Have a great book to recommend. Right now I'm reading "Anonymous: Jesus' Hidden Years" by Alicia Britt Chole. She writes in a thoughtful, reflective tone. Here is a sample:
10% visible + 90% unseen = an indestructible life
Icebergs do not grow their virtually indestructible strength top down, but bottom up. Over countless millennia, falling snow melts and refreezes layer upon layer, creating enormous ice sheets over land and extending ice shelves over the sea. When chunks break off these icy masses they are referred to as icbergs and are monitored closely because of their profound effect upon sea life and shipping.
The point being that an iceberg's strength does not emerge overnight but grows slowly, layer upon layer, over time. Likewise, Jesus' spiritual reslove did not suddenly materialize the moment he stepped into the desert. His ability to throw out an anchor in God's Word and reposition his roaring feelings behind God's will was not an istant acquisition. That strength had been growing steadily in unapplauded places as Jesus developed a severely underrated value.
More tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Back to Blogging!
Had one of those weeks! The garbage disposal went out. The dishwasher went out. The in-laws were here for the week. You get the picture!
Had a special contribution for our building project yesterday. The goal was $50,000. We collected $90,000!!! A lot of people sacrificed to make this happen! Even better, we're getting a lot of fringe people to come and volunteer some time on the building. (We're doing a lot of sweat equity). Some of our new members are volunteering too! Love it.
BUT - we are also having a booth at the Western Stampede Days in West Jordan, VBS is going forward! Our children's ministry is having Kid's Kamp on Sunday mornings, our women's ministry is hosting a women's day in August at Valley Assembly since our building will be in shambles with packing! We are not just about the building this summer!
The van was totaled. We're now trying to decide what to replace it with. We are leaning toward a Honda Odyssey. A friend of mine will sell me a brand new one for cost. (Still expensive!) I think we'll go for it. Just trying to get over having a car payment again after a few years without one.
I am back to driving a pick up! A member of Southside gave me (yes, gave me!) a 1997 Ford F150 pick up in excellent condition. A lot of people told me that it looks natural for me to be behind the wheel! First thing I had to do? Put a Razorback sticker on the back window. Now I just need to find a gun rack at a garage sale and I'm all set.
Hey, you can take the boy out of Arkansas, but you can't take Arkansas out of the boy!
Had a special contribution for our building project yesterday. The goal was $50,000. We collected $90,000!!! A lot of people sacrificed to make this happen! Even better, we're getting a lot of fringe people to come and volunteer some time on the building. (We're doing a lot of sweat equity). Some of our new members are volunteering too! Love it.
BUT - we are also having a booth at the Western Stampede Days in West Jordan, VBS is going forward! Our children's ministry is having Kid's Kamp on Sunday mornings, our women's ministry is hosting a women's day in August at Valley Assembly since our building will be in shambles with packing! We are not just about the building this summer!
The van was totaled. We're now trying to decide what to replace it with. We are leaning toward a Honda Odyssey. A friend of mine will sell me a brand new one for cost. (Still expensive!) I think we'll go for it. Just trying to get over having a car payment again after a few years without one.
I am back to driving a pick up! A member of Southside gave me (yes, gave me!) a 1997 Ford F150 pick up in excellent condition. A lot of people told me that it looks natural for me to be behind the wheel! First thing I had to do? Put a Razorback sticker on the back window. Now I just need to find a gun rack at a garage sale and I'm all set.
Hey, you can take the boy out of Arkansas, but you can't take Arkansas out of the boy!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
Just want to wish all the Fathers a Happy Father's Day tomorrow. I think my family picked me up a copy of "Blazing Angels" for my Father's Day present. (It is a game for the Wiii; you fly war world two planes. Pretty cool!).
The last time I celebrated Father's Day was 1974. A few weeks later, my father passed away at age 41 of a cerebral hemmorage of the brain. I still miss him. I can still hear his voice. I can smell him. I can still hear his laugh.
I see my dad in certian expressions on my kids faces. He would have been a fun grandparent.
More and more, I see that I am becoming just like my dad in the things I say and do. I sure hope so.
The last time I celebrated Father's Day was 1974. A few weeks later, my father passed away at age 41 of a cerebral hemmorage of the brain. I still miss him. I can still hear his voice. I can smell him. I can still hear his laugh.
I see my dad in certian expressions on my kids faces. He would have been a fun grandparent.
More and more, I see that I am becoming just like my dad in the things I say and do. I sure hope so.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
I'm hooked
A friend of mine and I started watching "24" season one last night. Neither one of us had ever watched an episode. This conversation started at prayer breakfast a few weeks ago - we were bemoaning the lack of good shows to watch in the summer.
So, we made a pact to watch "24" to see what all the buzz was about. He found the first season DVDs for $19.99; I found season two for $16.99. We took it as a sign that we should indeed begin watching. We watched the first two episodes last night. Holy cow! We are both hooked!
Only 22 hours to go to finish day one.
Our goal is to get caught up by the time the new season starts! We got a lotta "24" to go! Any of you "24" fans?
Trying to rest up from being rear ended at a stop light last night! I think the van is totaled. I was trying to be a good husband and fill up my wife's minivan. A guy in a old Ford 150 smacked in the rear, sending me into the pickup in front of me. Both the back and front are pretty banged up. Sad thing is, the van was paid off last year and we were hoping to get at least 4 years of no car payments. Oh, well. I'm a little stiff and sore but nothing serious. A few trips to the ole chiopractor (spelling?) are probably in my future.
Construction is coming along on the new building. Tomorrow we start putting OSB board on the studs. We're doing it with all volunteer labor (us!). Just go to www.southsidechurchutah.org to see the latest updates on the construction.
So, we made a pact to watch "24" to see what all the buzz was about. He found the first season DVDs for $19.99; I found season two for $16.99. We took it as a sign that we should indeed begin watching. We watched the first two episodes last night. Holy cow! We are both hooked!
Only 22 hours to go to finish day one.
Our goal is to get caught up by the time the new season starts! We got a lotta "24" to go! Any of you "24" fans?
Trying to rest up from being rear ended at a stop light last night! I think the van is totaled. I was trying to be a good husband and fill up my wife's minivan. A guy in a old Ford 150 smacked in the rear, sending me into the pickup in front of me. Both the back and front are pretty banged up. Sad thing is, the van was paid off last year and we were hoping to get at least 4 years of no car payments. Oh, well. I'm a little stiff and sore but nothing serious. A few trips to the ole chiopractor (spelling?) are probably in my future.
Construction is coming along on the new building. Tomorrow we start putting OSB board on the studs. We're doing it with all volunteer labor (us!). Just go to www.southsidechurchutah.org to see the latest updates on the construction.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Pilgrims Progress?
Nathaniel Philbrick offers this insightful description of the Pilgrims view of the church when they were are deciding whether to go to the New World or stay put:
Catholics and more conservative Protetants believed that the traditions of the church contained valid, time-honored additions to what was found in the Bible. Given man's fallen condition, no individual could presume to question the ancient, ceremonial truths of the established church.
But for the Pilgrims, man's fallen nature was precisely the point.
A Purtian believed it was necessary to venture back to the absolute beginning of Christianity, before the church had been corrupted by centuries of laxity and abuse, to locate divine truth. In lieu of time travel there was the Bible, with the New Testament providing the only reliable account of Christ's time on earth while the OT contained a rich storehouse of still vital truths. If something as not in the scriptures, it was a man-made distortion of what God intended. At once radical and deeply conservative, the Puritans had chosen to spurn thousands of years of accumalted tradition in favor of a text that gave them a direct and personal connection with God.
A Puritan had no use for the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, since it tampered with the original meaning of the Bible and inhibited the spontaneity that they felt was essential to attaining a true and honest glimpse of the divine. Puritans refused to kneel while tking communion, since there was no evidence that the apostles had done so during the Last Supper. There was also no biblical precent for making the sign of the cross when uttering Christ's name. Even more important, there was no precedent for the system of bishops that ran the Church of England. The only biblically sanctioned organizational unit was the individual congregation.
(pp, 8,9 "Mayflower).
Boy, that has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it? Fellow Pilgrims, have we made any progess in discarding traditions that have nothing to do with God's word?
Catholics and more conservative Protetants believed that the traditions of the church contained valid, time-honored additions to what was found in the Bible. Given man's fallen condition, no individual could presume to question the ancient, ceremonial truths of the established church.
But for the Pilgrims, man's fallen nature was precisely the point.
A Purtian believed it was necessary to venture back to the absolute beginning of Christianity, before the church had been corrupted by centuries of laxity and abuse, to locate divine truth. In lieu of time travel there was the Bible, with the New Testament providing the only reliable account of Christ's time on earth while the OT contained a rich storehouse of still vital truths. If something as not in the scriptures, it was a man-made distortion of what God intended. At once radical and deeply conservative, the Puritans had chosen to spurn thousands of years of accumalted tradition in favor of a text that gave them a direct and personal connection with God.
A Puritan had no use for the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, since it tampered with the original meaning of the Bible and inhibited the spontaneity that they felt was essential to attaining a true and honest glimpse of the divine. Puritans refused to kneel while tking communion, since there was no evidence that the apostles had done so during the Last Supper. There was also no biblical precent for making the sign of the cross when uttering Christ's name. Even more important, there was no precedent for the system of bishops that ran the Church of England. The only biblically sanctioned organizational unit was the individual congregation.
(pp, 8,9 "Mayflower).
Boy, that has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it? Fellow Pilgrims, have we made any progess in discarding traditions that have nothing to do with God's word?
Monday, June 11, 2007
Recommendations and reflections
Got a movie for you to go see. "Gracie" is based on the true life experience of actress Elizebeth Shue. She was the first girl to out for the boys soccer team in her high school in 1978. Dads, take your daughters to see this movie! You will be inspired.
Have a couple of books to recommend as well. "Mayflower" is a fasinating account of the pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower to settle in the New World. 'The Heavenly Man" is the story of one man's experience of being a minister in communist China. After reading this, you will not complain about anything! Both would make great summer reads. Have a book to recommend?
Went to the Truth Project workshop this past weekend. Awesome! Produced by Focus on the Family, it is designed as a small group study to encourage a Christian world view. Dr. Tel Tackett does a marvelous job of leading you through 7 basic areas in which we need a christian perspective. You have to attend a workshop to get a copy of the DVD set (which is included in the price of the workshop). I highly recommend this material!!! The production values are what you would come to expect from Focus on the Family.
Have a couple of books to recommend as well. "Mayflower" is a fasinating account of the pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower to settle in the New World. 'The Heavenly Man" is the story of one man's experience of being a minister in communist China. After reading this, you will not complain about anything! Both would make great summer reads. Have a book to recommend?
Went to the Truth Project workshop this past weekend. Awesome! Produced by Focus on the Family, it is designed as a small group study to encourage a Christian world view. Dr. Tel Tackett does a marvelous job of leading you through 7 basic areas in which we need a christian perspective. You have to attend a workshop to get a copy of the DVD set (which is included in the price of the workshop). I highly recommend this material!!! The production values are what you would come to expect from Focus on the Family.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Half time report
The year is nearly half over. I was just taking stock of how I'm doing on my new years resolutions. I lost my weight - in fact, I've already gained back about 5 pounds! SO - back on the diet as of today. I'm caught up in my One Year Bible reading. That's good. Those were my two big goals this year.
My ministry goals are also going very well. One was to get our new building completed - we should be in it by Sept.1! The worship planning team is going very well. We had a very successful bring your neighbor day. One thing we haven't done on the ministry goals is to get our guest services ministry up and going. Time to refocus on that!
In the prayer accountability group that I am in, we have five personal goals and five ministry goals that we review twice a week. It really helps to maintian those goals so you can prioritize time and keep focused on what is really important.
This Sunday marked the beginning of my fifthteenth year at Southside. God has indeed been good. I think our best days as a church are yet ahead of us.
My ministry goals are also going very well. One was to get our new building completed - we should be in it by Sept.1! The worship planning team is going very well. We had a very successful bring your neighbor day. One thing we haven't done on the ministry goals is to get our guest services ministry up and going. Time to refocus on that!
In the prayer accountability group that I am in, we have five personal goals and five ministry goals that we review twice a week. It really helps to maintian those goals so you can prioritize time and keep focused on what is really important.
This Sunday marked the beginning of my fifthteenth year at Southside. God has indeed been good. I think our best days as a church are yet ahead of us.
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