To keep us all on the same page, here is the UPDATED Wednesday night meal rotation thru June. Our collegiate Lindsay is going home for a much needed break. Finals are over and summer is waiting! Lindsay, have a wonderful break and God bless and protect you.
May 7th-Rickards
May 14th-Fernandez
May 21st-Freemans
May 28th-Church
June 4th-Bishops
June 11th-Rickards
June 18th-Fernandez
June 25th-Church
If there's a problem with the dates, just swap with someone.
See ya'll tonight!

The Kingdom in a Cartoon?

OK I can't resist this...yes, I do have a lovely little toddler and yes God does speak most profoundly in very child-like things. In the mornings, Jackson and I watch the last 10 minutes of Arthur on PBS. It is about all he is interested in and it gives me some space to eat my breakfast without a toddler climbing all over me. I've been routinely impressed with the issues that the program tackles. Anyway, long story short...or short story shorter Arthur's friend, Francine was taking her class on a field trip to her Dad's work. He is a garbage man. Francine's older sister was appalled that her little sister was letting her class know what their father did for a living and wanted to know when their father was going to get a real job. He said "You mean a job where I have to dress up and work late and not get home early to play with you guys?" (Please do not hear that dressing up or having to occasionally work late is inherently a bad choice in regards to family..the show was particularly dealing with choosing power and money and stuff over family...not doing what you have to do to provide for you family...anyway I digress)

Throughout the entire 10 minute segment, He was continually asked questions about why he choose to do that particular job, (one with no status) and every response was..because he would rather have more time to be with his family and that money was not important. He said even if he had more money he could never buy a better family. And then to top it all off...he loved that through his job he could be creative with all of other peoples discarded junk. Not only was he choosing to make less money to be with family but he was allowing his workplace to be a creative outlet to bless those around him with cool new things. I love how Arthur just took a huge swing at the cultural norm here in Palm Beach County. Jesus is speaking loud and clear even through children's TV. Just one more thing I can talk about with other mom's at the park.

Lord Jesus help me take every day things that are a part of my child's world and show him the beauty of your kingdom in them.

In the Beginning - A Worship Experience
May 4, 2004

"First this: God created the Heavens and Earth--all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss..."

The Story of God and His people is not pop history. This is ancient stuff. The Story we belong to, those of us that follow 'the Way', is an old, old story with characters who have become well worn in our imaginations. Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David...these names place us in a world still in its teenaged awkwardness. These are people trying to learn the rhythms of God with no road maps. But along the way, a people was birthed, out of which arose a nation, out of which arose kings, prophets, and priests. What we read in the Old Testament isn't something we can just look at passively as if it really doesn't apply to us Christians or only tells cute fairy tales about whales, giants, and big boats full of animals. We would not be here without this Story. It tells of our conception, our childhood, and our maturation.

Worship is one of the ways we learn to remind ourselves of the Story in which we live. The Jews maintained an elaborate schedule of festivals and feasts all aimed at affirming their national identity as the people of God. As followers of Jesus, sometimes a little music, a group of friends, and a good meal will do the trick.

On Sunday evening, there will be such a gathering of worshippers at a home in Lake Worth (email me for directions). We'll begin with a BBQ, and if you can, please bring something to add to the feast. Afterwards there will be areas set up around the house (kind of like an art exhibit, but where you get to play along) aimed at reminding of us of our place in God's creative Story. Finally, there will be a collective music jam, so bring your instrument or favorite song. We'll start around 6 PM.

Morikami Gardens

Mark, Caleb, Amber, Jackson, Kim, T, and I travelled to Morikami Gardens in Delray Beach today to see the sights and enjoy some amazing Japanese garden arrangements. The bonsai were on the top of everyone's list, but I have to admit that the bamboo 'forest' was my favorite (see photo). A few memories: Jackson running wild and 'off the paths', Caleb dilgently filling out the little challenge game for kids while we walked, T and Mark discussing the varieties of plant species like they know what they're talking about, $12 for two burgers and a hot dog, and the blue-haired 'tour guides' who all talked with a new york accent.

Here's a photo gallery, mostly for Suz...

Pray for the Palmers

Fellow blogger and journeyman Mark Palmer's wife Jennifer was just diagnoised with stomach cancer. Keep them in your prayers and let's ask God for his incredible healing power to be released and that she would fully recover.

Hey there... It's been a while since I've blogged anywhere. Mostly because I've been struggling through some things that are on the DL. With that said, I had a realization last night while we were chatting. I'm co-teaching a class right now in Jupiter called self-expression collage. It's an art expression class. We do collages about different parts of ourselves and then discuss what they mean for us. I also lead small groups for teenage girls.

In both of these arenas, we have a rule that you get to choose the level of honesty that you're willing to operate on. Honest, more honest, most honest, or saying "I pass" are all appropriate levels of participation. At any given time a member of the group may choose to be funny or serious at different levels. The truth of it is, though, that the closer we get to most honest, the more we get out of the group. I see people (myself included) time and time again, wanting more from the group or a certain relationship but unwilling to reveal the deeper parts that create a "most honest" connection. Not that we can't or shouldn't have nonsense conversations. I personally love them... I guess it's just a little bit tricky processing into relationships with people, giving them permission to be honest, more honest, most honest or passing altogether.

All that to say, last night Mike says to me, "So, Lori, how are things?" And I say (pause one moment to see my brain thinking, "What level of honesty shall I share?"), "Things are good, Mike. I got a new roommate."

I finally have the time and energy to blog. Not to mention something I've been thinking about other than the impending birth of our second child, Chloe. I've been thinking a little about relationship. This Sunday we had a beautiful time at the beach watching the sunrise together, celebrating the new life we have in Christ. Afterwards Mike, Jackson and I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and it had me going down memory lane.

Our sending church is in Gainesville, FL...which is kind of like the south, as opposed to West Palm Beach which is more northern in feeling. (Lots of northern transplants enjoying the warmer weather I guess) Cracker Barrel is a southern style restaurant which is not technically one of my favorites. Our Leesburg friends would love to go to lunch there every Sunday after Church and the country store attached to the restaurant is a favorite among the women in my church in Gainesville. Again another thing I am not fond of. I am not saying that is is bad to like this type of food or style of decorating... it is just not my taste....no judgment.

Anyway, I was fondly remembering all of the people that have come alongside me in this journey. Ones that have pointed me towards Christ and encouraged me in my faith. And even though I rarely talk to or see many of them, they are still a part of who I have become. I don't know how many conferences I've been to or sermons I've heard but when it comes down to it...it has really been relationship with others because of Jesus that has taught me, trained me, changed me etc. Not fast flashy friendships but the kind that cement over time and experience with one another. Lots of walking and talking together through many circumstance.

I just finished reading an article in the book Simpler Living Compassionate Life a Christian perspective by Frederick Buechner. It is entitled "Introduction to the Sacred Journey". In it he talks about how the story of your life or autobiography is an essential place to see God speaking.

More as a novelist than as a theologian, more concretely than abstractly, I determined to try to describe my life as evocatively and candidly as I could in hope that such glimmers of theological truth as I believed I had glimpsed in it would shine through my description more or less on their own. It seemed to me then, and seems to me still, that if God speaks to us at all in this world, if God speaks anywhere, it is into our lives that he speaks.

The entire article had me thinking about my story and maybe toying with the idea of writing it down, as a way of watching the hand of God in my life over long stretches of time. Kind of like those picture books you had as a kid that you would flip the pages quickly from back to front and watch a picture story unfold. Anyway, that's what I've been mulling over.

Easter, the Beach, and Jackson

This was the first Easter of my life that I was not in a church building sometime during the day. Regardless, as Suz commented to Amber sometime during the morning, it was so nice just having a simple day. No cantatas, no hoopla, no fanfare...just time with our friends and family watching the sunrise, reading the easter story, taking communion, and enjoying a relaxing day. Jackson had a ball of course. For some reason, when we woke him up at 5:30 to go to the beach, he was so happy. He just giggled the whole way in the car. Out of the mouth of babes...

A Story for Good Friday

From a swell new blog I just discovered...Real Live Preacher

Read...
The Advent of Elliot
and then...
The Passion of Elliot

Nickel Creek

I'm hooked on these folks. FYI, they will be in concert at the Carefree Theatre in West Palm on May 14th. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, anyone interested in joining me?

Allelon

Those good people at Allelon have gone and redone their website. I'd be interested in hearing everyone's (especially those of you in our immediate community) thoughts on the content there and the idea of Allelon in general. For those of you who forgot, these are the peoples T and I visited in January - my old buddy Todd Hunter, Mark Priddy, and Keck. I gotta admit that the 'board of advisors' is pretty amazing - Peterson, Bright, Willard, Foster...them's some of my heros in that list. I'd like to know when the first 'board meeting' is so I can be a fly on the wall.

The Best Men's Meeting

I've told this story to Mark and T but I think it deserves a blog. So on the way home from Gainesville Saturday Jackson and I stop in Leesburg to visit my buddy Brant from the Leesburg Vineyard, a sister church of the Gainesville Vineyard. Brant informs me that the fellows in the church are having a "men's meeting" of sorts. I'm imagining guys sitting around talking about sports, eating pizza, maybe going through a workbook or something, grunting a prayer and then going home. Oh no, not in Leesburg. You see, these are country folk. Their idea of a proper men's meeting place is a ranch with cow poop all over. Their idea of food is slow-roasting a pig all day. When we arrived the bonfire had been going for some time. And not just some puny fire...like whole tree fire. Brant and I park next to a few guys and their pickups, cowboy hats and everything. So we get out and immediately Jackson starts running around with the dogs. A few more guys show up and then the ranch owner gathers everybody around. "Well, this is how we do it 'round here. Throw your trash in the fire. Crush your cans and put 'em in that there five gallon bucket. The pig is in that igloo cooler and anything else you see is fare game. After a little while, Dave's going to bring the Word. Let's all bow our heads for the blessin'." After the prayer, we dug in. The 'pig in the igloo cooler' was actually just a bunch of pig in a cooler. No liner, no container, just ribs and flesh all mixed up. It was delicious. After Jackson had all the fun and male bonding he could handle, we packed up and left.

I think we need to have a "men's meeting" here. Any ideas?

Here's the Wednesday night FOOD rotation for the next few weeks:
Location is the Freeman's unless otherwise stated.
April 23rd-Bishops
April 30th-Church
May 7th-Rickards
May 14th-Lindsay
May 21st-Fernandez
May 28th-Church
June 4th-Freemans
June 11th-Bishops
June 18th-Rickards
June 25th-Church
That's as far as I've done. Let me know how this is working for you; if you need a break etc..

From Frank Dorion:

"I am taking a huge risk here. I am really starving for stories about what is happening in the home groups/mission groups that are developing in North America. Most of what is being shared is strictly on the level of the abstract. There are enough people reading other people’s materials, quoting other people, going to conferences, musing about how great this is all going to be, trying to give scriptural reasons for home groups, being philosophical about it, offering devotionals around it, asking questions….. yet no one is sharing what is actually happening in their groups."

I really couldn't agree more. Frank's comment is somewhat generalized, but I think he nails a perception of mine that has been growing about blogging, specficially about the way I blog. In the past, many of my blogs have been simply a response to or a regurgitation of someone else's idea. Sometimes these blogs can be quite beneficial to the "emerging church discussion." Often, however, they are my off-the-cuff reactions to topics I have no business reacting to.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes I make really great observations! Ha! Giving honest thought to difficult questions is necessary in this process we've embarked on. Creating opportunities to wrestle with ideas that challenge some of our most basic assumptions about church and life is not only necessary but mandatory. But what seems to stick to my ribs most is a good story. Someone's real life demonstration of how the kingdom of God has broken into their dark existence with gospel light.

I guess that's why I haven't been blogging much lately. I'm still thinking, still wrestling with difficult questions, but there is a whole side of me that just longs to hear stories of grace and mercy played out in the lives of flesh-and-blood human beings.

On the way up to Gainesville this weekend I was listening to a series by Eugene Peterson on the part parables play in spiritual direction. The emerging church has talked a ton about the need to incorporate narrative into our preaching and evangelism, specifically about how we tell the biblical story. But to take that a step further we need to begin looking at the power of our own stories (small and big) and stories that we make up - parables - as the indispensible tools of discipleship to Jesus.

Here are the activities scheduled for the Month of April. Mike will set up a calendar on the website as soon as he returns from Gainesville, but I thought I'd post it until then.

Wednesday April 16th - Gathering at Lori's house. 5:30 - dinner coordinated by the Fernandez family. The guys will be preparing the foundation for the BBQ pit that we have been artistically helping Lori with and the girls will be inside doing a meditative art night.

Sunday April 20th - Easter. Sunrise gathering at the Singer Island beach. We will meet at 6am in front of Portifinos restaurant and see the stars and then watch the sun rise together. Communion will be offered.

Wednesday April 23rd - Gathering at the Freeman's. 6:30. Kim will you post and let us know who is taking care of dinner that week?
More practice on hearing the voice of God....Very Cool stuff!

Sunday April 27th - Morikami Museum. Meet at the Rickards at 9:30. We will all carpool down together. Admission is $5.00. I think you can purchase food there...or if you need to pack a bag lunch.

and I am not sure...what is the idea for the next book club? Any thoughts? I am up for Life Together but that is just one idea.

If I have not said it lately...I am very blessed to be on this journey with you all. Pure Gift:-) Love you guys!

On a little bit of an administrative note, I wanted to post this here so we all could have the info and be prepared in advance i.e. mark calendars and more importantly set our alarms.

This Easter our community will be enjoying the presence of the risen Lord and each other at Sunrise on the beach in Singer Island. Mike and I will give you all more info at our Wednesday gathering...but b/c this whole thing is not about the "meeting" and not everyone will be there at the same time...I wanted to get out the message a little more effectively.

Lori - we wanted to have our Wednesday gathering at your place next Wednesday to work on the foundation for the BBQ pit because it stays light so much later. Is that OK?

and......Lisa Ponchak......call me. You did not leave your number when you called last. I want to see how you and your community in Tampa are doing.

Grace and Peace to all the Saints in Christ Jesus!

I'm Back
During my fast from blogging, I came to two complimentary conclusions:

1. I can live (quite happily and wholly) without blogging.
2. I have an amazing community of friends who preach the gospel to me with their lives constantly.

Thanks.