2 Years
August 19, 2006 - El Dorado Park - 3:00pm
The date, place and time Audrey and I were married 2 years ago today. Today, we are heading back to our spot to have a picnic and ride our new Target (get the French accent in there) bikes.
The funny thing is Audrey doesn't know. She's getting ready right now as I type this and won't read this until after we've already had our special day.
Anyway, you learn a lot in 2 years being married to someone. One of the most prominent things you learn is how much more you have to learn, especially about yourself.
Softball
Back in May I was asked if I wanted to join a Sunday softball league. I remember thinking, "I've never played softball, isn't that a girl sport?" I haven't even played baseball since I was 21...(the last time I played was in my hometown with some non-jock punk rocker friends and we happened across a pick-up game with some gangsters). We won by the way but thought we were going to be shot or at least shanked.
I hesitated at first but then thought, "This will be fun and several friends from church are playing." Anyway, we won our first game but it didn't count because we were rained out (actually a pipe burst on the field). Then, we hit a 6 game streak of (dun dun dun dun) losses. It's not that our team is not good. Actually we have some good players. I think we just didn't know how to play as a team AND we never had a consistent (or adequate) amount of players.
Well, 3 weeks ago we began another streak. We have been winning our games and I think it's partly because we started to learn how to work together as a team and limited our mistakes (though I personally am making more now than I did when we were on our losing streak).
I think another reason we lost so many games in the beginning is so we could be used in a parable-like way so I can preach a message on how "the last shall be first and the first shall be last." It would be pretty cool if we, as the last place team, came back to win the championship of Lakewood city softball. No trophy, no money, no medals, just a chance to sing, "We are the champions..."
Final Turn
I was on the Fuller Website today figuring out my class schedules for Fall 2008 and Winter and Spring 2009. As I took a look at the list of classes I have taken and have yet to take, I was able to fit in classes I need in order to graduate. It turns out I have only 10 classes to go until I am DONE!!!
So, after I finish my current intensive (next Friday) I have 38 units to go and no more Fuller Theological Seminary for me.
I've been in school so long, I don't know what to do without it. Maybe I'll go right on to a Ph.D program - or maybe I'll just enjoy no papers, no reading, and no lectures for a while...
Mexico 2008
I found myself for the 9th time returning to Mexico for a mission's trip. This would be my 4th time leading a team from my current church to our village in Irapuato, Mexicali.
We almost did not go to Mexico this year. For 3 years our church has journeyed to Mexico through APU Mexico outreach. This year, however, would be different. Unable to make the deadlines for APU this year as a result of overwhelming work at church, we would not be able to return for our 4th year. This decision was hard, but necessary. Yet the decision to not return to Mexico was not acceptable to one girl from our youth group, Angelina Franklin. I have placed Angelina in charge of our VBS ministry for the past 2 years and she is a brilliant girl who loves the Lord and is a gifted leader of children. Once she found out we were not going to Mexico through APU she told me we had to go on our own accord. Well, the only week available for me to lead a trip was the last week of July. Do you know what that means? It means there are cooler places in Hades.
Eager to go to Mexico, Angelina pushed me to set up a trip to our village. I agreed under the condition that she set up a huge fundraiser and got youth involved to which she responded enthusiastically, "For sure!"
Thus I took at team of 15 to our village in Mexico. Not going through APU, we were able to stay at our pastor's new house (a team of 65 from Sacramento built our pastor a two story house, the bottom story being two rooms full of bunks, 3 showers, 2 bathrooms, and AC!) Not only that, we were provided with 2 home cooked meals every day we were there. I'll put up a slide show later on of some great pictures Audrey took while on this trip.
I have to say, this felt more like a retreat than a mission trip at times (except when we were working in the heat)
Anyway, in regards to this trip, I have to say I saw God work more powerfully than on previous trips (of which God also worked in powerful ways). Two of our women discovered spiritual gifts (one spoke in tongues, the other was used to heal two women). These girls are not known to be charismatic as it were, nor do they have stories in which they have been around healing or speaking in tongues. Rather, I have the impression they thought those things were true but for the "spiritual" people. In addition, several "small" miracles took place throughout our time, people were used by the Lord to touch others, prophetic words were spoken and confirmed, and I could go on.
I think the point of this blog, rather than giving a short and inadequate summary of a very powerful trip, is to remind my readers that when we as Christ followers actually surrender to God, that is, when we move from the idea of surrender or the articulation with our lips of surrender but actually letting go and trusting God to work in ways we cannot fathom God will blow us away. Ask the two women who didn't expect to be used by God in any way more than being on the construction team or VBS team but were used to pray in another language over the women of our village and used to heal two skin infections. Praise and honor and glory to God Almighty!
8 Days
So I know I have not blogged in a while and I have so much to blog about (a very busy Summer has merited much to say).
So, for the next few days (as time permits) I will share some adventures Audrey and I have had the past month or so.
First, 8 days. What's that all about? That is the length of time Audrey and I were foster parents to two girls ("nib nub" 22 months and "gremlin" 5 months). Both girls are Cambodian and half sisters.
Let me tell you, watching a 22 and 5 month old is some of the best birth control I have ever heard of. After mustard diapers, 3 hours of sleep a night, feeding, burping, cleaning, and all the other "stuff" that goes along with parenting, I am ready to wait another 6 years to have children of my own.
However, though the week was draining it was also very beneficial. I learned a lot about myself, Audrey, and what it means to put myself aside and really serve. I had to after all. Those girls were dependent on us. They taught me what it means to be selfless and I hope to implement that ideal in every aspect of my life, especially my family life.
1994
When I was in Jr. High (and the first year or two of high school) I idolized Kurt Cobain. Oh yes, I had the bleach blond long grunge hair with grunge clothes and the such. Anyway, if you don't know Kurt Cobain died in 1994 when he was 27 years old. I was only 12 and I remember thinking, "Wow, 27 is a long ways away. That's old." I remember how much of an "adult" people who were 25 were when I was 12. They were people who were married with kids, they had it all together, they owned houses and cars and they had "big people" jobs.
So it's 2008, and I am now 27. All of a sudden, I don't think people 27 are so old anymore...
Donutists
So Travis has been staying with Audrey and me for the past week. Let me just explain how crazy last week was
1. Big spaghetti dinner fundraiser for church on Wednesday night
2. Big Halogen production on Friday and Saturday night which also meant Monday, Tuesday and Thursday night rehearsals
3. My mom, sister, and niece staying with us while Travis was there (small 2 room condo)
4. Having to preach in Revelation (dumb idea)
5. 2 intensive classes (the one I'm taking with Travis is church history...enough said)
Now that you have a foundation for this blog I can begin:
AAAHHHdf eafhdklh;ehaefhk; e fhkak;lehfeiae eah
Translation: This was a stupid idea doing all this stuff at the same time and I have only myself to blame (with scrams and moans)
The Title: Travis and I brought Donuts to class and we are learning about the Donatist Controversy so I put them together...pretty clever huh? No, pretty dorky
3 More Years
Until I'm 30...
What happened during my 20's?
The final days of 3XR, College (Hartnell, UCSB, APU), A8, Seminary, Marriage, Ministry (Volunteer, Intern, Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor), and learning how to cook...
What's next?
Next Halogen Production
"By Her Words" is set to open on Friday June 27 at Light and Life Christian Fellowship in Long Beach. We are performing two shows, one on Friday and the second on Saturday June 28, both showings at 7pm.
This was a fun production to write. I thought up the story as I was working on STABLE, our Christmas 2007 production. We are praying for 500 ticket sales to raise money for our outreach fund. Please join us in prayer and also that people are open to hearing the Gospel message through this production.
If you are interested please
click here to see the trailer or go to our website -
http://livehalogen.org.
Everything Performance
There were a few pretty cool sketches to the Lifehouse song "Everything." Our church plays this song for our slow worship set ever now and again so we though it would be appropriate to come up with our own sketch so
click here to check it out.It's a bit dark...we don't quite have the funds for an elaborate theater atmosphere yet
Babies...
I never really had a "soft spot" in my heart for babies. Sure, I'll help out with feeding, changing, baby-sitting, etc... but when I see a baby I don't have the facial expression or tone of voice which conveys, "aww, how precious; what a cute little guy/girl." I happen to think babies are quite annoying actually. Honestly, all they do is cry, eat and sleep.
Several of my friends are having babies (some not for the first time). Cory/Lyndsay, Patch/Sarah, Devin/Kimberly, Matt/Olivia, Andy/Sarah, Kolby/Emily, and the list probably goes on...Two of these guys were college roommates (that's scary). Some other friends of mine are adopting/fostering. Greg/Rebekah, Jason/Traci, Gary/Nina...that's a lot of kids.
All of my friends who have children say my attitude will change when my newborn comes into this world. They're probably right, but until then I am happy thinking of having children way down the road and I'll enjoy my sleep, spare time and money (other than that which I already give my wife). But, congrats to all my peeps who are having/have children. When my turn comes around, your kids will be old enough to babysit for me.
Racquetball
Our friend Amy just moved to Huntington where she is a part of a community that has FREE racquetball. This is key because I've been paying $5 to play all the way down in Costa Mesa. Good times
Powerful Night
A few months ago my friend Greg told me about a dream he had. He was giving a message meant to encourage people to take notice of the small everyday miracles we overlook. His thesis is we have been desensitized to the "little things" God is constantly doing for us and so quick to see the troubles in our lives.
The funny thing is Audrey and I, at the same time Greg was dreaming, were praying about asking Greg to consider being a volunteer associate pastor at Halogen. Fast forwarding to now, a few months later, Greg's dream came true.
I asked Greg to share the message he received in his dream and he did so last night in a powerful way. We also had a guest worship leader who was great, Audrey shared a 7 minute story about a miracle story in her life, and we performed a powerful skit we found on YouTube using the Lifehouse song "Everything."
I introduced Greg as the guy who I was praying for and who the Lord called only a few months later to do something he was terrified to do (preach in front of people). After hugs and encouragements to Greg, several people asked me NOT to pray for them in fear God would listen to me and call them to do something they were terrified to do.
Superman Returns
I finally saw it (thank you Netflix) and liked it. Another superhero movie marked off the checklist
G-DUB
I just found out my late and great Hebrew professor wrote a commentary on Job, so I bought it. I didn't even hesitate. I also found an article he wrote in the Fuller archives. I really miss Dr. Wilson. Good thing I learned Hebrew from him...
