Every Bite

My bags are packed and I'm headed out in the wee hours of Saturday for another Mexico Missions trip with some of the great people at Faith. I won't have my computer with me, so there will not be any blogging while I'm gone - unless I can get a signal with my BlackBerry.

Have a great week! I'll journal while I'm gone and likely give a report after we get back.

I'm bringing my "diet-in-a-box" with me, along with a hot pot to heat water to make some of my meals. I'm also looking forward to eating what the ladies at the church make for lunch on Monday through Thursday, along with the taco feeds at night and one In N Out burger, sans the bun on the way home.

I'm going to enjoy every bite...

I'm within three pounds this morning of my original weight loss goal. My personal goal this next week is simply to not gain any weight. It's kind of an exciting time right now for me. I'm fitting into pants two sizes smaller than I have in my closet. That's right, I can wear my son's jeans now. Humorously, my belly isn't exactly cooperating right now, making the top of the smaller perfectly-fitting- jeans look like a muffin.

And no, I'm not even going to entertain discussion on what flavor of muffin...

I'll be the "working out" guy when I get back. The eliptical and bowflex are calling out to me and I'm really looking forward to it. My upper body is starting to get scrawny, some loose skin has collected and my legs are pretty much down to bone and sinew. It's just time.

God has been so good to me during this process, as well as my wife who has been an inspiration herself. To date, this morning I was down 110 pounds since starting "diet-in-a-box." It's all good.

New "Remains" Availible

The latest "Remains from Sunday" are availible. You can click here, or go to the link in the right column. Enjoy!

Presence or Prayer

I've just had one of those "wake up and pray" nights. It happens every so often. Sometimes you wake up and don't know what you're supposed to pray for, but you're compelled to do it. Other times you know exactly what to pray for. The latter was true early this morning...

The Bible says that God knows when the sparrow falls and also the exact number of the diminishing hairs on our head. While those facts really don't matter to very many of us, the principle that God cares for each one does. When we view our lives and their impact on others by presence or prayer, in light of eternity that time spent with and for others...matters.

Super Bowl Pick

Received some good news today. Our wonderful, awesome, outstanding, stupendous and much beloved missionaries in Tijuana, Mexico, Art & Joyce Stoneking have once again come through with special arrangements at our hotel in their fair city for our missions team to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday. Hallelujah!! Once again I'll be in Mexico with a good bunch of football fans on a church missions trip.

I know what you're thinking. All of you who could care less about a game are collectively rolling your eyes. All I have to say is that I'm providing a valuable service to your health - rolling your eyes can be a good thing...

And may the Lord bless our missionaries too!

The Super Bowl is an American cultural experience. It really is MORE than just a game. And over the past ten years I have found myself out of town and in a suspect position to see the spectacle. This will be my third missions trip over game day, plus another one when I was on a cruise...and MY team was playing that year. Each time was a "suspect" television situation - i.e. I was lucky to see the thing...

How I do that to myself boggles my mind.

Here's the little secret on why I watch the game. Love the experience. Usually enjoy the game because it's my favorite sport and this is the pinnacle event. But most of all, and this sounds a bit humiliating to admit, but I'm among a good portion of the population that watches the game first and foremost...to see the commercials.

You can stop laughing any time now.

That's right, I'm the guy who leaves the room during the game and has to be in front of the tube during all the time outs, end of quarters and halftime. At three million dollars for 30 seconds of airtime this year, these provoking advertisements are sure to shine.

Who am I pulling for? Neither one is my team so I'm pulling for the underdog (as usual). Go Arizona! If they get ahead early, they have a chance. If they're not ahead by the end of the first quarter, expect a long game for the guys in red.

But hey, if the commercials are good, who cares about the score?

Focus

I'm chasing the details this week, all those little loose ends that need to be tied up before I leave town for our missions trip. I spent the day in staff meeting, a counseling session, answered piles of e-mail and spent several hours begging the copier to print the material I've been working on for the team members going on the trip. I looked at the clock at 4:30 PM, and when I looked up again I realized that dinner was already on the table at home.

Yup, a little focused...

Scholars tell us that there came a certain point in the gospel story of Jesus where He clearly set His face toward Jerusalem. Needless to say He was completely and utterly focused. He knew what was coming - the cross.

I'm really looking forward to this trip, leaving Bend in the wee hours of Saturday morning. One of our fellows arrives back in town at 1:30 AM that day, only to arrive at the church to leave two hours later. The trip ahead for me? Yes, it will require manual labor that I'm not used to because I'm a desk jocky and yes, I'll be locked up for 32 hours in a vehicle with 15 or so people over a four day period. Then I'll spend the balance of a lengthened week with 17, plus a set of missionaries, a pastor and his wife and a bunch of church folks I've never met before.

I'm so pumped!

I know what lies ahead of me. This long week will be one of the great ones of my life - one that I will not soon forget. I'll be with the greatest people on earth from Faith. And the precious people of the church and orphanage we'll serve, it's just going to be wonderful sharing our lives with one another.

As I think of Jesus and His focus on Jerusalem I recognize that one thing stands out so very clearly: I'm focused on our trip because I know pretty much what's going to happen and I'm going to like it VERY much. Jesus focused on Jerusalem because He loved...loves you and I so much...

Surprises

It snowed last night...again.

I dutifully went out to my truck this morning about 10 minutes early to warm it up. Sadly I purchased an American made model with a design flaw that fills the driver's seat full of snow when you open the door in this kind of weather. It's really bad when it's unbearable cold outside because the snow is light and fluffy, AND MELTS REALLY FAST when it hits the seat. After filling the seat I brushed the fluffy stuff off my front window and with great precision, into my shoes.

Funny, it works out that way almost every snowy morning...

I drove my daughter to school this morning. We climbed into the warm cab and pulled out onto the white streets. It's really quite beautiful, all the trees and bushes with snow on them, the street covered and everyone over age 25 driving slowly.

Did I say I was driving my daughter to the high school?

About halfway there (and I know it was halfway there because that's when the snow in my seat always begins to melt), I realized that the water on my windshield was quite frozen. Normally it just blades away with my wipers, but not today. About that time I saw my thermostat. Six degrees. No wonder. I just shook my head and smiled. Welcome to Central Oregon!

Sometimes things happen that way. We have a normal routine and yet can launch out in that ritual and surprises begin to happen. It reminds me of the Faith Journey we're on. We read our Bibles, we pursue relationship with God, we worship, we pray...and on those special days when the heavens seem to part we experience the surprises of Jesus. Like the temperature challenging normal this morning, sometimes there is an atmosphere of heaven that engulfs us here on earth...in places like Faith Christian Center, in our homes, at our work and at our schools.

Sure love those times...that seem to be happening a lot more often lately...

Praying for the President

It's the day after "the world changed." At least that is how many in our country view the events of yesterday. I was kinda wondering how long this good mood would last across our country. It seems to still feel good today according to the media.

I'm optimistic and hopeful too.

Let us hope and pray for our land that in fact, better days are on the near horizon. If you did not vote for our president, don't threaten to leave the country like so many did after the last election. Instead, be part of the solution - start praying. There will be mistakes in the days ahead so let's be forgiving. There will be struggles, so let's be full of grace. And there will be things that our president does or supports that you will find morally wrong. That means we just get to pray harder.

There is an imperfect person sitting in the oval office. Come to think of it, that is what he has in common with all of his predecessors...and you and I. Instead of being the source of complaint as too many believe is a spiritual gift; let us dare to be a people who will petition heaven on his behalf to help him succeed.

Thinking About: Political Correctness & Rick Warren

I'm posting a couple of quotes today, from an e-mail from Ministry Today Magazine. It is a periodical I have subscribed to for years. The following quote deals with an issue that is quite close to home - Political Correctness. This one comes from the perspective of Great Britain. Enjoy.

QUOTE: “You can’t express views that were common currency 30 or 40 years ago. Arguably, the parameters of what you might call ‘right thinking’ are probably closing. Sadly, along with that has come the fact that it’s almost socially unacceptable to say you believe in God. … It’s difficult if you talk about religious faith in our political system. If you are in the American political system or others, then you can talk about religious faith and people say ‘Yes, that’s fair enough,’ and it is something they respond to quite naturally. You talk about it in our system and, frankly, people do think you’re a nutter.” —BBC Radio personality Jeremy Vine, on how Christians are increasingly becoming social pariahs in Britain. The longtime host, who says he is a practicing Anglican, believes that talking about his personal faith on-air would be “destructive” because of the increasing intolerance toward expressing religious views in the U.K. “One of the things that I think, which may sound bizarre, is that Christ is who He said He was. [But] I don’t think I’d put that out on my show,” Vine says. “I suppose there’s a bit of a firewall between thinking that and doing the job I do. … Clearly we live in a secular society and that has increased, but I don’t get a sense of being persecuted. There’s a problem for people who are active in their faith in feeling that the society around them ignores them.” [telegraph.co.uk, 1/19/09]

Here is the second quote from the same source by Rick Warren, the Pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, CA who gave the invocation at President Obama's inauguration yesterday. 'Hope you find it interesting:

QUOTE: “Today, our culture idolizes entertainment, sports, business success, political power and prosperity. While these have their place, Jesus did not die for any of these things. He died for the people that you care for, feed and lead. Nothing matters more than the church. We forget that the reason God created the entire universe is because He wanted a family, and that family is the only thing that will last forever with Him. Everything else on this planet is temporary, no matter how much attention it gets. The upcoming U.S. presidential inauguration on Tuesday has received so much attention, and regardless of how each of us voted, we all can celebrate the historic installation of our first African-American president. … But, in God’s eyes, and in the perspective of His eternal purposes, what you are doing will actually last longer than what any political leader will do. Your ministry will impact eternity. Think about that! While no nation lasts forever, God’s family will. Remember, prominence and significance are not synonymous.” —Rick Warren [pastors.com, 1/17/09]

Tech

I spent most the of the evening loading my new cell phone with information. The truth is, after several hours I still don't now how the ringer works. Right now I need the phone next to my body so I can feel it vibrate to know there is an incoming call.

I thought technology was supposed to make life easier, creating more time to enjoy the sweeter things. At best it is like chocolate; sometimes it is semi-sweet, and other times it's downright bitter.

Watched the inauguration of our new president today. The coverage was amazing as the media seemed to have every detail for the American public. My wife and I were joking about what they were going to say he had for breakfast. I wonder if they missed whether or not his fork had three tines or four?

As I watched the former presidents and their spouses descend the stairs to take their places on the platform, the NBC microphones picked up the small talk going on as they glad-handed the other dignitaries standing at the railing of the stairs. Even the talking heads were amazed at the sound that was being picked up by the unsuspecting former leaders.

All of this reminds me that our cutting edge technology pales in comparison with an omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (all-everywhere) God. Contrary to our tech, He brings rest.

Fresh "Remains from Sunday" Now Availible

Sunday's message from January 18th is now available by clicking here, or by clicking the link in the right column, "Remains from Sunday." It is a continuation of our series on the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes. Enjoy.

Farewell President Bush

Analysis: Bush's personality shapes his legacy

A friend of mine sent me this article about outgoing President, George Bush. He has been maligned on so many levels that in some sectors he has been relegated to cartoon status. This article is a quite different perspective about this complex man who served two terms as defacto world leader. As an American, I'm hopeful that 20 or 30 years from now history will view him differently; that the things he did were for the best. That is one of his qualities - doing what he thought was right instead of what would be perceived as politically expedient. Like Presidents before him (yes, regardless of party), he loved this country. I'm hopeful that time will exonerate him and use his actions as a study in leadership during difficult times. Let us also pray that our incoming President surprises us positively on every level - that he makes decisions for the greater good, and that his character is something worth emulating. He is the American President whether you voted for him or not. He is worthy of our prayers. Here is the article by Ben Feller of the AP, which is a sharable file from the following address (click here if you'd like to read it from a news source).

By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer Ben Feller, Associated Press Writer – Sat Jan 3, 3:23 pm ET
Featured Topics:

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush will be judged on what he did. He will also be remembered for what he's like: a fast-moving, phrase-mangling Texan who stays upbeat even though his country is not.

For eight years, the nation has been led by a guy who relaxes by clearing brush in scorching heat and taking breakneck bike rides through the woods. He dishes out nicknames to world leaders, and even gave the German chancellor an impromptu, perhaps unwelcome, neck rub. He's annoyed when kept waiting and sticks relentlessly to routine. He stays optimistic in even the most dire circumstances, but readily tears up in public. He has little use for looking within himself, and only lately has done much looking back.

Bush's style and temperament are as much his legacy as his decisions. Policy shapes lives, but personality creates indelible memories — positive and negative.

Call it distinctly Bush.

___

Don't be late.

Bush demands punctuality and disdains inefficiency. Every meeting better have a clear purpose. And it better not repeat what he already knows.

He is up early and in the Oval Office by 6:45 a.m. By 9:30 to 10 at night, it's lights out. He likes to be fresh and won't get cheated on his sleep.

In sessions with policy experts, Bush tends to ask questions that get right to the nub of a sticky issue. His top aides speak regretfully about how the country never got to see that side of him, even after all this time. They describe a man who is deeply inquisitive, not blithely incurious as much of the world thinks.

When Bush wants answers, guessing isn't advised.

"He can sniff it out a mile away if you don't have the goods," said White House communications director Kevin Sullivan.

Other people write Bush's speeches, but he'll kick out phrases that he thinks stray from a logical progression. It's about discipline.

You can tell the issues that really get Bush going, because he talks about them differently, more passionately: education, AIDS relief, freedom. They happen to be ones that can be viewed more clearly through a moral lens. That's how he sees the world.

Bush reads the Bible regularly. Another devotion: exercise. He makes time for a workout at least six days a week, wherever he is. And he goes at it hard, especially on his mountain bike on the weekends, when he pushes Secret Service agents to keep up with him. He is competitive and likes to stay in command.

Even eating is approached with sheer purpose.

Bush wants his lunch ready when he is, and wolfs it down. His tastes are clear: maybe a peanut butter and honey sandwich, a BLT, or a burger. Former White House executive chef Walter Scheib learned from Bush never to serve a grilled cheese sandwich unless it came with a side of French's yellow mustard.

The man from a land of cowboy boots orders proper dress in the White House. No jeans allowed in the West Wing. Coat and tie in the Oval Office.

"Orderliness in the process gave him confidence," said Peter Wehner, a former top Bush aide and now a senior fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center.

And if you're in Bush's presence, turn off your cell phone. Pity the person who gets the Bush stare when a Blackberry rings at the wrong time.

Then there are his stories. He repeats his favorites. Like the one about the cheery rug in the Oval Office. Or the spectacular rainbow that day in Romania.

Who's going to stop him?

____

Bush's words betray him sometimes.

"They misunderestimated the compassion of our country," Bush said of the Sept. 11 terrorists. "I talk to families who die," he said, meaning the loved ones of those who perish in war. "Childrens do learn when standards are high," he said in promoting his education plan.

Ivy League educated, Bush is good-natured about his verbal trip-ups. Yet he appears to have grown a bit more methodical in public, as if searching carefully for the right words.

His tangled moments have undoubtedly helped shape an unflattering public perception; there are entire books of his "Bushisms." Invariably, though, people who talk to him privately — historians, journalists, dissidents — come away with a very different impression of a meticulous thinker.

It is a paradox of his presidency.

Some of Bush's sillier times are of his own choosing. He doesn't take himself too seriously.

Like his herky-jerky dance moves in Liberia, or his odd little tap dance while waiting for John McCain to show up one day. He likes to back-slap people. And when he's ready to move on, there are telltale signs. To end an event with visitors, he'll say, "Let's get a picture," and that's that.

Bush generally calls people by the labels of his choosing, too. Reporters, Cabinet members, heads of state — anyone is fair game for a nickname. The practice tends to add a touch of familiarity between people and the president, and Bush likes that.

As for fun, Bush is far from the first president with a love for sports, but he may have advanced the cause.

In baseball season, he often has a game on TV, even for soothing background noise while he works. He quietly welcomes ball players to the executive mansion for tours or dinnertime conversation. And regardless of the sport, he loves it every time any championship team comes to the White House.

Their moment is his moment.

__

Bush can flash a temper and impatience. But if he takes criticism personally — and he gets lots of criticism — he tries not to show it.

When former press secretary Scott McClellan wrote a scathing book about Bush's leadership, the president told his senior aides to let it go.

"Find a way to forgive, because that's the way to lead your life," White House press secretary Dana Perino remembers Bush advising her.

Bush is insistently — some say unforgivably — optimistic, no matter how low his poll numbers get.

"Every day has been pretty joyous," he said recently, summing up one of the hardest presidencies ever known.

The toughest moments for him come when he meets the grieving families of the troops he sent to war. Or when he meets severely wounded troops in recovery. Many of the hurting tell Bush they want to get back out in active duty. He is moved by the sacrifice.

"I do a lot of crying in this job," Bush once acknowledged.

He shows consideration to people close to him in little ways. He sends birthday notes to staff members. He remembers little details about their families. When he visits an Army post to thank the troops, he's been known to wander into the kitchen, too, to praise whoever cooked him the french fries.

The president is a proud dad of two grown daughters, Jenna and Barbara. The public got a tiny glimpse of his softer side when Jenna married Henry Hager in May. Bush said afterward that his little girl married a really good guy. First lady Laura Bush says her husband now has a son.

___

Bush is not much for the social scene. He and his wife will go to friends' homes but stay away from restaurants and Washington's other delights. His aides say he doesn't like to cause a security hassle for the public.

That's also why they say he speeds through his foreign travel. Even in the world's more magnificent sites, Bush often skips touristy stuff to stick to business, contributing to that incurious reputation.

"I'm a nester," Bush said.

Nowhere is that more true than at his beloved, secluded ranch in Crawford, Texas. He has spent more than a year of his presidency there.

Bush chops cedar, clears brush and builds mountain bike trails there. The summer heat doesn't bother him so much as enthrall him. He even set up a little competition, true Bush: People who work for him get a coveted T-shirt and bragging rights if they run for three straight miles on days hitting 100 degrees.

He relaxes by reading quite a bit, mostly U.S. and world history. He likes the spy-spoofing "Austin Powers" movies. He chills out with his wife.

His time will soon be his own.

"I will leave the presidency with my head held high," Bush says.

And he will leave behind a lot to remember.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE — Ben Feller covers the White House for The Associated Press.

Eternal Joy

Was at a baseball meeting tonight with my youngest son. It is the same team that he has played on the last two years. Same parents, same kids...

Due to my severe weight loss, several of the parents didn't recognize me, introduced themselves...and the joy that followed was ALL MINE!

We have had a good number of people come to Christ over the last six months at Faith. Yes, for the non-church goer, "come to Christ" means they came to church and "got saved," entered into relationship with Jesus, Jesus is their Savior [you fill in the blank!]. Faith is one of those churches that dares to believe that a life can change...radically.

A friend of mine came to Faith about six years ago. At that time he was a nominal Christian in the construction industry. But something happened - he started to grow in his relationship with Christ. Soon my neighbor across the street was commenting on my friend. At first he couldn't put his finger on it, but my friend was being transformed before his very eyes. You see my neighbor was a vendor to my friend's construction company. They would see each other every so often. When my friend would show up, great and measurable change would have taken place inside of him. That's what happens when Christ takes hold of a life. That life is transformed.

It's like talking to a whole new person, unrecognizable from how we used to be...

Playing with my baseball friends was pure joy. Going through the remainder of your days as a transformed life becomes eternal joy...

Leading by Example

Had a board meeting last night. I made a huge mistake. We've switched to "dinner" meeting because one of our men has to be up at 3 AM in the morning to get to work. If we start our meetings at 7 PM, he simply runs out of gas about half-way through our gatherings. You can literally see him wilt.

So, I brought in salads from the drive-in across the street. Sounds good, doesn't it? It was, except the church is doing a corporate fast of fruit and vegitables. Should still be good, right? On the calendar, yesterday was "juice only" day.

Pretty embarrassing for me.

I'm doing the fast too, but with my diet program. Basically I've been fasting since the middle of last June. I'm just making it a spiritual one during this 21 day period. However, it also means that I'm not following the program recommended in our national program we're following, "Awakening."

Three salads went uneaten. Two are in my fridge here at the house. I'm looking forward to the wilted delight tonight. Four of us ate last night while three others watched. I can feel my face getting red right now...again!

What is pleasing about this whole thing is that those who ate are also participating in the fast, but using a different course of action. I should have checked the calendar though, in support of those who would have been participating according to the proposed program. I'm terribly proud of our guys - we have great people on our board. They are great leaders as well as people who lead by example.

We are so blessed.

Irons

I have a lot on my mind with several irons in the fire right now.  Have a board meeting tomorrow night - that I'm looking forward to - we have great leaders here at Faith.  Part of that meeting we'll spend nominating those who are eligible to stand for being on that same board.  We use a process that powerfully moves past any kind of popularity contest and creates an environment that when the dust settles, we can clearly see God's will.  Basically it's called "forced choice."  That's exactly what happens.  We pray, we talk for a little bit, and then move into the process.  The whole thing takes a minimum of 45 minutes.  But when it's over, it is plainly clear what God is saying to us, moving the remainder of the selection process before the congregation.

Another iron in the fire that's heating up is our next mission's trip that lifts off in a few short weeks.  We picked up another team member yesterday, bringing our overall count of contractors and key construction workers to over two-thirds of our total team.  On one hand we'll have an overwhelming number of leaders, but on the other we are likely to be able to accomplish three jobs instead of the usual one this time.  This group has the firepower to finish significant projects in a short period of time.  One first-timer is already petitioning me to start early and stay on the jobsite until all hours of the night.  Frankly, it's not going to happen - but we may end up working longer than we normally have on past trips simply because we can.

Pretty revved up right now as I'm working on this Sunday.  I'm teaching a class on prophecy (being prophetic, not end times) and moving into the last few messages in our series on Ecclesiastes.  This Old Testament book written by a depressed King Solomon speaks volumes thousands of years later in our present culture.  It's just another reminder that the Word of God continues to speak to hearts and lives over millennia. 

Received another e-mail yesterday about a trip a couple friends and I will be taking to Burundi in Central Africa.  My buddy and I will be speaking at a pastor's conference there, and will also have one of my friends from Faith with me as well.  It's a return trip for me.  The last one was in 2005 where I had the privilege of speaking at a pastor's conference and a crusade - the largest audience I've ever stood in front of for any purpose.  It was completely humbling.  But it is also a way of giving away all of the things that other's have poured into my life along my faith journey adventure.  Those whom I met on the last trip had a voracious hunger for the Bible and the presence of the Holy Spirit.  And so we go back to this war-torn country full of people with hope and promise in the month of July.

The last iron?  My goal in 2009 is 10 rounds of golf.  My brother-in-law gave me his old set of clubs and they are sweet!  Played with them my last round of '08 in the first part of November.  Besides, I need the exercise.  Last year was stellar in that I played five times...my most in ten years.  Usually it's once or twice.  I've discovered that I've burned part of myself up taking myself a little too seriously at times, missing the opportunity to get away with men in the church, much less my own sons for an afternoon of hitting the ridiculous little ball.  I'm still lousy (all you need to do is a simple search of this blog and you'll figure out just how bad I am) but really benefit by the time away from the office.  I think it's better for the church too.

The funny thing about irons in the fire is that if we leave them in there too long the metal can lose its integrity.  Melt down is a very real outcome of not keeping our eyes on the meaning of it all.  The good news is that when we find our balance on the faith journey, we accomplish so much more.  Spiritual health means doing the right things for a long period of time.  Losing spiritual integrity means that we've allowed some area of our life to overwhelm all of the others to our detriment.  Jesus told us this wasn't how things were supposed to be.  He said that we should be yoked together with Him, that His yoke was easy and His burden light (Matthew 11:29-30).  This passage has been a reoccurring theme lately, in this blog and in life.  But its importance right now reminds me that the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing. 

A Radical Concept

On Sunday we had a mission's emphasis at Faith.  Three friends of mine, each one from different countries and ministries all shared their heart for what they were doing overseas for Christ.  One pastors an international church in Athens, Greece; another has an Apostolic-type ministry in formerly communist East Germany; and the other is a brand-new missionary preparing to do family-life ministry in Guyana. 

Three different couples and ministries...who all shared the same passion.

At the conclusion of service we had six people respond to an appeal to go into full-time ministry.  It wasn't surprising.  We are that kind of church where people "get it" and understand for the most part what being a full-time minister of the gospel is.  At the same time we understand as a group that everyone is a minister, that we are all called to serve in some capacity or another the cause of Christ. 

How does one know when they are "called" to full-time ministry?  Clearly it is more than just a job - it is a life.  I can jump some theological hoops with you, but that isn't necessary.  Consider this thought: if you can do anything else with your life, go and do it; if you are compelled by the Spirit of God to do nothing else but enter the ministry, run to it with all your heart!

In a culture that runs away from so many things, just giving full-time ministry consideration is a radical concept.

Pivot Points

Spent the day working on our up and coming missions trip to Mexico (photo is from our trip in '08). I love these trips that started back in 2000 with our men's group, and now have women among our team. There is a camaraderie that is infectious, translating to the congregation as a whole.

It probably has something to do with the 24 hours together on the bus... You'll either learn to love one another or...

Obviously, God has been gracious!

This year's trip could be one of our best ever in light of the skilled labor force that is going and the jobs that we have to do. The way things look right now, we are likely to do a face lift on a church in decay, prepare the ground for an orphanage to be constructed, and work on an existing orphanage.

Our focus on these trips is two-fold. First, we do this to help the gospel move forward. We are basically involved in the business of building platforms for the good news of Jesus Christ to go forth. Secondly, it really is all about relationships - with our precious missionaries, the people of the church that we'll serve, with one another and with Christ. It is truly amazing what that all of this and so much more can take place in eight short days. Times like these can become pivotal days in our lives.

If we'll pause for a moment and think about such things, pivot points in our lives are all around us. For the most part they show up due to how we respond to life's surprises and uncertainty. One thing is certain...that life is uncertain. But one truth remains and it is that God is good, even when we are not.

The wry smile from time to time? It's just you and I taking the time to "smell the roses" and see what God might do in and through us no matter what the Faith Journey Adventure brings us...

Tears

Went to a memorial service tonight at my kid's high school. It went as well as it could. Sadly, this was the fifth student to die during this school year at Mountain View here in Bend. This one touched close to home as the student who died was the girlfriend of a young man who attends our church.

She was killed last Friday in a car accident on that horribly slick morning, due to the freezing rain earlier that day. What was even more tragic was that she was expected, as a cheerleader, to be at another funeral taking place later that morning for a classmate who died after a battle with leukemia.

We prayed Sunday morning for the family, the students, staff and school. Sometimes there are no answers to the question, "Why?" I've heard many platitudes that people like to share, but none satisfy in the short-term.

The Bible says when we get to heaven that "God will wipe every tear from our eyes" (Revelation 21:4). But I'm thinking that sometimes, especially in times like these, those tears bring each of us closer to one another...and to God.

Banner Days

It was a banner day at Faith. Here's the blow-by-blow account:

This morning I met with our new staff member who is doing a long season of "shadowing" me to be a Senior Pastor.

Then I went to intercessory prayer meeting with our church staff and, well, our intercessors.

Had staff meeting.

Then met with another staff member one-on-one.

Then went to Rotary and had a great lunch with lots of friends from the business community.

Back at the church I spent time one-on-one with four other staff members.

Then I spent time with a couple of men who were demolishing one of the sanctuary restrooms (remodel - only 10 years overdue).

On the way home I stopped by a car dealership to drop off some clothing to one of our gals whose son needs dress clothes for his new job.

Oh yes, had dinner tonight with the new guy and his wife, along with my wife.

Lastly, one of our new gals at Faith stopped by the house to pick up her kid who had been hanging out since school let out.

Major banner day! I am so blessed to be surrounded by such AWESOME people in my life. God is so good!

Jesus talked about going away to a quiet place to replenish. Sometimes I feel that way myself, just like all of us do when the weight of the world has tried to crush us. But then there are those days when you spend time with people who pour into your life. Even in the midst of difficulty, the right heart and attitude makes all the difference. In light of this thought, come to think of it yesterday was a banner day too!

Don't you love it when you can tell Who is on the throne of a person's heart...?

How I Lost 100 Pounds

Okay, the gig is up and the word is out. At church yesterday I announced that I had lost 100 pounds during the past calendar year as part of our "Biggest Winner" theme.

Wow, do I feel better! [The photo on the right is from February 08, the one on the left is Christmas Day 08]

It all began a year ago when I introduced our annual church theme to the congregation of having a healthier body, soul and spirit. In the "healthier body" area, I did pretty well right out of the gate. I lost 12 pounds by simply changing my eating habits and doing a little exercise. I even went on a cruise in February, neglected the elevator and used the stairs to gain only 4 pounds, down from my all-time record of 14 pounds on our cruise in 2000.

No kidding, 14 pounds in seven days. I'm gifted.

After arriving home I promptly dropped those 4 pounds to get back down to my previous svelte weight-loss...and there I promptly stayed through the end of May.

Not good.

I was getting ready to preach the next round of messages in our "Biggest Winner" series when I looked in the mirror and made a deduction I'd learned from high school geometry. It was actually something we made up called "postulate of the obvious." It's what you write down when you don't know the right answer to a theorem, so you faked it. Regardless, as I looked in the mirror there was no more faking it. It was obvious that I was grossly obese and clearly shortening my lifespan and quality of said life.

I wasn't getting healthier in this area of my life...

I didn't see how I could reasonably speak with integrity two more planned series of messages during 2008 on a subject that I was so visibly failing at in front of the people at Faith. So I sat down with my wife, told her I was ready to commit to a purchased program and made a phone call.

Earlier in the Spring I had been in a nearby town for a baseball game. I went to McDonald's to grab a bite to eat where I noticed the fellow in line behind me looked familiar. I looked at him. Frankly, this skinny guy didn't look quite right. It was one of those, "I should know this guy," but couldn't connect the dots with his face and name. The expression on my face no doubt looked quite puzzled. The object of my attention said, "Hi Pastor Mike." You need to know that I've met a lot of people in my life, a number of whom have moved in and out of the church that I serve. At this point I'm scrambling to figure out who this is. Realizing that I was drawing a blank, the fellow said, "It's me, Ted."

I only know two guys named Ted. One was the Pastor at our sister church in another nearby community. He didn't look like that guy. The other Ted attended the church that used to be across the street from Faith, who was very active in bringing Christian concerts to our community and had used our church to house his events on several occasions.

So I said, "Ted?"

Sure enough, it was him.

After picking my chin up off the floor I found out that Ted had lost 135 pounds since I'd seen him last. So I asked the obvious question, "What did you do?" I'm thinking he got sick, but that couldn't be it because he looked so good. Ted took out a business card about the plan that he went on. Three months later in the middle of June, that plan was about to change my life.

Over my blogs since that time I've humorously referred to this weight-loss program as, "diet-in-a-box," and "flavored air." But the bottom line is, the program worked amazingly. I've lost ten inches in my waist (so far) and 10 inches in suit jacket size. Even better than that, at about three weeks everything I ate began to taste better. Suddenly I could really taste the meat I would eat once a day, along with vegetables whose flavor I'd never fully appreciated before. Basically it was as if my taste buds had been scrubbed and now I really enjoyed a good meal.

Along with these happy outcomes, my wife's life changed as well as she shed 75 pounds so far.

So, I've lost 88 pounds so far on "diet-in-a-box" (do the math - that makes 100 for the year!). For those who read my blog for spiritual insight, I want you to know that this was a spiritual revelation of tremendous magnitude. And as the weight came off, the expression on the faces of the folks at Faith was pretty amazing. In the beginning there were comments about me needing some new clothes (another interesting story in itself); then there were the week's when the inches came off in bunches which were followed by gasps from the crowd on Sunday. The Sunday when I realized that my caboose had disappeared was when it seemed like I had turned a huge corner.

I was completely and utterly committed to enjoy the rest of my days with greater freedom than I've known in two decades. I'm also looking forward to being more active with my future grandkids.

Why did it work? There are a number of reasons. First, the product itself works. People who follow the program lose weight. Secondly, it costs money to do the program, a little more than eating out on a regular basis. I'm just too cheap to not follow the program, cheat and waste money. Thirdly, the meals were really simple. I knew exactly what my options were, whether it was a bar, shake, soup, pudding, oatmeal or eggs. Fortunately all but one of the categories mentioned had different flavors. I ate five of these meals a day, plus one other meal they called "lean and green." Basically it was some kind of salad or approved veggie with a 5 to 8 ounce portion of lean meat.

It worked beautifully.

We even ate out at our local Outback Steakhouse during the summer and fall for under $10. No appetizers for us, nonononono...just a delicious small steak (compared to my normal 16 oz prime rib slab I used to get) with a side salad and serving of steamed veggies.

So, we both still have a ways to go on our diet. By early spring we should be transitioning to a maintenance program. I can hardly wait.

Wow do we feel better!

ADDENDUM: I previously shared this blog without mentioning the plan. It just feels weird to tout a product. But frankly, we're in a position to help others now in this massive life-change. For those who are interested, you can find out more about how Tami and I lost the weight at www.thebiggestwinner.tsfl.com/

I'm Back, With New 'Remains From Sunday' X 2

Hi Friends,

I'm officially back from vacation today, having preached this morning at Faith and inserted today's message along with that from Christmas Sunday, December 21, 2008. Thank you for understanding my time away from this blog while on vacation. I've found that the more I focus on my family during these times, the better I do as a husband and dad.

You also might want to check out at least the first message, the one from today as they feature the first comparison photos I've posted about my 100 pound weight loss during 2008. Yes, I feel great!

Again, I have inserted the last two messages I've shared from the Faith Christian Center Pulpit. You can access them by clicking here or by clicking the link to "Remains from Sunday" in the right column.

Blessings!

Mike Johnson