For some reason I decided today to log in to my Blogger account. When I did, I realized that I hadn't posted a blog for over a year. I knew it had been awhile but didn't realize that it had been soooo long (December 2013 was my last post). I am sure that all of my regular readers have been mourning the loss of "The Other Pastor" so, to all 1 or 2 of you, I apologize.
I hope to be more consistent with my posts going forward, though, I am unsure about what is worthwhile to post about here (if you have thoughts/ideas please let me know). With over a year between posts, there should be plenty to talk about even if it is "old" information. That said, 2014 seems like it was a bit of a low key year, at least in terms of what is blog worthy several months later.
2015 (and the beginning of 2016) should be a little more eventful as our family will be celebrating a 16th birthday, two 40th birthdays and a 20th wedding anniversary all within 8 months.
So here's to the resumption of "The Other Pastor", hopefully it can bring some humor, insight and encouragement to you this year and beyond.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
2013 Year in Tweets
Well, it is December 31st so it must be time for the obligatory look back at the year that was. Last year I grabbed some of my favorite pictures from the year and while I have plenty of pictures from 2013, I thought this year I would do a recap using some of my tweets (posts from Twitter for those of you that don't know what a tweet is) from the past year. Thanks to all who follow me on Twitter, hopefully you manage to get something useful out of the things that I tweet. Well, here it goes...
"We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield"
If your hope is in anyone else it is false hope http://bible.us/Ps33.20.NIV84
Amazingly blessed to have been married to my wife for 17yrs today #morethanideserve
A shield doesn't do you any good in battle unless you have it w/ you and actually use it. #Godisgood http://bible.us/59/pro.30.5.esv
Part 2 of date day, Kerry Park http://instagr.am/p/Ve4arTP86e/
How often do you look straight up. Well here is a shot straight up in downtown Seattle http://instagr.am/p/Vxa5GqP85j/
".why do you stand looking into the sky?" Has God called u to something but u r standing around? #doit http://bible.us/100/act.1.11.nasb
ANY change to THE gospel makes it no longer THE gospel. b careful of false teaching / selfish desires they r a quick path to a false gospel
Having one of those days where "customer service" isn't much of a service to this customer
Way 2 go Bearcats. Great group of young men that I was blessed to coach pic.twitter.com/aGYeauSSAK
"We are saved from our sin ultimately because Jesus decided to do something 2000 years ago" - David Platt, Follow me
#dyingtolive
Every day that includes Dick's Drive-in is a good day http://instagram.com/p/XqBzpeP84I/
Good article about the danger of watching people's "perfect" lives on facebook, twitter, instagram, etc. http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/tech/stop-instagramming-your-perfect-life …
When does McDonald's qualify as a trendy study spot? When you are in Sultan http://instagram.com/p/X59vkuP8yx/
Know someone who is adopting internationally? Watch #Stuck and get a glimpse of what they r going through. Lets get these kids #unstuck
History of Christian Music compilation performed by @yeshuam02 and @aaronpday These guys rocked it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uZ-zBITqkc&feature=youtu.be …
They wanted Jesus 2 leave bcuz He was cramping their style. Do u want 2 be like Him or want Him 2 b like u? http://bible.us/59/mat.8.34.esv
God didn't send Jesus to condemn us, we were already tried and convicted. He came to get us off of death row http://bible.us/59/jhn.3.17.esv
Jesus knows something about this. U can only do it if u love others more than u love yourself #truelove http://bible.us/59/jhn.15.13.esv …
Graduation time with my nephew #proudmoment http://instagram.com/p/alsQtsv83Q/
Mariners blow a 7-0 lead with Felix on the mound...must mean one thing... #FootballSeasonIsComing
Sin promises joy, happiness, fun... but leads to death. God promises eternal life through Jesus and He delivers on His promises
Rom 6:23
Check out this awesome float for our VBS http://instagram.com/p/bttGyRP8__/
14u Koufax State Champions http://instagram.com/p/b0CmZXP89J/
When wearing #Husky gear what else would you order at #TheRam then the Husky Pounder, one pound of… http://instagram.com/p/cdJNztv85v/
It's more important 2 follow God than 2 look like u follow God. Where do u need to stop pretending? #Mark7 http://bible.com/59/mrk.7.6.esv
Things heard on 1st century basketball courts - "U cant even untie the strap of my sandals" #looseparaphrase #Luke3:16
Jesus spent all night talking to God, why do I have trouble going longer than 5 minutes? #Luke6 #PerspectiveChange
Salt that loses its saltiness is not even good enough for the manure pile (Luke 14:34-35) If we r the salt of the earth, this is a heads up
My boy @JD2Eight & his awesome date @Holland_Aucoin getting pictures b4 their 1st #homecoming #havefun #allgrownup pic.twitter.com/DOKl0ITM4F
Great hike to Cathedral Rock in Sedona today http://instagram.com/p/ftv4J5v8_T/
this morning I managed 2 accomplish something I've never done before...how many days can you say that when you're 38? #speedingticket #GoMe
Doing some research 4 my sermon this week and remembered #ForeverLazy pajama suits. Does anyone actually own one of these? #stopthemadness
I must be doing a good job as a father, while watching #USCvsORST my daughter is whistling the #USC fight song without even knowing it
Check out this sweet video from @CrosswaterCC and join us for our new series on Sunday #regift
http://vimeo.com/81016930
I would just like to take a minute to express my love for the WA State Health Exchange website #amazing #governmentsuccessstory
What r your fears? Now, remember that God didn't give us a spirit of fear but of #Power, #Love & #Selfcontrol (2 Tim 1:7) Live from that!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Life Lessons from a Sandwich Shop IV: Are You Happy?
Are you happy? That's a pretty common question, right? Answering it, however, seems to be much more difficult. There are so many things that we must consider when answering. While I haven't done any extensive research (or really any research), it seems, from general observation, that the more people have, the less happy they are. Why is that? Is it the amount of time and effort that they had to put in to get the stuff? Is it the fear of losing the stuff? Is it the realization that all the stuff doesn't really deliver on the promise of happiness? We seem to get stuck in this cycle of wanting/needing the next thing in order to be happy. Have you noticed that an unhappy person always seems to have an answer as to what will make them happy. When they finally have ________, then they will be happy. Too often, however, even if they get whatever that thing is, they still aren't happy and it is the next thing that will truly make them happy.
While on a mission trip to Nicaragua several years ago, I was struck by the joy of the people we came into contact with. We were working in a small village where the homes were in worse shape then our garden/yard sheds, yet these people seemed content and even happy. Is it possible that it isn't our stuff or even our circumstances that bring happiness?
This topic has been heavy on my mind recently as I have been thinking about how many Christians (including myself) live their lives. Jesus says in John 10:10 that He has "come that they may have life and have it to the full", yet, so often we don't live as though that is true. Too often we live in fear or in apathy rather than in the abundant life that Christ offers to us. Why? Life is hard and life is messy and following Jesus doesn't change that, but it should change our response to it. What would happen if those professing faith in Jesus Christ lived in a way that proved that faith to be real? Not a life based on circumstances but a life of faith in the One who can overcome any circumstance. How would your life be different if you were to focus on Him and not on your circumstances?
Remember "The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything".
If you want to read the previous "Life Lessons from a Sandwich Shop", you can find them here:
Lesson I
Lesson II
Lesson III
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
"Right" In Our Own Eyes
It has been awhile since I have posted one of our Part Time Heroes devotionals on the blog but thought I would do so again today as we are winding up the devotional this week. If you want to see other days, check out our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CrosswaterChurch
Week 8, Day 2 – Read Judges 14:1-3
Do you ever have to be
told to do what you want to do? Probably
not, in fact, it’s pretty likely that doing what you want comes naturally and
that you don’t need a lot of coercion.
That doesn’t mean that there aren’t times where we must show some restraint
and not act on every impulse that comes to mind as well as times where we do
things that we know we need to do. Just
like with Samson in today’s reading, doing what is right in our own eyes is
pretty common. There is much teaching
and thought in society today that we should do what makes us happy, what we
feel is right and that others shouldn’t tell us what is right or wrong. But what happens when doing right in our eyes
conflicts with what someone else thinks is right? Is it still right? As we have seen throughout the book of
Judges, the Israelites had no problem doing right in their own eyes. But, we have also seen the consequences of
their actions. Doing right in our own
eyes may feel good, it might make us happy, but ultimately, if it isn’t what is
right in God’s eyes, it will lead to destruction. God alone is holy and pure and righteous so
it is God alone that determines what is right.
Today, ask God to show you where you are doing what is right in your own
eyes that doesn’t match up with what he says is right? Ask Him to give you the eyes to see His way
and the strength to follow Him in it.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Don't Keep It To Yourself
Day 4- Please read Judges 3:26-30
Ehud didn’t just rest on one act of obedience and heroism, he called
others to join him. Are you keeping GOD’s great work in and through you to
yourself? Whom are you telling about GOD’s good news? Whom are you leading in
following the LORD? It is easy to rest on one victory and not continue to
follow GOD’s leading into continuous victory. Take Ehud’s example to heart
today, be encouraged to “sound the trumpet” and keep following the LORD. Don’t
forget to invite others to join you.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
God Uses The Overlooked
Day 3- Please read Judges 3:16-25
No doubt this passage is…different J GOD uses all kinds
of people and all kinds of circumstances to make all kinds of changes. Ehud was
“a left-handed man” which in his society was considered a handy-cap (he
actually may have been unable to use his right hand). It is encouraging to know
that GOD can and does use people whom the world overlooks for HIS glory and
purposes. What in your life seems to be a “disability”, “problem” or
“handy-cap” that might be keeping you from doing great things for GOD? Please
take time to ask GOD for a new perspective and ability to see what you have in
life as opportunity to serve GOD and others. Nobody saw Ehud as a threat, but
GOD used him as a deliverer. This is common for GOD. Trust HIM.
S.O.S.
Day 2- Please read Judges 3:15
“Cried out to the LORD” Israel was in big trouble and they cried to GOD.
When was the last time you sent GOD an “SOS” call for help? How did HE answer?
Where in your life would you like to experience GOD’s help today? Maybe it is
on behalf of someone else that you are crying out to GOD. Please take time
right now to cry out to GOD and then listen for HIM to respond, watch for HIS
hand of deliverance, wait on the LORD.
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