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Best Movie of the Decade

Posted on: 12/19/15 5:25 PM | by Jonathan McKee

I just saw the best movie I’ve seen in a decade… twice!

For those who have been following my Insta or Twitter… you’ve been hearing little blips of my excitement about the new Star Wars film that premiered this weekend. I went with my son on opening day (official opening day, Friday… I’m getting too old for midnight premiers), and then again with my girls the next day.

Sooooooooo good!

It was so fun, not only as a 45-year-old man who saw the original Star Wars as a kid back in 1977, but also as a parent now seeing this film 37 years later with my own teens.

But don’t let me lead you astray; this film isn’t Continue reading “Best Movie of the Decade”

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5 Realities That Made Us Pause in South Africa

Posted on: 11/3/15 5:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

As I sit here on my 12-hour flight from Cape Town to Munich, my mind can’t help but decompress, processing my week of teaching at the Imagine Ignite conference and hanging out with youth workers in South Africa. God’s hand was so evident through this whole experience.

The week provided plenty of perks (pardon my alliteration), from the trip up Table Mountain, to wine tasting in the beautiful coastal vineyards, tasting a “Pinotage” for the first time. But none of those moments hold a match to the interaction my family and I experienced with the Continue reading “5 Realities That Made Us Pause in South Africa”

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Heading to South Africa

Posted on: 10/22/15 10:28 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’m not sure how to pack…

Lori and I are headed to Los Angeles (85 degrees) to run a half marathon, then we fly to Cape Town (73 degrees) where I’ll speak at a conference next weekend, then we stop off in Munich (49 degrees) for an extended layover (3 days) on the way home just for fun.

Do you even own 14 pairs of underwear?

I’m really excited about this conference in South Africa. My dad and I are training youth workers for 3 days, then we’re speaking in a local church. Should be great fun! If you’re in South Africa… take a peek HERE, or get your tickets HERE.

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What would you have done?

Posted on: 10/1/15 10:37 AM | by Jonathan McKee

“Turn around! Now!” That’s what she said, and my dad had no idea what to do.

Have you ever noticed that most tough parenting (and grandparenting) decisions aren’t black or white? Think about it. If they were… the choice would be easy. But parenting is never that easy… is it?

Let me give you an example with my own kids a while back– a grandparenting example. This was one of those sticky situations that my dad experienced when my daughters were in eighth and tenth grade and Lori and I were Continue reading “What would you have done?”

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Top 10 Things I Learned After 1 Week in an RV

Posted on: 09/15/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Just got back on a really fun trip, just me, Lori and my parents for one week in an RV, traveling 1,000 miles across four states, from Boise, through the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

We all had a great time. Here’s what I learned:

Farts are twice as loud in an RV.
Each stop at the gas station required a month’s salary! (Yes, this baby drank like a camel at the pumps!)
Always check the connection on your sewer hose before pulling the “black waste” valve. (Can you say fountain o’ feces?) Continue reading “Top 10 Things I Learned After 1 Week in an RV”

Posted in Family, Humor, Personal | | Leave A Comment

Our Empty Nest

Posted on: 08/19/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

This Thursday Lori, Alyssa and I drive 500 miles and drop off Ashley, my youngest, at Vanguard University in SoCal (Alyssa and Ashley in the pic to the right). We’re so excited for her… but it’s weird to think about how quiet it’s gonna be around our house!

When Alec left for school four years ago our girls were still here. It was an adjustment, but it was still a busy house and full-on parenting mode. Then, come summer, a full nest again.

When Alyssa left for college it was a little more severe. Alyssa went to Continue reading “Our Empty Nest”

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Coming to SoCal, Little Rock, Louisville…and more

Posted on: 06/9/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

My fall is almost booked solid, but I might be already coming to your area. So take a quick glance at my speaking calendar and see if your church would like to take advantage of any of these openings when I’m already near you… starting next weekend in…

SoCal
Next weekend I’m going to be in SoCal speaking at Pacific Coast Church in San Clemente, CA on Sunday, June 14^th. First I’ll be teaching a FREE parenting workshop from 3-5PM. Then I’ll be training youth leaders from Continue reading “Coming to SoCal, Little Rock, Louisville…and more”

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Somethin’ a lil’ different with my teenagers

Posted on: 06/4/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

We were bored and looking for something to do for the day, something… different.

20+ years as a youth worker, I go back to my youth worker connections when I want to do something fun with my girls and their friends, so that’s why I called my friend Craig over at Rock-N-Water here in NorCal. So Monday, seven of us went white-water rafting on some Class III rapids.

So fun!!! Continue reading “Somethin’ a lil’ different with my teenagers”

Posted in Family, Parenting, Personal, Travel, Youth Ministry Planning | | Leave A Comment

The Dark Undercurrents of Bullying

Posted on: 12/29/14 9:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’ve been taking time off work for a few weeks during Christmas break to not only spend as much time as possible with my family, but also to finish writing my first fiction novel, a story about a school shooting on a high school campus—a sobering peek into the dark undercurrents of teen culture and bullying.

The book has been an interesting project, providing a porthole into the perspectives of various individuals: an athlete, a Christian girl, a bullied kid, a teacher, a cop… and countless other teens.

I admit, the book hits a little too close to home. As I dove into the internal psyche of the shy, teased, isolated kid who one day just explodes in a rampage Continue reading “The Dark Undercurrents of Bullying”

Posted in Books, Bullying/Cyberbullying, Personal, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment

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