faithrunner

Okay, I'm back after a month or more...I've been busy, but you will see more of me because the spring always cranks up the activity. Finshed the Waco 5-0 50k for the second time this past weekend with some of the NTTR group. A killer course, 3 ten-mile plus loops through the trails of Cameron Park, Central TX's best kept mountain biking and trail running secret. My results stunk due to my lack of serious hill training and the fact I ran the Outback section four instead of three times due to a wrong turn... David Chisum , my running partner in several areas of my life, commented: "So you chose to run a race that only 26 people in Texas did. Brilliant. I would like to say good job, but I can't get past the first sentence I wrote." Lessons Learned: "I suffered because I was undisciplined" and "You can't serve four masters ( pastoring , running, writing and teaching) and do any of them really well" But, what's a multi-tasker to...

We continued to have great moments of inspiration and re-creation while in San Diego. I am grateful to Legacy Church for the opportunity to get away with Kim, Kenyon, and Libby. You will sense a freshness in me as we reconnect after four days apart. Here you see me next to the Rolls Royce, which was our rent car for the week. It was a bit of a stretch to fit it into the budget, but we thought the value was worth it. NOT! Hey, it was sitting in the parking lot, and I thought it would be a good pic. Nice, huh? We got away on Thursday afternoon to see the Hotel del Coronado . Here are Kim and Libby down by the shore. It was cool and breezy , but wonderful! After the beach, we headed to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park . We strolled through a hacienda on the site, and then had dinner at a local Mexican cafe...very good. Eugene Peterson's presentation on Friday morning was the highlight of the trip for me. He answered the question, "What is a pastor good for?" He...

For the first time in years, I am taking time away to "sit and soak" at a conference. Kim and I are with Kenyon and Libby Draughon at The National Pastors Convention in San Diego. We arrived Wednesday afternoon and will return home Saturday. The lineup is great! Yesterday, we heard Brain McClaren (be a friend to yourself), Eugene Peterson (spiritual formation; I'm reading Eat This Book ) and John Eldredge ( Epic , which we will use in our next series), who were sandwiched between The Skit Guys (Eddie was connected to Legacy for a while; Kim and I had a great reunion with him), and other people who entertained and led in worship. Ken Medema does his "summary song" each session, and we continued to be amazed at the gift God has given him. Today, Ruth Haley Barton (solitude and its role in leadership) and Todd Agnew (who also was part of Legacy for a season. He brought authentic worship to our student ministry when Stacey Whitt and Greg Pinkner were here) b...

I like the winter months (okay, weeks in Texas). I enjoy a cold morning before sunrise writing at my computer with Anonymous 4 and a candle burning in the background. Add a cup of coffee or tea with soy milk and Splenda , and you have my preferred environment for winter. Let the sun come up and I'd rather be running on the trails of Arbor Hills in Plano or Northshore trails of Lake Grapevine. I like winter in North Texas. I have been busy but away from this blog. So, I'll update briefly. I have spent most of my writing time (early mornings) on a project for Clarity Publications , an inductive walk through the Old Testament. Yes, the entire OT! 48 chapters, five passages a chapter...I'm lovin ' it, but it taking hours of time I don't have. I'm up to chapter 19 and all of them are due March 1. Yikes! I've also begun my training for my spring runs. I have to squeeze this in early evenings on nights I don't have meetings and on the weekends. I have th...

We ended our time in VA seeing Historic Jamestowne . Here's Summer in her ranger outfit after several great Christmas meals in Williamsburg. After our trips we all now know the dates 1607 and 1776 and their importance to our country's history. See, learning can be fun! On the return trip to Richmond to catch our plane we stopped by the Shirley Plantation . It was built in 1613 and eleven generations of the same family have inhabited the working plantation. Here are Summer and me standing in front of the root cellar , which was actually the foundation of a structure that burned down some time ago and became the family's cool storage. It was a great trip, and we returned home in time for worship at Legacy on the 31st and a New Year's Eve celebration at home with Storey, Graham and Summer. We are grateful for the time away and the time to be together in interesting places.

We arrived in Colonial Williamsburg , VA , Christmas Day , about noon, and we tried to see as much as we could but it was pouring down rain! I mean raining cats and dogs as they would say in colonial days. We walked around as much as we could, but soon found ourselves eating at Huzzah's Restaurant on the property of The Woodlands Hotel where we are staying. A short first day, but a fun Christmas adventure and memory. Here's a picture of Summer and Kim in front of the Geddy House on Wednesday. I'm not much of a tourist, but this place is not a tourist trap. It's living history, and I have become engaged in the complexity of Englishmen deciding to break away from their homeland . I wonder if I had become a Patriot or remained a Loyalist. It's scary because as a parish rector, I would have been appointed by the Governor who was appointed by the King. Part of me would have wanted to preach the revolutionary freedom of Jesus while wrestling with Paul's command ...

We made our annual trek downtown to the Mort Meyerson Symphony Center for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Chorus' annual Christmas Celebration Saturday, December 23. We have made this trip for the last ten years with a group of families whose children have grown up together since kindergarten. This year's performance was a wonderful as any of them. The Photo of the girls are Summer's friends who played T-ball and soccer together starting their first grade year. Different dads served as coaches, and moms did the snack and hair thing. They were never really a sports team, but a sorority . Only one actually played sports in high school. Amazingly, they all stayed friends through high school and keep in touch throughout the year. They went to different colleges: Baylor, A&M, Emory, Mizou , and SMU , and usually reconnect every Christmas break. They set everything aside to make the trip to the Meyerson . It's a very special thing to be in a commun...