random thursday night thoughts

Rather than post several entries, I've decided to lump them all together in a Thursday night blogging buffet.

Pineapple tip. Rather than buy the pre-sliced pineapples from the deli, I purchased my first-ever whole pineapple. I was all prepared to go home and begin chopping. Until one of the Von's employees said, "You know this won't be ready to cut for several days." What ensued was a primer on how to tell when pineapples are ready to be cut. I appreciated the tip.

Flashing Kensington sign. Many of San Diego's older neighborhoods have their name on a street sign that spans the width of a city street. Tonight I went for coffee in Kensington and noticed something about the Kensington neon sign. The "sin" part was starting to flicker while the remaining letters were solid and bright. Message from God?

Chicken Little. Save the Barenaked Ladies singing the opening song, Chicken Little was OK to average.

Parent/Teacher Conferences. Went to Hannah and Hope's teacher conferences today. Both girls are doing wonderful in school. Hannah even had a neatly organized desk!

i'm a poll worker, baby

About six weeks ago I get this letter in the mail from the San Diego County Registrar's office. It's asking for volunteers to serve as poll workers for the November 8 vote. Why not! I've always been interested in the process and figure it would be a good way to meet people in the neighborhood -- at least those who vote and aren't deadbeats.

Then last week I receive this 35 page booklet that I'm supposed to read before arriving at the poll. Let me tell you about arriving at the poll ... I'm supposed to be there at 6 AM and the poll doesn't close until 8 PM! That's 14 hours of civic duty and I'm not even paying for a petty crime. But, hey, I'm up at 5 AM anyway.

It was an interesting experience. Not brain surgery. That's not to say that it was entirely easy. The local and state governments have created a myriad of hoops, requirements, and responsibilities that must be followed every election. Much to my regret, no dead people tried to vote and no one appeared to be disenfranchised.

I worked alongside three ladies, the youngest being somewhere around 60-65 years old. It turned out to be quite fun as these ladies liked to talk. Every now and then I would pipe in with a comment or funny remark just to liven things up a bit. One lady returned from her break and told me she had told her husband that she was working alongside a minister. He remarked that she had better watch what she says. She told him I was "cool." :-)

I did get a chance to see many of the neighbors I already knew and to meet others who live close by. Will I do it again ... probably. Somebody has to do it.

officially thirty-six

The rumors are all true: I turned 36 this past Sunday. Memorial donations can be sent to 6244 Lake Lomond ...

If the statistics are true, then I just entered halftime. Halftime is another way of saying "middle-age." I prefer the concept of halftime. It's the idea that you've lived half of your life and have half of it left (Lord willing). What will I do with the second half of my life? That's an important question that requires more than a blog entry to fully explore. I imagine it will include much of what I've done during the first half of life.

But I must confess to having a growing sense of urgency to do something signficant with my life. As a Christ-follower, my first priority is to make a kingdom difference ... in my family, among friends, and in the community God has placed me. It's all about investment: how one chooses to invest their time, talent, and, yes, money.

I only have a few more minutes before halftime is up and I'll need to start the third quarter. Please excuse me while I grab another cup of coffee.

california proposition 73

Next Tuesday, California voters will have the opportunity to vote on several key propositions. One of those -- Proposition 73 -- has received little attention and yet may be one of the most important ones on the ballot. If passed, it would require parental notification for minors who are seeking abortions. Current law does not require a parent to know if their daughter is having an abortion.

Other items which include either parental notification or consent is the right for a minor to get married or get a tattoo. We don't issue driver's licenses to those under the age of 16. We require a person to be 18 to join the armed services. We even prohibit our children from drinking until the age of 21.

Apart from the pro-choice/pro-life issues, the lack of parental notification is another way of undermining the importance of family in our culture. Opponents will argue that it may be dangerous to notify parents who may not respond graciously. It's even more dangerous to not notify parents who would respond graciously.

This vote comes on the heels of a 9th Circuit decision that allows public schools to survey 5-year-olds regarding their sexuality. The court ruled that parents have "no constitutional right" to control what is taught to their children once they arrive in a public school.

These are not Democratic or Republican issues; they are common sense issues.

a little bluegrass action at twiggs

The person behind the counter at Twiggs is the person that controls the music. Much to my pleasant surprise, I was greeted with a little bluegrass as I walked in the door. The soundtrack from "O, Brother Where Art Thou?" was playing in the background. A few minutes later there is Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss singing "I'll Fly Away." This simply does NOT happen in San Diego!

So, I ask the guy behind the counter ... "Have you ever listened to any Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder?" "Ricky who?"

Only in San Diego ...

Sample "I'll Fly Away."

went looking for a racoon and found an opossum instead

Instead of catching Rocky Racoon, we found an opossum taking a nap in the trap this morning. Did you know there is actually an Opossum Society of America? The site even features an animated gif of an opossum wagging his tail. I'll throw it in here as a bonus.

the humble nature of the powerful kingdom

LifePoint is part of an informal, emerging conversation that seeks to restore the authenticity of the earliest Christ-followers. Many of the people involved in this conversation come from different denominational backgrounds but share many values in common. Many of the values focus on living out the mission of the church. (Click here to learn more about the "seven layers" of the emergent conversation).

I’m attracted to this conversation because much of it is saturated in humility. There is a shared sense that we’re all in this together and none of us have completely figured everything out. In previous decades, the church growth movement tended to create celebrities – either incidentally or by their own choosing.

Those of us involved in the emerging church conversation have a desire to recapture the humble-power of the early church. In a telling incident, the apostle Peter heals a man but quickly moves to disarm those would make him a celebrity: “Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” (Acts 3:12).

LifePoint has a tremendous opportunity to help form a healthy model for how church life is experienced. But let us never forget that the way of Jesus always involves service, sacrifice, and humility.

May we move swiftly, confidently, and humbly to fulfill what God has called us to do.

trends regarding unwed mothers

2004 set a new record for the number of children born to unwed mothers ... 1.5 million in all. What caught my eye was the age group most reponsible for the increase -- it wasn't teenagers, as one might assume. It was young women in their 20s, specifically between the ages of 25-29. According to the article in USA Today, teenage girls accounted for 50% of unwed births in 1970. In 2004, they accounted for only 24%.

One particularly interesting note from the article:

Young adults having children without being married isn't surprising to Sarah Brown, director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, who says federal data found that almost two-thirds of girls ages 15-19 agree it's OK for an unwed woman to have a child. "Young adults are acting on their attitudes," she says. "They are doing what they think is OK."

Where did two-thirds of teenage girls get the idea that it's OK for an unwed woman to have a child? Better yet, what can be done to initiate a more constructive view of child-bearing and sex in general?

The article does a good job presenting the evidence as to why it's better to raise a child in a two parent household. It even goes so far as to suggest that it's even best when the two parents are married. Obviously this type of evidence is not keeping two people from having sex outside of marriage.

a short video of hope at halloween

I've put together a little video of Hope getting ready to trick or treat. It's my way of playing around with Sony Vegas. Click here to see the video.

rocky's revival

The Beatles sang about Rocky Raccoon's revival and a Gideon Bible. Last night (Halloween), we noticed a new neighbor ascending a tree in our yard on his way to our roof. This raccoon was the size of a small pig! Well, maybe. Rocky stared back at us like he was as intrigued by us as we were by him. Well, maybe.

Granted, the Rocky Raccoon sung about by the Beatles was a spurned lover and not an actual raccoon. But it does make for a good title.

judge wapner rides again

Is it just me or does anyone else find it a bit strange that Judge Wapner has been hired to appear in a political ad? For those of you too young to remember, Judge Wapner was the original judge in a television show known as "The People's Court." Those were the days before Judge Judy, et al. Every show ended with his sidekick saying, "Don't take the law into your own hands, take 'em to court."

After getting over the cheesy nature of the ad (it ends with an echoing, "No on 77. No on 77), I began to think ... I wonder who they are going after with this ad. Unfortunately, it's probably the same people who tuned into People's Court to watch "justice being served."

I wouldn't be surprised to see Stone Cold Steve Austin make an appearance in a political ad.

google earth

At breakfast this morning the subject turned to Google Earth, a nifty little piece of software if there ever was one. So ... I decided to download it to my laptop since I already had it on my desktop. If you haven't downloaded it yet, do it now. It's fun to play and you can travel the world for free. Some of the areas I wanted to look at -- like my hometown -- didn't have really good satellite pictures but most metropolitan areas do. And you can find places to rent a movie or grab a cup of coffee. Interestingly enough, it also lumps together "Churches/Cemeteries." Ironic or not.

learning curve

I've decided to tackle video editing software and have been playing around with two different programs: Adobe Premier and Sony Vegas. I've used Adobe Photoshop for years (through several versions and upgrades) and thought I'd be able to pick up Premier fairly quickly. Wrong. It looks like the type of program that requires locking myself away for three or four days of straight experimentation. Granted, there are times that is a very appealing concept but not right now.

Now on to Sony Vegas. On the surface, it appears to be easy-bake software but has surprised me with how robust it may actually be. Thanks to several online tutorials, I was able to figure out panning still images (commonly referred to as the "Ken Burns" effect). It has a healthy amount of effects, transitions, etc.

Where will I land eventually? For now, it appears to be Sony Vegas though everyone tells me Premier is the way to go for Windows-based video editing. Software ambiguity ... that's something the Mac fanatics never have to deal with.

men who eat breakfast

Eight guys met this morning to eat, talk, and get to know one another. We had a great time learning more about each other ... where we come from, what we do, and what we have in common. There may even be the beginnings of a little flag football action ...

nice new sign

This just in ... I just picked up a new LifePoint a-frame sign from Sign-A-Rama in Clairemont Mesa. It looks really good. I may be forced to go back and order more. We also ordered a vertical banner as well. Haven't unrolled it yet but it's the same design as the a-frame.

On another note, I had a good lunch with Scott Julian, the lead planter at SeaPointe Christian Church in San Clemente. It was the first chance we've had to meet in person. If you're in south Orange County, go straight to SeaPointe this Sunday.

being coachable

One of the things that attracted me to planting a church through Stadia is their approach to planter care. A key part of this strategy is that I'm assigned a coach. We meet once a month to discuss the nuts and bolts of starting new churches ... plus he is available by phone or email anytime I have a question or idea. In addition, I know he is going to ask me tough questions about how things are going and what I can do better.

I've come to believe that every pastor should have a coach and someone they are coaching. In established churches it's very rare for a pastor to have a coach/mentor that they meet with on a regular basis. It's just not the way things have been done. Having been one of those pastors for a number of years, I know that most of them try to offset this by reading and attending conferences. But it's not the same as having a real person who knows you and your church and knows you well enough to ask the right questions.

Which brings me to another observation: the need to be coachable. Quite honestly, a good number of people are not willing to be coached. This is as true inside the church as it is outside the church. Perhaps it's pride, or youth, or an unwillingness to expose oneself to tough questions. Whatever the reason, it's not healthy.

As LifePoint grows and continues to add key volunteers and eventually paid staff, a person's ability to remain coachable will be a top priority.

Recommended link: Leadership Network.

putting in a good word for lifepoint

Each day I get an email entitled, “Online Spin.” It’s written for people who market products or services electronically. I take what it says and then translate it into church principles and ideas.

The goal in electronic marketing is to make it as personal as possible. Why? Because word of mouth of advertising is always the most effective. No matter how personal an electronic campaign can be, at the end of the day, it is still more effective to write a handwritten note, make a personal phone call, or speak in person.

One of the things I love to see are people bringing friends to LifePoint. This has happened every Sunday since our Grand Opening! I am humbled by the confidence you place in us every time you invite a friend or neighbor.

Having said that, I want to pledge this to you: We will strive to make every Sunday gathering a meaningful and enjoyable experience. If you will bring your friends, we will do our best to see that they experience the best of God.

investing yourself in community

The following is from LifePoint's weekly newsletter.

It has been almost ten years since my mother died. Tonya and I were living here in San Diego, not far from where LifePoint meets. In the course of about three weeks, I experienced the true meaning of Christian community.

When mom was put on life-support, our friends at church purchased an emergency airline ticket for me to travel home. When she died two weeks later, they did the same – this time also paying for Tonya to travel with me.

Mom was hospitalized in Peoria, IL, across the river from my hometown. During the time we waited in ICU, we had a steady stream of visitors come sit with us. Almost every single one of them was a friend from church. Many of them stayed for hours while we took turns spending time with mom.

One episode remains vivid. It was Thanksgiving Day and we were gathered at the hospital. It was raining cats and dogs. That afternoon we were joined by a church leader who had recently been transferred to New Orleans. He had just flown back into Peoria to be with his family. Before heading home, he came to the hospital. I’ll never forget that simple yet generous gesture.
Though my personal ministry style was much different than the church I grew up in, I was never more proud to be from that church.

Four years later, the scene replayed itself when my father died of cancer. It was shortly after his funeral that I had a conversation with one of my brothers. He was struck by the level of support our church had shown us and wondered what it would be like when he died.

In the kindest way I could, I said, “Did any of your drinking buddies come sit at the hospital with you? If you don’t build these relationships now, they won’t be there when you need them.”

Are you investing in the kinds of relationships that will be there when you need them?

another great day

Another great Sunday at LifePoint. Our theme for the day was water:community. We looked at the need for investing ourselves into relationships ... if we don't do that now, they won't be there when we need them. Part of the message was autobiographical -- how my personal family has been blessed by our church communities.

Our band did a few acoustic numbers and it was a good change of pace. We're continuing to make progress on many fronts and it's great to be a new church. We also had 28 newcomers between our 9:00 and 10:45 gatherings!

Our LifePoint podcasts are now listed in the podcast directory on iTunes! You can go here to subscribe yourself. Or browse the podcast directory on iTunes and download it there.

I'm recording our podcasts directly to my iPod using a Belkin voice recorder. I'm very impressed with how well it records. I plug it into the jack, hit record, stick it in my shirt pocket, and start talking. Then the next time I sync my iPod it automatically transfers it as a voice memo. From there I convert it from a wav to mp3, upload it to our server, and that's it!

drowing in ankle-deep water

This is one is to be filed under the "for what it's worth" category.

Wading through the shallow water on NBC's 'Today' show
ASSOCIATED PRESS
2:12 p.m. October 14, 2005

NEW YORK – If Michelle Kosinski's canoe had sprung a leak on NBC's
"Today" show Friday, she didn't have much to worry about.

In one of television's inadvertently funny moments, the NBC News
correspondent was paddling in a canoe during a live report about flooding in
Wayne, N.J. While she talked, two men walked between her and the camera – making
it apparent that the water where she was floating was barely
ankle-deep.

Matt Lauer struggled to keep a straight face, joking about the "holy men"
who were walking on water. "Have you run aground yet?" Katie Couric
asked.

"Why walk when you can ride?" Kosinski replied.

Later, an NBC News spokeswoman explained that Kosinski had been riding in
deeper water near an overflowing river down the street, but there were concerns
that the current was too strong for her.

"It's not like we were trying to pass it off as something it wasn't,"
spokeswoman Lauren Kapp said.

Of course not. The news would never do that.