But she graduated high school.

Kelsie has had her fair share of ups and downs.

Some by chance.
Some self inflicted.

But she’s growing. And her mom and I are seeing it, watching it unfold in real time, right before our eyes.

It’s times like these where I wish time would slow to a crawl.

Just so we could sit in it, before she’s fully a woman, and enjoy the last light of innocence that immediate post-high school offers.

Your mom and I love you, kid.

-Dad

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1. Worship confessional 03
2. Never been unloved
3. Guatemala 2009 day one

Grocery shopping. ;)

What is domestic bliss for you?

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A favorite gospel word has punched me in the gut and left me awestruck.

In his wonderful book on pastoral ministry, The Jesus-Driven Ministry, Ajith Fernando quotes a classic seventeenth century manual of pastoral care by George Herbert. Herbert sets forth the exhortation that the good minister…

“…holds the rule that nothing is little in God’s service; if it once have the honor of that name, it grows great instantly. Therefore neither does he disdain to enter into the poorest cottage, though he even creep into it, and though it smell ever so loathsomely. For both God is there, and also those for whom God died.”

Do you ever wonder if we’ve forgotten the lost art of visiting the needy?

It’s as if the default answer is, “oh, someone else will do it.”
What if we are that someone else?
We being you because you’re still reading this.

We being me because I’m writing this.

Here’s more:

I had a patient whose wife was an artist, and their situation meant that she was the only one available to care for him. She was struggling with this because she had an artist’s temperament and needed some space and time for herself. She was burning out and needed help. I encouraged her to call one of the local “mega-churches” nearby, thinking that surely they would have a caring person who could come and simply sit with her husband for an hour to give her some respite.

However, when she called, the person in the church office couldn’t seem to understand her request—“No, we don’t have anyone to do that. Are you a member of the church? Is your husband a Christian?—we could send an evangelistic team over. No, that’s not what you want? Well, do you belong to one of our small groups? I could direct you to our small groups pastor and he could take your information and maybe get you connected there, and you could attend a small group meeting and maybe someone in the small group could help you. No, I’m sorry, none of our pastors is available right now. Do you want to make an appointment to meet with one?”

Pray that my church, your church, the church, never succumbs to this mode of operation.

Or are we too late?

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This one’s easy.

When is your birthday?

June 20 is officially shawnw day.

And now it’s your turn.

Click here and drop some knowledge on us.

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Twelve years ago today I asked this woman to be my wife.

Twelve years ago she said yes.

I’m not exaggerating when I say it gets better every single day.

Every.
Single.
Day.

You’d be so lucky to get a woman half as good as her. And I don’t want to see your comments about how your spouse is more awesomer. Save that for your blog.

You rock my world, woman.

(Just for clarification, and because I know she’ll love that I used this picture, I took this one evening as we were preparing to serve dinner at the Lighthouse Mission, hence the hairnet.)

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Over the past four years fall has been marked by attending marching band contests to watch Kelsie do her thing. This is her senior year of high school (and she’s graduating early, no less) and, while she’s a back sideline conductor this year, it’s no less exciting to see the Northview Marching Knights in action.

How do you mark fall? What memories do you have of years past, and what are you taking part in now to make memories?

Talk to me!

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What more needs said? Jack Fox, Associate Pastor of eXchange from Maryland Community Church will be teaching a session at re:Creation whose tagline is “discussions on art, faith and response.”

If you’re interested in more information head over to Jack’s contact page and let him know.

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the word leader, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

Go.

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