clark griswald watch out!

okay, anyone feeling lonely for some extreme christmas lights? check this out!
http://media.putfile.com/WizardsofWinter-SM

i think it's time to watch christmas vacation...

2005 book list

It is safe to say my 2005 reading is done for the year! Not a lot of reading time these days. I was introduced to some awesome new books this year! You'll notice a primary theme in many of the books, since I am taking a course on spiritual direction. 2006 will prove to include more of the same, including a list of books on poverty issues during my internship. So much great stuff to learn and absorb. There will be no shortage of good flight reading time...but any advice on how to pack light with books? ha!

Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2005
A prayer book for the year written by the Jesuits in Ireland. The book uses an Ignition prayer model for reflecting, praying, and applying a Scripture each day. Check out a sample on www.sacredspace.ie.

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
Started 2005 reading this with Book Club friends – Matt, Kevin, Greg, David H., and Walter. A classic on God’s grace and “furious love” for his children.

The Return of Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen
This book could have been titled the Love of the Compassionate Father. Another book on God’s grace with the Book Club. First read this book over five years ago. Definitely one to reread! Nouwen calls the parable a “mysterious window through which I can step into the Kingdom of God.” What an incredible picture of God’s amazing grace – all the gospel is in there!

SoulGuide: Following Jesus As Spiritual Director by Bruce Demarest
Excellent introduction to spiritual direction! Defines spiritual direction, gives a historical perspective, and then gives example after example of how Jesus was a spiritual director to all he met – our perfect model.

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
A classic novel about a young boy growing up in South Africa in the 1940’s.

Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer
Great little book that defines vocation as listening to who we are and all God has created us to be. Also includes a great chapter on embracing all the seasons of life and allowing them to speak into our vocation and call.

Watership Down by Richard Adams
I’ll never look at rabbit the same way!

Sacred Companions by David Brenner
Another great introduction to spiritual direction and friendships – helping one another be attuned to God!

Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson
Book develops the importance of spiritual rhythm in life and shares several spiritual disciplines and practices to apply – prayer, Lectio Divina, worship, fasting, self-examination, hospitality, and a rule of life. I have a lot to learn!

preparing space for advent

Good reflection this Advent season...
Taken from Sacred Space: A Prayer Book

"Did this ever happen to you? A friend invites you to a meal. You arrive on the appointed day in pleasant anticipation. Your friend opens the door, looks at you with a blank face - he has completely forgotten that he invited you. Or you find that he expected you but has made no preparations. 'Sit down there and I'll put something together.' Family meals are helped by the fact that somebody, mother or father, has made preparations, thought about the event.

Lord, I do not want you to find me with a blank face, or unprepared. I still have three weeks to make ready for you, to think about what it meant that you came as a baby, without a house, a displaced person, in poverty. Christmas cards show us cozy scenes, warm firesides, lights and luxuries. Bethlehem was not like that, no fires, no furnishings. God wanted to enter the world of the poor and the insecure."

cartoon david

Okay,this might be fun, for those who haven't seen it...check out cartoon David. It is a promo animation that was made for a worship gathering at the church. We had fun doing it and it sure got everyone's attention in our worship services.

http://www.grace-sealbeach.org/VintageGraceOct02.wmv

World AIDS Day

Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day. Statistics are always difficult for me to get my mind and heart around - especially these large numbers. Today, these numbers remind me of my first visits to South Africa several years ago, when I first began to recognize the impact of this AIDS crisis on families, children, and communities in Africa. Really, I still have no idea.

"Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world. In Africa alone, more than 17 million people have died from AIDS and another 25 million are infected with the HIV virus, approximately 1.9 million of whom are children. Every day in Africa, HIV/AIDS kills 6,300 people. 8,500 people are infected with the HIV virus and 1,400 newborn babies are infected during childbirth."

For more see: http://www.one.org/Events.html

gestures of gratitude & thanksgiving

Thanksgiving night I spent 4 hours going through almost 15 years of photos. I think I overdosed on memories, but what a great way to close out my Thanksgiving day! God has blessed me with a life full of dear family and friends. So many sweet memories of good times and life together. I have so much to be thankful for! As I embark on these next steps on the road with "eager feet," it is also sad to wrap-up this current chapter.

"Gratitude as recognition, receptivity, and response is a basic attitude and action of the Christian life. We not only recognize and are aware of God's gifts to us, but also continually find ways of saying thanks to God in worship, prayer, and 'whatever we say or do.' Our aim is to live our whole life as a sacred gesture of thanksgiving, a deep bow of gratitude, solidifying our relationship with God." ~ Sacred Space, Don Postema

God is so good! May the gestures and posture of gratitude remain throughout the year!

getting this started...

The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone, and I must follow it if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins the larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say?
~ Bilbo Baggins in the Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings begins with Bilbo Baggins leaving the home at the Shire for an unknown destination. He did not know what was ahead on the road but he headed off with eager feet. He knew the road was far ahead, yet he was off to follow it as best he could.

Bilbo’s song resonates with me. I feel a bit like Bilbo not knowing what is ahead. This blog is my attempt to share my path on the road with all of you. It is good for our paths on the road to meet.

Okay, I am gonna need to make this up as I go! I'm old skool. But, here is my best attempt to share all I am experiencing and learning as I begin this new season and journey. As I soon begin 18-months of travel and life overseas, I hope to regularly share reflections, random & fun stories, pictures, updates, and questions. I am realizing that it is often more about asking the right questions than having all the answers.

Here is the nutshell summary of the next 18-months:

February-April 2006 – Personal Around the World Trip
My dream frequent flyer mile trip! The stops include: Buenos Aires, Argentina w/ the Forcattos; Rome, Italy; Prague, Czech Republic; Johannesburg, South Africa w/ the Biedebachs; Cape Town, South Africa; Mumbai, Goa, & Calcutta, India w/ Jon Derby; Bangkok & Phuket Thailand w/ Jon. It will be good and sweet to be with friends serving in these places.

June-November 2006 – WMF Internship (Part I) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Word Made Flesh (WMF) serves among the poorest of poor around the world. The Brazil missionaries live and minister in favela slum neighborhoods in Rio. They minister among those who suffer from drugs, poverty, and violence, especially children living on the streets.

January-April 2007 – WMF Internship (Part II) in Cape Town, South Africa
I will take what I learn in Brazil and explore new ministry opportunities for myself and Word Made Flesh in South Africa. Specific areas of exploration will involve partnering with ministries sharing God’s love, peace, and hope to those impacted by AIDS/HIV, racism, and poverty. There are many children who live on the streets in Cape Town.

Let the blogging begin... this will be fun!!