Sydnie, Friends & a Puppy!

So you can peruse the "SYDNIE MAY '05" picks to your left. You can see Sydnie lounging in the pool with her good friend Ava. You can see her with her friend Jessica Sweet (moving back to FL in July). You can also see her with Denali, her new cousin! Brian and Kirsten are very excited. Not much else to report on, other than the fact that the Wilcox tickets are selling out quickly. Peace.

Wilcox is coming, Wilcox is coming!

June 8 at The Grove.  Unbelievable.  Get your tickets online at http://thegrove.ocministry.com

Right click here and download a free song (don't worry, it's from his site, so you're not stealing...I wouldn't want you to steal from Dave).

Mom's Day and Bike Ride

Great day hanging out as a family.  It was fun to honor Heather for being the great mom that she is.  Sydnie is lucky.  It was also nice to actually have a free Sunday evening which allowed us to bust out the bike trailer we bought pre-Sydnie birth.  She is now old enough to use it, so we bought her a cool pink helmet (pink is the new black, in case you didn't know) and off we went.  She loved it.  So far we are perfect in the recreation category with her--she loves being in the backpack while hiking, loves kayaking and now loves biking.  Granonla baby is coming along quite nicely.  Anyway, I've posted some Mom's day pics to your left for your viewing enjoyment.  Peace. 

She's Walking...well, sort of.

In just the past couple of days Sydnie has really taken to trying to figure out the whole walking bit.  She is getting it, which is amazing to behold.  Plus she's had some cool wipe-outs as well.  Anyway, here's the link to the video footage.  Enjoy

Sydnie's First Steps

You will need the free Quicktime player to view this clip.  Click here if you need it.

Random thoughts at the start of a new week

First, Sunday brought to close the Equpping Center class I have been teaching at Orangewood for the past 8 weeks.  We have been exploring what it means to reach out, without selling out in today's postmodern context.  It was fascinating--at least I thought it was.  It was such an interesting topic to dialogue about, especially in a church that desires to reach postmoderns, but is not comprised of a majority of them.  Does that make sense?  Overall I was very encouraged by people's receptiveness to enter into this dialogue and to look honestly at what things we currently do well as The Church and what things we could stand to change.  Sad our time is over, yet I am looking forward to being back with my high school students.

Second, I BLAME ADAM.  The past two weekends (with a slight hospital interruption) was spent in remaking our front yard.  Killed off the weeds.  Tilled the ground.  Layed new sod.  Planted new flowers, shrubs, and other various forms of foliage.  Still have mulch to lay and a few other random things.  Though it looks great now, and things are drastically improved the freaking "fall" is going to ruin it all.  It won't look perfect for very long.  The weeds will come.  It will be work.  The curse is upon us.  I know some people find this whole "subduing creation" thing to be life-giving, but I am not one of those people.  I have a greater respect for those that work the land for their sustenance. 

Third, David Wilcox may be coming to The Grove this summer!  How fantastic would that be?  I sent in the contract offer yesterday...I will be sure to let you know if it comes together.  Our hope is that it would be sponsored by the OCM college ministry (http://ocministry.com) and that it would serve as a kickoff to the building being seen as more of a venue to encourage the arts.  The Grove website is currently under construction, but you can check it out at http://thegrove.ocministry.com

peace.

Home.

We are back home from the hospital festivities. Syd is feeling much better. Thanks for your prayers. She is still slightly under the weather, but she is definitley more herself. Dehydration sure is fun. Poor thing would cry, but no tears would come. If you feel bad, and would like to help, Sydnie really enjoyes anything from the Apple Store. Make gift certificates payable to Jamie Hart. She is really desirous of Tiger this Friday.

Quick Update

If you're reading this, would you pray for our little girl Sydnie.  She has been at the hospital the past 2 days with severe dehydration and vomiting.  Thankfully she is doing much better and has been hooked up to an IV for the past day, which has helped immensely.  She should be coming home tomorrow sometime.  In the meantime, Heather is there with her now (they only allow one parent in the room at night, lest you think I am the worst dad ever) and I have come home for some rest.  We have had some fantastic nurses tending to her, and we trust that God has been watching over her.

Random thoughts....

1.  Absolutley love the new David Crowder Band song featured on Passion '05--it is entitled HERE IS OUR KING.

2.  Time in the hospital has afforded much reading time, so I've been pouring over NT Wright's What Saint Paul Really Said--it has been absolutely fascinating.  I think much of my gravitation even toward the song listed above, is this completely foreign concept of Kingdom and Kingship.  Wright has done a masterful job of painting Jesus in this Kingdom language--in such a way that it has begun to resonate more deeply with me.  To begin to grasp that the inauguration of the Kingdom is the heart-beat of the Gospel, and not saving my soul has been wonderfully inspiring.  Not to dismiss the beauty of "soul-saving", but to see how that fits within the larger framework of the KINGDOM is phenomenal. 

3.  I am going on one hour of sleep.  I need to go to bed.

Peace.