Sleepy Friday Night

I'm so glad the work week is finally over! Although we have responsibilities for Church this weekend, we should at least have a few hours to just unwind and do what we want to do for a change. I look forward to that.

Let's take a deep breath, let our shoulders down and rest in the Lord tonight.

Good Night

Just What I Needed Today

After a busy, productive morning at work, I found myself completely stalling out at about 2:30 PM. I kept somewhat busy, but once the boss left early (if I'm being completely honest) I just tuned out. I watched a couple of videos on You Tube and lost all form of focus- I was done.

The ride home on the bus ended prematurely, with my egress at Burger King on Wallace Road. The aim was to connect with my wife and daughter whom were fueling up at the Chevron nearby. We ended up syncing up and headed out to the stables, where my daughter rode her beloved pony friend, Quinn. While my daughter was getting saddled up, I took a few minutes to greet another pony. More on that in a minute.

Rewind a few minutes. My wife and I stumbled into a conversation concerning the Lord, creation, evolution and whether or not the world's population was simply being duped. I've chosen to believe what the Bible says as truth. I've asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life and have been baptized. However, at times (at least I do) I've taken a step back and wondered if any of it is real. Maybe this is an attack from Satan, or maybe I'm just courageous enough to admit that I've doubted, but it's an honest question. "What if none of my beliefs are real?" What a pointless and hopeless existence that would be. I choose to believe in God. I choose to believe all things come from God.

Colossians 1:16 (New International Version)

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

As my daughter was going through her lesson with Quinn, I went to see another horse named Blue, who also lives at the stables. He's a beautiful horse, with a friendly temperament. As gentle as he is, he's still young and working through some poor habits. He would frequently "lip" my hand as I stroked his cheek and neck. He never bit- just licked me (yes, licked) and used his lips to "hold" my hand. Blue also yawned several times in a row while I was present. It was something I'd never seen before and struck me as extremely funny- something you'd expect to see from Mr. Ed. God certainly has a sense of humor.

Good Night

On The Treadmill...

So, here it is, Wednesday. Hump Day. The middle of the week. It was a busy day in IT-land. There never seems to be a shortage of problems to resolve, systems to fix and duties to carry out. I'm thankful for the opportunity, but it feels as though it should be Friday evening. Maybe that's just laziness talking.

Whatever we're in the middle of, whether it's a long work week or a true hardship, let's stay strong and finish the race. Let's knuckle down and accomplish God's purpose for our life, one step at a time.

A house is built brick by brick. A human life is built one day at a time. Let's keep our eye on the prize.

Acts 20:24 (New International Version)

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Good Night

Just A Quick Hello

I have to admit that I'm a little tired and not terribly motivated to blog this evening. Things aren't going badly, I just don't have a lot to say. I'm sleepy and the act of resting my head on the pillow for the night is really attractive.

I will say this:

To all of the people I've ever hurt or let down, "I'm truly sorry".

To all of the people in my life whom don't hear it enough, "I Love You".

For all of the blown opportunities to take the high road and build character, "Please forgive me, Jesus".

For every good thing placed in my life, either cherished or taken for granted, "Thank you, Lord".

Good Night

Who is Jesus to You?

It's a simple question. "Who is Jesus to you?"

In Luke, we see the blind beggar calling out to the Lord in order to have have his eyesight restored. Rather than instantly restoring vision to the man, Jesus asked "What do you want me to do for you?" It was when the beggar requested physical restoration, and believed it would be done by faith, that he was healed.

Luke 18:35-43 (New International Version)

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied.

Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

In that moment in time, the beggar was filled with faith that the Lord would heal his eyesight. He wanted healing- and he had faith that was focused like a laser beam upon the Lord, just where it should be.

What is it that we want from God? Who is Jesus to us? Do we have faith and is it directed toward Jesus? If the Lord were standing here before me, I can assure you I'd be asking for my eyesight. But, how often are we placing our faith in other things like wealth, status, etc. How many times are we asking for things that might not line up with God's best for us?

Just something to think about...

Good Night

Everything But the Kitchen Sink

Oy! Today was busy, but fruitful.

The day began with a cuddle with my lovely wife and a trip to Starbucks where a Venti Black and White and a slab of Chocolate Banana Coffeecake brought my brain to life. Church services were awesome. It was a great message from our pastor about the friend and judge of Jesus. He's the perfect parent; His grace is sufficient for us- covering anything we've ever done wrong in our past.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (New International Version)

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

However, at the end of days, grace will stop and judgment will come, separating the saved from the unsaved for all of eternity. He loves humankind so much that he's making sure we've all been informed of the Good News and have ample time to choose Him, before the separation begins.

Revelation 14:9-10 (New International Version)

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.

It was also missions week and we were blessed to run a high-tech Skype conference with a couple whom are currently serving in Cambodia. It was something to behold, 300 people hearing and seeing missionaries thousands of miles away on the big screens, while out pastor conversed with them wirelessly from the stage. We also heard about City Vibe, an outreach program which assists the homeless in our area. The videos of people living right in our own backyard was heart-wrenching. I really want to help them out in any way that's possible. You should consider it as well.

After service, I updated and quickly rebooted the Windows Server which runs the operations side of the church and then my wife and I grabbed a quick bite at the Pita Pit for a late lunch. Once home, I proceeded to mow the front and side yards before seeing that our neighbor was out working on our shared fence. After assisting our neighbor in hanging brackets, cutting and installing the main supports for our fence, it was time for a break. The kids gathered around the table and we turned our break time into an opportunity to learn. We assembled a few AA batteries, some tape, wire and a spare DC light bulb to make a rudimentary flashlight. After a few minutes, all of our kids knew what an electrical circuit was. (I love science experiments)

After a few more odd tasks outside, it was family dinner time. Ah, lasagna and garlic bread! Dessert came a little later in the form of homemade scones with blackberry jam. What a tasty and delightful way to end the day! Thank you God that we live in a country of such abundance!

It's definitely time to relax with my wife, whom has been cleaning the house, as I've been off doing all of these other things.

Good Night.

It's Time for Rest

Preparation for church tonight was stressful. We were trying to ensure all four check-in laptops were up and running, slides were ready and our video chat with some church members whom are in Cambodia was set to go. A lot of little pieces had to come together just so, in order for the night to come off without a hitch.

All went according to plan, mostly.

Three of four laptops were online, but I had to work on a printing issue with one of the functional computers. Once this was done, a colleague and I ironed out the technical plans for the set order for the evening and ran through as much as we could, leaving only the internet chat as an unrehearsed element. Needless to say, the chat never ended up working out tonight in production. The Cambodia feed was never formally announced and our pastor was never cued up for the the chat due to technical difficulties on our end. He promptly said a prayer and moved into his sermon, so the church body was unaware of what they'd missed. However, we were left scrambling in the sound booth. By the end of the evening, the glitches were overcome and we were cleared for another attempt on Skype during tomorrow's services.

Date night was fun; my wife and I enjoyed a fine dinner from Quizno's and watched Who Do You Think You Are? on our DVR, as well as some other sitcoms. It was time well spent. Tomorrow is a new day. I'm thankful that although I started out as one stressed out puppy, my evening is ending on a calm and peaceful note.

Thank you, Jesus for life. Thank you for the life that's sometimes stressful, nutty, fast-paced and spontaneous. Even when it's bad, with you in control, it's all good.

Good Night

TGIF, but Go! Go! Go!

It's been a busy week and we've finally arrived at the weekend, but there are no signs of a slowdown. I've got to get up in the morning and finish some 'refreshing' of four laptops for the church kid's ministry, meet with the collegepro painters for an estimate for the house, clean the house, mow the yard (if it's not raining) and report to church for rehearsal at 3:00 PM. Thankfully, after church we'll have a few precious hours to get the kids into bed, grab a bite to eat and watch a movie for 'date night'.

After services on Sunday, I've got a couple of IT issues that require attention and whatever time is left in the afternoon will likely be spent catching up on the household items that didn't get done on Saturday. I just don't see much time for rest and recreation this weekend, other than 'date night'. These kind of weekends are tough; when 2 weeks effectively meld together by virtue of a fast paced, busy weekend schedule. At the end of week 2, true rest is long overdue.

I'm not stressed or bitter about it, but sure could use a vacation where we actually get away and do some re-creating as a family. All too often my days off involve doing household chores, volunteering at church, etc. We never seem free to go away on a 'real' vacation. A weekend at the beach sounds nice. Perhaps that is something I can put together within the next couple of months. We'll see what happens.

Good Night

Something Needs to Change

For those of you whom follow my rants each night, I'm sorry about the trend of late. I'm working, trying to stay in the Bible and also help out at church and home. It's not more difficult than what most men tackle, but I find that more often than not, I'm simply exhausted at the end of the day. Some of the fatigue of late has got to do with the way I've allowed my body to deteriorate. Poor eating habits and a sedentary work life are physically taking their toll. I almost never feel energized in the morning, nor after about 8:00 at night. I'm gaining weight at an alarming pace and it's beginning to become physically noticeable. And yet, what have I done to remedy this issue? Nothing.

Several people I know of at work (and at church) are involved in the P90X program. I've seen wonderful real world, tangible results and am beginning to feel the drive inside for a better life for myself physically. It's been tough to tell myself that I'm worth getting in shape for. I've often written off taking care of my body because of my eyesight, not being able to drive anymore, my teeth not being perfectly straight, and many more little defects. I feel unworthy of taking care of myself, which I know is a lie from the enemy, yet I lap it up like a dog does antifreeze.

Hopefully the motivation will be enough to prompt for healthier choices immediately and discipline will be forged, so the changes are lasting. I know I need to do something soon- for both physical and mental health. How can I give my best to my family, my job and the church unless something changes? How can I live God's best, if I don't make proper choices? I seem to forget that I'm not my own. I was bought at a price. And, I'm not handling this body with utmost care. I plan to change that.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (New International Version)

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Good Night

This Well is Dry Tonight

Today was a pretty busy day. There was ample 'busy work' to do and at the end of the day, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Not everything that needed to be done was completed, but there was progression in the right direction.

After work, it was time to race through dinner and then begin the task of rebuilding some laptops for the church for this weekend's service. After kicking off one of the computers, I retreated for a little TV time with my wife and a few minutes to journal my thoughts. I'm thoroughly spent. Now, let's get some rest and pick up tomorrow, where we left off today. God bless you.

Good Night

Tuesday Men's Group - Sort Of

I was so thankful to meet with a coworker today at lunchtime, to listen to the DailyAudioBible podcast and then talk a little bit (well, I was doing more talking than listening) about our insecurities and concerns about our work and home lives. We also spoke of missions and causes that are happening in our world and how we as Christians need to jump in and join them. Items like human trafficking and feeding the homeless were on topic today.

It was nice to have that bit of fellowship during the day today (especially since I've missed the last few Tuesday evenings at church).

Good Night

Sleepy Monday Evening

It's going to be extremely short tonight; it's after 10 PM and I'm in need of rest. Something jumped out at me throughout the podcasts of the day:

The first was Proverbs 12:25. "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." This reminded me of my eldest son, whom often does not hear all of the great things about himself from his father. I need to work on this- especially if I'd like to experience a kind and uplifting word, when I'm feeling down and defeated.

Secondly, it was the story Jill told while filling in for Brian in a dailyaudiobible.com podcast. It was that our society often has reality backward in that we shower favor on the important, or rich, or influential people and skim by those whom are poor, homeless, broken or otherwise rejected by the rest. How crazy is it that we can endorse a wealthy athlete with fancy cars or designer clothes, but the nameless and countless poor are sometimes begging for loose change on the side of the road. True, sometimes they aren't honest in their intention for our generosity. But there are those whom honestly could use a helping hand- and where are we in offering it?

Luke 14:15-24 (New International Version)

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' " 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

Good Night

Another Week Begins

By the subject line, we appear to have been here before. It seems like most Sunday evening's reflection comes in the form of looking at a whole new week and trying to anticipate and prepare for the challenges therein. It's the sad realization that 'fun time' is over for the week and now we're arguably forced to begin the cycle of responsibilities that make our worlds go 'round.

Maybe this is backwards.

Maybe the attitude should be that we 'get' to work for the things which provide for the tangible blessings in our lives, like homes, cars and food. However, too many times we can find ourselves in a rut, not appreciating the blessings God has given us, nor the blessing of the means (employment) to continue a specific lifestyle. Sometimes, when we find ourselves in debt, overextended, over-committed or stressed to the point our backs are against the wall, it's easy to look at the blessings in our lives and count them as curses. It's easy to feel trapped or enslaved.

So tonight, I choose to lay my head down knowing that:

1. God is still on the throne and he loves me
2. I choose to be happy that I've been blessed with a great job and wonderful peers
3. Although I'm underwater in debt, God has a plan for our finances
4. I accept the fact that I'm not in control of much, but I can choose my own attitude
5. I believe that God knows the purpose for my life and he'll reveal it in due time
6. Out of the 6.8 Billion (309 Million in the US) people in the world today, greater than 99% of them would switch lives with me in a second.

Good Night

It's all about Relationships

Tonight after church, my wife and I sat down for a bite of Taco Bell and a DVD after the kids were asleep. We popped in the movie "Old Dogs", which is a funny family film from Disney starring Robin Williams and John Travolta. The premise is two middle aged men whom are business partners and are about to close the biggest deal of their lives, when one of the men unexpectedly "inherits" two children he never knew existed, for a couple of weeks while the mother was indisposed. This time period coincided with the closing of the lucrative business deal. The plot was predictable, but full of laughs and heartwarming moments.

One of the themes of the movie was subtle, but revolved around a "Dad List". This list was made by the little boy, of all the things he wanted to do with his dad once he got the chance. Items such as learning to ride a 2 wheeler, refinishing a deck and camping made the list. These were seemingly basic, rudimentary things. But, they were important to the child. As the movie progressed and relationships were formed, Robin Williams' character created his own "Kids List" and it turned out to be a pivotal element to the outcome of the tale. He ultimately chose his kids.

That got me thinking.

What kind of "Kid List" should I create? How much time am I wasting while my kids are growing up right before my eyes? Am I spending any quality time with them at all? What kind of relationship do I really have with each of my beautiful, wonderful and unique children? What kind of a father am I to the wonderful kids God has given me?

Do you wonder what God's "Kid List" might look like for each one of us? I can only image what we'll be doing once we live in heaven with Him!

Good Night

Another TGIF!

As I sit here tonight, I'm thankful that we're on the eve of another weekend. Although I was sick for a couple of days this work week, I'm glad that we're settling in to a normal weekend.

Before I sign off, I wanted to share a neat moment the Lord shared with me this afternoon. It was one of those "I swear God just spoke into my soul" experiences. After work, I popped in my headphones and hit "play" in my iPhone as I walked to the bus depot. A podcast of the DailyAudioBible was mid-run and between chapters in silence, when I muttered a phrase out loud. "Lord, what do you need from me?"

Suddenly, and without warning, Brian Hardin's voice spoke the word of God: Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. Proverbs 12:24 rang true in my ears, just as if God was simply answering the question I'd asked. It was exactly what I needed to hear at the time.

Good Night

Where Are You, Lord?

It's been no secret that things are not as they should be in my life lately. Work is stressful and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to remain relevant in my field. My kids are out of control at times, mouthing off and being rebellious (well, not all of them), I'm back in debt and my wife is stressing out about certain elements of her job. We know we're blessed, but things seem terribly out of alignment for us.

Yesterday I spoke of Moses in Deuteronomy 30, where Israel was prompted to choose life or death, blessings or curses. Personally, I want to choose life, but I default to death. I yearn for the blessings the Lord has in store, but feel I'm constantly disappointing Him and as a consequence, am living a life of curses amongst the favor.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (New International Version)

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Now, I know that I'm covered by Grace, but I know we still live in a world of cause and effect- what will determine our outcome? I want to succeed, but feel stuck. We want to move forward, but are trolling backward. Something has to change and with a quickness. The way things are spiraling, there is no way this is God's best for us.

I think some of the issue is the lack of personal goals and drive on my part. I have a desire to succeed and grow, but I'm unclear in how to distill the essence of what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. I've never been good at setting realistic goals and sticking to them, however I know how to work hard. I've experienced success by virtue of hard work and direction at times in my life, but it doesn't come naturally to me and I'm in a dry spell of late. Hopefully I can begin anew with setting goals, staying in the Word and working toward something worth accomplishing, instead of just going through the motions in life.

Good Night

Sick!

I've got so much to say, but it will have to keep until tomorrow evening. I'm not feeling well and really need to get into bed and sleep. Let's just say that I've been thinking about my health, state of mind, financial affairs, etc. It would appear no coincidence that all of these elements are lining up with the podcast of Deuteronomy where Moses told the Israelites about blessings and curses, life and death before he passed away.

I'm experiencing some of the manifestation of the curses, rather than blessings of this life. This tells me that I need to examine my life more closely, as I'm straying from the Lord in some areas. I want to live God's best life and that means I must listen to the word and do what it says!

For now, I'm going to think about things and get some rest.

Luke 11:28 (New International Version)

He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Good Night

Thank God for Technology

I wasn't feeling 100 percent today, but I went to work and knocked out a couple of things anyway. The highlight of the day was coming home- how badly I needed my PJ's! I was supposed to go to Men's Group at seven o'clock, but some of the kids were causing issues at dinnertime, my wife was beginning to become stressed, so I decided to stay home. Granted, last week, I missed class because of our car's breakdown. This week was a choice.

Once we were ready for bed, we fired up Skype and talked with my brother, whom has since settled back in to his apartment in Florida. The kids got to say good night and then it was just the "boys". Oh how I miss his company! Even though he's 3,000 miles away, we were able to talk, share video, audio and screens so that it felt like we were "hanging out" together. It was really a lot of fun!

Thank God for blessing us with Computers, the Internet and VoIP Applications like Skype!

1 Timothy 6:17 (New International Version)

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Good Night

Going Through the Motions

Tonight, I'm sitting here without much insight on what to say. This has happened many times before, off and on. However, this is the first time in my life that these events are journaled somewhere. To keep from turning this living testimony into a complaint fest, let's just say it wasn't a horrible day, but not a great one, either.

It was a solid 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being excellent. I allowed some stress experienced today to steal some of my joy. There were flaming darts and instead of hiding behind the full armor of God, I didn't protect myself properly and these fiery arrows hurt me. The devil doesn't take a day off and I know better than to enter the war zone ill-equipped.

Ephesians 6:11 (New International Version)

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Ephesians 6:16 (New International Version)

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Thankfully, tomorrow is a new day.

Good Night

Another Work Week Begins

Here we are, on the verge of beginning another work week. The days off are consumed and it's time to get back to business. My mind is still recounting the events of my brother's visit. There were many tears shed, both happy and sad.

It's kind of funny; this morning, my brother was in my house and tonight he's 3000 miles away in his apartment. Amazing what modern technology and aviation can do. A trip like that would have taken months of grueling travel, not too terribly long ago. As I store up the precious moments of my "mini vacation", I'm going to kick back, relax and give thanks to God.

I'm actually looking forward to getting back into the groove this week; to get back into the Bible and the projects and tasks from my daily work.

Thank you, Jesus!

Good Night

All Good Things Come to an End?

I'm seriously depressed tonight. After a joyous day with my family, it was time to wrap up and go to bed. Although unpleasant, it was an inevitable reality; our brief vacation is over. In the morning, we'll say goodbye to my dear brother and send him on his way back to his home and life in Florida. The kids were taking it pretty hard and I couldn't help but cry as well. Why does distance between our two segments of the family have to be so great? Why are we graced with each others' company only once every year or few?

I never realized how much I genuinely miss my family until we get together. Then, around the last full day of the visit, I start falling apart inside. It's an aching in my heart that just doesn't want to let go. It feels wrong to say good bye to family.

Thankfully, our God never changes and we always have full access to Him through Jesus. I'm going to turn to Him for comfort as I dream tonight.

Hebrews 13:8 (New International Version)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Good Night

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

It seemed like it was only yesterday that I was waiting for my brother to arrive and now we're on the eve of his last day of vacation with us. It's been an absolute pleasure having him here. He's been immersed in our life and hopefully has enough memories and laughs to last until the next time we see him.

I love the relationship I have with my brother.

Have you ever spent time with family and friends and all the while just thought "I wish we could just stay here in this moment"? That's what it's been like these past few days. I never realize how much I miss my family, until I'm blessed with a small amount of time with them. It happens every time they come out, or we journey back East to see them. A great family, with real relationships are so very important.

Imagine how much more God wants that relationship with us!

Good Night

Today was a Great Day

It's been a great day hanging out with my brother, wife and kids. We started out with getting the kids off to school and my wife to work. Then we went out to lunch and watched a movie afterward. Then it was off to pick up the kids and my wife so we could go to my daughter's horseback riding lessons. The night ended with a spaghetti dinner and a couple of rounds of wii boxing. My brother and youngest son were up for a rematch, which was three years in the making.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Good Night

Welcome, Brother!

I'm so excited tonight, I can hardly stand it. Why, you may ask? My brother, Brian is finally in Oregon! A few months ago he said he wanted to come out to the West coast and visit a friend of his for a few days. It turned out that he was then able to rework his flights a bit to stop over in Salem for a few nights. He touched down in PDX a few minutes ago and soon will be on the shuttle to our town. My wife will be there to pick him up (since she's the driver) and I'll make sure everything is ready for his stay.

Thank you God for such a great family and moments like these when we can come together from across the country.

Good Night

100 Days of Walking!

It's been 100 days of blogging goodness! The Lord has supported me and given the discipline to keep writing, good or bad, through these past three plus months. I look forward to walking with you through 200 and finally 365 days.

I'd like to share that the Lord is really allowing us to be tested lately. For those who know me well, you understand that we've recently had our truck repaired to the tune of over $1600. One of the issues we paid to fix has cropped up again, but tonight the truck left us stranded. It's been running fine for months, but suddenly tonight at the store, click. It wouldn't turn over. Lights went off, buzzers and the lift-gate (and about a dozen relays) triggered. It was unexpected, and quite disappointing. After going through the worst case options, we thought it may be a bad battery. Odd though- it's been fine for months, until we had it worked on recently...

A quick phone call to our family friends brought a pair of jumper cables and a good running car. Once boosted, the truck promptly came to life. After idling for a few minutes, our friend left and we decided to loop past Les Schwab to see about buying a new battery. Seeing that they were closed, we turned around and headed for a Napa parts store which was on the way home. No dice, they were also closed. As we cruised along the path toward home, the truck suddenly died again. A kind man stopped to help, as I was pushing the truck into a parking space at a local credit union. We jumped the truck a second time and headed straight home. Thankfully, the Lord saw fit to allow us to complete the journey. Ironically, once in our driveway, the truck continued idling for another 15 minutes, until we chose to shut it down.

Our family friends came through again, lending us a battery charger we're leaving on the truck overnight. Tomorrow, we're hoping to isolate the issue and escape without having to pay through the nose on repairs. We're clinging to the hope and promise of God's protection and provision!

Good Night

I've Got Nothin'

I've got nothing tonight... Really, nothing. When I started this project, it was to somehow spill my thoughts and insights which were biblically influenced with you each evening. Some nights, I was heavily inspired by the day's events, while others I came up short. Tonight, I'm empty.

I'm going to just be quiet.

Psalm 46:10 (New International Version)

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Good Night

Happy Easter

There's not a lot to say tonight, as it's been a long weekend and I'm pretty tired. But, I do want to remind you of something our pastor spoke of during this weekend's service: Easter is about the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not about a bunny, eggs, candy, dressing up or fancy dinners. It's about remembering the work that Jesus did on our behalf- something no one else could accomplish. Thank you Jesus, for loving us enough to be willing to die horribly on a cross in our place and then rising again in order to prepare a place for us in Heaven.

Happy Easter, Jesus.

Good Night

Early Easter Celebration at Church

Tonight was the culmination of many hours worth of preparation and sacrifice for many, many volunteers and staff at West Salem Foursquare. We kicked off the Easter weekend with the first 2 of five services. As expected, nerves were raw, stress levels were high and there were glitches in rehearsal and during the live performance. And yet it was still amazing.

Our pastor was on tap, slinging a wonderful message about the relevancy of Jesus yesterday, today and tomorrow. As usual, he blended in some elements of humor and fun to keep things interesting. Tonight, his manner of "extra-cheese" was appreciated, as the church was subject to old school 3-D imagery on our brand new, gorgeous wide screens. Our worship leader led a series of fast paced jams, videos and mash-ups of songs which created an incredibly intimate atmosphere for all involved. By the time the second service rolled around, there were still minor goofs in the presentation (of which I was not immune), but overall the service ran much more smoothly than the first time and the crowds were apparently growing larger.

As I sit and write this blog tonight, I pray that those attending tonight were blessed. Those attending tomorrow are in for a real treat as well.

Good Night

Good Friday 2010

Here we are, Good Friday 2010. It was this day many years ago, when the whole point of Jesus' life came to fruition. Our Savior, whom we celebrate the birth of every year at Christmastime, had grown into a man and had fulfilled his purpose by being crucified on a cross. He committed no sin, but paid the penalty of death for ours.

Thank you Jesus for your life, death, resurrection and ascension!

Matthew 27:32-28:6 (New International Version)

The Crucifixion
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"

In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

The Burial of Jesus
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."

"Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Matthew 28

The Resurrection
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

Amen to that! He's preparing a place for you and me right now...

Good Night

It's time for Faith

When I woke up this morning, I saw that there was an iTunes update for my computer. Naturally, I installed the update but was shocked with what occurred once it applied to the system. The iMac began playing the Leopard 'Welcome' video. You know- the same one which plays once you set up OS X for the first time. And then... black screen. No mouse, keyboard shortcuts, Nada. This was before heading off to work, so I couldn't troubleshoot it until later this afternoon. I was worried. Not insanely worried, but bothered by the possibility that my beloved Macintosh could have an issue.

Yesterday we received a call from the car dealership to which we'd turned in our vehicle for some repairs. They had our car apart and we had their loaner car- we were married to the process, but didn't know what to expect. We had a warranty (extended) and had hoped the three things we wanted repaired would be covered. Alas, the call from our friendly maintenance man articulated the fact that our 'power train' warranty didn't actually cover ANY of the items we needed repaired. A couple of the items were safety related, so what were we to do? It was a lot more than we could afford, but we need our car back- and in proper running condition. More worry and anxiety, maxed out credit cards and bondage...

It seems like things are starting to go wrong all around us and are railing against our finances and our confidence. We need to remember to cast our care on Him; to ask him for help and have faith that He will come through and help us in our time of need. It's time to 'walk the walk' and build beliefs on bedrock, instead of getting swept away in the torrents of this life. I seemingly lose my way when things get rough and I am hoping to share with you in the coming days, how the Lord has delivered us from this turmoil. If I look back in my life, I see many examples of his intervention. Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of this fact.

Matthew 7:24-27 (New International Version)

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Philippians 4:6 (New International Version)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Psalm 55:22 (New International Version)

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Matthew 16:8-10 (New International Version)

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?

Good Night