I'm sitting here running sound for our weekly church band rehearsal. I'll be in San Diego on Sunday, so a friend of mine (who used to be a worship pastor too) is leading in my place. I have to say, for as much as I enjoy leading worship, I also enjoy NOT leading when I know someone who's just as capable (if not better) is "subbing" for me.
Oh yeah, so I'll be in San Diego with my pastor, our board chair, and a "tech" friend/volunteer, at an intensive 2-day Q/A session at a church there that has successfully implemented a "video venue" model in their church, whereby they can hold simultaneous worship services both in their building and at other locations. Basically, this allows groups to have different musical styles in their service, yet have the same teaching pastor. Since musical preference is what typically divides people in our culture (not preaching style), this creates opportunities for variety under one banner. It also allows "big" churches to maintain a more intimate setting while reaching more people. I'm excited to see if this model is really possible for us at CCC. And did I mention this church is in San Diego? It's like, what, 83 degrees down there right now?
We had a follow-up Dr. visit for Owen today. He developed an ear infection on top of some asthmatic symptoms. We think we're on top of both of them, but the asthma thing is one we may have to keep an eye on for some time. Luckily, we have a nebulizer, a truckload of albuterol, and plenty of people who've been through the same thing to consult with.
Other than that, life's pretty good.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Harvest Carnival pics
For those of you not on Facebook, here's a few shots of the fam from our Harvest Carnival this weekend...
Oh yeah, Owen was a zebra. We were dressed as safari guides.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Videos on Facebook
OK, so I haven't gotten all my blogger issues resolved. I still have been unsuccessful at loading videos on here, so I've chosen to post the most recent ones on my Facebook page.
I can still add pictures to the slide show, though, and will post pictures from last night's Harvest Carnival this afternoon. Long story short, my kid was very cute.
Happy Sunday. Hope you're enjoying your extra hour of sleep. I know I did.
I can still add pictures to the slide show, though, and will post pictures from last night's Harvest Carnival this afternoon. Long story short, my kid was very cute.
Happy Sunday. Hope you're enjoying your extra hour of sleep. I know I did.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Video woes
For reasons unknown to me, I am unable to upload my videos onto this blog now. I am clueless as to what has changed and hope to get it resolved quickly. For now, though, you'll have to settle for still pictures. I have uploaded a few videos onto my Facebook page. Feel free to view them there (if you're not already an FB friend, just ask. I'm pretty easy about all that).
OK, issue is resolved. I made the mistake of upgrading to the NEW editor several weeks ago, which, much like upgrading to Windows Vista, took me back two steps. New videos will be posted this weekend!
OK, issue is resolved. I made the mistake of upgrading to the NEW editor several weeks ago, which, much like upgrading to Windows Vista, took me back two steps. New videos will be posted this weekend!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Gloomy
It's raining today, which wouldn't be a big deal if I lived in Portland, but it sure does change the landscape of the day here on the East side. Good day to be inside. Owen is here at work with me for what will be an abbreviated workday. Boy, is he an active little guy now! I PROMISE I will use the extra time to take/post pics and video of him. He's a full-on crawler now, standing, playing hard, and having fun exploring things like electrical cords, door stops, and other things he ought not be messing with :-)
I was going to write a little more, but a friend just dropped by for a meeting, so I'll finish for now. More later, I mean it!
I was going to write a little more, but a friend just dropped by for a meeting, so I'll finish for now. More later, I mean it!
Friday, October 23, 2009
How to Pray in Public
I wrote this as a follow up to some discussion at our church small group last night about the apprehension many people feel about praying out loud in a group setting. Feel free to use it if it's helpful to you...
Intro
Every growing Christian knows the necessity of a vital and regular prayer life. But while most people find that being disciplined in their private prayers is challenging enough, praying publically seems downright daunting. Images of impassioned TV evangelists or polished, robed, seminary-educated ministry “professionals” (clergy) discourage many from even trying to pray out loud in their home, at a small group bible study, or in front of their congregation.
But praying publically needn’t be thought of with such grandiose notions. In many ways, public prayer is exactly like your private prayers, or at the very least, like an out-loud conversation you’d have with a good friend. In fact, if you’re reading this, I can almost guarantee that with a bit of confidence, the support of believers around you, and a few simple tips, you can pray quite comfortably in front of others.
As You Begin
Below are some simple guidelines to keep in mind as you begin to explore the possibility of praying publically:
1. Public prayer is a form of public speaking; it’s natural to be nervous. Statistically, people are more afraid of speaking in public than they are of dying; so don’t be surprised if your palms get sweaty, your heart rate elevates, or you get fidgety at the thought of praying in front of others. But you CAN do it!
2. It takes practice. As with most anything else in life, the only way to get better at something is to work on it. Try. Get better. Of course it helps to start in a safe environment (dinner table, small group of friends, etc.), but it takes a few times (even making a few mistakes) before you’ll begin to feel more comfortable.
3. Just because it’s public doesn’t mean it’s not personal. We’ve probably all endured listening to somebody pray using “Thee’s” and “Thou’s” or in some deep, unnatural radio voice. Remember, whether you’re praying inwardly or out loud, it’s still YOU praying. Don’t try to be someone you’re not.
Time to ACTS
So how do you do it? Well, first of all, there is no one right way, but there are some helpful elements to include in your prayer. As a boy, I learned a painfully simple way to order my thoughts, lower my anxiety and focus on what I really wanted to pray when the time came.
I use a simple acrostic to keep me headed in the right direction: ACTS.
A stands for Adoration—I start a public prayer by acknowledging something true about God. This can be as simple as a salutation addressing God by one of the many names we find for him in scripture (Holy, Father, Lord, Eternal God, Creator, Savior, etc.). God knows who you’re talking to, but “hey you” falls a little short. When praying publically, error on the side of respect.
C stands for Confession—After recognizing God as THE supreme being, it seems right to acknowledge that we’re not. Confession is just admitting we’re not perfect and asking God to forgive us (which of course he promises to do). Don’t waste time laying out a laundry list of past misdeeds; God doesn’t care. The point is to right the wrongs, not dwell on them.
T stands for Thanksgiving—Because the God we’re praying to has the power and desire to forgive us, we can thank him for that and 1,000 other blessings he gives us. Most folks don’t have a problem with this, except that we don’t do it enough!
S stands for Supplication—Supplication is a fancy word for “requests”. This is what most people think of when they think of prayer. We can ask God to help us with our problems, heal the sick, comfort the hurting, etc. You may be more than happy to pray this part of a prayer publically; the problem comes when we ask, “What should I pray for them? What do I really want/expect God to do for them?”
I don’t always get it right, but I do try and remember that it’s OK to ask God for what I want, as long as I also ask that God’s will is accomplished and that he gets the credit for whatever happens. His will trumps mine. Let’s face it, we don’t always know what God wants; that’s why we pray in the first place! So there’s no harm in being honest. God prefers honesty to “correctness” anyway.
A Final Word
Keep in mind, prayer is not built on a formula but rather on a friendship with God. And while the ability to pray publically does not necessarily make you more spiritual, it can grow your faith and inspire others to grow in theirs. You may always be your own worst critic when you pray out loud, but by thinking through the direction of your prayer, you can at least increase your confidence in your ability to say clearly what’s in your heart.
Intro
Every growing Christian knows the necessity of a vital and regular prayer life. But while most people find that being disciplined in their private prayers is challenging enough, praying publically seems downright daunting. Images of impassioned TV evangelists or polished, robed, seminary-educated ministry “professionals” (clergy) discourage many from even trying to pray out loud in their home, at a small group bible study, or in front of their congregation.
But praying publically needn’t be thought of with such grandiose notions. In many ways, public prayer is exactly like your private prayers, or at the very least, like an out-loud conversation you’d have with a good friend. In fact, if you’re reading this, I can almost guarantee that with a bit of confidence, the support of believers around you, and a few simple tips, you can pray quite comfortably in front of others.
As You Begin
Below are some simple guidelines to keep in mind as you begin to explore the possibility of praying publically:
1. Public prayer is a form of public speaking; it’s natural to be nervous. Statistically, people are more afraid of speaking in public than they are of dying; so don’t be surprised if your palms get sweaty, your heart rate elevates, or you get fidgety at the thought of praying in front of others. But you CAN do it!
2. It takes practice. As with most anything else in life, the only way to get better at something is to work on it. Try. Get better. Of course it helps to start in a safe environment (dinner table, small group of friends, etc.), but it takes a few times (even making a few mistakes) before you’ll begin to feel more comfortable.
3. Just because it’s public doesn’t mean it’s not personal. We’ve probably all endured listening to somebody pray using “Thee’s” and “Thou’s” or in some deep, unnatural radio voice. Remember, whether you’re praying inwardly or out loud, it’s still YOU praying. Don’t try to be someone you’re not.
Time to ACTS
So how do you do it? Well, first of all, there is no one right way, but there are some helpful elements to include in your prayer. As a boy, I learned a painfully simple way to order my thoughts, lower my anxiety and focus on what I really wanted to pray when the time came.
I use a simple acrostic to keep me headed in the right direction: ACTS.
A stands for Adoration—I start a public prayer by acknowledging something true about God. This can be as simple as a salutation addressing God by one of the many names we find for him in scripture (Holy, Father, Lord, Eternal God, Creator, Savior, etc.). God knows who you’re talking to, but “hey you” falls a little short. When praying publically, error on the side of respect.
C stands for Confession—After recognizing God as THE supreme being, it seems right to acknowledge that we’re not. Confession is just admitting we’re not perfect and asking God to forgive us (which of course he promises to do). Don’t waste time laying out a laundry list of past misdeeds; God doesn’t care. The point is to right the wrongs, not dwell on them.
T stands for Thanksgiving—Because the God we’re praying to has the power and desire to forgive us, we can thank him for that and 1,000 other blessings he gives us. Most folks don’t have a problem with this, except that we don’t do it enough!
S stands for Supplication—Supplication is a fancy word for “requests”. This is what most people think of when they think of prayer. We can ask God to help us with our problems, heal the sick, comfort the hurting, etc. You may be more than happy to pray this part of a prayer publically; the problem comes when we ask, “What should I pray for them? What do I really want/expect God to do for them?”
I don’t always get it right, but I do try and remember that it’s OK to ask God for what I want, as long as I also ask that God’s will is accomplished and that he gets the credit for whatever happens. His will trumps mine. Let’s face it, we don’t always know what God wants; that’s why we pray in the first place! So there’s no harm in being honest. God prefers honesty to “correctness” anyway.
A Final Word
Keep in mind, prayer is not built on a formula but rather on a friendship with God. And while the ability to pray publically does not necessarily make you more spiritual, it can grow your faith and inspire others to grow in theirs. You may always be your own worst critic when you pray out loud, but by thinking through the direction of your prayer, you can at least increase your confidence in your ability to say clearly what’s in your heart.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Finally fall
Boy, what a difference a week makes! Fall is finally here. The temperature has dropped to below freezing at least one night, the rain and clouds and wind have all made their presence known--although the sun has made an appearance a few times too.
Saturday we ventured over to Pullman to watch the Cougs get handed a loss at the hands of Arizona State. I did my very best to be a Coug for the day, along with 26,000 other die-hard fans. I feel like I understand what delusion is all about now. I don't know that many people gave WSU a chance, but they cheered, they froze, they even stayed 'til the end of the game, rooting their team on to, well, survival.
Speaking of Survivor, Lana's watching it right now. The contestants are engaged in a disgusting food-eating challenge. Really? What's the point? Eating sea slug guts does not make you a survivor, it makes you a desperate idiot. Have some dignity, people! I'm not even watching it and I'm feeling sick. OK, that's my rant.
On Tuesday, Lana and I participated in a pastor-spouse panel discussion for a Mothers of Preschoolers group, debunking some of the myths people may have about our handle on marriage/family issues (ie--that we've got it all figured out). Anyway, I hope our comments were helpful. At the very least, it was good for us to answer some of the questions for ourselves.
Tomorrow night we'll host a table at the Grace Clinic fundraiser banquet. It's only the 2nd such event the clinic has ever had, but last year they raised over $15k, so we'll hope for good success tomorrow night as well.
Saturday we ventured over to Pullman to watch the Cougs get handed a loss at the hands of Arizona State. I did my very best to be a Coug for the day, along with 26,000 other die-hard fans. I feel like I understand what delusion is all about now. I don't know that many people gave WSU a chance, but they cheered, they froze, they even stayed 'til the end of the game, rooting their team on to, well, survival.
Speaking of Survivor, Lana's watching it right now. The contestants are engaged in a disgusting food-eating challenge. Really? What's the point? Eating sea slug guts does not make you a survivor, it makes you a desperate idiot. Have some dignity, people! I'm not even watching it and I'm feeling sick. OK, that's my rant.
On Tuesday, Lana and I participated in a pastor-spouse panel discussion for a Mothers of Preschoolers group, debunking some of the myths people may have about our handle on marriage/family issues (ie--that we've got it all figured out). Anyway, I hope our comments were helpful. At the very least, it was good for us to answer some of the questions for ourselves.
Tomorrow night we'll host a table at the Grace Clinic fundraiser banquet. It's only the 2nd such event the clinic has ever had, but last year they raised over $15k, so we'll hope for good success tomorrow night as well.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Indian Summer
I'm sitting here in the kitchen with the back sliding door open. This weekend is for sure the last little bit of Indian summer. Not exactly shorts weather, but clear skies and gentle breeze are good enough for me this late in the year.
I posted it on FB, but sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday during the day, someone stole my bike rack from right off the top of my work car. Never mind that . It really is puzzling to me on several levels:
Gotta go. Owen's crying...for attention.
Owen is pretty much over his wheezing and coughing and is now rolling all over the place. Our sitter sent me a video today of what she thought was him crawling, though it looked a bit more caterpillar-like to me. Soon enough, and then we're hosed :-)
I posted it on FB, but sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday during the day, someone stole my bike rack from right off the top of my work car. Never mind that . It really is puzzling to me on several levels:
- Bike racks are not exactly the easiest things to get on and off. I can't believe no one saw or heard the perp.
- These racks require special hex wrenches to tighten/loosen the screws--not exactly the kind of thing most people just carry with them.
- They left everything IN the car intact (stereo, palm pilot, CDs)
- The perp also broke off a section of my front hood spoiler. Again, why? What's the point?
Gotta go. Owen's crying...for attention.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Lately
It's 10pm. I'm sitting here watching Glee, one of my new guilty pleasures. Why? Can't tell you. The music's fake, the story line, absurd. The characters, stereotypical. And yet, I find the dialogue sharp, humorous, and at times, poignant. OK, enough, this isn't a review. Just don't get me started on Mad Men. Thanks DVR.
Owen's developed a cough that has him sounding like a smoker. It's like he's breathing twice every time he inhales. Luckily, my office manager Linda recommended we take him to the doctor yesterday, so we got him in and got him on a nebulizer. I stayed home with him today just as a precaution, but it seems to be helping.
Apparently there's going to be a yard sale at our house this weekend. I try not to get too involved. Most days I'd be happy to open the garage door and start negotiating prices, and that's with MY stuff. Lana's the boss when it comes to what goes though. Fortunately, the avalanche of baby stuff that's come our way this year has added a bit of urgency, though, so there's hope that we'll still be able to park in the garage this winter.
I'm sure there's other stuff to talk about, but I've read what I wrote and see I've already got a laundry list going. Night.
Owen's developed a cough that has him sounding like a smoker. It's like he's breathing twice every time he inhales. Luckily, my office manager Linda recommended we take him to the doctor yesterday, so we got him in and got him on a nebulizer. I stayed home with him today just as a precaution, but it seems to be helping.
Apparently there's going to be a yard sale at our house this weekend. I try not to get too involved. Most days I'd be happy to open the garage door and start negotiating prices, and that's with MY stuff. Lana's the boss when it comes to what goes though. Fortunately, the avalanche of baby stuff that's come our way this year has added a bit of urgency, though, so there's hope that we'll still be able to park in the garage this winter.
I'm sure there's other stuff to talk about, but I've read what I wrote and see I've already got a laundry list going. Night.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
New pics
I've posted a couple pics from Owen's 8-month photo shoot in the slide show to the left. Of course I'm biased, but I think he's one handsome kid.
Sorry I've been so slow on the video/posts. I promise I haven't forgotten. Besides, there are a few of you who won't LET me forget :-)
Let's see, while I'm on here...just got back from a great church men's retreat. Always good to get away--even if it is for just a night--sleep out in the woods, fraternize, eat too much, talk with other guys about "guy" stuff. I really get a lift from this kind of thing. I always wish more guys would take advantage of this opportunity. Seems like most guys live pretty isolated lives, and some of the biggest stuff in our world stays locked up inside us or buried underneath a load of other responsibilities. This is one of the few formats I know of where I have the permission to let down my guard, do some intense soul searching, and be guided to and through some life-shaping questions. So I guess it's not just a retreat after all.
Sorry I've been so slow on the video/posts. I promise I haven't forgotten. Besides, there are a few of you who won't LET me forget :-)
Let's see, while I'm on here...just got back from a great church men's retreat. Always good to get away--even if it is for just a night--sleep out in the woods, fraternize, eat too much, talk with other guys about "guy" stuff. I really get a lift from this kind of thing. I always wish more guys would take advantage of this opportunity. Seems like most guys live pretty isolated lives, and some of the biggest stuff in our world stays locked up inside us or buried underneath a load of other responsibilities. This is one of the few formats I know of where I have the permission to let down my guard, do some intense soul searching, and be guided to and through some life-shaping questions. So I guess it's not just a retreat after all.
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