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Vacation Update #1…

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Meg and I are on vacation. Pretty amazing blessing from God. We left Saturday (without our boys…Thanks, Robin!) and arrived in Colorado Springs that night. We got to Garden of the Gods just before sunset, which was amazing. Then we ate at Giuseppe’s Restaurant. Sunday, we got up and after some AM devotions together, headed to Pagosa Springs, CO. They are known for a natural hot spring that is one of the largest in the world. Oh, on our way, we enjoyed listening to Mark Driscoll teach on what it means to be a humble pastor. We enjoyed the discussion of it. We also, on our way here, stopped in at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Driving over Wolf Creek Pass was an amazing experience with the gorgeous scenery. We are here, though. I already feel so refreshed and encouraged. God has used this in amazing ways for us as well. We look forward to some tennis lessons and a lazy Monday today. Thanks so much for thinking of us.

What’s Been Up…

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This week, with a lightened preaching load, I undertook, with the help of some excellent helpers, to get some odd projects complete on the administrative side including:
– reprogramming and updating the sets used for lights in the worship room
– new light bulbs in fixtures in worship room
– sound board software upgrades / equalizing sound on guitar
– fixing a switch which hasn’t worked in the 9 & 1/2 years I’ve been here
– replacing fixtures under the awning as people enter our building
– replacing photocells / lightbulbs in some exterior lights that illumine the building
– setting up / tearing down scaffolding

So, it has been really fun to get some of these projects complete. I’ve managed to get my regular duties done efficiently as well.

Andrew’s 3!

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A letter to my son, who turned 3 today…

Andrew,

I’m really having a hard time believing that you are already 3 years old. It seems like a long time again when your Mom and I were working hard in the delivery room to bring you safely into this world. God was faithful and allowed you to be born. Now, looking back over 3 years, we see that God has been faithful to mature you in so many ways.

When you turned 2, you could barely speak, but now you seem so grown up. Even yesterday when we were going to celebrate your birthday with Grandma Robin, you asked Mom if this was where we turned to go see Bob the Tomato. Mom was quick to correct you and say, “Yes, that is where we go to see Mr. Lansdowne” (at small groups). So you are making headway in maturing.

Our greatest desire, though, is that we would continue to be tools in the hands of God to raise you to know Him. God has only given you one life and we desire that God’s purposes for your life would be recognized and pursued. Our hope for you is not so much that you grow up, get a nice job and degree and then have a happy little family. Our hope is that you will be so captivated with God that you would follow Him in whatever He calls you to do. This may mean you go to tell another part of the world about Jesus or that you forsake the comforts of this life for the enjoyment of the next.

As another year passes by, we praise God for His work in you. May He continue to accomplish all that He intends to in you.

Happy Birthday, son. Your Mom and I love you!

Dad

Any help?

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I’m looking for an out of print book…

Love So Amazing (Expositions of Colossians 1) by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, published by Baker Books. If anyone could help me locate a copy of this to own, let me know.

Update…

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Thought I would post something since there hasn’t been much happening on here lately and let you know what’s up.

This week is flying by. I have most of the administrative stuff done, but need to finish Sunday AM’s sermon on Jesus’ Greatness from Mark 14:12-21 and the PM message on God Acts from Hosea 2:2-23.

Friday night is HomeWord, and that sermon is complete. It is on Staying Together from 1 Corinthians 7:10-11.

Other things happening include…

Our Church’s Missions Festival (Eyes Open Weekend) with my good friend Freddy T coming to town March 27-29.

A Men’s Retreat looks like it will take place on April 24-25 and our guest speaker will be Mike Hubbard from Genesis Church, Eureka, MO (a burb of STL).

There are also things in the works for the fall with our former pastor Rick Cornish (currently serving as one of our church’s missionaries, doing international teaching) and his family coming to join us September 19-21.

Not to mention that a Good Friday service with Union Valley Bible Church and our church’s Easter celebration is just around the corner.

April 21-23 I travel to The Gospel Coalition.

My Wednesday night study is working through David Martyn Lloyd-Jones Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. Tonight we are in chapter 23 on “The Tree and Its Fruit”.

So, I say all this to say, there are many things on my mind. Oh, one other thing, we put our house on the market to look for something a little bigger. So, on top of all these things, we are praying and thinking about what God would like to do in that situation.

In all these things we have but one firm confidence: God is in control. Knowing that He is full of mercy and grace–having expressed that so vividly with Christ’s work on the cross–means these activities and considerations are merely part of the joy we get to experience in seeking to glorify and enjoy Him. Pray that we would remain faithful to Him in these things.

Back In The Saddle…

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Yes, I’m back in the office today. Hoping to finish sermons on Mark 13:28-37 and Hosea 1:1-2:1. Then, tonight’s class on Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, considers the narrow way we live in the Christian life, based on Matthew 7:13-14. Have phone calls to return, emails to work on, business to attend too. Ah, it’s good to be back.

Study Day…

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Yeah, it’s a Tuesday. There are some things hopping in life and I feel like I needed to get away for a study day. I do these occasionally. Sometimes I just read, sometimes I’m quiet, sometimes I’m listening or watching something, but they are always productive.

Today, my big task is prepping for a new sermon series I’m starting this coming Sunday evening through the book of Hosea. Mark in the mornings, Hosea in the evenings — this is my habit now. Needed to get away, though, to wrap my mind around the argument of the book.

Also finished reading (again) Tedd Tripp’s excellent book on parenting, Shepherding a Child’s Heart. After reading I’ve noticed how I settled into some bad habits of just addressing Andrew’s behavior and not his heart. This was a welcome and needed reminder. We are planning on working through this material and the DVD seminar to go with it during the summer.

Anyway, if you read this blog, could you please pray for me today. Spiritual focus is needed and God can provide it. Hope the Lord’s blessing is extended to you as well.