just a little fun...

It doesn't have a whole lot to do with gideon, but it is a little fun (Being a Pirate, that is)....

Especially if you happen to be a part of Captain Jack's Iron Pirates....

My pirate name is:

Iron William Rackham

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you a tough person. You have the good fortune of having a good name, since Rackham (pronounced RACKem, not rack-ham) is one of the coolest sounding surnames for a pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
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the gideon pitch...

It's amazing some of the stories in the bible that haven't been made into movies yet..

Gideon's story would make an incredible movie...  Along the lines of Henry the V, Braveheart, The Gladiator...

Opening scene - a kid, pressing grapes as a raiding party screams through the town, killing and pillaging as he hides in the vat. 

Then the vision - God calling him to overthrow them years later.  Against all odds, the ragtag army; the great victory.  You can imagine the scenes from Henry the V and Braveheart - the huge battles and the great courage.

And since the bible doesn't say either way, you can throw in the love story as well just to make it appeal to every one.

That's my 2 cents anyway...  maybe someone will pitch it some day...

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understanding mourning

Last week one of Veronica's good friends in Seattle past away. She had two kids, the same age as our kids, and Veronica scrapbooked with her on a regular basis. It's hard to really understand how different people mourn, and without that understanding, it's hard to know how I should respond to them, especially my wife.

Sometimes it makes me think that my heart is callous, and then I get convicted thinking that I'm not having the right attitude. At other times I feel like I should be focused on my family and giving more to them knowing that she was our age, and it just as well could have been one of us. Probably both are right.

Either way, in most passages I've seen in the bible, it's not a short term thing. Most cases God's people took days of mourning ( See References ). In some cases (such as Joseph mourning his Dad), up to 40 days were spent in mourning. My conviction is that it's not something that should be taken lightly, and we need to all do what we can to help people through the mourning process.


Genesis 50:7

So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

30 days....

30 Days at the foot of the cross...

Something I desparately need. It's so easy to lose the 'reason' at times. I have had the same problem with Team in Training as well. The whole purpose of Team in Training is to raise money for the Luekemia and Lymphoma Society to help find a cure for cancer and hopefully make patients lives easier. You'd think if anyone could keep their focus on the cause, I could. Yet still I forget at times and just focus on the fun and training.

I have the same issue with being a disciple. I forget the purpose is to walk with God and help others find their walk with God. There'd really be no reason to keep us here on earth after baptism if the purpose were just to be close to God.

I hope that September will be a month that I draw near to God and can keep the reason at the forefront of my actions as I spend the next month at the foot of the cross....

friends -the good, the bad, and the ugly

He who covers over an offense promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

- Proverbs 17:9

New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

I was able to hang out with Peirre Newsome last night. He reminded me how important friends are, especially when it comes to keeping strong spiritually over the years. As the proverb says, it's so easy to ruin a relationship over little things, and yet it only takes one to decide to 'cover an offense'.

So many (including me at times) have gotten bitter because of both little and big offenses commited by different people, many of them old friends. I believe the only way to make it to the end with your friends at your side is to practice that proverb. No matter how great your friend is, at some point, they will commit a terrible offense against you - after all, they are only human. The question is, how will we respond... :)

an answer to prayer

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

John 17:20-26(New International Version )

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

It hadn't occured to me ever the significance of this passage until this weekend at the Northwest Christian Seminar and one of the lessons taught by the lead evangelist of the Vancouver Church of Christ. That I could actually decide to be the answer to one of Jesus' prayers. It's often you see in God's word that Jesus did something or said something, 'to fulfill what was said...' - or ensure that a prophecy came true. That can be done with prayers as well. If it's within my power, shouldn't I do it? If my kids pray consistently for something and it's within my power to act, what great faith that would given them. To see that God does answer prayers.


How great it is that I can help Jesus' prayer be answered. Yea, it will take work, but it is within my power. Start little, think big...

pressing on

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:14 (New International Version )

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Sometimes we forget that goals are things even Jesus and Paul needed - So why would it be any different for us? Obviously, they had some very specific goals that they worked towards their whole life, like dying on the cross, and getting to heaven.

As I approach 40, I'm feeling the need for some very specific goals as well, and not just ones that I can have tommorow. Here are some I'd like to attain before I end my 40th year here on earth:

1. Help another seattle couple become christians
2. See my kids start desiring their own relationship with God (praying and quiet times)
3. Complete an Ironman race
4. Climb Mt Rainier
5. Climb Notchtop Mountain's Spiral Route in winter
6. Reach my goal weight (170)
7. Traverse Olympic National Park by Foot

We'll see how many we get done - maybe there will be others?

Point is, goals are good, and you need to strive to attain them, or they wouldn't be goals...

as iron sharpens...

As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another. *

It was great to have my buddy Craig give me a call last night. It reminded me how easy it is to get off track and try to do everything on your own. A few friends of mine (including Craig) had a standing appointment on Thursday nights to meet at a coffee shop and discuss how things were going spiritually.

When we met, we usually had a great time, and it presented a great opportunity to get some discipling and input into our lives. The problem is, and has happened at other times in the past, out of site, out of mind, right? Over time, we started meeting less and less, until the point that I can't remember the last time I went over and had coffee with them.

God's word is full of warnings and encouragement about brothers helping each other spiritually, and yet it's our nature to want to do it all ourselves.



Thanks Craig, for the reminder - and I'll see you Thursday !

* Proverbs 27:17 New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

that old time religion

Whatever happend to those zealous college students I went to school with? That was the definition of 'Old Time Religion' as far as I'm concerned. I'm not sure exactly what happend...we grew up, I guess.

I think we still have those fires in our hearts. We still love God, we still love the fellowship, and though we might not admit it, I think we still love the commitment. I think what we can fail to realize is that commitment is a matter of the heart, not just the body.

' Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. ' - Kings 15:14

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Asa could have done more... and yet God saw that his heart was fully committed, and that's what God looks at. I suppose that's why we need to gaurd our hearts above a things, because in the end, I want God to be able to say the same about me as he did about Asa - commited to the Lord all his life....

i can only imagine...

I was listening to 105.3 this morning and that song came on. It is interesting to think about what it might be like to meet God face to face. A little scary, a little exciting... who knows?

I always thought it was a little dorky when people would say they 'felt' God's presence, or felt God move... always seemed a little to non-scientific for me. I suppose though, I enjoy praying in the early morning before the hustle and bustle of city life starts up, or when it's snowing, or when I'm out in the woods... because I 'feel' closer to God. It's quiet, it's just me, maybe this is what they are talking about?

I suppose I hope it will be like that when I meet God. Peaceful; maybe on a mountain top, or a trail through the woods, quite and serene - just walking with God. That's how I picture Enoch being taken up -

"Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."

Genesis 5:24 (New International Version)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

crouching at your door...

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." - Genesis 4:7

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

It seems so easy to go back to old ways. For me, it's even easier after I've made a commitment to really change something. That really seems to be the ideal time for the powers of darkness to get a good hold. The more I look back at times that I've repeated sins I've thought that I've conquered, the more I realize they happen after big decisions or turning points I've made.

Not surprising that I had troubles last night and this morning keeping my thoughts spiritual - even failed to have my quiet time this morning - the day after I decided I was going to turn it all around :(

Hopefully I'll be watching a little more for what's crouching at my door tomorrow...

why bother...

Gideon happens to be my favorite character in the Bible. Partly because he's the one man against all odds, and partly because God uses him in incredible ways.

Over the last few years, with different changes going on in the kingdom, it seems that I've lost some of my fervor for my relationship with God. I was baptized into Christ in December of '86 in the Boston Church of Christ. I was in and out of college ministries and teen ministries through about '94, and then ended up in the married ministry in LA. After LA, we moved back to Colorado and were part of the Denver Church of Christ, and for the last 4 years we've been up here in Seattle.

As things stand now, I feel like I need to step up my relationship with God again, and maybe this is just another route to explore his word and my relationship with him.