These days we are in are seasons of change...
Today was the first day our church has started meeting in a home for our Sunday service. There are many financial reasons that sum up to insufficient funds for us to rent a building at this time; but to be clear, lack of tithing by our congregation is not one of them.
For the past two years, up through last week, we had been meeting at an elementary school and that had been okay, but it became clear that we were to move on. For nine and one-half years prior to that we rented a building from another church until that church decided they could/should get more money than we were able to pay.
Today's service was very much a blessing! We are where God wants us to be in this season. What more can we really ask for? It was an intimate time together.
Our church doesn't seem like much when compared to the many mega-churches in our city, but it is more than okay because God hasn't called us to be one of those. I believe that we get caught in the trap of the standards by which today's churches are judged against other churches and the "successful" church is the one that has grown to have thousands of people and built large edifices and have multiple services. If you don't have that and don't look like that, your church appears to be a failure. There were times that Jesus had a church of thousands. Most of the time he had a dozen or so followers. If that was good enough for Him, shouldn't that be good enough for us if that is what he has called us to? I think it is. Additionally, His Word tells us that when we judge ourselves against others we are without understanding spiritually.
On a different but kind of related note, our son left to go back to Norman, Oklahoma yesterday. He needed to be back this evening for his job as an RA. Originally he was going to leave today, but prompted by the Holy Spirit decided it would be better to drive part of the way yesterday afternoon and then complete the drive today. We had been keeping an eye on the weather in relation to his need to travel, but the forecast on showed a very slight chance of any precipitation or possible bad weather through today, but we each one had that feeling from the Spirit that he needed to leave yesterday. I'm glad we heard that prompting so clearly.
Snow started falling this morning about 6:00 a.m. and we had about 3 to 4 inches in less than two hours. Roads quickly turned to sheets of slick, icy, packed snow, and I'm sure that similar conditions existed all the way to the South where he would have had to drive today. That would have been pretty lousy conditions for him to drive in.
The time our son was home, short though it was, was very much a blessing. When he is home, the average decibel level in our home escalates unbelievably. His voice is resonant (a.k.a. loud) when he isn't being attentive to keep it down. That's okay. That's just who he is. We had some good talks and just enjoyed being together as a family again. Also, as he noted on his blog recently, he is perhaps as happy as anyone can remember seeing him in a long while. Hurray!
I am grateful beyond words for the work God has done and is doing in him. What more can a parent ask for?
Our older daughter (middle child) was home from her first semester of college as well. She had a very rough first semester, but we are able to see God's Hand at work in her life. There is much He is desiring to teach her about herself in this time. It is hard as a parent to wait and watch as this process takes place. We have this desire to want to save, or at least help, our children when they are in difficult places in their lives. Our daughter came home very down and very discouraged. She had a hard time making new friends which is odd for her. She had a hard time getting plugged in with any of the college ministries because she found there wasn't the depth there that she was expecting. She was talking about wanting to change schools, change majors, wanting to change pretty much everything. There were many difficult emotional things that occurred and our feeling is that she felt like she just wanted to run away from what this semester of school has been. Fortunately, she has calmed down and started to hear the Holy Spirit speaking His peace to her heart and spirit and soul. We're praying for this next semester to be better for her. We are also praying for her to invest in the ministry where God calls her to.
She will be home for a couple more weeks before returning to college and I'm hoping for more opportunities to talk with her during this period of time. This is her season of change...
I want to take a line and note for my kids that I am so very proud of each of them. Each one is special and each one has their special gifting and nothing can take away from who God has made them to be.
It is a season where many of us are reflecting on things of the past, things that are happening in these days and considering things that will soon come about. I could write pages of the other things that this relates to for us, but I think you get the idea.
I am so thankful that we have the One that cares about us and leads us in these changing seasons.
May God bless you!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Not A New Year's Resolution
I've never been a big one for New Year's Resolutions.
I kind of tried last year.
Kerry and I joined the local Fitness 19 in December '06 and we were going to be working out together. It was a great plan and was working okay until January 3, the beginning of our annual New Year's ski trip with the kids, and Kerry's back went out almost as bad as it ever has. We had rented a condo up in the mountains so we could ski for 3 days. As Kerry was getting dressed that first morning, she bent over to pull on socks or something and slipped her disc. She couldn't hardly move much less ski. Needless to say, she wouldn't be working out when we got home. It took many months and physical therapy for her to recover. Since I had joined the gym with Kerry mainly to encourage her to go, my motivation to go by myself was pretty low, so it was pretty much done when she was injured.
When spring came around last year, I went back to riding my mountain bike for some semblance of exercise. I realized then that I probably should have continued going to the gym. ;) Anyway, after biking through the summer and fall I got to be in the condition I was wishing I was in back in the spring... So my challenge for this winter has been to not lose the conditioning gained in the past year, I've been going to "spin" classes at my favorite away-from-home hangout, the local bike shop (LBS). Spin classes, for those of you that may not know, are where you put your bicycle on a stationary trainer, get on your bike, and torture yourself (with the encouragement of an instructor) by pedaling at varying speeds and levels of resistance for an hour and a half. Occasionally (about once a week) engaging in this joyous activity has helped get me through the holiday eating season with only somewhat minimal weight gain. But now that the eating season has passed I have resolved to attend these classes in earnest, which means about three times a week.
This is not a new year's resolution, hence the title of the post. This is a goal to enable me to better participate in some of the biking activities I'm planning on this year. These planned activities include (barring schedule conflicts):
* Riding more, maybe all, of the mountain bike races in the Winter Park series (I did two of six last year);
* Riding in a 69 mile endurance race in Laramie, Wyoming;
* Possibly riding as part of a four man team in a 24 hour race in Gunnison, Colorado;
* Courage Classic to benefit 'The Children's Hospital' (this is looking less likely now because it conflicts with the just announced schedule for the Laramie race).
This should fill up most weekends of the summer.
Until then I'm going to be busy trying to rid myself of about 20 unneeded and unwanted pounds and whip myself into shape to be able to give it everything this 44 year-old body can muster.
Sound crazy?
It may be, but it'll be good.
Care to join me?
And since I've never been big on New Year's Resolutions...
I kind of tried last year.
Kerry and I joined the local Fitness 19 in December '06 and we were going to be working out together. It was a great plan and was working okay until January 3, the beginning of our annual New Year's ski trip with the kids, and Kerry's back went out almost as bad as it ever has. We had rented a condo up in the mountains so we could ski for 3 days. As Kerry was getting dressed that first morning, she bent over to pull on socks or something and slipped her disc. She couldn't hardly move much less ski. Needless to say, she wouldn't be working out when we got home. It took many months and physical therapy for her to recover. Since I had joined the gym with Kerry mainly to encourage her to go, my motivation to go by myself was pretty low, so it was pretty much done when she was injured.
When spring came around last year, I went back to riding my mountain bike for some semblance of exercise. I realized then that I probably should have continued going to the gym. ;) Anyway, after biking through the summer and fall I got to be in the condition I was wishing I was in back in the spring... So my challenge for this winter has been to not lose the conditioning gained in the past year, I've been going to "spin" classes at my favorite away-from-home hangout, the local bike shop (LBS). Spin classes, for those of you that may not know, are where you put your bicycle on a stationary trainer, get on your bike, and torture yourself (with the encouragement of an instructor) by pedaling at varying speeds and levels of resistance for an hour and a half. Occasionally (about once a week) engaging in this joyous activity has helped get me through the holiday eating season with only somewhat minimal weight gain. But now that the eating season has passed I have resolved to attend these classes in earnest, which means about three times a week.
This is not a new year's resolution, hence the title of the post. This is a goal to enable me to better participate in some of the biking activities I'm planning on this year. These planned activities include (barring schedule conflicts):
* Riding more, maybe all, of the mountain bike races in the Winter Park series (I did two of six last year);
* Riding in a 69 mile endurance race in Laramie, Wyoming;
* Possibly riding as part of a four man team in a 24 hour race in Gunnison, Colorado;
* Courage Classic to benefit 'The Children's Hospital' (this is looking less likely now because it conflicts with the just announced schedule for the Laramie race).
This should fill up most weekends of the summer.
Until then I'm going to be busy trying to rid myself of about 20 unneeded and unwanted pounds and whip myself into shape to be able to give it everything this 44 year-old body can muster.
Sound crazy?
It may be, but it'll be good.
Care to join me?
And since I've never been big on New Year's Resolutions...
It is Not A New Year's Resolution!
It's an achievable goal.
It's an achievable goal.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
I Wouldn't Have Missed It For the World
They got married yesterday and I wouldn't have missed it for the world... but we almost did!
I posted The Announcement back in September about a young couple's engagement and forthcoming wedding.
- God had some things for me to learn along the way... especially in regard to casting my cares and burdens upon Him. I had to learn more about letting go and trusting the Lord with the lives of those that are precious to me. -
Their wedding, you see, was in a city 130 miles to the North of where we live -- about 2-1/2 hours drive in good weather -- and yesterday was a snowy, borderline blizzard-like day here in Colorado. It took us over three hours to drive up to where the wedding was. There was blowing snow, very icy roads, and several accidents along the way up and back. We got tied up in traffic about 20 miles from our destination and moved about two miles in half an hour... needless to say, we started getting a tad nervous about making it on time. We have other friends that had planned on going, but decided not to go because of the bad weather. I can't say that I blame them since it was less than an enjoyable drive, but for us it was well worth it.
My previous post is about a group of four young men that have been together all of their lives. The groom was the second born of those young men. He and my son have been best friends pretty much all their lives. The bride was a close friend of my son's through high school and his date for the senior prom. This young couple is very special and important to us. Our son was the best man and our oldest daughter was a bridesmaid.
So this is a rambling post to say that we spent about six to seven hours driving yesterday to be able to spend about six hours celebrating (wedding and reception) with a precious young couple as they joined their lives together.
Thanks and all praise be to God Who made it possible for us to be there with them and to get us home safely.
I posted The Announcement back in September about a young couple's engagement and forthcoming wedding.
- God had some things for me to learn along the way... especially in regard to casting my cares and burdens upon Him. I had to learn more about letting go and trusting the Lord with the lives of those that are precious to me. -
Their wedding, you see, was in a city 130 miles to the North of where we live -- about 2-1/2 hours drive in good weather -- and yesterday was a snowy, borderline blizzard-like day here in Colorado. It took us over three hours to drive up to where the wedding was. There was blowing snow, very icy roads, and several accidents along the way up and back. We got tied up in traffic about 20 miles from our destination and moved about two miles in half an hour... needless to say, we started getting a tad nervous about making it on time. We have other friends that had planned on going, but decided not to go because of the bad weather. I can't say that I blame them since it was less than an enjoyable drive, but for us it was well worth it.
My previous post is about a group of four young men that have been together all of their lives. The groom was the second born of those young men. He and my son have been best friends pretty much all their lives. The bride was a close friend of my son's through high school and his date for the senior prom. This young couple is very special and important to us. Our son was the best man and our oldest daughter was a bridesmaid.
So this is a rambling post to say that we spent about six to seven hours driving yesterday to be able to spend about six hours celebrating (wedding and reception) with a precious young couple as they joined their lives together.
Thanks and all praise be to God Who made it possible for us to be there with them and to get us home safely.
Four Boys Became Four Young Men
Last evening four men gathered together to remember a time 11 or 12 years ago when we got together to pray over four boys. These are our boys: all within two years of age, that have grown up together from birth and have been friends all along the way.
This is not so common in these mobile days where families move from place to place and state to state for jobs and such. We've been extremely blessed that we've all been able to stay in one place and have our church family for the entirety of our children's growing up years, and so have our children.
These four boys played together, fought thousands of imaginary battles together, fought amongst themselves a time or two (more than once over a stick imagined to be a light saber), and played countless hours of XBox together. Most importantly they have prayed together and encouraged one another.
Now all four have left home and gone off to college.
Yesterday one got married.
Last evening we remembered these little boys that we prayed over. When we prayed for them, prayed that they would be Godly brothers for one another. That their friendships would endure. That they would be there to encourage one another. That as they were growing up there would always be the place to love one another, be able to bring correction to each other, that they would rally to each other and be there to help each other. God, in His amazing faithfulness, answered this prayer.
And last night at a wedding reception, we remembered.
This is not so common in these mobile days where families move from place to place and state to state for jobs and such. We've been extremely blessed that we've all been able to stay in one place and have our church family for the entirety of our children's growing up years, and so have our children.
These four boys played together, fought thousands of imaginary battles together, fought amongst themselves a time or two (more than once over a stick imagined to be a light saber), and played countless hours of XBox together. Most importantly they have prayed together and encouraged one another.
Now all four have left home and gone off to college.
Yesterday one got married.
Last evening we remembered these little boys that we prayed over. When we prayed for them, prayed that they would be Godly brothers for one another. That their friendships would endure. That they would be there to encourage one another. That as they were growing up there would always be the place to love one another, be able to bring correction to each other, that they would rally to each other and be there to help each other. God, in His amazing faithfulness, answered this prayer.
And last night at a wedding reception, we remembered.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas
I just wanted to take a minute and wish by blog-world friends
Merry Christmas!
May the Lord our God richly and abundantly bless you all.
Merry Christmas!
May the Lord our God richly and abundantly bless you all.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Grieving
I have not much to say besides my heart is stirred with anguish and grief.
Two shootings today here in Colorado. Both at places of committed to serving and loving others; places committed to sharing and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ come to earth that we might be forgiven from our sin and that we might inherit eternal life.
As of the most recent report, four people are dead, many others wounded.
Two of the staff at a Youth With a Mission (YWAM) ministry center in Arvada.
Two people at the campus of New Life Church. One an attendee and the other the shooter.
I have wept and my heart continues to grieve.
Come forth Holy Spirit, Comforter, to these many here who need you. Be poured out I pray on this generation.
Oh God, unless you guard the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.
Two shootings today here in Colorado. Both at places of committed to serving and loving others; places committed to sharing and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ come to earth that we might be forgiven from our sin and that we might inherit eternal life.
As of the most recent report, four people are dead, many others wounded.
Two of the staff at a Youth With a Mission (YWAM) ministry center in Arvada.
Two people at the campus of New Life Church. One an attendee and the other the shooter.
I have wept and my heart continues to grieve.
Come forth Holy Spirit, Comforter, to these many here who need you. Be poured out I pray on this generation.
Oh God, unless you guard the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.
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