Heaven

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Jesus John 14:1-3

I believe in Heaven... Jesus promised us that The Father has a Home big enough for everyone who follows Him... that He's preparing a place for us... you and me... in Heaven.

Last Saturday I got the call that a friend I'd been with just the night before had died... he'd been fighting cancer, not much older than me, loved fishing on the ocean... we'd once crossed paths, fishing on the same boat, hundreds of miles at sea...God gave us the opportunity to get to know each other better over the last year or two. God invited Danny into His church at Central Community and I'm certain that when he took his last breath here, Someone took his hand as he was ushered into God's Eternal Kingdom.

Our kids have always felt like I'm a little too comfortable around death. From as early as they can remember they've shared the heartbreak as families have called our home, looking for their pastor, when "the end" is near. I've been in more circumstances of death than I ever care to recount... just thinking about it brings so many good people to mind... and I thank God for The Promise of Heaven... of Home.

I've wept with so many good people but I've never felt that it was the end. Heaven is our Home. Our loved ones who go before us are a precious deposit in The Hands of our Loving Father until The Day we're all Home. "What a Day... Glorious Day... that will be."

Danny's home. I'll miss him. Not long ago he gave me a couple of boxes of expensive lures and jigs for saltwater fishing... can't wait to use them... to catch a fish- always thought I'd bring a story back to tell him -now I'll just quietly say: "Thanks for the hook up buddy." Hope there's fishing in Heaven.

I learned this poem as a child. Someday it'll be read at my funeral:

God grant that I may live to fish
until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast
I then most humbly pray,
When in The Master's landing net
I'm peacefully asleep
That God may judge and grant me
good enough to keep.

"I'll Meet You In The Morning" It's an old gospel song- don't hear it much anymore. I downloaded it tonight and listened to it for the first time in years. My uncle John and aunt Lurann Denton use to sing it together... became almost famous for it... had a 45 record of it and everything... they'd get to the chorus and turn to each other- like so many other gospel groups would do and begin to shake hands as they sang: "I'll meet you in the morning, I'll meet you in the morning, with a "How do you do!" and a "How do you do!" Each time they did it I could just imagine Heaven being like the lobby of the church on Sunday morning- the whole church family waiting to welcome us -shaking hands, smiling, maybe even singing... I like that image of Heaven... a happy home. I'm glad my friend Dan's out of his pain and into God's Paradise... one of the many I hope will "meet me in the morning."

Heaven... what a great hope to hold onto... is it your hope today?

many 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

Video Blogging

My son John keeps a video blog... sometimes... you can check it out at the end of this blog. I enjoy it... I like video blogs in general... but he's my son, what can I say?

One of my favorite video blogs is by a computer tech billionaire who meets with his buddies and they pass the video camera around like a cookie jar, filming one another as they each share their perspective, discussing the big changes in the computer industry. Our son recently graduated from California Baptist University, here in Riverside and he said it was common in Missions classes to have live video discussions with missionaries from around the world using SKYPE. That'd be easy to save and post as a video blog. It's all so cool.

A couple of years ago we'd taken a building group to Kenya from Central Community. I was preaching in Kitale, it was videotaped, saved, compressed and then Ken, our associate spent a day or two trying to upload it for our Sunday morning services at home... I think half the message made it... next time we'll just make a video call to SKYPE in Nairobi, film the message as a video call and have someone in Riverside record it! Much easier... maybe...

Anyway... check out John's blog... consider dusting off your seldom used video camera and making one of your own. It's one more great way to "Go! into the whole world..."

blessings,

Eric

Happy New Year!

Our Son John- with a borrowed pick up truck -moving out

Empty Nest Syndrome... I've heard alot about it... guess we're getting ready to experience it first hand. Both of our kids have lived away from home and both... for one reason or the other, have returned. We've never had them both out at the same time, until now. They found an incredible deal on a beautiful apartment and just like that- quick as that old pick up could pull into our driveway, they're gone and Debi and I are empty nesters.

Our kids,not really kids at all, Julia, now 26 and John, 24, are both pretty amazing people and we've always enjoyed their times at home. We work together, travel together, play together... they've grown up to be people that I enjoy hanging out with... but life goes on and "to everything..." Debi and I celebrated the new year home alone... no need to leave on a light downstairs... turned out the porch light as I headed up and felt a twinge of nostalgia capture my heart... or maybe arithmia... at my age...

2008 - the edge of new adventures in the Denton household. It'll be interesting to see how the two of them learn to coexist in an apartment. It'll be interesting to see how Debi and I remember how to live together again, without one of the kids under our roof, after 26 years. We're open to all advice.

A well meaning friend high fived me when he heard the news. It didn't feel like a high five kind of moment to me... not sad... just not celebratory either. I understand so much more of what my elders once taught me about the "necessary losses" of growing up- the transitions -this is one of them. I'll miss so much about them being here...

and I still work with them every day!

God's been so very, very good to us- may He richly bless you in the new year to come.

Happy New Year!

take care Julia and John.

Dad

Make a Difference!

Artivists, a film festival promoting films that speak out on current social concerns- particularly focusing on poverty, children, and animal rights (you can learn more about the festival at their site, www.artivists.org),has selected Glue Boys for showing this year, learn more about Glue Boys at www.glueboys.com. What you'll read at the web sites is such a small part of the story. Every film has film makers, dreams, hearts longing for change and voices crying to be heard behind them. We see the celebrity images of excess and too often forget that behind every talking head is a human heart, a spirit in motion, lives, families and almost always, issues that run through the fiber of their being... Artivist hopes to acknowledge and encourage these voices. That's a good thing.

The festival would have never caught my attention- I'm not exactly their prime audience -but for the selection of Glue Boys. Philip Hamer, an exceptional human being, who just happens to be my nephew, is the man who made Glue Boys. So many of the people who've helped pay for it, labored and prayed through the process and spent time in Kenya working on it, are people I know and love. Our son John had the opportunity to work with Phil, shooting daily among the street kids of Kitale, and that's one of the many sparks that finally began our work in Kenya.

Next weekend I'm going to my first film festival to view Glue Boys. I'm excited. It's a reminder that one heart, one voice, one person can still make a difference in a world that quickly diminishes the power of one. I've seen the film plenty of times. I've held Charles and Thomas, two of the primary street children followed throughout the film in my arms. Now we have the opportunity to share with Phil, the crew of the film and their families as this good work is recognized at the heart of entertainment world, Hollywood. Good on you Phil. Way to go Kat and Dan. I couldn't be more proud of you John. Best of all, the story of street children will continue to be lifted up and we'll be forced to respond... we can make a difference- Phil is. We can.

See you in Hollywood!

The Guys I Work With

That's the pastoral staff at Central Community: from left to right- as you see them, Matt, John and Ken. Besides being Godly leaders with hearts just overflowing with love and quick to give their lives in service... they're fun to hang out with. Try it sometime.

Friends called last week and a couple of their timeshares at Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido were suddenly going to be empty and they offered them to me. Pretty cool. The only thing nicer than owning great stuff is having friends generous enough to share their blessings with you! So we planned a quick, (two day, one night), staff retreat.

We did lot's of planning, discussed theology, prayed and did our best to make God and the people of Central Community proud. We also ate too much fast food, went for walks together- that picture was taken on the fountains golf course -shopped for new computers at FRY's and even slipped out Monday night to take in the new Harry Potter movie. Some of your basic male bonding kind of stuff... if I wasn't so cheap, we actually would have bought a computer, taken in a ball game instead of a movie and maybe really golfed instead of just walking the course... but it was all good.

I highly reccomend the resort; especially if friends give you some nights free. The movie was fun- I fell asleep near the end -what can I say, it was my first time to see a Harry Potter movie in the theater. The fast food made me want to be a vegetarian. All that said, I give my highest recommendations to hanging out with Matt, John and Ken. They're fun to be with, easy travelers and sheer entertainment with no need of a TV or ipod.

When you get the opportunity, check out their blogs. Each of them is much more widely read then mine and you'll begin to know why I had such a good Monday and Tuesday. God obviously knew what He was doing when He called these guys to serve. I know I'm proud to serve alongside them.

blessings,

Eric

A Rich Heritage

It’s a rich heritage… my cousin Jeannene refers to it in her excellent book: From This Rock, as the soundtrack of our lives. It’s an accurate description of how we grew up and more importantly who we grew up with. Some children laughingly say they were “raised by wolves.” Not us. We were raised by giants.

This week we lay Uncle Glen to rest… or more appropriately, we send him home to a great gathering on the other side… No doubt, no worries or fear about his eternity. And while we may not understand much about Heaven, this we know for sure; family is waiting. Jesus has prepared a place for us. I’m confident that a loud and joyous contingent of Denton’s will be ready to welcome Uncle Glen Home. Singing will be part of it all.

Cousins, enjoy this photo of seven of the immediate family; 5 now in Heaven, Dad and Uncle Mark remain with us. The music’s from my ordination service: October, 1989, in Riverside at Central Community. I believe it was the last time the 4 of them sang together in public. I have one other song on my computer- if you want it let me know. I keep them in itunes. The album art is this photo. Album title simply “The Denton Brother’s Quartet.” Where would we have been without them? God is too good.

let's stay in touch,

Eric