26 July 2006

Tired

I have just returned from my last week of camp and now I am sick with whatever makes you hack up a lung and spit out sweet lugis. I have been gone for 3 of the last 4 weeks. Some things I have learned:

1. I really dont like being gone that long. I missed my wife and kids too much.
2. I cant take it like I used to.
3. Camp is still an amazing spiritual experience.
4. There is something special about removing distractions and focusing on God.
5. I missed my family.
6. Life goes on while you are gone whether you like it or not.
7. People talk too much while you are gone.
8. Flat tires on trips are not fun.
9. Did I say I missed my wife and kids.
10. God is SO good.

14 July 2006

Junior High Camp

What a wild week. Junior high camp was such a great time. I am exhausted, but I know that God did great things this week. I was able to hang with some great friends and laugh A LOT. Camp is known for things like staying up late, doing stupid things, and doing more stupid things; but camp is really about life change. Camp, for a brief moment, give an opportunity to step outside of the world we are consumed in and focus on things eternal. I wonder how much difference it would make if our adults would take a brief momentary break and focus on some eternal things (Godly things). It certainly changes attitudes and perspectives.

Next week: senior high camp!

07 July 2006

Fishing excitement

My daughter has been wanting to go fishing for some time now. So, we prepared to go out fishing at the dupage river. I picked up a fishing license and some worms (which Emma loved playing with). Emma quickly lost interest after a few uneventful casts. She quickly became much more interested in throwing stick and rocks. She also found a bell that was in the tackle box and began to ring that, so fishing was pretty much done for. Except for the excitement to come. As we were walking along the riverbank, Emma shouted, "dad look". And there was a snake swimming in the water. I tried to figure out what kind of snake it is but couldn't figure it out. I tried to take the bait near it, but the snake didn't go for it. Never a dull moment.

06 July 2006

Daddy

I got to help put my son to bed tonight. I love his intensity to be held. It was very difficult, well more difficult than normal, to get him into his pajamas. All he wanted was to be held. No matter how I would position him he would find his way around and work his hardest to climb up to have dad hold him. One of the most special moments as a dad.

It made me wonder how intensly am I strving for my heavenly daddy to hold me... Am I constantly, no matter of where I am, striving to climb up and spend time with God? There are so many worthless things that we strive for. Watching one of the too many talent based shows, it amazes me what people strive for. I am even more amazed at the things that "followers of Christ" choose to strive for. I am blown away how eventhough we are to see others as Christ sees them, we still look at them according to physical/outward charasteriscis.

How great would it be to be brave/daring/willing enough to drop the act and genuinly love God. It would be so great to return to the unhindered passion and intensity of a child wanting their parent.

Psalms 17

05 July 2006

Fireworks, Family, Friends, ...

What a great day. The family hit the pool. My daughter had an amazing time. She was jumping off of everything there was to jump off of. Somewhere the switch flipped and she was brave. She had no fear today. She was a fish today. It was a great time. We played so hard, it was great.

We then met up with some friends and grabbed Little Ceasers pizza and some Caribou coffee. It is so much fun getting together and letting our kids hang out and play. We watched an amazing fireworks show. It was intense! So in true small group fashion, we decided that we would just hang out until the line of the cars went down. We stayed so long just enjoying great friends that the entire parking lot was full by the time we ended up leaving. It was great just hanging out and chatting with great friends.

All in all a great day. I guess even the war zone that continues to explode in our neighborhood.

01 July 2006

We are home



The missions trip was a transforming experience. It is so great to be home with my family again. We experienced so many things in Mexico, but probably the best was just serving. It is great to get back to what serving is all about; selflessly giving to another. We did our job, expecting nothing in return. We never met the people of the church, never had an awards banquet, no celebration dinner. Our team was proud to give our best and honor God. That is why we came. Pure serving. It feels good. Sometimes we forget what it is like to just serve, too often we are expecting a pat on the back or some kind of recognition; I don't think that is truly serving.