Snow

This morning I woke up to snow covering everything. It was perfect snow, it stuck to everything but the roads - so they were easy to drive on, but all the mountains are white! It is beautiful.
Kyle Orton, the Bears QB got hurt this past Sunday - he could be out up to 4 weeks, but it looks like he'll be back sooner; however he won't be playing this Sunday, so I have to sit through another Rex Grossman game - I thought I was done with that, I don't need that in my life.
I have really enjoyed watching Derrick Rose (the #1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft) in his first 4 games this season - he is so much faster that humans should be allowed to be, he reminds me of my friend Kyle - explosive.
I read that book "Twilight" because I'd heard so much about it, but since I'm not a 15 year old girl and I'm not into vampires I didn't enjoy it very much. I also saw the Indiana Jones movies this past weekend for the first time (we don't get out to the movies with kids, plus the closest movie theater with more than one screen is 50 minutes from our house) - Aliens, really. Shame on you George and Steven. I also watched a documentary called "Cocain Cowboys" about the Miami cocain scene in the 70's and 80's - very informative and interesting.
I think I'm going to read Terry Brooks' Shannara series next - I've always been a bit opposed to reading Brooks, especially since, from what I've heard, he basically just remakes LOTR, but then I decided - I loved LOTR and when I read for fun, I want to have fun - so what if it is predictable and derivitive material - I bet I'll enjoy it (I'll let you know).
I hate daylight savings time. I love the new yeast rolls Amy makes! I hate Rex Grossman. I love watching my girls get excited about things (like the snow).

Cascade :(

Sadly, Cascade College will be closing it's doors at the end of the Spring 2009 semester. My life has been blessed by Cascade and I still don't know exactly how to feel about this news - I'm kind of in shock, kind of in denail, the grieving process hasn't started yet. Here are a few of my favorite Cascade memories

Meeting Amy
The Lower JC - hours of wasted time and classes skipped, but relationships built.
No dinner on Sunday - really? No food for 250 people living here depending on the cafateria for food and it's closed?
Rich Jandt doing things.
Shawn Jones handing out 89's.
What wooden mallet?
The cafeteria prank in which Rich wrote Lamda Chi Omega on everything and the Lamda president got chewed out by the cafeteria staff.
Different color water on each floor of York-Landreth.
Room 302.
Colored mice.
Alvin Chan's revenge.
James Wood going from Alpha Chi to failure to Alpha Chi
Kingsmen
Wes Harrison watching TBN every night in our room (he didn't live there).
The black pepper incedent.
Ryan Peters vs. the drunk security guard
Billy McKenzie's blue suit
Ryan Emmons and I trying to walk to Wal-Mart

So many good memories, I am flooded with them right now - not all of which can be detailed here. Any Cascade memories you have?

Cold

So, I decided that after living here for 6 months and having TX plates with registration that expired in June I should go get my CO liscense plates this morning. To do this, I had to go to the Garfield County Courthouse, which is located in downtown Glenwood Springs. There is no parking downtown to be found and I had to park a loooonnnng ways from the courthouse. I don't generally wear a coat - because I go from my house to the car and from my car to the church. It is warm everywhere I am, much to warm for me to have stupid long sleeves on. Well, I had to walk basically to Denver from my car in 10 degrees and it felt cold. I got to the courthouse and forgot that they have metal detectors and no knives allowed in courthouses. I had to walk back to my car to ditch my leatherman. Then walk back to the courthouse. I went and did all the registration stuff, then noticed the sign that the county clerk doesn't accept credit/debit cards - of course they don't. I don't ususally carry any cash and never carry the checkbook, and there is no ATM in the courthouse - so back outside and a nice little 3 block walk to the ATM, then back, through the metal detector for the 3rd time and finally, my car looks like a local.

I'm rooting for the Phillies in the World Series. I'm reading a book called Twelve Keys to an Effective Church by Kennon L. Callahan right now. I'm excited because my friend John Kirklin is coming to visit next week. NBA season starts next week - go Bulls. I saw a electric pumpkin carver on Amazon's Gold Box deal of the day yesterday and almost bought it. We have sucky knives at home and they don't carve pumpkins very well. I need to buy a snow shovel.

Another reason I like Colorado

On a few occasions today, I have turned to look out my window, it has been beautifully sunny out with snowflakes falling. Sunny and snowing. I had a dream last night that it had snowed like 2 feet when I woke up and I didn't have a snow shovel. I think this dream had a lot of help from reality - Denver was getting snow last night and it was on the local (our local channels come from Denver) news weather forecast right before I went to bed. And, I don't have my snow shovel yet - so I dreamed about it. Also, I think I might buy snow tires soon, I wouldn't normally, but I drive 20 miles to work each day and it might be helpful to have those studded tires.

The church is having a worship weekend this weekend, we have Kip Long, the worship leader at Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis coming to lead, and I think it is going to be a really great weekend for our church. I've already been really encouraged by our succesfull launch with our small group ministry - we've had 75-80% particpation! God is good and it is a lot of fun to join him in his work.

Some thoughts...

I was reading the end of Mark 8 this morning - the part where Jesus tells the disciples around him that if they want to become his followers they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. I don't have any profound thoughts on this - I understand the deny myself stuff - logically, it's just a lot harder to put into practice. One thing that caught my curiosity is the take up your cross phrase. I've never given this a lot of thought. Obviously Jesus knows where he is heading (to the Cross and Calvary) but I don't think that this statement would have made any sense whatsoever to the disciples Jesus is talking to. Now, that doesn't usually stop Jesus from saying things, I'm just wondering if this is a phrase attributed to Jesus after his death/resurrection/ascension. Also - what does it mean, exactly, to take up my cross? What do you think it means?

I watched the Bears-Vikings game yesterday, that was a lot of fun (48-41) but the one thing that struck me was Kyle Orton is good - not just a nice breath of fresh air after watching Rex Grossman crap the bed for 3+ years - but Orton makes good checks at the line, good decisions with the ball and a great passer rating. So this is what it's like to have an NFL QB!

Amy and I watched Iron Man last night - I'm not usually a big fan of the superhero movies (I loved the last two batmans, hated the last spiderman, refuse to watch edward norton degrade himself as the hulk, ect.) Actually, of all the superhero movies this decade (and there have been tons) I liked the first Spiderman, and the two Batmans. But I really liked Iron Man. It was fun, I was entertained the whole time and I've always liked RDJ - in spite of his issues, he's always hooked me in his movies. So, I liked Iron Man and I recommend it.

Now you know that. Oh and happy birthday to my friend Rich.

Lots of fun...

So, first, I've been a bad blogger the last couple of weeks - I've been really busy and haven't thought much about the blog. I should be back on course for a while.

Yesterday, the girls and I all went with the Dowdy's to their cabin. Pat is one of the elders at church, and they own some land (86 acres) with a cabin that Pat built in the mountains/forest between Glenwood and Aspen. We rode up to the cabin with the Dowdy's, had a wonderful lunch and got to go 4 wheeling through some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. The Dowdy's property is adjacent to the Strawther's property (they go to church with us also) which is like 160 acres - so we got to ride through all of it. Mountains, groves of aspen trees, running water, ponds, it was beautiful. Allyson rode between Pat and Patsy, singing the whole time until she fell asleep and Lauren rode between Amy and I - but she fell asleep right away. It was a wonderful day.

Ramblings

I read Mark 6 this morning, the part when Jesus sends out his followers 2 X 2 and they proclaim that all should repent and they didn't bring food or even a change of clothes. It's interesting, but I'm still contemplating the significance of the whole thing.

The Bears won yesterday, destroying the Detriot Lions, but the Lions are terrible, so it's hard to feel as good about that victory as say, the win over Philly last week. But, Kyle Orton had a really good day, and even if it was against a bad team, Grossman would have fumbled 3 times and thrown 2 int's.

The White Sox won yesterday as well, now they face a must win today to force a game 5 and send it back to Tampa Bay. I like their chances today at home with Floyd pitching - I'm more worried about what could happen Wednesday.

What I saw this past week:
Heroes - it's good again like season 1 - not crap like season 2. I really liked the first couple episodes - I love (as always) the Hiro storyline and think that his new "nemesis" is fantastic. I'm (as always) indifferent to Peter, Claire and Parkman. And I am wonderfully excited that they killed Ali Larter's character and made her a completely different character (hopefully no more episodes with her irritating son!)

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - it's a fun show. Not overly amazing, but I like the mom (the queen from 300) and I've always been a Summer Glau fan (River from Firefly). I don't really like the guy playing John - and I am surprisingly happy about Brian Austin Green. Last Monday's episode was the best ever.

NCIS: Par for the course with NCIS.

The Mentalist - a new show, I like it - it is like a serious version of Psych (one of my favorite shows). If you haven't seen ths show - give it a watch this Tuesday (provided of course that it's on and not some senate debate).

Pushing Daisies: They didn't resolve the end of last season, and moved forward like it never happened - this is a problem for me. But it's pretty to watch in HD.

The Ex List - I made it to the second commercial break, then deleted it - this show was awful, terrible, horrible, boring, really bad. Don't give it a watch. There is a reason it premiered on a Friday Night.

The Unit - amazing. Sunday nights 10 PM Eastern/Pacific 9 PM Central/Mountain. Watch it!

I'm currently reading: Night Probe by Clive Cussler (I had the book and Cussler is always a fun read). Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell (starting it today).

Hmmmm

It's interesting that the people who should have/could have known Jesus the best were the ones who don't believe in Him. Mark gives another contrast in the beginning of chapter 6. We have just read of the little faith of Jesus followers during the storm on the Sea of Galilee, Mark then takes us to the faith of the Garasene Demoniac, followed by the faith of Jarius the Synagogue leader and the faith of the hemorraghing woman. Then we get to chapter 6 and Jesus goes to his hometown and instead of being amazed - they make snotty comments like: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary..." And it says that they stumbled because of him or that they took offense at him. So many times when people encounter Jesus in Mark, they leave amazed - but here it is Jesus who is amazed - at the people's unbelief.

So, what camp do you land in? Is Jesus so commonplace to your life and world that you miss the amazement and think (maybe unconsciously) it's just Jesus. Or are you amazed daily that the son of God, the Holy One is breaking into our world. Lord, let me always be amazed by you and never take your presence in my life for granted.

Playoffs!

Monday night the White Sox had a make up game (from an earlier rain out) which they had to win to force a 1 game playoff with the Twins to get into the playoffs. They beat the Tigers on Monday night (in nice 8-2 fashion) setting up last nights premature heart attack game. The White Sox won 1-0 behind 8 shut-out, 2 hit inning by 23 year old John Danks and a Jim Thome home run that hasn't landed yet. The ChiSox play the Rays tomorrow. Go White Sox!

Jarius

I have two daughters, Allyson is 2 (3 in December) and Lauren is almost 17 months and they (along with their mother) are the delight of my life. I love playing with them, watching them have fun, learn things and experience life. I believe that this is how Jarius must have felt about his own daughter, which is why I think he is so stricken with worry. Jarius' daughter is sick, very sick - so sick, in fact, that this synagogue leader has turned to Jesus for help. If this were a movie and not a sunday school story, I would watch it on the edge of my seat, I would be tense and my heart would ache with Jarius. Especially when Jesus, Jarius and friends were making their way through the mob of people and Jesus suddenly stops and demands to know who touched him. Really?!?! Who touched you? Who hasn't touched you! But Jesus persists in seeking out the hemorrhaging woman whose incredible faith healed her. This woman's faith is an amazing story - but it costs Jarius' daughter her life. Because, while Jesus was speaking people came from Jarius' house to tell him that his daughter had died. Devistating. But this is where Jarius really amazes me - Jesus tells Jarius to not fear but believe - and he does. We know the story, Jesus shows up tells the mourners that the girl is only sleeping, they laugh at him, he sends everyone out except Jarius, his wife, Peter, James and John then raises the girl to life. A happy ending! I'm still amazed at the faith and trust of Jarius and pray that I can trust as well as he.

Mark has something important in all these stories of Jesus - he is healing all sorts of disease and infirmities (sickness, blindness, lameness, withered hands, ect.) he has cast out unclean spirits, he has calmed nature and has raised the dead - don't miss Mark's picture of Jesus.

Contrast

Earlier in Mark, when Jesus heals people he specifically tells them to go and tell no one. They then go and tell everyone that they meet. In Mark 5, Jesus heals the Garasene Domoniac – Legion. When Jesus is about to leave this man is begging to come with Jesus – but Jesus tells him to go home and tell how much the lord has done for him and what mercy he has been shown.
Why does Jesus tell some folks to stay quiet and another to tell everyone? I really don’t think it is reverse psychology that Jesus is trying to use on some folks (you know tell them one thing and they do the opposite). Instead – it’s all about timing. The folks Jesus tells to be silent all live in Israel, but this cured demoniac did not (Jesus and co. had gone across the sea to the Decapolis). The difference is the presence of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law – these guys were already getting a belly full of Jesus and looking to get rid of him – only it wasn’t time to die yet. That is why in Israel he asks the people he heals to not tell anyone – but when he is in the Decapolis he tells the man to tell what the Lord has done.

Who then is this...

I usually try to give the apostles the benefit of the doubt – it’s hard for me to look at things from their perspective – I’m not a first century Israelite, and I have a concept of who Jesus is from a “hindsight” perspective. The apostles and disciples on the other hand had to muddle through their belief, doubt and everything else first hand. So, I try not to think these guys were a bunch of idiots too much – but then I read the story of Jesus calming the storm – and it’s not the fear that makes me wonder about them (I would have been afraid also) but it’s at the end of the story when they say “’Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” Really – are you asking that question, you’ve been up and down Judea with Jesus, watching him heal diseases, silence and cast out unclean spirits, forgive sins, etc. I understand their amazement at Jesus stilling the storm, it’s an amazing thing – it just seems odd that Jesus calming the storm seems to come from out of nowhere to these guys – to the point that they start wondering who Jesus is. Shouldn’t that question have been raised a long time ago? Anyway – I’m just glad that the Holy Spirit came upon these guys and the light bulb finally went on because they really are amazing men of faith.

The Measure I...give?

He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” (Mark 4:21-25; NRSV).
My oldest daughter sleeps with a night light – but she doesn’t like it shining on her at night so we have to put a blanket up in front of the night light to diffuse it. Now, that’s not quite like taking a light and hiding it under a basket but the point is this: the whole purpose of having a light is for it to shine in the darkness and illuminate things – if you hide the light, it no longer serves its purpose (and is just a waste of electricity or batteries). In the Kingdom, Christ calls us to be light in the darkness, to be light among other Christians, to shine all the time o ya.
The measure you give has nothing to do with the financial amount of money you drop in the plate or donate to charity – or at the very least it isn’t limited to that. What if the measure you give is talking about the amount of light you shine upon others. In other words, how much are you contributing to God’s Kingdom? The 21st Century Church has become pretty consumer driven – it’s all about what the church has to offer me and my family, it’s how much I like the songs or the sermon – it’s all about what I can be given. But notice that Jesus turns that on its head – it’s the measure that you put in (involvement, ministry, contribute) that defines what you will receive in turn. The Kingdom is bigger than our societal concept of offering something for “me” but rather it is a God given mission that, as Isaac Watts penned, “demands my life, my soul, my all.”

Home...

We returned home last night from a wonderful week in the Seattle area. We had a great visit, but it is also nice to get home. The girls did pretty good on the return trip, well Allyson did really well and Lauren...we made it home! We had lots of fun seeing all of Amy's family, going to the Puyallup Fair, doing some shopping, playing with grandparents and relaxing. It was a lot of fun to see some friends from Portland (and Bend even). Now back to regularly scheduled life.

Parable of the Soils or Parable of the Sower

Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ (Mark 4:1-9; NRSV).
Okay, so I know that Jesus explains the parable in verses 10-20, that the seed (the Word) sown onto the path is quickly taken away, that the seed sown onto the rocky soil springs up quickly but dies because it has no roots (no endurance), that the seed sown among the thorns grows but is quickly overcome by the cares of the world. But what if this parable is not about me? (WHAT!?! Isn’t everything in Christianity about me, paging Joel Osteen, paging Joel Osteen). It’s true though – I read this and think what kind of soil am I? What kind of soil are you?
What if, the parable of the sower is actually about the sower? What if it is about a great and gracious God who generously sows the Word everywhere? I’m certain that any sower (farmer) is not just going to go off chucking seed on the road, in the briar patch and on the rock face of a mountain – that just doesn’t make sense – you save the seed for good, cultivated soil. But God sows everywhere, seeking the Word to take hold in places I may not expect – what an awesome God. Lord, that you for being generous and extravagant in your love toward me and all humanity.

Fun with Yearbook Photos...

This is a fun little website that a friend of mine sent me last night. Here are some of my photos.










Those are yearbook photos from 1956, 1960, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1988 and 1994.
And, the 1994 yearbook photo looks eerily like my real 1994 yearbook photo.

Confessions of Faith...

This is like my Gospel of Mark crossover. Mark gets a little repetitive in the beginning of his letter, wanting his audience to understand the wonder and amazement at Jesus. The text starting in 3:7 has crowds pressing Jesus to the point that he was worried the crowds would crush him. This thought ends with vs. 11 where people with unclean spirits see Jesus, they fall down before him and shout “You are the Son of God!” and Jesus orders them not to speak.
An interesting thought hit me while I was reflecting on this. These words coming from the unclean spirit are pretty important and powerful. They are, after all, very similar to Peter’s confession for which Jesus gives some nice words to Peter. So, what’s the difference? I recall the words James writes “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder.” (James 2:19; NRSV). I think James point in the greater context of ch. 2 is the same difference between the confession of the unclean spirit and the confession of Peter – it’s all about what you do with that belief. Believing in God is about more than just believing in God – it is about having a relationship with him; it is about living out your belief in him (not in a legalistic – earn soul points to get into heaven; but a faith compelled acting out of your belief). I suppose I wouldn’t be one of Martin Luther’s favorite students – but I agree wholeheartedly with James. We can profess our belief in God all day, but ultimately actions speak louder than words: are you in a back and forth relationship with God? Are you in a relationship with God’s church (a functioning part of the body)? Do you utilize your talents and gifts for ministry in the Kingdom? These are important questions to ask ourselves because just believing in God isn’t all that big of an accomplishment – it only puts you on par with unclean spirits. God give us the heart of Peter in our faith in you.

Holiness

Holiness has been on my mind for a couple weeks. As a Christian, I am called to be holy. To be seperate from the normal, seperate from the profane. To desire holiness is to want to be set apart for Godly purposes. Holiness is really a vast process and thankfully my holiness isn't dependant upon me. God has set me apart, God has made me a saint, and He calls me to choose Him. When I choose Him, I consecrate my life in service to my creator. It's a little as if call Christians have a part in the Nazarite vow (read Numbers 6) not, necessarily the hair growing and some of the regulations for a Nazarite - but the consecration and being set apart. I have a friend, Ryan, who took a Nazarite vow for an entire year - didn't cut his hair or beard and followed all the other regulations from Numbers 6 - except he took the communion grape juice every Sunday. I don't know if Ryan reads this, but if he does, could you share some of your thoughts on holiness you may have gleaned from that experience. Anyone else - what are your thoughts on holiness?

This song has kept running through my mind for the past couple weeks as well:

Holiness, holiness is what I long for,
Holiness is what I need,
Holiness, holiness is what you want from me,
So take my life and form it,
Take my mind, transform it,
Take my will, conform it,
To yours, to yours, O Lord.

Ike

I've been a little mentally consumed with Hurricane Ike, since they are now predicting a direct hit on Galveston and Houston. I am praying that Ike will dissipate as it draws near to land - but as I've been watching the Houston news (online) there is already parts of Galveston under feet of water. I've been watching the aerial tour of Galveston and my heart is heavy for the TX Gulf Coast. Both Allyson and Lauren were born in Galveston, so there is a lot of sentimental attachment to that town for me. I also know that none of our friends are planning to evacuate (probably because when everyone evacuated during hurricane rita people got stuck in vehicles for 20+ hours) so my prayer is for their safety and that the winds drop below 80 mph (hurricane force) by the time they reach Alvin, Pearland and Friendswood. Just as concerning is the storm surge, which I pray doesn't reach as far inland as all the "hurricane storm surge models" predict they will. Our thoughts and prayers are constantly being lifted up for everyone down there.

Some Thoughts about 9-11 and Hurricane Ike

First off, Hurricane Ike is sitting in the gulf right now gaining some strength as it heads for the Texas Gulf Coast. I lived in Houston for 5 years and love the area. I am pretty nervous for all the friends we have in the area. To all the Bruner family friends in Pearland, Friendswood, Alvin, etc. we are praying for you and your homes. You are welcome to come up to the Rocky Mountains and hand out in ugly old Colorado if you want.

Second, today is 9-11 and I was remembering what this day was like 7 years ago.
- Amy's birthday is the 9th and I had bought her a plane ticket to Orlando to see her best friend. She was scheduled to fly home late Tuesday morning on Sep. 11.
- We lived in a huge house that we shared with Andrew and Aimee Jo Martin and Ryan Peters. I can't speak for Ryan, but I know Andrew and I didn't have class on Tuesdays, so we had stayed up past 5 AM that morning playing Playstation 2.
- I had taken 3 benadryl at 5 whatever in the morning - and that stuff knocks me out.
- Sometime around 8 AM, Andrew tried to wake me up, but that didn't work to well. Also, Amy's mom and some co-workers kept calling me to see if Amy was okay (I obviously didn't know what was going on, I just kept saying - "ya she's fine." hanging up and going back to sleep.) Amy called eventually to let me know she was fine and told me what had happened in New York.
- I'm pretty sure all we did the rest of the day was watch the news.
- Amy finally got to fly home about a week later!
- Such a crazy day, seeing both ends of the spectrum of what humans are capable of, the evil intentions of the terrorists and the heroism and valor of the NYFD and NYPD and various others sacrificing themselves for others.