Archives for August 2008

We have had our share of family firsts: first born, first house, first job, first trip to Africa, yatta yatta.

As far as firsts go, last year was pretty unique. It was the first and only year with all 3 boys in the same all day school.

Well, today was yet another first. Today is Shannon and I’s first official first day as parents of a Middle Schooler! Today T.J. started Middle School in the 6th grade. Tyler is in 3rd grade and Jake is now in 1st.

To commemorate the start of this new school year, I have deemed Monday (my day off) as “walk to school day.” So, in honor of my edict, we all walked to school- even Zeus came. Afterwards Shannon and I went to starbucks, came home, ran a grip of errands, made some lunch, and headed back to pick up the boys, run some more errands, make dinner, and then do some more gardening. Quite the full day.

Here’s a collage of the first day of the Berrytribe 08/09 school year. Man time flies.

Sunday I came home from a wedding and drove up to my house and said, “That’s all I can stanz and I can’t stanz no more, I’m pruning the ice plant.” So instead of napping (which is what I really wanted to do), I braved the heat with my cutting shears and headed for the front yard.

An hour or so later, I ended up with what is below. It has become about a 3x a year ritual to keep the iceplant from overtaking my rocks.

All of that green stuff pictured on the right was covering about half of the rocks you now see on the left! Pruning is a necessary part of a healthy garden. It’s also a necessary part of a healthy spiritual life. Which brings me to why I chose to snap this pic. As I was gardening, I felt like God said some bad news and some good news to me.

Bad news: while pruning is hard work and often painful, I think that’s what God has in store for me in the coming months. We have some pruning to do.

Good news: pruning from God always leads to a harvest in the future.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2

I was getting caught up on some blogs after Africa and I ran across a reference to this video of a friend of mine. I’d like to say I have this kind of faith. I’d like to say I’m listening to God this attentively. I want my life to make these kind of decisions. But…. I wonder what I’d have said with 3 kids, a mortgage, and no clear alternative plan if I sat around this table.

I used to do youth ministry down the street from Jarrett Stevens when he looked around him as a youth pastor and saw a church he didn’t fit in. So he quit his job and moved to Chicago to go to Moody. That decision eventually lead him to serve at Willow Creek Community Church. That eventually led him to get hired to run their college ministry. He then left Willow Creek to go serve under Andy Stanley at their new Buckhead campus. Now he’s laying that on the line to follow Jesus again. Thanks for truly leading and constantly risking Jarrett. I’m proud of you.

I wonder if I’d have the confidence to trust Jesus and leave or risk leaving 2 of what many would consider to be “dream jobs” to follow Jesus. I’d like to say yes, but staying on the razor’s edge of faith is easier said than done.

I’ve been kicking around a quote I heard at the leadership summit this year, one that is said by the same pastor quoted in this pivotal video in the life of 7/22 above. It is this: “I realized that I had become a full time pastor and a part time follower of Jesus.” I fear at times that this has been me. I don’t want this to be one of those times. I don’t want to do what everyone else is doing so I can become what God has not called me to be. I want to do what only God has called me to do with a gutsy faith that is willing to risk it all for the Kingdom of God.

I only pray God gives me what it takes to actually jump when he calls.

Yesterday at 3:15pm I left the office to drive to soccer practice. Or so I thought.

I actually left the office to discover that the last time I left my car while talking on my cell phone, I locked the keys in the ignition. I thought about getting a ride from a friend, but no one was in their office. I then called my wife to have her come get me, but we have lost the other set of cruiser keys in the mayhem of the last 2 months. So my key had to be retrieved either way.

I didn’t have time to call AAA and wait for them- even though I pay for this service. So I was stuck. Then I looked up and saw that in our church parking lot was a tow truck. I called the guy and asked if he was around. He said yes and he’d be there in 5 minutes.

Then he arrived. He told me it was $35. It took him 3 minutes.

I searched everywhere for the extra key last night, but I can’t find it. Then today I went to get a new key so if I get locked out again, I can use another key to get in. However the dumb key has some kinda computer chip in it and has to be programed so it will work. So I went to the chrysler dealer across the street from our church and $60 later I had a key. $60!!!!

Suck. Easy come. Easy go…. and in my case- it evidently goes out easier than it comes in.

Monday night my family went to Seaworld. We have season passes so we ate some dinner before and then cruised down. We saw the Cirque de Sole water show, Pets Rule, the night Dolphin show, the Shamu show, and the Riptide dance show. A very full and beautiful night for just 3 hours.

But having watched the Olympics all week, it became clear that some of the craziness you see performed on the world stage is performed just down the street virtually every summer night around here. I’m amazed at the crazy acrobatics of both the people and the things that you can teach a 5000 lb whale to do. Crazy I tell you. It’s crazy.