New Challenges Promote Growth

One of the great joys of my life this year has been watching Lex develop these first 8 months of his little life. I've noticed, too, that in order for him to develop, Meg and I have had to introduce new challenges to him.

A few months ago we introduced solids --- at first, it was just rice cereal mixed with momma's milk. Nothing too difficult, you might think. However, the first two days, Lex would choke, cough, cry and give us that "what-are-you-doing-to-me?" face. It was quite adorable.

Yet, after a few failed attempts and some heinous tears of "mom-and-dad-have-left-me-to-die-of-starvation," the Boy started to get the hang of chewing and swallowing solids.

It was so funny to watch him laugh victoriously as his tiny mind began to comprehend, "Ahhh yes, this is how big people stop their rumblin' tummies...I too can do this!"

Now, we've been working on crawling.

He's almost there, and we've done our part of putting the toy he wants most just out of his reach, forcing him to work harder to get to it.

Sometimes, he fusses. Other times, he gives up and just plops to his back, slowly rolling his way toward the desired piece of colorful plastic (or Meg's phone, as has sometimes been the case... Yes Dad, he's already cost us $150 in phone replacement as well as signing a new 2-year SPRINT contract... congrats, you got your wish... my child is already breakin' our stuff... HaHa!!).

At other times, he works to get into a crawling position, slowly working his way into that whole-new-world of crawling.

Lex has many challenges in front of him, and they won't stop for the rest of his life. Each of them will stimulate new growth as his little "world" gets larger and larger.

Meg and I, too, have found that just having introduced a new element into our home (ie: Lex) has given us many unforeseen --- and sometimes difficult --- challenges, both emotionally and spiritually. The transition from Two to Three has carried immeasurable joy, but it has also heaped surprising stress.

Through it all, though, I know that we are growing stronger. Our marriage is growing in ways we never imagined.

I think that, just as Meg and I continue to introduce new challenges to our son, God continues to introduce new challenges to His children. Sometimes we fuss. Other times we give up, cry and give God that "what-are-you-doing-to-me?" face.

However, if we take a step back, I think we might just realize that God is introducing challenges to us in order to promote new growth in our lives.

What is the challenge in front of you right now?
How could the Lord be using it to grow you?
Can you step back enough from the pain to thank Him for the challenge?

Letter To An Old Friend

Dear friend,

It has been years since we have spoken, and I feel as if I owe you an apology.

When we last spoke, I was a jerk.

I was angry; I was spiteful; I was arrogant; I was proud. I did not value anything (or anyone) but me.

 I was the center of my universe, and only my opinion mattered...

But now... I'm different.

Oh, how I wish you could see who I've become.

I'm a different man than the boy you knew.
I'm a different person now.

At one time, I was pompous, arrogant, full of self...

Now, I am broken and full of nothing... but knowledge of the Grace I have received.

Oh, how I wish you could see me now!

At one time, my thoughts were the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE UNIVERSE...

...now, I recognize my frailty.

...now, I recognize my limited perspective.

...now, I recognize my insufficient understanding.

I am so sorry.

Sorry that I ever hurt you.

Sorry that I ever caused you pain.

Sorry that, in my brokenness, I ever caused you to doubt God's goodness.

Sorry that, in my pride, I ever caused you shame.

Please forgive me.

Oh, my friend, if you could see me now...

...You would see a different man from the boy you knew...

...a different humility from the pride you experienced,..

...a different Love from the spite I hurled.

...a different...

...a different...

Me.

I love you.
I have never stopped loving you.
Please,
Please,
Please... find it in your heart...
to...

...forgive me.
(I hope that, one day, we will stand around His throne, and be reconciled.)

Seismic Shift In "A Point Of View"

Meg and I have been living in earthquake country (ie: Southern California) for a while now. Since our tenure in this tenuous state, there have been several earthquakes; but for the first five years, I missed them all.

I was either out-of-state, asleep, or just simply didn't feel it. I was starting to feel left out.

Then, a couple months ago, I felt an earthquake for the first time. It was wild! Both terrifying and exhilarating! The floor rolled beneath my feet. The dining room light swayed. The blinds on the window clattered. The epicenter was hundreds of miles away, yet I felt the effects of the seismic shift. 

It was scary, yet invigorating. (don't get me wrong: I fully subscribe to what my good friend Karen Hall says, "the earth shouldn't move like that!!" ... I agree completely, Karen. I agree completely.)

However, for my first earthquake, it was pretty cool!

Occasionally, the earth's plates have to shift - an incredible design by a brilliant Creator who knows how to keep the core of our planet functioning. In the same way, the Holy Spirit occasionally shifts the plates in our thinking in order to realign (or sometimes align) places where we've shifted a little out of place.

I've been feeling the tremors for a while. At first, it was just little rumbles: a long-held idea challenged by a new thought, or an old core belief overshadowed by new revelation within the matchless Scriptures.

I have been reading a lot of challenging books lately. I have been studying the Bible from a different perspective. I am convicted that perhaps, tragically, I have been living more as an American than as a Christian. 

I am also concerned that, by and large, the Church in America is off-track and needs a seismic shift.

Yet, for me personally, the shaking is both terrifying and exhilarating.

I feel that, more and more, I live in complacency: a spiritual bigot who has taken Christ's unequalled gift of Grace and made it an apathetic part of my religious practice.

The Spirit is wooing me to a deeper place of Biblical passion that seems radically different than anywhere I have been before. It is, all at once, scary and invigorating. The ground beneath me is shifting.

I have a feeling the tone of this blog is about to change, my friends. I'm not sure how much whimsy it will contain from this point. I will write what I'm experiencing. I will strive not be dogmatic in my point of view. I will offer opinions, hopefully grounded in Love. Please forgive me ahead of time, should I ever come across as harsh or unwavering.

I urge you to join in the conversation. I encourage you to share these posts with your friends, invite others to join the discussion. Let us, in Love, strive to work out the truth of our lives in light of the Holy Word of God.

MORE TO COME...

The God Test

A friend recently sent me a link that I found fascinating.
Here is the email she sent:
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On Thursday, the main story on the front page of USA Today -- the most widely circulated print newspaper in the U.S. -- was about the work of two Baylor professors and their new book, America's Four Gods.

Sociology professors Dr. Christopher Bader and Dr. Paul Froese based their work on results from the biennial Baylor Survey of Religion. The study found that Americans tend to see God in one of four ways: authoritarian, benevolent, critical or distant. By knowing which type of God an American believes in, Bader and Froese believe that the person's views on many other issues can be predicted.
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1. Authoritarian
2. Benevolent
3. Critical
4. Distant

Interesting premise; right?
Based on the survey, how do you perceive God?

I would love for you to take the test (it's pretty quick, just a few minutes), and post your results in the "comments" section. Here is the direct link for the test: http://www.thearda.com/whoisyourgod/thegodtest/

Enjoy!

By the way, my results came back that I saw God as Authoritarian, but don't let that sway you... HaHa!

It's Just A McDonalds

It doesn't matter what they do to the outside veneer, it's still a fast food shop.
Here's a question: Can you think of anything else in our society that masks what it truly is under a veneer of respectability when, in fact, it is just a cheap fill?

The Priority Of Proximity

I've noticed something recently: Lex loves Meg and me.

Ha... He's our son, so that is to be assumed; right?

However, I've come to realize that it is not simply because we are his parents. There exists something more than just a familial connection of which he has no true cognitive sense. He connects with us on a deeper level... and I think there is a reason.

When either Meg or I walk into the room he lights up. Whether it be to pick him up first thing in the morning, to change his diaper, to feed him, to spend some time playing with him, to sing with him or simply to hold him in our arms, his little eyes dance with joy when he sees us.

Now, truth be told, he is a happy baby boy, and he smiles a lot.
With his mom and dad, though, Lex is filled with a different kind of joy.

I think it is because of the proximity of our relationship. Simply put, we're with him more than anyone else. We are always there. When there is need, hurt, loneliness, etc., he sees us first.
He associates us with peace. He equates us to fulfillment.

We prioritize our proximity with him. Lex loves to spend time with us. He wants to draw close to us; and as he does, we draw close to him.

Isn't that how we should be with God?
Shouldn't we prioritize proximity with Him?

I can't help but think that if Lex were, tragically, taken out of our home, his little mind would, over time, undoubtedly "love" the person who was closest to him and he would forget us.

It's sad, but true. The very idea breaks my heart.

We would always long to be near our child, but he will fill himself with another love to whom he is in closer proximity.

I wonder if that is what happens in our relationships with the Lord at times. When we prioritize other things, are we pulling those "loves" in closer proximity than God? On a visceral level, have we replaced our first love? I wonder if that breaks the Father's heart?

Lex - The First 6 Months

Today marks 6 months since Lex has joined our family.

What a blessing!

Some of you may have seen this already, here is a video of Lex laughing while playing peek-a-boo. Then, take a look at some pics below.

Here are some of our favorite pics from these first 6 months!

March 22, 2010 - First Look!

First Family Photo

Hanging In The Hospital

Trying His New Bed On For Size

First Easter at Church.

First Bath

Little Hands

First Smiles

His Fav Blanket! (Thanks, Pam! We love you!!)
Notice the characters from X-Treme Squirrels... HaHa!

Swimming in the Pool.

First taste of Rice Cereal...

...aaaannnndddd... he likes it!!!

Our little monkey!

Monkeys laugh too!
(P.S. this may be one of my fav Lex pics!)

Right at 6mos, and sitting up! He's growing so fast!

The Feast Is Ready To Begin

Every year, Son Life Church, the church founded by my parents and my spiritual home for the better part of my life, celebrates the Feast of Tabernacles. Taken from the Jewish tradition where the people of Israel would take time out of their calendars to come and tabernacle with God, rest in His presence and hear His voice.

The Feast at Son Life is a time of celebration, a time of renewal, a time of refreshing and meeting with God. In many ways, it marks the new year for members of Son Life. My entire life, growing up, the Feast was always an event that I looked forward to with great expectation.

Then, I was on staff for several years, and the real work of Feast began. Weeks before the event ever came, we were up countless nights working on music, rehearsing our theatrical production, holding prayer vigils, building set pieces, editing videos, etc., etc... the work before was always tiresome, but none of us were ever short on energy because our expectations were so high. We knew that, in a short while, we would be tabernacling with the Lord and hearing His voice.

This year, the theme of the conference is "Encounter: Exposing A Natural World To A Supernatural God."

I pray for Son Life and all who are attending that this theme be more than just words, but that the members of that local body would receive revelation on how they might positively effect transformation in the world around them by the one thing that truly changes lives --- the immeasurable, supernatural love of Jesus Christ.

The Feast starts this Thursday night at Son Life. Oh, how I wish I could be there.

My heart swells with emotion when I think of those dear saints in Collinsville who earnestly seek after the Lord with all their hearts. My prayer is that their expectation of the tangible presence of the Almighty One would overwhelm their services, that God's Holy Presence would draw near to them as they boldy enter into the throne room of Grace.

My friends in Collinsville, I wish I could be there with you; but know that my heart is with you always and I hope, pray and believe the God is able to make all Grace abound to you. Be filled with His faith, His hope, His love and may this year be a year of vision and breakthrough for you. I love you all!

A Present-Day Experience Of Days-Gone-By

This is an article that my mother wrote this past week.
I thought it might be worth sharing with you.
You can also read more of her weekly articles at her website (click here)
I miss my grandparents dearly, and this article didn't help...thanks, Mom. (HaHa!)

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A Present-Day Experience of Days-Gone-By
by Dr. Patti Amsden


The passing of my parents has greatly altered my life.  Everyday circumstances frequently remind me that they are not around.  A family gathering, an unexpected blessing, an emotional burden, or an attained goal:  these are the things about which I would phone my folks.  They were always on that first to call list.  They were always on that first to support list.  I miss that.  I miss them.


To heighten my awareness of their absence, I am cleaning out the family homestead.  Mom and Dad purchased their house over 65 years ago.  It was my only home until I married.  It was the home to which I brought my children to visit their grandparents.  Every Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and many Sunday afternoons the family gathered at that house, that safe harbor, that sanctuary of hospitality and love.  Now the contents must be dispersed to family members, sold at yard sales, given to charitable institutions, or assigned to the trash.


The work of dismantling the home place is tedious.  The emotions attached to the work run the gamut.  One box of pictures will recall an event with all the joy and laughter the snapshots evoke.  A piece of clothing will stir a memory of Mom’s favorite fashion style or Dad’s signature good taste.  A crocheted handkerchief will reveal the handiwork of Mom’s grandmother and the metal of honor will testify to the faithful citizenship of Dad’s grandfather.  Every work-day is a present-day experience of days-gone-by.


Soon the closets will be bare, the shelves will be empty.  There will be no more pictures on the walls or treasures in the cabinets.  The home will be sold.  The keys to the house will belong to another family.  Within this next short season, the physical evidence of my parents’ life will be dispersed or discarded.  Home life as it had been in days-gone-by on Main Street will never be again.


Although the actual home with all its furnishings and all its temporal aesthetics may pass, the psychological, spiritual, and emotional housing that my parents erected inside of me, my siblings, and the extended family can not so easily be dismantled.  No one can erase the images in our hearts of love, acceptance, or encouragement.  We cannot discharge the sense of honor, integrity, and perseverance that were built into our souls by their words and their lifestyle.  These qualities are not items that can be sold in a yard sale or donated to a charity.


Each day we will still live in the house that Jim and Lela built.  A foundation of faith, support beams of God’s Word, walls of self-discipline, and keepsakes of wisdom belong to that house.  They taught us to view the world through windows of compassion and instructed us to open doors of hospitality to our neighbors.  They insisted that we adorn our house with humility and protect our most treasured assets by sharing them with others.


Yes, within weeks the task of closing up Mom and Dad’s home will be completed.  Yes, within weeks!  Nonetheless, because they were master builders in their own right, our family will never be far from home.  Our past will remain in our present.  Every work-day will be a present-day experience of days-gone-by.

150 Miles and 2 Years

The date was March 24, 1981.

In Troy, Illinois, I sat blowing out my 2-Year Birthday candles. I was surrounded by my family. This was a great day... for more than one reason.

Not only was I being showered with blessings and love by those closest to me; but unknown to me, about 150 miles away in Quincy, IL, a little girl was being born. Her parents named her Megan.

While my family celebrated 2 years of life, her parents celebrated new life.

Meg and I wouldn't meet for another 18 years. We grew up 45 miles apart, her in Jerseyville and me in Collinsville, yet we would meet in Webster Groves, Missouri.

Last month, on August 23rd, we celebrated 7 years of marriage and 11 years of togetherness. We have been blessed by the Lord to have such an amazing life.

Though we started 150 miles and 2 years apart, the Lord brought us together in a miraculous way. I thank God for my wife, my best friend, my lover and the mother of my child.

We have now journeyed from Webster Groves back to Collinsville, from Collinsville to Burbank, from Burbank to North Hollywood, and from North Hollywood to Valley Village. Every step with you is a gift, every journey and adventure. Meg, I love you.