Attentive Grace comes to mind when I think of the overall theme of the movie, “The Blind Side.” Seeing the potential in someone is something that many are capable of doing. Yet there are many who are afraid to practice this kind of love for fear of what could happen.  ”Big Mike” and Lee Anne Tuohy actually intersect in the movie when the Tuohy family as they’re driving home from a  school function, sees Michael Oher walking in the rain, wearing only a shirt and shorts.  Lee Anne steps out of the ordinary in her life of success and blessings and asks Michael about his situation and whether or not he had a place to stay. She does the unthinkable and the Oher family brings Michael home and he sleeps on their couch and would eventually become part of the Tuohy family as the movie unfolds.

The movie reminded me of a dear friend in my life that both my wife and I love very much. Clark resembled for me what it means to be attentive to the grace of God in the world. Clark and his wife when I was around 18 years old offered to house me in their home. The reason Clark wanted to do this was that I needed a place to live and I needed to find some structure and stability in my life. Clark wanted me to consider furthering my education by attending the local community college which was a 10-15 minute walk from his home. He and his wife went out of their way to make it possible for me to attend, they fed me, and saw to it that I got to church when I needed to get to church. Clark was aware of my home life growing up and although couldn’t really relate to the situation I had come from, understood his designated role in my life as a follower of Jesus. Clark and his wife Margie were what the larger church should be when it comes to loving the people of God where the church resides in its context and where it is placed by God in the world.

Leigh Anne Tuohy saw the injustice of a young man who needed more than just a break. She saw a child of the king who needed grace and at one point in the movie recognizes what Michael was doing for her and how he was a blessing to her. How do we bring both worlds together that are found in the movie and that by all means exist in our churches? Being attentive to God’s grace means learning how to watch and listen. Listen for where the needs exist. Be aware of the injustices that with God’s help can be corrected and most of all being responsive to those moments in your life where you are called upon to be a blessing to someone else even if there are risks?

More thoughts to come.

We finally saw the movie, “The Blind Side,” this past weekend. I have lots to say and little time to formulate. Although I never went on to become a start athlete, I will say that I resonate with the movie because if it weren’t for a few folks in my life as a youth who practiced what it meant to be the family of God, I would not be where I’m at today in my life as a follower of Jesus, husband, father, and pastor. Promise to blog some in a couple of days.

I got to officiate my brothers wedding yesterday in Morrison, Colorado. Talk about some pretty land. 7500 feet up and what a way to celerbate. Scott is a good guy. He’s been clean and sober for a few years now. Without Scott knowing we flew Deb and the kids out right before the wedding. This way Scott was able to have some support on his side of the aisle. His wife Tamara is a wonderful woman and Deb and I enjoyed being with them both to celerbate their new lives together. Say a prayer for them both.

It’s the first day of school for the family. Even Deb’s started her new teaching gig as a special ed. high school teacher. I asked her how it was going so far and she said that one of her students had already “rapped for her.” Sounds likes it going well. As for the kids? I think they’re happy, but bummed that summer has come to an end. I think all were ready for a new school year. In celerbation of the first day of school I give you Mr. Happy Feet! What parents are doing all over the AV today.

What makes me happy on my birthday? These guys do. I am grateful to God.

Disclaimer before I write anything else. I am fine. I love the Lord with all of my heart and soul, I love my wife Deb, and I continue to be blown away by how God continues to watch over our family. As for ministry I am blessed and I am grateful that God has given me the chance to serve as a pastor of a wonderful church with some wonderful folks. I am also grateful that God has opened up a door for me to serve as a part-time hospital chaplain while Debbie looks for a new teaching position. With that being said…

As I look at my life in a nutshell I have no complaints. I have been happily married to a wonderful and beautiful woman for almost 19 years. We get the God given honor of being able to raise some amazing kids. When it comes to lifes goals one sets, I browse through the last 40 years of my bookshelves of my heart and I must say I have met many of my goals. I also have many more to work on and I know God isn’t through with me when it comes to pastoral ministry and serving as a pastor. 

I turn 41 next week. Turning 40 was strange and I must say turning 41 is even stranger. I don’t feel that I’m a 41 year old although my body sometimes looks and feels like its 50. How do some of you older guys cope with this? Someone told me last year 40 is the new 27. How I wish! 

Over the next couple of weeks I will reflect on turning 41.

Let me say that as I think about turning 41 I have some mixed emotions. I am thrilled and at the same time I am beside myself that this train called “getting old,” is going way too fast.

I do know this…I am thankful…with joy and happiness I am thankful for what God has done for me. 

I give you these two folks who are just way too awesome and who are leading many in the kingdom to the throne of God. 

For those of you who read my blog and who know me, you know my parents died several years ago. Over the years the Lord has blessed me with some wonderful surrogate parents who have helped shaped my faith in Christ and in many ways are the reason I do what I do now as a follower of Jesus, husband, father, and now a pastor.

Our friend Frank Frankman went to be with the Lord this past Thursday.

For Debbie and I Frank on more than one occasion cared for us in so many ways. His fatherly love and his heart for Jesus ministered to us and gave to us the peace of Christ. The kind of peace that encouraged us to not give up and to trust that the God of peace is what gives us strength to get through the best and worst of times.

What I loved about Frank was that he was a surrogate parent to Deb and me, he was a spiritual father, and for this we give thanks to God. My fondest memories of Frank were sitting in his home with Jane as they regularly welcomed young adults into their home from the church. I also remember receiving some of the biggest “Frank Frankman” hugs that were the kind of hugs that I so desired from my own father. They were the kinds of hugs that said, “man, I’m proud of you kid!”

What I truly remember about Frank is that every time he talked about me with my friends or people at church, I would always hear from my friends on how proud he was of me. And every time Debbie and I would see Frank he would make it a point to tell us how proud he was of us. This always gave me hope and encouraged me in so many ways. He was our cheerleader. He was one of our biggest fans in the kingdom. He even celebrated like a father would celebrate with his kids, when I told him I finally finished seminary and that I was becoming a Presbyterian minister. On more than one occasion he would tear up when he would talk with Deb and me about the joy he had for us.

Thank you God for our friend Frank. Although we grieve, we celebrate the life you now have with God Frank. We continue to pray for your bride Jane and for your kids. We thank you for loving us as Jesus loved us. Thank you for giving us your heart. And most of all thank you for being proud of me Frank! I love you brother!

I have been a poser of sorts when it comes to blogging for about 5 years now. I am an irregular blogger. My blogging has mostly been about reflections as a Pastor serving a congregation in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and about other things happening my life as a husband, married to Debbie for over 18 years and a father of three boys.

There are other pastors I know who are professional bloggers. I have no idea how they manage to keep up with the amount of time blogging requires. I have found with the recent facebook phenomenon over the last year that facebooking is much easier to keep up with in my life. I have found that my blogging goes in spurts.

Debbie was saying to me this morning that there are people who actually read my blog. So, as 2009 has taken off here are a couple of my hopes for the New Year:

1. As I hear stories of pastors who have placed their call to serve Christ and the church over their marriages and families I want to continue keeping what really matters most to me as a follower of Jesus close to my heart. One area that really matters most to me is my love for my wife. I often forget to give thanks to God for the gift of my wife who has been one of my biggest encouragements and who has always supported me in my call to serve as a Pastor. She has been a friend to me in the best and worst of times in my ministry and the Lord continues to use her not only as a loving and gifted mom of three very cool kids, but as a school teacher.

2. I have a pastor buddy who once said to me, “don’t make the same mistakes I made early on in my ministry as a pastor.” What he said to me spoke volumes not only in regards to my relationship with my wife, but with my relationships with our kids. I pray that I will continue to be available and present, ready to be dad for our kids and a Christ like father.

3. My hope is to continue growing in my preaching. I love preaching. My desire in 2009 is to continue to find balance in the midst of what is expected of me in the congregation I serve and in my personal study of God’s Word. With this desire I want to become more diligent in what I read professionally and personally.

4. I have talked to a respected friend about the possibility of receiving spiritual direction. I think this is an area in my life that I know I can benefit from in my personal life spiritually and professionally as I disciple folks.

5. I am currently working at a doctor of ministry degree. I hit a couple of bumps this past Summer when Deb was part of district and state wide teacher lay-offs due to the education budget cuts in California. I am currently gearing up to continue working on this very important part of my life and calling as a pastor when it comes to my education. I know this degree will be benefit me in many different areas of my ministry and in my call as a pastor over the next 5-10 years.

6. For over a year now I have been a little more attentive to my health. I have lost a bunch of weight because of some more regular excercise. I have also (Although the holidays kicked my butt) started paying attention to what I am eating. I am no use to my bride, my kids, or my church if I am a big pile of mush. So, 2009 I will continue in my pursuit of getting healthy!

So, for you 8 or so readers. Be thinking about what you might want to do in 2009. We do celebrate Epiphany this week. What will you be giving back to the Lord in 2009?

May it be so Lord!

There was a scene from the movie Seven Pounds where Wil Smith’s character fixes an old Heidelberg printing press similar to the one in this picture. My dad ran one of these machines for several years. There were no computers in the shop he worked for. Just a bunch of old machines making a whole lot of noise and the smell of ink, paper, and a bunch of old guys trying to make a living with the sounds this machine made, along with the other noises a busy print shop made.

I remember watching this machine on several occasions do its thing.

Dad treated it with care and even kept it cleaner than he kept his house. In some ways he treated this beast of a machine better than he treated his own family.

When I saw the scene in the movie I instantly raced back to being a kid standing next to my dad watching him work. I remember on more than one occasion when dad would come home covered in ink. His nails were filled with the stuff. He would clean his hands every night with comet. One of my first jobs as a Jr. high kid was working for one of the print shops my dad worked for located in downtown Los Angeles at 8th and Broadway. I think the shop was called Adams Press.

I remember getting on the bus with my dad at the crack of dawn around 6AM every morning one summer. We would get on the bus at De Longpre and Highland Ave. in Hollywood. Somehow we’d end up in downtown. When you’re half a sleep as a kid during the summer time, everything seems like a blur at 6AM. I can’t even remember the bus number, but I know as the bus approached downtown, I can remember all of the lights that were still on in the “large” (Even larger now) buildings as the sun began to rise.

My job that summer was working as a bike messenger. I got to deliver boxes of business cards to local businesses all over downtown.  I think this is why I love the city so much because of my experience working at my dad’s print shop that summer.

I do know that the shop my dad worked for was a hoot to work for. It was an extension of family that I didn’t have. I can even remember as I got older taking the bus downtown to see my dad’s co-workers. I even remember my dad’s boss always taking the time to ask me how I was doing. He knew full well that as a kid I wasn’t getting the care us kids needed because of my dad’s alcoholism. It’s interesting how one scene in a movie can bring back so many memories.

As for the movie itself?

We should have seen Doubt as I am hearing from folks that every Pastor should take the time to go and see this movie. I hope to see it next week.

My birthday week is coming to an end and I must say after all of the blubbering I’m still standing. I am humbled by the mere fact that God continues to bless me. My bride of eighteen years, our three sons, and my call by God to serve as a pastor are all simple reminders of God’s abundant grace. Even in the midst of my wife being one of many public school teachers looking for employment due to state wide budget cuts and her job search, we continue to see God at work in our lives. What we’re going through is nothing compared to so many others in our churches and communities. Then I was reminded again about this guy who passed away this week and who gave a famous lecture last year about the importance of celebrating life. If not for anyone else, his lecture gives me a whole new perspective on turning 40.