Life Happens

Our little guy is going to be three in just a few short...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:35:10 -0500

Our little guy is going to be three in just a few short weeks…and then I’ll turn 30. Yikes.

Crazy

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:41:25 -0500

Things have been kind of hectic around here lately. Hoping to have a slow down soon so I can reflect and pray more about where we are and where we’re going…

I love being a pastor and love that my family is in ministry with me…it’s been wonderful and I feel like we have a rhythm to our week. I do need to get better at quiet time though!

"Dear God, thank you for this and that and that and cheese. Amen"

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:22:43 -0500

“Dear God, thank you for this and that and that and cheese. Amen”

- Isaac’s prayer tonight at dinner while pointing at his salad and spaghetti.

TMR Baby...TMR.

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:09:21 -0500

TMR. Time. Money. Relationships. For the last couple weeks we have been talking about how we make Jesus known to the world through our actions. Specifically how we steward the life (and everything in it!) that we have been given. We have been using Matthew 25 and the parable if the bags of gold/talents as our background text. We began by looking at our time.

A consistent theme throughout Scripture is that in the big scheme of things, our life is short. Like a mist. How we spend our time has eternal significance. It is all a gift and it has been entrusted to us to steward well during our time on this rock. Do you feel like you spend enough time doing “Kingdom” business?

Then we looked at the dreaded “M” word…money. The reality is that the Bible speaks of money and wealth more often than nearly anything else. Why? Because as Jesus says, where your treasure is your heart is also. In other words, money and where you spend/invest it is simply a reflection of where your heart is at. So…invest in the Kingdom, whether it be the church, world vision, or treating people to coffee. It’s the only thing in this life that pays eternal dividends…

This morning at Oasis we are going to be looking at relationships…and truthfully I think this is the hardest of the three for me. Am I investing in the people that God out in my life in a way that represents and honors Jesus as my King?

Lots to pray about…

"Yay mommy! Amen!"

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:15:13 -0500

“Yay mommy! Amen!”

- Isaac at age 2 praising his mommy

Video

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:28:13 -0500

Video

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:27:53 -0500

Video

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:27:34 -0500

I just love love love this song. What a beautiful description of...

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:12:45 -0500

I just love love love this song. What a beautiful description of the Gospel…

What would happen if....

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:03:32 -0500

We applied this parable to our churches?

Luke 13:6-9 NIV

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

It's All His.

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:04:08 -0500

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 25:14-30 NIV

For the next few weeks at Oasis Community Church we are looking at this parable in relation to how we spend our time, money, and relationships. Last week we started with asking the question of time and what it looks like to be good stewards of the time we have been given.

What do you think? What does it mean to be a good steward of your time in regards to the Kingdom?

Something about seeing a hundred people in “Hammer”...

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:42:12 -0500

Something about seeing a hundred people in “Hammer” pants makes the world a better place…

As we ring in 2012, may we remember that we are all made in the...

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:35:58 -0500

As we ring in 2012, may we remember that we are all made in the image of God, we are all His children (whom He loves), and how we treat each other has eternal consequences. God bless ya and we’ll see ya next year.

Fun at the Dino Park!

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:44:20 -0500

Fun at the Dino Park!

Bedtime Routine With A 2 Year Old

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:01:10 -0500

So our bedtime routine for the last few weeks has gone something like this:

1) Corral Ike into brushing his teeth.

2) Attempt to read a story. Attempt usually means we get 40-60% done with the book and then Ike wants to play more.

3) Hugs and kisses and tuck in #1

4) Followed by tuck in #2, #3, and #4. He’ll move his feet or stand up and then request to be tucked in again.

5) About 2 minutes after we leave the room it’s either the proclamation that he has boogers or needs to go potty.

6) Two minutes after that it’s the un-asserted of #5.

7) Request for tuck in #5. Denied.

8) Begin catastrophic meltdown

Generally he gives up and goes to sleep somewhere between 9 and 10. Oy.

We’ll be thrilled when this stage passes…other than bedtime he’s the most awesome little boy there is.

Non-Alcohol Related Christmas Hangover and The Best Christmas Ever

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:43:35 -0500

We didn’t really mean to be so busy…it just kind of happened. We set out to make sure this year we didn’t succumb to the annual stressness that at times is the Christmas season. After all, I preach against getting sucked in and being present during this time of year. However, I’m honest about it. Mary and I have often struggled to just enjoy the season.

So this year was going to be different. For sure. And it was. Honestly, best Christmas ever. Here’s why:

1). We didn’t spend a bunch of money we didn’t have. No taking 3 months to pay off credit cards or 3 months to get caught up on bills.

2) Ike was old enough (2) to really get into the whole opening gifts thing. He LOVED it.

3) Ike was stoked about Santa (as St. Nick…Jesus’ helper) and did the whole leaving out cookies, milk, and nuts for Santa and the reindeer.

4) We had our first Christmas Eve services as Oasis Community Church. Was the best service ever. Not because we had lots of folks but because the people who came where into it. The spirit was moving and it was beautiful. Beautiful.

5) Christmas Day we hosted about 15 folks for our annual Christmas Brunch where we invited those without family nearby (like us) and had an AMAZING brunch.

There’s many other reasons but…I have dishes calling my name. We’re still resting to recover from the awesomeness that was Christmas.

How was yours?

Merry Christmas!! (Photo by cameronkgarcia)

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:31:49 -0500

Merry Christmas!! (Photo by cameronkgarcia)

Photo by cameronkgarcia

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:31:51 -0500

Photo by cameronkgarcia

Christmas jammies!! (Photo by cameronkgarcia)

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:31:33 -0500

Christmas jammies!! (Photo by cameronkgarcia)

Christmas Traditions

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 11:49:56 -0500

What are some of your Christmas traditions? Mary, Ike, and began a new one last year that we are very excited about this year.

We moved to Sunnyside in November of 2010 and with the exception of an aunt that lives in Naches, all of our extended family lives hundreds of miles away. So, Christmas morning, after family time and opening gifts, we invited of for Christmas brunch a few folks we knew from the church that had a similar situation. No family around. Last year we had 3 or 4 folks over and it was wonderful.

This year? Looking like we’ll have close to 30!! Mary has an awesome feast planned for us and it is sure to be an awesome time.

What are some of your traditions?