10 Years...And Counting

It was 2002. My wife and I made the long drive across the United States, from Jacksonville, FL to Newark, CA. When we started Morning Star, I was 22. Wow...time has flown by. It will be Sunday, March 17 that we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the church. For friends and family that are in the area, we would love to have you come celebrate with us. All the details are below.

Slow, lazy day with my daughter

It's not too often that I get a slow, lazy Saturday. But today was one of those really nice, relaxing days. Ethan was at a birthday party with my wife (thank you babe) so it was just Alanna and me from 9:30am to about 3:30pm. We got some school and house projects done and then we curled up on the couch to watch a few PBS cooking shows. Then we were inspired to cook sticky buns. They're actually edible which is surpising since I totally forgot the measurements and eyeballed everything :)
Sometimes its hard having such cool family members to hang out with...you want to spend time with all of them but sometimes you don't get as much time as you want.

When you read this, I hope you...slow down...and enjoy your family!

Great video that captures the essence of how Christians have created their own subculture

This video is a hilarious but truthful way of demonstrating how Christians attempt to become "cool" and "relevant" to the world. But in actuality they just look really weird. Hope it makes you laugh a little.

Merry Christmas!

The last three days have been great. We had two meanginful Christmas Services at the church. The Birthday Party for Jesus was an absolute blast and best of all I really think it left a lasting impression on the kids that participated. Then last night's Christmas Eve Service was awesome. As usual, the band did a fabulous job with both traditional carols and songs with a modern twist. I am so blessed to pastor such wonderful people. Our staff, leadership team, and congregation are so much fun to partner with in sharing the message of Jesus in our community. We also announced the results of our Christmas offering. The goal was $5,000 but we ended up with $8,300! So many of you gave sacrficially and generously!

Merry Christmas!

Two Great Christmas Services

Quick reminder that we have two great Christmas services coming up this Sunday and Monday.

On Sunday at 10:35am, we have our annual Christmas Party for Jesus (Only 1 service this Sunday). This service was begun a few years ago as a way of teaching our children the reality and importance of Christmas. We serve cake, blow out candles, and have a great time celebrating the birth of Jesus. Both the young and the young at heart will find this service meaningful.

Then on Christmas Eve at 6:00pm we have our traditional candlelight service. Join us for lots of hot chocolate and cookies. The band will be playing your favorite carols and there will be a gift for each child. Childcare is provided for children 0-4 years of age.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My thoughts regarding the tragedy in Connecticut

I first heard the news around 10:00am when my smart phone vibrated an alert from CNN. I followed the story throughout the entire day as new details were released. I talked with friends as we waited outside our school to pick up our children. My first thoughts are "God, Why?" Innocent children and heroic teachers, lives ended in a flash. Then in the sadness of the moment, I put myself in these parents shoes and I got a small taste of their despair and hopelessness. So what help is there for these grieving, broken families...I certainly have no answers. There is nothing that can be said, done, or given that can in any way repair the devastation that has come on their lives. I must admit that for a few moments I have my own doubts about the reality of God and his love. How could God allow this? If anyone in society deserves protection it is innocent children. But then I remember that the very fact that I am so saddened and outraged by this tragedy is proof that God exists. The fact that we (humanity) are made in God's image is why this is a tragedy. We are not just some highly evolved animals as some would suggest. We are made in his image and therefore we and life are precious. So how do we respond to this mess?

• First, we trust and have faith in God that...He will bring about justice for these innocent lives, that He sees beyond what we see and is in control, and that He will make all things right one day.
• Second, we remember that eternity is real. Every person is made for eternity. If this life alone is the beginning and end, then we all have no hope. Heaven is real. It is place of no tears, no fear, no tragedies...So as followers of Jesus we pray, "Come Lord Jesus Come!" Only Christ can bring about the change in this world that we so desperately need.
• Lastly, we value life and don't take it for granted. Hug your kids, play with them, enjoy life...we don't know when it will be gone. Every day families endure these types of tragedies but they don't get the media coverage. In cities like Oakland, families are torn apart by violence almost every day. We have no guarantees in this life so don't take this life for granted...

Psalm 23 (NLT)
¹ A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. ² He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. ³ He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. ⁴ Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. ⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
^[1]

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (2nd ed.). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

Volunteer Christmas Party

The kids weren't really excited that I asked them to clean a really hot grill.

This past Saturday was our 7th Annual Volunteer Christmas Party. It all started in 2005 with just a handful of people. Back when Cecil and I began this tradition we had about 12 people join us. Well...little did I know that 7 years later it would turn into a party that would feed 70+ people. Thankfully we have a great team at our house and dispite the fact that I bought the wrong type of green beans (note to self: French Style is not the same as French Cut), we all managed to pull it off. Below are some of the exciting photos.



Me and 32lbs of Tri-Tip!!!

Dang...my wife is hot!

My wife did a fantastic job with the mashed potatoes!



The night ended with a downpour and of course the kids got soaked.