"Houston...we have a problem."

PARADIGM 153: Houston, this is P153.

Control: Yes P153, this is Control. We've got you loud and clear. Everything OK? Over.

P153: Houston...we have a problem...

Control: Roger that, P. What's the dealio?

P153: Uh. Houston...repeat. I say, repeat, over.

Control: Copy that, P. I said what's up, Buttercup? Over.

P153: Uh. Houston? Is that you?

Control: If you mean Blogoshere Control, yeppers. But we're not in Houston. You're thinking of those NASA dudes. We're in... well never mind that. What seems to be the prob, Bob?

PARADIGM 153: My name's not Bob. And what's with all the pseudo hip talk?

Control: We're tech types so we're not so good when we try to flingo the lingo. Capeesh? Now what's the problem, or we'll have to disconnect. Haven't you been blog cruisin' lately? There are countless blogs that are in deep self-inflicted trouble!

P153: Yeah, yeah. No kidding. OK, OK. Well, I had announced a little while ago after not blogging awhile that I was back and going to blog regularly. I love to write, and I'm committed to having a quality blog worth people's time and effort, but I've not been blogging like I said I would.

Control: Oh come on! I thought it was something really serious. Hmmm, let's see how we can fix this...Oh, how about this? GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND BLOG!!!

P153: Uh, gee. Thanks. (Pure genius).

Control: Hey, lazy boy, I can hear your parentheses, thank you very much! Don't make me come out there from Monkey's Eyebrow and...!

P153: Where?

Control: Never mind! Just get blogging again and keep blogging! Control, over and out!

P153: Sheesh!

Intsy Wintsy, but Phenomenal

I was driving to an appointment yesterday, when I noticed up in the left-hand corner of my windshield, an extremely tiny spider. It was about the size of a small tick and a kind of light tan neutral color. This little guy was staying on my windshield with seemingly little effort at all. I thought that was rather cool.

Not intending to hurt my tiny ride hitcher, but to satisfy my curiosity, I juiced my car a bit, and then a bit more, and... This amazing little creature was able to stay on a glass surface going over 70! And when I slowed and came to a stop, he merely walked off onto the top of my car.

What a simple pleasure. To be entertained by this minuscule (in physical size, mind you) miracle. To be able to glorify his Creator for his phenomenal design and creativity manifested in the little and so overlooked examples, such as my 8 legged passenger. I hope he made it back home and is still enjoying my car. Thanks God.

Learning from Julia

I just recently went to see the new movie Julie & Julia, so get ready for a bit of passionate writing. Why? For one thing, it's hard for me not to most of the time. And in the case of this entry I've got a few reasons. One, I'm a food lover, used to work as a chef, and a big Julia Child fan, so that's a lot of fuel on the passion fire from the get-go. Two, I'm always fired up about leadership and people who contribute uniqueness to the world. Three, I'm just plain all-out passionate about passion, and this lady had it in spades.

Julia Child had so much to do with how we enjoy food today; she was an ambassador for not only leading many on their premiere culinary journeys from canned and bland processed food to fresh, but for those who got what she was about, which you can see in this film, she grabbed life by the tail and hug on for the ride, laughing and bringing others along with her.

She was a pioneer in communicating to those living outside the culinary Eden which is France, not only what to experience but how to make it happen in their own American kitchens. Pots that had only held grim and bland pot roasts were now giving birth to wonderful cassoulets (is it an accident that "soul" is in that word) with aroma and flavor that would peel the wallpaper right off of those abused and underutilized kitchens. And she did it with humble style, fun, effectiveness, and without taking herself too seriously. It wasn't about her, it was about fanning the flame of her passion as a genuine gift to others. She was infectious. Look beside the dictionary entry for "fun, vibrant, visionary, mold-breaking, disarming ambassador" and you'll find Julia Child's picture.

So why all the fuss? Are you kidding me? Not many achieve what this woman did nor in the way she did it. Isn't it so very easy to see the example this woman sets for us, or is it just me? All the things we attempt to achieve in ministry - effective leadership, vision casting, contagious passion, persevering against the accepted norm, humility, enjoying God's gifts...Julia seemed to get. Without any expert or consultant. She lead her way. And was loved dearly by millions.

When the film credits began to roll, the theater began to applaud. I happily joined them. Only God knows the heart, but to my knowledge Julia did not profess to know Christ. If that is true, and I won't know until I go to my heavenly home and look for her, the thought breaks my heart. What a life well lived. What fullness. She "got" so many things that so many "Christians" don't get. She made so many people happy to be around her. Just imagine what God might have done through her had she been a follower. I can just picture her slicing some fresh, aromatic mushrooms on her TV show and thanking Jesus in that unique smile invoking voice for his tasty gift from the ground, not a care at all of what her viewers might think. We can all learn more than a thing or two from Julia Child.

We all know Jesus loves food, and the dynamic of fellowship that surrounds a meal. We all know that he wants us to have a voracious appetite for the life he offers each of us and to others through us. There's really only one thing left to say at this point. Imagine it though with a certain unique pitch, tone, and a smile. Bon Appetit!

Thoughts On Turning 25x2

Yeah, yeah, OK. Of course I knew it was coming. Intellectually. I still don't think I've actually absorbed it. Me, 50? A half a full dang century? No way. Yes...way. And then within a few days, two pop-icons die. Michael Jackson and Billy Mays, the Oxy Clean guy. Their age? Guess. Of course that hasn't a thing to do with turning 50; people all over are dieing at 50, 40, 30, and 20. But two celebrity dude passings in the news while I'm trying to transition into the next half century...sheeesh.

In many ways I feel better about turning 50 than I did 40. The big exception is that at 40, I wasn't 10 years away from 60. Ouch! Math always did hurt a little. But those last 10 have been chock full of adventure, accomplishment, and great experiences. Even the difficult things and the mistakes, God used for good.

I Googled "50 is the new..." waiting expectantly to see how Mr. Google would finish the statement. He offered its both the new 40 and the new 30. Yes! Thank you, Mr.G! Very cool. That kind of reflects how I feel. Even though the mirror insists on telling me differently, in my soul, I'm still more the 25 year old Steve than not. I'm basically that guy plus 25 years. And so many of the things I've experienced in the last 25 have enriched my life. So, I'll just be 25 Times 2 or Double 25, instead of 50. Thank you very much!

And huge thanks to King Jesus, because if it wasn't for him, I certainly wouldn't even be here writing this blog entry at the wise age of 25x2.

“Mission Control…Steve is Reintering the Blogosphere.”

Wow. It's been so long since I've blogged that I'm kind of embarrassed. But hey, what good does any "shoulda, woulda, coulda" serve? Absolutely none. So, It's Nike time..."Just Do It." Besides, I love to blog. Hey; welcome back to me!

the freshness of renewal

Spring is great. Really great. I dig it bigtime. It’s visually stunning. The aroma is wonderful. She’s the beautiful woman of all the seasons. The pretty girl among the different times of the year. Perhaps that’s why there’s “Spring Fever” and not “Winter Zeal”.

Life is full of seasons. My cohort and partner in crime that I pastor with has excellently applied it to our church life, as we partner with the Holy Spirit of God to grow our baby church hour-by-hour, day-by-day, soul-by-soul. Sometimes you feel the warmth of the sunshine on your face; sometimes the sleet pelts that same face with what feels like a thousand freezing bee stings.

Spring reminds me that God is reminding me that I get “do-overs”. “Watch, precious child of mine, and don’t fret. Yes, you’ve messed up things once again. But, that which is dark and cold in your life can become bright, warm, and sweet smelling again. My dear Steve, that’s why I walked out of that tomb on that spring day 2,000 years ago.”

I don't deserve even a single "do-over" or a fifth or sixth chance in anything. Remarkable, that phenomenon we call God's grace. I don’t think it’s any accident that Jesus busted forth from the cold shackles of death on not a winter, but a spring day. The most important spring day or any other day in all of history.

a stab @ on the spot poetry

I belong to a Life Group in our church that discusses and seeks to learn and relate to art, our innate desire to create, and it's connection to our worship of God. Last week, we were asked to create something on the spot, having to do with that night's subject matter. Without anything in hand, I asked to borrow a pen and piece of paper. Although easier than asking to borrow paints, pallet, canvas, and easel, I am no more poet than I am painter. The following is what I wrote:

a prayer for this particular monday night

sometimes it's just so easy
to get drawn into the details
but in a sterile way
a rather dry fashion

and in the path of knowing you
and projecting you for others
become a mere technician

please don't let this happen, my King
let me love you
as you me
commune with you
as you me

not as a brash tactician
but instead
with ever so much soul