turkey birthday

This Thursday is pretty awesome because I get to celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday. I am convinced that the Thanksgiving/Birthday combo is the ultimate in birthday/holiday combinations. There is a large family gathering with excellent food, and you get presents. There aren't other disctractions like fireworks (4th of July), parades (Vetrans Day) or everyone being out of town (Memorial Day). Unlike the Christmas/Birthday combo there is little danger of double gifting (one gift which "covers" Christmas and Birthday). In addition it is generally expected that you will watch football and lie around, both of which I enjoy. As you can probably tell I am pretty excited. The best part will be spending time at home with my family and just relaxing. I've got a few good books packed - two serious and one that's pure fun. I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving as well.

driving through the night and Admiral Stockdale

Hillary started driving around 10pm and I as lay there in the reclined car seat I was staring up following the moon as its light reflected off scattered clouds. It was a beatiful evening twisting and cruving along Interstate 81 as we traveled through Virginia and West Virginia into Pennsylvania. I had the 12:40-5am shift at the wheel and the first two and a half hours were great. I was rested from my nap and enjoyed the lonely time of the morning when there are few distractions and plenty of time to think. I spent the time listening to instrumental music, talking with God, and thinking all sorts of thoughts. I like being up late into the night/morning, but don't get to do so very often.

I've been thinking about this thing called the stockdale paradox which talks about confronting the most difficult aspects of your present situation while believing that you will eventually truimph. Looking back on the past year of serving Christ in CT and looking forward to the next I am very aware of my need for faith in God. I don't want to be merely optimistic, but to trust God's call and wisdom in leading us here and believe that he will work despite various difficulties.

eating our way through the day

This past weekend we were visiting EPC, the church I went to while I was a student at the University of Delaware. Hillary and I were participating in the missions conference, sharing about our ministry in CT. It was a great time as I caught up with many that I hadn't seen in a while and was able to introduce Hillary to them. Furthermore, they had guests from Chile and Northern Mexico who described God's work in these areas. I had fun using my broken Spanish to communicate with a couple serving in Saltillo Mexico and was encouraged through my interactions with these different people. We stayed with a family that I knew while I was a student and were pampered by their wonderful hospitality. They continued to bring us snacks, and ask if we would like some tea. Between these treats, sharing meals as part of the conference, and getting together with some other friends over coffee, Hillary remarked "it seems like we are eating our way through the day." We drove back this afternoon and are glad to be back in town.

the communion of the saints

I've been reflecting more this past week about what it means to live as a group of Christians and not just as an individual believer. Here are a few thoughts that have come to min. Ephesians 5 talks about Christians being imitators of God and as we were talking about how this plays out in the church the image of a mosiac came to mind. Each tile, on its own is nothing special but when put together in the right order and place, these little colored pieces form beatiful pictures. Each Christian cannot imitate the full nature and beauty of God, but if you put enough people together who are trying to live so that God is seen, a picture emerges. As I think about this reality, I realize why some churches or Christian movements have been attracted to the notion of a mosiac. Here are two quotes which I came across while reading...

"many Americans... in the contemporary church ... treat churches like leased automobiles, trading in the old one in for a new one every five years."

"But after we have done our best to communicate to a lost world, still we must never foget that the final apologetic which Jesus gives is the observable love of true Christians for true Christians"