They're Here!

This is Nick and Tamra Higgins, currently from Sand Point, Idaho. They are here in Kenai this week for interviews for our youth pastor position which is currently open. We are excited to host them for a few days and show them our community and perhaps some of the Kenai Peninsula. Hopefully the weather will allow some nice sunny days while they are here. Their two little ones are with Grandpa and Grandma in Castle Rock, WA while they are in Alaska.

We are looking forward to hearing Nick preach tomorrow morning in church as well as Wednesday night. Thanks for your prayers as we both consider the possibilities.

Port Chattum

This is the head of Jackalof Bay. This isn't the greatest footage I admit. I was trying to get three river otters which were swimming upstream just before I pulled out my camera. Anyway, this is where we also hunted black bears. Right at the beginning of this footage is where we stalked one and I missed my shot. It's a beautiful place too.

This is one of the lagoons at the head of the bay in Port Chattum. It is incredibly beautiful. I spent the better part of a day here, seeing no bears but enjoying the solitude and beautiful surroundings. I would love to do some more exploring some day.

30 Lbs. A milestone

Today is Memorial Day. I do not wish to detract from the significance of its meaning whatsoever. However in my little journey to better health, I have reached a significant milestone for me this morning. I weighed 30 lbs. down from January 1 for the second day in a row this morning. Hitting a low weight once is a triumph, two days in a row doubly so. Especially since the last two pounds I have lost have seemed to have taken as much dedication and patience and discipline as the previous 28 lbs. I have lost. Every once in awhile you hit a barrier that you can't seem to break through, like maybe this effort is lost as I can't seem to lose any more weight. You feel like "what is the use?" and all the "depriving yourself" is in vain and "since I am not losing any more weight" I might as well just give up. Wow, the justifications really pile up quick.

However, as I said some time back in this blog, this is not a temporary deal. This is the way I am going to live for the rest of my life. It still is its own reward, I still feel better than I did before I started, I still remember what it was like to bend over to tie my shoes and be out of breath! I am not going back there!

I was reading this morning that the food police have deemed the "PB & C" milkshake made by Cold Stone Creamery is the same calories count as 68 strips of bacon or 30 chocolate chip cookies. Over 2300 calories if I remember correctly. As I read that, I thought, "you know, I don't even feel tempted to try that." Feeling this much better is so much better than the momentary indulgence the worst beverage in America could provide. Frankly, I think I might enjoy the 68 strips of bacon a little more, definitely the 30 chocolate chip cookies.

So, I won't continue to bore anyone who would take of their free time to read this blog with non-ending obsessing with my weight, but I did want to post my accomplishment of losing 30 lbs. to reinforce my motivation to continue. It's funny, with the 80 degree weather recently I did allow myself to take off my shirt while I worked in the garage. Occasionally passing my a mirror made it obvious that 30 lbs. is not enough...on to 50.

P.S. Does anyone know why "lbs." stands for pounds? Does it have Latin roots or something?

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

One of the treats we were able to enjoy on our recent trip to Seattle was for Scott, Brad and I to attend the Mariners vs. Angels baseball game at Safeco Field. Now, we won't talk about the game as that was a disaster for the Mariners, but we were able to enjoy the excitement of the event with friends. Our Network Superintendent, Bill Welch arranged for our group to get a block of seats together for the game on that wonderful and beautiful evening.

It was a real adventure to find parking for the game that night, you would think they would have a better system than what they have which is a hodgepodge of little bitty lots that charge a lot of money here and there and very poorly marked or attended. Once we found parking and fearing we would get towed the whole night, we went to a really great restaurant for a good meal before the game. Once at the stadium, were all given a "bobblehead" which as I kid I had always wanted to own but never had the chance. I have a brother-in-law and nephew who are avid Mariners fans which I sent it to, so I didn't own it long, but now have that desire fulfilled.

Safeco field is impressive to say the least. It is very user friendly and easy to get around. They even have enough food stands so you don't have to miss several innings of the ball game which wouldn't have hurt on this particular night of slaughter, but in case they improve their performance, would be nice.

The game went long, mostly because the Angels enjoyed many at-bats each inning. Just a word of advice to anyone who may go to Safeco field in May, it gets pretty chilly once the sun goes behind the stadium, wear several layers. Some in our group only had short-sleeves on and pretty much froze. I fortunately had a sweatshirt and was fine for the most part.

Not knowing that part of Seattle very well and the ONLY well marked I-5 entrance was closed for construction, we inadvertently toured a good many neighborhoods east of I-5. Eventually we found an on ramp (you could hardly call it well marked) and found our way home. No matter, it was a great time and one that I would like to do again providing the Mariners act like they want to play baseball.

A World of Change

My personal and professional schedule of late has been a collusion of events and opportunities of a magnitude I didn't anticipate in such a consecutive series of things. I do have a week to do some very needed catch-up, but then leave for another week of adventure. It makes my head spin!

One of the subtle themes through all of the busyness was significant change in my world. Many of the relationships in my life are changing, mostly from the natural evolution of family dynamics but also through some of the things life sends our way. It was wonderful for us to see our daughter-in-law, Brittani receive her master's in teaching degree and be 'hooded" on the large stage at graduation. Scott will follow suit in a few more months. Most likely at that point they will cease to be students and out into the big world of life, work and family. Lots of choices coming their way for sure.

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Another change has been our Alaska District Council becoming the Alaska Ministry Network. It is more than a name-badge change, it signals a change in philosophy and priorities in the Alaska Assemblies of God. I am part of this change and I am excited to see us reaffirm some things that will never change but at the same time streamline our scope and vision to be more effective and strategic with kingdom resources. It is a good change.

Our youth pastors for the past four and a half years will be leaving soon. Ryan and Heather have done a great job in Kenai. Arriving here to a dispirited and fragmented youth ministry and emerging with a great group of motivated and spiritually strong group is a legacy they will be proud of. We are in the hunt for someone to come and take up the shepherd mantle of our youth.

I hit a new milestone at turning 51 this past month. I too, am changing.

The speaker for Brittani's commencement was Denny Davis. His subject was on the topic of change as it was the 75th anniversary of Northwest University. He had a long litany of things that have changed in those 75 years. He ended with a reassuring message that some things have not changed. Jesus is still the same and will remain the same. Truth as expressed in the Bible will not change. Our eternal destiny will not change. In a world awash in change, it is like a firm rock to know we have something we can always count on and use as our compass to keep our course.

Am I a "Christian Atheist?"

Seem like a contradiction in terms? To define what a Christian atheist might be, it might be someone who actually believes in God, who may even attend church, is in harmony with Christian values and morals but, one who actually lives as if there was no God. They make their decisions, do what they want to do, spend their money and live their lives with very little difference from someone who is not a Christian at all. They may identify themselves as a Christian, but the evidence to support that identity would be lacking.

This can be more subtle than we think. But always the bottom line is, does my belief in God actually impact the way I think, the way I steward my money, my behavior and my choices? Do the things I participate in and enjoy reflect Christ? Does my conversation include Jesus? Is Jesus a part of my family life? These are deep questions we ought to take more than a moment to examine within our own lives.

What is a the core of this dualism is the idea that we can fashion our "religion" into whatever we are comfortable with. The very popular thought that the universe revolves around me also includes the idea that our relationship with God should fit in where we like it and not bother the places we don't want to change. The Christian atheist doesn't like to be challenged to change on the inside. They will make concessions for God, but then fair is fair, God should make concessions for us.

The truth is, faith doesn't work that way. Faith in God is not for convenience or for our fancy but is intended to transform us from what we are to what God intends for us to be. That is more than just being a good person or a good neighbor or just content with the status quo. Real faith in God demands that we crucify our flesh daily and live a life wholly to God.

I have been examining my thoughts and life to uncover the hidden places I act as if God did not exist. It's a tough process. What I am finding out and having to face are the areas I really don't want to change. I want to say it is good enough but know better. I hope that you might have the courage to face the truth and make the necessary changes to live as if God really does exist and that He cares about our lives.

Hanging In There

It's been awhile since I have had time or the presence of mind to take the time to blog. I am sure this hasn't been a problem for anyone, but I haven't kept to my once a week goal to make my blog entry.

As I have shared in a previous blog, my doctor said it was time to get serious about losing some weight and changing my diet - forever. I have had to really shift my mindset to make this "forever" idea fit. I have lost a significant amount of weight before, but through this experience I discovered I did not have an end of game plan. When I was done losing weight (40+ lbs.) I simply thought I would go back to eating "normally" but in smaller quantities. No. I gained it all back and then some in about half the time it took to lose it. Not good.

So, I have set my mind to the path that this is the way it will be for life, the rest of my life. When I reach my weight loss goal, I will maintain my weight by staying on my diet. I will allow myself some variation on occasion but for everyday life, it will be the new routine. When I gain weight, I will go into loss mode until my target is reached and then maintain it again.

Right now I am still in the loss mode. I recently reached a plateau that has been very difficult to break through. For over two weeks, I have remained at 20 lbs. lost. Now don't get me wrong, I am loving being down 20 lbs. As I said before, it is its own reward. However, I am not to my goal yet. So, each day for two weeks, I have said to myself, "better be 'good' today" to no avail. Day after day I would see no progress. It was feeling like my plan was no longer working. Questions raced through my head, "should I do something different?", "should I quit this?" "If I'm not losing weight, why am I depriving myself?" I fought through all of that temptation to quit and stayed with the program. Then I lost two more pounds, and seemed to reach another plateau. The whole mind game returned, it quickly felt hopeless again. Frustrating.

So, the status quo with my new routine didn't seem to be working anymore. What to do? I upped the exercise end of things in addition to "being good". My reward? I was down an additional pound this morning. Wow, hanging in there does work.

I don't know why most of us, myself included think that when we hit a barrier that we just want to quit. Like when many people read their Bible. If they miss a day, they feel disqualified and want to quit. Why not just pick it up where you left off and keep reading? It isn't going anywhere and there is not use in quitting or feeling like you have to start over. Just get back on track and keep reading.

So it is with my weight. If I quit I will just go back to my slide toward diabetes, tight fitting clothes and feeling badly. So, why not just keep hanging in there and see what happens? As I found out again this morning it is worth it. I am a total of 24 lbs. down from the first of the year. Yes, it does feel good. No more mid afternoon blood sugar drops and loss of energy. No more acid reflux. No more wondering if the button on my waistline is going to make it attached to my pants at the end of the day.

So why quit? What is there to go back to? To be honest, there is nothing worth going back to. That is often what I tell a new believer who is discouraged. What do you want to go back to? What was working for you so well before you were saved that you want to return to? Nothin'.

So, if you hit a hard place in your life, an obstacle, a struggle, a barrier, discouragement, just keep hanging in there, your breakthrough will come.