A few of my favorite things

With the holidays approaching I thought I'd reflect on some of my favorite gifts received throughout my life. Here are my top 10 in no particular order.

1. Evil Knievel wind-up motorcycle. I got this present when I was 4-years old. I wanted to be just like him. I would wind that toy up and make it jump anything I could stack.

2. Wooden toy rifle - My best friend's dad made me and my best friend these rifles out of wood. We would play with them for hours.

3. Crossman BB/pellet gun - And so began my days of hunting. Although, I did nearly put a friend's eye out with it. I still have this gun in my closet.

4. Sega Genesis - Deana and I gave this to each other the Christmas of 1993. We had been married for 4 months and had everything we thought we needed, so we bought this system. We also bought Street Fighter II. She became pretty good at that game. Her parents also gave me NBA 1994 that year. One night I was playing the game and Deana asked me if I wanted to go to bed. Without even looking away from the screen I said no thanks. What a stupid young man I was!

5. Ski trip to Breckenridge, CO - What an amazing gift from some dear friends. Until then, it had been over 10 years since I had been skiing. Growing up, I would ski nearly every weekend between November and April.

6. Card game from Deana - I can't divulge the details.

7. Star Wars X-wing fighter - Although I wanted an entire fleet of them, my parents just got me one. But I loved playing with that thing.

8. Yamaha 3-wheeler - Parents thought a motorcycle would be too dangerous. It's a little ironic that they still make motorcyles, but 3-wheelers have been deemed unsafe so are no longer in production.

9. Rosignal downhill skis - The first pair of downhill skis I owned. My parents gave them to me in 7th grade. I would go through 4 more pairs during my high school years.

10. Christmas Eve present - Most years, Deana and I exchange one present with each other on Christmas Eve when no one else is around.


------------------------------

Totally random comment here. Last week, Deana paid for her and Julia to go see the Princess Diana Exhibit at the natural Science Museum. Yesterday, we received in the mail two free tickets. Isn't it ironic, don't you think...

Thanksgiving

Some of my most memorable Thanksgiving holidays were spent with my church family in Alaska. Most of us grew up thousands of miles away from grandparents, aunts and uncles. The church was our primary family. The day usually began around 11 a.m. when we would meet in someone’s home or at our small building. The kids would spend time playing outside, ice skating, having snowball fights, or sledding. As many as 50 of us would circle up in a room, while Ken Saner led the prayer for lunch. I never understood much of what he said.

I went for the dark meat, dressing and gravy. You could keep your green beans and cranberry sauce. I was a meat and stuffing kid. For dessert, it was always a little pumpkin pie with a lot of whip cream. All of us kids ate in one room together while the adults sat at their table. Rolls were tossed at one another; occasionally one carried just a little gravy on it. Those tended to stick.

After stuffing ourselves silly, we would watch a little football, and play board games; dads would nap while moms disappeared into a room for hours to talk. Finally, the moms would clean up everything around 9 p.m. and we’d all go home. What a great family I have!

Have a great holiday!

Some thoughts from the retreat

Some thoughts from a recent retreat

1) When playing Risk never form an alliance with a teenager.

2) I am going bald.

3) I'm no longer unibrow, as one of my teens put it.

4) Vinegarette dressing is one of 4 mother sauces.

5) I can only stay up until 1 a.m so many nights in a row before I crash for about 3 days.

6) Jesus calls Judas "friend" when Judas comes to him in the garden to turn him in.


Everytime I am retreating with students I'm reminded why I do what I do. I absolutely love spending time like that with students.

I posted the following as a comment on Mike Cope's blog earlier. BUt I think so highly of Kathy I thought I'd post it here is well.

Today my dear friend Kathy is having surgery to remove part of her thyroid. A biopsy will be performed to see if it is cancerous. Kathy lost her husband to cancer about 3 years ago. She began ministering at Missouri Street over 25 years ago as a secretary and is now an administrative assistant. Actually, she's mom to the three of us ministers in the office.

When things were stressful, I would find a well-timed card with a gift certificate in it to go some place. During a difficult day she would place a "shot in the arm" on my desk in the form of a Coke or Dr. Pepper. She is always there, quietly working, never offering unwanted advice, but humbly offering her wisdom when the three of us wisen up enough to ask. I pray for "mom" today and thank her for 5 amazing years I've had working with her.

Definitions

“It’s not about what is underneath; it’s what I do that defines who I am.” – Batman

"Go and tell John what you have seen and heard..." - Jesus' response to the question "Are you the Messiah?"


“What church do you attend?” is a question I’m asked almost daily. Sometimes the interest is to see if they know someone I might know. Other times they want to put a physical location with a description. But not matter the reason for the question, the minute I respond I am defined by what is surmised about my church. I often want to say “I’m Christian” or “does it really matter.” But I don’t. I simply answer the question with a smile. I’m not ashamed of my heritage. I don’t apologize for anything. In fact, I gladly choose my heritage.

We assign labels all the time. Christians and non-Christians. Protestants and Catholics. Baptists and Church of Christ. But it is not these labels that should define us. I don’t want to be defined by whether or not I worship with instruments. I don’t want to be defined by how well I can recite Scripture or how often I attend church. I don't want to be defined by my views on the Eucharist and baptism. I want to be defined by those things that defined who Jesus was in his life. I want to be defined by those things that defined the early church as seen in Acts. I want to be defined by compassion, mercy, love, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and hope. I want to be defined by so much more than simply where I worship. My prayer is for others to see Christ when they see me, not a reflection of the church I attend. Only when we desire to be defined by those things that defined Christ will we begin to truly be a reflection of him in this world.

Another Reese's, please

Ok, I'm just gonna come out and say it... the best candy of all time is a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I love to freeze one before eating it. I just found out that I can eat 3753.75 more before I die. It's the last bite of that 3754th one that's gonna get me. I better get busy. Check out the Penguin Mint calculator to find out how many you can eat.

Another confession

As a 10 year old my friends and I used to hunt for squirrels, spruce hen, or any other small animal using wrist rockets. We'd go into the woods and shoot at just about anything that moved. I only remember Eddie hitting a spruce hen one time. Other than watching a few feathers fly, nothing happened.

One night, Eddie got the bright idea for us to hide in some woods that was across the highway from a local bar. We were in a wooded area about 100 yards from the building. Watching for the stumbling drunks who'd occasionally exit, we'd take aim and let 'em fly. We never hit anyone, but we did get cussed at more than a few times. Some would even try to come after us, but it was as if they had their shoes tied together because they weren't coordinated to make it through the pothole-filled parking lot.

Little known fact: Although I call myself an Alaskan I was born in Lubbock.

Confession: I never solved a Rubics Cube without cheating. I'd take the thing apart and put it back together. The best I ever did without a cheat book was 2 sides.

Something odd: I have one eye brow the, if I don't pluck it, makes me look like an elf.

Good Night and Good Luck

Deana and I saw Good Night and Good Luck Friday evening. I thought the movie was interesting and really gave me some things to consider. At its most basic level, the movie was about Edward Murrow's use of the newly-founded TV media to confront Joseph McArthy's anti-communism with hunts of the early 1950s. On another level, using Murrow's own words, the movie is a criticism of TVland today. It criticizes hollywood of escapism and being shallow. And since I am certainly no film critic I didn't consider such things as I reflected on the movie. After watching this movie, I began thinking of the ways in which we respond to those who don't think us. The more an idea challenges the status quo, the more tension it seems to create. Einsten was rejected in his day for his brilliant ideas. Gallileo was executed for his. Both were correct, but rejected by the masses. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think I see the same thing in our communities of faith. Debates become heated, disfellowshiping even occurs over these disagreements, individuals are marked. When Jesus prayed that we all be one, did he mean that we must all think exactly alike?

For many people, silence is deafening. The thought of being alone is terrifying. They surround themselves with noise. They move from one thing to another. I recently read this quote by Henry David Thoreau:
"In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that poor fellow who walks away with the greatest number of letters proud of his extensive correspondence has not heard from himself this long while."

A deeper friendship

I run... a lot. It began as an attempt to become more disciplined. A friend, who has been a runner for years, told me he would run the half-marathon with me if I would do it back in 2003, so I did. I've been running ever since. I've gone through periods where I'm more diligent about running than at other times. But, I don't think it's an exageration to say that more weeks than not I have run at least 2 days during the week. Currently I run 4-5 days each week. Running at first was seemed impossible. I thought I was going to die after 2 miles. Now, I can run 15 miles without out feeling like I'm about to keel over. For me, running has always been much easier when done with a partner though. The other day I ran with Kelly. We talked as we were running and next thing I know I'm runing faster (and more easily) than if I had been running alone. I finished 10 miles faster than ever before and didn't even realize it.

When I consider my spiritual journey I can't help but consider others who have been my partners along the way. First, and foremost, is Deana. She has been a constant source of encouragement to me for the past 12 years. In moments of doubt and intense struggle she was there to provide comfort. During the times I'm selfish and stifled by my pride she challenges me. Her joy inspires me to let go.

There are others who have been there along the journey. They are friends who's relationships have gone beyond simply talking about sports and fishing. My friend Mike challenges me to be more like Christ in my relationship with my parents. He and I share some common struggles there. We are both ministers and our struggles as ministers are very similar as well. Then there's Tquan who constantly challenges me to be led by the Spirit. We get together and talk about those things to prevent us from being Spirit led.

The spiritual journey would be impossible if we were to embark on it alone. No one can go it alone. It's best done in community. If you can, share some stories of those who have helped you along the way.

Thinking about friendship

I've been working on some material for an upcoming retreat and would appreciate any feedback you might have to offer. The theme is "I Got Your Back" and focuses on friendship. There are a few focal points for the weekend.

1) Do we REALLY choose our friends? It seems that we choose friends mainly because they choose us. We tend to migrate to those who accept us rather than select our friends based on a set of criteria. Kind of like how electricity moves through the path of least resistance.

2) What's the difference between a good friend and healthy friendship? The point is that the types of friends we have will greatly affect our direction. Just because someone is a "good" friend doesn't make them a good friend. Friends who lead us in ungodly, hurtful directions are not really good friends.

3) How do we deepen friendships? The proverb "A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who is closer than a brother." Here, we focus on the selfless love a friend.

I'd appreciate in reflections/observations/personal experiences you might have concerning these topics.