Archive - August, 2008

McCain/Palin 2008

August 29, 2008 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

In a move I didn’t see coming John McCain has changed the way I am viewing this upcoming election.  I think his pick of Sarah Palin as his running mate was a great decision.  I don’t know much about her and need to do some research before I share too much of an opinion but I will say that I am impressed that McCain seems to have had an ear to the ground on this one and pulled in someone completely the opposite of Joseph Biden.  Am I nervous about her lack of experience?  Maybe.  Am I nervous about Biden’s long political career?  Maybe.  Do I think that we are ready for change? Yes and fortunately no matter what we’re getting some change in that we are either going to have an African American man as President or a woman as Vice-President.  Both those historic events are worth thinking about.

Do I know who I’m voting for?  No.  Now that the candidates are finally picked with running mates I feel like I can do research and make up my mind. 

One last thought though.  She’s a mom.  I’m pretty familiar with the hectic life at our house for Danielle and I’m always impressed at how much Danielle can juggle and do it all so well.  Sarah Palin impresses me at how much she has accomplished while being a mom.  Go moms!

A spike in productivity

August 29, 2008 in Who I am... with 0 Comments

Three years ago when I started my D.Min program I found that the most productive time for me was after 8pm at night usually sitting in my office listening to ColdPlay and writing.  I rediscovered this last night as I edited both my dissertation as well as RelevantPew  my new website aimed at providing resources for Churches trying to reach out to the 20-something generation.   

Probably helps that I have a hard deadline of September 1st to turn in my final draft of the project.  But at the same hand I’m also at a stage where the final kinks have been worked out and we’re moving ahead with content and with a renewed sense of purpose. 

I would love to have some more writers on the website so let me know if this 20-something ministry thing is interesting to you.

American Teen Movie

August 27, 2008 in Youth Ministry with 0 Comments

American_teen

Got a recommendation to go see the documentary American Teen last week.  Yesterday I headed over to a theater by my house to watch it.   I went by myself and ended up watching the movie by myself in the theater which was a little creepy.  Was it a good movie?  Well it had some good parts.  The premise of the movie is following the senior year of students who live in Warsaw indiana.  There was traditional stereotypical roles for students.  Cute Blond Rich Girl,  Geeky, Zitty, insecure guy,  Jock and artsy girl.    What I liked about the movie the most though was the underlying themes of insecurity, identity and community.  I was reminded by the stories they told of trying to figure out who they are and even when they shared defining moments in their lives that made them who they were.  Particularly disturbing though was the Geeky guy who shared that it all started in Junior High when he spilled a bowl of chili on himself and was made fun of. 

I think it’s a helpful movie to go see if only to be reminded of the awkwardness that is High School and as a reminder that youth ministry needs to realize the difficulties students go through and help to love them through it.

I particularly liked this movie because it was in the "anxst" genre like My So Called Life and  Singles.  Which tend to show identity struggle as it really is without sugar coating or needing to have an ending that ties it all together.  Like real life this genre of film depicts characters who struggle with the same things we struggle with and for me it tends to be gripping.

Donald Miller at the Democratic Convention

August 25, 2008 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

I know this will be all over the web and the news tomorrow.  Many people will have opinions about it and specifically what was said, what wasn’t said and how everything was said.  I think before honest dialogue can happen we need to read, analyze and prayerfully examine all of this.   Here’s the complete prayer:

DONALD MILLERS PRAYER – DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION – 2008

“Father God,

This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.

We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.

We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.

Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.

Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.

Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.

Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.

Hep us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.

Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.

We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help.

Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world.

A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American.

Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world.

Help us be an example of humility and strength once again.

Lastly, father, unify us.

Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common.

And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish.

God we know that you are good.

Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans.

I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice.

Let Him be our example.

Amen.”

A Ahh Haa moment

August 25, 2008 in Who I am... with 0 Comments

I don’t usually have moments where I realize that I am incredibly dumb.  Today though I had one such moment.  I was driving home from lunch with several of my staff guys. We are driving along a street and needed to make a left to head back to church.  I mentioned to Rhett that he needed to take a right on Golf street that it was right by the Golf course.  At that moment I realized that the name of the street had significance.  I have lived in this neighborhood for one and a half years and live right by the golf course.  But only today did I realize that wasn’t a french sounding street but was in fact just Golf.  I think it might have been the southern accent that screwed me up or it might just have been that I’m dumb. 

Anyways it was a funny moment.

20-Year Reunion

August 23, 2008 in Who I am... with 1 Comment

Tonight is the night of my 20 year High School reunion.  I’ve now been away from the island where I grew up longer than I ever lived there.  I went to my 10 year reunion and it was a bit of a drag.  Sorry for any of you who went to that one I hope that my comments are more reflective of me than of you.  Danielle and I were married when we went to my 10 year and it was a bummer because most of my close friends did not show up.  So, after a few rounds of "hey how you doing" we bailed back to my parents house for the night.  This time I was actually thinking about going and did some contact work with some friends but didn’t get any major commitments from them so I figured it would be much like my 10 year.

A lot has happened in my life the last 10 years.  We have had 3 kids.  I finished Seminary and worked at a couple different churches.  I look more like a football player now than I did in high school (ok so I only played my 9th grade year)  I’d like to think I am smarter than I was in high school but I’m probably only wiser.   

I do miss the times of my life being simple.  I miss friends like Roger, John, Adrian, Mark, Shawn, Jason, Jeanie, Chris, Stan, Bessie, George, Scott.  I miss my youth group at the United Methodist Church of Langley.  I miss great teachers and friends like Bill Humphries.  I miss my youth pastor/barber Paul Samuleson who is now the mayor of Langley.  I miss a couple friends who have passed away like John and Michelle (who I had a crush on from 6th grade until she was gone)  I miss Evan who although was a year older than me and didn’t attend South Whidbey is the only friend I still stay connected to.  I miss Jazz Ensemble being too early in the morning and Tony Smith being too amped up.  I miss the Ski Bus, the ferry boat, my green bug and my black rabbit.  I miss driving to school with Erika and hanging out with her friends.  I miss the simple life on the island and knowing that everyone was somehow related to a Gabeline. I don’t miss trying to get a 9th grader to ask our math teacher how his mom danced.  I miss pep band and playing my saxaphone at football games.  I miss always being doubles team #2 and knowing I could never beat George or Scott.  I miss splitting wood and cleaning out goat cages to pay for dances. I actually miss the Island County Fair too.  I guess what I miss the most about growing up on the Island and going to school there is the familiarity of knowing where everything is and who everyone was.  Leaving the island and then the state and a year and a half ago leaving that state to move to Texas has really taken the familarity and safety net away from our lives. 

I guess there are some things I don’t miss too.  I don’t miss feeling insecure,  wondering if I would fit in.  I don’t miss 12th grade Calculus or the Journalism teacher who didn’t like me.  I don’t miss ferry lines and the Clyde Theater always having bad movies (I do miss the price of those bad movies though).  I don’t miss not having cable TV, the bookmobile, walking a lot and then riding my bike,  lifeguarding at the Possession Point pool, seeing all the tourists come each year to Sandy Hook yacht club and then seeing them leave. I don’t miss drivers ed with Coach Learer (funny I actually saw him about 4 years ago in Langley still teaching drivers ed…bad memories for me)

If you went to the reunion I’d love to hear from some of you.  Would love to get a chance to dialogue about what your life has been like since that day we all graduated and walked out of the gym to "Shook my all night long" by ACDC. 

Peace,  Class of 88

Lars

Presbyterian.me

August 22, 2008 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

A couple months ago the .Me websites went on sale here in the US.  I happened to be doing some work online that day so I checked to see what was available.  Surprisingly www.presbyterian.me was available so I bought it.  Now I’m at a bit of a quandary though.  Having a Blog name like this is a slightly daunting proposition.  I at first thought I’d write about my journey within the PCUSA and especially through the ordination process that I was a part of for a while, stopped doing and am now contemplating being a part of again.  This sounds especially interesting in lieu of all that has happened in the PCUSA this summer.

But, I’m open to other suggestions.  If anyone can think of something great to use this domain name for I’d love to hear it.   Please don’t tell me to point it to a hot place filled with pitchforks. :)

Patterns of Fall

August 19, 2008 in Who I am... with 1 Comment

It doesn’t feel like summer anymore.  It’s been raining off and on for the last two days.  Sort of a Seattle mist of a rain.  It’s got me thinking about the fall.  What I like about being home for a chunk of time is getting into patterns.  Tonight I’m heading out to talk Theology and 20-something ministry with my friend Petey we’ve found the perfect Tuesday night spot and it’s something I look forward to.  Next Monday school starts here and I just realized today that I have the perfect time to work out in the mornings after I take Soren and Kaije to school before I head to work at 9.   I’m also working a lot on the dissertation writing and web project which just feels good.  I think I see the end in "site". 

Sometimes routine is good.

August 18, 2008 in Who I am... with 0 Comments

Today was a pretty simple day. I sat at home and worked on my kitchen table with Rhett.  We worked on a new website that will be launched later this month.  After that we headed over to the office where I a number of meetings as well as a great lunch with my staff.  Mostly puttered around the office just working on getting a few things done.  So a busy day without much going on.

PGF and me

August 17, 2008 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

I went out to California on Wednesday to be a part of the PGF Conference it was a great time connecting with friends from many like-minded PCUSA churches from California, Washington, Texas, Atlanta and a bunch of other states.  What I love about this part of ;my denomination is that we all see eye to eye on theological issues and we don’t have a lot of waffling about core doctrinal stuff.  I could walk into most of their churches and feel right at home with what they teach, how they teach it and the directions they are going. 

For me this trip was especially powerful as my old church Bel Air Presbyterian co-hosted the event.  Mark Brewer the senior pastor was around a lot and the worship band led two different meetings.

Another thing I loved about this conference is how it shrinks my world a bit.  I know quite a few people from many churches all over the US and many of them were at the conference.  So I was able to connect with them all at the same time.  Just nice to have everyone in the same place. 

Even better Danielle came with me.  Several times during the conference I was refered to as "Danielle’s husband" as she is very involved in Womens ministry in the PCUSA and met with a number of other women to network and dream.  I am really proud of the way she does her job humbly but with great skill and passion.  She is someone that they need to grab a hold of because she brings a fresh perspective to all of this.

Now that I’m home I’m looking forward to just being here for a while and working on my dissertation and some other projects.

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