Pastor Paul's Profound Ponderings

Men's Choir

2009-06-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

Had a great practice last night with our Men's Choir for Father's Day. Thankfully, this is not a picture from last night.
There were over 50 guys there -and we're expecting even more on Sunday. Only one practice but they sounded terrific.
We're doing a couple of songs by Lincoln Brewster..."Today Is The Day" and "God, You Reign". Lincoln's writing some terrific things.

Holy Blogs, Batman

2009-03-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

Ok -so is one new post a month too much? I just don't want to overload the reader. :)
Well, it has been a pretty incredible start of the year. I seem to have found myself in an awesome place. So many people I've met here have lived in Bakersfield all their lives. That says something really cool about this place....and it really comes down to the people. Some of them have even moved away and then missed it so much they moved back.
Because I'm also the Small Group Pastor, I've been visiting most all of the Small Groups. This has meant being out almost every night of the week. It's been exhausting at times. But it's also been awesome to meet so many people. As an outsider coming into the church, my one word description, because of this inside look, is "healthy".
It makes a lot of sense because the Pastoral staff is also incredibly personable and loving.
Some of the office staff, however, are pranksters. I was sending a thank you note to a family that had me over for dinner. At one point in the evening, their little boy came out dressed as Batman, to our surprise. So on my thank you note's return address, I put "Batman".
Rachel, one of the secretaries, noticed this, and put a Batman logo on the back of my jacket. I didn't see it -and went to the grocery store on my way home. I didn't really understand the funny looks in the store until I got home and took off my jacket. Don't think I'll be shopping there for awhile.

Let There Be Choir

2009-02-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I see that time keeps getting away from me. Been meaning to blog for awhile. It's been incredibly exciting to be at Canyon Hills Assembly and they've got me pretty much on a steady run. I'm looking forward to the point when I feel I've got a better grasp on the situation. Maybe that'll come in about ...10 years.
We had 49 people at our first choir practice. If everyone who expressed interest in joining the choir would show up, we would actually have 78 people! Sometimes the commitment factor can be a problem. Other times it's sickness, vacation, or the director suddenly has appendicitis. Regardless, I'm really looking forward to our first Sunday on the platform ...this weekend!

Happy Birthday Sheri!

2009-01-22T17:56:00.000-08:00

Today is my sister Sheri's birthday. She is one of the most awesome people in the world. I lucked out in the sibling pool. Not so sure she did -with the little brother pool. But she has always been full of grace -even when I shot her. Wow. Think about that. How many sisters would keep that quiet for 10 years?
So glad we're related. It means she has to put up with me.
In fact, she has really spoiled me over the years. You would never see a cake like this one at her table. She does everything with excellence. More than that...she does it with love.
Hope you have an awesome birthday Sheri! I love you much!

Unshakable

2009-01-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

My first week in the office at Canyon Hills was pretty cool. Pastor Wendell and Pastor Steve filmed segments for a new small group series they'd put together titled, "Unshakable". This study centers around the end times and a key scripture is Luke 21:31. "When you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near." Isn't it awesome to know that things are about to wrap up ...and we're on the winning side?
The DVD was beautifully produced by a man in the church who is a professional -and actually makes commercials for television.

Canyon Hills Assembly

2009-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

Well, it's only been a week and I'm already in love with the whole church. lol My first day in the church office was last Tuesday. Executive Pastor Steve Vinson had said he'd like to start things out a little slower by just taking me to breakfast. When I arrived at the restaurant I discovered that the entire staff was also joining us -which was somewhere around 14 people. It was a little overwhelming as they put me at the head of the table. I'm sure there was some curiosity as to what the new guy would bring to the table -but I was met with smiles all around.

This past Sunday morning, Senior Pastor Wendell Vinson introduced me to the entire congregation and then had me go down the aisle to the foyer as he was dismissing everyone. He instructed them all to welcome me in. Was it ever a welcome! I was so encouraged by many who were very excited to get a choir singing on a regular basis again. I guess it's been a couple of years.
I can see I'm going to have to be very careful here when it comes to eating. When I first arrived at my apartment, the refrigerator and shelves were packed with food! The pastors had asked for a key to my apartment before I arrived. I was blown away by what they did. After church this past Sunday, the staff welcomed me for my first Sunday with a prime rib lunch.
Guess the gym better be one of my more frequent stops.

God Leads Us Along

2009-01-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

I'm moving! After living in the Long Beach/Lakewood area for 25 years, I'm packing up my things and heading north. I'm very excited to say that Canyon Hills Assembly in Bakersfield has asked me to come on board. The pastors are Wendell and Lynda Vinson -who actually founded the church 25 years ago. Steven and Renee Vinson are the Executive Pastors. I actually worked with Renee's sister, Robin Garvin, for many years.
When I visited the church a few months back, I led them in the chorus of the hymn "God Leads Us Along":
Some through the waters, some through the flood
Some through the fire, but all through the blood
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song
In the night season and all the day long

There have been moments in the past year when it was difficult to find a song to sing. But as tough as it got, I knew that God was orchestrating events to eventually compose a better symphony than I could've imagined. There were moments when I didn't have any answers at all. But we don't have to have all the answers when God leads us along. We've just got to follow Him.

Embrace The Adventure

2008-12-31T16:20:00.000-08:00

Well, it's New Year's Eve. This day can be full of incredible anticipation for some -and apprehension for others -for what the new year will hold. Maybe these feelings get jumbled together for most and it's why we bring in the New Year with noise makers, just to let off some steam. Maybe we make the noise in the face of fear just to say, "Bring it on!" Maybe we're celebrating just having survived another year of life.
Last spring, I was in the middle of a pretty difficult time. It seemed that nothing was working out and discouragement was settling in. During that time, Aimana, Sindy and Taimoana were in town for a quick vacation. As they were packing for the airport, 5-year-old Taimoana noticed a little present someone had given me that hadn't been opened yet. He brought it to me and told me to open it. I was ironing a shirt and needing to leave for church so I told him I didn't have time right then. But this little guy persisted until I could resist no longer. When I opened it, I discovered that someone had given me a little plaque with these words on it:

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I recognized that God used little Taimoana to get my attention that day. This new year is a gift to us that is unopened as yet. As we open it, let's recognize that it is given to us from God Himself. He wants to give us a hope and a future. Don't focus too much on your feelings. They change like the seasons. Put your trust in the One who never fails, never lies, and never leaves or forsakes us. Then, embrace the adventure.

Car Dieu Est Si Grand

2008-12-26T20:11:00.000-08:00

I'm so thankful to God for granting me my heart's desire for an adventure. Do you know that He's listening when you pray? He really is.
I've now posted a lot of pictures along with many of my blogs about my time in Tahiti this year. Now you can see I've got proof to back up what I've written! So you may want to take a look at some those.
I am humbled and incredibly grateful to the Jamet family- Yves and Mirella, Aimana and Sindy and Taimoana, Tama and Herehia and Hauareva, and Toimata for their incredible hospitality, generosity, sense of humor, and, most of all, their love. I feel that I have been grafted into their family. But that happened 11 years ago on my first trip to Tahiti.
I think the world could learn so much from Tahitians. They value people more than things. Their thoughts aren't fixed on how soon they can run out the door. They love people and their actions show it. They spend time just enjoying each other. That sounds like the Trinity to me.
Thank You, God, not just for the beauty of the islands, the delicious food, the exciting journeys, but for a place where I can see Your love overflowing from the hearts of Your people.

Youth Camp In Tahiti-Iti

2008-12-23T18:55:00.000-08:00

Well, there was one last adventure for me in Tahiti. And if you can believe it, I wasn't even sure I wanted to go. The last time we'd been to this location, I'd cut my foot on corral and had to deal with the lemon. Also, it just seemed odd to go to the other side of the island to sleep in a tent the night before I was going to get on a plane to go home. But I was SO GLAD that I went! It's funny how I've desired the adventure and yet the predictable, routine, comfortable thing is still tempting. All through my time here I felt that God just kept whispering, "Embrace the adventure." So I did...one last time.
We drove until the road ended. Then we boarded a boat. When we arrived at the camp site, we set things up and then huddled under canvas as it rained for a few minutes. When the sun came out we had some free time just to kick a ball around. Then they divided the camp up into 4 different teams. That night they played game after game that involved learning other people's names. It was so cool -except that I still have an incredibly hard time with some of the Tahitian names. It was kind of a relief to hear a "Victor" and "Peter". It was amazing how quickly this group bonded together. They had my heart in no time.
The next day we had breakfast. It was fish, cooked on beach fires, and bread. There was a devotional and then we were off to hike in a valley. This hike included a stop at a burial site and an altar where human sacrifices were made many years ago. Later on, we rested at a beautiful place along a river where most of the Youth went swimming. I took a walk deeper into the woods -as I knew I'd be leaving soon. These woods were filled with beautiful green-moss-covered trees and sometimes vines and jungle-type terrain. The camp had an Indiana Jones theme and it couldn't have been in a better location. I half-expected a native to jump out with a spear.

What really struck me though is the difference in sound that day that one heard in the valley -compared to what must have been 200 years ago. I could imagine the screams of loved ones horrified with the sacrificial ritual. And then I thought of how awesome it is that today -laughter is heard there -from the children of God.
After a lunch of New Zealand corned beef with beans and lemon, we headed back to camp. It was time for me to go and suddenly I realized that Thierry Albert, the camp director, had gathered the whole camp together to say goodbye. They all started to sing a beautiful Tahitian song and I couldn't help but cry. Then they gathered around me and prayed. They followed us to the boat as I was saying my goodbyes to Toimata and Yves and Mirella. Then they waved as we pulled away from the dock. It was Mario's boat, the same one we'd taken to Hawaiki Nui, and suddenly he was putting my hands on the wheel. As I pulled the boat around the island, the Youth had run to the beach and were waving from there. I was glad to be distracted from the huge lump in my throat by the need to steer the boat.

Speedy Sheep

2008-12-22T16:40:00.000-08:00

The morning after Orovini's Christmas program was La Bonne Nouvelle's Christmas program. Taimoana, Aimana and Sindy's 5 year-old boy, was going to be in the program. So we were all excited to see what would happen there. He did not disappoint.
His particular scene opened with three adults dressed as shepherds standing and calmly speaking to each other with microphones. At their feet were Taimoana and 2 other kids with sheepskins on their backs crawling around them in a circle. Well, I guess they thought they needed to spice up the scene a little bit because suddenly the sheep turned it into a race. I couldn't stop laughing as these kids went faster and faster as the shepherds did their best to ignore them. At one point, Taimoana even attempted to cut a little girl off on her turn. (He likes the movie "Cars".) After many laps, the scene came to an end. As the curtains were closing, Taimoana straightened up on his knees and waved to the audience.

That evening, the Orovini church started a choir. Pastor Coucou invited me to do some warm-ups with them and speak with the choir members. I was very honored to do so and was so excited that they were starting a choir. It seemed that there were anywhere between 40 to 50 for this first practice. Once again, Toimata helped me with the translation. She has been incredibly helpful to me!

Orovini's Christmas Program

2008-12-20T15:45:00.000-08:00

When I first arrived in Tahiti and went to the Orovini church, I happened to notice in the bulletin that there would be a Christmas program the evening of December 13. My first thought was how cool it would be to be there to catch that. My second thought was, "Dummy, you'll still be in town!" I've never stayed in Tahiti for nearly 2 months before so it took some getting used to. This time we were able to make some more far-reaching plans.
One of those plans was that I was invited by Teremu and Toimata to work with the Youth Group to sing "Car Dieu Est Si Grand". ("How Great Is Our God") We sped it up a little bit, added a chorus of "Joy To The World", and then sang it for the end of the Christmas program at Orovini. The Youth fell in love with "Joy To The World". In fact, when they started singing it that night, we went acappella for a bit and the congregation loved it too.
The program was filled with a terrific variety of things -including the Children's Choir, a Pastor's ensemble, skits, beautiful Polynesian-flavored dances, Teremu's group, Kades, (which is a Greek word meaning "consecrate") and the Youth Group. At one point the youth group dressed completely in black and wore white gloves. They turned out the lights and lit up a black light on the platform. Then, along with a song about the cross, they formed shapes and words by putting their hands together. It was incredible. Toimata choreographed and danced a beautiful dance to "O Holy Night" with several girls.
Christian, the host of the program, asked me to close the night in prayer. I felt honored to be able to do this and, in fact, gave the call of salvation with Toimata by my side to translate. Several hands went up and we all prayed together. Often, at Christmas, you can get more folks in the door than at any other time of year. It's a great time to hold out hope to everyone who comes. I also heard stories about others who rededicated their lives to God that night. Is there any greater gift one could receive than inviting Jesus into their heart? Jesus has come to bring joy to the world. There was a lot of joy in Tahiti that night.

Tahitian Political Upheaval

2008-12-12T00:47:00.001-08:00

There was an interesting development in Tahiti today. Two members of the current political majority party resigned -suddenly making it the minority party. So now, in spite of the elections that were just held 6 months ago, the President of Tahiti must step down and the new majority party will elect a new president.
When Yves and I went to Huahine, I actually saw the President and was, in fact, just a few feet from him at the airport. He was all smiles that day. But today I saw him on the front page of the newspaper -as well as on the news, and he didn't look happy at all. Yves and Mirella told me that in the past 4 years they've had 6 presidents. When people vote here -they vote for a political party -not a specific candidate. If that party loses their majority status, no matter when the elections were held, you get a new president.

Diadem

2008-12-12T00:17:00.000-08:00

Tuesday morning of this week Yves and Mirella took me up to one of the highest places in Tahiti. We took a dirt road that just kept ascending. At one point we saw an elderly Chinese couple working in a garden. Yves stopped to talk for a bit and asked them how old they were. The woman was 75 and the man was 81. Then he beamed and said, "I'm young!" There is such a mixture of cultures here and for some reason it's just fascinating to me to hear a Chinese couple speaking French.
Onward and upward we went with some amazing glimpses of the ocean far below us. But what really took my breath away was when we turned inland and then saw one of the most beautiful mountain ranges I've ever seen. They are a tropical green color and one of them looks like a crown -which they refer to as "Diadem". At that spot there was a little ramp that just stretched into space. It's where you can take a parachute- or actually something that looks like a parasail -and jump off -gliding down through one of the most beautiful valleys I've ever seen. However, I was quite happy just to stand there.
We went further on up until you could go no higher. We walked the last part of the way picking raspberries as we went. We passed an Air Traffic Control Tower -and then at the very top was a huge antenna servicing phones, I believe. By this time it seemed that we had actually walked into a cloud. We weren't able to see the 360° view but I sure hope to go back one day. If I worked for Disney, I would definitely suggest a Soaring Over Tahiti ride.

Moorea

2008-12-11T00:27:00.001-08:00

Yves and Mirella thought it would be fun to go over to Tahiti's nearest neighboring island, Moorea, and I completely agreed. So we -including Tama, Herehia, Haurareva, Toimata, Teremu, and Rua, decided to go over by boat -which takes about 30 minutes. The boat, or ferry, has to be one of the most modern I've ever seen.
We drove their truck onto the ferry. Yves, Tama, Teremu, and myself were touring the island by bike. Before we started we stopped at a huge grocery store which seemed to be about the size of a Wal Mart. We got food for lunch and I took time to put on sun tan lotion. Because I burn so quickly, I bought pretty strong lotion (50) which is actually for babies. lol So when I put it on I tend to look like a Geisha. I think I startled a few people in the market as I walked around.
Then we were on our way. I haven't ridden a bike in years but it's really true what they say....you have to learn how to do it all over again. Our first stop was at a memorial stone near the site of an airplane crash that happened about a year ago with Air Moorea. The passengers names were on a plaque. Tama explained that a piece of the plane had come off during the flight making it impossible to fly the plane. I always wonder what a pilot is thinking when they talk about a deadly crash.
Next we stopped at a beach and went swimming. This is a place where the water is incredibly clear. We'd come here with Lauren a few years back and she actually took some pictures under water that came out great. This is my favorite place to swim in Tahiti so I was very happy to be there. For lunch we had sandwiches with corned beef & onions & beans with some squirts of lemon. It was incredibly tasty.
Then we were off again. The ladies (and baby) stayed with the truck while we rode the bikes. It made me feel like a kid again to be riding those bikes. Later on it started to rain and at times it really rained hard. But I didn't mind because it cooled us off. At one point we stopped and a man started asking me for directions. He spoke English but with an accent I didn't recognize. He was from the Czech Republic. He was a bank manager and when he found out I was from L.A. he mentioned that he has some friends who live there. But then he made a comment about the world having to pay for all of America's economic problems. I thought it was a cheap shot considering all the good my country has done as well. But I thought it would be in bad taste to start a war with the Czech Republic right there in Moorea so I let it slide.
As the day progressed, the bike ride became more and more challenging. The toughest part was having to sit on that bike seat. I really think Laz-y Boy should put out a bike seat. But the beauty of the island keeps you going. Eventually we got to the Jamet's vacation cottage and it was such a welcome sight. A man who watches over several properties around it welcomed us. I noticed some additions to the cottage from the last time and told this man that the last time I'd been there was 11 years ago. He got a kick out of that and came up to talk to me -and I then realized that he was drunk. He would just kind of weave toward you as he talked and he would drift back and forth from French to Tahitian making it impossible for me to understand him. But from the motions of his hands, he seemed to be talking about a flower that was blooming. Or maybe it was an eel coming out of a cove. Or maybe it was about how the world has to pay for America's economic problems.

News About America

2008-12-02T15:01:00.000-08:00

Well, yes, I've posted about a hundred blogs in a row. There are several reasons for this. I'm not always sure of when I'll be near a computer. I'm back at Tama and Herehia's house now in Papara and it happens to be a pretty rainy day. Tama probably thinks my fingers have become attached to the computer. But I'm glad to journal all of these things out before I forget them. Feel free to read as much or as little as you want.

Juliette has been in town and, in fact, spent the night here. I was happy to show her that I'm asking others to pray for Raiatea. She left to go home a little while ago and I had a lump in my throat. She said "a la prochaine" -which basically means "See you next time." She has left us with pai d'ananas (pineapple pie) which she specially ordered. It is delicious.

One more thing for now. At one point Tama thought I might want to hear some English on the television and mentioned that they get CNN. So I turned to that channel. But I didn't realize that there's another CNN that seems to be more European-oriented. The anchors usually have English accents and there's very little news about America. I suppose that is because Obama dominated international news for awhile and so they're now getting back to their regular programming.
But I especially got a kick out of their weather report. While hoping to catch some news, really anything, about America, I saw them go into a weather report. They mentioned specific cities throughout Europe and then closed the report by saying, "...and it's also cold throughout the United States."
Ok, so now I know. It's cold over there. Maybe these anchormen from England are still upset about that Boston Tea Party thing.

Trapped In Bangkok

2008-12-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

A little over a week ago now, Aimana and Sindy flew to Bangkok, Thailand. Aimana is a pilot and has to go there on occasion for training with a simulator. Well, you've probably heard the news about the protests at the airport there. It appears that there's been tampering with their latest election and the people are not too happy about it.
So, suddenly Aimana and Sindy have found themselves stuck in Bangkok. I wasn't able to completely understand the newsbroadcast. It just looked like there were a lot of upset people standing around the airport waiting for departing flights. Some were even getting massages in the airport because of the city's concern for their tourism industry.
But it was nice to see Aimana and Sindy, literally, a couple of nights ago as they called in on the computer program, Skype. They are fine but a little bummed to be delayed there unsure of when they can return.

Lunch With Jean-Claude and Tiare

2008-12-02T13:58:00.000-08:00

After church on Sunday, Yves and Mirella told me that we were going to lunch with Jean-Claude and Tiare. These two are a couple that I first met at a prayer chapel next to the hospital. A group from the Orovini church goes there every Saturday morning. Though they are getting up in years, they haven't been married all that long. And they are a total kick.
We went to an exhibition center where Jean-Claude often works. At the moment, it is featuring an exhibit of the Marquese Islands. We had a typical Marquesian lunch and it was delicious. Even the rice was awesome as they add sugar and coconut milk to it. I had raw fish with lemon. Mirella had octopus and, though I was reluctant, I took a bite -and even that was delicious.

After lunch we walked through the exhibition hall. The craftsmanship of these items is incredible with intricate designs worked into the wood. But mostly what they featured were tikis. One man also showed me a weapon that was typically used to beat a person over the head. I'd heard of this being done to facilitate a human sacrifice. I didn't stay at that booth very long.
There were musicians playing the whole time and at one point I was surprised to hear them go into "Tiny Bubbles".
At another booth I saw some very sharp pieces of wood that could've passed for long golf tees. They were really crafted down to a point though. I asked a lady sitting there if they were used as weapons. She laughed at me, picking one up and demonstrating that they were used to tie up long hair.

Jean-Claude took me over to see a place where they are adding onto the exhibition center. It looked like a pretty major expansion. Later on, he saw a dog that he likes and whistled for it. What he didn't see was about 6 other dogs in another place at the work site who then came running along with the one. Mirella said he simply said, "Uh oh." Then he went to find them all some food.
We went back to Yves and Mirella's home for an extended visit over coffee and dessert. Tiare told a story about going to see a movie on one of the islands. At one point during the film, she was surprised to see a pig walking through the theater. I asked her if he'd bought a ticket.

Taiau, Toimata and Teremu

2008-12-02T13:01:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning I found out that Herehia's little brother, Taiau, had a soccer game and it was for the championship. She said that he's always asking if people will come to see him play. He is a "mark" and plays well, scoring often. So I decided to walk to the stadium.
Because the sun is so hot here, their games go for 20 minutes and then they take a break. When I arrived, they'd already been playing. He spotted me and came over -followed by most of the team. He had an injury and his finger was bandaged. He explained that part of his fingernail had bent backward. As I asked him questions about his Mom knowing and if he's going to a doctor, he asked if I was thirsty. I think hospitality runs in the blood of Tahitians at the youngest of ages. Taiau is 11.
He proceeded to play and as soon as he got the ball it was obvious the control he had over it. They won the championship that day.

Later that day, Toimata (Tama's sister) picked me up and took me to the Orovini church to practice with the youth for their Christmas program. I explained to them, as I have many times to my other choir, that they will need to smile when singing about joy. It's an odd thing for people to see a group scowling at them while singing, "Joy To The World". I think smiles come easy here though.
After they sang, Toimata worked with them choreographing a song -but instead of dancing, they will simply use their hands. She is incredibly creative. With a song about the cross, they are in three seperate groups, at times spelling out words, at other times making shapes. I got chills at one point when the side groups pointed toward the middle -as the middle group placed their hands together in the shape of a cross.
After the youth meeting, we had dinner in downtown Papeete. In the main square of the town is a large open area where many food trailers (or roach coaches -as we say in America) park at night. Some had steak frites (steak and fries) -but I opted for poisson frites (fish and fries). The look of this area changes often as many different ships dock here. We were surrounded by 3 huge ships that were just beautiful.
Afterward we took Teremu, the worship leader for the youth, home. He writes songs and would like to be a Youth Pastor. He currently creates websites and, in fact, created one for me just for fun. He also happens to be Toimata's boyfriend. Because I first met Toimata when she was 9 years old, it's odd sometimes to see her as an adult. Earlier on this trip we jumped in the car and she was driving. I expressed mock concern and Teremu said to me, in regard to her driving, "Tu connais Jesus?" (Do you know Jesus?)
The pictures here show us doing a little shopping and checking out Teremu's office in downtown Papeete.

Back To Papeete

2008-12-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

When we first arrived in Raiatea, Tama told me that he and Herehia would need to return to Papeete on Wednesday because he had to work. But they couldn't get me on a plane until Friday. However, on our last hike up Tapioi Mountain, Tama was wearing his sandals, as he always does. In fact, I think he'd prefer to remain forever shoeless. At the start of the trail are some pipes sticking up out of the ground. They are there to stop the animals from coming down the mountain and wondering into town. With age, these pipes have now rusted. It had recently rained and Tama slipped in the mud, cutting his heel on one of these rusted pipes. So we went back to the house for him to put lemon on the cut. I couldn't watch.
However, we were all pretty concerned because of the rust. So Tama went to see a doctor on the island who gave him some anti-biotics. When he informed Air Tahiti of this, they told him that he would not be able to fly a plane for 10 days because of the medication. So he changed their ticket so we could fly back together.

The first day we'd arrived in Raiatea we were all talking together and suddenly Juliette gasped and ran out of the room. I asked Herehia what was wrong and she told me, "Her show is on." Every night, Juliette watches a Brazilian soap opera that is translated into French. It starts at 5:30 -which was also the time we had to leave for the airport on Friday. As we headed toward the car, she simply yelled her goodbye from the other room.
By the time we boarded the plane it was sunset and a storm was coming in. Once again, Tama surprised me by asking the pilot if I could sit in the cockpit. Halfway into the flight the flight attendant escorted me to the front. This time it was dark outside and the instruments were lit up. The storm clouds were to our left, with lightning flashing occasionally, and it was completely clear to our right.
We approached Tahiti and it was amazing to see it's largest city, Papeete, all lit up at night. We veered to our right and then to our left and then I noticed all the lights surrounding the runway. It was beautiful. I told Tama that now that I've seen it a couple times, maybe I could land the plane next time. Or maybe it's better to just sit back and enjoy my coffee. I'll supervise.

Eupoo ino

2008-12-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

One of Juliette's favorite Tahitian words to describe Tama is "upoo ino" which means "crazy". She usually says it while turning a finger toward her head...and it's always met by a big smile from Tama. He is constantly teasing her.
As I am trying to learn the language and the territory, Tama is constantly playing on my gullibility. But I think he's met his match in Juliette. So it's nice to have her loudly proclaiming, "Upoo ino!" It assures me that I'm not upoo ino.

American Tourists

2008-12-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

One day at Juliette's home, she suddenly started yelling for me to come to the garage. Sometimes Tahitians speak in French and Tahitian -which at times has made it more difficult to learn French. Tama told me that she was calling for me and it sounded urgent. When I got there I discovered that an American tourist had wondered up to her house hoping to get directions to hike up Tapioi Mountain. Juliette doesn't speak English so I can only imagine what this tourist was thinking as she started yelling excitedly. I'm sure the last thing he expected to see was an American come running out of the house.
He was from the Santa Barbara area and as we rounded the corner we were joined by a couple from Phoenix. They were all on a cruise with a beautiful ship I've seen docked many times in Papeete -the Paul Gauguin. A storm in Bora Bora had delayed them from leaving and I suppose that the crew had made the recommendation for the hike. But it can be a little tricky to find so I was happy to help. As we headed toward the trail, Steve's father, Marcel, recognized me and said, "Tu es la guide!"
I wanted to accompany them to the first of two "y's" in the trail where it can be confusing to know the way. I explained how to navigate the second one -and also that they should expect to see pigs, horses and cows on the trail. They didn't have much reaction to that and probably thought, "So what? A bunch of farmyard animals." So I just left it at that.
They were very nice and it surprised me how odd it felt to hear English with an American accent. Afterall, I've been here over a month now. They asked many questions and I really started to feel like a native Tahitian. It hit me all over again that I've been coming here over a span of 11 years.
When I left them, I assured them that the view at the top is worth the hike. Later on I saw them in the town and they agreed. The man from the Santa Barbara area said that if I ever wanted to go square dancing, it's a great place to go. I never thought I'd be invited to go square dancing in Santa Barbara while on an exotic island in French Polynesia.

Pray For Raiatea

2008-12-02T00:23:00.000-08:00

(Yes, this blog is pretty long. I felt it best, because of the subject matter, to try to keep it in one setting. You should know before you read it that it's pretty serious in regard to spiritual warfare and not recommended for younger folks, or folks given to nightmares.)

One night in Raiatea (pronounced "Ray-a-tay-a") we had quite a talk after dinner. Tama and Herehia told me some stories about a stone idol on the other side of the island that people were worshiping and making sacrifices to as recently as 200 years ago. They said the people of this island are very spiritual -but not in a good way. Many of them believe only in the bad that can happen and find any talk of a God who loves and heals to be strange. Years ago, some families would put curses on others which they believe gets handed down to each new generation.
As for this stone idol, people would bring babies and sacrifice them there. Some who visit this place even now have said that they hear babies crying. Herehia's aunt, Titaua, took a tourist over to see it and the woman mentioned she heard a crying baby. This woman knew nothing about the history of the idol. Also the woman said she saw a man in a progue (canoe) with a baby. But Titaua saw nothing.
The pastors of Tahiti know that this place is one to be taken very seriously in regard to spiritual warfare. They have placed pastors in the church here and each one (of 3) has ended up leaving, splitting the church, with one former pastor even starting a cult. Herehia said that this man had initially been a powerful, dynamic speaker for God. But now he tells the people that only he hears from God and so they should only listen to him.

So, at the moment, Raiatea has no full-time pastor on the island. The church used to be full but has now shrunk to around 10 people. The pastors on Tahiti and Huahine take turns coming here to speak on Sundays. However, some weeks they have to cancel services altogether.
At one point, the Tahitian pastors banded together and came over to pray against the stone idol. When they got there, one of the pastors had to look away because he could suddenly see, as God opened his eyes, all of the blood that had been spilt there. People had also died by a noose hung from tree branches around the idol.
This past Sunday in church during the Communion time, I thought about how incredible it is that we serve a God who didn't demand our blood in sacrifice, but spilt His own on our behalf.

Well, as we were discussing these things, Juliette had gone to sleep in an adjoining room with no door and asked that we turn out the light. So we were left with a small kerosine lamp that was about as bright as a candle. The wind picked up and although it hadn't rained, lightning lit up the room followed by some thunder. We all laughed about it but still felt a little creepy. Then the wind swept in and blew the light out.
It brought to mind a conversation I had with Yves recently about when Jesus was in the boat sleeping and the disciples woke Him up in fear over a storm. Yves said that Jesus rebuked the wind. Why did He do this? He created the wind, clouds, rain, etc. All He had to do was say, "Stop." Yves said the word "rebuked" is used to indicate that there was some demonic activity related to the storm. It's pretty cool to me that Jesus was so unconcerned about it that He could actually nap through it. But when His disciples called on Him, He was there for them.
The light going out seemed a fitting metaphor for what has happened on this island. But it hasn't gone out completely. Juliette is a strong Christian who prays often that God will bring a full-time pastor here. The church here is suffering and her heart breaks for it.
I think that in America, Satan's deceptions are often aimed at getting people to think he doesn't exist. Christian Tahitians, however, have witnessed some blatant manifestations of him at work. They feel that he has become more empowered by the sacrifices people have made.

When Juliette realized that the legs of a footstool in her house were actually tikis, she removed them and burned them. For awhile they refused to burn and sparks flew everywhere. She told me this story herself and was very animated at this point describing the sparks with words like "Bap!" and "Zing!" A pastor had told her that she needed to burn the tikis and when they wouldn't burn she called him for advice. He told her to pray that they would burn "in the name of Jesus." So she proceeded to do this and it seemed that they resisted at first -offering up more sparks. But Juliette stood her ground praying with authority "au nom de Jesus!" and they started to burn.

This reminded me of a story that Vladymir, the husband of a cousin of Tama's, told me. His relative was working in the yard with a pick-ax and struck something in the ground. It turned out that a tiki was buried there and he had chipped a piece off of its head. He put the tiki on the corner of their deck. Later they were having lunch there and the tiki started jumping three feet into the air. I know how this must sound to American ears but he told this story very matter-of-factly, without drama, which seemed to make it all the more unsettling. After the tiki had done this, Vladymir said, "So we put it in a tree." That sounded like such an odd ending to the story to me. But many Tahitians are fearful of destroying tikis and think it may bring a curse. Tama told me that the man who had hit the tiki's head with a pick-ax developed cancer in the same place in his head where it was hit. They said, of course, it could be coincidence, but who knows for certain.
Some Tahitians who have tikis in their house don't even feel the need to lock their doors when they leave. They believe that if an indruder comes, he will be dealt with by the tikis.
Christian Tahitians do not keep tikis in their home. The souvenir shops here are full of them. Some of them look pretty cool and I'm sure many tourists buy them. A French couple bought one once and when they got back to France strange things started to happen. They didn't know what to do with it. So they mailed it to some Tahitian pastors who burned it.

Obviously these matters of spiritual warfare must be handled with much caution, prayer, counsel and divinely inspired direction. The Christian doesn't need to fear these things - but I do believe that they should proceed with caution. A dangerous mindset is one that goes seeking out these kinds of things. However, to act like they don't exist or have any power is foolhardy as well.
When the disciples got excited that even the demons submitted to them in Jesus' name, Jesus' response was encouraging to their enthusiasm for this experience. He said, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning." Yet to keep their focus on the right thing, He told them not to rejoice over that -but instead to rejoice that their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Be careful for what excites you. The focus should remain on our relationship with God first and foremost.
People come from all over the South Pacific -including Hawaii and New Zealand, to see and worship this stone idol on Raiatea. I've deliberately left out it's name here because I don't want to add to it's notoriety. But there is a movement on the islands that some people want to "reawaken" this god. It's usually inferred that people would try to do this by gifts and flowers -not human sacrifices. People are spiritually hungry but in the wrong way.

We need to pray for the church in Raiatea. I went to see the church building. It's in an absolutely beautiful setting. The building and next-door parsonage are just a few years old. And they are empty. It broke my heart to walk through this beautiful new building which was filled to capacity just a few years ago -knowing that it's barely being used now. Just that day, their evening service was cancelled because Juliette had to leave the island for a doctor's appointment.
Pray for God to send the right pastor to this church. Pray for this pastor and pray for the church here. Also, pray that people would be drawn to this side of the island to worship the One True Living God.

Psalm 16:4 "The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips."
Psalm 106:36-38 "They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood."
Exodus 23:13 "Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips."
Psalm 4:2 "How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?"

Don't Have A Cow

2008-12-01T23:56:00.000-08:00

On the way down Tapioi Mountain, we saw all the same animals -with an addition. This time there were some cows. Actually, they were steers. Tama calls them cows but they've all got some pretty serious horns. They were at a good distance. But a couple days later, Tama and I went up the trail again. This time they were spread out all over the trail. Tama likes to make me paranoid and I've become a bit wise to his ways. But watching him come to a complete stop as he surveyed the situation made me a bit nervous.
Now you might think, "So what? A bunch of cows. Just keep walking." But when all 10 of them stop eating and just stare at you with those horns looking ever so pointedly in your direction, it gives one pause. Tama said this had happened before and he'd taken a short cut up the mountain. But that looked to me like you would need a machete to get through some jungle-like terrain.
After a couple minutes of just standing there, Tama proceeded with caution to walk right through the middle of the pack. I guess I really wanted to see that mountain top view again because I followed him. But I became concerned when I realized that I'd have to walk between a calf and the biggest "cow" of the bunch. Feeling all their eyes on me, I just kind of looked down and walked slowly through. Once I got through I looked back to take a picture of them all. Then we started to wonder about the trip back down the mountain.
But on the way back they had ventured off into another area -all except for one that was grazing near the trail. To make myself feel better I told Tama that it seemed safe because it was standing on the other side of a huge ditch and would actually have to jump to get to the trail. At that precise moment, that cow jumped over the ditch! Tama couldn't contain his laughter as I sped up to get out of its' way. I never knew a cow could jump like that. But I should've remembered another legend...something about a cow that jumped over the moon.

Hiking Up Tapioi Mountain

2008-12-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

Next to Juliette's home is the start of a trail that leads up to a beautiful landmark you see when you first land in Raiatea...Tapioi. Tapioi is a mountain that is actually owned by Juliette's son-in-law's family. Steve and Titaua (Juliette's daughter) live on the mountain and hike to the top almost everyday. Steve is a world-champion pirogue racer and Titaua works in a sporting-goods store that also sells merchandise for babies. (I looked for some baby-sized boxing gloves, to no avail.)
Tama and Herehia know that I love to hike and took me to the mountain. Whenever I see these beautiful green mountains on these islands, I always want to hike to the top. But they say a real danger here can be warthogs. They refered to it as Puumba -but they can actually kill a person. So I was a little paranoid as we started up the trail and told them that I'd be watching for "Le couchon de mort." (The pig of death.) (That was my term for it. They just looked confused.)
Sure enough, in no time, a huge pig seemed to come out of nowhere. But it was just a pig and ran away from us pretty quickly. On we went and I looked up at one point and gasped. For a second, all I saw was a horses head -but then the rest of it came around the bend along with about 10 other horses. They weren't being ridden, they just hang out there.
Tama and Herehia were laughing at my jumpy state. At one point, you could hear tree branches rubbing against each other and it sounded like a creaky door in a haunted house. Then Herehia told me this story about the mountain...

Steve's grandfather owned the mountain and decided to make a road going up to the top. In fact, it's the road we were walking on. But a woman heard his machine and asked someone what it was. When she was told that he was making a road, she told the person to go tell him to stop because he was going to upset the mountain. A legend says that "Tapi" is a name and "oi" means "to stir" and the woman thought that because of the name of the mountain, it wasn't a good idea for him to be doing that. Steve's grandfather ended up accidentally going over the side of a cliff in the machine to his death. Near where this happened is his grave. This story became well-known on the island. We wondered how the people felt who picked up the work and continued the road to the top.
Well, as creepy or jumpy as I was starting to feel, it all disappeared when we got to the top. It is a spectacular view. We could see the islands surrounding Raiatea -which were Huahine, Tahaa and Bora Bora. I was in awe all over again at the difficulty of the pirogue race, Hawaiki Nui, which included all of these islands. A huge cruise ship was docked at one spot. Then I looked to my left and saw the runway at the airport from another angle. Tama said that as soon as you land you've got to put on the brakes. But there's another runway that's even shorter on another island. I think I'll go there by boat.

Juliette, The Incredible Plant Lady

2008-12-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

Once we landed in Raiatea, we were met at the airport by Herehia's grandmother, Juliette. I'd met her last year at Tama and Herehia's wedding and she'd said that I needed to come to Raiatea. We'd just celebrated her 75th birthday a week ago and I was excited to see her home. She has literally hundreds of plants. They are spread all around the outside of her home and require a daily watering schedule of 4 hours a day. She is part Polynesian -part Chinese. Her typical routine is -she rises at 4 AM to study her Bible, pray, and have breakfast. When the sun comes up she is ready to begin her work. She waters her plants 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. But Raiatea gets a lot of rainfall -which helps her.
I was amazed at the variety and especially liked some Bonsai trees. There were branches that wrapped around each other like braids of hair. Little by little over time, she bends the branches so that they become flexible and go where she wants them to go without breaking. She weaves them together beautifully. She said someone had asked if she read a book on how to grow these little trees and she told them no...she'd just prayed for wisdom. Now she's got people asking her advice because they look so good. It just makes sense that God would know best how to grow a tree, doesn't it? She's also got some hanging plants that don't even need dirt! She attaches them to some small, dark-red branches.
Of course, there were things to eat as well like cherries and blackberries and something they call a "miracle fruit". It's a tiny little thing that had just a hint of a licorice flavor to it. Immediately after eating it, Herehia handed me a lemon. I didn't really want to bite into that but she was persuasive. The "miracle fruit" nullified the tartness of the lemon! It was kind of bizzare.
Juliette also keeps around 25 exotic birds in a very large cage. Most of them are love birds. They are pretty vocal until the sun goes down. Then -not a peep.
It is quite obvious when you step into her home that Juliette has the gift of hospitality. There are rooms added onto rooms and are probably more than 20 beds in the house. She usually hosts visiting pastors and missionaries.
When Juliette was 12 it became necessary for her to quit school and help take care of her 7 brothers and 4 sisters. Later on, as a young woman, she became convicted that she wasn't living right and gave her heart to God. She proceeded to educate herself. Now she is one of the hardest working people on behalf of the church in Raiatea. When we first arrived, we stopped by a market and Juliette introduced me to the granddaughter of the first Christian on the island. That kind of blew my mind. Then the woman gave us 30 bananas. :)

Off To Raiatea

2008-12-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

Last Monday night, at a birthday party for Marc, Mirella's brother, Tama asked if I'd like to join him and Herehia and little Hauareva, (who will be 5 months old Dec. 10th) -on a trip to Raiatea. So the next morning we were on the plane. Tama is a pilot for Air Tahiti. As we were taking off I asked him if we had a good pilot. With a very concerned expression, he quickly said, "No. You should be worried." In case anyone from his company should see this...I knew he was kidding.
At one point he asked if I'd like a coffee -so I took him up on it. It's just a 30 minute flight and everyone just gets a cup of juice. I felt like a VIP...and all the more so when the flight attendant came to my seat and told me to follow her. I didn't know what she wanted at first but then quickly realized that Tama had asked if I could sit in the cockpit. She carried the coffee for me and then, when inside the cockpit, asked the pilot to hold my coffee while she adjusted the seat. I never thought a pilot would be holding my coffee for me as he is flying the plane. But, of course, to assure my fellow 65 passengers, just as there are automatic coffee makers, there are also automatic pilots.
Being in the cockpit was incredible. That is truly the best view on the plane. And when the view is Tahiti and her surrounding islands, it has to be one of the best views in the world! As I drank my coffee, the pilot and his co-pilot went over their checklist before the landing. We flew over water between two islands, Huahine and Raiatea, then did a u-turn. There before us was this incredibly blue water and a tiny little runway coming toward us. All too soon the flight was over. But I'll never forget that sight.

Indiana Jones Speaks French Poorly

2008-11-24T16:11:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we had a birthday party for Yves and Mirella. Their birthdays both fall in the same week. It was really cool to see some familiar relatives and to meet some new ones too. I got to visit with Hirohiti -who was 6 years old the first time I met him. When I brought Lauren over here -he was quite an entertaining tour guide. Now he is 17 and joining the army in January. Wow do I feel old. He's shaved his head already. Those Army people just hate hair, don't they?
That night I had another practice with the youth choir. They are sounding terrific! And they knew the tune of "Joy To The World" -but not the words. That's wild to me when it's such a standard in America. But they all study english in their schools -so learning the words went quickly. We're doing a chorus of that along with "How Great Is Our God" for their Christmas program.

Last night we went to Thierry Albert's home to watch Indiana Jones -the 1st & 3rd films. They are preparing for a youth camp that will be held in December with an Indiana Jones theme. I've seen the campsite and it couldn't be more appropriate. They've even put an add for the camp on one of the church's websites. www.ADDTAHITI.com
They had the DVD on the french-speaking version. So it was pretty cool to see Indy speaking in french. But they had made some mistakes too. When he says, "Dad!" throughout the 3rd film, they translated it as "Pere!" -which people just don't say like that. Also they used the formal way of speaking -as you would to a stranger -when speaking to family members. To say, "How are you?" -one says to a stranger, "Comment allez-vous?" But to a family member, one says, "Comment vas-tu?"
I'm not sure what one does when speaking to a strange family member.

Funny Little Things

2008-11-20T12:41:00.000-08:00

One of the things I enjoy so much about my Tahitian family is their sense of humor. There is a lot of laughing to be done here and I guess I'm the man for the job. I've always appreciated funny people.
We were playing poker with some pretty professional looking chips -although with no money. Aimana proceeded to do an impression of an American doing an impression of a French person. Talk about complex! But when Americans try to sound French, they tend to just put a "Z" sound in between all the words. For example, "Ze cardz are on ze table." Actual french says, "Les cartes sont sur la table." Not a "Z" sound to be found there. But he was quite hilarious doing this impression, keeping his pinkie finger on his chin, as he dropped one chip at a time into the pot. When he'd win the pot, his eyes would move back and forth crazily as his arms surrounded his winnings, drawing all the chips to himself. At one point, Tama and I couldn't hardly breathe from laughing so hard.

Aimana's little 5 year old boy, Taimoana, did another impression yesterday that really made me laugh. He was laying in a hammock and told me he was a person watching TV. He then had an incredibly bored expression on his face and proceeded to lift his hand every 2 seconds and make a little beep sound like he was changing the channel. He is truly an observer of life. He doesn't speak english. But at one point he almost fell and my automatic response was, "Careful!" Now he walks around saying, "Careful!" And he does it when it's appropriate. He is beyond his years. We went to the Immigration office to get my visa and he went along. When the lady helping me with the paperwork stepped out of the room for a moment, he whispered into my ear, "Do you want to marry her?"

Tama is also quite funny. You may have heard the old song, "Only You". Tama sings it, "Only Me". He seems to always have a song to sing. We were swatting at flies today and he started singing, "I believe I can fly..." It is really cool to see him interacting with his 4 month old son. He's got that little guy laughing all the time. Tama gave me a fruit to taste that I'd never seen before. He told me to be careful because it's got a nut inside. I said, "Just like your house." Wish I could post here a picture of his face when I said that. Today I noticed a keepsake box in the shape of a turtle. They used to have a pet turtle that has since died. I asked him if he has that box in his house in memory of his pet. He said, "Yes, we keep his ashes in there." :)

Sometimes I've thought that it would be a good idea to keep a journal of all the funny little things that happen to us throughout the week. I saw a movie once that was incredibly sad. But at the end the narration said, "Sometimes laughter can take you by surprise too." (and not just the painful things in life) God sends a lot of funny things our way. It's good to take notice!

Sur La Radio...Encore!

2008-11-18T18:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it happened again. We were on our way to church this past Sunday morning, listening to the Christian radio station, and suddenly Bonnie Flores started singing. It was a reggae-flavored song titled, "Think On These Things". I couldn't help but laugh with excitement about it. Tama told me, "They play this one all the time." I thought they might like that one. You hear reggae music often here. So, thanks again Bonnie! Your voice continues to bless my life and many other lives as well.

The song is based on Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

I'm very thankful for this scripture. It reminds me that the responsibility lies with me. We can't just sit around waiting for heavenly things to come floating into our minds. We have to make an effort to dwell on the good things. It's up to us. And more and more I'm realizing that it's actually possible to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Jesus Christ. God has given us the ability to do this. And more than just sheer will power, I think it's love that motivates the muscles of our thought life to grow. If it's a..."Oh, ok, I guess I'd better do this..." kind of thing, it doesn't usually last. But when you're in love -it changes everything. And that's part of the greatest commandment...to love Him with our minds.

Here's a line from "Think On These Things"...
It's time to go to God's Word and feast your eyes on heavenly things
Anytime or place, take a flight above the clouds, and think about "whatever"...

On Tahitian Airwaves

2008-11-11T14:29:00.000-08:00

I just had a bit of a surreal experience. I was enjoying lunch with the Jamets on the deck of their home. They had the radio on in the background. We were talking and without taking much notice I began to think that the song playing was familiar to me. Then I suddenly realized it was Brandi Parson and she was singing a song I wrote- "I Will Wait". I was thrilled!
The last time I was here they told me that the Christian station had played "For All Time" quite a bit on the radio. I thought they might like that one because it features a lot of percussion. Apparently they've been playing quite a few of the songs from my worship CD. The station seems to play an even mix of french worship songs and english worship -with even some Tahitian songs. How awesome to think that our CD is touching people's lives in ways we aren't even aware of. I sure hope Brandi hears that she's been on the air in Tahiti. :)

Ministry In Tahiti

2008-11-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

Pastor Richardson, from the Assembly of God church in Faaa, La Bonne Nouvelle, called and asked me to speak at his church. A few years ago he had expressed this desire and I was happy to accept his invitation. So I spoke for their Friday night service -as well as their Sunday morning service. I'd noticed someone taking pictures of me during Friday's service. I was then surprised to see a picture of me in Sunday morning's bulletin!
Pastor Richardson was out of town speaking at the church in Raiatea so his Associate Pastor, Greg, translated for me. Pastor Greg was terrific. I found out he'd just flown in after spending 2 months in Switzerland with family. I'm sure he had jet lag -but he spoke -and interpreted, with passion. We had a wonderful time of prayer with many people afterward. Sometimes I get concerned about the language barrier and if I'm connecting or not. But God knows how to connect the dots. :)

Saturday, Toimata, (Yves's daughter) asked me to work with the youth from their church. They'd been having a camp at the church for the weekend. She wanted me to teach them "How Great Is Our God" for a Christmas program they are preparing. It turns out I'll be here for that! So I gave them -kind of a typical choir practice. But since we were only learning one song, I took a little time to talk with them about worhip. Then we did some warm-ups. I wasn't sure how they would respond to some of those silly-sounding warm-ups, but they sang along. I also spoke with them about some singing techniques. I found out later that they'd never had someone do that before and were happy that I'd taught them some things. They were also teaching me -as I'd never sung "How Great Is Our God" in french before. I had dinner with the youth and then they had an awesome worship service that night. Teremu, the youth leader, led us and it was beautiful.

When Life Hands You Lemons

2008-11-11T13:01:00.000-08:00

When we went to the little island with nothing but trees, we had to stop the boat before getting too close to the island. So we walked through waist-deep water -which is difficult for me when wearing sandals. Yves was very kind to help me get to the shore because I kept losing my balance. But on one of my stumbles, I actually cut my foot a little bit. (Yes, Sheri, sorry I forgot my swim-shoes. I regretted it!)
It really wasn't a bad cut. I was walking fine the rest of the day. But when we got back to the house it felt like it had swollen up a bit. That's when they told me -if you've been cut by corral, you will need to have lemon squeezed into the cut. Otherwise it will get infected and then you'll have real problems. I winced at the thought and wondered if they were teasing me. Sometimes I'm not sure if Aimana and Tama are serious. But then suddenly, here cpmes Yves with a lemon. Aimana had been headed out the door but then was excited to stay and watch the proceedings. In fact, he and Tama found my growing concern quite entertaining. It sounds cruel but I was glad to have them there to distract me during the surgery.
Yves worked the lemon over my cut. I think I sang a little song. Maybe not so little. But he did it very quickly. I thought it would take much longer. Then he bandaged me up with a little medicine. But they said that Tahitians have used lemons for years for this purpose. How awesome that God made this natural cure. I've been tempted to hate lemons after this because of the pain. But it spared me from something much worse. I love lemons now.

Tahiti-iti

2008-11-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

If you've ever looked at a map of Tahiti you've probably noticed that there's the bulk of the island -and then there's a small piece that just barely seems to be attached to it. They are linked together, in fact, by one small bridge. This little piece is known as Tahiti-iti.
Yves invited me to go with some people from the church to check out a few campgrounds there. They'll be having a camp for the youth in December. I'd been to Tahiti-iti before -but this was a side of it I'd never seen. From the car I could see multiple waterfalls. When we parked the car, I got out and saw a boat propped up on the ground -that looked to me just like the boat from Gilligans Island. Maybe this is where they were all that time.

We toured the campgrounds and one tiny island -with really nothing on it but trees. A man was pulling up in a boat to fish -and Yves knew him. At times it seems that Yves knows every-other-person on the island! The man lived near-by and took us to his home. He'd been speaking French pretty fast -which made if pretty much impossible for me to follow. But suddenly he started speaking to me in perfect english. He used to work with Air France as a flight attendant but is now retired at the ripe old age of 51! He inherited this incredible piece of land and took us on a tour. At times I wondered if it had been Eden. Along the way Yves broke open a few coconuts for us to munch on. The trees were just beautiful.
It turns out that he is actually Mirella's cousin. He seemed very appreciative of what he has there. He said that -that area is a great place for Tahitians to vacation because it's so secluded. He, in fact, has his own water tower -a smaller version of what you'd see on Petticoat Junction.
I guess I've got old TV shows on the mind today.

Bora Bora

2008-11-11T11:45:00.001-08:00

Once the competition ended, we had one final meeting to celebrate with the team over lunch. They had many stories to tell and relive of their experience. And then Yves and I took off to go visit his sister, Desirée, who lives on the island. Mario took us in his boat and as we were on our way -we saw one lone pirogue still coming in long after all the others had made it to the finish line. I admired their perseverance.
When we pulled up to dock at Desirée's home, I saw that it had a stunning view of the main mountains of the island. She was sweet as can be -allowing me to shower at her home. (Or maybe that was to keep the flies away.) Then she loaned Yves and I the car to take a little tour of Bora Bora. We passed through the main town -which was incredibly small for a place of such world-wide fame. But I guess you don't go to Bora Bora to hang out in the city. :) This island looked incredibly small to me. Also, I didn't see that many hotels -which I knew were there from pictures I've seen.
Later Yves told me that the surrounding little islands were also part of Bora Bora. Those had hotels -which had rooms or living areas -some of which go for more than $3,000 a night. I suppose that's not a problem when you're Vince Vaughn.

When we got back to Desirée's home, she must have noticed that I looked tired. She encouraged me to take a nap in a lawn chair in her yard. So I tried. But it's difficult to close your eyes when you're in such a beautiful place. At first my chair faced the ocean. But then I turned it to face those beautiful green mountains and just drink in the beauty. Then, lo and behold, Desiréé brought me a cup of coffee. I began to wonder if I had died during the race -and was now in heaven.
Then Yves and I talked about the goodness of God. I really felt -almost overwhelmed in that moment by the blessings of God. It has been a year of many tears. But suddenly I didn't have the words to express how blessed I felt. If you persevere long enough, seasons actually do change.
Then, as it was getting dark, we went to take the boat to the airport. The boat ride was just about 15 minutes and Yves pointed out some of those fancy hotels along the way. But I was honestly convinced that I'm having a much better experience here than an actor would -filming a movie. They may have a simulated adventure -but I was having the real thing.
Once at the airport, I discovered that Yves and Mario were on a different plane than I was -flying back to Tahiti. But mine flew out just 20 minutes later -and many of the team members were on my flight. When the pilot announced that he was glad to have them on the flight, the plane cheered -especially the team members. :)

Hawaiki Nui Va'a: Day 3

2008-11-05T21:25:00.000-08:00

Well, the evening of the 2nd day was much more upbeat with the team. They went around the circle and everyone spoke. They even gave me a chance to say something -which was unexpected. I was really just there to observe. But I told them, "Je pense que Air Tahiti est incroyable!" They got a kick out of that. To me -these guys were world champions in this sport. Toward the end, they asked me to pray for the team. Later I found out that one of the team members had referred to me as "Father" when he found out I'm a pastor. Also, Yves told me that they were actually a little surprised at how well they did -and they gave glory to God for that. They said they were glad to have Yves and myself with them. :)

That night back at the vacation home -with Pero and Anna was incredibly tranquil. We sat by the bay and looked across the water and gazed at the stars -which you can see so clearly here. Pero mentioned that the actors from Hollywood had actually been staying close by because Bora Bora gets crowded. They were probably attached to the two huge yachts we'd passed in our little boat. In fact, Pero said that he prefers Tahaa to Bora Bora because there are hardly any people in Tahaa. We woke up at sunrise to the sound of roosters. There are a lot of them here! Yves said they were praising God with their song. Indeed. I imagined -instead of "cock-a-doodle-doo", they were saying, "Merci Seigneur!" (Thank You, Lord!)

We got to the boat and back around to the team. Then the final race was on -and I felt certain that it must be the most difficult. We were back to around a 5 hour journey going from Tahaa to Bora Bora. This time the pirogues seemed to get much more spread out. At times I even wondered if we were still on course. But you could look ahead and see boats with big yellow flags helping to keep us on track. The closer we got to Bora Bora, the more amazed I was all over again to be here. I wish I could post pictures with this -but I won't be able to until I get back to my own computer.

Bora Bora has some of the bluest, clearest, beautiful water I've ever seen. It was like looking at Never Never Land with the island and the aqua water. We cheered the guys on. You could tell they were getting tired and a few boats passed them. toward the end. Mario yelled out that there was only 2 minutes to go and the guys really poured on speed. Actually there was more like 15. :) They ended up coming in 21st place that day. When they pulled in they were greeted by cheering fans. We all jumped into the water to congratulate them. They were all smiles and we celebrated with some watermelon. There were hundreds of smiling people just celebrating in this beautiful place. It was an awesome way to end the competition. Overall in 3 days of racing, they came in 19th place in the most intense competition in this sport. I thought they were "incroyable".

Hawaiki Nui Va'a: Day 2

2008-11-04T19:49:00.000-08:00

Before the competition, Yves and I flew to Huahine and stayed with the Assembly of God pastors on the island. They believe the island has around 6,000 people, but they are the only Assembly church. They were incredibly hospitable and we went to a service at their church that night. As the people were leaving, the Pastor had us stand with him at the back door to give the traditional greeting/departure...a kiss on both cheeks.

At the end of the first day of the competition, we were now in Raiatea. Our little boat pulled up to a house with a dock. This belonged to some family members of Mario's. They were incredibly gracious people. Then we explored the town a bit -having steak frite for lunch. (steak and fries) The main town wasn't very big but there was alot of activity because of the competition. Later on we met with the team for a pretty subdued meeting exploring what went wrong and what needed to change. Yves shared a DVD with them about Olympic champions who were Christians and gave their testimonies. Then we prayed together. It was pretty cool.

That night I woke up in the middle of the night hearing something in my room. At first I thought it was outside but quickly realized it was crawling under my bed from one side to the other. I thought it might be a mouse but it sounded too big. So I turned on the light, crept around the bed, and noticed next to my luggage ...a crab! I think it was trying to borrow my shampoo. There was no broom to move him out and I figured I was in his room anyway so I just left him alone.

The next day's competition was closer to 2 hours. We started from Raiatea and headed toward Tahaa. It's amazing to see the race start -there are so many pirogues and people in the water. The guys were incredible that day. But they did have to take one out and send in another person.

At one point, I turned around and saw the most incredible sight behind us. There were probably hundreds of yachts, small boats and large boats, all churning up the beautiful aqua-colored water. Many of them had flags of the teams they were supporting. It was a wild moment because I remembered that about 6 months ago I saw a picture of this exact view. I didn't know what it was at the time -but just seeing the picture caught my breath. I thought, "Wow, where is this -because I want to go there!" It was stunning to now see it 'live'. Sometimes the blessings of God just unexpectedly take your breath away.

Well, our guys did awesome that day coming in 17th place. I could tell Mario was much happier. When we docked in the small town, they made arrangements with the team. Then we went out and followed a competition for ladies that went about 2 hours. Then Mario took Yves and I in the boat all the way around to the other side of the island. He went pretty fast and it was a blast. The whole time you're seeing these beautiful green rocks and mountains -but then we rounded the corner and drove into a bay. There were two huge yachts we passed at one point but that was about it. Up ahead were these incredible mountains that just made you wonder if they were real. As we got closer to the dock, we saw Yves's friend, Pero, waiting for us on the dock. He and his wife, Anna, were vacationing there and we were staying with them for the night.

Hawaiki Nui Va'a

2008-11-03T14:51:00.000-08:00

Mario, a man in the Jamet's church, invited Yves (Aimana's father) and I to go to Hawaiki Nui Va'a with him. This is the first and largest-scale pirogue (canoe) race in the world. They told me we would be following the pirogues during the race. I had no idea of the scale or popularity of this event when I accepted this invitation. In a way it's their World Series and there is much coverage on the evening news. People come here from all over the world to participate or witness this event. I was amazed to discover that none of the Jamet family had ever been able to do this before. They'd always watched it on television with everyone else. But suddenly, we found ourselves in a boat with Mario, who was a coach for one of the teams. Incredible! We had a front row seat! Even the other boats had to keep their distance more than us.

Mario's team was Air Tahiti -made up of employees from an airline here that flies from island to island. The first day this team of 6 men rowed for over 5 hours from Huahine to Raiatea Island. Mario would yell out instruction and encouragement. We became cheerleaders also yelling, "Allez! Allez!" (Go! Go!) They were amazing to me to keep rowing hour after hour. They had little tubes from which they'd drink water. When they'd run out, they would toss the water container high up in the air to the ocean. Then a support boat would pick it up, fill it with more water, go way out in front of the pirogue, and then 1 or 2 people would jump in the ocean to hand it to the team members as they passed by.

At one point Mario could tell that the lead man in front, who sets the pace for the others, was becoming too fatigued. Later I asked him how he could tell and he told me that he had just begun to sway from side to side rather than dive into the rowing. So he yelled out for the lead man to change places with someone farther back in the pirogue. They both jumped out and did so. Later on we had a scary moment. The pirogue actually tipped over. This was several hours into the race and the last thing we expected to see. Mario was instantly in the water helping to right the boat and get everyone back inside.

They came in at 27th place that day. To me that was pretty amazing considering there were 85 pirogues in the race. But I could tell Mario was disappointed saying, "Dommage, dommage". On one of my visits to Tahiti several years ago, I remember Mario giving a testimony in church about participating in this race. He was in the winning pirogue.
So that was the first of three days of the race. More to come.

The Arrival

2008-11-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

Well, the flight to Tahiti was great. I sat next to a man who works for the Royal Opera in London. He is taking a year off to travel -and was actually considering taking another. (!) He says anyone can do it. You just have to make your money work for you instead of working for it. So I told my money to go out and mow the lawn today.
At LAX, they asked if I was from Universal Studios. When I arrived in Tahiti, the customs agent asked if I'm an actor...maybe the brother of Vince Vaughn. I thought that was funny but then later found out that Vince Vaughn is here filming a movie in Bora Bora with Cameron Diaz. Guess I should've said yes. My friend Aimana is a pilot and actually flew Vince to Bora Bora.

It has been so awesome to reunite with my Tahitian family over here -the Jamets. (pronounced "Jamay") They are some of the most loving, hospitable people in the world. The most recent addition is Haureva. He is 3 months old and is the son of Tamatarei and Herehia. Tamatarei (or Tama for short) is Aimana's little brother and actually stayed at my house in Lakewood for 2 months to improve his english. The first time I met him he was 14. So it was wild to see him get married last year (for which I was a witness and signed the marriage certificate) -and now to see him as a father. It's the circle of life...

Well, practically as soon as I arrived, I was invited to go on a pretty incredible adventure. In fact, my first week here has already been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. Don't mean to sound melodramatic but it's been a WOW experience. We followed the largest pirogue (canoe) race in the world. It stretches for miles from island to island. Don't want to turn this blog into a book. So I'll expand on the race soon. We got back from Bora Bora late last night and now a nap is calling my name. :)

Castaway

2008-10-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

Well, the Lord works in mysterious and wondrous ways! I am actually off to Tahiti! And I'll be there for close to two months. When my Tahitian family heard that our Contemporary service had come to an end, they pooled together and bought me a ticket. Not that it took much coaxing, but they pretty much insisted that I come over...and stay longer this time since I've got some free time. It just seems rude to say no. :) I'll be blogging from over there on occasion. Thanks for stopping by!
P.S. My friend, Aimana, is a pilot and took this picture himself.

Dog Wash

2008-10-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

It would seem that Belmont Shore is an Eden for dogs. There's a dog beach, a costume parade for dogs this Sunday at 2:30, and now Tidy Dog. I spotted this service for dogs who want to look their best. But does "self serve" mean they borrow the family car to get down there? The next time your dog asks you for ten bucks and car keys, you might consider that it's for grooming purposes.

Sumo Baby Wrestling Camp

2008-10-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess this brings new meaning to Proverbs 22:6. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
I've seen programs for parents teaching their children to swim, but I didn't realize they also had them for sumo wrestling. It seems like a good idea to me. In fact, the sooner the better to learn that -you either swim or sink. There's just no floating through life. You either wrestle against your own flesh and the attacks of the enemy -or be counted down for the count. Aren't we slapped first thing in the delivery room? With that kind of welcome into the world, you'd think we wouldn't be surprised when the slaps keep coming. But we are.

It would seem that God wants to turn us into something more than just one big comfortable blob. He is making warriors out of us. In Jim Cymbala's book, "You Were Made For More", he talks about playing basketball with a new coach. Jim had been a star athlete, but this coach trained them to such an extreme, his muscles were screaming in pain. It seemed cruel at the time. But when they played their next game, they had much more endurance than the other team and were able to play their best even when the other team had no strength left.

So instead of thinking that God is being cruel, you might consider that He is just toughening you up -not only to endure -but to win the battle.

Topic: Should Monkeys Floss?

2008-10-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

For Puzzling Times

2008-10-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

I've been reading "You Were Made For More" by Jim Cymbala and can't recommend it enough! Our culture tends to just settle for a "random" mindset. It can be tempting to get caught up in the feeling that there's no meaning to the difficulties in our lives. But it's just not true!

This is a paragraph from the book:
"The unwanted, troubling, mystifying, "senseless" things that happen in our lives are occasions to instill strength in our character, force us to pray as never before, and give us a testimony to help others in need. Our struggles are simply a sign that we, like the ancient Israelites, were made for more."
This makes me think of Romans 5: 3-5 "...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

We may not get all the explanations that we want as to why things are going the way they are, but it sure is good to know that there is a purpose behind it all.
These verses may be very familiar, but I don't think we can meditate on them enough...Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Romans 8:28. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

The puzzle isn't completed yet, but God knows what it's supposed to look like. And He's working it all to fit together beautifully. And once you're starting to see the bigger picture of how your puzzle is coming together, be sure to pray for others who are just as puzzled as you are now.
2nd Corinthians 1:3-4 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

Got The Blues

2008-10-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it was an awesome year for the Dodgers. Sure, I would've loved to see them win the World Series. But I'm convinced they'll live to fight another day.
After they had "swept" the Cubs, I spotted this Dodger flag hanging at someone's house...from a broom.

No Running By The Pool

2008-10-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Like Music To My Ears

2008-10-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

I am so incredibly excited. I got an iPod for my birthday and I've been loading it up with so many awesome songs. It's pretty cool to be able to group all your favorites into one collection. Now I just have to be careful not to sing and dance while walking down the street.
Also, it was getting awfully embarrasing at the gym. With a Walkman, eventually you have to turn the tape over. It's hard to do that discreetly on a treadmill.

Miramar Air Show

2008-10-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I went with the Shorts to the Miramar Air Show in San Diego. It was incredible! It's quite amazing what these pilots can do. We saw the famous Blue Angels. At times they fly 18 inches apart from each other. I think California drivers could learn something from these guys.
We also got to take a look inside some of the planes. At one point I wanted to take a test drive of one of the tanks but they wouldn't let me. Something about it having a canon on it.

Changes

2008-10-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well, our final service for our Contemporary Service was September 14th. I'm beginning to see that change is just simply part of life. It doesn't necessarily make it any easier, but it sure keeps life interesting! In fact, I'm learning to welcome it -more than fear it. I'd prayed for an adventure awhile back and God has certainly been faithful to answer that prayer. Routine can make for a pretty stale life experience.
When life is full of change, mystery, and just -not enough answers, it can actually be a pretty wonderful thing. It causes us to hold all the more tightly to the One who never changes -who is the same yesterday, today and forever. If change tosses me harder into His arms, bring it on!

Above All Else

2008-09-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, I guess it's no big secret that I'm a fan of John Eldredge's books. In fact, I've been re-reading some of them just to be refreshed again. In "Waking The Dead" he reassures the reader that our hearts matter to God. In fact, he goes so far as to say that caring for your heart is an act of spiritual warfare. I'd never really thought of it that way before.

He writes, "The heart that is weak is vulnerable. Are you able to fend off accusation when you are wiped out from a hard week?
...Listen- the first wave of any strike against us is to rob us of the heart to fight it. It always starts that way, with that sense of being too tired or overwhelmed. Heads up- the main assault is coming on the heels of it.
...The strategy of our Enemy in the age we live in now is busyness or drivenness. The deadly scheme is this: keep them running. That way, they'll never take care of their hearts. We'll burn them out and take them out."

So, caring for your heart, the very place where God dwells, becomes vital to our survival of the assault. One of the practical ways we do this is by "unplugging" from all the chaos and drinking in the beauty that is around us. It could be as simple as stopping to smell the roses -or a trip to a National Park. I suppose that's one of the reasons I love Yosemite so much. I'd also recommend Tahiti.

I've known people who actually brag because they've never taken a vacation. I don't believe that's anything to brag about. Your spirit needs to be refreshed. If you're not refreshed, how can you refresh others? If you didn't get away this summer, take a few days in the fall. I even took a vacation in February one year and ended up hiking in the snow on a trail in Yosemite. It was exhilarating. Until I started falling down too much. Then I went back to the lodge for coffee and a cookie and just watched the snow fall. Amazing how something as simple as that strikes a blow against the Enemy's attack on my heart.

Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
Psalm 23:1-3 "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul."

BBQ @ The Home For Lemings: Tonight!

2008-08-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

Psalm 148 (The Message)

2008-08-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah! Praise God from heaven,
praise him from the mountaintops;
Praise him, all you his angels,
praise him, all you his warriors,
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, you morning stars;
Praise him, high heaven,
praise him, heavenly rain clouds;
Praise, oh let them praise the name of God—
he spoke the word, and there they were!

He set them in place
from all time to eternity;
He gave his orders,
and that's it!

Praise God from earth,
you sea dragons, you fathomless ocean deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and ice,
hurricanes obeying his orders;
Mountains and all hills,
apple orchards and cedar forests;
Wild beasts and herds of cattle,
snakes, and birds in flight;
Earth's kings and all races,
leaders and important people,
Robust men and women in their prime,
and yes, graybeards and little children.

Let them praise the name of God—
it's the only Name worth praising.
His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky;
he's built a monument—his very own people!
Praise from all who love God!
Israel's children, intimate friends of God.
Hallelujah!

Dramamine Recommended

2008-08-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

Check this out. It's a floating trampoline. While out walking, I spotted it tied up to a dock. Now you can float and bounce at the same time. And, who knows, if you untie it, you may just be able to float and bounce all the way to Catalina.

Go Fly A Kite

2008-08-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I took a walk along the ocean and saw a guy taking a kite surfing lesson. Not long ago this activity seemed to find itself on a list of things I might like to try. It happened on a windy day when it seemed every kite surfer in the city found their way into the Pacific. I looked out and saw them gliding across the water at terrific speeds. One of them even took flight for a few seconds. That's the thought that thrilled me. Taking flight. Soaring through the air. No limits.

But as I watched a little of the lesson yesterday, I was reminded that there are limits. If the wind ain't blowin', you ain't goin' nowhere. (Pardon the triple negative.) Without wind, their kites will simply fall into the ocean. The wind is the engine. And what an interesting engine it is considering that you can't even see it. But it has power to take you places if you'll let it.

Our life of faith is powered by an invisible God. We are told in 2nd Corinthians 4 to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. My Grandmother used to say "God will pull you through anything if you can just stand the pullin'." That usually brought to my mind a picture of a ragged man at the end of a rope. Maybe like someone who just lost tug of war and got pulled through the mud.

Maybe a better way to think of it is God pulling us up out of an ocean, maybe even an ocean of sorrows, so that we can soar. We'd make things easier on ourselves if we'd stop resisting His pull and just go with the flow.
Many years ago now, a group known as The 2nd Chapter Of Acts had a song that said, "You don't know which way the wind blows. So, how can you plan tomorrow? Jesus knows which way the wind blows. So, give Him your tomorrow." This is a very freeing thought for those who think they can control the wind. You can't. Give up trying. Hold on tight to the One who does. Take flight.

Matthew 8:27 "The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

Supersize Them

2008-08-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of some people digging through contributions sent to China after their big earthquake. I got a kick out of this woman's reaction to the size of these jeans. I guess they don't have as many McDonald's over there as we have here.

Have we met?

2008-08-07T15:16:00.001-07:00

Getting Past The Comma

2008-08-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 13:12 says... "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
I've often heard this scripture quoted -as if the second half of it doesn't exist. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." There's a lot of truth to that statement alone. Having no hope can make one lose heart.

But the second half of the scripture is what keeps me going. "...but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
The Message translation puts it this way..."Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around."
Do you feel like you're living -before or after the comma in that statement? The first half might make you feel like -that is all life has to offer...hopelessness. But you've got to get past the comma.

Amy Grant has a song that says "Life is a curious thing." It talks about a man who was down on his luck, living in poverty. He went to Hollywood, made a movie, and now he's a millionaire. Another verse talks about the girl who was ugly in high school now being on the cover of a Fashion Magazine. It makes me think of the caterpillar turning into the beautiful butterfly. You just never know what tomorrow might hold.
When I was a boy, we went to a gold mine and heard a story of a couple of men who dug for the longest time. We walked down that cave and it was huge. But they lost hope and gave up. Along came some other guys and three feet later they struck gold.
Don't give up.
I love it that Jesus surprised His followers. They thought it was all over. He was dead. But that was just the beginning of the story. God must like to surprise us. We've just got to get past the comma.

We've Started A Choir!

2008-08-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well, let there be singing. We've started a Choir here at Faith Christian Assembly. Tonight was our very first practice and we had 20 people! I believe we'll get more in short order because a few are out of town that have already told me they want to participate.
Our practices will be in the Garden Room on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, from 4:45 to 5:15PM. To begin, we're tackling some easy and yet beautiful songs that have come from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. I couldn't be more excited about it.
If your schedule is too full to sing, I'd encourage you to re-do your schedule! Sometimes we tend to eliminate the very things that we need the most. Join us!

Psalm 63:5 "My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you."

For Sale

2008-08-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

Ok...this one's a little bigger. I spotted it and couldn't help but take a picture. As soon as I did the owner walked up and told me it's for sale. If only I could. But I don't know if I'm ready for that much attention driving down the street. I might start feeling like I'm in a parade and have to wave to everybody.

Blink And You'll Miss It

2008-07-29T18:44:00.001-07:00

While out walking yesterday I stumbled across this car. I didn't see it at first, stepped on it, and then had to wipe it off my shoe. It seems you never know what you'll find around here. I'm beginning to think that I live in an enchanted forest. So does this mean that little people drive this car...or that I'm a giant?

I'll let you know if I find a beanstalk.

Earthquake!

2008-07-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Did you feel it? Did you rock n' roll this morning?
I was in my office and LaRae was out in the main office working on the church library. She has built shelves for it and it has turned into quite a project. Well, I thought maybe she was now shaking my office wall with the force of her hammer. Next I thought she was funnelling under the floor for a possible new entry way. But when all the walls started to shake, I just knew she'd rented a crane and a wrecking ball was about to come through the window.

The Associate Press reported the following: "The magnitude-5.4 jolt struck at 11:42 a.m. Tuesday and was felt from Los Angeles south to San Diego, and as far east as Las Vegas. The quake — considered moderate — was centered 29 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles near the city of Chino Hills."

This was Jennifer's first earthquake since living in California. She was quite excited afterward. Almost a little hyper. In fact, I have the feeling that she'd like to feel another one. She's used to living in Oklahoma and Kansas where the winds go sweeping down the plain -and sometimes take you with it. But, once you feel an earthquake, you really know that you're not in Kansas anymore.

Vital Signs

2008-07-29T10:02:00.001-07:00

Much thanks to everyone who helped us this past Friday night at our Starbucks Outreach! It was kind of wild because we got responses all over the board. Some outright refused to take a gift certificate while others actually responded with a hug. Most seemed very appreciative of the gesture though.
We really appreciate everyone who came to hand them out, everyone who donated toward the cause, and everyone who prayed. This was definitely a team effort for the kingdom. We pray that those who were impacted would find life far beyond just a cup of coffee.

A Cup Of Starbucks...In His Name

2008-07-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight we gather at Starbucks to hand out, not just cups of coffee, but cups of hope.
I used to live in Seattle. I've got a theory that Starbucks first became so popular there because of the rain, the dark clouds and the constantly overcast skies. After awhile it just gets depressing. People duck into a Starbucks -not just for the coffee, but for the little extra jolt of energy caffeine tends to bring. I even saw a sign in one of the stores that said, "Happiness in a cup."
Well, as we all know, those cups of happiness are all very short-lived. We have to return again and again for another cup of coffee. In fact, Dave Short recently told me that coffee actually dehydrates you. (I'm believing this because, during this fast, I actually woke up in the middle of the night desperately thirsty...having had nothing but water and coffee.)

But Jesus offers a drink of another kind. He said to the woman at the well in John 4:13-14, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

We don't give these gift certificates just for them to have coffee. We give them that they may have hope in a dark world. We pray that they will be drawn to the joy that can only be found in Jesus. If you'd like to help us, we more than welcome you! Check out the address on the church website.

Mark 9:41 "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."

Alvin Slaughter

2008-07-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

I've had the privilege of working with this man on two different occasions. The second time I had organized a bit of a mass choir made up of people from about 5 different congregations. We ended up with 150 people in the choir. It was an awesome experience. We felt like we were all floating on air as we lifted praises and worship to God. Which may explain why, at the end of the concert and after two hours of standing, we still didn't want it to end.

Well, his latest CD is "The Faith Life". I've found it to be very edifying. This is a song he sings on it titled "Launch Out" written by Keith Laws.

Sometimes we hold on a little longer than we should
Letting go can be hard but it's sometimes for our good
The fear of what's ahead sometimes makes us fall behind
We can see the times are changing but pretend that we're so blind
You'll never really know just what the future holds
But we know God holds us in His hand
So by faith we must climb into the boat
And follow His command

Launch out into the deep
Let your faith take you somewhere that you've never been before
Launch out into the deep
Let your faith make you fly, let your faith make you soar
Launch out, launch out into the deep

It's time to wake up and make our dreams come true
Time is always moving and it will not wait for you
The fear inside your mind can quench the fire in your heart
Sometimes where you end is where God wants to start
It's never easy when you're walking out by faith
Everything seems so different and new
But if we only learn to see with eyes of faith
We would see life in a different view

Launch out into the deep
Let your faith take you somewhere that you've never been before
Launch out into the deep
Let your faith make you fly, let your faith make you soar
Launch out, launch out
So much for you awaiting, so stop procrastinating
Close your eyes, just take a leap

What Were The Ancients Commended For?

2008-07-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is from John Eldredge's devotional, "The Ransomed Heart"...

"Where would we be today if Abraham had carefully weighed the pros and cons of God's invitation and decided that he'd rather hang on to his medical benefits, three weeks paid vacation, and retirement plan in Ur? What would have happened if Moses had listened to his mother's advice to "never play with matches" and lived a careful, cautious life steering clear of all burning bushes? You wouldn't have the gospel if Paul had concluded that the life of a Pharisee, while not everything a man dreams for, was at least predictable and certainly more stable than following a voice he heard on the Damascus road."

I'm certain that John means here that Paul's letters wouldn't have been the instrument that God used to impact the church. God would have found someone else to do His work. But how tragic if Paul had not ever been converted! His life was radically changed as he stepped out in faith to follow Jesus. Once he got his eyesight back, of course.
But because these people did act in faith, we now have an example to follow. Today. Have we insulated ourselves from all risk? Or have we decided to step out of the boat and get our feet wet?

Hebrews 10:38-39; 11:1-2 "But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for."

Can't this thing go any faster?

2008-07-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

Jennifer, our secretary at the church, was telling me what water skiing is like. I've never been and at some point may like to try it. Although, my moves on the ski slope have proven less than graceful. But Jennifer is a bit of a daredevil. She's even jumped out of a plane before! She did have a parachute though. So, I thought she'd love to put those two activities together.

Beach Bonfire Party

2008-07-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great time last Friday night at our beach bonfire party. Much thanks to Dave Short and Gary Leming who got down to Bolsa Chica by 6 AM that day to make sure we had our own fire pit. They go fast in the summertime and we just didn't want to have to cart a microwave out there.
These pics are just barely a sampling of the folks who joined us. We had somewhere between 30 to 40 people. The light was fading fast by that point so I only snapped a few. But I have to say that I just love the one of little Noah fighting sleep in James' arms.
(Much thanks to Margaret Hammond who sent me some of these pics!)

The Contemporary Service Band

2008-07-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, am I thankful for these folks. This is our Contemporary Service's Band and they make -not only a joyful -but also a beautiful noise. Starting from the top left...Jonathan Pintoff on bass, Tyler Leming on trumpet, Gary Leming on trombone, myself on piano and vocals, Tiki Pasillas on drums, Lauren Leming on flute, and Matt Short on trumpet.
Jonathan Pintoff is a full-time professional musician who is in demand and travels quite a bit. In fact, he just got back from a conference in Washington D.C. He also plays stand-up bass.
Tiki Pasillas is also full-time and is often on tour with Marc Anthony and/or Jennifer Lopez. In fact, if he can't be with us on a Sunday, he's usually in South America with them. Recently he had to miss because he was doing a taping on the Late Show in New York. (!) You can check out his website at www.tikipasillas.com.
Sometimes I am just amazed at the blessings God has brought our way.
Gary, Lauren, Tyler and I have played together for many years. Gary has played trombone in church practically his entire life. Lauren and Tyler were very involved with their high school band doing field shows and even marching down Main Street at Disneyland at one point. Tyler also played with a jazz group at Long Beach Community College. And it has been so cool to have Matt jump into the mix. He's got some awesome experience with his school's jazz band.
One that's not pictured is Ginny Vaughn who plays the synthesizer. At the time of this photo, she was suffering for Jesus in Vail, Colorado on vacation. (Keep her in your prayers.)
Also, when Tiki can't join us, we often have Chris Wabich on drums. He is considered to be one of the best steel drum players in the country. He even makes them. I hope to get him to play those for us at some point.

Psalm 33:1-4 "Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does."

Happy Birthday

2008-07-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

Today is Tyler Charles Leming's birthday. He is 23 today and the theme for this particular celebration is golf. His folks got him some left handed clubs and you can see how professional he looks. Just check out that follow-thru.
I'm so proud of this guy. He works at Wells Fargo and seems to be climbing the ladder pretty quickly. I'm thinking any day now he'll drive home a stage coach. He's an awesome trumpet player and helps us in the band on Sunday mornings. Lately he's also been helping out by giving the announcements.
My claim to fame here is that I am his uncle. So glad to be too because he's one of the funnest persons on the planet. Happy birthday Tyler!

Quality For Life

2008-07-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

I went shopping for clothes the other day and a tag on a Haggar shirt caught my eye. See if you can tell which of the following descriptions this bachelor would be most excited about: Stay Crisp Shirt, No Iron, 100% Cotton
But as I read on down the tag, I became intrigued. This is a first. I've never been intrigued by a shirt tag before. This is what the rest of it said...
Haggar, Making Things Right
Quality For Life, Guaranteed As Long As You Live
Shrink Resistant
Unbustable Seams
Unbreakable Buttons

Wow! What a guarantee! It almost makes me want to challenge it and see if I can break a button. Like when I was 7 years old and my Mom saw me with all my little 45 lp records spread around me on the floor. She said to be careful not to sit on one or it would break. Once she left, it was a duty incumbent upon me to test her theory. Turns out, she was right.
While I love the sound of Haggar's guarantee, I'm almost sure someone somewhere could find a way to break a button. Maybe one of those power team guys. But they are certainly good at what they do and I am enjoying the shirt. What actually does meet the guarantee they make is the armor of God. We tend to forget that we are in a battle and that a soldier never goes to war unequipped. Let's be sure to clothe ourselves each day with armor that is guaranteed for life. It's shrink resistant, with unbustable seams and unbreakable buttons. And, by the way, it'll protect us in the war zone. It's quality for life.

Ephesians 6: 11-17 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Happy Anniversary, Gary and Sheri!

2008-07-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

Today is Gary and Sheri's 26th wedding anniversary. I remember their wedding like it was yesterday. My mom made her wedding dress -which was the same style that Lady Diana had worn for the royal wedding. But Sheri's train wasn't as long as Diana's -which I believe was the length of 3 football fields. The first time she tried the dress on I commented on how beautiful she looked. I suppose a little brother doesn't usually do that but she just looked like royalty herself.

For the ceremony they asked my dad to sing "Sunrise, Sunset". Now that I think about it, that was probably kind of cruel. He couldn't do much more than cry into the microphone that day. But he did it on pitch.

All four of my grandparents served communion to everyone in attendance. Gary's pastor, and the president of our organization at that time, Orvel Taylor, performed the ceremony. When he had Gary and Sheri kneel, you could see that Gary's sister, Elaine, had written "Oh no" on the bottom of his shoes in red nail polish.

My mom played the piano and Gary's mom played the organ and I was one of the ushers. At the end of the ceremony the bridal party was so excited that they ran off to the other room with the bride and groom -forgetting that there were people waiting to be dismissed from the church. I was practically running down the aisle to escort parents, grandparents, and other family members out individually.

It was really an amazing day because it was like a family reunion. And it was the last time that we'd all be together. However, it was also the start of something new. They were off to California. We lived in Seattle at that time but eventually followed them down. They are so fun that we just couldn't live that far away. And, of course, eventually there were two more fun ones thrown into the mix. Two little bundles of joy that still give me hugs every time I see them -even though they've grown up. But it all started with this day. Happy Anniversary Gary and Sheri!

Hiroki Kuroda

2008-07-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

Gary and I went to the Dodger game Monday night and witnessed Hiroki Kuroda throwing a one-hit shut out against the Atlanta Braves. As the game proceeded you could feel the atmosphere growing thicker with anticipation. Gary was beginning to wonder early on if it could actually turn into a no-hitter. He said he'd never personally witnessed one before.

Then you could see that the entire crowd was beginning to wonder the same thing. With each pitch and strike came thunderous applause. When the Braves finally got on base, everyone felt disappointed for Hiroki...but certainly not disappointed in Hiroki. He received a huge ovation at the end of the night when he tipped his cap.

It must have felt good for him to sense how everyone was wishing for his success. That's how it is in the kingdom. Sometimes I get the feeling that heaven is cheering us on. I told Gary that I hoped Hiroki could rejoice that night over his success and not obsess over the one hit that got away. It's so important that we do our very best -but let go of the failures, the things that have hindered us in our lives, so we can continue to "pitch" our very best until the game is over.

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Russian Tortoise Update

2008-07-08T10:34:00.000-07:00

The Russian Tortoise...is still missing. While out walking yesterday I noticed this sign in a completely different area from where I saw the first one. We have now reached Week 4. I'm really hoping this won't spark another Russian missile crisis.
I thought it was pretty cool to see how people have responded to their postings. I hope they find the little guy. Unless, of course, he's a spy. In that case, he should be arrested.

Of the people, by the people, for the people

2008-07-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

I've been watching a documentary on the Civil War. President Lincoln was invited to speak -almost as an after thought at Gettysburg. The featured speaker went two hours. But it was Lincoln's speech that would stand the test of time. It's worth a read, in these present dark times, if you haven't read it in awhile.

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Don's Sweet Ride

2008-07-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

Check out what my buddy Don Croswhite has been driving around. He says it can get a bit claustrophobic spending an entire day in this thing. I'd love to drive this down the 605. Don't think I'd have any problems with people cutting me off.

Starbucks Savings And Loan

2008-07-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, have times changed. Check out how big the Starbucks letters are compared to the Wells Fargo letters you can just make out above the doorway. This is on the traffic circle at Old Towne, Orange. The building is pretty cool with a high beautiful ceiling inside. And, yes, you can consult with either a teller or a barista. I wonder if the tellers offer whipped cream with transactions?

It was a wonderful place to enjoy my cup of Starbucks coffee for the day. I could just imagine for all those folks who have said something along the lines of..."Back in my day we would never pay that much for a cup of coffee," -when they see this building, it must turn into... "See, I told you so. They're even taking over the banks."

Happy Anniversary

2008-06-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

I'd like to wish Jim and Wilma Nash a very happy anniversary. They got married on June 26, 1936 -which just happens to be 72 years ago today. This marriage thing just might work out for these two.

I think they're two of the sweetest people on the face of the earth. I've known them all my life. Their kids and grandkids went to our church in Santa Ana when I was a little boy. So, we'd see them on occasion. They were actually founding members of a church in Los Angeles -which eventually moved to Bellflower -which eventually moved to Seal Beach, our present location. Talk about faithfulness!

They are both in their nineties now but still very active in the life of the church. They organize and host Faith Fellowship every Tuesday in the Garden Room. This involves games & fellowship & worshiping together. Also, of course, coffee and popcorn. Jim gives me the thumbs up sign when the coffee is ready. :)

One of my favorite things about them is their love of Yosemite. My family always loved to vacation there. We would hike to Vernal Falls, which was a pretty steep hike, and, on several occasions, we just happened to find these two at the top! We hadn't even known they were there so it was quite a surprise. I've got a theory that their love of hiking may be one of the keys to their longevity.

We love them so much and are thrilled to have them here. Happy 72nd Anniversary Jim and Wilma!

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

2008-06-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

-by Ira Stanphill

I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day
I don't borrow from its sunshine for its skies may turn to gray
I don't worry o'er the future, for I know what Jesus said
And today I'll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead

Every step is getting brighter as the golden stairs I climb
Every burden's getting lighter, every cloud is silver lined
There the sun is always shining, there no tear will dim the eye
At the ending of the rainbow where the mountains touch the sky

I don't know about tomorrow, it may bring me poverty
But the One who feeds the sparrow is the One who stands by me
And the path that be my portion may be through the flame or flood
But His presence goes before me and I'm covered with His blood

Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand

Time Travel By Car

2008-06-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing some pretty cool cars in my neighborhood lately and it makes me wonder if we've switched centuries and nobody told me.

Happiness: Not A Goal But A By-Product

2008-06-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Wednesday night Bible study has been taking a closer look at the Beatitudes. It has been fantastic. Last night my father spoke about how short-sighted we can be when we make happiness the goal of our lives rather than God. This seems to be especially true of Americans who are constantly speaking of their rights and ready to sue at the drop of a hat because their happiness is to be preserved at all costs. I wonder how many will be doing that on that great and final day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord? It would be tough to speak about your rights in the presence of a holy God -His Son being the sinless one who died for our sins.

While elaborating on Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." -he said, "If we want true happiness, Jesus says, develop a hunger for righteousness; in doing so, then your life will be filled with happiness." So many people think that pursuing pleasure is the key to happiness. But the key is actually pursuing righteousness. Pursuing God Himself.

John Eldredge, in his book "Walking With God" wrote, "God wants us to be happy. But he knows that we cannot be truly happy until we are completely his and until he is our all. And the weaning process is hard.
"The sorrows of our lives are in great part his weaning process. We give our hearts over to so many things other than God. We look to so many other things for life. I know I do. Especially the very gifts that he himself gives to us - they become more important to us than he is. That's not the way it is supposed to be. As long as our happiness is tied to the things we can lose, we are vulnerable."

Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." You can begin to see why sorrows, why mourning can be a good thing. If we allow it, they will lead us to true comfort. Not to distractions, or temporary pleasures just to numb our pain, but to the Comforter Himself -and in His presence is fullness of joy.
Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Tortoise On The Run

2008-06-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

While waiting to cross the street this morning I spotted this sign. Apparently someones tortoise has gone missing. It may be looking for its motherland. Should be easy to identify because how many turtles around here speak Russian?
The reward is a copy of Tolstoy's "War And Peace".

Tomatoes Done Nicely

2008-06-12T14:42:00.000-07:00

It's nice these days to find tomatoes you can trust. (In case you haven't heard, there's a bit of a health scare happening at the moment. Salmonella has resulted in a real "attack of the killer tomatoes".)
Last night at the Bible Study, Betty Nicely gave me some cherry tomatoes that she had grown in her garden. It was reassuring as I plopped some onto a salad at lunch today that I knew where they came from and that I could trust the gardener. In a world where cows are going mad and mice don't excuse themselves to go to the powder room to take care of business, it's a wonderful thing to have your own private source of food.
Not only that but they tasted terrific and I just can't wait tooooooiekea;ria... uh, ...........ekeiaeoe;eke..........what's the number for 911?

Bragging Rights

2008-06-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

Job 1:8 "Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
My friend Steve brought this scripture up today. How cool it is to see God taking such pride in Job. And for awhile the enemy was allowed to wreak havoc in Job's life. But still, God was able to continue bragging on Job. Even through all the calamity, Job was still believing. Though not understanding, he was still afloat, trusting in the goodness of God above all else.
From verse 6...
"One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them."
...I'd imagine that Satan has to take a number to get an audience with God. But our cries go straight to God's ears. This should tell us something about the priority we are to God.
Recently in our pulpit, Bob Phillips said, "God allows us to have an adversary for the purpose of training us." What an awesome thought that our enemy is simply the tool God uses to bring a greater glory to our lives. Now that's the proper perspective...not to be devastated by him, but trained because of him.
Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
So, let God do some bragging on you this week.
Have you considered my servant______________? (your name here)

Poster Pigs For Boycott Bacon Campaign

2008-06-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Six Sharps

2008-06-04T18:28:00.000-07:00

Matt Short is one of our incredible trumpet players at the church. He told me the other day that he mentioned to his band teacher that sometimes he plays in 6 sharps at church. She asked Matt if the music minister hated him. I got a kick out of that. For the record, no, I don't hate Matt. A lot of awesome songs coming out these days have been written by guitarists. They tend to choose keys that keyboardists and other instrumentalists don't really care for. Not every song we give them ends up in 6 sharps. But when you're trying to navigate all those sharps, one song can feel like too much. On the other hand, if you can master playing with all those sharps, you'll be able to navigate just about any piece of music that comes your way.

While mulling this over, I began to see a correlation with my troubles and challenges frustrating me to the point of wondering if God hates me. Of course, we know He doesn't. But sometimes, if you're really honest about it, you can start to wonder if He cares about what you're going through.
Here's the cool part. If we can learn to navigate and persevere through these tough situations, He's turning us into one awesome "Musician". Our life becomes a beautiful song. If we can get through one incredibly tough piece of music, it gives us confidence to dive into the next one. When we realize the glory that He wants to bring to our lives, we can actually be thankful for all the sharps He's tossed at us today.

1st Peter 1:3-7 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

Psalm 46:1-3

2008-06-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah" (NIV)

"God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
the tremors that shift mountains.
Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
God-of-Angel-Armies protects us." (The Message)

It Is A Laughing Manner

2008-05-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

I looked over today and saw gas for $4.13 a gallon. And that was the cheap stuff. I laughed. I actually laughed. That's not to say that I like the price of gas rising higher than Mount Everest. It just hit me that -regardless of high gas prices, God is with us. They can make us worry, they can scare us, but what's the point? God is with us. We've been through stuff like this before and we're still here! So worrying is wasted energy. Might as well laugh about it. The price of gas may be bad but the price of worry could be worse. It could affect your health.
Proverbs 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
The doctors really should say, "Take two laughs then call me in the morning."

Off To India

2008-05-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

Ashley, Jessy and Shawn Pallil recently took a trip to India to attend Jessy's sister's wedding. It was Shawn's first international flight and, by the looks of it, I think he was excited.
They were over there for three weeks -which felt like 3 years for us- but we were happy they were able to take the trip.
I asked them for pictures so that I could take it with them, at least, vicariously. Next time, I'm sneaking into the luggage.

Downtown For The Holiday

2008-05-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Downtown Disney on Memorial Day. Some of us came early to hit some rides inside the park -which wasn't all that busy at that hour. Then we took the Monorail over and had some lunch. Then we tried to work off our lunch with some of the games at ESPN Zone. (I lost an air hockey game to Louise Gardner. I'm demanding a rematch!) Here are a few moments I caught with my phone. I love the kid's table.

Psalm 46:10-11

2008-05-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah"

Steven Curtis Chapman

2008-05-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Please keep Steven Curtis Chapman and his family in your prayers. They have lost their 5 year old daughter, Maria Sue, in a tragic car accident. His music has been an awesome source of inspiration to me -ever since I heard his very first album. One song from his "Speechless" CD was written to comfort families who had experienced the loss of a child.
With Hope
This is not at all how we thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you, we had so many dreams
And now you've gone away and left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say and nothing we can do
Can take away the pain, the pain of losing you,
but...
We can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope, 'cause we believe with hope
There's a place by God's grace
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again

And never have I known anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more the wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home and now you're free
and...
We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything God promised is true
So...
We wait with hope and we ache with hope
We hold on with hope, we let go with hope

Got cheese?

2008-05-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Think Blue

2008-05-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

Wowie Zowie. I believe that's a Greek term meaning...Wowie Zowie. The Dodgers had quite a game last night. The evening was a little odd at times. Homer Simpson threw out the first pitch. A hip-hop violinist played the National Anthem. And at one point the second baseman forgot that you have to tag a runner. (Thought they would've covered that at practice.)
It was a struggle against the Cincinnati Reds for awhile. But they tied it up and then DeWitt was able to hit a single at the end -but the bases were loaded. I just love it when a hitter comes up to bat at a moment like that. The air just feels electrified. Everyone gets on their feet in anticipation. He made it happen when it counted. And the place went nuts.

Blind Guides

2008-05-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

I love how Jesus turns things around. A man who had been blind from birth was thought to have sin in his life, or his parent's life, that had caused his blindness. But Jesus set the record straight by saying that it happened so the work of God might be displayed in his life. Then it turns out that the blind man can see better than the scholars in the synagogue who had been studying all their lives. Suddenly they are the ones asking him all the questions. But they weren't willing to accept his answers and even admitted in regard to Jesus, "...as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from." I love the 'blind' man's response.
John 9:30-33 "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
I'd say it would be better to have been the blind man who experienced the power of God and a real revelation in his life -than to have studied all my life in the synagogue and never experienced or recognized the power of Jesus and the revelation of who He is. He was, afterall, the very One they were studying about and waiting for. Who's the blind one in this story?

Life's Ruff

2008-05-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

On my way into the grocery store the other day I spotted these two in the parking lot. We've got some very affluent dogs in my neighborhood.

Gary's Truck Stop

2008-05-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

I took a quick road trip with Gary last week. He had a few stops to make in Bakersfield and Fresno. His business, "Gary's Truck" has been in existence for over 10 years now. It hit me as he was walking into one office how awesome it is that he has stuck with it through all the ups and downs of starting a business. Many times he could have just thrown in the towel, (or the truck) but he just kept putting one foot in front of the other and just kept trusting that God was leading each step. He's got some pretty awesome stories of God's faithfulness.
I'm very thankful for his example of perseverance. Today's mindset is all about getting rich quick. They only think of the destination. But maybe in God's eyes the journey is more important than we think it is. Maybe He wants to spend time with us along the way, to encourage us not to give up through all the ups and downs, and not just at the end of the story when they all lived happily ever after.
So when you want to give up it might be good to remember these words...
Hebrews 10:36 "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."
Sheri and I have gleaned so much from Gary and his experience -in regard to Faith Christian Assembly's Contemporary Service's first year of existence. Gary is our Church Administrator and a vital part of the leadership here. He's an awesome man of God, businessman, brother-in-law, husband, father, friend, and Sunday just happens to be his birthday. So happy Mother's Day Gary!

Spotlight On Music Ministry

2008-05-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

Worship leaders should ask themselves if they're truly leading worship or just singing songs. Are you praying about what songs to lead? Are you willing to let God take you in another direction?
It's a little frightening for me to think about the fact that Lucifer was a worship leader. He got too attached to being the one up front and began to feel that he was the one worthy of worship. No wonder he got evicted.
As a worship leader you are to be like a magnifying glass. No one buys a magnifying glass just to look at it. They buy it to magnify something else. You are to become invisible and point people to the One who is truly worthy of all worship. It's a good idea to welcome the people, start the service with a smile, give direction...but then get out of the way. Don't talk too much. If you need to share a scripture or thought, do it at transitional times. Don't be afraid of silence or of just letting the people linger in the presence of the Lord. Listen for the Holy Spirit to lead you as you lead the people. Be willing to just sing a new song to the Lord. Even if you're the only one. Remember, they need to learn from you. So lead by example...and then let them spread their own wings and fly.

Matt's Jazz Band

2008-05-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I went to a Jazz Band Festival to see Matt Short's jazz band in action. They were terrific! And I give them extra points for playing so well in front of -not only an audience of friends and family members, but three judges ready to critique them after the performance.
The judge that spoke to their band had some great things to say. One point that stood out for me was her advice for each of them to find a successful artist of their particular instrument and listen and try to emulate some of the things that they're doing.
Dr. Charles Blair recently gave the same type of advice from our pulpit. He said we should study why people in the Bible were successful in their walk -and also study why others failed.
One of the successful ones was certainly Paul who followed the most successful One who has ever walked the planet.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1-2, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you."

You Don't Know The Power Of A Doggie Biscuit

2008-05-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's getting dangerous around here. Between bake sales and birthday celebrations, feasts at friend's houses and my own propensity to munch at home, it's time to get back to eating right and exercise. Think I'll write a song..."Don't Grow Weary In Eating Salad". Prayer for the day: "Lead us not into the cookie aisle at Ralphs but deliver us from junk food."

May Day

2008-05-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it's May Day in Los Angeles. Hopefully this will be a peaceful one. But it amazes me that people think illegal immigrants should have the same rights as American citizens. In my mind this has nothing to do with racism. It has to do with obeying the laws of the land.
What is more frightening than that, however, is how many people believe themselves to be a citizen of heaven -and yet aren't willing to do what's required in order to live there. They rewrite the Book to allow themselves a loophole.
But the Creator of heaven itself has something to say about it.
Psalm 50:16-21 "But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son. These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face."
It's always best to find out what God would say rather than base our beliefs on our own feelings and interpretations. Those can change like the wind.