For the weekend, we dropped in on Faith Promise Church in Knoxville, TN.  Faith Promise is led by Dr Chris Stephens.  Thanks for making us feel welcome Chris!

Faith Promise Church visit - Knoxville, TN from longyear on Vimeo.

The conversation:

Scot:  Madison, stand behind the fence post so I can take your picture. <Maddy moves behind fence post>

Madison (in typical dramatic fashion):  But, Dad, what if a bear comes out to bite my leg off?

Scot:  Madison, no bear is going to come out of the woods and bite your leg off.

<sound of snapping twigs>

Madison: Dad, there IS a bear!

Maddy and the Bear from longyear on Vimeo.

Here she is.  My first plane.  She is a 2004, single engine . . . OK . . . who am I kidding?  Good thing I got a picture before security woke up.

An inside look at the Wyndham Resort, Smokey Mountains. 

Madison’s tour of our condo from longyear on Vimeo.

One worn-out 10 gig white iPod stolen from my truck  last week.  One 30 gig black iPod video GIVEN to me today.  Every setback is an opportunity for God to do something.  Why do I always forget that?

What setback in your life could be a set-up for God to do something?

… I would be one bad Pastor.

Check it.  Just got a note from Emily Wiggins.  They are in the process of adopting Juan Pablo from Guatemala. 

Friends,

John and I have been praying for a miracle.  We received good news today that all of Juan Pablo’s paperwork has been waived and he is now legally adoptable.  This is huge!!

Even with adoptions being closed, our Guatemalan case manager took our paperwork to the children’s court and told them our story.  She said by the time she was finished they were all crying and said that Juan Pablo needed to go home.   Mabel, our case manager is at the court again today.  We don’t know all the details, but see God moving.   Please join us in praying for this miracle to happen. 

Love you all,

Emily

I fell in love with this kid when I was in Guatemala and can’t wait to get him living with John and Emily!  Check out the Wiggins blog here.

From Blue Fish TV.  This was brought to my attention from my friends at blogworship.com.  Enjoy.

My iPod was stolen out of my truck. It makes me angry.   I would have rather had them steal my truck.  I wouldn’t have bothered coming after them.  My family would have been happier.  The truck is worth less than said iPod.  Instead Mr Thief takes a small package full of sonic goodness.  Makes me want to chase down the punk and dispense some Old Testament judgment. 

Oh, and the irony?  This Sunday in the Red Series, I am teaching on what Jesus says about revenge.

I hate it when God does that.

Kyle just brought it to my attention that Delirious will end their tour and call it quits as a band.  Many fans (including myself) are saddened by the news.  However, let me say thanks to a band that rocked my world with the whole worship scene.  When I was a kid, Petra was the a band that had a dramatic effect on me.  Years later, Delirious gave me a re-birth and (for me) redefined worship music.  Cutting Edge 1 and 2 may still be the best worship project in my collection.  It effected me in ways I am unable to express here.

Thanks boys, for a great ride. Thanks for following Christ among the critics, and pushing the boundaries.  Here is to a new and better season.

Click here for the press release from the band.