September photos

August photos

light

I made this little video awhile ago using Windows Movie Maker. Most of the pictures are from Door County, WI. The song is a David Crowder tune. My prayer is that people would see the light and not run from it.

Why is the sky blue?

I recently had it explained to me that when the white light that is emitted from the sun hits water droplets in the atmosphere, it refracts, and out of the full spectrum of light that results blue is the highest frequency of light that our eyes can see. This explanation scientifically made sense to me. It is what I learned in school, way back when. However, when I asked Noah why he thought the sky is blue, his answer impressed me much more than anything found in a text book. He told me that blue is his favorite color and that God made the sky blue just for him.

• Psalm 19:1

"The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork."

July photos

a poem of mine

I wrote this poem a couple years ago for a Systematic Theology course. I dusted it off recently and thought I'd share it with you all. Its on the topic of God's omniscience, His all-knowing, all-seeing attribute. Enjoy.

You See

You see.
You see me.

You see me, 17.
On the park bench in the still of the night
Crying out to you.
Asking for strength
To fight the dark things inside.

You see me, 19.
On my knees
Surrounded by turning trees
And falling leaves,
Turning from me,
Falling on you.

You see the propped up ego
The self I still cling to.
The foundation,
The façade,
That is crumbling
Under the weight of your reality.

You see my thoughts,
The thoughts that I thought
I could get away with thinking.

You see.
You see me.
The me that I want to be,
Not the me that I was,
But the me that you created me to be.

You see.
You see me.
Through the blood
Of the one who set me free.
Thank God,
I am free!

3, 2, 1. . . blast off!

This week Noah went to Vacation Bible School. He loved it. He was very, very excited about going to school. It was in the afternoon, which was torture for him, because he asked all morning if it was time to go to school yet. He even got his backpack and stuffed it with a couple of bibles, one he said was for singing. Then he tried to convince me that he could walk there all by himself. He graciously obliged to let me take him in the stroller with his sister. He really enjoyed being around so many kids. At least thats how I interpreted all the smiling, hopping, running, and dancing he was doing. It was like his body just couldn't contain all the excitement and energy. It was an outer space theme, so all week Noah shouted 3, 2, 1 . . . blast off!

June photos

May Photos

April Photos

theology of a two year old

There is something so refreshingly delightful about the faith of a child. When kids combine their unbounded imagination, unvarnished world view, and simple reasoning to matters such as God, heaven, and creation; the result is a theology that is playfully brilliant and pure. Noah in days gone by has thrilled my heart with some of his questions and ideas pertaining to God. So I am compelled to share these, for no other reason than to have them in writing. These nuggets of wisdom I don't want to forget.

Jesus over to play.
Last summer, Noah was two and he understood, probably from listening to Stacy and I pray, that we were always inviting Jesus to come and be with us - asking for more of God's presence. Well he was all over that. When we would eat Noah would ask if Jesus could come eat at our house. Noah would even pick out where he would sit. We would be outside playing and Noah would ask me if Jesus could come over and play with him. Noah had plans on showing him his toy room and having all sorts of fun. I told him how awesome that would be, and how Jesus would really enjoy that.

One ticket to Heaven please.
Like any two year old, Noah was full of questions. One day Noah asked me, "where does God live?" Like any good student of theology I began to explain to him the omnipresence of God, how God is too big to be in just one spot, that he is everywhere, and yet through the Holy Spirit that indwells those who believe in him, that God can actually live inside of us. Well for some reason he just looked at me with this confused, glossed over look. So, I took another approach and simply said, "Heaven." Then I could tell that Noah was trying to wrap his mind around what Heaven was like. I shared with him my thoughts, but he concluded that Heaven probably had lots of toys. That God probably had lots of cool toys and that Jesus had an airplane to take us there. After he reached these conclusions Noah would occasionally tell us that he wanted to go to Heaven and ride in Jesus' airplane.

"Good Job God!"
One fall afternoon, Noah and I were driving out into the country and we got into a conversation about trees, birds, and how God made them all and the special things they do. I then began to explain to him how God made mommy, daddy, baby Chaya, and him too--that God makes everyone different and special. From the back seat I then hear Noah shout, as if to ensure that God heard, "Good job God!"

• Mark 10:15

  "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

happy birthday "gramps"

Today was my birthday. I'm 27 years old. The thought of nearing 30 scares me. Noah, calms my fears by informing me that I'm now old enough to be called "grandpa". Thanks Noah.

March photos

February Photos

desperate?

Once again my son, Noah, has enlightened me. I need to depend on God as much as Noah depends on me. To me that seems overwhelming. As a 3 year old, Noah tells me that he needs me constantly throughout the day. Sometimes I wish he would be more independent. But maybe its more my problem. Maybe in my "grown-upness" I've lost that ability to be vulnerable - to be needy. Maybe I need to reacquire a child-like dependence upon God - to say "I need you!" a thousand times a day. That type of dependency does not overwhelm God, in fact it delights His heart.

Lord, give me your heart. I want that level of compassion to burn within my chest so that I can share with others the extravagant, selfless love that you have shown me. Help me to receive from you Lord. Help me to realize my deep need for you. Help me to be needy, to be desperate, pathetically desperate for you. Father. . . "I need you."

• Matthew 6:8

  "Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

January Photos