I worked a church camp down at Camp Galilee a fortnight ago, and this was my team. We were the Cheesy Orange Cheetahs, and won the whole week for points. We also won the much sought after Spirit Bell, although it was stolen shortly after ceremonies. Thanks Randolph the Red.
7.06.2005
7.04.2005
generosity
I've been thinking about what it means to be generous. This is partly because my pastor Tim has been speaking about generosity and because I honestly love to give. there's something about it that makes you feel free and almost overflowing with joy. Anyway, it reminded me of a Sarah McLachlan video, World on Fire, they showed a while back. click here to see it and choose the 'watch video" link.
be blessed.
nick
be blessed.
nick
5.20.2005
"inner" Cleavage ?
As I was skimming through one of the many Newsweek mags at my parents house, I came across this article, "Showing Off a Little (Inner) Cleavage," and thought it was pretty good.
Here's to finding where real beauty and worth comes from.
nW
Here's to finding where real beauty and worth comes from.
nW
buffalo, NY, the Peace bridge over Niagara River
Greetings from Buffalo.
I was up in New York with my family for a few days celebrating my stepdad's-grandmother's-90th birthday. Granny Tessie, who's real polish name is too long for me to remember, and definately too difficult to pronounce, loves to gamble, slots or poker (she counts cards still), and loves to travel and visit with family. She currently is living in Omaha with other family, and is still so full of energy and joy for each day. Here's to you Tess, Happy 90-th!
Buffalo is on the far western side of the state, as opposed to the east side, where the city is located. But they still talk funny. That's the best part.
*note - - Niagara Falls are just a short drive from this picture
I was up in New York with my family for a few days celebrating my stepdad's-grandmother's-90th birthday. Granny Tessie, who's real polish name is too long for me to remember, and definately too difficult to pronounce, loves to gamble, slots or poker (she counts cards still), and loves to travel and visit with family. She currently is living in Omaha with other family, and is still so full of energy and joy for each day. Here's to you Tess, Happy 90-th!
Buffalo is on the far western side of the state, as opposed to the east side, where the city is located. But they still talk funny. That's the best part.
*note - - Niagara Falls are just a short drive from this picture
3.21.2005
light at jw
I was struck with the profoundness of the daylight yesterday, especially at church. As a devoted evening-service goer at JW, I'm not really used to seeing the color shining in the stained-glass windows. I've been working nights for 3 weeks now, and so staying awake all day on my weekend is amazing to experience the light. I just felt alive. I guess it's one of those things that until you've been without it, you don't realize how important it is. Thank God for it.
my mom
I had a great day with my mother yesterday. We went out and had lunch and just sat and talked for about 2 hours. I can't remember the last time (if really ever) we had a time like that. As I'm getting older, I really appreciate the time that I can have with her. For instance, last week her and I went to see Don Chaffer play a little show at Mt. Music Shoppe in Kansas. Yeah, we had to leave a little early cause she had to go deliver a baby, but that's pretty normal stuff for us. If me getting older equal us being able to talk more as equals and even as friends, then bring on the b-days! It makes me remember how Don spoke about his mother after she had passed on and how certain things, even the things that were slightly irritating, were some of the things that he missed most about her. (not that my mom does anything irritating...really)
Well, thanks for a great time yesterday, Mom. I love you.
Well, thanks for a great time yesterday, Mom. I love you.
3.18.2005
Worship is...
There are seasons of life in which we wake up each morning with the fulfilled dreams of victory, love, satisfaction, and resolution ringing in our ears. The morning air rushes in with the promise that anything can happen, God is nearby, and we are really loved. Worship is, at these times, a gift - a way of saying thank you. Thank you, God because whether I was aware of it or not, whether I sought You through this experience or not, I see you in it now, and I am so grateful for Your kindness toward me.
There are other seasons of life, however, whether we're comfortable with admitting it or not, in which it feels like we're at the bottom of a well - deep, dark, and muddy. In our worst moments, we can no longer see the mouth of the well, and we sometimes wonder if there even is one. Worship, at these moments in particular, becomes a rope. Even if we have no strength to climb it, our cold and lonely fingers wrapped around its braid become a symbol that we are still connected to something, someone, in the world above - the world with skies, trees, rivers, and kind people whom we miss terribly.
And then there are seasons in which we feel that perhaps nothing is terribly wrong, and nothing is terribly right. We are somewhere on the plains, in the middle of the country, looking for miles with no trees to break our view, no valleys, no mountains. We are well air-conditioned, well fed, well attended by people who neither agree with us too passionately, nor disagree with us too strongly. We are happy, we guess, but we don't think we remember how happiness feels, or whether it is what we thought is was. Worship is, at these times, a bell. It rings to remind us that life, while it may seem vapid and featurelsss, is truly a tremendous affair. It is birth and death, suffering and resurrection. The clear sound of that bell on the wind tells us that the lull of comfort does not mean that God is far off or irrelevant. He is always near and always in love, always holy, and always coming... He is coming. He will finish things here, and begin a new kind of kingdom - a world without end. He will reign over his subjects who have been changed to be like Him, full of love, peace, and joy forever and ever. May this King be praised. Amen.
Don Chaffer / 08.16.00 / Wichita, KS
There are other seasons of life, however, whether we're comfortable with admitting it or not, in which it feels like we're at the bottom of a well - deep, dark, and muddy. In our worst moments, we can no longer see the mouth of the well, and we sometimes wonder if there even is one. Worship, at these moments in particular, becomes a rope. Even if we have no strength to climb it, our cold and lonely fingers wrapped around its braid become a symbol that we are still connected to something, someone, in the world above - the world with skies, trees, rivers, and kind people whom we miss terribly.
And then there are seasons in which we feel that perhaps nothing is terribly wrong, and nothing is terribly right. We are somewhere on the plains, in the middle of the country, looking for miles with no trees to break our view, no valleys, no mountains. We are well air-conditioned, well fed, well attended by people who neither agree with us too passionately, nor disagree with us too strongly. We are happy, we guess, but we don't think we remember how happiness feels, or whether it is what we thought is was. Worship is, at these times, a bell. It rings to remind us that life, while it may seem vapid and featurelsss, is truly a tremendous affair. It is birth and death, suffering and resurrection. The clear sound of that bell on the wind tells us that the lull of comfort does not mean that God is far off or irrelevant. He is always near and always in love, always holy, and always coming... He is coming. He will finish things here, and begin a new kind of kingdom - a world without end. He will reign over his subjects who have been changed to be like Him, full of love, peace, and joy forever and ever. May this King be praised. Amen.
Don Chaffer / 08.16.00 / Wichita, KS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)