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thanks

The church picnic last Sunday was big fun! I have thought back to it a few times this week which is a sign of how good it was to throw a frisbee, eat really good food and just hang out with friends. That event would not have happened without the creativity and energy of a handful of leaders. Thanks to our team who made the first picnic of the summer season an incredible success: Shelby Rochester, Tracy Voison, Ed Wegele and Gene & Marcy Korte. We are also grateful to many others who helped to set-up, cook and clean up! As soon as I get the pictures together, I'll post a photo album of that event.

punctuation

Yesterday I finished Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. It’s a good read if you love words. Her comments on “weblishing” and a scathing commentary on “emoticons” made me smile (191). Evidently there is a difference between writing and typing. It’s clear that I need to do less ellipsing…maybe I’ll start tomorrow. And the author is pretty determined, to teach us, to put a comma in the proper, place. As for apostrophe’s, its really not hard to use them correctly; just follow the rule's.

Maybe it is time for a book on punctuation to be a best seller (help is desperately needed here). I really enjoyed the book and if you like to write, you’ll love it too. Well, it’s back to typing for me. :-)

beach greeters

This morning we dropped our boys off at surf camp. They’ll be hanging out at the beach every day this week from 9 to 3. This is our first year at this camp so we really didn’t know what to expect. Will it be a good experience? What will the counselors be like? Good role models? Is it a safe environment? Will they really learn how to surf?

We parked our van, loaded the meter with quarters and headed in the direction of the beach. Just when we didn’t know which way to turn, a group of greeters were there to point the way. Not only did they help us find the way but they set the tone for the coming week. “Welcome to Cola’s Surf Camp. My name is Kimmy. What’s your name?” Our boys were a bit shy in the presence of these cute girls but they managed to say their names. “Matt and Andy, we’re totally stoked that you’re here. You’re gonna have an awesome week learning how to surf.”

From the registration table to the introduction of counselors, everything was fun! Every counselor said, “I’m really excited about teaching you how to surf.” Their enthusiasm was contagious. A few fun songs, sung with the help of a ukulele, also made it clear that this was going to be a good week. I knew I didn’t have to worry about a thing because my kids were surrounded by a great group of young leaders and teachers.

It made me think about how we might inspire the same kind of confidence in those who visit Village Presbyterian Church for the first time. Every person there took the initiative to make sure we were greeted and that we knew which way to go. In relation to our Sunday gatherings, we don’t have to learn how to play the ukulele but we all can learn how to greet others with open and generous hearts. I hope we can create the same kind of enthusiasm when we gather for worship every Sunday! Just a thought.

this is the day...

How does your day begin? When does it begin? In Life Together Dietrich Bonhoeffer points out that in the Old Testament the day began in the evening and ended with the going down of the sun. Such an understanding created a sense of expectation. Others have observed that this perspective expresses confidence in God who is always at work even as we sleep. Morning becomes a time to acknowledge all that God has been doing. In contrast, Bonhoeffer writes, “The day of the New Testament church begins at the break of day and ends with the dawning light of the next morning. It is the time of fulfillment, the resurrection of the Lord.” (40)

My day often begins between 6 and 7 a.m. Since September of 2002, I’ve been in the habit of swimming most days of the week. Sometimes I’m eager to swim far and sometimes it’s a chore just to get wet. Physical fitness is no easy task but I think it’s connected to one’s spiritual fitness and general well-being. Later in the morning I quiet myself to pray, read Scripture and scribble in my notebook. Some days are more reflective than others and sometimes a quiet moment is totally beyond my reach. My average would be strong enough to be a good hitter in Major League Baseball but I don’t want to create the impression that I get a hit everyday. That’s the way life is with three kids in our home. My spirituality is expressed in the context of an active family life.

This morning I woke in time to go for a swim (if I waited any later in the day I knew I’d have to dodge a ton of kids). I had time to enjoy a cup of coffee at Starbucks and do some reading there. After that I headed home to make chocolate chip pancakes. It was a wonderful combination of activity for a Saturday morning. As you can see from the picture, it's a task we all enjoy.

As I read Life Together again these days, I feel compelled to share some of the reflections of my mentor and friend, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This is what he has to say about the start of the day:

Some rise early because of restlessness and worry; the Scriptures call this unprofitable: “It is in vain for you to rise up early…to eat the bread of sorrows” (Ps. 127:2). But there is such a thing as rising early for the love of God. This was the practice of the men [and women] of the Bible. (44)

That’s the kind of practice I hope to incorporate in my life. What about you? How do you start the day?

in unity

The official Village Presbyterian Church Summer 2004 t-shirts are due to arrive next week. Rick Brotherton created the design and they are getting printed by Right Connection Sportswear. We will start the distribution as soon as we receive them.

This Sunday marks the start of our summer season on the Town Green (we start at 10 this week and then 9 o'clock for all the Sundays through August). We are also celebrating the baptisms of Paul, Amy and Leah Carey under the gazebo on Sunday. Later in the day, at 4 o'clock, we will be gathering again at Poets' Park for a late afternoon for food, fun and friendship. I'm looking forward to this first picnic of the summer season.

This morning I spent some time with Dietrich Bonhoeffer (in case you don't know, Bonhoeffer was martyred for the cause of Christ in April 1945 but the passion of his life continues to sound through his writings). His book Life Together helped inspire our theme for the summer, "Enjoying Life Together in Community." I'm still trying to grasp what it means to create Christian community. I'm learning it is not something we can create but it's something God creates among us through Jesus Christ. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:9, "God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." The fellowship is the fellowship of those who have heard or are learning to hear the call of Christ. I like what Bonhoeffer has to say about the source of our unity, "'Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity' –this is the Scripture's praise of life together under the Word. But now we can rightly interpret the words 'in unity' and say, 'for brethren to dwell together through Christ. For Jesus Christ alone is our unity. 'He is our peace.' Through him alone do we have access to one another, joy in one another, and fellowship with one another." (39) And so as we consider our summer theme, I hope we begin to think, "Enjoying Life Together in Christ." I'm looking forward to a wonderful weekend. Hope to see you at the parks!

General Assembly

The 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) convenes this weekend in Richmond, Virginia. Like so many GA gatherings in recent years, you can be sure there will be discussion and debate on the topic of human sexuality. Is it an important topic? Just Google the word “sex” and you tell me how many hits you get (I don’t recommend clicking any of the links). I doubt the official PCUSA website will be high on the hit list but clearly, this is a topic that cannot be avoided in today’s society.

I’m glad to belong to a church family that is committed to working toward clarity and resolution, even in the face of our disagreements. The General Assembly is a family gathering and no one General Assembly has ever decided the ultimate fate of the Presbyterian Church. Mistakes have been made and then later corrected. That’s all part of our heritage.

This Sunday the scripture reading is from 1 Corinthians 3:5-23. Paul is describing the church as a building (unfortunately, today we only think of the church as a building as opposed to a gathering of people) and he states that the one foundation is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). Paul has a word of caution to all who would build on that foundation using inferior materials or shabby craftsmanship. That’s a warning we all need to heed. Hopefully, decisions made in Richmond in the coming week will prove consistent with what God has in mind for the church. At least that’s what I’m praying for.

The following people are the Commissioners and Advisory Delegates from the Presbytery of Los Ranchos: Elder Dwayne Lee (Christ PC, Huntington Beach), Elder Phyllis Spielmann (Good Shepherd PC, Los Alamitos), Rev. Jon West (Morningside PC, Fullerton), Rev. Wayland Wong (Chinese PC of OC, Westminster), Youth Advisory Delegate Alex Arnold (Geneva PC, Laguna Hills), Theological Student Advisory Delegate Amy Sabala (Fuller Theological Seminary and St. Andrew’s PC, Newport Beach). Please keep them in your prayers.

home again

Last week we enjoyed some time away as a family. It was a great way to start the summer. Here are a few of the highlights:

* We created a home movie theater in our garage complete with projector, big screen and a stereo system. Lots of blankets and pillows on the floor made it better than any Edwards cinema. We watched several movies together including Endless Summer, Endless Summer II, Field of Dreams, and Step into Liquid. We also saw Shrek 2 in a real movie theater but I like ours better.

* We took multiple trips to the beach. Lots of good waves and a few notable wipe-outs. We learned that Mackenzie is a magnet for sand and no amount water can release the attraction. Andy can now toss a Frisbee with a fair amount of skill and accuracy. And no matter how many hours he’s spent in the water, Matthew will ask if we can stay at the beach "just an hour more."

* After Mackenzie’s final day in preschool on Thursday, we headed south to stay at the Johnson Inn (Joy’s parents were out of the town and so their home became our own private resort). Unfortunately, we forgot our key and so we had to break in. I won’t tell you how we did it but we managed it with no property damage.

* On Friday we spent the day at the San Diego County Fair. We ate lots of fried food and meat on sticks. The boys liked the rides and Mackenzie liked the animals.

* It rained most of the day on Saturday and so we watched a few more movies: Princess Bride, Edward Scissorhands, Blue Crush and parts of the Sound of Music.

* On Father’s Day I spent a quiet morning at Starbucks. I know it sounds strange to say the big deal on that day was spending time away from my family but it was the best reading time I had all week, a gift this Dad really enjoyed.

* Later that day we made a trip to the San Diego Zoo. We have a regular loop we like to walk. Sky tram to the polar bears, past the hippopotamuses, and on to the Absolutely Apes exhibit. We also found a new exhibit of crocodiles with very slim snouts. Creation is filled with wonderful variety.

* The week ended with yet another trip to the beach.

Be sure to check out the new photo album if you want to see some of the highlights.

And finally, let me make three observations about vacations. First, vacations are not optional, they are a necessity. I am committed to the practice of Sabbath, taking one day in seven for rest and renewal. Vacations are a natural extension of that practice. In Scripture we read about Jesus participating in various festivals and celebrations with his disciples. In the Gospel of Mark we read, “He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.” (6:31-32) Jesus knew that time away was essential to a well-balanced life. Second, vacations are important for the sake of our children. That doesn’t mean that Disney World in Orlando is necessarily the ideal vacation destination but I think we’re sacrificing too much if we don’t spend some of the "lazy days of summer" with our children. I had the best talk about the nature of God with my boys last week on an evening walk. I’m not sure I would have been as patient to listen had we been at home. And finally, vacations remind us that life is more than what we do. It doesn’t matter if you’re a pastor or if you work for big blue, life is more than the work you do. Vacations remind us that the world can get along without us for a while.

So tell me, what are your summer vacation plans? I hope you’re going to get away some time soon!

what kids say...

On a family outing yesterday we passed a "Three-Day Blinds" store with a very large sign. Andy couldn't make sense of it so he asked, "Why would anyone want to buy blinds that last only three days?" Some things that make sense to adults are often a mystery to children. It makes me wonder about the different ways people might read the "signs" of our own lives. I do hope the "letter" of Christ written upon our lives will be easily understood and appreciated by all, adults and children alike (see 2 Cor 3:1-3). Our hope, promise and name are not based on the speed of delivery but as we enjoy life together in community, we are becoming a village.

PS: I'll be taking a break from blogging until next week. Hope you have a wonderful "Father's Day" weekend.

how's it growin?

This morning I spent time with the fourth chapter of Mark which includes the parable of the sower. I’m always amazed at the indiscriminate method of this peculiar farmer. Seed flies in every direction. Could it be that the word of God is cast about so freely in the world? (Mark 4:14) This parable emphasizes the generosity of the sower and the receptivity of those who hear. The seed is not equally productive but only a small percentage finally proves fruitful. The great difference is not the seed but the soil. Whenever I read this parable I think about the measure of my receptivity to God’s word. How am I cultivating the soil of my heart? How am I hearing the word? Am I accepting it? Is it making a difference in me? How is it bearing fruit? (see 4:20) Even to the end of the fourth chapter of Mark the emphasis is clearly on the necessity of hearing with the word. At 4:33 we read, “With many such parables he [that is, Jesus] spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.”

Earlier this morning I pushed by body to swim as far as I was able and so too a bit later in the morning I was glad to open my heart to the word of God so that I might hear and receive as I am able. May God increase our capacity to receive as we set about the task of regularly hearing God’s word.

[PS: Mark 4 also includes one of my favorite parables, “The Parable of the Mustard Seed” (see 4:30-32). I have loved this parable ever since my college years when I read a book by Tom Sine titled, The Mustard Seed Conspiracy. Few books have changed my life the way that one did. If you want to learn more about what Tom and his wife, Christine, are up to these days check out “Mustard Seed Associates.” I highly recommend everything they write.]

a day at the beach

This morning we enjoyed a family outing to the beach (we went to Salt Creek near Dana Point). The boys are gearing up for Surf Camp in a few weeks. Matthew is learning to catch waves on his own. Andy's catching on to the concept but the wave are huge in relation to his size. I pushed him into three big waves so he could feel the sensation. He loved it! There is much about the beach that I love. Even the walk from the parking lot to the sand is filled with sights, sounds and the fragrant smell of the ocean. Sunscreen is another scent I enjoy...wish I didn't have to use so much of it!

Joy and I talked about the summer ahead of us. We have a lot to look forward to and we want to enjoy every minute of it. Here's a quick list of some of the highlights: concerts in the park, worship services on the Town Green, a church picnic, play groups and swim parties, baptisms, swimming lessons for Mackenzie, swim team for Matthew and Andrew, surf camp, the 4th of July, sharing meals with friends, beach days, Matthew going to camp at Calvin Crest, Andrew spending time with Mor Mor and Bumpa, a houseboat trip on Lake Mead, working with Ed and Chris and Craig, making new friends and giving thanks to God for all that we enjoy in this world. We are blessed! "Lord, use our lives to be a blessing to others!"