It’s time and what a better way to begin then by playing those pesky Giants. Go Dodgers!

This morning in church we had the opportunity of hearing from a friend and follower of Jesus who shared his testimony about his son and how God is using his son in Pelican Bay. Manuel is a church elder at a Presbyterian Church in Glendale. Manuel shared about how his son began a ministry from “within” the walls of Pelican Bay. His son began a Bible study through the ventilation system while in solitary confinement. Did you catch that? Through the ventilation system. Manuel also had another friend come with him to share about a ministry targeting troubled youth. The ministry is called the ROCK program. What I appreciated about Manuel was his candor. The ministry that his son has been called to along with other followers of Jesus focuses on community and discipleship within the prison. Pray for Manuel as he shares the ministry his son and others have started with the greater church. Pray for his son who has six more years in Pelican Bay. And pray for his friend who was in church this morning sharing what God is doing in places like Pelican Bay through programs like ROCK. Especially pray for the ROCK program. The last visit Manuel made, they took sixteen youth to visit.

Ten of the youth came to know Christ.

I invite you if you have some down time today to listen to Manuel’s message here. We had some microphone issues this morning. You will need to use your Bionic ears.

Sunday morning Easter schedule

3:30am Wake up

4:10am Pick up church member

4:30am Arrive at church

5:10am Arrive here.

6:00am Sunrise service begins

7:00am Head to church to put out lilies

7:30am Finish song slides

7:45am The Fellowship Hall smells yummy with breakfast foods

8:00am First service begins.

9:15am Take a break, hang out with some cool church folks

10:00am Second service begins

11:15am Hang out with more cool church folks in the yummy fellowship hall.

12:00pm Go to church members house for brief Easter egg hunt

1:00pm Drive home quickly for family members to arrive for the “Official” holiday gathering and start prepping the munchies. (Must have beef salami with the cheese and crackers, wifey runs to the store)

2:30pm The HAM arrives, potatoes mashed

3:00pm Everyone eats

3:30pm Run to VONS, out of coffee, need coffee stat! Stopped at Starbucks for a quick Cafe Misto to relieve the nerves and to wake me up and bought two pounds of coffee for the family to have with the pies.

4:00pm The family watches “I am Legend,” Sorry Mr. Smith, hoped it would be a little better.

7:00pm Every ones is gone. Clean some with the wifey.

Sometime between 10pm & 11pm I’m snoring.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

HT: Steve

For a second year as a solo pastor I’ve had the opportunity to participate in a Seder Dinner sponsored by one of our families at church. Has to be my favorite event all year long and is a wonderful experience in preparing for this weekend in reflecting on what was accomplished for us on the cross by Christ and what was fulfilled for us on the day of Resurrection. Although the worship, the breaking of bread in the midst of community, the silence, the Word read and spoken were all reminders of grace, I felt though as if my soul was caught in the middle of a good ol’ fashion “tug of war.”

What was frustrating tonight as a pastor and I wonder if other pastors have felt the same, was the tension of wanting to be one hundred percent available and present for the congregation I serve not only as a pastor, but also being available and present as a husband and father for my wife and and kids. Let me explain. I really wanted to be cloned this evening and couldn’t because two of our three blessings of children had prior engagements. The middle dude had a baseball game and the older dude had a dessert where he was receiving an award for getting all A’s this last semester in his last last year of middle school. (The coveted Principals List for getting a 4.0.)

Anyways, Thanks to mom for juggling the rides and video taping the A list event and still having time to see the last half of the game. I wasn’t able to make these events. I tried but arrived at the field as they were turning off the lights. What was frustrating and it really is the first time I’ve gone through this as a solo pastor was that I wondered why Little League baseball and a public middle school had events scheduled during a week that the larger religious community sees as vital to their own faith journey. I wondered if there were other families and persons who felt the tension that I felt. I guess it didn’t seem right that there even needed to be a choice. Again, proud of them both. Just wish I could have been able to be at all three events, all important to my own walk with Christ.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=C1tiufSK90g]

We saw Horton hears a who tonight. It was awesome if you love Dr. Seuss stuff. What was neat was the trillion kids in the theater and the applause at the end of the movie. Way to go Mr. Carey!

My favorite line from the book and in the movie, “A persons a person no matter how small.” Totally preachable!

Can’t wait…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnBNTtgo2mY]

Can you guess what’s coming beings that I’m a spouse of a public school teacher?

“We normally spend 20% of the time analyzing a conflict and 80% solving it—it should be the other way around.” DA

Haven’t had time to process what I learned last week at Fuller. The class was awesome. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness that myself and 5 other pastor types had the chance to sit and listen to this wonderful pastor, teacher, and someone who truly gets it when it comes to dealing with conflict that occurs within the church. The reality is that conflict is a given; its learning how to navigate through it. Now the writing and reading begin. I believe the course should be a requirement for any pastor or leader within the church. I know I came away with the desire to get back into therapy. Needing a place to process the “stuff,” of ministry and life. Especially the “church stuff” that I have totally ignored over the last couple of years. I have lots of unfinished work I’d like to face head on. Pastors need to be able to get their hearts and soul in some kind of order to recharge and refresh the pastors heart. Anyways, the class felt like 50 hours of group therapy. I miss being in the classroom. Did I really say that? Hanging out all week at Fuller really was a blessing.