Redirection (not Phoenix)
A brief life update:
As we’ve neared our move to Phoenix/the church plant something funny has happened. God, in his providence, has decisively redirected us to not move forward with those plans, he’s kept us in the Bay Area.
We are now excitedly revisiting and sorting out what God is calling us to next. More details on that in the near future…
Perhaps the guy who has always lived in “S” cities (Sacramento, Spokane, Santa Barbara, Saratoga, San Carlos) should’ve been wary about breaking the pattern to move to a “P” city.
Circumstances
People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, make them. -George Bernard Shaw
Vocation & Gladness
The voice we should listen to most as we choose a vocation is the voice that we might think we should listen to least, and that is the voice of our own gladness. What can we do that makes us the gladdest? I believe that if it is a thing that makes us truly glad, then it is a good thing and it is our thing. -Frederick Buechner
A Day With Darrin Patrick in the Bay Area (Tomorrow)
Tomorrow I’ll be spending the day with Darrin Patrick in the Bay Area. The Gospel Coalition: Bay Area chapter that a few of us formed is now partnering with The NorCal Network (which is now partnering with Acts29) to host this event.
In the afternoon Darrin is leading a seminar for church planters titled,”Leading the Mission.”
In the evening Darrin is speaking to the general public on “Redeeming Masculinity.”
Church planters who attend the afternoon session will receive a free copy of Darrin’s new book, Church Planter.
Here’s Tim Keller’s endorsement for the book:
“This is a great new book on church planting that balances the personal spiritual issues with the theological, cultural, and technical. Church planters should all read this.”
—Tim Keller, Senior Pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
Acts29 has more info about the event.
Go here to register for tomorrow’s event. Cancel the plans you had for tomorrow. Come to this.
Vocation
Update: Justin Taylor informed me that World Magazine articles can be read in their entirety when linked to from blogs. So, you don’t need a subscription to read the article linked to below.
The latest issue of World Magazine is devoted to the subject of Vocation. Gene Edward Veith’s article, Arenas of Service, is the best short treatment I’ve read on the importance of recovering the doctrine of vocation. You need a subscription to World to read the whole article. The link will take you to the lead in:
Vocation is nothing less than the theology of the Christian life. It provides the blueprint for how Christians are to live in the world and to influence their cultures. It is the key to strong marriages and effective parenting. According to the classic Protestant theologians, our multiple vocations—in the family, the culture, and the workplace—are where sanctification and discipleship happen.
This is an article I will be sharing with many people. The article summarizes and builds upon Veith’s excellent book, God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life.
Run a Marathon at Age 101
Have you heard of Buster Martin before? At age 101 he ran the London Marathon. He didn’t drink any water during the marathon, but he drank lots of beer.
You have no excuse anymore. Buster Martin just busted all of your excuses. Go run a marathon.
Possibility
If I were to wish for anything I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of what can be, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating as possibility.
-Soren Kierkegaard.
Autism, Technology, & My Brother Mark
CE Pro magazine features an article about my brother Mark, my nephew Brody, and technology distributed by my family’s company that’s helping children with autism. Here’s the lead in:
Brody Buzzard is a playful 2-year-old with a mild case of autism. So it’s no surprise that his father Mark, principal of Liberty Bell Alarm & Home Theater in Sacramento, Calif., has taken an interest in home health technology.
As a Control4 dealer, Mark Buzzard has rigged an automation system specifically for the needs of Brody and his care takers – mom and dad.
“Autistic children are very visual,” says Buzzard. “Using a visual communication strategy really helps them understand what is happening next and what to expect. It relieves a lot of stress and creates stability for them.”
Seven Years of Marriage & Praying Widows
I took my wife on a date today. Today’s our 7th wedding anniversary. This was a different kind of a date, I brought my sons along.
I wanted my sons to see the place I married their mommy. I wanted my wife to walk down that isle again and remember the that day when she was 23 and I was 24 and we started our new life together.
So, I drove the family to the South Bay, to the beautiful church where we were married and where I served as a youth pastor for 4.5 years in my early twenties. Taylor and I hadn’t been there in 4 years, since having kids.
My boys climbed on the pews while I told them the story of marrying their mom and showed them the pulpit I used to preach from. Then I heard voices of prayer coming from the room adjacent to the sanctuary… I had forgotten about the Monday morning prayer group.
For over 30 years a small group of women from this church have met every Monday morning for an hour of prayer, praying for the advance of the gospel and for needs in the church and in the community. Many of these women treated me like their grandson during my time there. From time to time I’d join Margaret, Doris, Pat, Winnie, Marilyn, and the other ladies (all women in their 70s, 80s, and 90s) for these prayer meetings. Three of the women have lost their husbands since we last saw each other.
It was so fun to surprise these ladies. They met my sons for the first time. We exchanged big hugs.
As the ladies asked questions we told them about some difficulty we’re facing. They didn’t want to talk about it. They wanted to pray about it. Doris sat us down and led the ladies in praying for our family.
After prayer, Winnie (the shortest and sweetest old woman you’ll ever meet) said something. She told a story. She reminded me/the group of the time I came to the Monday morning prayer meeting 7.5 years ago, dejected and in need, because Taylor had broken up with me and I didn’t know what I was going to do because I was sure this was the woman I was to marry. Winnie talked about how the ladies gathered around and prayed for me. Winnie told of how a few days later we were back together, a few months later she sat in the pew and watched us get married, and now 7 years later we were standing before them with our two boys and a third boy in Taylor’s womb.
What was Winnie’s point? Trust God and trust the power of praying widows. I may owe my marriage to a group of faithful old women who banged the doors of heaven on my behalf.
