Test driving the "vacated" nest....

This past week, we have had a taste of life without our "big" boys at home and just our two "little" ones around. i guess you could say a partially vacated (not even "empty) nest experience! i must admit it's a ton quieter and quite a bit less rushed. In many ways it's a bit of a preview to life with a couple of older kids out on their own and a couple of younger ones waiting in the queue for their day to "launch".

This has caused me to think about my older boys quite a bit... they have both been for the most part "lab rats"... sorry there really is no other way to describe them! We have tried a bunch of stuff out on them just to see how they would react or how it would work and i'm happy to report that after all these years and multiple mis-steps, they are still alive!

We think (and i stress think) for the most part they are fairly well adjusted kids... of course, every parent thinks that of their kids right? You know the old... He-seemed-like-such-a normal kid-until.... Our guys love their parents, their grand-parents, their siblings, their church and of course and most importantly their God. They look out for one another (sometimes to a fault), they back one another up and they will blow the whistle on one another (to trustworthy adults) if need be. All this is good, i think... however, i am still amazed that fairly normal children would result from my input (their mother is normal, i on the other hand... well, talk to my wife).

Still, i look forward to their coming home late this week, they will no doubt have very funny and very serious stories to tell about their time away and it will get sort of "nutty" around here all over again but that's okay, not having everyday be "nutty" seemed so far away all those years ago...

Down in a hole...

Ever been stuck? Stuck not struck... not like the song "Stuck on You" or General Honore's famous stuck on stupid... line in the midst of Hurricane Rita...the stuck i experienced was really sort of funny (in a weird and twisted way)...

Once upon a time i lived in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies and Spelunking or caving out in western Canada is big deal. There were several leaders in my youth ministry who did this and were quite accomplished. i being the dork that i was, agreed to give it a try.

So one sunny day we drove out to mountains, they were (as usual) simply gorgeous. Down we went down into the cave. Damp... cold and musty. I don't know how long we spent crawling through holes in complete darkness with very minimal light... but it seemed like forever. The openings in the rocks tended to be very, very small and honestly i was not. Several of these holes i managed to successfully crawl through on my stomach but several of them required crawling through on your back.

At one point i tried the crawl-on-your-back technique on a particular hole and got stuck.... in a hole, in the ground... in a hole!!!!

And folks... in that hole, it was completely dark especially on my side because i was the last one through! Everyone else was already on other side, seeing my lower torso in the light of multiple flashlights!

The things that run through your mind in a situation like that are pretty horrifying... i wondered if i would ever get free... i recall thinking at the time "great i'm gonna' be stuck here forever!". I also remember wondering how would i ever get unstuck?

Well, obviously it all worked out in the end... somehow in the end, things turned out much better than my overactive imagination allowed for. It took a little work and determination but i would venture to guess that many of you who are reading this, are maybe stuck too but in a different way.

Are you stuck...

• in a rough season in your marriage?
• with unresolved issues with siblings?
• in a pattern of addictive behaviors?
• with an anger that boils over at the slightest provocation?
• with resentments that you will not let go of?
• because someone let you down and forgiveness is not in your vocabulary?

You don't have to be stuck you know.... do like i did.... calm down, stop fighting with yourself and amazing freedom can be yours too.

That's a lot of "Dads"....

Well... this coming weekend we celebrate Father's Day... even though i have seen 42 of these special days come and go over the years (the last 17 times as an actual Dad myself)... i haven't had the opportunity to tell my own father happy Father's day...

There are perhaps many of you who are in similar situations, for a variety of reasons... that is, you are a dad but haven't really had a dad involved in your life from the time you were very young or perhaps even before you were born (such as was the case in my life). Now you find yourself trying to navigate the sometimes turbulent waters of "fatherhood" with little to no help from the one man who could have (or should have) helped you figure some of that out. Truth is... that's all behind us now.

On the other hand, on this Father's Day there are a quite a few men that i really believe were brought into my life at just the right time, under just the right circumstances who truly shaped me into the person that i have become today... guys like...
Lou- who was the very first man i remember who took care of me and loved me for being me

Uncle Floyd- who is one of the hardest working men i have ever known
Uncle Fred- who is one of the smartest men i have ever known
Uncle E.L. - who is one of the toughest men i have ever known
Uncle Jr. - who is one of the "funnest" (is that a word?) men i have ever known

Coach DaFoe- who helped me see that although i'd never be a great athlete, i could be a great kid...
Coach Wroughton- who saw a crying kid who had great potential, found the key and unlocked my soul
John Pack- who stood for what was right with gentleness and faithfulness
Mr. Ulrich- who encouraged my love for music
Coach Lombardi- who taught me to love the phrase..."No pain...No gain!"

Earl- who modeled a faith in God that changed my life
Sky- who proved that it was possible to really love obnoxious insecure students (like yours truly)!
Coach- who went beyond the call of duty and showed me what it meant to "make it happen"
Allan- For being the best first "boss" a man could have
George- For sowing the seeds of unconditional love into the heart and soul of most incredible woman i know
Ted- for his faithful love for me, even though i know i don't deserve it

So i guess when I really think about it... it's not that i haven't had a dad to thank, i have never thought about thanking all the Dads in my life and so let me say...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Dreaming Again?!?

Sorry i am a bit late with this blog but there is a pretty special reason why...

If you have been a long time (dare i say original) reader of this blog you may recall this Pinch me... i must be dreaming! Hard to believe that was well over a year ago but it was...

There is a great line from a favorite movie of mine (well, the truth is the movie is "okay", the music and the scenery were the killer) called Out of Africa. At one point in the movie one of the characters makes a remark to another character and says... "God is great Saboo, God plays tricks on us..."

But this week after long months of prayer, wise counsel, research and much more prayer, it was announced to our staff and our congregation i have assumed the duties and more officially the title of Executive Pastor (believe me... it sounds more "high and mighty" than it is) here at Westbrook. It's actually a very funny story about how this all came about which perhaps one day in another blog i will share with you all. But suffice it to say i am still amazed at how God's timing works!

The staff here at Westbrook is an incredible group of Christ-followers and leaders in their respective areas of ministry and i am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve them in this capacity... it also an humbling thing to have been asked to serve this church in this capacity.
It's extremely rewarding to be in a place where i absolutely love, getting out of bed every single morning. As to the specifics of the position, in addition to my responsibilities as Pastor of Spiritual Formation, i will take on oversight of several of the church staff and daily operations of the office operations of the church...(and anything else that Mont would like for me to take from "his plate" ;)

Speaking of Mont, here is the bottom line (and i really do mean this part), there is one guy around here who plays an immeasurable part in my love for this place... and that is my Senior Pastor, Mont Mitchell. Don't misunderstand me, he doesn't need me to make him feel extra special, he is truly a very special and godly leader and i am blessed to serve him in this capacity as well.

This has been and continues to be a crazy but thrilling adventure... i can hardly wait to see what He has in store around the corner for all of here at Westbrook!