Processing...

Kim has had a difficult time this week and not felt very well. So I have have taken Michael with me the past several mornings to give Kim some down time. Thursday Michael and I bought a new office chair and then he helped me put it together. Friday morning we went to the beach (our usual Friday routine) and we caught the biggest blue crab I have ever seen at Rockport Beach. He was at least four to five inches across. He was also quite crabby -- aggressively crawling out of my net, pinchers reaching for me, spitting on me, calling me foul names, and stealing my Bible -- all in front of my son! Well...he did try to pinch me and then jumped in the water and ran off. I couldn't let that stand so I chased him down and caught him again just to show my son that his father was better than some old blue crab.

Michael allowed me to take him out into the deep water, past the last sand bar where it is up to my shoulders. The waves were not rough and he was able to enjoy it. He does not trust easily, but once trust is earned he trusts completely and quickly. I'll be speaking on that Sunday morning.

Friday afternoon I mowed our yard because I was already dirty from the beach. Not wise. The heat was brutal. I learned that we have all the descendants of the ancient Sleestak living in our yard. With so many lizards you would think we wouldn't have any insects around. But I think the lizards are eating each other instead of the bugs.

With caring for family this week I have fallen woefully behind in my schoolwork. I have two weeks to get everything completed before the fall term begins in August. I am taking a seminar entitled Jesus and Leadership, which requires us to read 8 books, write a 30 page research paper, and design a syllabus for a bachelor's or master's level course on pastoral leadership. All due by Thanksgiving! Hooray! I am also beginning theological German this fall. I hope to have my German completed by next summer so I can begin taking theological French. Ugh.

As our church nears the end of our time of self-study and planning, and as we begin to formulate specific steps to take into the future in obedience to God's leadership, my biggest concern is that we will chose to respond with pride (I don't want to do that! We've never done it that way! I want what I want!) and fear (That will never work! What if people drop out!? What if people stop tithing?! What if people start going to another church?!). I am praying that God will speak so that we know it, and that He will produce humility and confidence instead of pride and fear as we follow in obedience.

Ok, so I signed up for Facebook

There are many reasons, primarily related to church members and the outrageous amount of communication people do online. Communication that, I have humbly observed, is incredibly personal and alarmingly impresonal at the same time. Perhaps some of the appeal of maintaining a Facebook or MySpace account is getting jazzed by writing all about yourself, your family, your interests, your opinions and posting your photos (said the man who has been doing these things on his own blog for some time now -- oh shut up). But, you know and see only what I want you to know and see about me! So we can interact online all day long and have a great time in a very measured, controlled, and strangely, selfishly impersonal manner.

Anyhoo...it is funny how you sign up for something like that and find all your friends and family who have been there for some time. You kind of feel like the new kid in school. So, I need all of you to become my Facebook friends so it will look like I am popular and cool. But, please, if you do not have a Facebook account then don't get one just for me! All my church members better become my friend or I will stop praying for you.

I will post most of my family photos on Facebook because of the control I have over who sees them. But I will post things here in the way of pictures from time to time.

Michael the Photographer

Kim got Michael a digital camera when Kathryn was born. Here are samples of his art...

I took this picture to show him how the camera worked.

Mommy and Sissy

Grammy with weird sticky thing on her face.

Tennyson the cat

Popa saying "cheese"

Self portrait of the artist and the video camera

The First Bath

Daddy in the Hall

Spiritual Leadership in the Home

This past Sunday at FBC Rockport we continued our sermon series on images of spiritual leadership from 1 Samuel. For two weeks now we have looked at what spiritual leadership in the home might look like. We have some good images from Elkanah and Hannah, the parents of Samuel. We have some poor images from Eli, the priest at the Tabernacle who raised Samuel. Yahweh’s accusation against Eli was that he honored his two sons more than he honored God. Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were terrible priests because they did not do what God wanted, they did as they wanted. Their poor public behavior was actually hindering the worship life of Israel and keeping people away from God. God held Eli responsible, at least in part, for their sin, and promised dire consequences for Eli’s entire family. At the same time, Yahweh promised to raise up for Himself a faithful priest who would do what was in God’s heart and mind.

I am telling our people that this is the essence of spiritual leadership: God is the leader, God chooses His servants, and servants obey and follow God. This theme will surface again and again as we study 1 Samuel, and can be found throughout scripture. If parents want to be spiritual leaders in their homes then they must follow God’s leadership and no one else’s, including their own!

I used an example Sunday that stirred up some people. I pointed out how it is common for families to struggle with allowing their children to miss church activities on a consistent basis in order to participate in other things: little league, school sports and activities, band, dance, a job, etc. I am often asked what I think about this. The truth is, I think there are occasions when it is right and good for our kids to miss church activities for other important things, but I think those occasions are rare. Two things come into play here that parents have to take into consideration before they make a decision like this. First, who tells parents they can keep their kids out of church? On whose authority are they making that decision? Their kids’ authority? Their own authority? The authority of the coach, league, teacher, or boss? There are many voices in our culture that will tell us what to do with our children, how to do it and when to do it. As Christians, we need not be servants of those voices. We are to be servants of Christ. Your child’s boss schedules your child to work every Sunday. The little league schedules games on Wednesday nights. Band camp falls during Youth Camp. What do you decide to do? Parents need to be sure to seek the Lord’s mind and heart on these matters and follow no one else’s leadership, including their own or their child’s. This is what got Eli and his sons in trouble.

The second thing that comes into play when making a decision like this is the very public nature of our faith in Christ. Jesus expects us to make decisions to follow him even if those decisions incur public rebuke, persecution or other consequences. These kinds of decisions to honor and follow Christ publically at great cost draw attention to Christ, showing that he is more desirable than anything in this world. Whether parents want to admit this or not, consistent, public decisions to keep kids out of church in order to participate in other activities influence other people – both believers and unbelievers. By being casual about our commitment to participate in the Body of Christ, we may actually be leading others away from Christ instead of to Christ. Eli and his sons were doing this, and their public sin drew very public consequences and disaster that made examples of this family for all of Israel.

There are consequences for us and our kids when we decide to keep them out of certain activities in order to be involved in church activities. There are also consequences when we keep them out of church in order to be involved in other things. These are difficult decisions and should never be made lightly or hastily. If parents are to be spiritual leaders, they must seek the mind and heart of God on these matters until He leads them in the way they are to go. Parents must also take into consideration what God has already said in His word about following, obeying, and honoring Christ in public. Our decisions matter because they influence people. Who is leading your family?

More pictures...

Here's more...

Both mother and daughter are doing well. Kathryn is eating well now and has aced all her diaper exams! Kim has been up and moving around for over 24 hours now. They tell us they should be discharged on Wednesday afternoon.

Those were the only new pictures I had on my cell phone. I'll try to post some better ones later.

Her Own Woman

Kathryn is here now. She was born Sunday night, 5:57 p.m., and weighed 7 pounds, 10 oz., and measured 20.25 inches long. Kim was in labor since about 9:00 a.m. Saturday. After hours of waiting and miles of walking around that hospital, Kim never progressed beyond 6 cm. Every time we came close to making a decision about what to do next, it seems Kathryn would change the game on us and we would have to wait for another couple of hours to see what would happen next. We almost went to the OR at least twice before we finally did because Kathry would do this or that. She was letting us know she was in charge. After whe was born I stood with her in the nursery while they cleaned her up and checked her out. She cried for a while and then got real calm and collected. I watched her as she sized me up with her eyes, took a good look around the room, and then looked at me and kind of smirked knowingly. I got the distinct impression that she was very much amused by everything that had gone on the past couple of days. I laughed out loud and I know everyone thought I was crazy. But Kathryn just held my hand and smirked at me while I laughed. After this I took some pictures of her and got to email one to my church so they could see her during the Sunday night worship service. Isn't technology something?

Kim was so brave and beautiful thoughout the whole process. God was wise to allow women the responsibility of birth. Kim is so strong and courageous. Her biggest complaint was that she had not eaten since noon on Saturday and she was starving. After the surgery she was sick to her stomach in a big way. I want everyone to know that my wife is my hero. Michael, Kathryn and I are so blessed.

I will take Micheal down to see her this morning. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and love for my family. I'll have more information later. I know what you really want are pictures so here they are.

Here's a picture of Michael when he was born...

Now here's a picture of Kathryn. Are they related?