Lens of faith - God is real!

Random thoughts...

I've been a follower of Jesus for 30 years now.  I pray...not nearly enough...but I try.

A concerning situation was facing people close to me yesterday.  I can't get into it here.  We prayed.  Support arose from the woodwork, and a potentially bad situation was averted.

I have seen God act before, but, I confess, my faith grows stale and I forget the realness of God.

Once I was driving home to Oregon to visit family.  I was working at World Christian magazine in Pasadena.  I got a flat in Redding, CA.  I had a "I need help" sign in the trunk. I held it for a minute.  A guy stopped, took my tire into town, had it fixed.  There was not time to worry.  I was taken care of.

God is real.

Another time I was driving home from Spokane.  My radiator blew in the gorge.  Two truckers stopped.  One hiked down to the river for water.  They shored my radiator up enough for me to get home.  Angels on the highway...I know they are.

God is real.

My thought turns to the calling of a new pastor at my church.  The above situation has nothing to do with that. We have been without a permanent lead pastor since June of last year.  We finally found a candidate - Pastor Hoyme.  Yesterday we got word that the Spirit led him to not take the call.

Some might see it a a blow to the church I suppose.  Over a year looking for a new pastor.  I see it as a time to reflect on who we are as part of the body of Christ.  We have been looking for someone to "lead the flock".  We do need a person as pastor who has leadership skills to guide us as a flock, but we need to open our eyes of faith and realize the grace that is upon us.

We have a leader - Jesus.  He has graced us with Interim Pastor Craig and Associate Pastor Karl.  They have done a wonderful job co-shepherding us.  The commitment of Craig to serve us, spending so much time away from his Redmond home...and his motorcycle.  The energy of Karl, leading the youth, and, in this past year, filling in so many needs around the church.  Have you seen the visitation scheduling board in his office?

Yes, we continue to look for a lead pastor, but let us do so with thoughts of humility.  What do we as individuals, and as a corporate body, have to offer a new pastor, a new partner in the ministry?

Look at the prayer drop box we have in front of the church:

We have been praying as a congregation for the the requests that have been put into this box.  Broken people with needs.  Broken people, just like us, with needs.

For the new pastor we are looking for, let's realize they are broken people too.  Let's welcome them to our side to serve and to be served.

Let's continue to pray.  Let's continue to look up.  Let's continue to serve.  Let's expect great things.

God is real!  

My old college digs

Eric snapped these photos of places I used to live when I attended Oregon State University in the 80's:

Varsity House -  We were brothers...Sudbeck and Sandage...Sam and I still have lunch...Roland Johnson is around town somewhere...Mike Blok married Karen, the Griz's sister, and he teaches science at my old high school (Beaverton)...house mom, Maxine...I miss her and her homemade maple bars...and the Griz, my first roommate - I had the dish hose in my hand...he dared me to shoot him...I nailed him!  Ten minutes later, I opened the door to our room...a bucket of water was on my head!

The Mansion - $85 per month, owned by dear old Mrs. Parks at First B....Jeff - I won't tell a sole about the green peaches that were in the fridge when I first got there...or the half  gallon boxes of ice cream we use to chop in half and  devour...I remember Dave on the drums, coming home one day and Dave and  Troy (T2) playing 25 to 6 to 4...heard it clear down the street!  I remember the great spaghetti we use to throw together...I remember Sunshine laughing hard at my cooking technique - exploding hot dogs in the microwave...I remember the three bats flying around the living room, my frantic call to Tom, and the hysterical laughter at the other end of the line.  The three pained window, that was my room at the end of my college days.  Best room in the house...large...wood floor...built-in dresser...walk-in closet.  I lived as a king!

Jodie's return to orthopedist

I took Jodie back to see the orthopedic surgeon last Wednesday.  Her foot was crunched in a door when she was in a loaner power chair in June.

This time the doctor's office had our referral, so they were able to take x-rays.

The good news is that nothing is broke in her foot or ankle.

The concern is that the top of Jodie's foot is very tender and painful to the touch, which is odd even more because of her limited feeling down there.  The dr. is worried about possible nerve damage.  I never realized the havoc that can cause, but I guess it can.  She wanted Jodie to take a pill to reduce the pain.  Jodie preferred to wait...not wanting to take another pill.

The dr. warned Jodie to let her know if the pain increases.

Yes Dr.

We go back in a couple weeks.

Congratulations Scott!

Scott Dietz is a premiere nature photographer that goes to my church. He has an incredible eye for the beauty of God's creation and shares it generously on his blog The Narrative image.

Three of his photos were selected for this exhibition:

The Narrative Image: Celebrate the Gorge Photography Exhibition @ Columbia Art Gallery

I feel a ROAD TRIP coming on...