Blog Vacation

For the past two years, I have written five out of seven days on here, sharing my faith through cyberspace.

With the girls back in Arkansas to visit family and seven new books -- not to mention a bevy of college football bowl games to watch -- I am going to take a short vacation from blogging.

I'll be back on Monday morning, January 8th to share some new wisdom from the books I am working through.

In the mean time, do me (and yourself) a favor: go watch "We Are Marshall" at the theater. It is unbelievably moving and an intriguing story of healing in the face of adversity.

We Are Marshall

When Mandy and I lived in West Virginia, we had the privilege of meeting and becoming friends with Allen and Jeannie Meadows and their boys, Eric and Todd. Allen and Jeannie were sterling examples to Mandy and me of godly parenting and leadership. We learned from their example, their commitment to their children, and their love for life.

During his collegiate years, Allen's claim-to-fame was being a member of the "Young Herd," the 1971 Marshall University football team whose story has inspired the movie "We Are...Marshall" which debuts nation-wide tonight. Bobby Ross has written an excellent piece here about Allen, the movie, and the invitation of the Norway Avenue church to all the 1971 Herd team members.

On Monday, the Fresno Bee had a piece drawing the Fresno State/Marshall connection in the person of Jack Lengyel. Lengyel, played by Matthew McConaughey, coached the Young Herd in the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that ripped apart the Marshall football program and Huntington, West Virginia. Lengyel eventually left Marshall and wound up in the central Valley as the Athletic Director at Fresno State.

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I just called Toney Stowers, the most avid of Thundering Herd fans for some technical advice. Where was he? In the drive-thru at McDonalds catching a snack while he, his dad, and adopted son made their way to the first showing of the movie. Something tells me the seats in the Kanawha Valley this weekend will be full as some relive and others are introduced for the first time to the history of Marshall football.

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To see a brief trailer for the movie, you can go to this YouTube site.

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Santa Claus is coming tonight! I know your calendar says he isn't supposed to arrive until Sunday night, but we got in touch with Santa and asked if he could come a couple of days early to the Gardner home. Mandy and the girls will be flying to Arkansas on Christmas Day so today is the big day of anticipation in our home. I am excited and anxious, waiting to see those smiles light up on the faces of my girls.

Return to Cass Park

The blog posts of Josh and Kara Graves have really touched my heart. Considering the undue influence of commericalism, especially at Christmas, it is refreshing and convicting to hear of others who see the mission of mercy to the lost and the least as viable. I'm reminded of Jesus's own words: "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25.40)."

Following the death of Professor Jack (you can read his story here and here), the Graves' returned to Cass Park to continue helping the homeless, connecting and sharing. Here is Kara's recap of their return to Cass Park.

Today, our group headed to Cass Park again. We are now going to be going every third Sunday of each month because it is so meaningful to all of us that go.

I first want to thank everyone who has been so supportive this time, giving of your time making soup, buying long underwear, and donating money. I was overwhelmed by all of the donations and help we received!We headed down to Cass Park with my trunk and Josh's trunk full of long underwear, my backseat stocked with about 70 dozen chocolate chip cookies (in Jack's memory, he had asked for us to bring some because they were his favorite), and others carried the hotdogs, soup, chapstick, grills, bread, pop, and fruit! Stephanie came up with the amazing idea to have pre-stamped envelopes with paper and pens so that they could write letters to family.

I wish I could have pictures for you but I don't, for one, the pictures in my head are too beautiful that a real one would never do, and we have worked hard to be friends and be relationships for the people there, not tourists with their cameras who want to do their good deed.

We arrived around 2, the long johns were all gone at 2:15 (I bought almost $500 worth of long underwear plus all the donations to give you an idea of the need and the amount of people there). We fed everyone until around 4:30 when we left.

Let me tell you about someone we were able to spend time with. Francis has become a special person to us, we have been keeping in touch with him for a couple months now and he was the one that called us when Jack died. Francis pays for a bus ride back and forth to his job at Somerset mall cleaning (for those of you not in Michigan, Somerset is a very ritzy mall where I can't afford much at all). Think of how hard that would be, working at Somerset and then riding a bus back to a shelter in Cass Corridor, I can't even imagine. He is from Jamaica and the most beautiful person I think I know, he has a smile that will melt you to pieces. Francis is trying so hard to get back on his feet after being in a car accident that caused him to become homeless for the past 6 months.

We will be having dinner with Francis on Tuesday, I hope to have a picture of us with him to show you. Pray for all of us this week as Josh is trying so hard to get him into a better living situation closer to where he works, it might mean that Francis comes and lives with us for a couple weeks which is totally fine with me, I would love it! Josh and I were talking on the way home and it broke our hearts to think that on Christmas he will be in that shelter alone so we are going to ask him to join us, I know he would love nothing more than to be able to play games and watch a movie with people that want to be near him.

I feel as if I have found my place working with the homeless in Detroit, I come alive when I get to help them and find little things to do for them. This week was so much fun buying long underwear and baking until 2 in the morning knowing how happy they would be to see us.

Professor Jack Revisited

IANNUCCI JOHN B.

December 05, 2006 "JACK" Age 50, December 1, 2006.

Loving father of Melissa Iannucci (Rich Thompson), Jacqueline, Lia, and Ezra. Cherished grandfather of Devin, Sydney, and Zoe. Dearest son of John (Yolanda) and the late Barbara. Brother of Patricia (Jon) Iannucci-Waller, Lea, Dino, Nancy (David) Welke and the late Frank. Uncle of Dylan, Alex, and Isabella. Former husband of Patty. Liz, mother of Jack's son Ezra. Funeral Wednesday Noon at the A.H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack Ave. at Vernier Rd., Grosse Pointe Woods. Visitation Tuesday 2-9 p.m. with a Rosary at 7 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army, 16130 Northland Drive, Southfield, MI 48075.

Again, the words of Josh Graves:

Some of you have heard me talk, write and get excited over Professor Jack, a man I’d been honored to work with in Cass Park and the Salvation Army Shelter across from the Masonic Temple downtown.

I got a call yesterday from Francis, one of Jack’s friends in the shelter.

“Josh…it’s not good.”

“What’s not good?”

“It’s Jack, man. He died. They rushed him out of here to Detroit Receiving. I know you were working with him, I know you were close. I just thought I’d call to tell you.”

“Francis, you have no idea how much this phone call means to me…”

I attended the viewing and funeral for John “Jack” Iannuchi yesterday and today.

Last night, Jack’s daughters huddled around my phone to listen to his voice. I had saved a voicemail he’d left me last week wishing me a belated Happy Thanksgiving.

“I’m really sorry I can’t make it,” (we were supposed to have dinner together) “I’ve just been feeling awful lately.”

His sisters and daughters had not heard his voice in quiet some time. You haven’t lived until men like Jack leave you messages on your phone.

The family, to my complete surprise, asked me to have a part in the funeral today because Jack told us about the “priest he’d been working with.” Never had I been so proud to be called “priest.”

I could barely get the words out at the funeral. I told his family that Jack had a mind of great intellect. My 200 plus hours of undergraduate and graduate education in college were no match for his wisdom. More than a great mind, Jack had a huge heart. “Very few people,” I stammered, “possess great knowledge and great love. Jack—your father, brother, husband, and grandfather—was such a person.”

And from Josh's wife, Kara:

Josh went to the viewing tonight, he wanted Jack's family to know that we cared about him and that he taught us a lot about life and faith. The family soaked up every word Josh said about him, listening to the message Josh had on his phone dozens of times just to hear his voice. They have asked Josh to speak at the funeral tomorrow which I know for him is very humbling.

The most poignant thing that Jack said was when we asked what we could do for him -- fully expecting to be asked for a place to stay, money, etc. -- all he said was "you have already done what I needed, you made me feel like a real human for a day."

I am thankful that we were a part of his life for this short time, and because of our relationship with him, we will continue to go down and get to know more people and just be present in their lives...and to make them feel human...because that is what they deserve.

Professor Jack and Poverty

I was moved when I read the following blog entry from Josh Graves, a minister and teacher in Rochester, Michigan. The encounter Graves shares through his interaction with "Professor Jack" is the essence of missional ministry; it fits the very objective Jesus himself described in his job description in Luke 4.18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Several of us (as in 100 plus) from the church I serve and the college I teach for decided to be a part of a “love feast” for the poor and homeless persons who live in and around Cass Park in Downtown Detroit. Cass Corridor is a notorious section of Detroit—known for rampant prostitution, drugs and destitution. The people who live down here swear, “The police have given up on this place.” The men and women who call this area “home” welcomed us into their space with love, acceptance, and hospitality.

Cass Park is within a stone’s throw of mighty Ford Field and Comerica Park, home to two professional sports teams—the Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers. The two stadiums, and the millions of dollars they represent in profits each year, cast a long and dark shadow over this area the locals call “Jurassic Park”—referring to the violence and chaos often experienced by its inhabitants.

Some of us involved in the feast have experience working with the poor. Others were experiencing the power of “solidarity with the poor” for the first time.

When Kara (my wife) and I arrived at Cass Park, the food and clothing distribution line was in full force. College students and life long members of the church were working at a feverish and quiet efficient pace. One thing was obvious: our service was not needed. We decided that rather than being in the position of power, which suburbanites often fall back to when working with the poor, we would seek out persons to talk with, to simply be present.

My friend Andy Turner, who has taught me a great deal about city life, was already in conversation with several men at the southern end of the park. Kara and I decided to join him. I did not realize how meaningful these conversations would prove to be. I have 84 hours of college graduate education, and 130 of undergraduate training. None of those hours contained the wisdom I was about to be imparted.

One of the men engaged in dialogue with Andy was Jack. I prefer calling him Professor Jack, for he allowed the three of us into his classroom and offered us a humble but powerful class that could be titled “Life as I See it”. Jack’s body is failing him, he struggles to walk. Imagine being homeless and physically handicap. Jack’s mind is strong however, strong as it ever was.

I don’t want to make this too Disney—Jack admits he’s made a lot of poor decisions in his life. He has battled a drug addiction for some time. He’s on the streets because of it. But…he’s also had a good deal of decisions made for him; things that were way beyond his control. This notion struck me several times during our conversation: “Humans do not lose control,” Barbara Brown Taylor reminds me. “We lose the illusion that we were ever in control in the first place.”

If you had the eyes to see and the ears to hear, it was quite the holy conversation. There were no pews, sacraments, or prayers—but God was oh, so present. Here are a few of the things Professor Jack shared with his new pupils.

Professor Jack on authenticity. When I asked him what people could do for the poor and homeless, he replied, “Make us feel real. We want to feel like we are real people. You’ve done that today. See us. Talk to us. Be with us. Help us feel. It isn’t just about feeding us or giving us clothes, it’s about seeing us.”

Professor Jack on human dignity. I made the mistake of saying “that’s no big deal” after Jack had just finished ostracizing some folks for complaining about the food. “No, that’s not ok. We’re human beings just like you. Don’t say ‘that’s o.k.’—expect something from us just like you would any other human.”

Professor Jack on church and state. “You think the city or any other government cares about the poor? You’re crazy. The only thing holding things together for the homeless are the churches. If it wasn’t for the churches, things would be unmentionable. I can’t even imagine what would happen if the churches weren’t so invested in the city.” And in discussing the indifference of government for the poor he noted, “They don’t even have places for the poor to use the bathroom. We have to do the most self-degrading things just to use the bathrooms. Makes us feel like animals. Know what I’m saying?” I wish I could’ve replied, “Yeah, Jack, I feel your pain.” But if I did, I’d be lying. I have never known the pain that was pent up inside of Jack.

Professor Jack on community. After I left, Andy and Jack continued to talk about life, pain, and meaning. At one point, Jack pulled out a candy bar and offered it to Andy. “I couldn’t,” Andy reacted. “Why not? C’mon, they won’t let me take it back into the shelter. Have this with me. Share this with me.” Hearing Andy describe this moment, that place where heaven and earth kiss, I could not help but think “this is one of the best communion stories I’ve heard in a long time.” There was no bread or wine present, but the holy solidarity embodied by Christ was dripping from each passing second. It is difficult for persons who are used to being in the role of giver (even in the most subtle of ways like working in a soup kitchen, or stitching up a patient in the ER) to being in the position of receiving. Until we follow this aspect of Jesus’ life, going from host to hosted, we will miss out on the true power of God’s way in our lives.

Before I left, I asked Professor Jack if there was anything, and I meant anything, that Kara and I could do for him. I looked him dead in the eye, “Tell me what you need Jack.” He replied quickly and humbly, “I’m fine, really. I’m good. What you’ve done today, keep doing this.”

Shane Claiborne says that the real tragedy in our country is not that rich Christians do not care about the poor—but that rich Christians “do not know the poor.” Jack teaches me that the poor want to be known; they have faces, names, history’s and stories. They have a great deal to do with the in-breaking of God’s kingdom among us.

Maybe this is what Jesus meant when he said he could be searched for and found among the poor (Mt. 25).

Distinctive Discipleship

Four generations: My mom, My little sis and her twin daughter Elliot, and my grandmother. My uncle's blog further captures some of the neat experiences of Elliot and Keaton's first major, extended family gathering, along with more great pictures. I know it had to be a special time for everyone back home.

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Saturday night, we were blessed with a memory-making opportunity for our girls at the Fresno State/Creighton basketball game. Our seats, thanks to the generosity of the Avedikians, were court side and during a second-half timeout, the cheerleaders invited our girls, along with some other children seated near the arena floor, out onto the court to perform with the cheerleaders. It was one of those, "Man, I wish we had our camera right now!" moments.

As the arena sound system played the jazzed up Cotton-Eyes Joe, Trae boogied with one of the cheerleaders. Tori, on the other hand, was held by one of the cheerleaders. All she wanted to do was shake one of the cheerleaders' pom-pons, which she got to do.

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If I get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome soon, you'll be able to trace its origin to email responses from my last two blogs, weighing in on the tension of church and culture and the Richland Hills decision. Those two blogs evidently generated a lot of thought and reflection among my readers, evidenced by the mass of emails I've received. 95% have been overwhelmingly positive; 5% have taken me to task.

I want you to know I appreciate every email and the opportunity for dialogue. It's helpful to revisit and rethink critical issues of Scripture and heritage. As I shared with our church last night, "The Word of God is living and active and we, as humans, are living and active and study of the Word is a lifelong endeavor." I weary of arguments that have collected dust -- evidence of a life in which the Word has been shelved and conclusions/opinions settled long ago. Revisiting and rethinking conclusions we might have long ago reached is a good thing, provided the on-going effort is rooted and bound in Scripture.

The emails I've received have run the gamut. Some have said, "Jim, you're right on." Others have said, "Jim, you're too liberal. Why don't you come down harder on this?" And still others have said, "Jim, you're too conservative and old-fashioned. Your thinking is out-of-date and out-of-touch with the times."

Is it just me or do the "labels" we attach to people and their stances on Scripture get a little wearisome?

If I must wear a label, the label I most desire is disciple of Jesus Christ, nothing more and nothing less. I want to be distinctive, but I don't want my distinctiveness defined by my conclusions on Scripture. I want my distinctiveness to be defined by my life. I want to be salt and light in this world, one of the called out, devoted to holiness and Christ-likeness. I want to stand out in the crowd, not because of what I believe but because of who I believe and follow. I want to be so devoted as a Christ-follower to the ethic of Jesus (see Matthew 5-7) that my life becomes a flash point for others around me. I want to live my life as a reflection of Jesus so that others might seek and inquire of the hope that I have, providing an open door of opportunity to share the life-transforming good news of Jesus.

Church and Culture

I left my last post up an extra day intentionally due to all the feedback it generated. My inbox has been inundated the last two days with reactions to the Richland Hills decision and your reaction in the aftermath. Thanks to all of you who emailed me encouraging words in response to my blog on Wednesday. I love and appreciate so much all the Barnabas's God has placed in my path.

It has been interesting the last couple of days to watch the results of the polls on the Christian Chronicle website in back of the Richland Hills decision. The polls posted to the Chronicle website have generated five times the normal response. To the question, "Do you agree with the Richland Hills elders' decision to add Saturday night instrumental worship?" currently 77% say, "No." To the question, "Will the Richland Hills decision influence other congregations to do the same?" 69% say, "Yes."

Interestingly, some of the feedback I received was equally as stung by the decision to add the assembly on Saturday night. One would think that validating instrumental music in the corporate worship would legitimate its inclusion on the Lord's Day, but that is not the route Richland Hills has chosen to go. Why?

Personally, I struggle to understand the motivation behind adding the Saturday evening assembly, complete with communion. Is the church to be missional? Absolutely. But does our missional mandate from Jesus allow us free reign to tamper with the central tenets of our heritage? Are we free to dismiss centuries of tradition, based on Scripture and withstanding the test of time, for the sake of marketing the message in a postmodern culture?

Paul makes clear in his letter to the Galatian churches the fatal flaw of legalism: the belief that adherence to right rules earns one's favor in the eyes of God. Salvation is by grace through faith. But grace is not to be presumed upon, giving us liberty to reinvent the rules to suit our own tastes and wishes.

In the conversion process, is it church that is supposed to convert culture, or do we allow the whims of culture to convert how we do church? In my mind, that is the central question that always must be at the forefront of our thinking. To me, it is clear from the New Testament writings, especially the words of Jesus and Paul, that those who've aligned themselves with Christ as his disciples are the ones who are supposed to impact culture.

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Scott Freeman preaches in Waco, Texas and is an alumnus of the same high school I attended. Earlier this week, he posted to his blog the following paragraph that has stayed with me throughout this entire week:

Do we merely believe in Jesus or do we believe what Jesus believed? This question, posed by Clarence Baumer, has shaken me this past week. I’m good at professing a faith in Christ. But have I moved enough in my discipleship where I hold the same beliefs that Jesus did: that the meek will inherit the earth, that loving your enemies is the right way to treat them, that turning the other cheek is more effective than retaliation? I think if we are honest then we will find that there are truths that Jesus held dear that we don’t necessarily share. It’s a sobering thought, but Jesus didn’t operate according to logic, reason or earthly practicality. For us to adopt that belief system means more than merely imitation. It necessitates transformation.

Instrumental Music

There are a couple of interesting polls at the Christian Chronicle website in the aftermath of the publicity Richland Hills Church of Christ in Forth Worth has received with their decision to add a Saturday evening instrumental assembly. You can see the poll results here and here.

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In light of the on-going discussion regarding worship and the use of instruments, I want to revisit some ideas I shared in a blog on May 2nd of last year:

One of the distinctives of our heritage in the Churches of Christ has historically been our commitment to acapella (Latin for “in the style of the chapel/church”) singing in the worship assembly. But why has acapella singing been a hallmark of our heritage?

It is important to remember that as descendants of the Restoration Movement, our aim has always been to restore faith and practice as described in the New Testament. When one studies the worship assemblies of the New Testament, no where is instrumental music mentioned as a feature of worship.

“But Jim, what about David? Didn’t he play his harp in praise to the Lord? And what about temple worship in the Old Testament? Doesn’t the Old Testament speak of instruments within temple worship? And what about the end of time? Doesn’t Scripture say the very second coming of Jesus will be signaled by the blowing of a trumpet? And aren’t the praises of God in heaven going to be accompanied by instruments?”

Those questions form the basis to many of the objections I have heard voiced to me personally regarding our historical position of singing without instruments. But my response to those questions is this: our aim in the Churches of Christ, as descendants of a Restoration Heritage, isn’t to restore the worship of David, the temple or even to seek to duplicate the worship of heaven. Our aim is to restore the faith and practice of the first churches as revealed in Scripture. And the revelation of Scripture is that the first churches used their voice alone in praise and worship to God.

In Ephesians 5, Paul describes clear evidence of a Spirit-filled Christian when he says they “speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5.18-20). Elsewhere, Paul told the Colossian church that the proof of the indwelling Word of Christ in a believer’s life is seen in a commitment to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and…sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3.16).

Ironically, some of our Restoration leaders had a hang-up over the validity of even vocal singing to God. Men like Thomas Campbell interpreted the Scriptural injunction to “make music in your heart” and “sing…with gratitude in your hearts” as a prohibition against vocal singing since the over-arching emphasis in the language of Scripture was upon the heart, not the mouth or voice. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a person advance the argument against acapella singing on the basis some of our Restoration leaders did, but that argument was a very real discussion in the early days of the Churches of Christ in North America.

Practically speaking, the voice is the only instrument God had a direct hand in creating. And theologically, historically and practically, I am supportive of our historical position in the Churches of Christ to worship God corporately with acapella singing.

Having said that, my caution would be for us to avoid an attitude of spiritual superiority or smugness toward those who see the philosophical question of the silence of Scripture regarding instruments in the New Testament as permissive. I once had a very well respected professor/teacher in our heritage say to me, “Jim, I am convinced if Paul were to visit any of our churches today and found an instrument, he wouldn’t have as much trouble with the instrument -- given his Jewish background and thinking and his familiarity with temple worship -- but he would have major misgivings with the way we participate in the Lord’s Supper.” When it comes to restoring the “ancient order of things” we still have some room for improvement.

I would also add that at the end of the day, God is God and I am not! And as such, God is free to judge according to his own dictates and choices. I cannot legislate to God what God can and cannot do; how God can and cannot judge the apex of his creation -- mankind and mankind’s attempt to bless God in worship. I do know this, God will judge me according to the very standard with which I judge others (see James 4.11-12). And in this life, if I am forced to choose justice or mercy, I will always seek to err on the side of mercy for the sake of the day when I myself stand before the Righteous Judge.

Do we teach the rule of Scripture of do we teach the possible exception? As it relates to baptism, if God chooses in his sovereignty to make exceptions, I'll praise him for his grace. But that is God's call, not mine. In the mean time, as it relates to teaching baptism for the forgiveness of sin and acapella singing as the form of worship, I am committed to teaching the rule of Scripture, not the possible exception.

Dreaming the Impossible Dream

Here-and-there...

*So when lunch rolls around today, do you consider eating at Taco Bell, given the recent news?

*Is there a hotter quarterback than Vince Young?

*Will Barry Zito resign with the A's, sign with the Mets, or sign with the team who made a formal offer yesterday, the Rangers?

*Has there been a prettier day in the last four-and-a-half months in the central valley than yesterday? Wow! After Sunday's rain, yesterday revealed the snow dotted Sierra Nevadas in a clear way I hadn't seen since moving here.

*To see some some video (KARK-TV) of Friday night's Arkansas Class AA State Championship game, click here.

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Yesterday, I attended the funeral of Charles David Roberts, age 95. At a young age, Roberts and his family lived in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His grandfather had told him stories of memories of the Civil War.

Roberts was drafted into military service during World War II and became a decorated military man. He received eight medals for his service to his country, having survived over a year as a Prisoner-of-War.

Yet, what was equally amazing was the fact that Roberts, in his 50's, went back to school to earn his high school diploma. He didn't want to get a G.E.D. but wanted his diploma, so he took the unusual step of returning to school, beginning on the 8th grade level, and finishing his schooling.

He became a very accomplished draftsman, securing a spot at Lockheed for his drafting skill.

I am fortunate to live at a time in which stories like the story of Roberts life can be told. His life story was moving and motivating -- a testimony to a life of faith and determination.

Do you have goals for your life? As Robert's life testifies -- and the aged hero of faith, Caleb, verifies -- there is always time to set goals. To dream big. To think outside the box.

Maybe you have reasoned, "I am past my prime. I've reached a point in life where goals are a thing of the past."

Think again! Find some time today to dream again. What do you want to do with your life? What do you dream of accomplishing? What can God do with you to impact and affect for good the lives of those around you?

State Champions

Congratulations tonight to Don Phillips, Jamie Saveall, Keith Dale, Ron McGuire and all of the state champion Jessieville Lions. Tonight on the hallowed turf of War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, with the mercury dipping into the 20's, Jessieville claimed their first-ever state championship in football with a thrilling 20-19 win over Junction City.

Way to go, Lions!!!!!!!!

A Time to Live and a Time to Die

For the Fresno area readers, keep your eyes trained to ABC-30 (KFSN) beginning December 11th because our baby Tori is going to make her television debut! Tori was a part of a group who were filmed on Wednesday at Sea Angels for a commercial that will run for a month.

And you shouldn't have any problem picking Tori out of the crowd...she'll be the one in the pink tutu.

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What a hectic day Thursday was (you might have noticed my absence here yesterday morning). I was out of the house by sunrise for San Francisco to visit Erick and Heidi Boggs. As I shared with you on Wednesday, Erick underwent open heart surgery to correct a genetic anomaly that had caused him a great deal of trouble.

Doctors had said Erick might be "out of it" for 24 hours following his surgery, so you can imagine my surprise when I entered the CVICU yesterday morning and Erick was sitting up in bed, awake and alert, eating breakfast. A wheelchair sat near Erick's bedside prepared to transfer him out of the CVICU and into a regular room.

Aside from battling Bay Area traffic, the day was magnificent. A wonderful time of visiting with Erick and Heidi, along with Ken and Jamie Perry and Dick and Vita Crow, followed by lunch and a visit downtown with good friend and Praise for the Lord hymnal editor, John Wiegand.

Then I got home.

I hadn't been back home for 30 minutes when the phone rang informing me that the mother of John Hollett had died. You might remember John from some blogs back in October. John underwent brain surgery in San Francisco and God has blessed John mightily in his recovery. He's back at work, coaching the high school baseball team at Selma.

Sadly, yesterday afternoon while working outside with John's father, his mother collapsed and passed away immediately. John and his father were doing well last night, and surrounded by the support of many caring friends.

I hope you will continue to keep John and his father in your prayers today.

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Sad news out of my alma mater, CAC, in North Little Rock this week. Andrew Brady passed away. You can see a tribute to Andrew here and read a tribute to in the Maumelle Monitor here.

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Finally today, I cannot imagine the excitement in Jessieville and Hot Springs Village. Tonight, #2 ranked Lions (14-0) tangle with the #1 ranked Junction City Dragons (11-1) in the Class AA State Championship game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

The game is a rematch of a quarterfinal matchup at Jessieville last year won by Junction City 34-21.

Hootens picks Jessieville by 3. Max Preps has Junction City picked by 3. Either way, it promises to be a great game. The game begins at 5:30 PDT and can be followed live here.

Coach Carpenter and Junction City have had their turn in the past. Tonight, it's Don Phillips's turn. I'm counting on the Jessieville lines being too physical and controlling the line of scrimmage, bringing home the first-ever state championship in football for Jessieville.

Lions - 34

Dragons - 28

Erick Boggs

I need a favor this morning. Erick and Heidi Boggs and their children, Macee and Colton, have become very dear to me and my family. Our common love for Jesus, for sports and for turkey hunting has made conversation and friendship easy for Erick and me.

This morning, Erick is prep'ing for surgery at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco. Erick has an enlarged heart caused by some genetic irregularities.

Fortunately, Erick's doctors were able to diagnose this condition -- a condition that more often than not discovered too late -- and will perform surgery this morning beginning at 7:00 a.m. This is a procedure done by a highly specialized doctor who performs only ten such surgeries each year.

Today, rather than taking the time to read a devotional article, I'm asking you to pause immediately after reading this entry to pray: for Erick, for Heidi and the kids, for the skill of the medical staff, for success and healing, and for the Great Physician to take care of Erick's health.

One Gift, Twice the Joy

From the current issue of Focus on the Family magazine comes these intriguing words about creative Christmas giving from Greg Asimakoupoulos:

"I sat in my favorite chair by the fireplace and pondered my annual December dilemma: What should we give my parents and my brother's family for Christmas? After all, they have everything they need. How could I surprise my folks with something that isn't frivolous or unnecessary?

As I sorted through the day's mail, a flyer grabbed my attention. Sandwiched between the Christmas cards was a full-color brochure from Free Wheelchair Mission in Southern California that invited me to make a difference for those with disabilities. For about $45, they assemble and deliver a wheelchair to a developing country where countless crippled people crawl on the ground.

I noted the images of the lightweight wheelchairs constructed of plastic chairs and mountain bike tires. I was impressed at how inexpensive it would be to give a gift that would be useful long after Christmas. My thoughts went back to my grandfather who contracted polio as a baby in Norway, and I pictured him as a child being pulled in a wooden box by his siblings.

Then the idea hit me. Why not spend the money that we would ordinarily invest in gifts and instead use it on wheelchairs and give them on behalf of my brother's family? I mentioned the idea to my wife, and she suggested we give chairs in the names of our three daughters as part of their gifts as well.

We shared the brochure with others in our church and more people caught the vision. A wealthy gentleman in our congregation offered to match dollar-for-dollar any cash donated for the wheelchairs. In the end, our church of 350 people purchased and sent more than 1,100 wheelchairs to Indonesia!

'But how would my family I respond?' I thought. On Christmas Eve, as our family gathered to exchange gifts, they noted a few envelopes instead of brightly wrapped packages beneath the tree. I held my breath as I watched each family member open a card that showed a picture of a wheelchair and an explanation of what had been given in his or her name. To my delight, each one broke into a smile.

The true joy of gift giving happens when we give a gift that someone truly needs but cannot provide for himself. After all, that's the essence of what God gave us that first Christmas.

N.T. Wright on the Holy Spirit

What an awesome day yesterday at Woodward Park! A full house, an offering of over $80,000, two more baptisms (that makes four in the last seven days!) and a new member transfer.

And that doesn't include last night's Christmas dinner, a truly enjoyable time of joy. The WWPP (Woodward Park Paparazzi, aka Suzi Planas) captured this shot of the girls with the little deer that is adorning the decor on the speakers platform.

I am so proud of what our college students are up to right now. The baptisms this week of Tinh, Annalise and Thari are a testimony to God's faithfulness and your consistent witness. The new member transfer in Jason, a student at Fresno State, shows you are making a place in receiving and welcoming newcomers.

To God be the Glory, Great Things He is Doing!

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Jessieville, Arkansas is a blip on the map northwest of Hot Springs. Yet that small town and its high school football team will take center stage this week as the Jessieville Lions play on Friday for the AA State Championship in War Memorial Stadium.

Jessieville knocked off Bearden, favored by Hootens and the AP, but not by me!, 28-12 last Friday night to claim their first-ever spot in the state championship game. The #2 ranked Lions will face #1 ranked Junction City (another blip on the map, located on the border of Louisiana and Arkansas, south of El Dorado), a team that knocked Jessieville out of the playoffs in 2005 by a score of 33-21.

I'm so proud of Don Phillips and Jamie Saveall, two high-character guys who deserve the opportunity to coach in their first state championship games. I'm proud of Lonell and Justin and Ruey and Matt, kids who were in the youth group at the Village Church of Christ, who've played critical roles in leading their time to a 14-0 record.

I'll have my pick on Friday.

In the meantime, anyone got a frequent flier ticket from Fresno to Little Rock that you'd like to donate? I know someone who will take it!!

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N.T. Wright on the Holy Spirit and the implications of the "inheritance" in Ephesians 1.14:

"St. Paul, our earliest Christian writer, speaks of the Spirit as the guarantee or down-payment of what is to come. The Greek word he uses is arrabon, which in modern Greek means an engagement ring, a sign in the present of what is to come in the future.

Paul speaks of the Spirit as the guarantee of our inheritance. He isn't simply using an image taken from the ordinary human transaction whereby, when a person dies, someone else inherits his or her wealth -- an 'inheritance' from which one might perhaps receive something in advance, an early first installment. Nor is he simply speaking, as many Christians have supposed, of our 'going to heaven,' as though celestial bliss were the full 'inheritance' God had in mind for us. No, he is drawing on a major biblical theme and taking it in a striking new direction. To grasp this is to see why the Spirit is given in the first place, and indeed who the Spirit actually is.

The theme upon which Paul is drawing when he speaks of the 'inheritance' to come, of which the Spirit is given as a down-payment, is our old friend the exodus story, in which Israel escapes from Egypt and goes off to the Promised Land. Canaan, the land we now call the Holy Land, was their promised 'inheritance,' the place where they would live as God's people. It was where -- provided they maintained their side of the covenantal agreement -- God would live with them and they with God. As both the foretaste of that promise, and the means by which they were led to inherit it, God went with them on the way, a strange holy Presence guiding and directing their wanderings and grieving over their rebellions.

So when Paul speaks of the Spirit as the 'guarantee of our inheritance,' he is evoking, as Jesus himself had done this whole exodus tradition, the story which began with Passover and ended with the Promised Land. He is saying, in effect, you are now the people of the true exodus. You are now on your way to your inheritance" (Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense, San Francisco: Harper, 2006, p. 125).

Jeff Bearden

Earlier this year, Jeff Bearden underwent surgery and aggressive chemo treatments for a cancerous mass found in one of his legs, just behind the knee. Yesterday evening, I received the following email update from Mike & Kim Sykora:

"OK all you prayer warriors, Jeff and Michelle need you! As most of you already know, Jeff had follow-up images taken this week. The CT of his chest showed nothing to be concerned about, his lungs and liver look good. However, the MRI of his leg shows a two inch mass behind his knee that is unclear if it is recurrent tumor or post surgical changes. He will be meeting with his surgeon and oncologist in the next few days. A biopsy will probably be scheduled soon. Continue to be thankful for Jeffs' healing and God taking care of him through all of this! God has been so good to all of us, showing us so many wonderful things through Jeff. Continue to love on Jeff and Michelle through your words and prayers."

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Big night of high school football in central Arkansas and central California. Here's the picks:

Jessieville by 5 over Bearden -- The snow didn't come but the rain and cold did. A frozen, perhaps muddy track neutralizes Bearden's speed and allows Jessieville's line to plow the Bears. Max Preps projects Jessieville by 3, Hootens and the AP project Bearden. It's a toss-up either way, so I'm going with my heart. Go Lions!

Clovis East by 7 over Clovis West -- The Division One Valley Championship Game might be over in a flash since both teams like to run extensively. Clovis East's only loss was to West, but that was before Zak Hill's injury. His absence nearly cost the Golden Eagles last week against Liberty. It does this week against the Timberwolves.