Back in SoCal

Hi all, we are back from Germany now and trying to get settled in to life here. And yes, we are trying to get over the jetlag - the kids start dropping off at around 5-6 PM (mostly because they wake up at 4-5 AM!!).

We will try to post more fotos and testimonies about the trip - it was a total blessing! It was soooo good to see good friends again, some we have known for almost 12-13 years now. Thanks to all who prayed for us during the trip. And thanks especially to the Romings who opened their home for us to stay the whole 2 and a half weeks - 4 adults and 9 kids (all under 10 years old) all in one house. And nary a problem! Wow, what a miracle!

I am scheduled for jury duty all of next week. And Becks is scheduled for jury duty all of the week after that. Welcome back to SoCal! Life never is dull, is it? I am kinda excited - never done jury duty before. We have been called before several times, but were living in Germany at the time so got out of it (but imagine the travel cost they would have had to reimburse us for if they insisted we show up!).

Anyways, we'll post more soon...

How's Your Chest?!

As part of the visa application process for New Zealand, we have to get chest X-rays. I assume they want to make sure we don't have TB or any medical abnormalities. This past week, we got the reports back from the radiologist saying that our chests and spines look healthy and that there are no signs of TB or any abnormalities.

But what caught my attention and made me a little upset was this one phrase that was supposed to sum up the radiologist's findings...

For Becks he summarized - Impression: NORMAL chest.
For me he summarized - Impression: UNREMARKABLE chest!!!

Now wait a cotton-pickin' minute I thought! How come she gets a 'normal' chest and I get a 'unremarkable chest'!? I think my chest is AT LEAST normal! If not downright remarkable!

I guess I gotta get out the weights and work-out a bit. Maybe then I can be bumped up to a 'normal' chest. And perhaps one day, with lots of sweat, hard work (and steroids), I can move up to having a 'remarkable' chest! ;-)

LIke this guys below...

Where Do You Find Contentment?

It's a question that we all face in life - maybe daily for some. Or back up a little and ask 'Am I even content? With who I am, what I have, where I am, what I am doing? Am I content??' Those are some tough questions - maybe easy to answer, but hard to live out. Because we are constantly bombarded by societal pressures that try to make us discontented!

We're not content with the way we look because Hollywood has convinced us that we would only be content if we look like a movie star or model. We're not content with what we have because advertisers have convinced us that in order to be content we NEED the latest and greatest. We're not content with what we are doing because we have been taught all our lives that we must achieve the American Dream - the big house in a suburban cul-de-sac with the white picket fence, 2 cars in the garage (1 sedan and 1 SUV), a dog and cat and 2.78 kids. So we strive and strive to achieve that illusive dream. But is that really contentment?

Paul in Philippians 4 gives us a few tips, pointers, principles (whatever you want to call them) on contentment. I'll just list them out here with the corresponding verses. I won't explain them much because I really want you to read those verses and let God speak to you. Let Him show you if you are content or not, and where you find your contentment. So here are the 3 principles that I see...

1. Contentment is independent of external circumstances and material things - Phil 4.11-12. Notice what Paul says - 'in whatever state' and 'everywhere and in all things'. Am I content ONLY when things go well or ONLY when I have all I need and want?

2. Contentment must be learned - Phil 4.11-12. It is not automatic nor does it come naturally to us. Twice Paul says it is learned or understood though experience or teaching.

3. Contentment is only 'in' the Lord Jesus - Phil 4.13. In the Greek the actual sentence goes like this- 'I can do all things IN [not through] Christ [or Him depending on which translation you use] who strengthens me.' Just remember with this verse - context, context, context. What does 'all things' mean? Can I flap my arms and fly if I recite this verse while flapping? Meditate on the 'all things IN Christ'.

What It Takes to Hear God's Voice

This past Sunday, I had the privilege to teach all three services at our home church, Calvary Murrieta, while Pastor Brian was away. The message was from Matt 14.22-33, but it also included examples from our own lives and the whole process of us stepping out of the boat and leaving Germany and now stepping out of the boat again and heading off to New Zealand (God willing!).

So in a sense, it is our life story covering the last 2 years. The message is titled 'What It Takes to Hear God's Voice' and you can download it from the CCM website (just click here and then listen online or download the mp3). Enjoy and my prayer is that God will speak to you about your boat!

PS - thanks Brian for letting me share!



Here's Peter getting ready to walk on water with Jesus. That's how I feel sometimes! ;-)

Sweeeeet...

While in New Zealand, I was invited to coffee at the local Starbucks. As I was paying for a gift mug for my wife, the young guy behind the counter comments to me after the transaction is finished - 'sweet as'. Now, the written word doesn't quite capture the Kiwi accent here, for the phrase 'sweet as' sounded like 'sweet a$$' to me! I almost grabbed the guy by the collar and asked - 'what did you say?!?!'. At the very least, I wanted to 'invite' him outside for a more private 'talk'!

Well, it turns out that the Kiwis say 'sweet as' like we would say 'sweeeet' or 'right on' - kinda like a positive affirmation or comment in the local vernacular. In other words, it's a Kiwi (maybe Ozzie too) idiom. And I think it probably stems from a phrase like 'sweet as sugar/honey, etc. Or maybe not. Who knows - all I know is that some kid at Starbucks in NZ almost got his clock cleaned. ;-)

Back in America

Just got back from New Zealand, after a week-long scouting trip. I'll write more about it when i get more settled in, but in general, it was a good trip. I had lots of time with the pastor of CC Wellington and his wife - we had great talks and prayer times together. We seemed to be on the same page in most things, which is good considering we are planning to continue where they will leave off in the ministry.

Anyways, I'll post more (maybe ;-) ) when I get a chance. But here are a few fotos from New Zealand. I 'stitched' together 7 fotos to get this panorama of Wellington from the top of the highest point in the Wellington area. It's almost a 270 degree view of the city, harbor and surrounding areas. Click on the foto to get a larger view. It works best if you can load (first, right-click and 'save as') the foto into your default foto viewer/editor and view it at 100% (much more detail!).

New Zealand, Here I Come...

Well, tomorrow is the big day - I fly to New Zealand to check out if this is where God will take us next. Yet somehow I am not excited at all, actually am dreading it! Maybe I am too traveled out, considering we drove close to 7500 miles in the last 6-7 weeks. Or maybe it's because I am nervous about stepping out of the boat once again. Or maybe it's because it's not of God? Or maybe I simply lack faith?

Whatever the case, I am dreading it. Weird. Really weird. I normally am challenged by new experiences, especially traveling to new lands. It doesn't faze me. But this time, it's like - blah. Oh well, I gotta go now. ;-)

Please pray for me/us. Pray for concrete confirmation, for the leading of the Spirit. Pray also for Becks as she is alone with all 4 kids. And they just started school, homeschooling, sports, etc. this past week. Thanks