What were we thinking?

So in another one of our more brilliant moments, we (adults) think that it would be a good idea to walk from the Chinese Theatre to Carnies for some chili-cheese dogs. Little did we know that we needed to look at the next page of our directions to see that it was over 2 miles! Yes, there we were, realizing what we had done but already 1/2 way there…so no turning back. Have you ever walked over 2 miles in the sun through Hollywood on Sunset Blvd with 4 adults and 11 kids? I sure pray that your answer is no because you are way tooo smart for that. It was really not that bad and the kids did really well. I am always impressed at how well kids can manage difficult situations. 

There are so many situations in life that are way more dificult because you didn’t take the time to stop and think through your next steps. I know that this was a casual experience and the consequenses really weren’t horrible at all, but sometimes in life the story is a little different. As we grow to want more sooner in our culture, as Christians, we have to grow to want less, later… I know that it is counter-cultural but now-days, that is when you know you may be doing the right thing!

Not for the squeamish!

So this is my brother (for real) on the street in San Diego, CA. I don’t get to see him a whole now days because they are still in TX with all of my other family. They drove out to see our new baby boy and we headed down to spend time in San Diego. He’s always up for a good challenge and was complaining that it was hot…yeah…and he’s from Texas. So I told him to take his shirt off…it’s California…you can do whatever you want! And he did just that. It scared many people and totally embarrassed his oldest children…I of course laughed my head off and took a picture to remember this…at his expense for a lifetime! Thanks for the memories Crave!

Laying on of hands and anointing with oil is not charasmatic

I know it sounds crazy to some and a “no brain-er” to others but the laying on of hands and anointing with oil should never be confused with being charismatic (in the hyper-sense). The Biblical practice of the laying on of hands is one of the most beautiful declarations of God’s power and man’s faith that I can think of outside of salvation. James 5:14 states, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” A woman with cancer and her daughter came in for prayer three months ago and I was available to pray with her and anoint her head with oil. The daughter called two weeks ago with news that her mother had been healed. The Doctors did not understand what had happened but she had been fully restored. This is the God we serve. We serve a God of miracles…a healing God. The Bible is clear about this topic. Oil is to be used when praying for sickness and not just any reason. There is nothing holy about the oil but rather a symbol of the ordinary combined with the extraordinary (Holy Spirit), can do amazingly miraculous things! I was able to lay hands on a man recently diagnosed with inoperable Cancer. My prayer is for God to do another miracle like I have seen before!

finally this video was made

So this was a great thought and maybe the execution could have been done better…but I think this video is great…for every pastor to listen to. If you are a pastor/ speaker type and you are married then you will enjoy this one…at least your wife will….mine did.

awkwardness of video venues

I have been going to a video feed venue for over 2 years now. It really doesn’t matter what you do, it is always going to be awkward…at least more awkward than a live speaker being awkward..which I can be at times. So many speakers feed off of the audience…I mean I do….and the audience feeds off of the speaker. One observation that I have made is that when a speaker tells a joke, people in the video venue seldom laugh unless they can hear the people in the main venue laughing. People in the venue rarely raise their hands if asked a question via video…because they know the speaker can’t see them anyway. People in a venue also rarely applaud because they know that no one can hear them…. it is just awkward..you know? Not bad or evil…just awkward…in my opinion….

off the beaten path

It is a pass time of mine to find little “hole-in-the-walls” that are off of the beaten path. This fits my personality as an “anti-clone.” I don’t want to go where everyone else goes but would rather find the places where no-one else goes. There is a breakfast place that we love to go to…we even went there for Mother’s day…and the family loved it. It is little cafe named Jolanda’s and it is tucked back in a little strip mall off of El Torro in Lake Forest, CA. This particular cafe is known for its fresh baked croissants. Everything that they prepare is home-made and served hot. It’s like eating at home (if you are a good cook) but you don’t have to clean anything up….and its priced very fair. Each time we enter the glass doors we immediately lower the median age by 30 years….easy. The coffee is hot and the food is fresh! If you know where the Smart & Final is then you are very very close to your new favorite breakfast place!

observations

It seems like all of the “popular” guys right now are guys that have planted churches. Once the church has been in existence for a generation, they too will be experiencing exactly what “established” churches are experience or have experienced. Right now everyone is running around talking about how incredible it is to plant a church and how much easier it is…..that will change. There is an element to what is going on that to me resembles “re-marriage.” There is an element where you don’t like or can’t get along with what you have so instead of working through whatever the situation is, you leave and begin another relationship. I know that this is not an absolute…but something to consider. There is an art to going in to an established church and bringing it to a place of becoming relevant to that local context. It seems like that are many who want to be the next perry noble, mark batterson, Rick Warren, etc., etc…. I think the next “guy” will be the one who goes into a declining situation and turns it around…and can make it “reproducible.” I will be the first to tell you that it take churches of all kinds and it all has to do with what God is calling you to do…but one situation is not better than the other by any stretch of the imagination…we need more guys who are willing to go to an established church and move it to become relevant……just something to noodle on

Not in the “What” but the “Who”