Julie and I were talking this past week about someone who called us “special people” because we do foster care. If you know our foster story, you know it hasn’t been easy. In fact there have been times we really didn’t think we could keep going.While there is a precious, ... Read More
So just when I thought I was done blogging (because I don't like it) I must share this news. It may sound small or ordinary but I really feel compelled to share it here. We have been spending most Sunday mornings with our community groups instead of all gathering together. It's just a different ... Read More
this week julie and i finished all the "work" so we can become licensed foster parents. the process included all kinds of things -30 hours of class, background checks, home inspections, lots of interviews, tons of paper work, and other stuff -but it's all done. now we wait for d.e.s. to ... Read More
Category: foster care
This journey of foster care has been good, but the further down the road we go the more decisions there are to make. We talk about so many dynamics with different kinds of kids, different circumstances their coming from & different outcomes for them. It's definately not a simple process -but ... Read More
Category: foster care
About a month ago Julie and I decided to take our desire to help those who are less fortunate, forgotten or otherwise in need of serious help to a new place. John (in I John) talks about how we are not to love in word but deed and in truth. I still struggle with this because it’s just so ... Read More
Category: foster care
This post is a little longer…as it gives an overview of my recent trip and some things I came back with.So last weekend Steve, Darren and I took a trip to Cali. We stayed in San Jose but went up to San Fran and down to Santa Cruz. The intent of the trip was to meet with some church leaders ... Read More
Category: personal
Well I realize I'm a little late on this. But my birthday was a couple weeks ago -the 19th. It's not too late to send presents -just f.y.i. Anyway, I told Julie the day before I think I would like to get a tattoo for my birthday. While I have my "ideal" one in my mind it needs to be drawn out and ... Read More
Category: personal
Christ-centered living rests in 2 things... a belief and a decision...there are many things to believe about Jesus & countless daily decision sometimes our beliefs determine the decisions we make often our decisions reveal what our real beliefs are for our beliefs & decisions to ... Read More
Ok…so it’s been a while since I last blogged. Bottom line - I don’t really care for this but every know and then I think of someone worth writing.Last night Julie and I took Hayden to the American Idol Concert at Jobing.com arena in Glendale. We went last year too so it was fun ... Read More
Our camping trip this past weekend was great. We had between 25-30 people and had a great time hanging together. For those who couldn’t make it –we plan on it again sometime (anybody want to go next month –just kidding, but seriously anybody want to)?Saturday night we sang some ... Read More
For those of you who don't know I was on the news the other night. It was the first of what I'm sure will be plenty of appearances of me on T.V. If you haven't seen it click here. I've been receiving some calls, text messages & the standard comments from strangers, "Hey I saw you on ... Read More
Category: personal
Julie and I know a couple who have recently decided to get divorced. I know this happens all the time, but I don’t ever want to get used to it. They had a good marriage for many years, but over time things can change. Things do change.Over time, we get used to our spouses, we might become ... Read More
Last night I watched this film, and let me begin by saying - go watch it! It is a terrific film and I’m only blogging about it because I thought it was so insightful and relevant to our current culture. The basic premise is about a guy who graduates from college and goes on a journey of ... Read More
Tonight I did an outdoor wedding in Phoenix. It’s not unusual for the wedding to be outdoors and at this time of year I am doing quite a few of them. This wedding was very nice and elegant. It was at a house, sitting on acres so there was plenty of room for 150 guests, tables in the back, ... Read More
Ok I know I haven’t typed a blog in forever. This one comes primarily because josh b. has threatened me if I don’t write another one. So josh I hope you’re reading, I hope you’re happy. This happened a couple weeks but had such an impact on me I feel compelled to write ... Read More
So...I know I should be posting something with more substance than this but... When I was having lunch today with Steve (working hard & enjoying in-and-out) lots of birds flock to us. I guess they want the bread crumbs & fries. Then a Roadrunner bird shows up and we're ... Read More
Category: personal
so my 7 year old hayden went to a special place at his school where he can buy presents for his family (w/ our money of course). i think it's a pretty cool idea, he gets to pick stuff out and "buy them". so he does this for all of us, comes home and immediately wraps everything up and ... Read More
Category: personal
Last night we a little Christmas party at our home gathering. It was fun with everybody present, tasty food, good times, white elephant gifts, happy healthy kids and...opportunities to bless others. Our neighbors (Annet & Rob) contacted the city and got a couple "adopt a families" ... Read More
Category: advent reflections
Last Saturday I went to a downtown Christmas party w/ my son Hayden. The event is an annual blessing that a youth intervention program does for kids in the area. It’s an ongoing program they have but this day draws out hundreds of kids since they give out a toy or two and lunch –free. ... Read More
Category: advent reflections
A couple days ago i got to take the trash out to the dumpster at work. The truth is i don't mind it, it gets me out of the store and into fresh air (except right around the dumpster). The dumpster itself is absolutely filthy -black, water, greasy, slimy -flat out indescribably disgusting. There is ... Read More
Category: advent reflections
I know it's strong language. And no, I did not title this to "grab your attention" "hook you in" or "rattle the cage". I simply said it becuase I believe it's true -that's pretty much it. Last Sunday when we looked at Jesus being "deeply moved in his ... Read More
Well this Thursdays the big day. Stuffing, potatoes, tasty turkey, apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie (to name my favorites) will all fill our kitchens and then our stomachs...yum! Hopefully you'll be in good company enjoying all the above with friends and family. To complete the day throw in some ... Read More
Well it's been a while since I last posted...but now this thing is fixed so here we go. Last Friday (I know it's late) Julie the boys & I went to the fair with Leanne & Brian. We had been wanting to do something together for a while (I work with Leanne at the bucks). We had ... Read More
Category: personal
Julie, the boys & I went camping this week. We went up through Payson and on the rim. We were only there two nights but it was a nice get-a-way. The weather was really nice. The high was 85 and it cooled down really nice at night. Overall we had a great time, though we didn't catch any ... Read More
Last week I had a couple opportunities to deepen some new friendships with people at coffee shops. These are simple friendships of meeting people, as I'm sitting & working/reading. But there was one case in particular where a person spiritually opened up simply through an act of friendship ... Read More
Julie & I had our 10th anniversary on May 2. We decided to take a trip to Napa Valley in Northern California, away from the kids and enjoy some alone time in wine country. We left Friday morning May 4 and returned Sunday night. It was beautiful and we had a great time. Here are a few picks ... Read More
Category: personal
The last couple weeks on Sunday’s we have been talking about & discovering the implications for us being relational in approach. We decided on not having a “covenant” but rather a commitment to one another that flows out of our commitment to Christ & bond as a family. I ... Read More
Check out this video. I'm so proud. We were having dinner tonight and somehow it comes up that "dotes" can meow & bark. Normally this is nothing to get excited about but he pulls it off exceptionally well. ... Read More
passion week was really meaningful for me and our community. good friday especially was a beautiful depiction of such a horrific event. easter has to be the most brightening day of the year. this time of lent was long but helped me better understand & feel how long and difficult ... Read More
My understanding of the gospel can be so limited. Paul says in I Cor 15 it's the gospel of grace that has made him who he now is and the way in which he lives. In other words everything that Paul does or accomplishes he credits to Jesus. God's grace is the source of ... Read More
i've definately hit the "mid point tough part" of lent. the freshness has worn off and the end is not really in sight yet. but i am reminded in this whole process of renewal & transformation that it is all about grace. i mean i know that my salvation begins ... Read More
Growing pains don't feel good. A couple days ago I mentioned that God renewed my thinking about what I am missing in being a merciful person. I lacked a real sense of wanting to serve others. It just comes more naturally for me to ignore others and do "my thing". ... Read More
Today I was reminded of the incredible mercy of God to send Jesus. I can easily forget that I not only didn't have a chance to save myself but that God didn't have to save me. This mercy & love comforts and confronts me. I can't help but to see my lack of mercy & ... Read More
It's great to be able to journey together in community. Tonight as we looked at the way of Jesus I was really challenged in how I follow Jesus. This whole time of lent is about preparation. Tonight I had to ask myself, "Am I prepared to follow Jesus in the way he demands?" ... Read More
“Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows.” Helen Nielsen I think humility is one of the best traits a person can have. I also think it's one of the hardest to have especially for those in positions of leadership. Which makes it all the sweeter ... Read More
"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." No statment makes it clearer to me that God is God and I am not. I know better than anyone else (except God) the darkness in me. God is light...God is holy. He is absolutely pure, absolutely clean, perfect light. Pride ... Read More
First of all let me say today is Hayden's birthday. He's 7 years old and I can still remember looking at him in the hospital in his little "plastic tub". He was the cutiest thing I had ever seen and I called handsome Hayden. The "black tar" poop did freak me out ... Read More
"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if lacking humility you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. What would it profit us ... Read More
tonight at portico was great. i enjoyed the time to think about and teach on Jesus' words to be pure in heart. the worship & community was special. Jesus speaks so intently about being pure and allows for no amount of impurity of heart at all. and it's these people who ... Read More
"The voice of the one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall ... Read More
"...the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." I too am not worthy to even untie a strap, from a sandal, on his foot. Have I so quickly forgotten my ashes from yesurday? But is my unworthiness more about my unworthiness or about his worthiness? In ... Read More
Category: 40 days
A journey of preparing my soul. "Wretched man that I am!" The beginning point of Lent...Ash Wednesday. "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" The discovery, journey & preparation of Lent. "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our ... Read More
Category: 40 days
my sweet sammy with his new glasses. i remember having glasses at a young age -though a little older than him. his doc. said his one eye is 20/20 but the other is 20/60. he's wearing these glasses for 4 weeks and then he'll be checked again. if the eye shows no ... Read More
thursday night (2.1) i went to a concert at modified. dear in the headlights were playing & this was their c.d. release. pretty exciting stuff for them. they left for tour the next day and are more than excited to travel, play and enter into some "rock-n-roll stardom". the ... Read More
me catching a little air off a 75ft. drop...i landed it. this past weekend i took a 9 hour drive to durango and learned how to snowboard. i went with 80 other high school & college students from trinity church. my main reason to go was to talk about jesus in the evening gathering ... Read More