Saturday December 12, 2009

spent the day in Seattle with Melissa. people watching. shopping. good time. Four more years and she will be off at college somewhere. She even walked arm in arm with me. It was very sweet. There are some freaky looking people in Seattle so maybe that is why she was holding on to me. We went to Vivace and got a latte. Went into a snowboard shop and found a ridiculous green body suit. We bought it as a Christmas present from the girls to me. We went to Pacific Place mall and walked around looking at all the insane prices of things. True Religion jeans $319. Unreal. We ate sushi for lunch, walked down to Pike Street Market and then came home. Awesome time. Kris and Hannah were cooking at the McCollums today. Terri had a catering gig tonight so Kris and Hannah were using their mad "iron chef" skills all day.
Just got through reading Ted Dekker's The Slumber of Christianity, Awakening the passion for Heaven on Earth. Now I am reading Anne Graham Lotz book Vision of His Glory, Finding Hope through the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Incredible reading. Touching my soul. Two days ago I went to see the "New Moon" movie. I love movies that can transport me to another place. Years ago I read the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice and was lost int the vampire world so I guess that is why I like Twilight so much. Plus my daughters are obsessed with it. Thinking of my sister today, Alabama, my parents. Also wish I could get more time with my brother and his family. need to figure that out. I love my job. I hope it doesn't end any time soon. Kris and I are blessed to have the friends we have through our small group. After serving at dessert theater together a few of us camped out at Redhook and listened to the "Unoriginals" play cover songs last night. Good times. tomorrow I am teaching Soulfuel, my brother turns 49, maybe watch some football and then chill with the Bakers to end the day watching "it's a wonderful life" drama presentation.

California

spent the weekend in California with my daughter Hannah. flew to San Jose, drove to Sonora, hung out with my parents, swam in the pool, drove to the McIntoshs, hung with Greg, went to old Los Gatos Church now called Venture, ran into Shawna Harris (wow that was a long time ago), drove the long way up hwy 9 to Ben Lomand to Greg's wedding, went to Bogeys, stayed up late talking with Gaylene (I will forever love her), Carmen, & Greg. got up early Monday flew standby back home.

Jesus

He is the one who can tell us the reason for our existence, our place in the scheme of things, our real identity. It is an identity we can't discover ourselves, that others can't discover in us-- the mystery of who we really are. How we have chased around the world for answers to that riddle, looked in the eyes of others for some hint, some clue, hunted in the multiple worlds of pleasure and experience and self-fulfillment for some glimpse, some revelation, some wisdom, some authority to tell us our right name and our true destination. But there it was, and is, the One who can tell us this: The Lord himself. And he wants to tell us, he has made us to know our reason for being and to be led by it. But it is a secret he will entrust to us only when we ask, and then in his own way and his own time. He will whisper it to us not in the mad rush and fever of our striving and our fierce determination to be someone, but rather when we are content to rest in him, to put ourselves into his keeping, into his hands. Most delightfully of all, it is a secret he will tell us slowly and sweetly, when we are willing to spend time with him. {Emilie Griffin}

A proverbs 31 wife.... my wife Kris

The Good Wife

It is hard to find a good wife, because she is worth more than rubies. Her husband trusts her completely. With her, he has everything he needs. She does him good and not harm for as long as she lives. She looks for wool and flax and likes to work with her hands. She is like a trader's ship, bringing food from far away. She gets up while it is still dark and prepares food for her family and feeds her servant girls. She inspects a field and buys it. With money she earned, she plants a vineyard. She does her work with energy, and her arms are strong. She knows that what she makes is good. Her lamp burns late into the night. She makes thread with her hands and weaves her own cloth. She welcomes the poor and helps the needy. She does not worry about her family when it snows, because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm. She makes coverings for herself; her clothes are made of linen and other expensive material. Her husband is known at the city meetings, where he makes decisions as one of the leaders of the land. She makes linen clothes and sells them and provides belts to the merchants. She is strong and is respected by the people. She looks forward to the future with joy. She speaks wise words and teaches others to be kind. She watches over her family and never wastes her time. Her children speak well of her. Her husband also praises her,saying, "There are many fine women, but you are better than all of them." Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised. Give her the reward she has earned; she should be praised in public for what she has done.

Kris, my wonderful wife

I found my wife at the University Inn in Eugene and she is worth more than any precious stone. I trust her completely, I need to look no further for my needs. She does me good and not harm and will do so her entire life. She shops at Trader Joes, decorates our house, repaints the rooms annually and recovers the kitchen chairs always making our home look wonderful. She always puts others needs before her. Even the cats get their share of her love. She goes on Ebay and Craigslist to find amazing deals on Tivos and tables and plants for our home. She works at the church not only to supplement our income but to invest in the lives of young people. She is smart and talented, so much so I am amazed every day. She is thoughtful and insightful and caring for so many. She cares so much for others, she foregoes her needs for the needs of others. She takes the kids to garage sales to find amazing deals. She takes our girls to Ross for fashionable yet affordable clothing. She cares for people in need. She thinks of those less fortunate. She cooks for those that are sick. She does not worry about her family when it snows, for she knows they are skiing and drinking hot chocolate at Stevens Pass. She has leopard clothing… from knee high boots, to blouses, to coats. I love it, and it gets me excited. I was known in the land of Seattle as the punt returner for a number of years. She was by my side for all of them. She comforted me when they booed. She cared for me when I skinned my knee. She is bold enough to walk into church with her knee high leopard boots. She influences young women and girls to also wear leopard and be proud. She listens to teenage girls. She sympathizes like no other. She truly cares for their needs and understands their fears. She is like a soft blanket they can wrap around themselves in the winter time and feel warm. Her children love her and admire her. They don’t always know how to express it but will be wise to grow up just like her. Of all the foxes and babes out there, Kris you are better then all of them. Some may appear to have something on you but they are deceitful and are from the pit of hell. Kris loves God. She follows Jesus. I don’t tell everyone enough how amazing she is. Hey everyone… Kris is amazing and wonderful and smart and thoughtful and a good cook and sexy and makes my heart thump after 17 years of marriage just as she did when I first met her.

"Man vs God" a Wall street Journal article

I copied and pasted a couple of lines out of the article in The Wall Street Journal recently ran. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574405030643556324.html
Too much to comment on the whole thing but here are couple of my thoughts in italics...

The laws of physics, before Darwinian evolution bursts out from their midst, can make rocks and sand, gas clouds and stars, whirlpools and waves, whirlpool-shaped galaxies and light that travels as waves while behaving like particles. It is an interesting, fascinating and, in many ways, deeply mysterious universe. by definition the author of this article contradicts their premise. calling the universe deeply mysterious says that it is beyond understanding. and yet they draw their line in the sand and say "there is no God." --> mystery 1 a : a religious truth that one can know only by revelation and cannot fully understand 2 a : something not understood or beyond understanding 3 : profound, inexplicable, or secretive quality or character

There never was a rock that bounded like a kangaroo, never a pebble that crawled like a beetle seeking a mate, never a sand grain that swam like a water flea. Has there never been something like that or has there never been something like that witnessed by scientists of the 21st century that can be documented and tested and retested? (the red sea parting, water turning to wine, the burning bush speaking to moses, jesus walking on water, etc...)
Making the universe is the one thing no intelligence, however superhuman, could do, because an intelligence is complex—statistically improbable —and therefore had to emerge, by gradual degrees, from simpler beginnings: from a lifeless universe—the miracle-free zone that is physics. This is nothing more than an age old plea from God, "Lord, give me a miracle and I will believe in you."

It doesn't matter whether God exists in a scientific sense. What matters is whether he exists for you or for me. If God is real for you, who cares whether science has made him redundant? Another way of saying God is whatever you think he is. In essence let's all just create our own God out of what works for us. what an insult to the creator of everything that exists. no wonder he is pissed. Thank God I have a been justified by Jesus' death and resurrection so that he isn't pissed at me.

Richard Dawkin's premise is there is no God. So he uses science to argue that point. Scientific evolution as so many holes in it, it is a joke. The sad thing if you really think about it, without God there is no hope. without hope your spirit dies. my hope is in Jesus. my belief is in Jesus. The universe is a mystery, that I agree with. It is beyond my comprehension. It is beyond anyone's comprehension. That in and of itself points me to a Creator beyond my comprehension. And yet God has revealed himself to us through Scripture. He doesn't give us every detail, but he gives us enough. God created life. He gave man free will. With that free will man sinned against God. To be reconciled back to God, Jesus paid our penalty. To claim that payment, we must acknowledge Jesus above all names and put our faith in him. It makes sense to me, the same way we have laws and penalties and payments here in our justice system.

Anonymous white guy

Hey anonymous white guy talking on your cell phone about really important things with your cool glasses and your sport coat and slacks and wing tip shoes all shiny and black... I am glad I am not you. I am on my motorcycle with the wind in my face wearing comfortable clothes.

The Falling Man

I just got through watching 9/11 The Falling Man. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnA9FjvLSU Many things going through my mind. I have jumped from what feels like some high places. From my roof, from a high school building, from a 60-70 foot cliff into water, from an airplane skydiving. But to think about being in the World Trade Center as it is burning as smoke is filling the rooms and stair wells and heat that can only be unimaginable and to be so desperate that someone would knock out a window just to breathe then come to the realization of burning or suffocating to death that they would rather jump out to a 1000 foot drop and ultimately to their death really blows my mind. Listening to the loved ones of those that died in 9/11 also makes me think about the pettiness in life. About my pettiness in life. The things I get wrapped up in, the things I get mad about, the things I let bother me, the times I am too harsh with my daughters, the times I am selfish with my wife. As I listen to people talk about their loved ones that died prematurely who they can no longer talk to and laugh with and be with, I think about how ungrateful and petty and selfish I can be with those that I still have. I am sorry Diane how you feel treated by me. I am thinking about you today. Why do things like 9/11 happen? Two thoughts. First is that to have true love, genuine love and authentic love there has to be choice. When two people choose to love each other that is true and authentic. When there is not choice, when one is forced to be in a relationship we would all agree that isn't true love, in fact that is wrong. To be forced into something against your will is wrong. So it is with the Creator of our Universe. God made us for relationship but not a forced one. He gives us choice. For God wants true love from us, not forced love. Because forced love is not genuine, not real. But with choice comes the decision to choose otherwise. The decision to choice evil and selfishness. People in the world choose evil and selfishness. We all do, at times. The consequences of those choices are things like 9/11. So what's the flipside? Is there any redemption out of 9/11? What is our natural gut reaction to a horror like 9/11? To Pray. Life can cause you to pray. Praying is a connection with God. It is one step in the process of relationship with God. Pray. Are we compelled to pray with comfort and success and everything going right in our life? Not as much. But almost universally we pray in tragedy. We pray because life is beyond our comprehension at times. We ask God for comfort, for healing, for a miracle, for understanding. Many times the answers to those prayers don't come in a package that we want or even in a way that we can recognize. The cool thing is that God always answers prayers. Yes.... NO.... Wait....
What are you praying about today?