It is almost November and we are well into autumn. The air has a chill here in South Carolina and the leaves are only now starting to change. Last weekend, we went to a large farm near Clemson and picked pumpkins, navigated a corn maze, and [the kids] played around in the hay. I was reflecting as I drove (on my friend’s advice) down the winding country road near NewSpring, with the sunroof open, and the leaves dancing in my rear-view mirror. I thought of the natural rest that the land gets every year via the seasons. But it seems that sin itself can disturb the slumber of the earth.

(Read on …)

I heard a cool comment this week from a Muslim dude. He said, “Live for the now as if you will live forever and live for the hereafter as if you will die tomorrow.” It made me think: perhaps it is beneficial to focus our interactions with others as if we would be interacting with them forever. AND we should focus on the eternal kingdom as if we would die tomorrow. What a mystery and yet what an exciting challenge!

I have seen a lot of people in the past few days as I have traveled to Ecuador and back. I love watching people in airports and other public places. Some are funny-looking, others are stressed out. Some are sleeping because they are tired, others sleep because they are drunk. Some are happy to be on an adventure, others are sad to be forced to obey rules. Some are peaceful waiters-in-line, others are constant pushers-in-the-back. One thing I noticed is that most of them are not people I am normally drawn to. Today, I read a verse that made me smile.

(Read on …)

This week, I have been repeatedly thankful for the opportunity I have had to be in Ecuador. I grew up in Ecuador, spending 15 years of my life here. It is cool to be back in the Andes mountains; cool to visit familiar places. It was also neat to eat part of a guinea pig with my sister. The main reason I am here, though, is to celebrate my parents. They have lived in Ecuador for thirty years, faithfully serving God. Thirty years! (What follows is approximately what I said in Spanish to several hundred people at my parent’s goodbye party.)
(Read on …)

I am in Ecuador; I am enjoying good food and remembering memories from my childhood. One of the things we take for granted in the United States is the driving ability of those around us. We can complain about how people drive and we attach stigmas to certain places, like Los Angeles — but once you have ridden or driven in a third world country, you understand that most US drivers are pretty good. It is easy down here to criticize and yell and honk and wave arms at people — I have only been here 24 hours and I have wanted to punch several other drivers (and a few pedestrians). But I met some people today that helped put that all into perspective. (Read on …)

I am packing for a short trip to Ecuador. It is only for five days; a short trip to go a long ways. In case you did not know, I grew up in Ecuador and lived there for fifteen years. My parents have been there for thirty years. My sister presently lives there. The purpose of the trip is to participate in a formal goodbye for my parents, who are moving to Missouri. This should be fun. Although I will miss my wife and kids terribly…

I am reflecting on something Perry said a few weeks ago. He said, “There must be a reason why we are not immediately zapped up to Heaven when we get saved.” The reason, of course, is that we were meant to share that with others. (Read on …)

We traveled just about 1600 miles to get to South Carolina. It was a long, but fun trip. We drove through Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, a few feet in Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and finally arrived in South Carolina. We had two cars, three kids, one dog, and a bunch of fast food hamburgers. Lizzy rode with me and spent much of the time reading — which left ample time for me to think. And think I did.

(Read on …)