do you want your life to be focused on?  The beautiful, glowing red and white screen of the Netflix logo or something else? Something more?

I want my life to be about something more.  Lately, I have been noticing that my heart is crying out for more.  My heart wants a more fulfilling life!  I want to be engaged with everything in my life.  I want to notice every little thing that June does as she grows and her brain develops.  I want to notice and react to every kind thing Brooke does for our family.  I want engagement, authenticity and reality.  I don't want to live in front of a screen and, if I'm super honest, I have been for far too long.

I don't want to come to the end of my life and pass into eternity with Jesus and have Him say, "Imagine what you could have done if the two defining words of your life were Following Jesus and not Netflix and Chill?"

That cuts right to my heart and is so convicting.  I want more of Jesus and less of all the other crap in my life.  When I have more of Jesus I have more time with my wife, my daughter and all the other things that make my heart full.  When I have more of Jesus I have more purpose, passion and desire to do something for Him! No matter how many times I read the gospel I can't find any verses about binge watching shows.  I don't think it's part of His plan for my life and that is a hard pill to swallow.

Honestly, I don't even want to write this post, because that means I have to change something about the way I live.  AND I DON'T WANT TO!  I want to sit on my couch tonight and watch Friends or The Walking Dead or anything... I want to scroll through movies for 30 minutes just to start re-watching something I've already seen.  I don't want to change and you can't make me!! AHHH!!

But again, at the end end of my life I want to look back and know that I lived.  I want to take my final breath with satisfaction and not with frustration.  I think if I continue the way I am going I will be frustrated.  I will have regrets and I don't want that.

So, how do I change?  What does it look like? 

I am definitely not one of those people that is going to tell you to throw away your television and start using a flip phone.  I am just going to encourage you (and myself) to practice some self control, which, last time I checked, is a fruit of the spirit.  I am going to challenge you to start cutting the time in front of Netflix and start adding time in front of your spouse, kids, parents, friends - face to face with an actual conversation.  I am going to challenge you to spend 22 minutes reading your Bible, talking and listening to God instead of watching an episode of How I Met Your Mother.  If Netflix isn't your time waster, I know something else is.  So start practicing the same self control with that.  Put down the iPhone, video game controller or whatever else you want to limit and start living. 

I personally know that to start living this way, I need to totally shock my system.  So, starting tomorrow I am going to say goodbye to watching Netflix for eight days.  I am going to use the next eight days, Netflix free, to focus on the One Night Only event we are having.  I am going to read, listen and pray to God about the event.  I am going to sit down at the table and have dinner with Brooke.  I am going to play with June.  I am going to read books.  I am going to write.  I am going to draw.  I am going to wash dishes. I am going to clean.  I am going to do anything I can instead of Netflix.  Will it be easy for me?  Absolutely not!  I will probably complain a lot and try to talk myself into "just one episode".  Shocking your system is never easy. 

I look at self control as a muscle and I need to work it out when it comes to Netflix.  What will the end of the eight days look like?  I don't know.  Will I still watch Netflix from time to time after the eight days, of course.  Because Brooke and I really do enjoy snuggling on the couch and watching shows.  But I want to limit that (the Netflix part, not the snuggling part!) and actually use it as entertainment and not just a time filler.  I want my time fillers to be conversations, love favors, laughing, playing with June and time with Jesus.  I want the "time fillers" in my life to be things that actually fill my heart.

And so, here it goes: My name is T.J. Mousetis and I am a Netflix and Chill addict. I wholeheartedly believe continuing to live this way will lead to a totally average life.  And I don't want to have a totally average life! I want to live an extraordinary life for Jesus.  I want to change my Netflix and chill attitude and I am finally going to do something about it.  I want you to join me. I want the two defining words of my life to be Following Jesus and not Netflix and Chill.

Where I Hope to be in 30 Years

Last night most of my immediate family spent the evening together.

And by immediate family I mean....

Dad, Mom, Steph, Kyle, Kaila, Stephen, Stellia, Alton, Nick, Lindsey, Zadok, Selah, Me, Brooke, June, Sam, Kyle, and Max. (I know, my siblings love "unique" names for their kids, but there are 17 of us, so go ahead, just try and make fun of one of them... 😂)

That's 17 and we still have more that couldn't make it last night.

The baby boom has hit our family in a big way.  All of the married siblings added one kid in 2015.  My older sister Steph and her husband Kyle had their fourth, Nick and his wife Lindsey had their second, Sam and her husband Kyle had their 1st and Brooke and I had June. Four babies in one calendar year!  It's crazy.  What is even crazier, at times, is that we can all actually find a night to get together.

Last night was one of those nights!  I kept just saying over and over again, "There are so many kids here.  In 5 years they will all be running around like crazy and we will probably have to call the fire department to have them on standby because 'the Mousetis' are getting together'."

I would turn my head to the left and someone is holding a baby, then to the right and someone is tossing a toddler in the air, then back to the left and one of the older kids is attacking their Grandpa. It was beautiful madness.

At one point we took a photo of my parents with all their grandkids with all the 2015 babies included.  There are so many now that the oldest, Kaila, has to hold the youngest, Selah, while my parents hold all the ones in the middle.  Also, no one got the "look at the same camera at the same time" memo.  Again, beautiful madness!

Besides June and her Grandpa having the same hair style, the most amazing thing about this photo is my parents.  We didn't start with much as a family.  We had a very modest life growing up.  I remember as I got older I had all these realizations that what I thought were "fancy" things weren't actually fancy things at all, just my parents putting their brilliant, fun twists on everything. 

For example, did you know that peaches aren't a delicacy? Or that The Olive Garden isn't the fanciest restaurant in the world?  Well, I didn't know until I WAS IN HIGH SCOOL...  My parents made our modest life seem extravagant at times, which I am forever thankful for.  Now, all of my siblings, myself included, have very blessed and successful lives.  We all have great spouses, places to work, houses, food, clothing, iPhones, etc.

But that isn't the most impressive or amazing thing about my parents and what they've done. What is most amazing is the heart, attitude and way of living they have instilled in our giant family.  They have shown all their children how to live, love and follow Jesus well.  When they pass on into eternity, which is still a ways away, we won't think about all the stuff they allowed us to get, we will think about the amazing love they showed and how they constantly pointed us to Jesus both individually and as a family!

The photo we took last night will look a lot different in five years.  My dad and June won't have the same hair style. Kaila, the oldest, will be 12.  June, Max, Alton and Selah will all be five.  There will probably be quite a few more kids pictured, hopefully one from my younger brother Mike!  Come on Mike, get married and get busy!  There will be LOTS of differences...

But what will be the same is the heart that my parents have for their children and grandchildren.  What will be the same are the lessons that they've passed down to their children on how to raise kids.  Some of those lessons, we will use as is and some we will add our own twist to. What will be the same is the excitement that they greet every new grandchild with.  What will be the same is the preciousness of every moment we get to spend together.

My Dad and I are 30 years apart.  He turned 60 this year and 9 days later I turned 30.  It's a very cool connection to have with your Dad and I passed it along to June.  When I turn 60 she will turn 30.  When I have her take a photo of Brooke and I holding our future grandkids, I hope it looks a lot like this.  I hope that I can stand side by side with my beautiful wife and be overwhelemd with love by and for my children and their children.

Beyond that, I hope, as a 60 year old, I can stand there extremely proud that I did my best to point them all to the loving arms of Jesus.  That June will be all in on loving and serving Jesus and that her siblings will be the same way.

To my Mom and Dad, I just want you to know that I am constantly thanking our great God for the two of you.  That you met, fell in love with each other and decided that your lives would be about Jesus.  I am so thankful that you two decided that the legacy you would leave would be about Him and not about you.  I pray that as I age I can stay the course and keep that as my focus.  That I can devote the next 30 years of my life to pushing and encouraging my children and their children to follow Jesus.  I hope, in 30 years, I can have a similar photo of Brooke and I.  A photo that is filled with the accomplishments of what Jesus has done in my life and the lives of my children, but at the same time, filled with so much potential at what my kids and their kids will do!

Marriage & Babies! Best things ever!

I remember when Brooke and I were getting ready to get married over six years ago.  We were so excited because, like most engaged couples, we were madly in love.  I look back and think how "madly in love" we were back then and laugh because six years later that love seems so tiny in comparison to the love we have for each other now.  Our love has grown, deepened and become way more exciting than the young love of two kids excited to get married.  Both loves are great but I prefer the type we have now.  Anyway, I remember so much about our engagement but one of the things that I remember the most is that.. Married couples can be SOOOOO negative about marriage.

We would hear things like,

"You just wait..."

"The first year is the hardest.."

"There will be times you are going to want to kill each other.."

Fast forward five years into our marriage and Brooke is pregnant -- again, we were so excited for our little bundle of joy, but people with kids again started saying things to us like,

"You just wait..."

"The first year is the hardest..."

"Say goodbye to sleep..."

And so on.

The most frustrating thing about the people saying these negative things is that they were Christians!  What in the world is that?!?  These were supposed to be people whose hearts, minds and worlds have been radically changed by the love of God and they are being negative about marriage and babies!!!  Those are two things God loves! Like, a lot.

Come on Christians! Stop being negative and lean into the joy that comes with Jesus. Allow Him to change your heart to be a place of unrelenting joy!  I get so frustrated when I hear Christians being so negative.  The joy of the Lord is our strength! The fruit of the spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience....!*

We act like our lives are just as crappy before Jesus as they are after Jesus.  No wonder people don't want to come to church.  We, as followers of Jesus, should be the most joyful, radically optimistic people this world has ever seen.  Jesus has won, the grave has been defeated, death has lost its sting, we will be given new bodies, we will spend eternity in the presence of God and, at times, all we do with that knowledge is tell people how hard their marriage or parenting is going to be.

I would love to see more positive Christians out there.  People who when they are hear about someone getting married they say things like,

"Marriage is awesome!"

"Get ready to fall more and more in love with your spouse."

"Marriage is so much fun!  The first year is exciting!"

"Spend the first year doing unexpected and awesome things for your wife/husband!"

"I LOVE BEING MARRIED!  IT'S THE BEST!"

That's what I say when I find out my friends are getting married.  Marriage is such a beautiful amazing gift from God and we complain about it way too much.  Imagine if you took all the energy you spend complaining about marriage and put it into serving your spouse.  I think you'd have less to complain about because your marriage would improve.

The same goes with children.  We, as Christians, should be overjoyed when a new life that God created enters the world.  We should be showering new parents with excitement and encouragement!

Now I know that I am painting with a very broad brush.  I know there are tons of Christians out there who are positive about both these things, but the negativity is louder.  If you are one of those positive Christians out there read this and be encouraged that your joy will make a difference.  If you tend to be a negative Christian, which can be figured out if you want to comment on the blog and tell me why I am wrong about everything...😂, stop.  Let the joy of Jesus be your strength.

I believe that when we walk closer with Jesus we will find more joy.  That joy will carry us through the rough waters of life and people will be amazed at how our first response is always positive.  I don't think people want to live life in a negative tornado, tearing and ripping apart all that's in their path.  I do think that, at times, that's the only way they've learned how to live.  Give "Negative Nellies" a new example of how to live.  The example of Jesus.  Show them you are overflowing with positivity and joy and when they ask you how you can always see the good in everything you can say to them, "The joy of the Lord is my strength!  Jesus has changed my life and given me this unending joy in all situations...."

Those are the type of conversations I want to have with people, but I need them to actually see the change in my life before I can.  If I am "Grumpy Gus" all the time no one will ask.  If I am bouncing off the walls with excitement and joy I think they might ask my opinion.  If when someone tells me they are getting married or having a baby and I say, "THAT'S AWESOME!! I LOVE MARRIAGE AND BABIES!" they might want to have more conversations about each of those things.

And I'm certain I can start with a conversation about marriage and end with Jesus.

I can start with a conversation about the brand of diapers I use or the time June pooped directly in my hand... and I can end with Jesus.

In all things our goal should be to point people to Christ and His saving grace.  Let's start living like that!

I love my wife and daughter!

I love my wife and daughter!

* Nehemiah 8:10 // Galatians 5:22