a "banner" year

me... again.

I've never been overly comfortable with photos of myself. We've rarely used them in our outreach materials and each time we have- it's a battle for me. Vanity...

That version of our logo goes up on a new banner this week in front of Central Community. The sign's 16'x4', I occupy about 3 feet of it and I'm hidden behind the churches name... even still... it's hard to adjust to. I'd make a lousy movie star- all those glossy 8"x10"s to autograph. So many people looking at your face!

"You're Invited!" is pretty much all the banner says: church name, service times, phone # and web address. Our vital statistics for anyone who might be searching for a church- a welcome mat to the thousands who drive by each day -"You're Invited!" On each side there'll be a banner for our upcoming craft fair, (October 25th, you're invited to that as well!), hopefully this will be the beginning of a "banner" year.

I'd like to learn to effectively use our corner to reach out to everyone who passes by. When you see the banners, let me know what you think. And if you never get to Riverside, You're Invited to listen in through our podcast or at our website, my pictures there as well... don't let it hinder you :-) Just remember: You're Invited!

H.A.L.T. something to consider

"It is "unthinkable" that legislation would not pass by end of week, White House says."


The Last Judgement... not for the American way of life... but reading/watching the news these days one would think Michelangelo's great work had jumped out of the Sistine Chapel and now cruises Wall St. stalking our banking system... waiting for a wrong... or even worse, a delayed decision.

Big expenditures- from buying a house, car or boat -it's hard to find a financial adviser who doesn't recommend taking your time, checking out all the options, looking for the best deal and talking it over with your family as you evaluate how hard it's going to hit the pocketbook versus a positive return. Interestingly enough, many nationally known financial guru's seem to ignore their own advice when it comes to the current crisis. Don't need to name names- you've probably read and seen them on TV just like I have as they talk up a plan, not even a week in the making that will be one of the largest financial expenditures in the history of humanity. A little bigger than a new home, car or boat.

The entire situation's reminded me of a simple lesson my old friend Ed Jones, Colonel in the USAF, retired... now with The Lord... as a member of our Pastor Management Team - when things would get tough - not uncommon occurrence in a church - he'd ask us to take a deep breath before making a big decision, to pray about it and tell the little story of the acrostic that helped keep his decision making balanced: H.A.L.T.

WWII, Korea and Vietnam- and a collection of other military actions -from props, to jets, to squadrons of B-52's, Ed had been in more tough spots than most of us will ever imagine. Even still, I can still hear him counsel me, as we struggled to meet Central Community's humble financial needs or stretched to do all we believed God created us to do... to H.A.L.T.

Never make a big decision when you're:

Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired

I've tried to remember these simple words. Too often I've failed to heed them and it's usually cost me. I miss Ed. He was one of the many people God's placed in my path to build, enrich and encourage me... he was a trusted adviser, great friend and brother in Christ. His witness speaks to me still. In his 60's, retired after serving his country for a lifetime with great distinction, he'd left God out. On the golf course one day he felt a strong urge, as if he'd heard a voice, to "come home." He left the course immediately- never one to disobey and order -went into the house to check on Jesse, his wife. "Every thing's fine here. Don't know what's bothering you." Doubt, an uncommon and unwanted guest in his mind, filled him with dread. The words of a buddy in arms from WWII came back to him: "When in doubt, read Philippians." Digging through old mementos until he found his unopened new testament, he read straight through Paul's little note with the BIG MESSAGE to the church. Strangely moved, walking into the kitchen, he said: "We're going to find us a church home!"

Breaking into a smile, hugging him gently, Jesse praised God. Years of prayers were suddenly answered. Then the phone rang. Picking it up, responding in joy, Ed said: "We'll be there this Sunday!" Central Community was in the middle of calling tens of thousands of residents of our community inviting them to check us out. Ed and Jesse did. Ed led many of our ministries for years, stood by his pastor through thick and thin and on the day he died was surrounded by the men of the church. His funeral was in our sanctuary and afterward the large crowd walked into our park for the well deserved honor guard and air force fly over.

I miss him still.

After Ed received Christ he longed to be baptized. We baptise by full immersion: pool in front of the church, family gathered round, hand on Ed's shoulder, I asked if there was anything he'd like to say before he went beneath the water. He thanked God for his family, for a call home, for a phone call from the church... and then he said something I'll never forget... as I held that old warrior in my arms the last words he said as he went beneath the water were: "I never want to hurt another living thing as long as I live."

Ed had seen horrible things. He'd led squadrons of B-52's as they carpet bombed villages filled with people. He was following orders... but he couldn't get it out of his mind... he'd told me so much... now it was ready to leave it with The Lord. God is too good.

Ed was far from perfect. He knew the consequences of spending a lifetime carrying the dark nightmares only a soldier knows. He was quick to encourage every man and woman in uniform, to thank them for their service... he knew the burden they carried. And he reminded me that no matter how great the crisis, it's a good idea to check ourselves before we pull the trigger on that life changing decision. Are we hungry, angry, lonely, tired? Wisdom might be far from us- better to wait -some decisions go with us to judgement day.

Watching TV, looking at all the tired faces of leaders so sure of themselves, can't help but wonder if they've had a friend like Ed... someone honest, wise and experienced enough to remind them to HALT before they jump off this cliff. Don't know what big decisions you're facing today but they very well might change the course of a thousand lives... a million possibilities... have you taken the time to eat, calm down, seek wise counsel from good friends... to rest? To HALT? If not, before you change the course of history, you might want to sleep on it. Judgement will wait. What's the rush?

blessings,

Eric

One Trillion Dollar Bailout

Would You Feed The World?


It's serious business. I'm curious,if you'd been in charge of fixing the financial mess- would you have bailed out the banks from the top down? If you're a US taxpayer- it's what we're in the process of doing.

One Trillion Dollars: one million, million- if they stretched dollars from your house into space- it'd reach the sun, if you started a business when Christ was born and lost a million dollars a day, you'd be in business for for another couple hundred years before you lost a trillion dollars... if you started counting to a trillion right now, as fast as you can, you'd still be counting in the year 32,000ad and you'd still not get to a trillion!

Over 1.2 million homes went into foreclosure in the US in 2007. Most experts believe another 1.7 million... possibly as high as 2 million will go into foreclosure in 2008. Spend one trillion dollars from the bottom up and the US taxpayer could have given every family facing the loss of their home a cool $500,000- to get their house in order. Imagine- 2 million Americans saved from losing their homes, able to pay their lender, settle with their credit card company, get a fresh start... and all that money... every penny of that same one trillion dollars would still have ended up in the hands of the bankers.

Too generous a bailout? Why not $50,000- to 20 million US families facing a financial crisis? That's still one trillion dollars. Talk about an infusion of cash into the economy!

Top down or bottom up? What works? What last? What steps apart from the political arena and steps into the crisis with care and compassion?

God reached out to heal our relationship with Him from the bottom up. Gave His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to live poor, abandoned and rejected... eventually crucified by the power brokers of His day... but the dispossessed, the sick, rejected, the working stiffs... followed Jesus. Because He worked from the bottom up, in love and sacrifice, His church is still healing around the world today. Not everyone believes in God or has placed their faith in Christ... but there's almost universal acceptance of His Love, His Life, His Lessons... it's hard to resist people who give completely from the bottom up.

Hurricane Ike devastated Galveston and much of the Texas coastline. Imagine for a second that you sent money to help out, only to discover that it went to a collection of wealthy leaders in Dallas... when you complained, you were told that your giving would "trickle down" and eventually reach those hurting on the coast... once everyone in Dallas had their house in order.

Sound crazy? Sort of like sending a trillion dollars to bankers in NY, hoping to save a family in Riverside?

Credit... it comes from the Latin, credos: it means belief... as in I believe in you- so I'll give you credit. (Wish I could find a link to the radio commentary I heard on this so I could give them the credit!) In church we're more familiar with the term as "creed." I believe our political leaders need our prayers for wisdom- now more than ever. We can also pray from the bottom up... remember, 2 million homes in foreclosure means 2 million families at the end of their hopes and dreams... so many of them live in our neighborhoods, attend Central Community. Please keep them in your prayers as well.

Me? I'm still trying to calculate the tithe on a trillion dollars!

blessings,

Eric

a shadow of talent

Trestles - 9-8-08 -Boostmobile Pro

It's happening out there in the ocean...really... we sat on the beach, like we do every year, when the world's greatest pro surfers come to "our" break... our son John and I hang out, dream of surfing like the stars and sit in the midst of the very, very best of surfing. I snapped this shot with my cell phone to remember the day.



Kelly Slater snaps all the way back.

John, sitting right next to me on the sand, took this insane photo of 8 time world champion Kelly Slater absolutely destroying lowers. Admittedly, he has a much, much nicer camera than my cell phone offers... he also has way more experience shooting live shots, surfing and otherwise... even still... my photo doesn't deserve to be on the same page.

This move, you don't have to be able to do it, (few can), or understand how difficult what's happening in a split second, (few do), to appreciate it's beauty. John's captured an artist at work in one of his finer moments on a very cool wave on a sunny southern California day... what more could you ask for?

Look closely at the heart of the photo. Waves come and go in a moment. Riding a wave's so unlike hitting a golf ball, running a race or most other sports. The wave, the rider, the moment... it's all so transitory... here for but a flash... gone as quickly as it came... impossible to predict exactly what might happen... so fleeting.

That's why I love the heart of this photo... a shadow of the moment. Even a wave, the rider on the wave, here today and gone today, for a moment, cast a shadow. A shadow on the water... in seconds the water changed, lighting changed, ride ended... nothing that was just seconds ago remained... and yet this photo captures the shadow of a surfer, of a life... a shadow of talent.

The writer of James said:
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

So much that is good in this life is brief: a day in the water, a great wave, time spent with your son... but every good and perfect gift is from above... unlike shadows on water... so brief an entity most would never notice... they're eternal: love, hope, joy, all gifts from God... all remain... as we remain in Him.

John's outgrown me as a surfer and as a photographer. Makes me proud. Sitting together on the sand made me miss so many mornings sitting together in the line up... this evening I realize some of that time may have just been a shadow... not to be missed but to reflect on in thanksgiving. God's given us something more lasting that we share- His call on our lives -the opportunity not to sit but to stand together for Him, our Father in Heaven, The One Who gives every good and perfect gift. He is not shifting, He's eternal in love, hope, peace and joy.

I took a random shot of the ocean with my phone- and remembered a good day together. John took time to focus, to catch a shadow of the talent of a great surfer and in the shadow... God spoke to me... a little focus... the right tools... The Gift of God... When we humble ourselves to the gifts of those around us, we have the opportunity to discover the wonder of His unchanging love for us as He speaks in His Still, Small Voice. Are you listening? Looking?

blessings,

Eric

You Can Do This!

I usually edit the walk through video's before posting them online. Add a little background music, cut out most of the garbage, put some cool titles at the beginning and end... think it helps me express my otherwise suppressed artistic "self." It's fun.

This little video clip was taken with my Nikon Coolpix digital camera in the movie mode. Just push a button or two and start walking and talking. When I connect to my computer- the movie- actually something called an AVI file -uploads right alongside my photos for the day... sound and all. It couldn't be easier or less complex.

Interestingly enough- people are usually very impressed with the video. Once edited, I normally upload them to my yahoo video page. Where I've got a couple dozen or more random videos from Siempre, Kenya and life.

You can do this. Whether you'd like to build a home for a missionary, take a simple video, learn to edit it, figure out how to post it online or even how to make a blog with the video as a lead in... You Can Do This. If I can - You can.

You're Invited! It's a thread that runs through all we do together in our ministry. If you're ready to do something new in your life- something worth sharing - or you'd just like to let people know what's already going on... something you'd like the whole world to read, watch or hear about... I can help. I can point you in the right direction... in fact... if you've been reading- you can do exactly what I did- just what I wrote about in this blog -and publish to a potential audience larger than most people can fathom. Or not. It's up to you.

Something real... I like the walk through videos because they show that at the end of our talk- when it seems that so much faith is beyond our understanding -a little good work leaves something real behind. Are you making an impact with your life today. You can. I can help.

blessings,

Eric

too much talking

Siempre's Boys dressed and ready for school - 9-1-08

Siempre Para Los Ninos - our children's home in Tijuana - one of my favorite spots on earth. A few of us spent Labor Day Weekend, laboring around the place, mostly sanding and painting in our new mission's house at Samaritan House @ Siempre Para Los Ninos. This morning, Monday, September 1, 2008, Theresa woke up early and started cooking her final meal of the weekend for the kids before they headed off to school. I snapped this photo with my phone just before the boys walked off with Brenda and Bianka guarding over them. After a great long weekend together- couldn't have felt better about our work in Mexico -what's gone on in the past, what's yet to come in the future and especially what's happening right now. God's incredibly good.

Jumped online this evening and cruised through the sites I track on a daily basis when home. So much of it seemed trivial in light of housing kids so recently abandoned into our care. We'd slept in the new building- in sleeping bags on air mattresses -dreaming about the day Samaritan House is packed every night with groups from across the country and around the world sharing the hope and vision of Siempre. Our time in TJ wonderfully renewed my perspective yet dampened my enthusiasm for the bloggers I follow. Writers were putting their theology into posts and comments with long threads of online arguments... not what they'd call them... but it's what they are.

Don't want to minimize the depth of their concerns or come off as prideful, arrogant or condescending... I mean... truth be told, each debate sucks me in and I want to respond and put in my .02 cents... sometimes I do. This evening, wasn't nearly as tempted to enter the fray- reading their Jack Handy like "Deep Thoughts," I wanted to say: "Wish you could have been with us last weekend." "Wish you could have had breakfast with Siempre's kids."

So very thankful I had the opportunity to be there- no computer -cell phone off -working at something that feels so real... if you ever feel like there's just too much talking going on, you're invited to share the miracle at Siempre. Every visit's a gift from God.

blessings,

Eric