mes pensees

2011-05-26T09:35:00.001-05:00

Only good medicaments for you!... http://relaxationstation.biz/friends_links.php?lylaolid=10pa1

Reminder - Greg Hopwood has invited you to iLike.com

2007-02-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

This is your final reminder that Greg Hopwood invited you to join iLike. Click here to read your message from Greg Hopwood: http://www.ilike.com/welcome?invite=5sajhvEVjBHtBMAGr6d5OQ If you have received this message in error, or have already signed up on iLike, please disregard this message. You will not receive any further emails in regards to this invitation. What is iLike? It is

Greg Hopwood has sent you a private message

2007-02-03T09:20:00.000-05:00

Click here to read your message from Greg Hopwood: http://www.ilike.com/welcome?invite=M0Xwmq1C1PsByXECw0qv3A What is iLike? It is a service that lets you discover music based on what you and your friends like. You can share your music tastes, see what your friends are listening to, and get tons of free MP3s from emerging artists that match your tastes. You received this email

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

2006-07-19T01:04:00.000-05:00

I was deeply moved at Tent tonight to make a profound, lifelong, change of direction. I have not been seeking the Lord first as I ought. I have not been embedded in His Word and have not been deep in prayer as I am called to be. I have allowed the distractions of life to carry me away from seeking Him first. I have allowed my frustrations and carnal reactions develop a root of

Awaking the Plans of God

2006-04-25T22:14:00.000-05:00

If I look back on the scripture promise above from Ps20, I realize that one of the key desires and plans isfor Alla to be cared for. ?Lord, I present her to youand ask that you bring forth the desire in my heart,that she is cared for, that she is a integral part ofour family, that she is blessed through us and that weare blessed through her, that we enjoy lifelongrelationship and heritage. Let

Off to Chippity Chop

2006-04-25T22:13:00.000-05:00

The train from Budapest to ChopSo much has happened over the last few years; I neverimagined I would be leading a team to the Ukraine. Ienjoy traveling with Paul. it is comfortable to be ina support role. To be team leader, it certainlydemands a different level of focus.I am not worthy, never will be worthy. I am notprepared, would probably never be prepared. I cry outfor you alone. I ask

The Enigma of Doing

2006-03-10T00:05:00.000-05:00

I have such strong convictions; strong beliefs in how certain things should be done in the church. Why does it seem so hard to execute these beliefs? In the first couple months working as Pastor of Ministry I have felt so ineffective, so bogged down by menial administrative tasks, so far from truly helping people. While I have always believed so strongly in empowering others to do the

Building Better Lives and Better Families for Jesus

2006-03-08T23:26:00.000-05:00

I am deeply moved by the call of God in this point in time. Through a series of conversations, the Lord has confirmed that He wants Chris and I to focus on building up marriages in this season. A few months ago, as I was working on the theme statement on our web page, Judson blurted out "building better lives and better families for Jesus." When he said that statement, the Spirit

The Hop Hightop Heritage

2006-02-11T22:45:00.000-05:00

Today was a significant day. I took my three kiddos skiing for the first time. The boys took a lesson, and I held my daughter in tow. At her tender age, she had a fantastic first day on the slopes. The ski instructor remarked, "If she is not crying at that age, consider it a bonus." She did quite well, shouting, "Weeeee" and "Again Daddy!" as we went up and down. Truly a day to book in the

Thanksgiving Weekend Feast

2005-11-29T03:28:00.000-05:00

This Thanksgiving I ate good. I was fat and happy from feasting with my family. My sister A.J., a.k.a. "the gravy master," made me want to stuff my face until it hurt. And I did. God is good.Right on the heels of that feast, the Lord has brought me to His banquet table of revelation. Starting on Sunday morning, continuing through this evening, the Lord has encouraged me with glimmers of "

...and the song continues

2005-11-01T21:16:00.000-05:00

"Holy, Holy, Holy, Is the LORD Almighty, the whole earth is full of His glory."

A Cry for Just Justices

2005-09-07T23:56:00.000-05:00

My heart cry for months has been justice justices, "Lord, give us righteous judges." I have been following the work of JHOP, the Justice House of Prayer. A few months ago, they opened a 24/7 House of Prayer right across the street from the Supreme Court. The day they opened, the Supreme Court heard the first case on Roe vs. Wade in years. A few months after they opened, we have two open seats in

Hermit Island ~ A Touch of Heaven

2005-09-07T23:28:00.000-05:00

We spent Labor Day weekend at Hermit Island, a camping resort located on beachfront property in Maine. Hermit Island is an incredible place, a touch of heaven. Due to its isolated location, there is all sorts of wildlife throughout the island. We were able to walk within a few feet of deer, discover innumerable sea creatures, spot eagles, and harvest fist-fulls of clams. We were able to

We Conquered the Mighty Monadnock!

2005-08-20T21:00:00.000-05:00

We had a great day hiking up the Mighty Monadnock today. I tried to keep up with the boys all day. Chris and Dad were hiking buddies. Xochi hiked up about half way and I backpacked her the rest. So much fun. But we are sooo tired. Monadnock is the most hiked mountain in the world! We thought that was going to make it easy but it was quite a challenge with a sharp incline, rock slabs

I Pledge Allegiance

2005-07-31T01:01:00.000-05:00

I Am 52% AmericanMost times you are proud to be an American.Though sometimes the good ole US of A makes you cringeStill, you know there's no place better suited to be your home.You love your freedom and no one's going to take it away from you!How American Are You? According to an online survey I am listed as being 52% American. The survey says I "cringe" at some of the things our country does.

Photo Page Password

2005-07-23T23:49:00.000-05:00

I decided to put a password on my family photo page. I welcome your visit to my photo page...simply drop me an email and I will send the password your way. If you do not know my email address, leave your email address on the comment to this blog entry and I will get it to you.

Fun in the Sun

2005-07-22T22:54:00.000-05:00

We have been taking Fridays as family days...what fun. We had a great time at Ogunquit today. Toward the end of the day I went on a run and reveled in the beauty of God...the sky was glowing with God's glory. I was also delighted to see the kids playing in the ocean inlet. They were in full discovery mode...digging for clams, hunting down crabs, finding lost treasures in forgotten seashells,

Prayer Time

2005-07-19T15:47:00.000-05:00

I need prayer for this Sunday. I am preaching during the Sunday morning services and need the Lord to direct my thoughts for the message. I invite Him to prepare my heart, direct my thoughts, and order every word I speak. If you read this before Sunday, July 24, I really need you to pray...I know I do not get many visitors so you may be the only person to pray on my behalf. Thanks.

Not by might nor by power but by His Spirit

2005-07-13T03:10:00.000-05:00

I awoke tonight with an urge to write. I need to forge forth with a clear passion, fulfilling a compelling need, into unfamiliar territory. I realize I do not have the resources to accomplish the task. I am not disciplined enough, I am not focused enough, I am not experienced enough...simply...I am not enough. I do not have the might or the power to accomplish the task. I can depend

Lightbulb from Bright Bill

2005-06-28T22:10:00.001-05:00

A while ago I was impressed to read the biography of my spiritual father, Bill Bright. I was saved while alone reading his book, "The Uniqueness of Jesus." Since I knew the Lord had a special purpose in this book, I pressed on, picking it up over and over.As I read today, I stumbled upon a section that I know was meant for me. I have been praying for some time about hearing the voice of God;

Family Fun at Fireside

2005-06-28T14:08:00.000-05:00

It feels good to be spending some family time. We spent one night Camping with our church and then left for Camp Fireside.We had a wonderful time at the annual GFC Camping Trip. The kids played better than ever, we never ran out of bacon, and we had a special time of sharing on Sunday. The Lord wove a special theme during out sharing time, that the Lord would keep our children and our heritage

Too Much Fun

2005-06-24T10:01:00.000-05:00

I am entering a whirlwind of vacation time. We head out to our annual GFC Camping Trip, spend a week at Camp Fireside, and then head out to Ohio for another week. The back to back to back vacationing leaves me a bit weary just thinking about it. Lord, in Your grace, bless me with many rich times of peace and rest with You, with Chris, and the kids.

Go Andrew Go!

2005-06-24T09:57:00.000-05:00

A long time friend, Andrew Thompson, is pictured with his Dad at the beginning of his attempt to break the AT Trail Record. Click here to follow his progress throughout the next couple of weeks. Join me in praying God's kindness, mercy, and grace to speed him on his way. Go Andrew go!

Ahhh!

2005-06-22T13:21:00.000-05:00

After countless weeks of breakneck pace, my life is finally coming back in balance. It feels good to breathe again. It feels good for my soul to have time to soak in the Lord. It feels good to be able to go to the bathroom when nature calls. It feels good to hang out with my wife. It feels good to delight in the Lord. It feels good to have no people problems weighing on me. It feels

Commencement Day

2005-06-11T21:55:00.000-05:00

Over the last few weeks, I have enjoyed special times with our Seniors. They have true destiny in the Lord. Graduation was a time of true celebration and impartation. Click above for more pix.

Va Beach Update

2005-06-01T16:08:00.000-05:00

I am having a wonderful time with the Seniors. This is a great bunch to spend time with. Although I am getting little sleep, I am enjoying rich time with the Lord...standing in awe before breathtaking sunrises, bowing in fear of our Creator before a raging ocean, walking with our Lord along the beach. Good stuff to my soul.Take a gander at a few pictures.

The Undending Artist

2005-05-31T16:24:00.000-05:00

Our Creator is the Artist above all artists

Off to VA Beach

2005-05-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

I am off once again to VA Beach. Heading back to VA Beach reminds me of yesteryear. I made this road trip about 14 years ago with the Yonk-meister. Boy am I getting old. What seemed like a trip 2 or 3 years ago has turned into the double digits. Looking forward to spending some time with some of the best Seniors in the world. I really mean that. I believe these graduates have

And the Winner Is...

2005-05-25T17:58:00.000-05:00

I won Kempy's art auction last night. I celebrated as the eBay timer counted down to zero. "I won, I won!" Kempy jumped for joy. He woke up this morning and gave me a big hug, "Dad, you won the auction last night." As the auction continued through the week, I was pleasantly surprised that a few mystery bidders joined into the fray. Some eBay regulars, collectors in antique toys, found

Reality Check

2005-05-24T21:47:00.000-05:00

Over the last week, my eyes were opened to the reality of spiritual warfare. As I looked back over the battlefield, I was reminded once again of the undisputable reality of the spiritual realm that engulfs us. It is now and always will be true, the LORD God is the Living and True God. There is a very real enemy in this world, lurking to thwart us from embracing the purposes of God,

Precious Kempy

2005-05-19T05:44:00.000-05:00

My son, Kempy, delighted me the other night. He was both adorable and inspirational on his birthday the other night. Chris, equally unique and precious, bought him a slew of art supplies for his birthday. Not the usual kiddie type...real art stuff...oil paints, color mixing wheel, paint texture tools, and canvases. It was a good thing I did not see the supplies until the moment he opened them

Standing on the Word

2005-05-12T17:08:00.000-05:00

The other day, in the midst of a heated battle, I chose to stand on God's Word. While there was a lot of shake, rattle, and roll, I am beginning to see the Lord's grace working through my steps of faith. Words that I have stepped into lately:"They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening." (1 Chron 23:30)"Be strong and courageous,

The Unending Song

2005-05-10T21:32:00.000-05:00

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." (Rev 4:8) They were saying this before you stopped by, they are saying this as you read this very

Longing to Lag No More

2005-05-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

I am so sick of jet lag. I felt great the first couple days; however, after the third night of no sleep...arrgghhhh...it is starting to wear on me. Thankfully, the sweet memories of Romania make it worth a thousand nights...well...maybe a hundred nights of jet lag. Perhaps my jet lag will remind me of much more important things...like Amishur and his battle with AIDS. "Jesus,

Up and Down and All Around

2005-05-06T04:33:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot filling my head over the last few weeks. Romania was incredible...more than I have time to describe right now. For our trip blog and pictures, visit our Romania page at GFC or my photo blog. Being back with the wife and kids has been nice. They are such a support and joy. Being back at work has been more of a battle....good times, tough times. "Lord

Ready or Not...Here I Come!

2005-04-19T02:40:00.000-05:00

As I chased the boys in Kid's Cove the other night, I cried out the timeless phrase, "Ready or not, here I come!" Now that I think of it, that statement may have been prophetic. Just a few nights before departure, I am full of excitement yet so unprepared. So much to do and so little time...so what am I doing? The very thing I should not, I am sleepless, an excited insomniac digging his

Peek-a-boo

2005-04-15T22:28:00.000-05:00

I have gotten a glimpse into the lives of the students in my school...I must say...I am grieved. The things I have seen in the recent days really sadden me. While all are not this way, there are so many that are. This peek comes on the heels of reading the article on Sider's book. My recent revelations only lead me to conclude, sadly, that his concerns are quite valid and the health of

Romania in a Blink

2005-04-14T20:30:00.000-05:00

One week from now, just over a blink, I will be flying over the Atlantic on my way to Romania. "God, in Your Sovereignty, prepare me...prepare us...in every way, for all You want to do." I feel so ill-prepared; prepare us O God. I guess it is less about our preparation and more about being in Christ... ...I abide in You alone, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our inJustice System

2005-04-10T14:36:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking about our inJustice System lately. How can one judge affect our nation so profoundly? I was deeply disturbed when a handful of judges allowed homosexuals to get married. Now another set of judges legislate murder! It bewilders me. I worked with people for two years who were much like Terry; following their ruling, the judges could have ruled each and every one be

Hal is in the House

2005-03-16T18:51:00.000-05:00

Last week we had a special speaker, Hal K., at the High School for Spiritual Emphasis Week. What a cool guy. I learned a lot from him. I was challenged by his messages, his style with the students, his preparation, and his use of multi-media. I was particularly taken with his thought on "spiritual authority." I desire to possess more spiritual authority, as he mentioned. I stepped

Drained, Weary, and Hungry for Rest

2005-02-26T13:08:00.000-05:00

After a two week stint in Andover, I am off to Cincinnati. Oh, how I long to rest in the house of the Lord. While I should be excited to go to Cincinnati and see some of my life-long friends, I am so drained from my time in Andover I just want to rest up and hide away in the house of the Lord. Lord, somehow let my time in Cincinnati surprise me. Refuel me in You through my time of

Carrot Powers Activate!

2005-02-15T08:46:00.000-05:00

Ahhhhh....the power of the carrot. So tasty, so strengthening; I can literally feel the juice give life back to my body. I am staying at my parents house to care for my Grandmother while my parents are on vacation. Being at their house is such a drain to me...body, soul, and spirit. I had to stop by my house for a quick juice to rejuvenate my body. Lord, rejuvenate my soul by the juice

Insight in Prayer / Birthday Blessing

2005-02-08T22:10:00.000-05:00

Today is my day to pray for Paul B. The Lord had me experience a few things today that allowed me insight into what Paul feels on a day-to-day basis. It helped me pray for him as I felt what it is like to walk in his shoes. Today was also Juddy's 8th birthday. I am so thankful for him. He is a special boy that shows his love, excitement, and zest for life in so many special ways.

Go patriots!

2005-02-05T23:17:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to let go of the hype...so I am careful to give this "small p" cheer..."Go patriots!"

Singing the Blues Away...or the Browns Away

2005-02-05T04:53:00.000-05:00

I need to jot a quick note of thanks to Over the Rhine and to Izaac and Zoe R. They were the key that brought my family into a new season of peace, saving me $30-50 per month. During the Christmas season, I was surfing from site to site and stumbled upon Over the Rhine's "mp3 of the month - Poopsmith." I immediately clicked on it and discovered a infectious tune, "Poop in the potty,

A Touch of Gratitude

2005-02-05T04:31:00.000-05:00

During our time at The Mission tonight, I stepped back, looked at everyone interacting, and welled up with thanks. I watched one of my students, Emily, dancing with Xochi, and thought, "This is so cool." As Xochi beamed with joy, I looked at each of my children and then looked at each of my students and thought, "Thank You God!" I thought, "This is such a cool season of life. This is

I Stand Alone on the Word of God the B-I-B-L-E

2005-02-05T04:30:00.000-05:00

I taught chapel the other day. While I prepared, the Lord reminded me that He is my teacher and that He is faithful to prepare me to speak. During the weeks leading up to the chapel, I thought of a few topics I needed to address with the students. I wrote them down and pondered them for a couple of weeks. When the time came for me to prepare to speak to the students, I was unsettled

Battling for Bush

2005-02-03T03:54:00.000-05:00

Last night I dreamt that I was invited to the White House to be with the President. I arrived with a group of friends and we were ushered into his private quarters. Upon our arrival, he was immediately threatened by an outside attack. The President immediately responded and scared the intruder off. Throughout that evening, as we visited with the President, he was continually under

Visions for Vision

2005-02-01T17:10:00.000-05:00

Chris prayed for me this evening. As she prayed, she saw a vision of me in a graduation robe. She sensed the Lord say, "I have graduated you." She then saw me eating the diploma scroll, "You are to eat the plans I have for you." Lord let this be. Let me eat Your plans for me. Let me be a graduate for Your glory, living out all you teach me as I pour out my life to others.

Fleece of Faith

2005-02-01T10:33:00.000-05:00

After studying Gideon's fleece this morning, I realized that Gideon's fleece was blessed because his fleece was an act of faith. The specific fleece request was so unique, only a miracle from the Lord could fulfill his request. It is commonly taught today that looking to a fleece is synonymous with faithlessness. We are discouraged from using fleeces because they only show we do not

Bleary Eyes...Blurry Mind

2005-01-28T02:32:00.000-05:00

I continue to live in sleep depravation. Some nights I am fiddling and diddling staying up too late, other nights I am forced to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to meet deadlines. I am concerned that all of these late nights are turning my mind to mush...literally. I need to take care of my body better. Lord help me.

Books & Powder & More Books

2005-01-26T02:02:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning with thoughts floating in my head about a book idea. Lord, by Your power, let this idea come to fruition. Bring justice and blessing to us through this idea. Now, 16 hours later, my head aches with fatigue. I had a wonderful day skiing with Dad, Jeanine, & Taryn. I had a great time reconnecting with my cousin, Taryn. I pray God's greatest blessing in her life.

Friends of His Friends

2005-01-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

Tonight Chris, I, and the kids went to the Mission for Pizza Night. I think the thing that encourages me most about these times is that I sense we are really becoming friends with the folks at the Mission. They genuinely look forward to seeing us and we genuinely look forward to seeing them. We share life together. We catch up. We make plans for future gatherings. We eat together.

Sweet Fellowship

2005-01-20T22:57:00.000-05:00

I met with the teachers this evening for dinner. I had fun cooking in the kitchen and whipping up an alfredo dish (although it came at a high price; I melted my Cuisinart in the frenzy of getting the food ready and the chillin' out the door). It was an enjoyable, relaxed time. The Lord has brought us so many quality people in such a short time...people with whom I sincerely enjoy

Brainerd Notes, Part I

2005-01-19T21:33:00.000-05:00

I have been anticipating the arrival of the biography, The Life and Diary of David Brainerd. It finally arrived and I immediately dug in. Good stuff. I was immediately struck by his continual self-abasement. I also noticed that he had some horrifying experiences where he felt an overwhelming sense of the vengeance of God. I find it interesting that both he and Luther had some fear-based

Why do I Betray?

2005-01-19T13:02:00.000-05:00

Why is it that my actions betray the desire of my soul? The very thing I seek to do, the very area where I want growth is the specific area of my downfall. Is this your way of answering my longings, by fulfilling the growth principle of James 1:2-4, that friction brings eventual growth? I can but quote Romans 7 once again as my solace, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body

Prayer Hurts

2005-01-18T23:30:00.000-05:00

Last night at evening prayer, I asked a couple guys to pray for me to increase in love; that I would maintain a disposition of love...even in the midst of difficult circumstances. This morning, God answered their prayers as I was thrown headlong into a wrestling match. My soul belched forth its worst and the wrestling match began in full force, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from

Late Night Blues

2005-01-18T06:57:00.000-05:00

I have the "Late Night Blues" again. I did not sleep well, tossing and turning and finally waking up in the middle of the night. While I am so thankful for the special time of prayer, I am concerned about the health of my body. Lord, help me to get some good sleep. Fulfill Ps 51:10 in me, "renew a steadfast Spirit within me." Let me be steadfast in spirit, soul, and body so that I may seek you in

2005-01-18T02:54:00.000-05:00

After tossing and turning for about an hour I went down to the prayer room. I felt led to bring Sebastio's book "Sahel" down as my prayer book. I put Scourby's Psalms on the iPod as I prayed over some of the pictures. I was deeply moved during this time of prayer. The Lord led me as I prayed over each picture. The combination of the Psalms, music, and thoughts from the pictures prompted me in

2004-06-22T07:18:00.000-05:00

6/22/2004 8:06 AM Although I have attempted this a few times, I made a decision to get back to blogging. I want to enjoy a special “Summer of Fun,” enjoying real, deep, life-spring rest in the Lord this summer. As I reflect on my life, my periods of “Sabbath rest” have always entailed journaling. As I move into this season, I commit to regular, if not daily, blogging. This morning, Matt 6:22

2003-07-28T06:50:00.000-05:00

7/28/03 7:09 AM I am a bit tired and weary this morning; my sleep is all messed up from staying up late and waking up in the middle of the night. In the midst of the morning fog, the Lord did break through and give me a clear thought. Upon reflecting on my weekend, I desire a greater degree of self control, particularly at home. When tensions rise and accusations come my way, I do not want to

2003-07-23T22:25:00.000-05:00

I have not posted my blog for some time but I have been journaling more regularly. This post is a compilation of my journaling over the past few months. 7/23/03 11:17 PM I was not able to journal this morning because my Mac crashed. I am thankful, “thank you O Lord” it is up and running again. I was stirred by the theme at Tent last night, entering into the depths of God’s goodness. I

2003-05-02T12:28:00.000-05:00

Prayer Fireworks We often talk about prayer through the phrase, “the power of prayer.” God not only worked in a powerful way this week, he gave a display of his glorious power, his fireworks. Our house has been on and off the market for 1 1/2 years. Throughout this time, we received one serious offer. Month after month bizarre things would happen that made the house difficult to sell. Our

2003-04-20T22:23:00.000-05:00

Top Down Today, the 20th Resurrection Sunday I have celebrated with new life in Christ, is a special, special day. For 20 years there has been a key prayer request at the top of my prayer list. Today I discovered that that top prayer request has been answered, it has been taken down off the list by the power and grace of God. I have been praying that the Aunt who led me to the Lord would

2003-04-07T21:43:00.000-05:00

Making the Most of Your Critics Some of the best things in life get better over time. One of my favorite books of all time, The Best of AW Tozer, continues to mean more to me after 12 years. Today I had my Bible classes present 5 different chapters, each highlighting a key characteristic of leadership. Two of these chapters spoke on criticism. The chapter titled, On Receiving Admonition,

2003-04-04T23:50:00.000-05:00

Midnight Run I had the delight of introducing my son to a new concept tonight, "Midnight Run". Tim Willms, a hero who stood far above even the best Bethel commarades, took me on my first Midnight Run in the winter of '87. With my nose stuck in a book, Tim somehow crowbarred me away from the dorm, crammed his car full of Bethelites, and sped off to Young’s Dairy, a dairy and pastry shop a

2003-03-27T16:18:00.000-05:00

Lessons from the Punjab Prayer-Union I started reading a biography titled John Hyde: Apostle of Prayer. Good stuff. It has one stirring quote stating the principles necessary to join the Punjab Prayer-Union. The principles are as follows: 1. Are you praying for quickening in your own life, in the life of your fellow-workers, and in the Church? 2. Are you longing for greater power of the

2003-03-10T15:45:00.000-05:00

Smart Dad, Stupid Dad - Part II A few months ago I wrote a blog discussing some observations surrounding the differences between smart and not-so smart kids. Upon further reflection I have a few things to add. I gave the students individually based assignments during Bible class last week. As I walked around the room and observed the students, there was a clear difference between how the

2003-03-10T15:34:00.000-05:00

Live or Memorex I observed something interesting this week. I played background music to my Bible classes during some class projects this week. I found that the recorded music on CD brought chaos while the live guitar picking was accepted widely. Since music has proliferated, it seems that everyone has their own music that is "cool". In any large group you get innumerable types of music

2003-03-10T15:22:00.000-05:00

The Fourth D After writing about the three Ds it took me months to come up with the fourth. Was it that I spent my days reveling in "delight"...I wish. To the contrary I have spent my time changing residence, putting my house up for sale, integrating into a unique 500,000 square foot community, and launching my church's website. After all this contemplation...what did I discover as the fourth

2002-12-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

The Three Ds My alarm jolted me out of my cozy bed this morning. As I stumbled over to shut it off, all I wanted to do is crawl back for a few more winks of hibernation. So...I did. But when I finally had the covers sufficiently tucked, prohibiting any cold draft from creeping up my back, my soul wrestled within. I could not escape the call to prayer. Although I have drifted from my

2002-11-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

Wrestling with the Power of Prayer I was thinking this week about the interaction between God's Sovereignty and man's free will. While I will never understand how God weaves these two together while maintaining the validity of both, my thoughts were more practical and less theological. I considered this dynamic in relation to prayer. Could it be that prayer is one key that unites God's

2002-11-22T20:24:00.000-05:00

Digging In I was convicted of my lackadaisical attitude toward the Word of God this week. After surveying the past few months I admitted I have been living on a "fast food" diet of the Word. I made a commitment to dig in and it has yielded immediate encouragement and focus. I followed Bob Sorge's suggestion to read successive portions of Scripture. I am already enjoying the interaction

2002-11-18T22:03:00.000-05:00

Fostering My Mentor I was talking to my mentor about Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline, and he scowled. Apparently he is not a fan of Foster. I sent him a few of my favorite Foster quotes to stir his thinking. Here they are: Prayer The Perplexity of Unanswered Prayer..The first thing we must say is to confess that we have a genuine, not an imagined, problem. We will never have time

2002-11-17T05:55:00.000-05:00

Gay Power? Last night I was prompted to go back and read some highlights from one of my top ten books, What's So Amazing About Grace. I stumbled on the chapter, Grace-Healed Eyes, and began thinking about gay power. The first thing that struck me was the reality of gay power. The urge of the homosexuals is not a casual one. In the book, Yancy's friend, Mel White, tries all sorts of things

2002-11-17T05:14:00.000-05:00

Smart Dad, Stupid Dad This week I sat in on about 10 hours of parent-teacher conferences. I saw parent after parent walk in with their kids. There were nudges, dirty looks, elbows in the ribs, and a few corrective words. But then a couple came in with an exemplary child...a girl who is a delight in my French class and carries a 100 average. In the spirit of Kiyosaki, I had to title this

2002-11-17T04:53:00.000-05:00

The Promise of Fear I was thinking about the fear of the Lord earlier this week and became deeply encouraged by all the promises related to this concept. In the past I have not dwelled much on this concept. Although I know the true meaning of the word fear in this context, nevertheless the connotation of the world fear did not stir much interest in me. However, once I began to see the

2002-11-13T05:02:00.000-05:00

Do Cats Go to Heaven? My wife has been participating in a homeschooling email group for the past few months. She has dropped seeds about her faith in Christ and caused a stir from time to time. This week a woman in the email group faced a mini-crisis when her pet cat died. Her daughter had been weeping for days and wondered if her the cat was in heaven. This situation prompted Rachel to ask

2002-09-10T22:37:00.000-05:00

Core Values I am having the time of my life. I recently began enjoying the privilege of teaching Bible to high school students in Southern New Hampshire at Nashua Christian Academy. It is so much fun! To think I have the opportunity to build into their lives...what a privilege and honor. As I prayed...thought..."Prought" how we should begin the year, I decided to have everyone write their

2002-09-05T08:06:00.000-05:00

Glazed Over Goodness A few days ago we sang a song in worship with the chorus, "You are good, You are good, and Your love endures". As I sang that song, I realized, in spite of all God has done on my behalf, that song did not resonate in the depths of my soul. Intellectually I knew I should be brimming with God's goodness but experientially I did not feel the deep exuberant joy that comes

2002-08-31T22:49:00.000-05:00

Homeschool Kickoff Tonight we had a Homeschool Kickoff Party with some fellow homeschoolers. We took our beloved Judson with his brother Kemper to the home of the Judsons to mark the beginning of their Kindergarten year. We gave the boys some special gifts, their "Super Heroes Bible" and a Wonka Bar. We pray, "Lord, Master, Rabbi...be the teacher of our boys, impart passion for You and

2002-08-28T20:53:00.000-05:00

The Fruit of Unanswered Prayer I spoke about unanswered prayer this evening at I church I grew up in, New England Bible Church. Some of my thoughts came from these quotes: The Perplexity of Unanswered Prayer....The first thing we must say is to confess that we have a genuine, not an imagined, problem. Many times I, too, stand in perplexity at prayers that seem to be ignored. It may

2002-08-26T07:04:00.000-05:00

The Soul of Language I have been thinking about how my soul is connected to my mother tongue. In preparation to teach French this fall, I decided to dive back into French by immersing my life of solitude in French. I pray in French, I read my Bible in French. I think in French, I surf the web in French, I "palm" my memos & to do lists in French...everything...tout en francais. After doing

2002-08-21T02:39:00.000-05:00

Prayer, Passion, & Compassion As I prayed for Brian Kelley tonight, I realized that true prayer is the perfect fusion between the passion of God and compassion for people. "Lord...give me a heart of true prayer."

2002-08-21T02:07:00.000-05:00

The Mother Heart of God I found myself praying a very strange prayer tonight. During our "Tent of Meeting" service where we gather to honor the glory of God and seek the presence of God, I began praying for God to reveal the "Mother Heart of God" to me. While the focus of the service was to cry out for the "Father Heart of God", to be healed of "father wounds" that occurred in childhood, I

2002-08-18T14:42:00.000-05:00

Salvation through Solitude I just got back from a family vacation in Quebec. We had a good time camping and visiting some friends in Montreal. While I enjoyed watching my boys hunt frogs and my baby girl roll in the grass, about half way through the trip I realized how I get mentally drained from my kids. The fact that they have continual demands, fun as they are ("Dad look at this frog!),

2002-08-13T22:31:00.000-05:00

Family Vacations Season after season, I carried a weight, saddened I did not take my family on vacaction. Partly due to my lack of planning and partly choked by my corporate culture, I let season after season pass without a vacation. I am burying that sadness this summer. Tomorrow morning we leave on our third vacation of the summer and our second trip to Quebec. The first trip was a

2002-08-13T22:23:00.000-05:00

Steps of Growth I celebrated my 8th anniversary yesterday...yahoo! I thank my God for his grace and my wife for the sustaining power of her patience and forgiveness...8 years...yahoo. I spent some time in the morning at the Robert Frost Woods reflecting on the past, present, and future of our relationship. I was encouraged to see some growth occur over the past few years. I am glad to see

2002-08-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

I begin this blog at the behest of my friend, Kevin Rains, blogger extraordinaire. In this blog I hope to dig deep into my heart and soul to reveal some of the thoughts I ponder throughout the day. It is my goal that this blog become a tool where I face myself, my friends, and my God, growing day by day, one step closer to being a honest, true, sincere friend of God.