My father-in-law was rushed to the hospital yesterday and remains in critical condition following emergency surgery last night. His children have all flown-in from around the country, and we would certainly covet your prayers.

My mother-in-law has also decided to go ahead with a life-threatening surgery within the next week to remove a large tumor. She has been battling cancer over the past year.

This is a very difficult and stressful time for my wife and her siblings.  Your prayers would mean a lot.  Thanks.

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Photo credit: © Robert Kohlhuber, iStockphoto.com

Musicnotes is a popular online digital sheetmusic source.  Here's their just released "Top Ten" list:

1. Way Back Into Love (from 'Music and Lyrics')
2. You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban)
3. The Prayer (Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion)
4. Anyway  (Martina McBride)
5. Boston (Augustana)
6. I Can Only Imagine (MercyMe)
7. Only Hope (Mandy Moore)
8. Bless the Broken Road  (Rascal Flatts)
9. How To Save A Life (The Fray)
10. Cannon in D  (Johann Pachelbel)

What caught my attention about this list was the number of songs that are either overtly or subtlely in reference to faith.  Interesting. What do you make of that?

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(Background) Image credit: © Jose Luis Gutierrez,  iStockphoto.com

Why do bloggers stop blogging?  That's what I'm thinking about today.

I'm sure you've seen blogs go stagnant lots of times -- like mine has recently.  When we encounter these sites, sometimes it disappoints us; sometimes it confuses or frustrates us; and sometimes we get concerned, hoping that the blogger is okay (thank you, Seraphim).

Here are the likely reasons behind my not blogging much lately:

1. The church that I pastor has entered into an exciting time of growth (qualitative and quantitative) and I have less discretionary time now.
2. Not having an associate pastor on our ministry team for over a year now has steadily increased my work load and time restraints. I've never been so tired so often as I've been this past year.
3. I've had to add a nation-wide search for a new associate to an already-busy schedule. Again, less discretionary time.
4. I have been suffering from writer's block.
5. A new keyboard (Korg PA800) and some new software (MediaShout) have added two new learning curves to my weekly schedule.
6. My normal Sunday afternoon blogging time has been taken up with the production of a new weekly church-related podcast.

Now, you may already be thinking what I'm thinking -- that I COULD choose to reorder my busy schedule in order to continue blogging.  And that may true well enough, but I'm not certain it would permanently return me to my good 'ol blogging self.  I suppose I could be charged with simply not wanting to blog as badly as I think I do.  However, I DO know that I want to want to blog more regularly again.  Kinda reminds me of "Lord, I believe; help me with my unbelief."

Well... all of that to say this: I want to start blogging more faithfully again, and believe that if you check back here a little more frequently, you won't be disappointed.

I'd also be very interested in hearing your ideas as to why bloggers stop blogging.

Peace.

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Photo credit: © Dan Wilton, iStockphoto.com

The valley of the shadow of death...

just got longer.

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This morning, one month after my mother's sudden passing, my grandmother entered her eternal rest.

Grandmother of three and great-grandmother of nine, Julia Monroe lived in a retirement home in Ontario, California (a 90-minute drive for me).  She was 98.

Remember your servant, Julia, O Lord.

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Photo credit: © Rene Mansi, iStockphoto.com

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The valley of the shadow of death...

Not a place I enjoy visiting.

A place where you "feel" alone and vulnerable even though you "know" you're not.

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The death of a loved one is strange that way, messing with the syncrinizing of head and heart (for lack of a better way to put it right now).  The shock and numbness associated with the loss of a loved one often lasts for a couple of months, and leaves you wanting to "feel normal" but unable to get there somehow.

I've been in this valley before. Several times:  when my grandmother died during my sophmore year in High School; when my grandfather died during my undergrad years; when our 1-1/2 yr. old middle child died in tragic accident; and when my father died suddenly three months later.  And for reasons I don't entirely understand, when you lose a loved one the experience tends to reopen the wound of those already gone. This seems to only intensify the sense of pain and loss at the present.

Paradoxically, however, the valley of the shadow of death is also a place where God's presence seems stronger, his grace more visable, and the prayers of friends are mysteriously felt.  And it's in light of these realities that I'm left wondering why I want out of this valley so badly.

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Photo credit: © Rene Mansi, iStockphoto.com

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A deep, heart-felt THANK YOU to all of you who posted condolences, prayers, and kind words of comfort concerning the sudden loss of my mother.  They blessed and helped me more than you'll ever know.

Mom's funeral service last Wednesday honored her well, and -- by the grace of God -- I was able to officiate at graveside; in fact, it turned out to be deeply meaningful for my family and I.

The congregation that I am privileged to serve has also surrounded my family and I in an amazing display of tenderness and support.  I am indeed a very blessed man.

I continue to covet your prayers as my sisters and I make our way through the aftermath of Mom's passing with a multitude of decisions and tasks ahead of us.

Once again, THANK YOU!

My mom passed away unexpectedly this past Friday morning.  She had just turned 70 and was beginning to enjoy her long anticipated retirement.

Although a dear friend of ours will be officiating at mom's funeral this Wednesday afternoon, I'm planning on officiating the graveside service myself.  Your prayers would mean a great deal to me, my two sisters, and all the grandchildren.

We're going to miss you, Mom.

Here are some of the things I keep thinking about of late:

• My mother-in-law's cancer (it took a turn for the worse over Christmas).
• The candidates that I've begun interviewing for the associate pastor opening here.
• The "Minstral" harp my wife and I are learning how to play.
• Tomorrow night, we'll be observing the Epiphany at a special worship gathering.
• My upcoming trip to Acapulco, Mexico (a little R&R).
• That perhaps as many as 33% of my generation (Busters) may be postmodern in the way they view the world, etc.
• That I'd better get on the stick and post some follow up pieces on the Ancient Evangelical Future conference I attended last month.

Blessings,
Chris

Sorry about the site being a bit messed-up the past few days.  I've been insanely busy for the past week and a half, and probably won't "surface" until Saturday.  I'm still carrying around all sorts of impressions, questions, and even a few convictions as a result of the Ancient Evangelical Future conference I attended the week before last.  Please be patient with me -- I WILL eventually get some posts up, and am looking forward to dialoging with everyone again.

Blessings,

Chris

To all ye Pilgrims:

     In as much as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetable, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience;
     now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November ye 29th, of the year of our Lord on thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.

     - William Bradford, Ye Governor of Ye Colony

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(cited in: Feeder, William J., America's God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations, Coppell, Texas: FAME Publishing, 1994:pp.66-67)

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The lessons learned from history are often enigmatic. And the  beginnings of "Thanksgiving Day" are no exception.  For me, William Bradford's proclamation (above) both thrills me and grieves me.

As I gather with family today -- I confess -- there, too, are situations which thrill me and situations that grieve me.  Yet... I still choose to give thanks.

To those of you who are celebrating this holiday -- I pray you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  Blessings to you and all who are in your house -- wherever that might be today.

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Cartoon credit: © Dennis Cox, iStockphoto.com
Photo credit: © Nina Shannon, iStockphoto.com