Thursday, December 31, 2009

Under the bridge




This is Allie and I liveblogging (me) and swinging (her). A rain shower is passing over head so we've ducked under the Blue Heron bridge at Phil Foster park to wait it out. That's where this playground is.

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

So Long, Gepappa

The boys created this tribute to the world's greatest youth pastor. In less than a week, Pastor Chris Goeppner strikes out with his family for New England to plant a fresh work of God.

You will be missed, my friend.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

the Full Report

Here's News 12's report

Tress House Project Rehab

Watch Channel 12 at noon today to see the mayor's press conference featuring the Tress House Rehab Project in Tamarind.

more later...

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Saturday, December 19, 2009

paradoxuganda: Seen and Not Seen

When I lived and worked in South Sudan, the Bible came alive for me. We lived in a tribal, rural setting without electricity and running water. Living one day took all the human effort and energy one has. It really helped me to understand the conditions the characters in the Bible lived through.

The following blog post is from a blog I read regularly authored by doctors who serve just south of where I lived. They're across the Nile from South Sudan in Northern Uganda. It's a little more modern there. Sometimes there's electricity. It's more like the wild west. Read this account of the Christmas Story...

There are two accounts of the actual Christmas Night in the Bible: Luke 2, and Revelations 12. Yesterday for our staff CME/Bible study, we looked at both stories, printed out in parallel on a page. First we read Luke 2, and I asked every few verses for people to describe what they would have seen if they had been there. For the most part, it would have looked a lot like every-day Bundibugyo life: a pregnant woman, crowds, walking; chaos of disruption caused by arbitrary governmental decrees; the onset of labor at an inconvenient time and the search for a protected spot; sharing a shelter with animals; giving birth in unhygienic conditions without medical care; a not-quite-married pair of inexperienced parents; a baby wrapped up in scraps of cloth; the potential for death always quietly stalking in the background. Such a sequence of events could unfold today, here, unnoticed, because it is common. In fact it probably will, today and most days.

Then we turned to Revelations: here the pregnant woman is clothed with the sun and wreathed by the stars. Here the labor is on a cosmic scale. Here the baby is directly threatened by the waiting, gaping, hungry, evil jaws of a fiery dragon. Here the birth culminates in a barely-in-time rescue, sweeping the infant up to the very throne of Heaven. And here the sequence of events triggers a celestial war, with angels and demons and victory and defeat. I don't think most of the staff had read this before, and they were fascinated, laughing nervously. Because in Africa we don't doubt the pervading precence of the spiritual world, and the danger of the devouring dragon.

Both accounts are true pictures of reality: one a picture of that which was seen by human eyes, and one a picture of the unseen events that were occurring in the spiritual realm.

So we were encouraged to remember that what we see here, happening, tangibly before our eyes, is only a partial truth. The long line of patients with their needs represents dozens of lives in the balance, with eternal consequences. The tiny jaundiced newborn who responds to IV antibiotics so painstakingly given represents a victory that might be mirrored in a heavenly battle. The choice to come to work when most of the world around us is consumed in selling their cocoa and buying new clothes for Christmas day represents the kind of courage mentioned in Rev 12:11, the kind that overcomes evil, forever.

A few people in Luke 2 got to glimpse both realities, to see the material events in real time while recognizing their reflected spiritual impact. Mary, the shepherds, Simeon, Anna. For some, because God by grace overwhelmed them with inescapable visions. For others, because they had dedicated themselves to the search, and recognized God's hand in events. I'm praying to become that sort of person, grounded in the hands-on messiness of life and death on the streets and stables of our earth, but able to see the pattern of God's work, and be carried along by faith and hope, the unshakable evidence of things not seen.

paradoxuganda: Seen and Not Seen

Friday, December 18, 2009

Logos Bible Software for iPhone

Okay people. I've been looking for a FREE Bible app for my new bryPhone. Serendipitously, Michael over at the Phoenix Preacher blog made brief comments about the Logos Bible Software app in one of his posts that my radar homed in on. I downloaded the FREE app and I'm loving it.

There are billions of Bible translations to pick from including this year's Christian Book of the Year, the ESV Study Bible.

Not only did I get it, but my son, and the Charming and Beautiful Susan did, too. My Christmas shopping is done! Not too shabby.

Logos Bible Software for iPhone

Jump start your New Year's resolutions

Just finished this article for Examiner.com.

Jump start your New Year's resolutions

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Finally Santa

Look who finally made it in from the North Pole...


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Big Finish




Each child used a push button operated speaker box to say their lines. The kids are having a blast.

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The Grinch fakes St. Nick.


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School play at the Arc


The school principal is here now introducing the next set: The Grinch That Stole Chrismas.






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The Wild Things are at The Arc

I'm live blogging from Allie's school where they're performing The Wild Things.


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Monday, December 14, 2009

Church Planting Lesson Nine

Pastor Jeff Jackson continues to teach brilliantly on the topic of church planting.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Christmas claymation

You know you gotta roll through this one again this year. Another production from my only son in whom I am well pleased...

Holiday shopping for special needs children

I posted this article at Examiner.com this evening. Happy hunting...

Holiday shopping for special needs children

Monday, December 07, 2009

The Mentoring Project

Check this video

Achilles International charity sponsor of the 2009 Marathon of the Palm Beaches

I'm doing some writing for Examiner.com, an online news source focusing on local news and events. Since my life now has a handicapped person at the center of it, that's the community I'll be serving in my pieces.

Achilles International charity sponsor of the 2009 Marathon of the Palm Beaches

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Where's Santa Now

I keep you all updated on this every year. I'm at your service.



www.noradsanta.org

Rolling with Vets

IMG_1557 Today Allie ran with vets from the Achilles Freedom Team at the Palm Beaches Marathon Festival. Downtown West Palm Beach was crazy with activity as wave after wave of kids grouped by ages ran a race. Ronald McDonald co-officiated the start of the race.

IMG_1553The last wave of kids to line up was Allie's group in their wheel chairs. They ran the race shoulder-to-shoulder with wounded war vets from the Afghanistan, Iraq and Viet Nam wars.

IMG_1559Allie's escort was a salty Viet Nam era Marine with over 26 marathons under his belt. This guy, a war-time amputee, continues to live a heroic life of service. It was our honor to have our little crew escorted by this team of vets.

Below is video of the finish.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Linus explains the true meaning of Christmas

Does anything else need to be said?

Thanks, Ed.