Monday, August 29, 2005
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Firefox
I've recently started using the Mozilla Firefox browser. I actually like it a lot better than Internet Explorer. However, I just realized that it messes with my blog a little. If you use Firefox, you know what I mean. The pictures overlap a little. No problems like this with IE. I guess I'll just use both of them.
Crowded Now
This is worth reading every few days.
Caroline Ramsey
Crowded Now
In my world, with the children shouting
in my world; a taxi rank
jobs to do, no time to stop and question
in my world, of hurried love.
In my world; there is no tomorrow
in my world, only now
time demands more than I can offer
life crowds in to every pause
Oh Lord, still my heart
Oh Lord, still my heart
Oh Lord, still my heart
oh Lord God
In my world, where the customer is king
in my world: the boss who shouts
jobs to do, the in-tray's never empty
every hour: the working life
In my world; there is no tomorrow
in my world, only now
time demands more than I can offer
life crowds in to every pause
Oh Lord, still my heart
Oh Lord, still my heart
Oh Lord, still my heart
oh Lord God
in my world, days stretch out before me
in my world; the silence shouts
yesterday, when my day had purpose
yesterday, a memory
Oh Lord, still my heart
Oh Lord, still my heart
Oh Lord, still my heart
oh Lord God
In Your courts, you are high and lifted up
In Your courts, Majesty
In Your courts; truth and mercy mingle,
In Your courts, I bend the knee
Oh Lord, fill my heart
Oh Lord, fill my heart
Oh Lord, fill my heart
oh, Lord God.
Lord have mercy.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Freak accident
On Friday I brought my car into the shop for some preventative service. The mechanic said that I needed an alignment, but because I wanted to get some new tires anyway, said that I should wait on the alignment until after the new tires were on the car. At about 1:30 I headed to Union City (about 20 minutes away) to get some tires. I was going south on I-880 when, all of a sudden, the tread on my left front tire came off. In doing so, it ripped up quite a bit of my car. Thankfully, I was able to get over the shoulder without being hit by another car.
I called AAA. Forty-five minutes later we had a spare on the wheel, and he thought it would be ok to drive to a nearby tire place. After getting a new tire, I went straight to a body shop. The estimate he gave was $4600. I bought the car in January, 2004 for $5000. Sounds like my insurance will probably be totalling the car. Not sure yet what that will mean for us.
I called AAA. Forty-five minutes later we had a spare on the wheel, and he thought it would be ok to drive to a nearby tire place. After getting a new tire, I went straight to a body shop. The estimate he gave was $4600. I bought the car in January, 2004 for $5000. Sounds like my insurance will probably be totalling the car. Not sure yet what that will mean for us.
Monday, July 25, 2005
The Happiest Baby on the Block
Two weeks ago a friend loaned us a DVD called The Happiest Baby on the Block. It's by a doctor named Harvey Karp. It's teaches parents how to calm a fussy baby. I was a little skeptical, but I must say that I was amazed by the results. In a nutshell, he talks about the 5 S's.
1. Swaddle
2. Turn baby on his side
3. Jiggle baby
4. Put pacifier in baby's mouth
5. Sshh softly in baby's ear
You're probably wondering where the 5 S's are. I'm not too sure either...but the point is that this stuff is good. Adam is a good baby, but occasionally he gets mad at the world, and is not afraid to let it be known. It's at this point that I go through the 5 S's (of course after making sure that he is fed and his diaper is changed). Works like a charm every time.
1. Swaddle
2. Turn baby on his side
3. Jiggle baby
4. Put pacifier in baby's mouth
5. Sshh softly in baby's ear
You're probably wondering where the 5 S's are. I'm not too sure either...but the point is that this stuff is good. Adam is a good baby, but occasionally he gets mad at the world, and is not afraid to let it be known. It's at this point that I go through the 5 S's (of course after making sure that he is fed and his diaper is changed). Works like a charm every time.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Update on Adam
It's a little after 7:00 a.m., and I just rocked Adam back to sleep. I thought I'd take this probably brief time to give an update on him. Even as I held him this morning, it still shocks me a little that we have a baby. Life has changed in a dramatic way. It's been tough, especially since our family left. But it's been great. Yesterday was Adam's birthday (5 weeks). He had his best day yet. He has times when he just smiles and laughs.
So, here are a few pictures (hopefully I'll get this done before he wakes up again).
So, here are a few pictures (hopefully I'll get this done before he wakes up again).
Football?
I've been hoping for a basketball player. Howard, Adam's grandfather, is pushing for baseball. However, if you look at these photos, you'll see what resembles the heisman pose. Hmm.
Or...perhaps Hulk Hogan?
Monday, July 18, 2005
Cutting Edge
Here's the link to the Spring, 2005 edition of Cutting Edge, Vineyard's church planting magazine. There are some good articles about the church's need for a more global focus.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
International Justice Mission
This morning at Hillside Larry Martin, from International Justice Mission, spoke. It was such a great message, right in line with much that I've been thinking through. He's a very gifted communicator. His text was Matthew 5:14-16, and the title of his message was "Rescued to be Rescuers."
His three points were:
1. Truly receive your rescue - we can't save ourselves
2. Advance into the darkness - we are often afraid that our light will get snuffed out, so we all huddle together
3. Believe the promises of God, offer your obedience, and leave the miracles to God - we often underestimate what God could do through us.
He shared three amazing stories. The first was of Morali, a little girl in South Asia. When her father got sick, and the doctor refused to come to their village unless they first paid him $25, her family was forced to borrow money, which meant that they would become slaves to the lender. They were moved to a rock quarry, where they were to spend the rest of their days. Larry shared that there are over 20 million slaves being held illegally like Morali's family.
The second story involved Esther. Esther had finished high school in Burma and hoped to go to Bible College. She was told about a restaurant job in Thailand, but when she went, she was taken instead to a brothel, and forced to become a prostitute.
The final story was about David, who is from Nairobi. One day five drunk policemen forced him into their car, and demanded that they would not release him until he gave them all of his money. He gave them $1.50. They let him out of the car, but then one of the cops shot him twice. They then proceeded to arrest him. His arm ended up having to be amputated, yet he was handcuffed to a bed while he recuperated.
Fortunately, all of these stories had happy endings. Morali and her family, along with all of the other slaves in the rock quarry, were set free after IJM bought their freedom. They ended up owning the quarry. Esther was set free after a lawyer from IJM heard what was going on. David was released, his charges were dropped, and all five policemen were convicted. He is now in lawschool. When asked by an interviewer on NPR what he was going to do after school, he responded by saying, "Injustice is going to have a new enemy!"
Larry ended his talk with the following passage from Micah:
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
His three points were:
1. Truly receive your rescue - we can't save ourselves
2. Advance into the darkness - we are often afraid that our light will get snuffed out, so we all huddle together
3. Believe the promises of God, offer your obedience, and leave the miracles to God - we often underestimate what God could do through us.
He shared three amazing stories. The first was of Morali, a little girl in South Asia. When her father got sick, and the doctor refused to come to their village unless they first paid him $25, her family was forced to borrow money, which meant that they would become slaves to the lender. They were moved to a rock quarry, where they were to spend the rest of their days. Larry shared that there are over 20 million slaves being held illegally like Morali's family.
The second story involved Esther. Esther had finished high school in Burma and hoped to go to Bible College. She was told about a restaurant job in Thailand, but when she went, she was taken instead to a brothel, and forced to become a prostitute.
The final story was about David, who is from Nairobi. One day five drunk policemen forced him into their car, and demanded that they would not release him until he gave them all of his money. He gave them $1.50. They let him out of the car, but then one of the cops shot him twice. They then proceeded to arrest him. His arm ended up having to be amputated, yet he was handcuffed to a bed while he recuperated.
Fortunately, all of these stories had happy endings. Morali and her family, along with all of the other slaves in the rock quarry, were set free after IJM bought their freedom. They ended up owning the quarry. Esther was set free after a lawyer from IJM heard what was going on. David was released, his charges were dropped, and all five policemen were convicted. He is now in lawschool. When asked by an interviewer on NPR what he was going to do after school, he responded by saying, "Injustice is going to have a new enemy!"
Larry ended his talk with the following passage from Micah:
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Saturday, July 09, 2005
The End of Poverty
Here's an Time magazine article by Jeffrey Sachs.
The End of Poverty
In a world of plenty, 1 billion people are so poor, their lives are in danger. How to change that for good.
By JEFFREY D. SACHS
Sunday, Mar. 06, 2005
We can banish extreme poverty in our generation--yet 8 million people die each year because they are too poor to survive. The trag edy is that with a little help, they could even thrive. In a bold new book, Jeffrey D. Sachs shows how we can make it happen.
It is still midmorning in Malawi when we arrive at a small village, Nthandire, about an hour outside of Lilongwe, the capital. We have come over dirt roads, passing women and children walking barefoot with water jugs, wood for fuel, and other bundles. The midmorning temperature is sweltering. In this subsistence maize-growing region of a poor, landlocked country in southern Africa, families cling to life on an unforgiving terrain. This year has been a lot more difficult than usual because the rains have failed. The crops are withering in the fields that we pass.
If the village were filled with able-bodied men, who could have built rainwater-collecting units on rooftops and in the fields, the situation would not be so dire. But as we arrive in the village, we see no able-bodied young men at all. In fact, older women and dozens of children greet us, but there is not a young man or woman in sight. Where, we ask, are the workers? Out in the fields? The aid worker who has led us to the village shakes his head sadly and says no. Nearly all are dead. The village has been devastated by AIDS.
Click here for the rest of the article.
The End of Poverty
In a world of plenty, 1 billion people are so poor, their lives are in danger. How to change that for good.
By JEFFREY D. SACHS
Sunday, Mar. 06, 2005
We can banish extreme poverty in our generation--yet 8 million people die each year because they are too poor to survive. The trag edy is that with a little help, they could even thrive. In a bold new book, Jeffrey D. Sachs shows how we can make it happen.
It is still midmorning in Malawi when we arrive at a small village, Nthandire, about an hour outside of Lilongwe, the capital. We have come over dirt roads, passing women and children walking barefoot with water jugs, wood for fuel, and other bundles. The midmorning temperature is sweltering. In this subsistence maize-growing region of a poor, landlocked country in southern Africa, families cling to life on an unforgiving terrain. This year has been a lot more difficult than usual because the rains have failed. The crops are withering in the fields that we pass.
If the village were filled with able-bodied men, who could have built rainwater-collecting units on rooftops and in the fields, the situation would not be so dire. But as we arrive in the village, we see no able-bodied young men at all. In fact, older women and dozens of children greet us, but there is not a young man or woman in sight. Where, we ask, are the workers? Out in the fields? The aid worker who has led us to the village shakes his head sadly and says no. Nearly all are dead. The village has been devastated by AIDS.
Click here for the rest of the article.
Facts on Poverty
More than one billion people in the world live on less than one dollar a day. Another 2.7 billion struggle to survive on less than two dollars per day. Poverty in the developing world, however, goes far beyond income poverty. It means having to walk more than one mile everyday simply to collect water and firewood; it means suffering diseases that were eradicated from rich countries decades ago. Every year eleven million children die-most under the age of five and more than six million from completely preventable causes like malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.
In some deeply impoverished nations less than half of the children are in primary school and under 20 percent go to secondary school. Around the world, a total of 114 million children do not get even a basic education and 584 million women are illiterate.
Click here for the rest of the article.
In some deeply impoverished nations less than half of the children are in primary school and under 20 percent go to secondary school. Around the world, a total of 114 million children do not get even a basic education and 584 million women are illiterate.
Click here for the rest of the article.
G8 a Success
Geldof delighted at G8 action on aid
Mark Townsend
Sunday July 10, 2005
The Observer
Further increases in aid to Africa will be unveiled by G8 countries this summer amid signs that the political momentum generated by last week's summit will continue to tackle global poverty.
As attention swung from Gleneagles to the UN World Summit in eight weeks, sources at the G8 negotiations indicated that Germany and Japan are expected to unveil extra aid packages.
Officials believe that the new money will form a key component of attempts by the two countries to secure a place on the Security Council. It follows Friday's announcement by Tony Blair of the biggest African aid deal in history, a triumphant finale to Gleneagles overshadowed by the attacks in London.
Click here for the rest of the article
Mark Townsend
Sunday July 10, 2005
The Observer
Further increases in aid to Africa will be unveiled by G8 countries this summer amid signs that the political momentum generated by last week's summit will continue to tackle global poverty.
As attention swung from Gleneagles to the UN World Summit in eight weeks, sources at the G8 negotiations indicated that Germany and Japan are expected to unveil extra aid packages.
Officials believe that the new money will form a key component of attempts by the two countries to secure a place on the Security Council. It follows Friday's announcement by Tony Blair of the biggest African aid deal in history, a triumphant finale to Gleneagles overshadowed by the attacks in London.
Click here for the rest of the article
G8 a Success
Leaders claimed substantial progress in addressing African poverty, global warming and the Mideast conflict.Group of 8 Leaders Announce Pacts on Aid to Africa
Links to Darfur
Here are a few links I came across tonight.
Save Darfur
Sojourners
BBC News
Sojourners, among others, is organizing a few prayer services beginning this weekend. Here are a couple of links for it:
Worship in the Spirit of Justice
Host a Darfur Vigil
Save Darfur
Sojourners
BBC News
Sojourners, among others, is organizing a few prayer services beginning this weekend. Here are a couple of links for it:
Worship in the Spirit of Justice
Host a Darfur Vigil
What now?
The movie's over. A few more tears were shed. I spent some time with God tonight. A lot of questions. A lot of confession. Ok, a lot of tears. When I first saw Hotel Rwanda I was so frustrated that I had knew nothing about this. If no one had told me, I would have never guessed that this had taken place only a decade ago.
This same thing (genocide) is happening today in the Darfur region of Sudan. I don't want to wait until the movie is made about this. I've been doing some reading tonight about this. I can no longer claim ignorance. What will I do about it?
Steven Curtis Chapman has a new song called "What now?" Here are the lyrics.
I saw the face of Jesus in a little orphan girl
She was standing in the corner on the other side of the world
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my heart
Didn't you say you wanted to find me?
Well here I am, here you are
So, What now?
What will you do now that you found Me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you've found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you remember this is right where I said I would be
You've found me
What now?
And I saw the face of Jesus down on Sixteenth Avenue
He was sleeping in an old car, while his mom went looking for food
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my soul
Didn't you say you wanted to know me?
Well here I am, and it's getting cold
This same thing (genocide) is happening today in the Darfur region of Sudan. I don't want to wait until the movie is made about this. I've been doing some reading tonight about this. I can no longer claim ignorance. What will I do about it?
Steven Curtis Chapman has a new song called "What now?" Here are the lyrics.
I saw the face of Jesus in a little orphan girl
She was standing in the corner on the other side of the world
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my heart
Didn't you say you wanted to find me?
Well here I am, here you are
So, What now?
What will you do now that you found Me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you've found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you remember this is right where I said I would be
You've found me
What now?
And I saw the face of Jesus down on Sixteenth Avenue
He was sleeping in an old car, while his mom went looking for food
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my soul
Didn't you say you wanted to know me?
Well here I am, and it's getting cold
Friday, July 08, 2005
Rwanda Pt. 2
Tonight we're watching Hotel Rwanda again. We're about halfway through it and are taking a break. Once again the tears have flowed again. I'm reminded that I cry during a lot of films. I cried during a Keanu Reeves film called Hardball (not because of Keanu's acting). I know some people who don't cry. I sometimes feel bad for them. But here's what I know: if I do not change, if I am not transformed, then there will come a time when I will cease to cry. My heart will not be the same. My prayer for Adam last night was that his heart would hurt for people who are being mistreated. I pray that his heart would be soft towards those who are hurting. My prayer for myself is the same. But it is time that I take action with my prayers. I must once again ask the question, "how should I then live?''
No longer a rookie
Before Adam, I think I had changed one or two diapers in my life. Over the last three weeks that number has risen significantly. I'm probably the best diaper changer I know (a Napoleon Dynamite reference). Not really. However, I am getting better. Just last night I demonstrated the technique in front of a couple of other rookies. I felt in a way like the Godfather. Or something like that.
Baby Dedication
Last night we had Adam's baby dedication here at the house. Mandy's parents, and my mom, were in town. We also had several of our friends here. We had a great meal, heard words of encouragement and advice, had a meaningful prayer time, and sang a couple of songs. Raising a child in this world, at this time, at times scares me. (This was all the more apparent when I woke up yesterday morning and heard about the bombings in London). That's where my trust in God comes in, though. God has given us an amazing gift, and last night was our way of saying, with our family and friends, that we are giving him back to God.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Make Poverty History
I think Alan Creech has it right. The point is transformation. Tonight I've been watching the Live 8 special. A few days ago I saw the documentary The Corporation. A couple of months ago I saw Hotel Rwanda. Through each of these, and through many other voices, God has spoken to me. I have spent most of my life in ignorance. Perhaps much of this has not been my fault. But now I have to make a choice of how I am going to live my life. I once heard a guy named Shane Claiborne say that the problem is not that we don't care about poor people, but that we don't know poor people.
My other thought has been that the church is not at the forefront of fighting evils in the world such as poverty. The followers of Jesus should be leading the charge with creativity and passion. Yet, it often seems that we're lagging behind. This must change. We must change.
Here's the link to the Live 8 site.
My other thought has been that the church is not at the forefront of fighting evils in the world such as poverty. The followers of Jesus should be leading the charge with creativity and passion. Yet, it often seems that we're lagging behind. This must change. We must change.
Here's the link to the Live 8 site.
A great post by Alan Creech
The point is TRANSFORMATION of life, our life, the lives of our community, the whole Church, the world, everything in this broken dimension. And the more our lives are transformed into the image of Full Life - Unlimited Life - God's Life existing in unbroken reality - the more that unbroken reality fills our own realm. That's the point.
Just read this tonight. Worth a read!
Just read this tonight. Worth a read!
Thom Wolf
Andrew Jones gives a nice tribute to Thom Wolf. Dr. Wolf used to be a professor at Golden Gate Seminary. I was only able to take one class with him before he left.
Here's a link to his teaching on Universal Disciple.
I've used these questions for Bible Study before, but didn't realize until just now that they came from Dr. Thom.
1. What word or phrase "shimmered" or stuck out?
2. What did you like best about the passage?
3. What did you like least?
4. What did you learn about God?
5. What did you not understand or find puzzling?
6. What do you think applies to people today?
7. If you were to choose a sentence or phrase to meditate on this week, which would it be? And why?
Here's a link to his teaching on Universal Disciple.
I've used these questions for Bible Study before, but didn't realize until just now that they came from Dr. Thom.
1. What word or phrase "shimmered" or stuck out?
2. What did you like best about the passage?
3. What did you like least?
4. What did you learn about God?
5. What did you not understand or find puzzling?
6. What do you think applies to people today?
7. If you were to choose a sentence or phrase to meditate on this week, which would it be? And why?
Jim Collins
Here's a good article on decision making by Jim Collins.
Update: Just realized that you can't read the entire article online. Fortune makes you pay. Boo! I had first read the hard copy of the article.
Update: Just realized that you can't read the entire article online. Fortune makes you pay. Boo! I had first read the hard copy of the article.
A decision on a RSS reader
Finally, after three days of trying different newsreaders out, I think I've come up with one I really like. It's called Sauce Reader. It's very user-friendly when it comes to selecting news feeds as well as uploading those feeds to a blog.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
RSS
I think I'm about two years behind with this, but I've just "discovered" the job of having a newsreader. I have about 15-20 websites that I enjoy going to either daily, weekly or monthly. A newsreader allows me to get daily updates from my favorite sites instantly (or at least a lot faster than going to each individual site).
The newsreader I'm currently using is called Pluck. It's a free download.
Update: I found another reader called Attensa that works within Outlook. I like that function. It's a beta version, which means that there are still bugs to be worked out. You are supposed to be able to take a feed directly from outlook to a blog, but I haven't been able to get that to work yet. If that ends up not working, I'll probably try yet another one.
The newsreader I'm currently using is called Pluck. It's a free download.
Update: I found another reader called Attensa that works within Outlook. I like that function. It's a beta version, which means that there are still bugs to be worked out. You are supposed to be able to take a feed directly from outlook to a blog, but I haven't been able to get that to work yet. If that ends up not working, I'll probably try yet another one.
Adam's first NBA Draft
You might not be able to tell, but that's a basketball uniform that Adam is wearing. He wasn't as into it as I had hoped.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Prayer of Abandonment
Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you;
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you
with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands,
without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father. Amen.
Written by Brother Charles de Foucauld
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you;
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you
with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands,
without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father. Amen.
Written by Brother Charles de Foucauld
Barna's "State of the Church"
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Billy Graham on Larry King
I caught the end of this interview the other night, but I just read the entire transcript on Larry's website. Here's an excerpt.
KING: What worries you the most?
GRAHAM: Poverty in the world.
KING: And you've seen it.
GRAHAM: I've seen it, but I've also tried to do a little bit about it. We've raised about $8 or $9 million to give to the tsunami area out in Southeast Asia. My son raised an equal amount in his organization, and we have tried to do those -- prepare these little dents. We can't do much. We try to help in Africa, in Asia especially, and here in the United States. We try to do what we can to help in that problem, and I am so glad that the president has decided to give so much money to the people in need in Africa
KING: What worries you the most?
GRAHAM: Poverty in the world.
KING: And you've seen it.
GRAHAM: I've seen it, but I've also tried to do a little bit about it. We've raised about $8 or $9 million to give to the tsunami area out in Southeast Asia. My son raised an equal amount in his organization, and we have tried to do those -- prepare these little dents. We can't do much. We try to help in Africa, in Asia especially, and here in the United States. We try to do what we can to help in that problem, and I am so glad that the president has decided to give so much money to the people in need in Africa
Friday, June 24, 2005
Update on Adam
Adam's a really great baby. He's getting more alert everyday. The only time he's really been fussy is at night, from around 11:00 till 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning. Once he goes to sleep, though, he sleeps five or six hours straight. Then, after a feeding, he sleeps till 10:00. I call him my little teenager. This is not so great for me when I have to get up early. I'm starting to see how parents can begin going crazy. You find something that makes your baby stop crying, and then you assume that this will work everytime. Normally it doesn't work again. That's frustrating. There's one thing that has been successful three out of three times: take a drive in the truck. Today he's been pretty fussy (we're not sure what that will mean for tonight). I finally decided to take him for a little ride, and he never made a sound the whole time. We'll see how long that continues to work.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Reflections
We all got to leave the hospital last Friday. Everyone is doing pretty well. I didn't have internet access at the hospital, so here are a couple of journal entries.
June 14, 2005, 10:45 am
Adam is now a little over 15 hours old and is doing great. I’ve always been told that you fall head over heels in love with your child as soon as you meet him or her. I’m realizing that this is a major understatement. There were quite a few babies born yesterday, and, because Mandy had to share rooms with another mom, I got kicked out. Mandy was ok with this, and it meant I got a little more sleep, but it was hard. This morning I had to go to Zocalo to upload a bunch of pictures and email them out to a bunch of people because my network was acting crazy. Then I had to bring Jack into the groomer at 8:30. I could not wait to get to the hospital to see Adam and Mandy. I kind of feel like I’m floating right now, like I’m in a dream world. It’s a pretty amazing feeling. Hopefully I’ll be able to better put these feelings into words sometime soon.
June 16, 2005, 3:30 pm
While sitting in the cafeteria yesterday I ran into a guy I had met a month or so back. He congratulated me on becoming a father, then asked me to pray for his mother, who was in the hospital with cancer. He said that when he is on the elevator, he always loves it when the door opens up on the second floor (maternity ward), because that's where life is. Those on the second floor are probably the only ones who are happy about being in the hospital. Later that day I was in the main lobby and saw two kids waiting to hear how surgery went on their dad. That really put things into perspective for me. Here I was with feelings of excitement and joy, while these two brothers no doubt had feelings of fear and confusion.
June 14, 2005, 10:45 am
Adam is now a little over 15 hours old and is doing great. I’ve always been told that you fall head over heels in love with your child as soon as you meet him or her. I’m realizing that this is a major understatement. There were quite a few babies born yesterday, and, because Mandy had to share rooms with another mom, I got kicked out. Mandy was ok with this, and it meant I got a little more sleep, but it was hard. This morning I had to go to Zocalo to upload a bunch of pictures and email them out to a bunch of people because my network was acting crazy. Then I had to bring Jack into the groomer at 8:30. I could not wait to get to the hospital to see Adam and Mandy. I kind of feel like I’m floating right now, like I’m in a dream world. It’s a pretty amazing feeling. Hopefully I’ll be able to better put these feelings into words sometime soon.
June 16, 2005, 3:30 pm
While sitting in the cafeteria yesterday I ran into a guy I had met a month or so back. He congratulated me on becoming a father, then asked me to pray for his mother, who was in the hospital with cancer. He said that when he is on the elevator, he always loves it when the door opens up on the second floor (maternity ward), because that's where life is. Those on the second floor are probably the only ones who are happy about being in the hospital. Later that day I was in the main lobby and saw two kids waiting to hear how surgery went on their dad. That really put things into perspective for me. Here I was with feelings of excitement and joy, while these two brothers no doubt had feelings of fear and confusion.
Father's Day
Today I celebrated my first Father's Day. Adam showed his appreciation by peeing on me four times! I'll be sure to remind him of this every once and awhile.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Monday, June 13, 2005
Disobedience
Lately I've been trying to let Jack hang out in the front yard without his leash, just to get him used to it. He of course doesn't understand that a car can kill him. Both Saturday morning and this morning I had him outside with me while I was getting something out of the car. Both times he took off across the street (both times to see another dog). Both times I yelled at him to stop. Both times he decided to ignore me. Both times he got a stern rebuking, a spanking, and a trip to his crate. I know that he hears me saying no. He's not ignorant. He knows exactly what I mean when I say "no." He just chooses in that moment to disobey.
God speaks to me through my dog. Not in a wierd psychic way. Just through the lessons he wants to teach me. I'm not ignorant. I know how I should behave. I know "the good I ought to do" (James 4:17). At times, though, I choose to disobey. There's also this thing that Paul talked about:
I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?" Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. But I need something more!
For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? (Romans 7, The Message)
We seem to be in quite the predicament here. Paul isn't finished, though.
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different (Romans 7, The Message).
I've been spending time lately meditating on Ephesians 4. I think it has something to do with this.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The idea of moving from being a slave to sin to a slave to God is very powerful. I am not my own.
So...what do I learn from this.
1. My dog, like me, has a sinful nature.
2. Jesus came to set me free from my sinful nature. I'm not sure where Jack stands with Jesus. It's quite possible that he's not yet been set free :)
3. God's grace is amazing!
4. I don't have to disobey God. I need to affirm my loyalty to Him everyday.
I'm amazed at how much God can teach me through my dog. I can't imagine what all I'm going to be learning when Adam gets here!
I guess I'll go let Jack out of his crate.
God speaks to me through my dog. Not in a wierd psychic way. Just through the lessons he wants to teach me. I'm not ignorant. I know how I should behave. I know "the good I ought to do" (James 4:17). At times, though, I choose to disobey. There's also this thing that Paul talked about:
I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?" Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. But I need something more!
For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? (Romans 7, The Message)
We seem to be in quite the predicament here. Paul isn't finished, though.
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different (Romans 7, The Message).
I've been spending time lately meditating on Ephesians 4. I think it has something to do with this.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The idea of moving from being a slave to sin to a slave to God is very powerful. I am not my own.
So...what do I learn from this.
1. My dog, like me, has a sinful nature.
2. Jesus came to set me free from my sinful nature. I'm not sure where Jack stands with Jesus. It's quite possible that he's not yet been set free :)
3. God's grace is amazing!
4. I don't have to disobey God. I need to affirm my loyalty to Him everyday.
I'm amazed at how much God can teach me through my dog. I can't imagine what all I'm going to be learning when Adam gets here!
I guess I'll go let Jack out of his crate.
Another article on the housing market
Which housing markets are ready to pop?
Skyrocketing prices are just one facet of the boom; in many places, paychecks are keeping up. But in many, the gap is widening.
By Forbes.com
Housing prices have risen so far and so fast, who can afford to buy anymore? Plenty of people. Of course, those people don't live in New York. Or San Francisco. Or Miami. As everyone knows (or should know by now), home prices have increased around the country over the last few years. In some places, they have shot up like wayward bottle rockets--and many people expect them to eventually come dropping down. But prices alone can't tell the whole story. To get a better picture of which cities are likely to be vulnerable to a real estate decline, with the help of Economy.com, we compared incomes to home prices, factoring in interest rates.
A boom -- but only in pockets
We were surprised at the results: While it has become much more difficult to buy the median house with the median income in many cities, in others it has actually become easier, pointing to a boom taking place in pockets, rather than the nation as a whole.
Read the rest of the article
Skyrocketing prices are just one facet of the boom; in many places, paychecks are keeping up. But in many, the gap is widening.
By Forbes.com
Housing prices have risen so far and so fast, who can afford to buy anymore? Plenty of people. Of course, those people don't live in New York. Or San Francisco. Or Miami. As everyone knows (or should know by now), home prices have increased around the country over the last few years. In some places, they have shot up like wayward bottle rockets--and many people expect them to eventually come dropping down. But prices alone can't tell the whole story. To get a better picture of which cities are likely to be vulnerable to a real estate decline, with the help of Economy.com, we compared incomes to home prices, factoring in interest rates.
A boom -- but only in pockets
We were surprised at the results: While it has become much more difficult to buy the median house with the median income in many cities, in others it has actually become easier, pointing to a boom taking place in pockets, rather than the nation as a whole.
Read the rest of the article
The countdown has begun
Yesterday Mandy and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. We have a tradition of watching our wedding video every anniversary. We watched the video, and went out to eat, but I think Adam overshadowed our day a little. I don't necessarily think that was a really bad thing, though.
Speaking of Adam, it looks like he'll be coming either tonight or in the morning. It's so crazy that in one instant life is going to change for Mandy and I. I'm going to go from being the husband of Mandy to being the husband of Mandy and the father of Adam. We're going to go from Robert, Mandy and Jack the puppy dog living in our house, to Robert, Mandy, Jack the puppy dog and Adam living in our house. I don't think I've ever had one of these instant "this changes everything" moments.
I hope this doesn't come across as a major freak out moment. It's really not. I'm just taking it all in, and, as I reflect, I realize what a big thing this is. Of course I'm not ready. Is anyone really ready for something like this? I am grateful to God, though. I'm also very proud of Mandy. It's comforting to know that men have been becoming fathers for a long time. I know that God is going to guide us into this phase of life just as He's guided us through every other phase of life. I'm very grateful for that as well.
More updates to come...
Speaking of Adam, it looks like he'll be coming either tonight or in the morning. It's so crazy that in one instant life is going to change for Mandy and I. I'm going to go from being the husband of Mandy to being the husband of Mandy and the father of Adam. We're going to go from Robert, Mandy and Jack the puppy dog living in our house, to Robert, Mandy, Jack the puppy dog and Adam living in our house. I don't think I've ever had one of these instant "this changes everything" moments.
I hope this doesn't come across as a major freak out moment. It's really not. I'm just taking it all in, and, as I reflect, I realize what a big thing this is. Of course I'm not ready. Is anyone really ready for something like this? I am grateful to God, though. I'm also very proud of Mandy. It's comforting to know that men have been becoming fathers for a long time. I know that God is going to guide us into this phase of life just as He's guided us through every other phase of life. I'm very grateful for that as well.
More updates to come...
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Shaping of Things to Come
For those of you who have appreciated the book The Shaping of Things to Come, here's a link to download a study guide.
the great bear Porthos
I'm speaking in a church planting class tomorrow at Golden Gate Seminary. I think I'll lead a discussion on paradigm shifts and the need for dreaming/imagination/creativity. Tonight Mandy and I watched the movie Finding Neverland...while I was working on some notes for the discussion. There's one scene that really struck me. It's the first time that James has met the Davies family, and he's about to put on the first of his many shows.
Peter
What did you bring me over here for? This is absurd. It's just a dog.
What did you bring me over here for? This is absurd. It's just a dog.
James
Just a dog? Just? Porthos dreams of being a bear and you want to dash those dreams by saying he's just a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. It's just like saying, he can't climb that mountain, he's just a man. Or, that is not a diamond, it's just a rock. Just...
Peter
Fine then. Turn him into a bear. If you can.
James
With those eyes, my bonny lad, i'm afraid you would never see it. However with just a wee bit of imagination, I can turn around right now, and see the great bear Porthos.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Burning Man
There was a good article on Burning Man in yesterday's Chronicle. The article gives the following as tenets that are being preached by those involved with Burning Man:
Mandy and I saw a film on Burning Man last year, so I know that it is about a little more than those four things, but still, those four things sound pretty good, don't they?
Here's the article in its entirety.
- Anybody can be an artist
- Creativity and spontaneity should be part of one's everyday routine
- Watching out for others is more important that getting ahead
- If people work together, the world can be a better place
Mandy and I saw a film on Burning Man last year, so I know that it is about a little more than those four things, but still, those four things sound pretty good, don't they?
Here's the article in its entirety.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Raising your quarter-million dollar baby
Raising your quarter-million dollar baby
Children are priceless, but raising them is probably the most expensive thing you'll ever do. Here are some strategies and tips that may help.
By MSN Money staff
Every newborn child is a bundle of joy. But you better have a bundle of cash on hand if you want to raise one.
For 2004, the newest data available, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that families making $70,200 a year or more will spend a whopping $269,520 to raise a child from birth through age 17. Higher-income families in urban areas in the West spend the most, $284,460.
Though not as steep, the figures for lower-income families are just as unsettling: $184,320 for families earning $41,700 to $70,200 and $134,370 for families making less than that. That breaks down to nearly $15,000 a year from birth to age 2 for families in the $65,800 -plus income bracket. As your child ages, he or she gets even more expensive, topping out at $15,810 from ages 15 to 17. This is no back-of-the-envelope guesstimate. The survey involves visits to, and interviews with, about 5,000 households, four times a year.
For the rest of this fine article, click here.
Don't worry. I'm not freaking out. It's actually a very good article. The thing I'm most happy about is that this doesn't catch me off guard. We've been thinking through almost all of these issues (food, housing, health care, etc.) for quite some time, and feel that we've come to some very good money-saving options.
Children are priceless, but raising them is probably the most expensive thing you'll ever do. Here are some strategies and tips that may help.
By MSN Money staff
Every newborn child is a bundle of joy. But you better have a bundle of cash on hand if you want to raise one.
For 2004, the newest data available, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that families making $70,200 a year or more will spend a whopping $269,520 to raise a child from birth through age 17. Higher-income families in urban areas in the West spend the most, $284,460.
Though not as steep, the figures for lower-income families are just as unsettling: $184,320 for families earning $41,700 to $70,200 and $134,370 for families making less than that. That breaks down to nearly $15,000 a year from birth to age 2 for families in the $65,800 -plus income bracket. As your child ages, he or she gets even more expensive, topping out at $15,810 from ages 15 to 17. This is no back-of-the-envelope guesstimate. The survey involves visits to, and interviews with, about 5,000 households, four times a year.
For the rest of this fine article, click here.
Don't worry. I'm not freaking out. It's actually a very good article. The thing I'm most happy about is that this doesn't catch me off guard. We've been thinking through almost all of these issues (food, housing, health care, etc.) for quite some time, and feel that we've come to some very good money-saving options.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Todd Hunter
This is from Todd Hunter's website.
You’ve probably heard me articulate my vision to connect evangelism and spiritual formation into a seamless whole. I often state it like this: 'I want to help people become the cooperative friends of Jesus seeking to live lives of constant creative goodness through the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of the world.'
What a great way to say what is in so many of our hearts!
You’ve probably heard me articulate my vision to connect evangelism and spiritual formation into a seamless whole. I often state it like this: 'I want to help people become the cooperative friends of Jesus seeking to live lives of constant creative goodness through the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of the world.'
What a great way to say what is in so many of our hearts!
A good lesson
On Sunday our house church community met at our place. Eric shared a story that I've been thinking about since our meeting. He works with the homeless in San Francisco. They were having a meal one night, and, while he was working in the kitchen, he saw a man walk to the sink, pick up the sponge, and clean his shoes. Eric just sat there stunned, not even knowing what to say. His response was something like, "at least don't put it back in the sink." The guy walked past him without saying a word.
Pause
I thought that was a pretty good response. I might have said something like this: "You've got to be kidding me," or "have you lost your freakin' mind?"
Pause
Eric kind of floored me with what he said next.
He said that in his disgust and frustration he totally missed this man's humanity. He felt that he had failed, that he had missed an opportunity.
I admired Eric for his immediate discernment. How many times have I responded like this, yet been blind to the reality of what I was doing?
I'm sitting at Zocalo (a local coffee shop) and just read this.
Wonder if God's trying to speak to me.
Pause
I thought that was a pretty good response. I might have said something like this: "You've got to be kidding me," or "have you lost your freakin' mind?"
Pause
Eric kind of floored me with what he said next.
He said that in his disgust and frustration he totally missed this man's humanity. He felt that he had failed, that he had missed an opportunity.
I admired Eric for his immediate discernment. How many times have I responded like this, yet been blind to the reality of what I was doing?
I'm sitting at Zocalo (a local coffee shop) and just read this.
Wonder if God's trying to speak to me.
Practicing His Presence
About seven years ago I picked up a book called Practicing His Presence, a modern translation of Practicing the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence. That book made a profound impact on my life at the time. Today Mandy and I spent a few hours at Half Moon Bay. I took it with me and began reading it again. In my usual fashion, I will no doubt quote from it from time to time. I do, however, plan on reading the entire book.
The book begins with excerpts from a few of Frank Laubach's works. Laubach had read Brother Lawrence (who died in the 1600's) and had been impacted. He decided to try an experiment in which he would try to think about God for one second of every minute. Sounds like a daunting task, doesn't it?
Here's a great article by Dallas Willard on Frank Laubach. He lists the following as major themes of Laubach's works:
1. Submission to the will of God means cooperation with God in the moment-to-moment activities that make up our daily existence.
2. This cooperation is achieved through continuous inner conversation with God.
3. That conversation in turn is, from our side, a matter of keeping God constantly before the mind.
4. One learns to keep God constantly in mind by experimentation, by trying various experiential devices, until the habit of constant God-thought is established.
5. Then God permeates the self and transforms its world and its relations to others into God's field of constant action, in which all of the promises of Christ's gospel are realized in abundance of life.
6. It is possible for all people under all conditions to establish this habit if they make constant effort and experiment within their peculiar circumstances to discover how it can be done.
The book begins with excerpts from a few of Frank Laubach's works. Laubach had read Brother Lawrence (who died in the 1600's) and had been impacted. He decided to try an experiment in which he would try to think about God for one second of every minute. Sounds like a daunting task, doesn't it?
Here's a great article by Dallas Willard on Frank Laubach. He lists the following as major themes of Laubach's works:
1. Submission to the will of God means cooperation with God in the moment-to-moment activities that make up our daily existence.
2. This cooperation is achieved through continuous inner conversation with God.
3. That conversation in turn is, from our side, a matter of keeping God constantly before the mind.
4. One learns to keep God constantly in mind by experimentation, by trying various experiential devices, until the habit of constant God-thought is established.
5. Then God permeates the self and transforms its world and its relations to others into God's field of constant action, in which all of the promises of Christ's gospel are realized in abundance of life.
6. It is possible for all people under all conditions to establish this habit if they make constant effort and experiment within their peculiar circumstances to discover how it can be done.
Monday, May 23, 2005
The Bonneville is no longer...
Today we finished up our recent car saga. In an earlier post I mentioned that we were receiving $1000 from the state for retiring our vehicle. Today I went to the dismantler to say goodbye to the car. My parents bought the bonneville new in 1992. In 2001, after Mandy got her job in San Leandro, and we were still living in Mill Valley, they drove it to LA, where we bought it from them. It's been a good car for us, and I must say that we'll miss it a bit.
I kind of feel bad for getting rid of it this way. It's a good car, and the people at the dismantler site couldn't believe I was getting rid of it. (You have to understand that most people take cars that are older than 1985). It would most likely have been drivable for a few more years. I've been questioning myself on whether or not I made the right decision. Even if I had given it away, it would have still required up to $400 to fix it. The problem is that it's really not worth much more than that. Oh yeah, it's also a salvage...and the brakes aren't that great.
Anyway, it's over. The decision was made.
I'm going to go and fix dinner.
I kind of feel bad for getting rid of it this way. It's a good car, and the people at the dismantler site couldn't believe I was getting rid of it. (You have to understand that most people take cars that are older than 1985). It would most likely have been drivable for a few more years. I've been questioning myself on whether or not I made the right decision. Even if I had given it away, it would have still required up to $400 to fix it. The problem is that it's really not worth much more than that. Oh yeah, it's also a salvage...and the brakes aren't that great.
Anyway, it's over. The decision was made.
I'm going to go and fix dinner.
Tech problems
I just got my network back up and running. At some point yesterday something happened. Because my phone is through the internet (vonage), I had no phone as weel. I did all of the little troubleshooting I knew to do this morning (resetting both the modem and the router, etc), and still nothing. So I finally called Comcast. Would you believe it that the problem was that the power button on the modem was not on!!! Makes you want to cuss, or laugh, doesn't it!
The modem sits underneath Adam's baby bed, and I was getting some things out from under it for Mandy yesterday. I guess while I was doing it I hit the button.
I tried all of the complex things I knew to do, yet the solution to the problem was the most simple thing I could do.
I'll leave the applications to you.
The modem sits underneath Adam's baby bed, and I was getting some things out from under it for Mandy yesterday. I guess while I was doing it I hit the button.
I tried all of the complex things I knew to do, yet the solution to the problem was the most simple thing I could do.
I'll leave the applications to you.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Mandy's last day of school
Today was Mandy's last day teaching at her school. She'll be taking the next few weeks to rest and get ready for Adam. One of the second grade classes decided to write notes of appreciation to her. Tonight Mandy read several of them to me. Here's one of them...
May 18, 2005
Dear Mrs. Grisham
Mrs. Grisham. We love you because your going to leave but we don't want you to leave. We want you to stay here to have music with us. But your having a baby. We are going to miss you. I wish you don't have to leave because we are going to miss you. Because that you are a good music teacher because you have teached us music and we watch movies to. We sang the share bears just lots of songs. You are the best music teacher ever. We love you. We are going to miss. But music fun we played drums. We care about you when are you going to have the baby? And we played xylophone. Can we see the baby? Can we visit the baby to? We played lots of instermints lots of instermints Can we see Adam Grisham. We want to see him please can we.
As you can see, Mrs. Grisham will be missed!
May 18, 2005
Dear Mrs. Grisham
Mrs. Grisham. We love you because your going to leave but we don't want you to leave. We want you to stay here to have music with us. But your having a baby. We are going to miss you. I wish you don't have to leave because we are going to miss you. Because that you are a good music teacher because you have teached us music and we watch movies to. We sang the share bears just lots of songs. You are the best music teacher ever. We love you. We are going to miss. But music fun we played drums. We care about you when are you going to have the baby? And we played xylophone. Can we see the baby? Can we visit the baby to? We played lots of instermints lots of instermints Can we see Adam Grisham. We want to see him please can we.
As you can see, Mrs. Grisham will be missed!
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Entrepreneurship among teens growing
from Business Week Online
LEADERSHIP
By Jessica Thacher
Cultivating Biz Whizzes
More teens are starting their own businesses, and groups like the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship are helping them do it.
Many people who decide to become entrepreneurs do so because they aren't satisfied with the options offered in the corporate world. Natasha Spedalle was no different. At age 14, she wanted to land an after-school job, but most potential employers told her she was too young. So she decided to start her own business.
Her New York-based outfit, BliNg-BliNg Discount Fashion Jewelry, sells affordable, trendy accessories at street fairs and on college campuses. "It gives me a sense of fulfillment knowing that I can do it at such a young age," she says.
CHANNELING DREAMS.
Spedalle, now 15, is among a growing number of teens and young s who are taking the entrepreneurial path, particularly within lower-income communities. "Entrepreneurship is the ultimate social-justice program," says Michael Caslin, head of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a New York-based organization that partners with schools and community groups to teach young people in economically deprived areas how to run a business.
Founded in 1987 by Steve Mariotti, a former businessman and New York City schoolteacher, NFTE now works with nearly 20,000 kids each year in 45 states and 16 countries. By teaching young people basic business concepts, such as business-plan writing, marketing, negotiation, and pricing, Caslin says the foundation helps them "channel dreams into reality." NFTE recently honored Spedalle and 28 other young entrepreneurs at its 12th annual awards banquet in April.
Continue reading
LEADERSHIP
By Jessica Thacher
Cultivating Biz Whizzes
More teens are starting their own businesses, and groups like the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship are helping them do it.
Many people who decide to become entrepreneurs do so because they aren't satisfied with the options offered in the corporate world. Natasha Spedalle was no different. At age 14, she wanted to land an after-school job, but most potential employers told her she was too young. So she decided to start her own business.
Her New York-based outfit, BliNg-BliNg Discount Fashion Jewelry, sells affordable, trendy accessories at street fairs and on college campuses. "It gives me a sense of fulfillment knowing that I can do it at such a young age," she says.
CHANNELING DREAMS.
Spedalle, now 15, is among a growing number of teens and young s who are taking the entrepreneurial path, particularly within lower-income communities. "Entrepreneurship is the ultimate social-justice program," says Michael Caslin, head of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a New York-based organization that partners with schools and community groups to teach young people in economically deprived areas how to run a business.
Founded in 1987 by Steve Mariotti, a former businessman and New York City schoolteacher, NFTE now works with nearly 20,000 kids each year in 45 states and 16 countries. By teaching young people basic business concepts, such as business-plan writing, marketing, negotiation, and pricing, Caslin says the foundation helps them "channel dreams into reality." NFTE recently honored Spedalle and 28 other young entrepreneurs at its 12th annual awards banquet in April.
Continue reading
Baby could come early!
Mandy and I went to her doctor two days ago. Dr. Polito is a very laid back guy, which I like. He told Mandy that her blood pressure was a little high, yet, because her last day to work is this Friday, he was not worried. He said that she should come back next week, and if her blood pressure is still high, "he might come a few days later." Now I'll be the first to admit that I still don't know that much about babies, so I asked, "What do you mean by a few days later?" I thought he meant that Adam might come a few days later than his due date (June 17th or 20th, depending on who you ask).
He informed us both that what he meant was that Adam could come as early as the end of next week!
I realized at that moment how much I value scientific things such as due dates. It's very easy to chisel these into stone, or, better yet, God's will. I felt that this was a bit of a humorous thing not only for Dr. Polito, but perhaps for God.
Mandy is not too worried about this. She finishes school tomorrow, and can rest for the next few weeks.
Three more things to mention in this blog...
1. Yesterday we went to Wal-Mart to buy, among other things, newborn diapers. It took us quite awhile to find what we were looking for. There's a lot to choose from. Again, I'm taking a crash course on "the baby."
2. Last night Mandy started looking for baby announcements. She found a website that had examples of their announcements. One had a picture of a cute little baby boy. The caption read,
"Hi. I'm Freddy. My mom and dad and I would like to thank you for all the gifts you gave me."
As I'm going back and reading this, it doesn't sound quite as funny, but boy was it when she read it to me!
3. I'm headed out in just under an hour to go see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith! Very excited!
He informed us both that what he meant was that Adam could come as early as the end of next week!
I realized at that moment how much I value scientific things such as due dates. It's very easy to chisel these into stone, or, better yet, God's will. I felt that this was a bit of a humorous thing not only for Dr. Polito, but perhaps for God.
Mandy is not too worried about this. She finishes school tomorrow, and can rest for the next few weeks.
Three more things to mention in this blog...
1. Yesterday we went to Wal-Mart to buy, among other things, newborn diapers. It took us quite awhile to find what we were looking for. There's a lot to choose from. Again, I'm taking a crash course on "the baby."
2. Last night Mandy started looking for baby announcements. She found a website that had examples of their announcements. One had a picture of a cute little baby boy. The caption read,
"Hi. I'm Freddy. My mom and dad and I would like to thank you for all the gifts you gave me."
As I'm going back and reading this, it doesn't sound quite as funny, but boy was it when she read it to me!
3. I'm headed out in just under an hour to go see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith! Very excited!
Sunday, May 08, 2005
A new car!
About a month ago our 1992 Pontiac Bonneville failed a smog test. I found out that the repairs could cost up to $500. Because I was required to go to a test-only center, I found out that I was eligible to receive funds for repair, or...I could get $1000 for "retiring" my vehicle. After learning that I would not get anywhere close to $1000 if I sold it, I decided to go for it. We then went about trying to get a new vehicle. We bought our Nissan last year from a guy I met here in San Leandro. He now owns his own body shop in Sacramento, so I called him to see if he had a car he could sell me. This past Friday I went to Sacrament to pick up our new 2003 Saturn Vue. I got a great deal on it. It's a salvage, so there's some risk in a purchase like this, but I couldn't turn it down.
Next on the list is to go to Oakland to see the bonneville get flattened!
Next on the list is to go to Oakland to see the bonneville get flattened!
Thursday, May 05, 2005
National Day of Prayer
This morning I led worship for a National Day of Prayer gathering here in San Leandro. I actually didn't know that today was the National Day of Prayer today until I got there. A fellow by the name of Carl Davis was the guest speaker. Right away there was something that attracted me to Carl. He works at Morgan Stanley, but also is a leader in the area of marketplace ministry. He shared how God is working all around us, including things that are going on here in the Bay Area. I jotted down the following thoughts while he spoke:
1. I have a book I picked up not long ago called Reclaiming America for Christ. The book is a collection of articles/talks given by different pastors, politicians, etc., talking about how bad America has become, and how we need to pray that God would restore us into a Christian nation. I've had a few issues with this. First, were we ever a Christian nation? What does a "Christian" nation look like? What is it that we're actually hoping for? Larger churches? More "Christians" as we know them? Second, it seems that God has worked primarily in places where Christians were not in places of priviledge. I believe, as do others, that we need to go back to the Old Testament to see how the Jewish people behaved while in captivity in Babylon. I think this will help us better answer the question, "How then should we live?"
2. That's where I've been. I don't necessarily think that's wrong, but I don't think it's complete. Part of it is a reaction, and reactions lead to extremes. I remember at one point in my life I was organizing events for the National Day of Prayer. I find it odd that I didn't even know that was today. In my zeal for rethinking how to live as outsiders (in a land that is not our own), have I neglected something very important?
3. More and more I have been praying for God's Kingdom to come here on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, for God to give us a taste of what heaven is like: restoring broken lives and communities, ending massive problems like aids, poverty, disease, etc. Though this is huge, it is more tangible than just saying that we want America to become a Christian nation once again.
4. I want to be wise in knowing the times. Our culture is changing, and we need a new posture for living. At the same time, I don't want to lack faith. At some point God's Kingdom will be restored, but it may not be in my lifetime. Therefore, we need to learn how to live here. Is this a lack of faith or simply wisdom. I want to have both.
I realize more and more that I'm definitely a work in progress. As Paul would say, "Thanks be to God!"
1. I have a book I picked up not long ago called Reclaiming America for Christ. The book is a collection of articles/talks given by different pastors, politicians, etc., talking about how bad America has become, and how we need to pray that God would restore us into a Christian nation. I've had a few issues with this. First, were we ever a Christian nation? What does a "Christian" nation look like? What is it that we're actually hoping for? Larger churches? More "Christians" as we know them? Second, it seems that God has worked primarily in places where Christians were not in places of priviledge. I believe, as do others, that we need to go back to the Old Testament to see how the Jewish people behaved while in captivity in Babylon. I think this will help us better answer the question, "How then should we live?"
2. That's where I've been. I don't necessarily think that's wrong, but I don't think it's complete. Part of it is a reaction, and reactions lead to extremes. I remember at one point in my life I was organizing events for the National Day of Prayer. I find it odd that I didn't even know that was today. In my zeal for rethinking how to live as outsiders (in a land that is not our own), have I neglected something very important?
3. More and more I have been praying for God's Kingdom to come here on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, for God to give us a taste of what heaven is like: restoring broken lives and communities, ending massive problems like aids, poverty, disease, etc. Though this is huge, it is more tangible than just saying that we want America to become a Christian nation once again.
4. I want to be wise in knowing the times. Our culture is changing, and we need a new posture for living. At the same time, I don't want to lack faith. At some point God's Kingdom will be restored, but it may not be in my lifetime. Therefore, we need to learn how to live here. Is this a lack of faith or simply wisdom. I want to have both.
I realize more and more that I'm definitely a work in progress. As Paul would say, "Thanks be to God!"
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
An interesting evening
Tonight Mandy and I went to a class at Eden Hospital called "Breastfeeding Basics." I had this fear going into the night that I would be the only guy there. Fortunately, I wasn't. At the end of the evening we watched a video produced by a company called Injoy. Funny, I never saw John Maxwell on it!
I still find it crazy that we're having a baby in a little over a month.
I still find it crazy that we're having a baby in a little over a month.
Monday, May 02, 2005
New music
This past week I've discovered two new artists, and I'm really digging them right now.
Gavin Degraw and Damien Rice
It's not that these guys are new to the music scene, so I guess "discovering" is not the best word to use.
As well, here's a great site where one can (legally) download their tunes.
Gavin Degraw and Damien Rice
It's not that these guys are new to the music scene, so I guess "discovering" is not the best word to use.
As well, here's a great site where one can (legally) download their tunes.
Bruce
Mandy has been teaching music at Hillside Elementary School for five years. Occasionally she has come home with a funny story or two about her kids. I always told her that she needed to keep a journal on them. (She never quite took me up on this advice; therefore, I thought I'd help with the journaling process).
So...here's a story she told me a few days ago.
Bruce is a second grader that I met at our basketball camp last summer. Funny kid. Last week the kids had testing, and at one point in the day Bruce came into Mandy's class when he should have been in his classroom testing. Mandy asked him why he wasn't testing. His response:
"They're doing geometry right now, and I'm not very good at geometry."
Boy, things have sure changed since I was in second grade!
So...here's a story she told me a few days ago.
Bruce is a second grader that I met at our basketball camp last summer. Funny kid. Last week the kids had testing, and at one point in the day Bruce came into Mandy's class when he should have been in his classroom testing. Mandy asked him why he wasn't testing. His response:
"They're doing geometry right now, and I'm not very good at geometry."
Boy, things have sure changed since I was in second grade!
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Adam Joshua
Alright, now that I've gotten that post out of the way, here's some bigger news. After months of thinking through names, Mandy and I settled on Adam Joshua Grisham. I mentioned the name Adam on the day we found out we were having a boy. We've been calling him that, thinking that we could change it if we didn't like it. I've had a hard time thinking about this decision. It's such an important decision, one that our boy will have to live with the rest of his life. This way, at least we have some options: Adam, Joshua, AJ, etc. That made me feel a lot better. For now, though, he's Adam.
The two month countdown has begun. I can't wait to actually meet him!
The two month countdown has begun. I can't wait to actually meet him!
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
A long-overdue posting
The slacker returns!
After a month goes by, it's difficult to get back in the routine of blogging (not that I had a very long history of blogging). The problem is where to begin. So much has happened.
Oh well...I'll start with something light.
I watched three movies over the last week.
Oceans 12
I was hoping for more. It could have been a lot better. To sum up what I didn't like about it, everything was just too clever. I did like Matt Damon's part, though
Spanglish
An ok movie. The best thing was learning how to make the world's greatest sandwich. There's a scene where Adam Sandler's character makes a sandwich with bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a fried egg. I thought it looked good when I saw it. Then we were browsing the special features and came upon a section called "The World's Greatest Sandwich." They showed why they chose this sandwich, as well as how they made it. I decided that I too needed one of these sandwiches. I ate one that night and the next!
Hotel Rwanda
This movie moved me more than any I've seen in quite some time. After it was over I journaled the following thoughts:
I just finished watching Hotel Rwanda, and was deeply impacted. I can’t believe this happened just eleven years ago. I can’t believe that I never knew that one million people were massacred in Africa – in 1994. I believe that one day we who are privileged will experience pain like this. As I reflect on this movie, I wonder who I would have been more like: Joaquin Phoenix’s character, who, as he was leaving, said, “I’m so ashamed,” or Paul, who stayed and made a difference. I don’t want to get comfortable. What does God want to tell me through this film?
After a month goes by, it's difficult to get back in the routine of blogging (not that I had a very long history of blogging). The problem is where to begin. So much has happened.
Oh well...I'll start with something light.
I watched three movies over the last week.
Oceans 12
I was hoping for more. It could have been a lot better. To sum up what I didn't like about it, everything was just too clever. I did like Matt Damon's part, though
Spanglish
An ok movie. The best thing was learning how to make the world's greatest sandwich. There's a scene where Adam Sandler's character makes a sandwich with bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a fried egg. I thought it looked good when I saw it. Then we were browsing the special features and came upon a section called "The World's Greatest Sandwich." They showed why they chose this sandwich, as well as how they made it. I decided that I too needed one of these sandwiches. I ate one that night and the next!
Hotel Rwanda
This movie moved me more than any I've seen in quite some time. After it was over I journaled the following thoughts:
I just finished watching Hotel Rwanda, and was deeply impacted. I can’t believe this happened just eleven years ago. I can’t believe that I never knew that one million people were massacred in Africa – in 1994. I believe that one day we who are privileged will experience pain like this. As I reflect on this movie, I wonder who I would have been more like: Joaquin Phoenix’s character, who, as he was leaving, said, “I’m so ashamed,” or Paul, who stayed and made a difference. I don’t want to get comfortable. What does God want to tell me through this film?
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Oswald
Here's today's passage from My Utmost for His Highest.
The Surrendered Life
"I have been crucified with Christ …" (Galatians 2:20).
To become one with Jesus Christ, a person must be willing not only to give up sin, but also to surrender his whole way of looking at things. Being born again by the Spirit of God means that we must first be willing to let go before we can grasp something else. The first thing we must surrender is all of our pretense or deceit. What our Lord wants us to present to Him is not our goodness, honesty, or our efforts to do better, but real solid sin. Actually, that is all He can take from us. And what He gives us in exchange for our sin is real solid righteousness. But we must surrender all pretense that we are anything, and give up all our claims of even being worthy of God’s consideration.
Once we have done that, the Spirit of God will show us what we need to surrender next. Along each step of this process, we will have to give up our claims to our rights to ourselves. Are we willing to surrender our grasp on all that we possess, our desires, and everything else in our lives? Are we ready to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ?
We will suffer a sharp painful disillusionment before we fully surrender. When people really see themselves as the Lord sees them, it is not the terribly offensive sins of the flesh that shock them, but the awful nature of the pride of their own hearts opposing Jesus Christ. When they see themselves in the light of the Lord, the shame, horror, and desperate conviction hit home for them.
If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you have and all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.
The Surrendered Life
"I have been crucified with Christ …" (Galatians 2:20).
To become one with Jesus Christ, a person must be willing not only to give up sin, but also to surrender his whole way of looking at things. Being born again by the Spirit of God means that we must first be willing to let go before we can grasp something else. The first thing we must surrender is all of our pretense or deceit. What our Lord wants us to present to Him is not our goodness, honesty, or our efforts to do better, but real solid sin. Actually, that is all He can take from us. And what He gives us in exchange for our sin is real solid righteousness. But we must surrender all pretense that we are anything, and give up all our claims of even being worthy of God’s consideration.
Once we have done that, the Spirit of God will show us what we need to surrender next. Along each step of this process, we will have to give up our claims to our rights to ourselves. Are we willing to surrender our grasp on all that we possess, our desires, and everything else in our lives? Are we ready to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ?
We will suffer a sharp painful disillusionment before we fully surrender. When people really see themselves as the Lord sees them, it is not the terribly offensive sins of the flesh that shock them, but the awful nature of the pride of their own hearts opposing Jesus Christ. When they see themselves in the light of the Lord, the shame, horror, and desperate conviction hit home for them.
If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you have and all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.
Friday, March 04, 2005
New book
I just started reading Reimagining Spiritual Formation, by Doug Pagitt, along with others from Solomon's Porch. I thought I would include some thoughts from the book on this blog. Now I realize that you who read this blog think I never finish reading books...and, you're pretty much right on. I promise to try to do better...maybe.
I've gone into this church experience being very wary toward church communities, but my mind has been changed person by person. I not only trust the poeple at church, but I feel more and more drawn to them. I never thought I would let myself get so involved emotionally or socially in a church (38).
This quote, from Erin, encourages me to keep doing what I am doing. One thought I've had while reading this is that in order to invite others into this kind of community, I first must enter in myself.
The efforts of Solomon's Porch began, and remain, our attempt to be people of useful faith - a blessing to the world (44).
I liked that they used the word useful before they used the word blessing. We talk about wanting to be a blessing to the world. I think it might be helpful for me to think in terms of simpy being useful. We like people who are useful. Am I being useful to the people in my oikos (family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.)? If we become useful to the world, then we will in fact be a blessing.
In other news, playoffs start tomorrow. We are the sixth seed and will be playing the 3rd seed, a team that beat us by four points. I think we can take them.
I've gone into this church experience being very wary toward church communities, but my mind has been changed person by person. I not only trust the poeple at church, but I feel more and more drawn to them. I never thought I would let myself get so involved emotionally or socially in a church (38).
This quote, from Erin, encourages me to keep doing what I am doing. One thought I've had while reading this is that in order to invite others into this kind of community, I first must enter in myself.
The efforts of Solomon's Porch began, and remain, our attempt to be people of useful faith - a blessing to the world (44).
I liked that they used the word useful before they used the word blessing. We talk about wanting to be a blessing to the world. I think it might be helpful for me to think in terms of simpy being useful. We like people who are useful. Am I being useful to the people in my oikos (family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.)? If we become useful to the world, then we will in fact be a blessing.
In other news, playoffs start tomorrow. We are the sixth seed and will be playing the 3rd seed, a team that beat us by four points. I think we can take them.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
NBA All Star Game...& Country Music
Tonight I've been watching a little Inside the NBA on TNT. If you're not familiar with that show, it's the one with Charles, Kenny and Ernie. They reminded me of something I had tried to remove from my memory - the half-time show during the all star game last Saturday.
If you didn't see it, there was a country band called Big & Rich. They sing a song called "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." I thought it was a little odd that this band was headlining the NBA All Star Game Halftime show. Things went from a little odd to frickin' wierd.
They had a little man dancing around (see Kid Rock) as well as a really tall cowboy rapper. To top it off, at one point the camera zoomed in on these two little white kids with cowboy hats. They were definitely getting their groove on.
Anyway, if you missed it, I'm not sure whether to congratulate you or...
Congratulations!
If you didn't see it, there was a country band called Big & Rich. They sing a song called "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." I thought it was a little odd that this band was headlining the NBA All Star Game Halftime show. Things went from a little odd to frickin' wierd.
They had a little man dancing around (see Kid Rock) as well as a really tall cowboy rapper. To top it off, at one point the camera zoomed in on these two little white kids with cowboy hats. They were definitely getting their groove on.
Anyway, if you missed it, I'm not sure whether to congratulate you or...
Congratulations!
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Epic
Today I was reading from John Eldredge's little book, Epic. I gave it to a few friends this year for Christmas. I usually do not recommend, let alone give as a gift, books that I haven't read. I felt that I pretty much knew what he was saying in this one, since it's based on Waking the Dead (actually, I haven't finished that one either, but that's another story).
In the prologue Eldredge talks a lot about Story.
(Stories) go far deeper than entertainment, by the way. Stories nourish us. They provide a kind of food that the soul craves. "Stories are equipment for living," says Hollywood screenwriting teacher Robert McKee. he believes that we go to the movies because we hope to find in someone else's story something that will help us understand our own. We go "to live in a fictional reality that illuminates our daily reality" (5).
On another topic, last night Mandy and I went to Costco, and I purchased a 12-pack of Russell Athletic Crew socks. I must say that they are some of the best socks I've ever owned. If you're in the market for white socks anytime soon, I highly recommend these. Peace out!
In the prologue Eldredge talks a lot about Story.
(Stories) go far deeper than entertainment, by the way. Stories nourish us. They provide a kind of food that the soul craves. "Stories are equipment for living," says Hollywood screenwriting teacher Robert McKee. he believes that we go to the movies because we hope to find in someone else's story something that will help us understand our own. We go "to live in a fictional reality that illuminates our daily reality" (5).
On another topic, last night Mandy and I went to Costco, and I purchased a 12-pack of Russell Athletic Crew socks. I must say that they are some of the best socks I've ever owned. If you're in the market for white socks anytime soon, I highly recommend these. Peace out!
Friday, February 18, 2005
It's a boy!
Yesterday Mandy, her mom Lyndia, and I went to Pleasanton to a place called 3D BabyVu. The pictures below came from the ultrasound Mandy had there. We also took home a 20-minute dvd of the ultrasound. A couple of weeks ago Mandy had an ultrasound at her doctor's office, but we were not able to determine if our baby was a boy or a girl. There was no doubt about it with this one - we got ourselves a little boy.
It was a pretty amazing experience. I wondered what the staff at this place think about God. You either stand in awe, or you chalk it up to scientific procedure. I prefer to be amazed. It makes life more interesting.
I've had another thought regarding the kid this week. I've realized that I don't trust God as much as I'd like to think I do. In most situations, I at least have a little control in what happens. Not so in the life of my son. It is completely out of my hands. Except for trying to take care of her body by eating the right kinds of foods resting, it's out of Mandy's hands as well.
So...it's easy to stress a little with this. Mandy had some lower back pains last weekend, and her dad said that it could be her kidneys, which we then realized was a really big thing. We were of course worried, and had to wait a whole two days before she could talk to her doctor. The doctor said not to worry about it, that it wasn't her kidneys, and she and the baby were fine. We could breathe easily again, at least until the next thing. That's not the way I want to live. God has given life to this baby, and He will take care of him as well. I need to chill, and let God be God. It's His hands that my child is in! My job is to just sit and be amazed.
Sounds like a good deal doesn't it!
It was a pretty amazing experience. I wondered what the staff at this place think about God. You either stand in awe, or you chalk it up to scientific procedure. I prefer to be amazed. It makes life more interesting.
I've had another thought regarding the kid this week. I've realized that I don't trust God as much as I'd like to think I do. In most situations, I at least have a little control in what happens. Not so in the life of my son. It is completely out of my hands. Except for trying to take care of her body by eating the right kinds of foods resting, it's out of Mandy's hands as well.
So...it's easy to stress a little with this. Mandy had some lower back pains last weekend, and her dad said that it could be her kidneys, which we then realized was a really big thing. We were of course worried, and had to wait a whole two days before she could talk to her doctor. The doctor said not to worry about it, that it wasn't her kidneys, and she and the baby were fine. We could breathe easily again, at least until the next thing. That's not the way I want to live. God has given life to this baby, and He will take care of him as well. I need to chill, and let God be God. It's His hands that my child is in! My job is to just sit and be amazed.
Sounds like a good deal doesn't it!
Saturday, February 12, 2005
What a rotten loss
We had another game today. This one didn't turn out quite as well as our last one. We didn't shoot well at all, but we did play good defense, and were ahead by one under two minutes left in the game. They took the lead with thirty seconds left. We had a chance to take the lead, but missed our shot. They got the rebound. As soon as they crossed over into their court we trapped and stole the ball. Ta'Whan, one of our point guards, saw that there was five seconds left, and headed towards the basket with one defender behind him.
In practice it would have been a simple layup. Not quite the same circumstances today. Half of our kids were crying when the game was over. There wasn't much we could say. We were all pretty stunned, to have come so close yet lose. I felt bad for our kids, and especially for Ta'Whan, but I figured that any great clutch player has had a moment when they failed in the clutch.
In practice it would have been a simple layup. Not quite the same circumstances today. Half of our kids were crying when the game was over. There wasn't much we could say. We were all pretty stunned, to have come so close yet lose. I felt bad for our kids, and especially for Ta'Whan, but I figured that any great clutch player has had a moment when they failed in the clutch.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Basketball
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this, but I coach a boys 4th/5th grade basketball team. These are boys from the school where Mandy teaches (Hillside Elementary School). Ian and I have coached these boys the last two seasons. We won one game last year. As of this past Saturday we were 0-2. The team we were playing on Saturday was 2-1.
We were down by four or five points going into the 4th quarter, having been down the entire game. We finally took the lead with two minutes left. The other team got the lead back the next play. With a minute left in the game we scored, and went on to win the game!
Our boys were so excited. I was so excited. I actually thought I was going to pull a Coack K (by the way, I love Coach K. I love Duke).
Practice is today. I look forward to celebrating with my team!
We were down by four or five points going into the 4th quarter, having been down the entire game. We finally took the lead with two minutes left. The other team got the lead back the next play. With a minute left in the game we scored, and went on to win the game!
Our boys were so excited. I was so excited. I actually thought I was going to pull a Coack K (by the way, I love Coach K. I love Duke).
Practice is today. I look forward to celebrating with my team!
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Church of the Apostles
(As you can see, I'm playing catch-up on my blogging. I have a feeling this will happen pretty pretty often.)
Anyway, I'm on Tom and Christine Sine's mailing list. On their last mailer there was a link to a new church in Seattle. Check out their site. Good stuff!
Anyway, I'm on Tom and Christine Sine's mailing list. On their last mailer there was a link to a new church in Seattle. Check out their site. Good stuff!
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church
Last week I finished up this book. I happened upon a review of it in a magazine, and thought it looked good. It was written in 1997. What's funny is that as I was reading it, I kept thinking, "I guess I don't need to write a book anymore - this is it!"
Here's the jist of the book:
Here's the jist of the book:
- America is not a Christian nation. (It probably never was)
- A minority behaves differently than a majority
- Until we realize that we are a minority, we will never be able to answer Francis Schaeffer's question "How then should we live?" (though I'm not sure if Schaeffer actually answers that question in his book)
Jerry Falwell on CNN
I'm about to leave for basketball practice, but I just realized that Jerry Falwell is on Crossfire. Looks like a program I need to record. More later...
25 Most Influential Evangelicals
Last night Larry King's show was on Time Magazine's latest cover story: Evangelicals in America.
His panel consisted of Tim & Beverly LaHaye, Franklin Graham, T.D. Jakes, and Brian McLaren. I really like Larry King. I think he does a good job asking hard questions, while at the same time staying calm. Here's the transcript of that show.
Here's another transcript from Larry King that you might be interested in. After the tsunami, Larry had a panel of religious leaders on his show to discuss God's role in this tragedy.
His panel consisted of Tim & Beverly LaHaye, Franklin Graham, T.D. Jakes, and Brian McLaren. I really like Larry King. I think he does a good job asking hard questions, while at the same time staying calm. Here's the transcript of that show.
Here's another transcript from Larry King that you might be interested in. After the tsunami, Larry had a panel of religious leaders on his show to discuss God's role in this tragedy.
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