Category: Random Thoughts…

One of the greatest things about the Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA metro area is the mass-transit system.  Between the bus lines and light rail – you can pretty much get around town without having to drive a car!  Pretty incredible.  This is not to say that I don’t drive – I am simply saying I like the progressiveness of a city when it comes to mass transit.

On several occasions I have enjoyed catching the light rail train and riding it to sporting events either at the fabulous state of the art Rose Garden or at the timeless and historic PGE park.  Nothing beats NOT having to pay to park in an undersized lot with an oversized car at a supersized price – especially when you are making memories with your family.

Back before I was a pastor I worked in downtown Portland.  I was an accountant and I rode the bus every day.  I would catch the bus at a park and ride near my house and get dropped off at the downtown bus mall.   It was amazing to see the cacophony of buses with their hundreds of passengers migrating on and off at the various bus stops.

The images are permanently etched in mind.  A sea of faceless people – most of them expressionless getting on and off – running to and fro in a sea of concrete and steel.  Then like clockwork they would appear 8, 9, even 10 hours later for a return ride to the suburbs.  I would often sit and watch in amazement – wondering about each person’s story.  Most everyone kept to themselves – reading a paper, closing their eyes, or listening to their music.  Rare was the person who would hold a conversation.

It wasn’t really very fun.  You see – I am a people person – an accountant with a personality – a pastor trained in finance!  I would look at these individuals and wonder (as they rode this bus) if they were on the same bus trip I was on.  That bus trip (at least that is what I lovingly refer to it as) is a journey with Jesus and the Holy Spirit towards Christian Perfection.

What is Christian Perfection you ask?  (Well at lease I am hoping you are asking!)  It is simply a Christian term meaning sanctification, or perfect love, or simply a heart full of nothing else but a love for God!  Christian Perfection is living out the greatest commandment – Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength!

This is a journey in our world.  A journey from point A to point B.  A journey where you decide to follow God and a journey that ends when you meet Jesus in Heaven because you constantly strove to live your life according to the greatest commandment!  Quite simply it is a journey where you decide to get on the bus and never get off…

It is my hope that we all catch the bus in this world and never get off.  Unfortunately, there are many people who never get on – and many more who get on – but turn around and get off a few stops down the road!  It is easy to get on and off – but staying on is hard.  It requires sacrifice.  It requires dyeing to oneself.  It requires picking up your cross and following Jesus.  But it is so worth it!

So as you read this today – I hope you have caught that bus.  If you haven’t it’s simple…just ask Jesus to let you on.  Tell Him you want your sins forgiven and that you have a sincere desire to love the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Perhaps, you have done that in the past and have gotten lazy.  You too can get back on!  But no matter where you find yourself…let’s finish this bus ride together!

Until next time…

Pastor Barry

One of the greatest things I get to do as a dad is coach my daughter’s softball and soccer teams.  It is, however, also one of the hardest things I have ever done.

I show up to practice with a plan.  It has stations and drills.  The team is divided and each minute is marked out on my yellow note pad.  At times I wonder why I write anything down – because it quickly gets thrown out the window.

For example, here is an exchange from softball practice just the other day…

Me – “Girls now that everyone is warmed-up go line-up at home plate.”
Girls – (organized chaos as they run to be first in line)
Me – “Which one you three groups are lined up at home plate?  Wrong – none of you! Home plate is the base that is not square?”
Random Girl – “What’s a square”
Me – “It is a box that has four equal sides”
Another Random Girl – “Doesn’t a box also have a top and a bottom?”
Me – “Correct – but this is a flat box that lies directly on the ground.”
Girls – (More organized chaos as the finally find home plate…)
A Different Random Girl – “Coach Barry?”
Me – “Yes”
Same Random Girl – “There’s a rainbow….How many colors are in a rainbow?”
Me – “Ok, who wants to play tag?”

Don’t get me wrong.  I absolutely love coaching them!  I love laughing and playing and playing games with them.  It is a  joy when someone is finally able to throw across the infield or hits the ball for the first time.  It is a joy to watch as they race each other, throw their gloves in the air, mess around in line, braid each others hair, and it is even a joy to watch them sit and pick dandelions in the outfield! (OK if the truth be told – not so much on the dandelion part…)

At every practice I have to go in reminding myself that today they will be watching and they will be listening.  These girls are 8 years old and younger and I am at least 33 years older than they are.  I have lived an eternity and experienced the world compared to what they have experienced.

Their minds, attitudes, and lives are just being shaped.  And the shaping is being done by people like me – their coach – and by people like you – the parents, friends, and strangers.

Our practices end with me having them gather around for a huddle.  Every single time they run up, bump into me, and stand as close as they can get.  There they are….looking up with big blue, brown, hazel, and green eyes and great big smiles (many toothless – which kinda makes them look like a hockey team…)  About that time their faith, their joy, and their eagerness makes me forget that they didn’t necessarily learn to be an all-star that day,  but that they learned to live – have fun – slow down – and laugh…

Kinda makes me wonder who coached who…

Take a moment and go read Mark 10:14 and then think about the last time a child taught YOU something!

Until Next Time…

Pastor Barry

One of the best things I get to do is drive my oldest daughter to school. It is a real privilege to have that time alone with her. Some mornings are quiet and reflective and others are loud and interactive. Today, happened to be intellectual. I guess it was the Kix cereal she add for breakfast – but whatever the reason – today she was asking deep questions.

The route we drive takes us onto the freeway for a few miles and almost without exception we pass a motorcycle patrolman writing tickets to drivers that are traveling a little too fast. When I see someone pulled over I always wonder about their story.  Were they distracted and didn’t know how fast they were traveling, were they late for work because their five year old spilled her cereal, or are they a driver that just likes to push the limits of the speed limit?

This morning we were following a car that became the target of the radar gun.  When they were signaled to pull over my daughter asked what the speed limit was.  I told her and she looked at my speedometer and then said, “Dad – you’re speeding – slow down or you will get a ticket.”  I told her it was ok and she asked why.  The next ten minutes went by as I rationalized why it was ok for me to speed a little bit but not too much.  About then we passed a freeway sign that read, “Extra patrols on now – slow down or pay up!”

It really caused me to think that a speed limit is a speed limit for a reason.  You are not supposed to travel faster than what is posted.  Much like a sin is a sin.  You are not supposed to do something that God has said for you not to do.  If I am traveling faster than I should (regardless of how little that is) an officer has every right to pull me over and write a ticket.  And if I am living my life and I decide to sin (even just a little – at least that’s how we rationalize it) God has every right to hold us accountable – and believe me He will!

The drive served to convict me that I was rationalizing my breaking of the rules – mainly because I like to drive fast (but not too fast).  As a pastor I hear all the time from students who rationalize their behavior that is going against God’s teaching.  This then leads to lengthy discussions about the black and white of sin.

You see, a sin is a sin no matter what.  God does not grade on a curve!

So how are you traveling through life?  Are you speeding – even just a little…

Until next time…

Pastor Barry

I am sitting and typing through tears right now…Why? because I just sat and read one of my good friends blogs about his son – Luke (check out his story here).  Luke has cancer and he is on his third bout with this disease.  He has beaten it twice – but this time it is back and with a vengeance!

It really makes one think about the fragility of life and what a gift it is.  I myself have been sitting and reflecting about my three little girls.  What a gift from God they have been…  The little laughs, the mischievous smiles, and the wonderful times of just holding each other.  Today, I have been reminded that I can’t take these times for granted.

What I admire most is the faith and the courage that the Jensen family has.  God has been so good to comfort and to provide exactly what they need at exactly the moment they need it!  That is the God I serve!  A God that gives us grace to handle life just when we think we can’t handle it.

So take a moment to reflect on your life today…

What are you thankful for?  Have you taken time to appreciate the little things?  If not, then do so now…

Until next time,

Pastor Barry

The Day After…

The Lenten Journey has ended, Holy Week is over, and Easter Sunday has come and gone.  It was an incredible six weeks in my life, I hope it was in yours also.  Unfortunately, when you take all the excitement of Holy Week and throw in way too much chocolate and way too much Easter buffet – the Monday after turns into a real crash and burn kinda day.

Let me tell you – I am spent!  Even today as I sit and write this blog, I am just plain tired…But it is a good tired.  No!  It is a great tired!  When I think of everything my savior did for me – I can’t help but become reenergized!

I’ve been reading in John 21 over the last 48 hours.  It is kind of natural I guess, given the post resurrection celebration, to see what the disciples did when they found the empty tomb.  If you are like me, you probably expected a party to end all parties!  Jesus is alive!  Quick, let’s go tell the world…  But, no…  There was no party – no celebration – no stop the presses type announcement.

What we find are the disciples going about their normal course of business.   At least seven of them went back to fishing.  I guess you can call it a post-Easter letdown.  In actuality, it is kind of refreshing to see that they didn’t really know what to do, but it is also extremely disappointing.  Refreshing because it showed they were human – and disappointing because they had a front row seat for everything that just happened and they just didn’t get it.

Where do you find yourself today?  On the side that gets it – or the side that doesn’t get it?

Let me encourage you on your journey.  Don’t let the day after be a letdown!  Take this time to refocus yourself – refocus your energy – refocus your thoughts on the Jesus of Easter.  Every week of the year should be a mini Holy Week because every Sunday of the year is a mini Easter!

We celebrate a risen Savior who is no longer in the tomb!  I sure hope you get it…

Until next time…

Pastor Barry

So I have had a lot of questions about Holy Week.  What is it?  Why is it so significant? What does it mean?  In the next few paragraphs I hope to be as succinct as possible in outlining it for you.

Holy Week is the last week of Lent (the time of prayer and preparation before Easter) before Resurrection Sunday.  There are 4 significant days during this week…

The first is Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday.  This is the day we celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  The day He was celebrated as King of the Jews…a celebration similar to a parade with crowds of people shouting, waiving palm branches, and longing to see their long awaited Messiah.  However, it also marks Jesus’ last week of life and the final journey towards suffering and the cross – hence, Passion Sunday.

The second day is Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday.  This day celebrates a series of events that culminate before Jesus’ arrest.  The wordy “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum” which is where we get the English word “mandate.”  While many events are marked (the last supper, footwashing, establishment of communion, betrayal of Judas, and praying in the Garden of Gethsemene) most Christian service focus specifically on the command or mandate that Jesus gives in John 13:34-35 “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other.  Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. (NLT)”

The third day is Good Friday or Holy Friday.  This is the day that the church commemorates Jesus’ arrest, trial, torture, crucifixion, death, and burial.  Quite simply – day of mourning…

The fourth day is Holy Saturday.  The day Jesus rested in the tomb….a day of quiet meditation on the thought of a world without a Savior or Messiah.  But, it is also a day of anticipation because this day ends Holy Week and we know that Resurrection Sunday is just hours away!

Hope this helps to answer some questions and focus your worship.

Until Next Time…

Pastor Barry

So the title of this blog is not something you hear everyday.  But, my oh my, what a week…

Seven days ago I was sitting at the beach teaching at a retreat for couples from our church…this weekend I am nursing a healing tooth and recovering from a flu type sickness…

So here is the long story made short.  Last summer this tooth really started hurting.  I went to the dentist and was told my decay was caused by resorption (which is a fancy way to say my tooth was attacking itself).  So I had some work done in December that required a crown.  Was told at that time, that the tooth may or may not need a root canal.  3 months later if I would have had access to a pair of vise grips I think I would have pulled the tooth out myself.

Imagine Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway.  I just had this recurring nightmare that I would end up on a deserted island with this dying tooth!

Anyhow, it really started acting up on the retreat last weekend and this last week it was absolutely horrible.  But thankfully, it is fixed and I can chew on both sides of my mouth for the first time in what seems like an eternity.

So right now you may be wondering what kind of spiritual parallel I am going to draw from this.  Well, I’m not…

What I will say is that this is a great week in the Christian Calendar.  Today begins Holy Week.  It is Palm Sunday – the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem and was praised as the King of the Jews…the King of Israel.

The only problem is that 2000 years ago the people of Israel were worshipping the right man – only worshipping Him for the wrong reasons.  They misunderstood that He was their Messiah and not an earthly king meant to overthrow a Roman Empire.

So this week as we reflect on who Jesus is, on what Jesus went through, on what Jesus taught, and on what Jesus did – remember that we need to worship the King for who He is and not who we want Him to be!

Until next time…

Pastor Barry

What a beautiful weekend on the Oregon Coast.  Many may argue with me – but let me tell you – there can’t be many more beautiful places in the world than this!

This morning is just a great morning to reflect on God and all He made.  In fact the first song on my iPod when I woke up was “Every Time I Breathe,” by Big Daddy Weave.  The words are awesome and so true…hear are a few…

“You are so marvelous God and I am so in love with you.  After knowing someone so great how can I respond in any other way?  Wrapped in your mercy I want to live and never leave!  You are marvelous God and knowing you is everything!  I am so in love with you…”

I am the speaker at a couples retreat and we are using the book “Crazy Love,” by Francis Chan as our theme.  Last night I was reminded about just how awesome our God is…and then this morning I wake up to that song…

Our God – the God of all creation – created 350,000,000,000 galaxies and our amazing planet is just one tiny place in all of that.  I can’t even wonder how many stars, planets, moons, and other bodies there are in all those galaxies.

But even better than that God made all these trees around me.  Trees like the Elm which has over 6,000,000 leaves – or the birds in the air with feathers and a bone structure just right that they can fly with the greatest ease – or the worms in the ground that help sustain them.  The worm that looks so simple but is complex.  The worm that provides its own special service in this delicate ecosystem.  I can go on and on and on and on….

My point is this – don’t try to tell me that there is not a creator God.  Don’t tell me that we were not made to worship.  And don’t tell me that we are just some random collection of cells that happened to form and evolve into this being that was in fact made in the very likeness of God!

So I challenge you today – look around – slow down – reflect – and give God your worship – it’s the only thing we can give God that He doesn’t already have!

Until next time…

Pastor Barry

Living Good….Dying Better…

Last night myself and a couple of friends were able to get away to see a movie, which I don’t get to do for several reasons.  First, with three girls I find it a little difficult to get away, second, I am pretty picky, and finally, they are WAY too expensive.  But last night I convinced myself that the new Leonardo Dicaprio flick (Shutter Island) was worth the adventure…and I will say it didn’t disappoint.

Now I am not going to spill the plot line…but I was struck by one of the final lines in the movie.  Right near the end one of the characters asks, “Which would be worse, to live as a monster or to die as a good man?”  Given the context of the movie it was a rather poignant question.  However, given the context of real life, it really is a no brainer.  I will hazard a guess that most of us would want to die as a good man and not live as a monster, but unfortunately in God’s eyes, that is not exactly what we are doing.

Now “monster” can be defined as an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts, but it can also be defined as a cruel wicked and inhuman person.  So right now you are probably saying to yourself, “What’s your point?”  Well let me tell you…when we don’t live purposely for God, we are against him, which puts us in the exact same boat as a wicked or inhuman person.  Ultimately meaning we will be separated from God…

Right now the calendar finds us right in the middle of Lent with Holy Week just around the corner.  On April 1st of Holy Week we will celebrate Maundy Thursday.  It is called Maundy from the Latin word Mandatum which means mandate.  In John 13:34 during the last Supper Jesus is quoted as saying, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”

No one would deny that they don’t want to live as a good man, but unfortunately our actions speak differently.  We don’t live to love one another as Jesus loved us.  We don’t give fully, freely, or as completely to our neighbors as we should.  And worse than that – we act selfishly towards God.  Most of the time, even those of us with the best of intentions, give God leftovers.

This is not what God wants and it is not what God expects.  In His eyes this makes us a monster because we are acting wicked (meaning evil in nature and practice)…but that can change.  That should change.  That must change…

We just have to make the conscious decision to live good by loving one another just as Jesus loved us and to love our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.  Remember this daily and especially on Maundy Thursday…because living good allows us to die better…

Until next time…

Pastor Barry

Just You…

(from January 11, 2010)

It is absolutely amazing to watch my kid’s personalities develop!

As I dropped my oldest off to school today I was struck by how independent she is becoming. She popped right out of the truck, said goodbye, blew me a kiss, and then ran across the parking lot to a world I barely remember – 2nd grade.

Then it was time to take my middle child to preschool – complete with her tiny pink Hello Kitty backpack. She is too young for homework – the only thing the backpack carries is a change of clothes for the occasional accident. We walked into school together, I hung her coat, she stuffed her backpack in the cubby, and then quickly turned to her friends and began to catch up on the weekend activities. I can only imagine the number of texts and hours she will spend chatting with friends in the future.

And then there is my youngest…10 weeks old today! She too is already showing her personality. Mainly through the fact that she wants her arms free and not bundled when sleeping. She grunts and groans and strains until she finally manages to pull those things loose. But there is also the sweet cuddling time where she coos and is starting to form sounds. I’m sure they are a warning for the thousands of 3 year old questions that will arrive all too soon. (Not that the questions are bad – but the fact that she will be 3 too quickly!)

So this got me thinking about God and how he created me and my wife and three very distinct little girls. Each one special and unique. Each one with their own personality.

It reminded me of a quote form Doug Fields from the “1 Minute Bible 4 Students.” In there he says, “If God is powerful enough to create this huge playground we call Earth, don’t you think He is mighty enough to have created YOU exactly as He intended?”

WOW – God created me exactly as He intended!

Think about that – think about your life. Right now it might be great or really stink. Your friends may be disappointing you, you might hate your hair or your body shape, you may have parents that are driving you nuts, or you may have all of the above or a number of other things really bugging you.

But no matter where you find yourself, God created you exactly as He intended. Which means you look like He wants, you have the personality He wants, you have the gifts and skills that He wants, you have the parents He wants. You have everything He wants!

So the real question is….

What are you going to do with what you have (or where you are at) for a God who loves you and created you just the way you are?

Think about it and let’s talk about how you feel God wants to use you.

Until next time….

Pastor Barry