Found these videos of my college roomate Jason Clark. So cool!
Today was my youngest daughter’s 7th birthday. She was so excited! She’s been counting down the days for weeks. We had just a small family party, and in a couple of weeks she’s going to have some friends over. Happy Birthday Squig!
We just arrived home from California. Actually, we thought we were returning home on Saturday, but Thursday night after I had fallen asleep I woke up to check our flight details to send to my mom and discovered that we were supposed to fly home on Friday. Good thing I woke up! Good flights. Crazily, when we were in the Cincinnati airport I saw this guy sitting next to us who looked so familiar. His daughter also looked so familiar. I told my wife I was almost certain that he was a missionary our church supports. Convinced it was him, I finally turned around and waved at him. He smiled and waved back, but didn’t seem to recognize me. I knew if it was our missionary he would have known me, but perhaps the location had thrown him. I asked him if he was from Smithtown, and he said no. I told him that he looked so familiar – exactly like someone I knew (see pics)
. I just couldn’t shake it. I knew I knew this guy, but from where? Finally our number was called and I said good bye to him. It was bothering me. Where did I know him from? And his daughter – I definitely recognized her as well. On the plane I told Ady that I hoped he was on our plane so I could figure out where I knew him from. However, she said that he was waiting for the flight at the other gate to Utah. Suddenly it hit me! Utah! The man was Ed Smart, and the daughter with him was Elizabeth Smart – the girl who had been kidnapped and was missing for almost a year before being found alive. I couldn’t believe it! Well, that was our bit of excitement for the day. Glad to be home. Great trip.
Today Ady and all of the wives went to Laguna Beach and had lunch at a resort while the rest of us were at Saddleback working. It was another great day of networking and brainstorming. One overarching thing that has really stood out to me that I appreciate about The Gathering is the focus on relationships before ministry. That has been so clearly communicated not just with words but through all that we have done this week. We finished up our sessions this afternoon and we just returned to the hotel for a little rest. Tonight we are heading out for dinner and then to Fields’ house to watch Survivor. We’ve had a great time and met some tremendous people! Tomorrow we are going to have dinner with the college pastor from Saddleback and his wife and then going to watch Doug’s son start his first high school football game as quarterback.
Today we had breakfast at Saddleback and then went over to their new student/community center called The Refinery for a brief tour. It’s a really great place, but Doug was almost apologetic because the whole concept of a youth center really goes against his philosophy of ministry. Nevertheless, the church was determined to build it whether he wanted it or not, so he really oversaw the project to ensure it fostered the purposes and values of the ministry.
Following the tour we had a great day brainstorming with Doug for his rewrite of Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry. Good ideas to enhance and revise the book. We’re going to be submitting some of the side bar comments for the book as well as some other input. It was fun for me as a writer getting a look at the creative process as well as the thought patterns of Doug when he’s working on a book.
After a brief break to freshen up at the hotel, this evening we went for dinner and bowling at Lucky Strikes. It was a lot of fun fellowshipping and rubbing shoulders with so many great youth pastors. We were busting Fields’ chops about his form (see the video), but he was cool under pressure and bowled a decent game beating most of us. lol
Just returned from a time of fellowship at Doug and Cathy Fields’ home. What a beautiful home and even better, a great time of sharing and fellowship with fellow youth workers. Great being around like-minded individuals who have such a passion for Jesus and youth ministry. More tomorrow.
Today Ady and I had some free time and drove up to Huntington Beach. As we were getting out of the car I told her that MMA fighter Tito Ortiz was from there and that his nickname is the Hungtington Beach Bad Boy. No more than five minutes later we were walking on the boardwalk and I said, “Ady, that’s him! That’s Tito Ortiz!” “No way,” she said. He was in front of his white Rolls doing a photo shoot. During a break in the action we asked him for a pic and he obliged. Crazy! Other than that we had a nice time walking and talking. I love my wife!
Today Ady & I left to California for a week of meetings in California with Doug Fields & the Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry Mentors. Our first neat encounter was in Laguardia airport as we were walking to our gate. I spotted Arkansas Governor and recent candidate for President Mike Huckabee. No big crowds. No fan fare. He was just finishing up chatting with a couple, so we stopped by and introduced ourselves. Extremely personable man. Very interested in where we were from, where we were headed. When i mentioned that I was headed to Saddleback he told me that he went to college with Rick Warren in Texas and that they still speak regularly on the phone. He asked us to say “Hi” to Rick for him if we see him during our trip.
Today I went to WalMart to do a little shopping. Before doing anything else, I had to return an item at Customer Service. While in line a man and a small boy came in soaking wet from the torrential rain that was happening outside. A minute later the man’s wife or girlfriend came in with two more children, all dripping wet, clothes soaked. The mom asked her oldest son to get her some paper towels from the bathroom to which the boy replied in a sweet voice, “Sure mommy. Anything for you!” A moment later he returned with paper towels and she dried her face. After observing this family for a couple of minutes I heard, “Next,” so I went forward.
While doing my exchange the store employee was having problems with her computer. After a couple of pages and no reply, the line behind me had grown and people were getting anxious. They asked if the Money Gram was working to which she responded that she did not know. The lady from the family I was observing before asked her husband or boyfriend if he wanted to just leave them and catch the bus so he wouldn’t miss work, but he decided to stay with his family and would apparently suffer the consequences. Finally the store employee made another call and announced that the system was down and would not be up anytime soon. The entire line left muttering under their breath in frustration. I observed this family – obviously frustrated, but more so, disappointed. They had obviously worked hard to get to the store for no other purpose than to cash in their Money Gram. The employee gave me my exchange and I was on my way. My heart broke for this family, but what could I do?
After getting my shopping done and paying, I exited the store. On my way out I noticed this family by the vending machines peering out the window in obvious disappointment and apparently waiting for the next bus. The mom and dad were doing their best to be upbeat and keep their children entertained. As I walked past them, the Lord told me to go back. I turned around and approached them asking where they were trying to go. “To the DMV to catch the bus,” the man said. “C’mon,” I said, “I’ll give you a ride.” Shock and smiles overwhelmed them. “Are you serious?” the man asked. I assured them I was. I led them to my van, put the back seat up and loaded everybody in.
As we were driving out of the parking lot, the man told me that after leaving the store they had tried to cross the major road in the pouring rain to catch the bus, but just as they were about to the bus, the driver pulled away leaving them behind. They had to walk the 100-yeards or so back through the rain to the store to wait for the next one. When I inquired about their ordeal at the store, the woman told me that she had tried to cash in the Money Gram the previous night but was told she would have to come back the next day as they could not cash it on the same day it was issued. So, this morning, she loaded up the family, took the bus, and trudged through the downpour, only to be told that the system was down. When I asked where they lived, they said that they were from Central Islip, but that their landlord who was charging them $1,500 a month was not fixing necessary things around the house. Then yesterday, a gas leak in the place they were renting had forced them to move out. The government put them in some housing in Medford, quite a distance away. This had also forced them to pull their kids out of school until a taxi or bus can be arranged to pick them up and get them there.
A few minutes later we were at the DMV. They couldn’t stop thanking me for the ride. I told them it was my privilege. When I pushed the button to open the automated side doors on my van, the kids were going nuts saying my car was so cool. It was like they had gotten a ride in a space ship! I was so humbled by this. In our little middle- to upper-class world, my van is less than average, and it is our only vehicle – also an anomaly in our context. Yet, the Lord has blessed us so abundantly if we’re honest, and I was glad to just be able to do a little something out of gratefulness to God for His provision and to show care for my fellow-man.
Aside from a brief mention that I worked for a church, I pray that my life and this simple act of kindness pointed them toward the love of Jesus. May the Lord speak to and provide for this precious family who is struggling. I think the man’s name was Lance. Pray for them.
Long-time Christian recording artist Ray Boltz has come out of the closet and announced that he is gay. Let’s not throw stones; let’s just pray. Here’s a full article: http://christianmusic.about.com/od/editorial1/a/rayboltzcomesou.htm
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