Lookin' Up

Our Wild Lives...

2010-02-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had one of those weeks where it doesn’t seem you can do any one thing very well because of all the many things on your plate that are demanding so much attention? This has seemed like one of those times for me...it’s been a crazy week of meetings for which to prepare, phone calls to make, thank you’s to write, special initiatives to pursue, messages and bulletins to get ready, people to meet, books to read, groups to lead, people to encourage and more. Unfortunately, I can assure you that my desk at work and my “pile” at home look like it, too!

Sometimes life can be like this for all of us—a whirlwind of time and space all squished together into a bundle of activity and “git ‘r done.” Other times, and not always because of factors chosen by us, life slows down (or we slow it down) and we rest...contemplate...come aware of our hearts and realize the new work that God is doing within us.

Several years ago I spent some extended time on retreat with the Lord where I felt that God gave me my personal vision for life. It took some effort to get it to say just what was on my heart, but once complete I felt I had a timeless guide for the remainder of my life that would remain true no matter what. With humility I’d like to share it with you today:

By God’s grace, I fully intend to fulfill the vision that God has placed in my heart to mend broken people in Jesus’ name, equip them to understand their God-given potential, and deploy them into the world to be change agents for Christ. I commit whatever it takes to bring this God-vision within me to reality, no matter what, no matter who comes or goes. I will seek to partner with others who share this vision, but “if none go with me, still I must follow.”

Might I humbly challenge: For what do YOU stand? What is it that YOU are to do, no matter what? How does God fit into it? Does he at all? Wherever you are on this journey, God calls you to discover your purposes for living and find your center of being in Him. Don’t waste your precious life on thin things that do not satisfy like the pursuit of belongings or happiness! Instead, take some time and ask the Lord to show you His vision for your life. To help you, ponder in prayer the words of poet Mary Oliver, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Lookin’ Up, Pastarod

More Colorado 14ers...

2009-10-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

I thought I’d tell you a bit about my experience climbing three Colorado 14ers when I was on vacation last month, a fabulous time for several reasons. Let me share two...

First, it was great because of the opportunity to connect deeply with good buddies. So many of us are so busy zipping here and running there that we make little time to invest meaningfully in real friendships. David Stockdill and I drove down to Durango, Colorado where we met up with two of my brothers-in-law and the four of us had a blast together talking of our love for the mountains, what it’s like to be a dad or a husband, encouraging one another in life and yes, even praying for one another. Shoot...just the time in the car with David was meaningful. All this cost some time and money, but if you were to ask us, we’d all say the investment was well worth it.

Second, it was great because it was an opportunity to accomplish something rigorous. Most of us have plenty of difficulty in our lives between work and school and family and more, but few of us willingly take on something that actually drives us hard, places us in a position to rise to something great. Why is this so? Is this the frenzied pace of our lives or might it be that we’ve grown soft...comfortable...unchallenged? Climbing the high mountains is hard and in some instances, it is dangerous. But each of us learned that sometimes pressing for the higher height is worth all of the effort and more that it takes to get there.

Friends, I invite you to make the space in your lives to find ways to make and connect deeply with good buddies, wherever and however you do it. I also invite you to consider trying to accomplish something truly great, whether physical or some other achievement. To press into both endeavors will certainly cost you something, at least in time if not in other ways, but this is so much of what it means to be vibrantly blessed of the Lord. Aim deep...aim high...

Lookin’ Up, Pastarod

About Mrs. Edwards...

2009-09-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

I remember those first days of every new school year when I was a little guy: With excitement I put on my new clothes mom had bought for me (I had laid them out on the floor the night before, complete with my socks tucked into the bottom of my pants and going into my shoes), made my lunch (I was too lazy to make much more than a yogurt and an apple; I could mooch junk food from the girls), loaded up my backpack (having made sure it was well-equipped with razor-sharpened pencils and action figures) and walked to my school. But on the way I remember being filled with a mixture of excitement and fear at what was going to happen…how would the year go? Would I fit in?

All of that changed the moment I walked into my first grade class and met my teacher, Mrs. Edwards. In my mind I can’t remember at all what she looked like, but I remember liking her very much. She was warm, friendly and welcoming. Though I had good friends with whom to play “Six Million Dollar Man” and tease the girls, what really made First Grade special was Mrs. Edwards.

Though I’m not usually that worked up about this stuff anymore, I still feel that way to some degree whenever I enter into an unfamiliar new community. Perhaps you know what I’m talking about? It’s natural for us to want to make a good impression, to be thought of as someone who has something useful to bring to the table. In short, we want to fit in; we want to be liked.

In the community of Garland Church we’re constantly being visited by new people. Though I hope none of them intends to mooch a Twinkie or a Ho-Ho from your lunch, they are asking these very kinds of questions: What do I think about these people? How well will I fit in? Are they genuine? Do these people really live out what they so glowingly say matters to them? Do they notice me?

I want to remind you that our Christian faith is centered on Jesus Christ, one who put behind the comforts of his loving interrelationship with the Father and the Spirit to focus on the other...you and I. Of course he didn’t actually leave those Trinitarian relationships, but because of his love, he held hands with us through his Incarnation.

As you wander about on a Sunday morning or any other time we gather and wherever that may be, remember the example of Christ and reach out to the newcomer. Seek to welcome them to yourself and our community with the hospitality of an open heart. In short,

Be a Mrs. Edwards…

Lookin’ Up, Pastarod

Halftime...

2009-06-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

Today I post an excellent word about Garland's One Year Bible Reading Journey from one of our church elders, Lynn Weitz:

Well we're at the half way point of our "read through of the Bible" journey. As most journeys go, there are challenges, detours, discoveries, surprises and memories. Through daily reading of His Word we have an encounter with Him. I hope you will take some time soon and reflect on some of the things you have learned while on this journey, maybe even what you've learned about the journey itself.

I'll tell you one thing I've learned is that each day of the journey takes planning and effort. There's a reason that delays and detours so easily hamper our progress. Its because this journey is no trivial one. It is a most sacred journey. It is one that our enemy does not want us to take. This journey brings us to an encounter with the very God of the universe. But remember, we are not on this journey alone. He walks it with us.

If you think about it, it's very strange that He should be the One that steers us to the Word where we can have such an encounter with Him. Why can't we just have that encounter with Him all along the way?

I'm glad you asked! That is the goal! But for whatever reason, it just doesn't happen without "touchpoints" like reading His Word or prayer (or any number of other spiritual disciplines). We were made to be both physical and spiritual beings. As such, our point of contact with our heavenly Father is born out of spiritual and physical activity. Faith without works is dead. Our faith really only becomes faith when it is "worked out" physically through the bending of the knee in prayer, or the opening of His Word and digesting the truth within. Even obedience to the very truths we encounter in His Word necessitates physical action. But when we persist in these "touchpoints", we become increasingly able to continue encountering our God beyond the "Amen" or the closing of His Word.

Interestingly enough, when we "walk" with God in this manner we become hungrier and hungrier for these touchpoints, which in turn plunges us deeper and deeper into the richness of our experience with Him throughout the journey. The flip side of that is also true. If we don't feed on His Word when we are hungry, we become anemic. (Seven days without His Word makes one weak.) We become less able to hear His voice or see His goodness. And He has to work harder at bringing us to His Word.

But God is persistent. He pursues us until we find Him. Recently we read in 2 Chronicles 15:2 "...the LORD is with you when you are with Him And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you."

So by faith be diligent to read the Word and God will reward you. He will let you find Him.

Good Riding...

2009-05-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hey Garland Gang,

I want you to know how psyched I was to see how many of you rode your bicycles to worship this past Sunday! It seemed there must have been twenty five bikes or more stored in the back of the chapel and I loved seeing many of you in your shorts and bike gear. And though I rode as well, no...I don't own spandex pants, so you were spared having to see me up front in that garb!

Remember, this "Bike to Worship" thing was an add-on to our Spokane "Bike to Work" community effort, and I'm proud of you for participating.

Let's do it again next year!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Wow...unbelievable!

2009-04-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

Wow...unbelievable! These were the thoughts that zipped through my mind the moment I saw our parking lot as I approached the church building on Monday. I also thought, “When the contractor said they’d be putting up their fence and breaking ground this week, he meant it!” All week long the staff has been hearing strange rumbles, squeaks, scrapes, bangs and more...several times the ground has actually shaken! Each of these are confirmations that yes, we are finally building our new Worship Center...

If you were not at worship last Sunday, you missed a wonderful morning. To bring you up to speed, after our normal worship gathering we met in the “old” Worship Center (read: “gym”) where we shared everything we knew about the project. Among other things, we reported that the financials for the project are looking very good. Because of the amount already in-hand plus the faithful, ongoing giving of the church to the Capital Campaign, we expect to be able to completely cover the general contractor portion of the project when they finish in November. Additionally, we expect that we’ll be able to do a significant enough portion of the remaining items so that we can move in and occupy the space when the contractor is complete. This is all very good news!

Then, we went out to the parking lot to dedicate the project to the Lord. It was cold and blustery from one of those springtime snows, but our hearts were warmed as we joined in a huge circle and committed the effort to the Lord in prayer. We thanked God for his provision, asked for safety and blessing for the workers and marked the land for God’s use. After this time, still others stayed behind to offer additional prayers of dedication and protection for the effort. In all, it was an excellent morning.

But until the work is completed, there will be a lot of hassles. Access to the facility has changed and it’s important that you understand where you can park. During this time of construction, the primary entry is now the eastside glass doors to what we call the “Garland narrows.” This access door is also handicapped-accessible. Key holders, also please note that we added another alarm keypad just inside this door. For handicap access to the main Worship Center floor, please use the access at the SE corner of the gym. Both locations will have designated parking along the street. We encourage all other participants to park on the streets and in the Post Office and Rosauers Corporate Headquarters lots, leaving up-close space for seniors and visitors.

Thanks in advance for your support and understanding as we deal with these changes.

And Lord, thank you for providing this improved facility for your church!

Lookin’ Up, Pastarod

On Cities of Refuge...

2009-03-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

This week the Garland Church staff was gathered for our usual Wednesday meeting and, as is our custom, we read the Reading-O-Day from Numbers 35 and then discussed it for awhile. It was quite an interaction as we considered God’s directions to the Hebrews regarding murder: What it is, how to deal with those who have murdered and the like. We also noticed that the text made a clear distinction from murderers as to how to handle those who have killed someone unintentionally (manslaughter) and how these unintended killers should be handled. These people, God said, are to flee to the “City of Refuge,” and they are to stay there until “the death of the high priest.”

It sounds like a bummer to be stuck in the City of Refuge for who-knows-how-long. I mean what if the high priest happened to be rather young when all this happened, and so the individual would be looking at a long stay in this city? That sure seems like poor timing! And remember, these people couldn’t leave the city without risking themselves to being killed by family members of the deceased who would be on the look-out to “avenge” the killer. They would be welcome to leave the city’s protective walls, but it would be at the risk of their lives.

On this matter of unintentional killing, a City of Refuge seems like our modern prison. Isn’t our prison a place that we can put offenders not only to remove them from society, but also in many cases, to protect those unintentional killers from someone out to avenge the death of their friend or family? We’ve seen in the history of our own nation that when people get really angry with what they perceive to be a criminal, who knows what actions they might take. Before “society” caught up with our land, “vigilante justice” was very common. It was you, them, and your revolver.

But interestingly, God had a much more civil plan. If you have accidentally killed someone and you need protection, flee to the City of Refuge. There, you are protected from “frontier justice,” at least as long as you were patient enough to live in the protection behind its walls.

Has it ever occurred to you that our relationship with Jesus Christ is much the same? You and I have committed all kinds of terrible sins against God and society, many of them completely unintended. For these violations, we deserve punishments ranging from death to paying remuneration, to simply offering apology and asking forgiveness. But for those who walk the journey with Christ, we have been placed under his protection. Christ himself is our City of Refuge, and those who choose to stay within his Fortress are safe. On the other hand, those who choose to venture out on their own to take their chances place themselves at great risk. Interesting, eh?

Lookin’ Up, Pastarod

A Bloody Exchange...

2009-02-16T09:58:00.000-08:00

This morning during my devotions I found myself growing tired of all the strange regulations God imposed upon the Hebrew people in the Old Testament books of Numbers and Leviticus. I'm in this section today because it's where Garland Church is in our All-Church-Bible-Read-Through, and I must confess some of this lately had seemed far away and irrelevant. And to top it off, a lot of animals have been losing their lives in macabre scenes as a result of the sacrifices God required of the people. There has been blood spattered everywhere...

I've found myself thinking, "Why all the blood and mess? Isn't there some other way God could have chosen to maintain the relationship between he and his people?" I imagine many of you have wondered some of the same things.

Thankfully, today's reading had several embedded jewels that God placed in the system to make it clear what was behind all of this. I'd like to point out Leviticus 1:4 as a representative:

"Lay your hand on the animal's head, and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him."

So according to this verse, the whole reason all this was done was so that both parties - the individual and God - would know that this animal was dying in the place of (literally, "in atonement for") the person bringing the sacrifice. It was a bloody exchange...

Apparently, sin is a very serious thing to God. It caused harm to their relationship with him; it fractured their relationships with each other. God's holy nature is not content to allow sin to live on unaddressed. Maybe that bothers us, but you and I aren't perfect - God is, and he merits the right to demand such a response to such waywardness. So, instead of their own death which should have been the outcome, God in his mercy allowed another to die in their place. They placed their hands on the animal's head to be sure they understood this, and somehow I imagine the point was very clear.

The animal lover in me fires up in anger over the whole system; it just seems crazy. Why should an innocent animal have to die? I've never enjoyed seeing animals die innocently or appropriately. Sometimes life requires this, but it's never been enjoyable for me.

Still, if the system operated the same today, I'd bring the animal and lay my hands on its head and watch it's slaughter and subsequent burning. I'd be sickened for the animal, but I'd be alive and thankful before God...

Those who know the whole story are well aware that Jesus Christ, God's Son, died a similar death on our behalf. In faith, we lay our hands on Christ's head and he dies in our place. His bloody death is counted sufficient, making us right with him. I'm sickened for Christ, but I'm alive and thankful before God...

Thank you, Lord God, for accepting your Son's death for me. He did not deserve it; I do not deserve to receive your mercy because of His sacrifice. Thank you that I am alive before You...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Conversation: A One-Year Bible Read Thru...

2009-01-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

Hello! Many of you in my Garland Church community have embarked this year on what is a totally cool endeavor: To read through the whole Bible in 2009, and to do it together. I'm very proud of so many of you who have made this commitment to focus on interacting with God through His Word on a daily basis. Sometimes it will be challenging to keep on course with this, but it will be worth it!

Over the course of this year, I want to keep the conversation going about this effort in our community through using this blog. Feel free to subscribe to the feed and post anything on this trail or a new trail if you'd like to enter the conversation. Let's encourage each other on the journey!

To start, let me copy in an email one of our church staffmembers wrote as an encouragement on this:

"Stop reading! You are already too far behind. It's no use!"

Have you thought that, or heard that suggestion coming from the shadows of your mind Maybe it's only me who hears such things! Anyway, I want to encourage you to not give up, and don't be anxious when you do fall behind. We are not machines, and while we do need to discipline ourselves, we should not feel enslaved to this wonderful reading plan. Do what you can and carve out the time needed to connect with God through reading His scripture, and be satisfied with the best effort you can give it. I'm convinced that the Lord welcomes each heart felt effort on our part to read, reflect and respond to His inspired words.

Personally, I'm way behind on the daily plan, and catch-up sessions don't work well for me - I become frustrated and grumbly when I attempt to catch up, because I end up emphasizing quantity of reading over quality of reading. I've learned that a slower pace of reading with a smaller chunk of scripture allows better reflection and absorption. I often need to chew on a single verse, or phrase - ruminating as they say, over and over. A quick once-over leaves me feeling dissatisfied - it seems like a hurried "Hi, how are you?"
with no time to really engage.

So, I'm plodding along. At times I put down the Bible and pick up a commentary to see what the scholars have to say about particularly difficult verses. Then I can return to ruminating on the scripture with confidence that I have an acceptable interpretation of what the passage meant to the original hearers. Then I am able to more readily 'surrender' to the passage so that Christ can be formed within me.
That's been my experience, so far, with this plan. It's good, very good, that so many at Garland are walking along the same path - the same reading plan. I encourage you to enjoy the freedom we each have to progress as the Holy Spirit directs. We are free to be all that God desires us to be, in community, at Garland Church. Keep reading, reflecting and responding!

One person who received this message responded as follows:

Thank you for this encouraging word. I like what you shared
about what does work for you. I'm one of those "machines" who has kept up
with the daily readings. But they are BIG, and I was feeling like I was giving it
quantity vs quality time. All last week I was going through the motions and
wanting to be finished with Job, knowing that this was not the intent of the
exercise. Then on Sunday during the service, suddenly I "got" a whole lot out of
the previous week's readings, which leads me to two conclusions: however we do it, it is not wasted effort; it is very helpful to have the Sunday message or worship experience relate to what we're doing during the week.

What do YOU think? How's it been to meet with God through this effort so far? Let's keep the conversation going...

Lookin' Up...Pastarod

On Fimpulu, Zambia...

2008-12-29T18:50:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've posted but I finally get a chance to sit down and tell a bit about my trip to Zambia back in November.

Wow, what a fabulous experience! We saw a beautiful land of trees, open savannah, the "bush" and very strange and interesting critters. My favorite was this very cool chameleon. I named him "George" and I put him in one of the trees near the place where I was staying so I could visit him regularly. So cool...

But the best thing of all were the interactions with the wonderful people, particularly the children. We were so touched by the smiles of the kids...

Our interactions with the churches in the community were also fabulous. We saw in them a deep and fervent love for God that was so encouraging to us.

By God's grace and enabling we hope to visit them again next year.

Thanks to the generous people of Garland Church as well as many individuals who invested to send our team to Zambia so that we can see if and how we might be of service to them.

May the Lord allow us to continue to serve!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Hello, I am still here...

2008-12-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

My daughter Brielle wanted me to post something so here I am posting something. She says, "my daddy is not dead; he is just very busy. But, we don't want people to think that he is not here, so...he is posting something."

Merry Christmas.

The end.

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Who's In Charge?

2008-11-05T14:51:00.000-08:00

I watched the election returns on Tuesday evening with great interest, curious about who was going to be serving our nation in our various local, state and national leadership roles. With a mix of frustration and relief I saw the many issues or candidates either go the way I had voted...or not. Like I imagine you feel, I have those mixed feelings about what all of this means. Allow me for a few moments to encourage you:

God tells us He is sovereign over these matters. “By chance” (no kidding) I read Psalm 75:6-7 on Wednesday morning following the election and was struck with the following encouraging words:

“For no one on earth - from east or west, or even from the wilderness - can raise a person up.
It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.”

Words like this are designed to give us hope. At a very minimum, God allows some leaders to rise to authority and he allows others to fall. Though we don’t always understand what he is doing, we must take solace that God is providential over all these matters, whether in our own lives or in the lives of others. It’s therefore not right to respond either in prideful arrogance or despondent anger about the outcomes from the election. Whether you think it all turned out grand or you are disgusted with the whole affair, God has allowed it - be at peace.

Whether or not you are the type that really “gets into politics” or not, I also want to encourage you not to put too much hope in government. Again, I watched with interest as supporters of candidates near and far clearly showed their passion and commitment to their candidate, presumably so glad or sad they were being elected...or not. It struck me as odd, but I think it’s because of my own passion for the Lord. As a Christian, I serve a higher authority - the highest authority at that - and the government can only accomplish so much for me. It does not, for example, have the power to change the human heart, and it cannot force me to believe or think anything. That’s the internal world that submits to the Lord...or not...and it’s that super-power zone in which only God and I can operate. No government can ever touch it.

Finally, I challenge you to support and pray for these leaders, whether you agree with them or not. They deeply need the Lord’s wisdom and the right response for the Christ follower is to support them in appropriate actions and in prayer. This past Tuesday night, when the results were rather clear, my wife and I prayed for President-Elect Obama, Governor Gregoire and Congresswoman McMorris-Rogers from the State of Washington (among others), that they would seek the Lord and lead with integrity. We asked God to give them the passion to do right, a heart for the poor and the desire to surround themselves with others of good character. Will you join me in praying for these men and women who serve and carry great weight for us? For Christ...

Lookin’ Up, Pastarod

Where We Want To Be...

2008-10-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

Throughout my life and work, I've learned a lot over time about change. It seems that over and over again, whether it's in our family dynamics, conflicts with a friend or issues at work, there is always a challenge to overcome when faced with change.

Recently, I've been struck with the penetrating simplicity of two simple questions: Where are we now? and Where do we want to be? The difference between these two is what Peter Senge, from MIT's Sloan School of Management calls a "vision gap." He says that this gap itself provides the energy we need to move from where we are now to where we want to be. From there, we can only do two things with the gap...either we lower our expecations for where we want to be, or we raise our performance to that level. What a challenge!

Last Sunday I experienced my own "vision gap" as I stood in the arboreal foothills of the Sawatch Range in Colorado, looking up to the alpine summit of Mount Huron, 14,003 feet. I couldn't see the top...it was snowing...my brother-in-law and climbing partner Chuck and I wondered if it was safe to try the climb.

But aha, there's the vision gap: we decided "no guts, no glory," and up we went. Step after step we maintained our desire for the summit, though the vision gap grew smaller. We had to stick with it...there's not much oxygen above 10,000 feet! (Back in my flying days, we had to have oxygen available any time we were above that altitude.) In the end, though it was challenging, we made it. Of course we needed to plod back down, but that's a whole other story.

The exuberance of making a summit is so high! It's such a gift...the beauty, the majesty of God's wondrous high creation is unparalleled. Even though we were socked in on this summit from clouds, we still had that feeling of great success.

How about you? What mountain looms ahead of you? Where are you now? Where do you want to be?

Narrow that vision gap...start climbing that mountain. It starts with your next step...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

The end to a perfect day...

2008-09-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, the day started early as I had alot to do. My cup of morning tea tasted great and it was a clear commute even though they've been doing construction on my road out. The meetings went well in the morning and I was easily able to get several shots I'll need for my upcoming trip to Zambia. I passed my physical fitness test and then played some great hoops with some friends at the base. Then I was able to do a big grocery shopping trip and the store wasn't even busy. After coming home, taking a shower and getting dinner ready, I sat down with my in-laws, wearing my Buffs t-shirt...

...and watched my Colorado Buffaloes sneak out a win against #21 West Virginia!

Ah, the end to a perfect day. The Buffs are now 3-0 and it's not going to get any easier. But they're well on thier way. Can't wait to see 'em take on Florida State next Saturday!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Why are we so alone?

2008-09-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

It’s been a striking truth to me for years that one of the things that most grieves God and us is our disconnection from one another. Time and time again, we see in our families, workplaces, schools and neighborhoods that relational brokenness drives us to run away from one another, causes us to isolate ourselves. We may be surrounded by people at every turn, but we still often feel that no one really knows us.

This isolation grieves God’s heart, and he has provided a means for us to escape it: through admitting our sin and accepting God’s forgiveness, we receive the power of God for a life-transforming journey. As Paul says, “the old has gone...the new has come.” The potential for a whole new life is now realized. But so many of us still try to remain on the old pathway of life lived alone. We don’t open ourselves to others, fearing their lack of acceptance. Our faith may be intact, but we still try to face life solo. The result is ongoing brokenness and isolation, perhaps no great change.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We bump into each other but don't connect. We stay in our homes and our workplace cubicles wondering how we'll ever break out.

Why not try the Christ's church? In Christ's church we find all kinds of people who are broken but seeking to be made whole together. I know this journey for me has often been painful, but I'll say I've seen God meet me through others in the church. And these days, I'm growing all the more convinced it's the only real way...

What do you think?

Lookin’ Up, Pastor Rod

Buffs Crush Lambies...

2008-09-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

The day started terrible, with an early wake-up due to a problem with my water well. My car needed a jump-start after having sat idle while we were gone on vacation. But oh, how nicely things changed.

The Buffs Crushed the Lambies.

Ah, I love it. My beloved Colorado Buffaloes pasted our little brothers to the north 38-17. This is good. This is very good.

The world is still level...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

I'm Not Dead Yet...

2008-08-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

On July 20, 2008 I did one of those things I've always wanted to do but never did...I climbed one of the Colorado "14ers." What an awesome experience...

Mt. Yale - 14,196 feet...one of God's glorious peaks.

On the trail at 5:30 am, I was able to summit 3 hours later....finally. My legs ached and wobbled but there was enough in them. Wow! The view from the top was amazing.

And then I went the other way...down. How did my knees survive? I couldn't believe how steep the last 2000' felt to my unitiated knees, but with persistence and breaks, they made it.

No guts, no glory...thank you, Lord for health and vigor!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Life's Small Blessings...

2008-06-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

Last week while riding my bike to work I was struck with a small but very real blessing of the Lord. As I usually do when getting the bike ready for a ride, I was loading up my “trunk” with my change of work clothes and whatever and noticed that my little hyper-blinking light that I have on the rear of the bike for low light conditions was missing its lens. The light was operable, but exposed. I looked around the bike and couldn’t find it. “Dang,” I thought to myself as I mounted up and set out for the church office, “now I need to replace that thing.” As I rode, my mind was wondering whether I could make something to fix the problem, use a plastic bag, red tape, who knows. For whatever reason, it just bummed me; I found myself rather disappointed.

But just then, I kid you not, when cutting between two rocks near the Centennial Trail, what do I look down and see? There they are: the lens and reflector, sitting there on one of the rocks, clear as day. Someone must have seen them on the ground (I fell there the prior week...it’s a funny) and put them in view, presumably hoping they’d be found by their owner.

The skeptic might say that this was all coincidence and that someone just did the right thing trying to help out, but I think it was so much more than that—I think it was God. And further than that, I think God is doing these kinds of things all the time, we just don’t care to acknowledge it. We seem to prefer the hollow language of “coincidence” or “by chance.”

When you get faced with an opportunity, do the right thing. You never know when God will turn it into one of his small blessings for someone...

Lookin’ Up, Pastarod

My Wife is Amazing...

2008-06-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

This Monday through Wednesday my wife is on retreat and I'm so glad she went! Well, sort of...I know it's really great for her and I've been encouraging her to get away to center on the Lord with no distractions. I know in my world this is so critical...it's all part of the "sustainable pace" we're trying to set for life.

But running the whole show at home reminds me how my wife is so amazing...

You see, I promised her I'd "be her" at home for the kids these three days...I'd make sure they stayed on-task, cook, clean, solve the fights, tuck the little ones and fight the older ones to bed and particularly, run them all around to all their various gigs. Now I've followed her carefully-written "matrix" of scheduled activities, and I'm happy to say that it's all going well. And in-between all of this, I've been able to actually get quite a bit done for work.

But wow, does she make alot happen! I'm so thankful for her capabilities, demonstrated in selfless service to me and the girls. Where would we be without her?

Mothers of the world, I salute you!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Choosing to Remember...

2008-05-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking alot lately about forgetting and remembering things. You see, in the wake of my dad's passing, I've often thought: I don't want to forget him. Though he wasn't perfect, he was a good example to me of so many things that are valuable in life...I don't want to forget!

Back in the Old Testament of the Bible, the Hebrew people used to have a practice to ensure they didn't forget things. If some great event happened, especially a God-thing, it was their habit to make a pile of rocks. They were called "standing stones." And then, whenever they would see these standing stones, they would remember what God had done for them.

In our contemporary American culture, it seems we have a forgetfulness problem. If something significant happens to us, we think it's really great. We tell everyone else and even ourselves that we hope we'll never forget it. But then life moves on, the pressures of getting by set in, and the event whimsically comes and goes in our memories. Before we know it, we've forgotten the great thing we experienced.

The problem? I think it's because we don't choose to remember. Sure, life can be complicated, but we don't choose to put things into action in our lives that will enable us to remember God or the event or whatever over time. In short, we don't put up standing stones.

Last Saturday I drove alone on a sunny morning out to a large local tree nursery to get my version of a standing stone to remember my father's life: a Cherokee Brave Pink Dogwood Tree. I've always liked these dogwoods, and admired them as I've driven around town. Now this tree doesn't have any inherent connection to my dad, but I've chosen to attach the meaning of his memory to it. Now, when it blooms it's deep creamy pink in the Spring, I'll view it with joy and consider my dad.

Something about all this feels really good to me. I think it's that I choose to remember him...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

I'm Being Overrun...

2008-05-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up backpacking in the Colorado mountains, I used to get really excited if we saw a Marmot. They were a sure sign that you were in the high backcountry, for they were never to be seen anywhere else.

Until recently...

Over the last few years these varmints have been overrunning our house. Last year their little babies figured out how to get through our garden fence and helped themselves regularly to my lettuce, broccoli and cabbage. Now that's a problem.

They used to be cute...not anymore...

It seems most anytime I look outside one of these Yellow-Bellied Marmots or Groundhogs or Woodchucks or whatever other heinous name you'd like to call them is grazing in my fields, rummaging around underneath the deck, crawling up on the grill, munching away at our flower pots or rooting around the engine compartments of our cars. Ughhh!

And go figure...it's very illegal to trap them and move them.

Oh well...any day, any time, there will be a lot less of these hideous critters in the population count...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

In the wake of dad's passing...

2008-04-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends, it's been awhile since I've posted, but here I am again. A lot has happened since I last had something to say...my father was moved to hospice, he declined rapidly, and then went to be with the Lord:

Friday, April 11, 4:35 pm. And just like that, he was gone.

How does a life so vibrant get reduced to nothing? How is it that God should partner with mankind and bring us into being at our first nano-moment of life and then at some point later we are no more in this body? This has to be one of the wildest mysteries of life...profound...even despairing...

...if it weren't for the good providence of God.

I watched a provocative movie last night, "Tuck Everlasting." It essentially questioned the desirability of living forever in this body, in this life. It posited a family who had unknowingly drunk from a spring that mystically made them impervious to injury, to age, to dying. Though this family had many bright points to their long lives together, they were unable to live among others, to be known as the real people they were, because of the threat of being discovered as unable to age, unable to die. It was presented in the film as a burden to them.

It really is an interesting question: if we could live forever in this body, would we choose to do so? If there really was a "fountain of youth," would we choose to drink from it?

Of course we all do live forever...it's either with or without God, and with whatever consequences this means.

I don't know if I'd want to drink from a magical spring that froze my body forever in its current state, but I am thankful that God has provided me the security of life for today followed by life for tomorrow.

I miss you, dad, and I look forward to seeing you in That Place again someday, together with our Lord...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

This guy is waking me up...

2008-04-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know what his deal is, but there is a male Red-Shafted Flicker that lands on my roof in the mornings, sqwawks a few times and then does his machine-gun thing on one of the metal pieces of my roof. It's SO LOUD and when it comes at 5 am it's a bit undesired! Jenna and I went out on the front lawn yesterday to look at him when he showed up at the more convenient time of 7:30am. I decided he's not actually trying to smash through the metal.

I think it's all about getting a chick. "Males will do the strangest things when it's all about females." That's just the way it is...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Living without regrets...

2008-03-31T10:37:00.001-07:00

While preparing for a new message series to start this Sunday, I came across the following sage words from Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20...

"Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat well, drink a good glass of wine, and enjoy their work - whatever they do under the sun - for however long God lets them live. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life - that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy."

It's a funny thing, this life...sometimes it's a joy, sometimes it's a challenge. I'll say that I want my life to be lived simply and for that which matters: walking with God, loving my wife and girls, serving people. In this, though filled with some sorrow, I'm finding there really are no regrets and much reason for joy. Isn't this God's pathway to living without regrets?

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

My church is so cool...

2008-03-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

We had our Easter service today, just as most churches. We organized it around a creative theme from Job: When you die, Will you live? I know this isn't the normal theme for an Easter Sunday, but it was one of those things the Lord laid on my heart and it was really cool to watch the many creative people pull together an outstanding worship gathering. Many came, and we were able to creatively present Christ to them.

One of the things I think is so cool is when people, gripped in devotion to Jesus Christ, give themselves to God in any way required. When people give their talents to the Lord for his use, God does so many cool things!

I'm thankful to be a part of such a great church. Thanks, Garland, for being the gracious, loving, and talented people that you are. Keep giving yourself to God's greater glory and He will continue to accomplish great things through us!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Bluebirds, Goldfinches, Nuthatches & Crossbills...

2008-03-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

I'm staying at home for work today...too many interruptions at the office make it hard to get things done sometimes and it's a particularly busy week with Easter coming.

Plus, the Bluebirds are sitting on their nestbox in the back field, right out the bedroom window where I set up my home study.
This is certainly one of the things I like best about spring - when the Western Bluebirds come back. And I'm one of the fortunate ones who is able to have these bright bursts of azure living on our property.

But that's not all! Out the back window I see not only the usual Starlings, House Finches and Robins, but also American Goldfinches at the upside-down feeder, Juncos picking at what's been dropped, a Pygmy Nuthatch at one of the other nestboxes and one of my other favorites, the Red Crossbill. I haven't seen a Crossbill all winter.

The great things about birds is they are there just for the looking...all one needs to do is open their eyes!

Thank you, Lord, for these gifts of song and color!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Through glass doors...

2008-02-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

I got back in town Saturday night with an empty heart...

Through tears I had just said goodbye to my ailing father as he weakly leaned to the side of his bed at his care center in Colorado. He was propped up by pillows. He's almost empty. He's a tired, old man who is but a shadow of what he once was. Throughout the time of my visit I shaved his face and clipped his fingernails. I wiped his face to clean the sleep from his eyes and the crusty food clinging to the edge of his lips. Out loud I remembered with him the many woodworking tools and their uses as I told him about cleaning his garage at home earlier that morning. I read him daily selections from the Psalms and Proverbs. His hair is long...I would have loved to give him a haircut but he was never upright when I visited. Sad, Happy. Sorrow, Joy. He said "yes" on Friday when I asked him if it felt good for me to scratch his head. Parkinson's stinks. As I stepped out of the glass doors at his care center I wondered...is this the last time I ever see my father?

Later, with a hug for my crying mother at the drop-off and brief words of encouragement, I stepped through the glass doors at the Colorado Springs airport and...

...finally...

...stepped through the glass doors at the Spokane airport and received hugs and words of encouragement from my beautiful girls and wife. They are so wonderful, so boundlessly filled with life. Thank, you Lord...

Sunday morning I stepped through the glass doors at the church building and received from my Garland community many words of love and encouragement. So many told me that they had been praying for me...others took special time to lift me up and tell me how much they appreciated me. Another one lost her mother this last week and gifted me with her story. The music from the visiting worship band was wonderful, Terry preached a message on hope and reminded me that "when God's grief overlaps the people's grief, God acts."

Why am I discouraged?

Why so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again--

my Savior and my God!

Psalm 42:5

After more good conversations with dear ones from Garland, I stepped through the glass doors at the church building and thought before the Lord...

Thank you, God for this treasure of life.

Thank you that I am not alone.

You know our journey...our ups, our downs.

You take away and you give.

You are the One who makes it fit together.

Because of You, where there is death, there is life.

Bittersweet.

I'll keep walking through the glass doors...

Lookin' Up,

Pastarod

Words of wisdom to live by...

2008-02-18T19:26:00.000-08:00

"If your face doesn't match your neck, you might have a problem with your make-up."
Drew Lachey

The World is Flat...

2008-02-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

My Lauren is growing up....

Consider the peculiar ability that is getting so common these days: I can be in Colorado caring for my parents, my wife can be home in Spokane doing the mom thing, and my oldest daughter can be in Thailand...and we're all interconnected through this thing called the internet.

Wow am I thankful Al Gore invented this thing.

Anyhow, I'm filled with a mixture of emotions as I deal with an aging father and an excited daughter, on opposite sides of the globe. I guess this is the way life is...

Lauren's certainly not roughing it...yeah, she's tired and all, but the Belle Vista resort is a place where I could have honeymooned! Still, I'm so thankful she's stepping out and serving others in the name of the Lord. My prayer for her, as is the case for all of my girls and the others on her team is that they will be gripped with a sense of mission to their lives...that God wants to work in and through them to reach a lost and broken world. It doesn't matter whether that's in Chiang Mai or Spokane or wherever God may lead. It also doesn't matter what task it is that they do. Ministry is serving in the name of the Lord, whatever the task may be...

May God bless you this day and fill you with His mission...

And go get 'em Lauren!

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

Today my dad turns 76...

2008-02-08T15:26:00.000-08:00

My heart is filled today with an understandable mix of joy and sadness...

Joy, because my wonderful father's 76th birthday is today...

Sadness, because his life appears to be approaching its sunset.

That mind of his that was always racing in thought is dimming from the spectre of dementia. That body of his that was always itching to move and get something done is being crippled from the sting of parkinsons.

This is life...this approaching of...death.

Thank you, Father, for giving me the joy of being my father's son.

Thank you, God, for his example of loving you well and expending his life for that which lasts.

Lord Holy Spirit, comfort him, comfort us, comfort me as together we navigate these difficult days.

Lord Christ, may I walk with You as he did...

Lookin' Up,

Pastarod

Darrell Scott Picks the Buffs...

2008-02-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

Yes! Yes! Yes! I am more than proud to announce to any soul willing to read this obscure post that the nation's #1 ranked tailback committed to play his college football for the mighty Buffaloes!

I know...you're overjoyed. Well, you should be! I mean this dude is the man...every program in the nation wanted him and he wants to come to Boulder and bring in the National Championship!

“I thought Colorado was a good fit, and I’m excited to be a Buff . ... (Coach) Dan Hawkins has a vision, and I want to be part of that vision,” said my new 18-yr old hero. Add Darrell Scott to several other stud recruits and CU has assembled a mighty bunch of marquis talent.

Everyone, start bowing to the overwhelming strength of the Mighty Buffs...

Lookin' Up,

Pastarod

I am so lame...

2008-02-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

Sorry for the delay in posting to this thing. It's been so long, but life is hairy! How do we manage it all?

Today I'm in the church office and am catching up on many of the "little," but important things there are to do in being a leader in Christ's church: Lotsa email, writing thank-you's, meeting with staff over various who-knows-what and future planning. It turns out that not preaching the message I had planned for yesterday actually gives me some extra time this week 'cause I'll just do that one next week! It's all part of my eeeeee-vil plan...

I'm excited about the new worship center we're planning to build and enjoyed kicking off the Capital Campaign yesterday. I'm not into buildings that much...the church is the people! But, God's people need a place to meet, and I am excited about renewing our facilities to enable this people to reach out in this neighborhood for the next decades. Christ didn't die so we could have nice buildings...he died so we could know real life and engage the broken and doubting ones with that offer of true life. If you're a part of Garland, I invite you to give generously and sacrificially to that end.

Well, there you have it. Don't be lame...like me. Post wildly, post often.

Lookin' Up,

Pastarod

The Way It Is Supposed To Be...

2007-11-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Listen well, for I shall tell you of wonderful news...It was a high-scoring game...exciting...filled with all the twists...and I was there. But the end speaks well for the future of Colorado football: 65 - 51, with the mighty Buffaloes standing victoriously upon the vanquished necks of the Boys of Corn. We're going bowling, baby, while the Corneaters stay home for the holidays. Man, I hate Nebraska! Ralphie rules. This is the way it is supposed to be...

Ginormous Inflatable Scooby-doo

2007-11-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

As I sit here watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I can't believe how lame we are sometimes. Is it really all about a giant inflatable Scooby-doo and every marketer in the book trying to get us to spend our money on their products? In a throwback to traditional stuff, they even had some "pilgrims" dressed up in the garb we think they looked like. Then, we've been assailed with Dolly Parton and some tights-wearing, roller-skate moving people acting out the "Xanadu" show. Weird. What's up with all this? Where has the original reflection gone, the thankfulness presented by people to God for his goodness in their lives? What a shame to lose this:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

His love endures forever...

"What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?"

Psalm 116:12

May God continue to bless you and sustain you through this coming year. Give thanks where it is due...

Lookin' Up,

Pastarod

On Burritos...

2007-11-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

I think one of the best lunches around Spokane is the Tecate Grill's Colorado Steak Burrito. For $6.99 one can sit down to all-you-can-eat chips and dip, followed by a caliente plate carrying a rockin' good delight of Mexican carne goodness. Couple it with a Coke or Pepsi with lots of fresh lime and I'm fairly convinced you will experience a truly surreal culinary experience. Try it. Better yet, call me to join you, and we'll try it together. Especially if you pay. Could there actually be a better way to spend your lunch?

Life Can Be Difficult...

2007-10-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

It's common to think that it's very difficult to be a real Christian...one who sincerely and humbly follows after Christ, seeking to know him and make him known to others. And for sure, if one is genuine about following the Way of Christ, it is indeed a real challenge.

But it also seems to me that this isn't the whole truth, for there is a true cost to not being a real Christian, too. You see, many misguidedly think it's easy to live one's life for themselves but difficult to live for Christ. But as Soren Kierkegaard challenged:

"It costs a man just as much or even more to go to hell than to come to heaven. Narrow, exceedingly narrow is the way to perdition."

I think Kierkegaard's got a good point - the cost is real either way. To depart from the Christ-life is to choose a life of crushing burdens, failures and disappointments, a life caught in the pain of endless problems without depth of meaning or resolution. On the other hand, the cost of following Christ will take all that we have, but it's actually a small price to pay compared to those who don't accept Christ's invitation to real life.

In the end, life can be difficult either way...so why not choose Christ and find real life? What do YOU think?

Lookin' Up,
Pastarod

I think I'm growing up...

2007-10-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

What's it like to grow up, to realize one is becoming something? I look around at the way my life is going and I am astounded...

I am forty now. Where is life going? I'm not old (though my kids seem to think so!), but I'm no longer young. My knees ache already - I thought that was for people much older than me. It feels like halftime of a big game...much has been accomplished, but there's only so much time to push toward the end.
My oldest daughter is now in high school. I drop her off at school and I feel both excited for her as she's experiencing so much, and I feel tentative at the wounds she may experience. My youngest daughter is in first grade. There's such a span there...it won't be long before I start marrying them off.
God is more real to me now than ever before, but there's so much growing with Him yet to do. I feel like Philip, one of Jesus' followers, who asked Jesus to "show them the Father." Jesus' response: "Philip, don't you even know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you?"

Maybe you feel the same? I don't know. But the more I think about it, the more I hope I'm growing up...

Lookin' Up, Pastarod

In the beginning...

2007-09-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,
Welcome to my new blog! I've been wanting to get this thing going for over a year now, but it's seemed there has always been something more important. Well, now here we are...thanks for visiting. I hope, over time, to share with you a journey of sorts...thoughts about the "why's" of life, reflections on a walk with God, bits and pieces on the wonder and agony of the journey. Keep checking in...
Lookin' Up,
Pastarod