5.30

Schedule permitting, we read the bible as a family. We don't have a set day, but mostly we do it on Sundays. So far we've read through John, Ephesians, Jonah, Esther, Titus, and Ecclesiastes. Right now we're on Micah. Over the years, we've had to press forward amidst some protest. Our kids do not wake up in the morning wanting to get into the scriptures. But by keeping it short and sweet - about twenty minutes, and making it interactive, we feel like we've won them over.

This past Sunday, Abby had some questions about Islam. We talked some about the similarities and then about the one major difference. It was a good time of reflection and thanksgiving around the good news of a Savior. We went over a couple passages including 1 Peter 3:18. Toward the end, Jacob reminded us that we had a similar conversation a year ago. I'm sure we'll continue to re-visit this cornerstone of our faith: Jesus, the Lamb of God - the propitiation for our sins.

We believe that we as parents bear the primary responsibility for laying the foundation for discipleship. Getting them in the bible is one of the basic pieces of this foundation. Hopefully, in the future, others will build upon what we are laying. And in building them up, we hope to partner with our kids in the work of the gospel.

5.28

Last Friday night we went on a double date with our neighbors, four doors down. They are a young couple with two little girls. Over the past couple years, we've slowly built a growing friendship. We like them a lot. Before I tell you about our double date, let me tell you what we do to begin these relationships.

I'm neither an extrovert nor a gregarious, people person. Those of you who know me, know this. What God has done is he has drastically changed the way I view people and relationship. This thing he's done has made me better at making friends.

First thing he did was convince me that his interest in people is enough for me to be interested in people. His interest is not casual, not "ho hum". No. His heart burns white hot for people. They consume him. And so when I talk to him, I can't ignore what he sees. It's difficult for me to tell him I love him without taking an interest in the thing he loves most.

The second thing he did was convince me that relationships, for me, a renewed, redeemed child of his does not have to be for me. It is not a resource I need. And so I do not have to look for people I like, or can help me, or add to my existence. No. I am now to look at relationship as a place to pour the endless fountain that flows out of me.

This change got us introducing ourselves. Talking sports, food. Offering help. Having them over, going over ... all the way to going on a double date. Really, this is evangelism? Good times.

5.23

God sends his Son. Jesus then turns to us and says "Just as the Father has sent me, I now send you." We can only assume he is sending us into the world, in the manner in which he came - as a loving, servant.

A few years ago, we decided to keep our kids out of Sunday school. One of the reasons was to keep them from differentiating between christian and non-christian friends, church and school friends. In the last couple years, this decision has been tested. I feel my hand nervously hovering over the "eject" button.

Our oldest Jacob has been blessed with a bunch of friends. Most do not know Christ. Initially, watching him roll with this horde of twelve, thirteen year old boys was down right scary. The sight made us want to immediately pull him away, to push back the world around him. In fear, Tara turned to prayer and heard this, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son ... 

Still scary, but we believe God has decided to have Jacob lead our family into evangelism.

5.21

Spent a good deal of this past weekend at Jacob's water polo tournament. One of his good friends from the neighborhood is on the team. His dad is not around and his mom wasn't available for most of the weekend, so he rode with us. Since he is Jacob's friend, we're assuming that there's a good chance God is interested in him. Together, we as a family hope to see him, his mom and then the rest of his family trust Christ.

It was great seeing him score his first goal, and to cheer for him as if he were part of our family. On our drive home, we got to talk about his goal, to tell him how well he played. On the second day of the tournament, Tara when packing Jacob a lunch made sure to pack his friend one too. We're starting to really love this dude, and so we long for him to know what God thinks of him.

I think this longing, this hope makes the little things God does in our relationship so encouraging. We are praying and planning to ask if he and others of Jacob's friends would read the bible with us this summer.

5.17

Couple days ago, Tara was over at our neighbor's house helping with refinishing an antique French table. When we had them over to our place a couple months ago, E___ noticed some of Tara's restoration handy work on some of her thrift store finds. They got to talking, and now Tara's over there helping.

From my unique vantage point, I get to appreciate all Tara is doing. For one, she is putting off a project in our own home to lend E a hand. Second, she does this in faith - for Christ without knowing where it will lead.

Tara will tell you it's not big deal. And right, she not giving E a kidney or something. But I do think it's a big deal. I don't think it is the "huge sacrifice" that keeps us from being involved with people. No, for most of us, it's the inconveniences, the impositions. It's the "little deaths" we can't abide.

5.13

Past Saturday morning, I read the Bible with a couple guys. I met the first guy, Kerwin Owens, a couple years ago, on the sideline of our kids' football practice. I had made it a pattern to introduce myself to people God plopped into my life. Two hours a day, four days a week, a dozen or so parents gathered on the sideline - "plopped" in a big way. One of the dads I'd met, a guy named Frank introduced me to Kerwin. I can't remember exactly how it went, but it went something like this:

"Hey, my name is Kyu."
"Kyu as in 'Q'?"
"Yup, just like that."
"Nice. I like that, 'Q'. I'm Kerwin."
"Nice to meet you Kerwin. Who's your son?"
"Number 22 over there, Devon."
.... and so on. We later talked golf, and said we need to play sometime.

During one of those practices, I was talking with another dad and Kerwin overheard us saying something about church. Found out that day that his grandfather was a Baptist minister. Also learned that he hadn't read much of the bible. That week the thought that I could help him with reading wouldn't leave me alone.

A week later, on the bleachers at one of the games I said, "Hey Kerwin, I was thinking, you know how you said you hadn't read much of the bible. How about us reading together? We can meet once a week for thirty minutes or so and read a chapter together, talk about it." Had no idea what he would say.
"Yeah, that sounds real good. Let's do that."

We've been meeting together for over two years now. Slowly, we've gotten our families together - had dinners, studied the bible, served one another. They're our friends - gifts from God plopped into our lives.

5.8

State it plainly. A few years ago, a number of us gathered in San Diego to talk about what it means to live as Christ followers in the world. I have a friend who at the time was a few steps ahead of us. I invited him to talk to us about the things he was doing. He did a great job with what was asked of him, but by the time he was done, I wished I hadn't asked him. In principle, what he was passing on was great, but how he himself was living it was in a word, Spectacular. He and a few friends moved into the inner city, started to read the Bible with some regulars at a local bar, ended up serving a drug addict with HIV. I feared the volume on the unintended message - this is spectacular - was higher than the intended message: We can all center our lives of faith in the world.

Last Friday we did go turn in paperwork to be licensed by the County to be foster parents. In writing about it, I feared I had done the same thing my friend did years back. I am paranoid - yup paranoia is an accurate description - of depicting this whole thing as being for the exceptional, the spectacular. I am convinced it is not. 

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13  

5.7

Foster parenting. I know, sounds spectacular. Not saying we're spectacular ... far from it. It started with little steps like reading Proverbs 28:27 - "Those who give to the poor lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses."

I didn't like what seeing the poor did to me. The uncomfortable struggle: the guilt, the not knowing how to help, the inconvenience. It got easier to close my eyes. One morning Tara shared the above verse with me. Because of what I was doing, it struck me. I decided then that I would not avert my eyes from the poor.

Living as followers of Christ in the world does not mean we have to be spectacular, extraordinary. We do not all need to sell everything and move to the inner city. We do not all need to be foster parents. Take small steps of obedience. We can all do that ... and then wherever he leads.

5.3

Just got back from turning in all our paper work to be licensed as foster parents. It's been a long process, but we can see the finish line. On our drive over to Orange County Social Services office, we prayed that God would take care of the details. He did. The meeting went smooth, we got finger printed, and was out the door in thirty minutes.

When the licensing agent asked us, "What got you interested in foster parenting?" Tara responded, "God got us into this." Straight forward, innocent honesty is what I've always loved about Tara. It's true, God did get us into this.

God wants us to love. In recent years, we've felt his gentle nudge to think love this way: Do something to make somebody's life better. Along with the nudge came some words about the poor, about justice. This is our small step in response. We're scared and what lies ahead seems daunting.

As we pulled up to the building this morning, our last thought before getting out of the car was about a God who is so great that he does not need to mingle with the great and powerful. Unlike any other powerful person we know, his eyes turn to the child. The fatherless, motherless. How great is this God.

5.2

This year, I'm working hard at trying to get myself to pray for people. Many days I start out thinking, "If I get nothing else done today, I'm going to pray for people." The focus is in response to what I believe God is doing. Number of things have led me to to believe God is pretty determined to get me trusting him for all things. The main obstacle is my trust in self. Prayer is a turning away from trusting myself.

I'm trying to major on people. I start with wife, kids. Family, friends, some neighbors. Guys I'm discipling and people at work.

Trying to pray for them all in one sitting wasn't working. I'm trying now to get myself to pray twice a day, and in little bursts throughout the day.

It's going slow. I fail more than succeed at it. But I think he's happy with what I'm doing.

A verse encouraging me to pray:
Isaiah 62:6,7: "... You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth."

5.1

Was working through a conflict with our oldest, Jacob. Whilst doing so, it came time for him to head off to school. His friend from around the corner came to our door to skate with him to school. Since I'd held them up, I offered to drive them to school. In the car, with his buddy sitting in the back, we continued to work through the conflict. I told Jacob that though conflict does not feel good, we have to move toward each other, not away. I continued that if he recognizes that he did something wrong, if he just apologizes, I want to forgive him. And then we'd be good.

This friend listened in on our conversation. What is oft an uncomfortable conversation was dealt with calmly and in the open. Without prompting, Jacob turned to me and said, "Dad, I'm sorry." I smiled and told him that I forgave him. As I grabbed his shoulder and affectionately shook him, I told him thanks for apologizing.

In an meaningful way, I think that conversation was a piece of the gospel for Jacob's friend.

I knew he was back there. And decided to risk a bit of awkwardness to let the light shine during our little drive.