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A Different Type of Church Service

Just got done with church. Not exactly the church service we were expecting though. What I was expecting was to be at Redmond Junior High, having a cup of coffee, and chatting with other Creeksiders about how wonderful/fun/funny/inspiring the children's Christmas program was. (It's just after 11am as I type this.) But it's a little tough to have church at the Jr. High when the district has told us we can't be in the building!

If I Had One Chance to Speak to Your Heart

Anyone who's ever been married will, I'm sure, tell you the same thing: No matter how much you know about a person before the wedding, you always find out more stuff afterward. Don't get me wrong - we had...

Christmas-Time Parking Lots

Last night I had my first crazy Christmas-time driving parking lot incident... Scene: Me driving in the Redmond Target parking lot amazed that a spot opened up right as I got there. Beth and the boys with me in...

Lub-a-Dub Lub-a-Dub

Since the mid-90's I've had a "heart skip thing" going on with my heart. A funny beat followed by a "big beat" (cardiologist said when the heart is re-synchronizing it fills with blood so the first pump is big) then regular again. Went to the cardiologist and they said don't worry about it after a bunch of tests (treadmill, ultrasound, etc.). In 2002 I had my first "multiple skip" where it had the funny beat 6 times in a row, then recovered - the cardiologist again said don't worry about it.

Reflection of a high school teacher

One of my favorite memories of teaching this year is from a student who is re-taking my math class and is in my math support class (a class for students who try hard, but really struggle and feel like failures). On the first day of school during math support we gave the students time to work on their homework and only my class actually had homework.

Hope and Change

During the recent election we heard a lot about a couple of big ideas: hope and change. Where I work – the University of Washington – these two went hand in hand. People were hoping for a change and...

God First

As is my custom I was watching CNBC to get the latest business and finance news during breakfast the other day. They had a guest on who was talking about subsidies to help homeowners stay in their home. Mark Haines, the co-host, started to complain that we should not be using taxpayer's money to bail out people who bought homes they could not afford. He said it was unfair to people who bought homes they could afford, with reasonable mortgages that they are working hard to pay according to the contractual agreement. In short, he was saying that responsible people should not be penalized to help out those that made a mistake.

Change

I have felt like 'change' is a common theme in my life lately. Last night, I sat up and watched Barack Obama be overwhelmingly elected the next president of The United States because of his message of 'change'. I have experienced change in Creekside as we look for our next pastor. I have seen change in how I drive my car because of gas prices. I have seen change in my two little boys as they get older. I have seen change in the coaching staff for the WSU Cougar football team. And a Dick's cheeseburger has gone from $1.30 to $1.40.

The Uglier Side

I'm a slow driver. I like to think it's because my senses are keenly aware of everything going on around me and the car and that I drive slowly because in order to take all those inputs into account in making my next driving decision, I have to reduce speed to allow for greater reaction time. The truth is that I'm just slow at most things.

The Story of the Beetle

Many years ago, (do NOT ask how many), while on a camping trip with a group of friends I found myself wide awake early one morning. With all the others still soundly sleeping, I decided to go out of...

A Healing Transparency

"Hi Don!"

How fortunate! I was on campus at Seattle Pacific University earlier this week and was heading toward Don's office hoping he might be there yet knowing the chances were slim. But here he was walking in that direction also and we quickly got caught up on our families until we arrived at the door with his name on it. Don and I had been in a small group together for a few years but hadn't seen each other much since I started working at other churches.

Jesus Particles

Over in Europe they just started up the "Large Hadron Collider," a giant velodrome in miniature with trillions of protons riding bicycles around a 17-mile-round tube at close to the speed of light, or about 11,000 laps per second. Unlike more traditional velodromes, not all bicycles go in the same direction; in fact, half go one way and half go the other, so that billions of head-on bicycle collisions are created.

Where Do You See God Working Right Now?

I can't tell you how many times in my life I've been asked the question, "Where do you see God showing up in your life?" And every time I've got an answer that essentially talks about where something has gone right or fallen in to place just perfectly or something. And so I figure, that's where he's shown up. I believe that to be true.

Got any change?

Several summers ago my wife Becky, myself, and a handful of leaders loaded up a bus full of kids from Redmond High School for a week long trip to Young Life camp at Wildhorse Canyon in central Oregon. If you've never been to a Young Life camp let me give you a small picture of the experience: Built with teenagers in mind, these camps are like resorts. There are swimming pools, soccer fields, zip lines, go-carts, great food, and 600 friends just your age. Loud music, fun games and activities all make Young Life camping the crème-de-le crème. It is truly top-notch and makes for an unforgettable week.

Working Toward Glory

Today, I was ready to elope. It took three months, or approximately 60% of the time we had to plan our wedding, but I finally reached the point where I seriously questioned whether all this work was worth it. Eloping would be cheaper, faster and less stressful. Yes, this is me taking back everything I said about how I would love to plan a big, fancy wedding.

Blessings

I spent a lot of my life trying to figure out why I am here on earth. When I was little I thought I wanted to be a Nun because I wanted to be married to Jesus. That lasted about a week and a half; then I discovered boys. My teen years were spent wanting to a do lot of things but I was too scared to try. I waited until I was nearly 20 to really go wild experimenting with everything you can imagine. I had no idea what I was doing at the time. I only know I was needy. I have recently come to understand that I was looking for Blessing.

Divine Moments

Sometimes there are moments, conversations, books, blogs, pictures, movies, or a whole host of other things that can trigger something deep inside you. I had one of those divine moments last week. On our vacation to Canada I read a book I've known about and have been meaning to read for several years. The book is called A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser.

Tom

Last Friday morning I found out my cousin had chosen to end his own life. That news left me in shock for the rest of the day. I was not my easy going self to my co workers. I had to try to be kind and polite. What was really bothering me?

Spiritual Pane

The other day I awoke to the sound of a bird colliding with a window. The bird and pane made a distinctive sound: an initial click and thud followed by a brief shudder. I’d heard the sound before, so knew what it was. Usually a bird can shake off the collision and fly away, especially if the collision is just a glancing blow, but sometimes the crash is head-on at high speed and the result is fatal. This time I didn’t check to find out, and simply went back to sleep.

Life

This was written a couple weeks ago as I realized that it was just a day that needed to be written about... Life... seems to be the common theme to my day today. My day started out by hearing that some dear friends of ours lost their unborn baby at 10 weeks into the pregnancy. A little later in the afternoon, my sister called me to tell me that if I wanted to see my 95-year-old grandma again while she could still talk, I should get over to her house pretty quick.

Whatever You Do

Do anything spiritual this weekend? I did. I scrambled up Granite Mountain, I ate out with friends, I went to a bridal shower, I cooked a meal (if you count frozen lasagna as cooking), I went to church.

Seeking a New Focus

Early this spring we discovered that we had guests in our backyard...cute guests, but uninvited. Rabbits! Two or three adorable little rabbits hopping around in our backyard, usually early in the morning or in the late evening. Our mini-dachshund,...

Between the Commas

My 10th Grade English teacher was a wonderful, smart, frustrating, difficult, encouraging woman named Anne Franke. (I'm not kidding. That was her real name.) When it came time to write a paper she would frequently say something to the effect of, "If you have to put it between parentheses, commas, or hyphens, it's probably not important enough to stand on its own. So just leave it out." I don't know that I ever really agreed with her, but for my sophomore year of high school I obeyed.

The Foundation of It All

I felt it from the first sign that I saw that read, "Cooperstown, 1 Mile". Taking that exit and another 17 miles north off of the highway I continued to feel it a little more with each mile closer. Until I saw another sign that read, "Village of Cooperstown". I had made it.

Sincere Sincerity Sincerely

I’m reading a book called “Truth and Truthfulness” by Bernard Williams. The subject is familiar enough. We each know what truth and truthfulness are (although some may confuse them with Steven Colbert’s “truthiness.”) Each day we are bombarded with...

In Joy and in Sorrow

There's a great line in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, after Hermione has explained all the conflicted emotions of another character to Harry: their friend Ron says, "One person can't feel all that at once, they'd explode." Hermione retorts with a snarky comment, but I rather sympathize with Ron. What are we supposed to do when our feelings are at such great variance with one another?

When there is no Justice, or so it seems.

We live in a world gone mad. That's what I'm thinking this week.

I am writing this as a thankful and grateful citizen of the Kingdom of God. (With occasional crying spells and obsessive thoughts about a trial I recently served as a juror.)

Re-tire-meant

First, I am going to borrow something from someone most of you know and love, Mr. Fred Rogers - he said: For a long time I wondered why I felt like bowing when people showed their appreciation for the work I've been privileged to do.

The Parable of the Wart

The Kingdom of God is like a woman who, already stunningly attractive, sought to improve her appearance by having a wart removed from her left hand. On the day of the medical procedure she valiantly braved the "freeze stuff" and burning pain to attain her goal. The doctor instructed, "It will burn and then blister. Leave it completely alone and in a few days it will start to dry up and then after a week or two it will heal and peal off leaving new skin." How exciting she thought. No wart! New skin!

I've Missed the Point

So I think that after 29+ years, I've missed the point. That might be a little harsh and extreme, but it's a little true, I think. Bare with me though because I'm just writing thoughts and they certainly haven't all been fine tuned yet.

One At A Time

One foot in front of the other. One day at a time. How does the journey of a thousand miles begin? With a single step. It's a familiar concept, and we know it works, but some days it feels a lot more like plodding along than progressing on a journey.

Serving at Tent City 4

When my mom and dad told me we were going to Tent City to serve dinner, I thought I was going to be bored to death. I guess I didn't really know that I would actually have to work. That morning at Perrigo Park, I sort of just goofed off. Once I got to Tent City, it looked like a bunch of tarps put into a parking lot. Once you got in you could tell that people actually lived there. It was kind of sad to see all these people living in tents. At the same time, it was nice that they had a home even though they wouldn't normally.

And A Child Shall Lead Them

I have found the last 13 years that my life has been a mission to help others in our community through my son. Kyle was a premature baby who wasn’t supposed to live or have a normal life. He has fought all of the odds and through this my faith has been stronger than before. Kyle has always loved people and reaching out to them to let them know what he believes and ways to make them feel important. This gift of his continues on which I find amazing. For a more reserved person like me, it is a privilege to be his mother and help him embrace these qualities.

Hope Bringers

"I lost hope a long time ago."

I can't get his words out of my head. Ninety minutes ago I was sitting across the table from Daniel and that's what he said to me. Part of me wanted to cry. Part of me didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to say, "What are you talking about? You're 14 years old. You don't even have a 'long time ago.'"

Change of Heart...for service

On Saturday, April 5, I crawled out of bed at 4:30 AM to get to SeaTac and catch the plane that would take me and 26 other Bellevue Christian High School students, (and ten adults), to Mendenhall, Mississippi for a week long mission trip. We stayed at a volunteer center in Mendenhall and were scheduled to work at the Genesis One Christian School, the farm that supports it, and in the Mendenhall community. All are connected to the John Perkins Foundation located in Jackson.

Glimpses

For the past few months I have been wrestling with God about church and all that it represents for me. I have been reading books and attending conferences that have been shaking everything up.

Opening Day

Monday 3/31/08:
8:00am - 1:00pm: Take care of Nathan and let Beth rest with 1-week-old Josh. Take Nathan on 'field trip' to the grocery store for hot dogs and buns. Entertain the 2-year-old.

Forgiveness: A Story

I'm sitting here huddled against the armrest on my side of the couch, seething and pondering my next move. The light of my eyes is sitting at the other end of the couch, feigning petulance. He never actually gets angry, but he's also refusing to let me get away with picking a fight. Well, he started it.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

I have never been more aware of the truth of these words than I was last week. I was in Kansas City for some speaking engagements and was able to spend time with some good friends while I was there. One of them was my dear friend - and chairman of TYMK Ministries - Scott Rhodes. Friday was one of those incredibly rare days with no agenda. I was in between events, Scott took the day off, and we just hung out.

Book Report

For the past six months, I read about ten pages each day of a 1,939 page NIV Bible. This was a surprising piece of discipline on my part, and I commend myself highly. Thank you. But I hope you don't think I now know a whole lot about the Bible. At my age, I forget what I read at almost the same rate that I read what I read. In fact, even while reading with some understanding, it's easy for me to think of my reading as like flying around the world, visiting all the airports, and then coming home. I feel like I've just scratched the surface of what the Bible represents and what it has to tell me. By comparing my reading to what happens when I'm in a Bible study or when I read a study Bible, it's not hard to notice how much I miss. On the other hand, actually experiencing the full trip has a lot to be said for it. I'll say some of that here.

The Kingdom of God, Doodling and Deep Shift

Last week I was laid out with a sore throat, itchy eyes, runny nose, cough, fever, and achy all over feeling. On top of that, several times a day I would pass the mirror in the hall and scare myself. Let me just say I made some crazy looking hairdos. I rarely remembered that I am the daughter of the King, the apple of His eye. In fact there wasn't much Kingdom thinking at all the first couple of days. Drawing and doodling helped me through the times when I couldn't think past my funk. It's a way to connect with God in prayer without ever having to speak. I first found the practice in a book called "Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God" by Sybil MacBeth. I have been practicing it for a few months now.

The God Box

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and you minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)

I committed to God many years ago to take that scripture seriously, and I do. But I am even better at taking my prayers and petitions back - to worry and be anxious about. Somehow, I don't think that is the intended response.

Raw, Real, and Reconciled

Earlier this week, Nathan was running around the house naked, laughing, smiling, and doing his best to stay away from the grasp of his parents. For some reason, he never seems to be happier than when he's completely naked. I however, am constantly concerned that he's going to 'stain' the carpet if we don't get him covered up quickly enough. But I said to Beth, "God must have created us to be naked."

The Life You've Always Wanted

Have you heard about the latest best-selling book and video phenomenon? It's called The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, and it claims to tell you how you can get anything and everything you want in life. It sounds like a preposterous claim, but people are eating it up. What's the secret of The Secret? "The Law of Attraction," or the idea that "thoughts are the primary cause of everything" (p. 33). In other words, everything in your life is a result of your thought patterns, so that what you spend your time thinking about will be attracted to you.

Ask Not What Miracle Your God Can Do For You

In most instances, it is a mistake to mix politics and religion. Beliefs and opinions can be so strong and conflicting that not much good is done by upsetting the hornet's nest. Nevertheless, fool that I am, today I got to thinking back 47 years ago to January 20, 1961, when JFK in his inaugural speech made his famous call to action of every American:

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

lent: v. past participle of lend

I was never in the habit of observing Lent until I came to Creekside. Although occasionally I lent my car or my tools or my kids, I never lent my soul to God for the 40 days preceding Easter. I arrogantly figured God would prefer full ownership over a 365 day period with automatic renewals. Over the last few decades, it is becoming increasingly popular for Protestants to connect with older traditions. I have been reminded that some of the ancient practices of the church provide nourishment for the soul, such as meditation, lectio divina, fasting, repeated prayers ... and the observance of Lent.

Sing Hosanna

Koti Hu's testimony of God's glory before his July, 2007 accident is incredible. Then God gave him a new story. As Koti describes it, God wrapped His hands around his head, protecting his brain, before allowing him to be hit from behind by a truck going 60 mph. Koti is now paralyzed, in chronic pain, and still witnesses his unwavering trust in Christ.

Caleb and the Snowman

The snow was about two feet deep. The temperature had been just warm enough for the snow to pack really nicely. Some of the kids and adults were sledding. Some were working on an igloo about fifty feet away. Some were making slushies out of fresh snow and soda pop. But Sarah, Caleb, and I were focused on the all-important winter task of building a snowman taller than any of us.

Old Years' Reminder

It would be awfully cliché of me to write something about new beginnings, or resolutions just because the new year started last week, wouldn't it? That's what I thought, at least. So let me tell you about the old things that God is teaching me... again.

A Resolution Worth Making

New Year's Resolutions - the determination to give up old behaviors or make some other positive change - have turned into something of a joke in our culture. We decide to exercise more, eat healthier, finish that project, start that project, or even just enjoy life more. Then that cheesecake calls our name, the kids get sick, and life interferes with our plans.

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Our Stories - 2008