Revitalize Your Church

I took Luke and Wes to see the movie, Up , earlier this week. It was a wonderful film, with a powerful message. Two thumbs up!! I agree with Greg Boyd assessment: The most brilliant and entertaining aspect of this superb movie is the profound life-messages it delivers and the powerful way it delivers them. The “great adventure” you’re yearning for is the life you’re living right now, not the one you dreamed of living. You must let go of old adventures in order to embark on new ones. It’s the “boring” things in life that often matter most. Life always moves forward and if you hang too long to the past you’re dying.

A few days ago, while flying home from a speaking engagement, I pulled out a copy of Don't Let Me Go (by David Pierce) and began to read it. It's a true "coming of age" story about a daddy and his 15 year old daughter, who find a special bond through climbing mountains and running marathons together. I laughed so hard, I almost blew Diet Coke out my nose (The middle aged businessman sitting next to me gave a nervous glance sideways. ) Then, fifteen minutes later, I was wiping tears away (and My seat mate was CERTAIN he was next to a total basket case.) Don't Let Me Go is an awesome read for guys like me -- who have teenagers at home. It inspired me to go out and do something crazy with my kids. I don't think I'll be climbing Mt. Ranier or running a Marathon -- but I've come up with my own list of adventures! Thanks to David Pierce for inspiring my heart -- and helping me be more intentional with these last few years I have with my almost-grown child...

Adventure, with all its requisite danger and wilderness, is a deeply spiritual longing written into the soul of man. -- John Eldridge (Wild at Heart) We bought a used lightweight canoe, to meet this deeply spiritual longing! It is patched -- but "lakeworthy." Just before dusk, a couple of evenings ago, Ryan, Hannah and I took the old boat out on the Davis Flowage for her "maiden voyage" with the Wilson's. It was a delightful, heart-thumping experience. We paddled silently towards the sunset into another world of pristine nature. The stillness of the lake was interrupted only by the dipping of our paddles. Suddenly ---- KASPLOOSHHH!!!!!! There was a humongous splash right in front of us! Then a leap and a long slithering of green and pink. It seemed to go directly underneath us. "Holy cow!" Ryan shouted, "That was like a crocodile or hippo or something! It's nose was sticking out of the water!" It was neither a crocodole nor hippo --...