Update from Vancouver

Yesterday was our first journey downtown together, though Kim and Bobby had been down there a time or two already. Kim and I headed that way mid-day and caught up with Bobby and one of his childhood friends who was in town for a day or two. After a quick bite at McDonalds, we headed to the Rusky Dom (the Russian Pavilion). It was only a short wait to get in, and it was pretty cool. Russia will be hosting the 2014 Winter Games, so much of what we saw was promo for that. One really neat thing, though, was a short line we happened upon. We checked it out promptly joined the queue. Here's what it led to:

Yes, that's a genuine Olympic torch we're holding! At the Rusky Dom, no less!

We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the Saskatchewan Pavilion (got our picture taken with a real Canadian Mountie), passing Canada Hockey Place (some interesting sights outside the arena there), and generally having a good time downtown. Then we headed to BC Place for the Vancouver Victory Ceremony (aka "Medals Ceremony"). We ended-up sitting TWO ROWS from the Mountie honor guard that raised the flags for each set of winners. We witnessed only the second gold medal ever awarded a Canadian on Canadian soil (the place was pretty pumped!), and we got to see, via a video link to Whistler, Lindsey Vonn receive her gold. All in all, it was a huge day!

Today, we're headed back downtown to see the Olympic Cauldron (should get a better view now that the "Free the Torch" campaign has yielded results) and ride a trolley to Granville Island. Then (hopefully) we're going to go help make signs for a children's outreach we're helping with on Saturday. Which leads me to...

I've been so impressed with the ministry I've seen taking place all around. Yesterday, alone, we saw a Gospel of John distribution in what appeared to be 12-15 different languages, we passed the Salvation Army distributing free coffee, and we were approached by a Jews for Jesus volunteer. It's very encouraging to see so much going on. Join me in praying that, through it all, God will be glorified and many will be drawn to Him!

Well, time to get ready to head back out. More to come!

Vancouver, here I come!

I'm posting this from my hotel in Seattle as I prepare to board a shuttle later today for Vancouver, BC. Our oldest daughter, Kim, lives and works there, and I'm finally getting a chance to visit! Can't wait to see her, and I can't wait to see Vancouver, especially this week! We're planning to be at the medal ceremony Wednesday night of this week and catch any free Olympic stuff we can find along the way.

I'll try to post some pics later this week.

Until then, U-S-A, U-S-A!

Blessings!

OK, the new MacBook hasn't quite inspired me to post everyday (obviously), but two weeks is still pretty soon...at least for me, anyway.

So last night's forecast called for 5"-7" of snow (part of "Snowmeggadon" or "The Winter Powerhouse" that buried the east coast). When we got up this morning, this is what we found--

Obviously, these Ohio inches are much thicker than those I've seen in other places! Some South Florida friends suggested (via FaceBook) that I "grab a good book." I guess settling in by the fireplace and reading a "good book" would be nice, but since we don't have a fireplace and we've got to be able to get to church tomorrow, I spent the better part of the day moving snow, one of my new "least favorite things."

Oh well, such is life in NE Ohio. All joking aside, it was much worse over Virginia way. At least we don't have anybody without power (that I know of , anyway). Hope it's warm where you are, and, if that's not the case, I hope you're able to stay warm and safe.

Blessings!

It's finally happened...

First, I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. I guess with our Christmas production, the Christmas Eve services, seven or eight round-trips to the airport and everything else, the time just got away from me.

A couple of quick updates...we were blessed to have all three girls in for Christmas. What a treat! In fact, I caught-up with Emily and Mallory in the St. Louis airport on their way home. I'd been to MO to be with my mom for her most recent heart cath (everything came out great, thanks for asking), and my return flight happened to be their connecting flight. They flew out of OKC that afternoon, I met them in the terminal that evening, and we flew home together. Pretty cool! Then Kim caught the red-eye out of Seattle a few days later, and Em and I met her at the airport early one morning.

And, now, the big news: I've finally gone over to the "dark side." That is, I am typing this post on a new 15" MacBook Pro that replaces my recently deceased Dell laptop. I refuse to become one of those "Apple snobs" (let's be real, we all know some), but I work with some guys whose opinions I really respect, and they use Macs. We'll be able to work together more efficiently and seamlessly, plus, I have to admit it looks pretty cool, too. Like any new computer (and then some), it's taking just a bit of getting used to. It's going to be fine, though.

I might even enjoy it so much I'll post weekly!

It got me to thinking....

So I had occasion recently to attend my first-ever Catholic funeral. It was an interesting and moving experience. Having been in worship ministry most of my adult life, I was pleasantly surprised at how much of what I experienced wasn't totally new to me. Some of the congregational responses, etc. were things I'd heard in ecumenical services over the years. And two or three of the congregational songs could have come straight out of the Baptist Hymnal!

There was a printed service order for the occasion, and I found it relatively easy to follow. Despite all the detail contained in it, though, it was very obvious who in the congregation was Catholic and who was not. There were several times when the Catholic members of our group responded, and very naturally I might add, with something not contained in the program.

So, it got me to thinking....

What do we include in our services that makes some people feel like outsiders? What "ritual" do we follow automatically that, while at least at some point was meaningful to us, makes guests or new believers or those new to our congregation feel lost or out of place?

The knee-jerk response, of course, is "Nothing!" But asking that question of those of us who have been there long-term is rather akin to asking a skunk what that odor is. He doesn't smell it any more!

So, how intentional are we willing to be about discovering and resolving those things? Or would we rather stay comfortable and undisturbed--and maybe lonely, too, if it keeps others from joining us?

I don't know, it just got me to thinking....

Time Warp

So I'm in the grocery store the other evening, going through the self-serve checkout, when the irritatingly smooth artificial voice informs me that I've purchased an "age-restricted item." Quick study that I am, I came to the realization that it wasn't likely either of the two candy bars I was purchasing. That left the cough syrup that had occasioned my trip--though it had no alcohol or decongestant in it.

According to the voice, "an associate" was on the way to assist me in completing my purchase, and, sure enough, up walks a young lady barely more than 1/3 my age. (I started to say "half my age," but then I did the math. Math can hurt.) I asked her if I was being carded for cough syrup, and she said I was, but she, sadly, didn't have to look at my driver's license (or any other card) to recognize that I was more than old enough to buy it. She quickly swiped her employee ID and punched-in a few numbers. Then she was on her way and I on mine.

Is it just me, or does it strike anyone else as odd that a teenaged store clerk had to approve this cool, but middle-aged, pastor's purchase of a simple cough syrup? Maybe I'll eventually be able to prove myself as responsible as that clerk...

People Don't Know What They Used To...Why Not?

Since I've been home much of this week with some sort of viral fun, I've had way too much time to watch TV (mostly Andy Griffith, M*A*S*H, Bonanza, etc.). Another show I've been watching is Cash Cab. If you haven't seen it, it's a great show where unsuspecting people get into a New York cab and become contestants, for the duration of their ride, on a TV game show. They have to answer a series of increasingly challenging general knowledge questions for cash prizes.

In an episode I saw just a few minutes ago, the couple in the cab was asked a $100 (most difficult) question that they couldn't answer. In fact, they didn't have any idea at all, so they used what the show calls a "Street Shout-Out" where the cab pulls to the curb and the contestants flag down a passerby and get his/her input. Fortunately for these contestants, the pedestrian they asked knew the answer for them. Though they didn't know enough to be sure whether or not he was right, they took his answer because they didn't have a clue.

The question: "Name one of the four New Testament books known as the gospels."

Now, I know our culture is biblically illiterate, but it was still a shock to my system to see it played out so clearly on this game show. Then the thought occured, it was only a shock because I'm not spending enough time with non-believers to see it more often. If I was doing my part, seeing it played out on TV wouldn't have come as such a shock.

Sure, we can bemoan the fact that people don't know enough about the Bible, OR we can enagage them and create in them a desire to know the word by introducing them to The Word (see John 1:1). (BTW, "John" was the answer they got from the guy on the street. They got their $100.)