Family Portrait

We haven't had a family picture in a long time. It was very over due. The girls are growing up so fast. I'm not one of those cheek pinching parents yet but I sure want to be.

Quietness can be scary

My family has been doing a lot of traveling the first half of the summer. I have been left at home alone by myself quite a bit while my wife and daughters visit family and friends. This week my girls are spending time with my parents in St. Maries, ID. Sue is at training in Moscow, ID for her new teaching job that begins in September. My solitude has allowed me a lot of time to think deeply. I am not a naturally introspective person so it is beneficial for me to have times of solitude in my life to think.......and to listen to God.

Jesus exemplified a life of active ministry to the masses and also to needy individuals. But he also modeled the human need for solitude and silence. There were many times when Jesus withdrew from the crowds (Matthew 14:13, Luke 5:16) and even his disciples at times to commune with God.

What about you, how long has it been since you had a quiet evening without TV, music, phone, internet or companionship with other people? Is it possible that God's voice is drowned out by all the noise we surround ourselves with? Go ahead, give it a try. Spend an evening of quiet with God and see what happens.

Total surrender

Most of you already know that my Lead Pastor is on sabbatical for the summer so I am the acting Lead Pastor for 3 months. Of course that means a lot of increased responsibility and the opportunity to experience some things I've never done before. One of those things has been preaching. I feel okay about the sermons for a guy that has had no real training, but I am under no allusions. At best, I am pretty rough and I don't want to talk about the worst. The interesting things is that somehow God uses my humble sacrifice. I guess it's that upside down thing at work again that seems to exemplify the Kingdom of God. God can use each of us in ways that we would never imagine if we would only give Him the opportunity. What are you holding back from God?

In memoriam

I had the distinct pleasure of officiating at my first memorial service earlier today for Jack Hill. What a testament to a life well lived. His friends packed the church out. The ushers had to bring chairs into the lobby to make room for the overflow crowd. His quiet but consistently faithful life touched the lives of many people. He will be missed but not forgotten.

Red's are coming back Jack!

Friends and fun

We spent the day after the 4th with friends on Moses Lake. My wife loves personal watercraft!! Anytime we are invited, we accept! Wonderful day full of eating, laughing, napping, cruising the lake, catching up with friends. Here I am with Katie having fun on the lake. She did ask me to slow down a little and not take too many fast turns. Good times!

Belated 4th of July post

My wife and I decided to host our neighbors for a BBQ on the 4th of July. We've live in our home for 2 and a half years and have had some extended conversations with most of them. But there is something special about sitting around a table and sharing a meal together that creates an intimacy you don't arrive at with conversations acros the fence. We didn't get the invites out until the day before so we were happy to have 2 of our 5 neighbors show up at Noon to partake in a meal together. We learned a lot about each other and hopefully established a close enough relationship that will grow over the years. We hope to do this more often.