Oh Canada!

we just spent the past 8 days on family vacation in Canada ...

what a glorious week in Beautiful British Columbia ... so green and so peaceful ... there's nothing like the smell of cows and hay in the morning ... we spent time with our grandma and cousins and uncles and aunts ... we watched movies ... we ate Sushi ... we took the kids to Dinotown (a mix between Kid's Kingdom and Disneyland, but more like Kid's Kingdom) ... we walked on the beach ... we have such a generous family up in Canada ... they fed us and loved us and blessed us ... thank you so much ... go Canada!

by the way, if you didn't know, I'm half-Canadian ... I told that to the lady at the border and she laughed at me!

I know this sounds crazy, but one of my favorite things to do on vacation is to visit other churches ... we visited a Canadian church 'Peace Portal' on Sunday morning ... we sang the song Oh Canada to begin the service ... it just happened to be Canada day ... the message was powerful ... just months ago, the pastor lost his wife to cancer ... she was an amazing woman of God ... he talked about the importance of community in moments of pain and death ... how do we encourage and come alongside people in the most painful moments ...

that night I went to an underground Youth Church movement ... there are over 1000 youth meeting weekly to worship and seek God ... they meet in five different cities ... they're not connected to any particular denomination or church ... it's just Canadian youth who want to reach their generation for Christ ... amazing ... the gathering was raw and real ... one of the youth shared his testimony ... just a few months ago he was dealing drugs, and then he met Christ, and now he's one of the young leaders in this movement ... he shared his story and then we prayed for each other ... God is moving in Canada!

on the way back, we spent an evening with Steve and Renee Swinburne in Bellingham, WA. ... we love the Swinburnes ... they fed us pasta and sent us off with fruit snacks and coffee ... I drank a quadruple shot Iced Caramel Macchiato and drove 12 hours straight back to Redding (with only one speeding ticket) ... 70 mph in a 60 mph zone ... 60 mph on I-5??? ... what the heck? ... Steve warned me about the Washington police and how they're out to get those speedy Californians ... I should have listened to him ... bummer!

now I'm back ... I've missed my country and my bed ...

seminary and ramblings ...

almost done with class ...
just wrapped up my last paper ...
absolutely intrigued and wrecked by the life of Bonhoeffer ...
just got back from Grandma's memorial service ...
shaping my message for Sunday ...
performing Drew and Julie's wedding this Saturday night ...
getting excited about our vacation to Canada ...
just drank a cup of coffee at 10 pm (awful idea) ...
I am white and I need a tan ...

sitting in class ...

I'm finishing up two weeks in Tozer Seminary ... two weeks, 10 days, 80 hours of class ... "the life and thought of Bonhoeffer" and "Global issues in Evangelism" ... my head hurts ...

I'm sitting in class with some great friends ... yes, of course, the one and only Shawn Bagley from Utah ... sitting right next to me and making me laugh ... we're drinking coffee and eating skittles ... skittles, friends, and theology ... it's my life ...

Once I finish this week, my family and I are leaving for our summer vacation to Canada ... good old British Columbia ... I can't wait ... all 6 of us piling into our mini-van for an adventure to the land of Canada ... go Canada!

I'm going home ...

my grandma June passed away this Thursday morning at 6:05 am ...

she loved Jesus ... she walked with God ... she lived a life of courage and passion ... she played the piano and used her musical talent for God's glory ... more than anything, she loved to serve people ... she had a burning passion for people ...

my grandpa Paul and grandma June were missionaries in countries all around the world ... they saw revival in villages, cities and nations ... they preached the message of Jesus with boldness ... they prayed for the sick ... they cast out demons ... they saw the dead come back to life ... they planted churches in New Zealand, the Philippines, and Canada ... they lived filled with the Holy Spirit ...

grandma June leaves behind a great legacy ... she gave her life ...

early this morning, my grandma called the nurse into her hospital room ... she spoke quietly, yet boldly to the nurse and said, "I need to get dressed, I'm going home" ... these were her last words, and she fell asleep ...

brothers ...

when I was young, my brothers and I were in a rock band named 'Outburst' ...

Benji played the drums, Jeremy played the guitar, and I played the piano and sang ... in fact, we actually filmed a music video (we never finished it, due to the fact I got angry with my brothers and kicked them out of the video) ... anyways, one day I'll post it on my sight for your entertainment ...

we wrote a few song and performed concerts for the neighbors and their families ... we set up our instruments in the garage and jammed for hours ... back in the grunge days (before Nirvana caught on) ... I wrote a rap song called 'the Resurrection Rap,' inspired by Carmen, of course ... and I wrote a few worship songs, inspired by Michael W. Smith and Keith Green ...

as a band, we never released an album, but we were a hit in the neighborhood ... and that's all that matters ... we made people laugh and our songs gave people hope ... years later, when I began high school, the band broke up ... it was a sad day, but nothing great lasts forever (except love and Jesus and Christian rap) ...

Benji grew up to be a loan officer ... Jeremy moved to Seattle to become a legend in the rock world ... I am a pastor in Northern California ... we are still friends, and perhaps one day we will resurrect 'Outburst' for one more concert in the garage ... long live rock ...

one more thing: if you've never heard of Carmen, you've never lived ...

grandpa and grandma ...

I'm floored by God's goodness ...

I'm so grateful to be alive and to know Jesus ... Jesus has changed my life in every way possible ... someone asked me a question this week, "When did you know you wanted to be a pastor?" ... I responded, "I never wanted to be a pastor" ... a few years ago, I met Jesus and He changed my life ... I just want to know God and love God and walk with God ... whether I serve burgers at Red Robin or teach weekly at a church, I will live my life to bring glory and honor to Jesus ... pastor is not a job, it's a calling ...

this week, I spent time with my grandpa and grandma ... they've walked with Jesus for their entire lives ... they've traveled around the world and shared Jesus in more than 50 nations ... they've seen great revival in cities and churches and villages ... grandpa plays the trombone and grandma plays the piano ...

I'm so grateful for my grandpa and grandma and the legacy they will leave behind ... they gave their lives ... they have shown me a love worth knowing ... they have shown me a life worth chasing ... they have shown me Jesus and I will never be the same ...