Tomorrow I'm leading a group of men from our church on a 1-day raft trip down the Middle Fork of the American River. We did this samde trip last year and it was an absolute blast. I hadn't been rafting in about 20 years and I couldn't wait to do it again.
When we did it last year ae 20 spots and we sold them out. This year we booked 24 spots and only have 9 men going. No refunds. $150 a pop. Our church is taking a bath on this one. I made phone calls, sent emails, begged, pleaded and tried to give trip away for $50 each...but no luck.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Caleb and Daddy at the movies
Caleb and I went to see WALL:E over last weekend. I think Caleb's favorite part of going to the movies is getting the candy before...he likes Jelly Bellys and I got red licorice.
A littelv while into the movie I'm beginning to think that it is left-wing diatribe by the tree-hugger union. But as it went on I realized that if anyone got skewered it was Walmart. By the mid-21st century evry function on earth (including government) has been taken over by BNL, also known as BIG N LARGE. They have so trashed the world that mankind must leave on a spaceship until plant life can grow again.
Lots of slapstick in the movie...didn't expect to see clips from 'Hello Dolly' in there. Not much if any talking for the first 30 minutes or so. Good flick. Might get nominated for Best Picture.
A littelv while into the movie I'm beginning to think that it is left-wing diatribe by the tree-hugger union. But as it went on I realized that if anyone got skewered it was Walmart. By the mid-21st century evry function on earth (including government) has been taken over by BNL, also known as BIG N LARGE. They have so trashed the world that mankind must leave on a spaceship until plant life can grow again.
Lots of slapstick in the movie...didn't expect to see clips from 'Hello Dolly' in there. Not much if any talking for the first 30 minutes or so. Good flick. Might get nominated for Best Picture.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Jonah ch 1
We're all familiar with the first chapter of the book of Jonah. Jonah, already being a propht of Yahweh, receives a call to go the the city of Ninevah to preach against it. This is the only time in the Old Testament when a prophet is called to physically gto to a heathen nation to preach against it. When others such as Amos did this, they did it from the vrelative comfort of Israel's borders.
After receiving this call, Jonah does the exact opposite. He gets is feet going in the opposite direction and jumps on a ship bound for Tarshish, at then other end of the world from Ninevah. he probably thought he could run from Yahweh.
Long short short, Jonah gets busted by God, caught up in a storm, thorwn overboard to rescue the ship and gets swallowed by a fish.
It seems that it at least 2 ways that Jonah's story becomes our story as well. How often is it that God calls us to something and we decide we'd rather be doing something else. Maybe not something like going off as a missionary or that sort of thing. But God calls us to obedience...we run the other way to disobedience. God calls us to faithfulness...we put our faith in ourselves. God calls us to tithe...but we want a new bigscreen tv.
And yet God is there for us in the midst of our running. You see, the fish that swalloed Jonah was not a punishment but rather an act of grace. Jonah was sinking fast and gertting wrapped up in the weeds at the bottom of the sea. It is God's grace that sent a fish to rescue him. God comes after us when we run away but he often brings us back through an example of grace.
I wonder how many times I play the Jonah card on a weekly basis. Probably more often than I think or even want to realize. Iwant to be conscious of what God calls me to do and conscious at the same time of my tendency to go to Tarshish.
After receiving this call, Jonah does the exact opposite. He gets is feet going in the opposite direction and jumps on a ship bound for Tarshish, at then other end of the world from Ninevah. he probably thought he could run from Yahweh.
Long short short, Jonah gets busted by God, caught up in a storm, thorwn overboard to rescue the ship and gets swallowed by a fish.
It seems that it at least 2 ways that Jonah's story becomes our story as well. How often is it that God calls us to something and we decide we'd rather be doing something else. Maybe not something like going off as a missionary or that sort of thing. But God calls us to obedience...we run the other way to disobedience. God calls us to faithfulness...we put our faith in ourselves. God calls us to tithe...but we want a new bigscreen tv.
And yet God is there for us in the midst of our running. You see, the fish that swalloed Jonah was not a punishment but rather an act of grace. Jonah was sinking fast and gertting wrapped up in the weeds at the bottom of the sea. It is God's grace that sent a fish to rescue him. God comes after us when we run away but he often brings us back through an example of grace.
I wonder how many times I play the Jonah card on a weekly basis. Probably more often than I think or even want to realize. Iwant to be conscious of what God calls me to do and conscious at the same time of my tendency to go to Tarshish.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Our 4th of July
So here I am drinking a cup of Cantonese Green Tea and listening to Rod Stewart's 'A Spanner in teh Works" cd...really lgood cd with good vocals, catchy tunes and a very laid back approach.
Our 4th of July was quite busy. It began actually the night before when I pullda muscle in my back (a particular muscle that I seem to pull every 4 months or so). So I didn't sleep well. There was a littel parade in Hercules that we were all going to go to, but Christ ended up taking the kids herself and letting me sleep after downing some Advil.
We then went to a community carnival in El Cerrito. Our friend Scott Cliatt is a cop in El Cerrito and was working the estival. His wife Melissa is Christa's best vrriend their son Joe is Caleb's best friend. They were both born in the same hosptial on the same day but we didn't know each other yet. We met a church about 4 months later.
We then had a BBQ at our house and the CLiatt's came as well as 2 teenage Spanish girls who were staying with the Cliatts as exchange students.
The brought over a tritip which I grilled with copious amounts of salt, fresh gtround black pepper and freish thyme. We also had some sausagtes made from chicken, fontina and spinach along with some BBQ bacon burgers. I also made what is fst becomiong my favorite dip. You just mix goat cheese, chopped, pitted Kalamata olives, chopped sundried tomatoes (NOT, I repeat NOT a waste of good sunshine, some fresh thyme, salt and pepper and a little olive oil for consistency. Spread it over baked crostini. Good stuff.
Fireworks were down at the Hercules waterfront and they put on a good show for small town fireworks. It wasn't just the Mayor's kid out there with a box of sparklers.
Boy, were we tired at the end of that. The kids were exhausted and frell right to slwwp...no questions asked.
Oh, the cd has changed... It's now Steven Curtis Chapman's Greatest hits. I love having my computer music on shuffle. You never know what is coming next.
Our 4th of July was quite busy. It began actually the night before when I pullda muscle in my back (a particular muscle that I seem to pull every 4 months or so). So I didn't sleep well. There was a littel parade in Hercules that we were all going to go to, but Christ ended up taking the kids herself and letting me sleep after downing some Advil.
We then went to a community carnival in El Cerrito. Our friend Scott Cliatt is a cop in El Cerrito and was working the estival. His wife Melissa is Christa's best vrriend their son Joe is Caleb's best friend. They were both born in the same hosptial on the same day but we didn't know each other yet. We met a church about 4 months later.
We then had a BBQ at our house and the CLiatt's came as well as 2 teenage Spanish girls who were staying with the Cliatts as exchange students.
The brought over a tritip which I grilled with copious amounts of salt, fresh gtround black pepper and freish thyme. We also had some sausagtes made from chicken, fontina and spinach along with some BBQ bacon burgers. I also made what is fst becomiong my favorite dip. You just mix goat cheese, chopped, pitted Kalamata olives, chopped sundried tomatoes (NOT, I repeat NOT a waste of good sunshine, some fresh thyme, salt and pepper and a little olive oil for consistency. Spread it over baked crostini. Good stuff.
Fireworks were down at the Hercules waterfront and they put on a good show for small town fireworks. It wasn't just the Mayor's kid out there with a box of sparklers.
Boy, were we tired at the end of that. The kids were exhausted and frell right to slwwp...no questions asked.
Oh, the cd has changed... It's now Steven Curtis Chapman's Greatest hits. I love having my computer music on shuffle. You never know what is coming next.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Moving to Brentwood part 2
I've been able to connect with Steve With. He's the pastor a church in Brentwood called THe Orchard and he's very interested in us moving out there and being able to dig in and help with ministry. We already know some of the people at The Orchard-Christa's best friend and Caleb's best friend.
Working at Westamerica Bank won't be an issue if we are out there becuase of the nature of what I do. My office is in Fairfield but I'm only there one afternoon a week. Other than that I'm seeing car dealers throughout the Bay Area. It will be a little more of a commute but it is worth the sacrifice for a bigger house. The kids each really need their own bedroom and we need some type of office for my ministry stuff and Christa's flower works. Right now our office is in our dining room. We';ve totally outgrown this place.
Working at Westamerica Bank won't be an issue if we are out there becuase of the nature of what I do. My office is in Fairfield but I'm only there one afternoon a week. Other than that I'm seeing car dealers throughout the Bay Area. It will be a little more of a commute but it is worth the sacrifice for a bigger house. The kids each really need their own bedroom and we need some type of office for my ministry stuff and Christa's flower works. Right now our office is in our dining room. We';ve totally outgrown this place.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Upcoming backpack trip
With 2 small children at home, backpacking has been a rare phenomenon the last few years. I used to go twice a year or so, but since 2003, when Caleb was born, I've only gone 3 times. But that will end in August when i take off for my first 4 day trip in quite a few years.
We're doing the famous Union-to-Spicer route which has become one of my favorites. Old Boy Scout territory and a gorgoues hike as well. It's about 7 miles in or so and we will layover for 2 nights. The Dardanelles are on the other side of the lake where we will camp at Spicer. The Dardanelles are the remnants of an extinct volcano but what is left is darkly beautiful. There are also a couple of other small lakes in the area for dayhikes and the fishing at Spicer is pretty good as well.
Kevin Bixby will be coming from Southern California and bringing his 2 teenage sons. What a treat to be able to spend 4 days with one of my best friends!! Paul Dietrich,Kim Mack and possibly Chris Bradshaw and Jim Hankins from Bay Hills will also be coming. I'm always somewhat selective on who I invite to such a trip. It's gotta be someone that I can put up with in the mountains for 3 days or so. This group will go together well and will have a good time together.
We're doing the famous Union-to-Spicer route which has become one of my favorites. Old Boy Scout territory and a gorgoues hike as well. It's about 7 miles in or so and we will layover for 2 nights. The Dardanelles are on the other side of the lake where we will camp at Spicer. The Dardanelles are the remnants of an extinct volcano but what is left is darkly beautiful. There are also a couple of other small lakes in the area for dayhikes and the fishing at Spicer is pretty good as well.
Kevin Bixby will be coming from Southern California and bringing his 2 teenage sons. What a treat to be able to spend 4 days with one of my best friends!! Paul Dietrich,Kim Mack and possibly Chris Bradshaw and Jim Hankins from Bay Hills will also be coming. I'm always somewhat selective on who I invite to such a trip. It's gotta be someone that I can put up with in the mountains for 3 days or so. This group will go together well and will have a good time together.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Houses in Brentwood
Why would we want to live in Brentwood??
We're looking at a house with 6 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3400 sq feet, 5 years old and new everything for 379K.
A lot of the houses have been 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 27oo sq Feet for about 330k.
You can't get this anywhere else in the Bay Area
We're looking at a house with 6 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3400 sq feet, 5 years old and new everything for 379K.
A lot of the houses have been 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 27oo sq Feet for about 330k.
You can't get this anywhere else in the Bay Area
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