Family

"Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” - Nehemiah 4:14b

Family is messy and joyous. Family is who we can be ourselves around. Family takes time, effort and patience to make it work. We don't choose who gets to join our family. We're born into it. We don't give up on family.


Church is family - a spiritual family. Up until recently, I saw church as just an inhuman institution. I was grateful for the programs, classes, missions trips, serving opportunities, teachings, and responsibilities. But it wasn't until I was at a point where I was so frustrated, about to tear what little hair I have out, losing sleep, laughing, crying, overjoyed and going through a whole mess of things that I realized that church is family. Only one kind of people makes me feel all those things - family.

I really started seeing church as it really is - Christ followers. Messed up people who are living by the grace of God, following after Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful for this family. I am so grateful for this church.




Church is messy and joyous. Church is who we can be ourselves around. Church takes time, effort and patience to make it work. We don't choose who gets to join our church. We're born into it. We don't give up on church.

Working Wednesdays: Collective Meltdown

It's our "busy season" until May or so.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

open wide

At the dentist's office:

Dentist: "Open wide... looks like you've got a couple of cracked molars, a developing cavity, and there's heavy wear on your teeth. You grind your teeth at night."

Me: "I do? I had no idea..."

Whoa... first dentist visit in over a year and I have a mouthful of goodies to show for it. And all this time, I actually thought I was doing OK. This is the human condition. We just don't know ourselves very well and it takes someone with a bright light, mirror and a fine-pointed tool to reveal the decay.

This past week, after 20-odd years of brushing my own teeth, I actually learned the proper technique of keeping my teeth clean from the dental hygienist. It's kind of like learning to blow my nose the right way for the first time a few years ago. No joke. Mimicry and following examples will only go so far without proper instruction.

That's the only way to get it right - being willing to admit at any given moment that there is a better way than my own. Then opening my life for examination.

I read this verse today and was reminded that I just don't know myself on many levels, and that someone above me, who is in a better position to judge, can make a better call than I can.

Proverbs 16:2
"People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives."



Brush twice. Floss. Every day.