Deron Matson

2009-06-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

I didn't know him but was still struck by the sense of loss of life and this collection of tributes left by those who did know him. Candles, flowers, stuffed animals, messages on the asphalt scribbled with chalk, beverage cans, cigarettes, drug paraphanelia, messages from friends, the homicide detective's business card, photos....

Boys will Be Boys!!!

2009-05-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

Once in a blue moon, I substitute teach at the Team Kess Academy. The last time was in February. We took a break for the really important lessons in life. I took a back seat and learned a thing or two myself.

Kind of looks like an impersonation inspired by Master Po now that I think about it.

Warranties

2009-05-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

I usually don't advocate purchasing extended warranties on things. It's like rebates - they should just offer the product for free or cheaper rather than make us jump through hoops. They bank on people not filling in rebate forms and sending them in. I get a whole $10 back on a camera lens because I met the submission deadline yesterday.

What good is a product if it does not hold up and has to be backed with an extended warranty beyond the standard warranty? (a la Tommy Boy and the fancy guarantee). I recently sent in a Targus laptop bag with a bad zipper. They replaced it with a new one free of charge under the Lifetime Warranty - gotta love that. I was convinced to buy an extended warranty on the Toyota pickup. So far I've had a cable related to the air bag go bad, the alarm had some issue that caused it not to arm and both horns (high & low pitch) shorted out and had to be replaced. I don't know if I want to get my money's worth on the purchase of the warranty or not but I'm well on my way.....

BTW, not having a horn takes all the fun out of road rage. Last night someone entered the freeway, drove alongside me and then decided to creep into my lane without signaling and seemed to not notice I was there. I hit the horn and remembered new ones were being sent overnight from L.A. I was forced to resort to giving a mean stare and swerving eradically to get the driver's attention. RRRRrrr!

Kaleefornia Education is in Crisis!!

2009-05-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

An honest mistake. Apparently, the kids hadn't had their coffee yet this morning when they raised the flags. This inverted California flag caught my eye. ESPN is shooting Tony Hawk on location this week for an upcoming episode of "Homecoming". A minor oversight with all that's going on.

Wow!

2009-04-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

I was blown away by something today. I saw a bicyclist pedaling with one leg. His left pedal was missing as was the majority of his leg on that side. Wow! That was inspiring.

Swedish Royal Bakery

2009-04-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

I had the air bag light come on in the pickup last night and had to return to Poway Toyota today to get the problem remedied before my roadtrip to Porterville Tuesday night. I was told that the extended warranty I was buying into would allow me to take my truck to any Toyota dealer for work. The dealer in Mission Valley saw it another way and gave me the option of signing on for a possible charge of $45 to have the problem checked or go to Poway. The service tech said I could be charged the $45 plus the cost of repair if Poway Toyota didn't reimburse him, yada, yada, yada. I didn't have time to argue so off to Poway I went. Spent 4.5 hours there and the result was good - problem solved - under warranty. On the way back I stumbled upon the Swedish Royal Bakery and John made everything right and made me forget about the 4.5 hours I had just spent, well, doing nothing. I would highly recommend it!

The colors of the Swedish flag on the sign stood out and called my name. John gave me a lesson in Swedish food, culture and language. I told him though I may have never been to the homeland, couldn't speak the mother tongue, and may have never seen some of these things he had created, eating them was like eating soul food. The food I was served by my parents and their parents were influenced by the food from the old world. Eating homecooked meals just makes something click inside me. I can eat these Swedish baked goods or a meal at Kaiserhof Restaurant and its like the stars are aligned and everything is right in the world for a brief moment in time.

I picked up a variety of items. I won't even start to describe them because words cannot do them justice. The items that are behind the glass case are real and they are edible. Don't be fooled. They are works of art as much as they are food made to satisfy your sweet tooth.

I should note, too, that I've been to Poway twice recently for truck related matters and I'm convinced there must be something in the water out there. Everyone, or at least 95% of the people I encountered, are über nice. Too bad we had to close our Nazarene church in Poway. :(

New twist on the Golden Rule....

2009-04-05T23:43:00.000-07:00

You say potato, I say po-tah-to; you say onto I say unto. Speaking of po, this fortune must have been written by Master Po.

Please spare me the trouble and let's make a pact, Grasshopper. I won't do anything onto you if you promise not to do anything onto me.

Give a hoot, don't pollute!

2009-03-24T23:59:00.000-07:00

I picked up a new (used) Toyota truck over the weekend. It was officially initiated today as the community's garbage can and I remembered one of the drawbacks to having a pickup truck. Someone threw two, empty mini bottles of Smirnoff's in the truck bed. This will also be my alibi if I get pulled over and forget to take them out and trash them. (It's documented.)

I met another Deron this evening. I was downtown where we serve a meal on Tuesday nights. I saw a man had fallen out of his wheelchair and another guy helping him. I pulled over to see if any help was needed. We made introductions. The fella who fell out of his chair was Eric and his helper, Deron. I said how do you spell that, I spell mine DERON. He said DERON. I thought he was just repeating what I had said so I asked again and he spelled it the same way. How about that!

FORD - Found On Road Dead

2009-03-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

The 1999 Ford Explorer, affectionately known as my Ford Exploder, became deathly ill last night and had to be transported by tow truck to the Unocal 76 station on West Pt. Loma Blvd. in San Diego, CA where she was placed on life support overnight. She was pronounced dead by my mechanic at 12:16 p.m. today. She succumbed to a long list of ailments, not the least of which was a broken transmission, ironically replaced 3 years ago on March 17th. The 3 year warranty expired yesterday but the 36,000 miles have long since been exceeded. I adopted her in 2001 at 60,000 miles and in the end she amassed an impressive (for a Ford) 181,600 miles.

She was a faithful truck taking me to and fro on any adventure I thought up. Someone threatened to cut her down in her prime by bowling a mounted tire onto the freeway. Left with no choice, she protected me by driving over it, sustaining a great deal of damage to her undercarriage but remaining upright. The insurance company helped to heal her and get her back on the road again.

She is survived by a couple operable bicycles and a bus pass. A service will not be held, but feel free to share any pictures or favorite memories you have of her. In lieu of sending flowers, I ask that you use the money to get your transmission fluid changed. Your car will thank you for it.

2009-03-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Shorty brought his computer to me to be healed. This has become a part of the pastoral duties..... someway..... somehow?? It wouldn't come on, no flashing lights, no beeps, nothing. I yanked the power supply and took it to Fry's. I had one go out on an HP before. I was sitting 4' from it at the time and heard an explosion similar to that produced by a lady finger firecracker ... Pow! , and then the smoke and awful smell of burning electronics. We weren't 100% sure on this one so I had it tested. The results: "She's dead." "Dead?" "Dead."

I feel like I'm in need of a personal power supply replacement this morning. I wish it were that easy; just slap in a new power supply. For now a Starbuck's Venti Carmel Frappuccino will have to do.

Peoria Sports Complex - Padres vs. Dodgers

2009-03-03T23:00:00.000-08:00

So yesterday we saw my Cubbies go down 9-1. I say my Cubbies only b/c I lived in the Chicago area about 8 years of my life & have been a fan part of that time. As they say, "Once a Cubs fan, always a Cubs fan." I was remembering that I used to have a Cubs sticker on my bedroom window next to the one with the firefighter on it telling them there's a kid in that room. I guess I was trying to stack the odds of being rescued in my favor, telling the firefighters that not only was there a kid in my room but that I was a Cubs fan!

Today we arrived early at the PSC, a Complex shared by the Padres and Mariners. It's a great facility. The practice fields are very accessible to the fans. We spent a lot of time milling around the fields, batting and pitching cages getting autographs. It's an interesting concept, the whole idea of autographs. There are some in it to make money and some purists who just enjoy the encounter you can have with a player. Not much else will get you that close with a player and allow you to talk with them. I have a couple friends who won a contest and had one of them over to their house 2 seasons ago. They're on a first name basis. He'll sign anything they throw at him when they see each other. He's nice to everyone, but he'll make a special effort to say hi to them and sign whatever they pass on. I was on vacation when he came over that time to their house but I've mentioned it to him and ride on their coattails. He was there. (I dropped your names and said hi for you, but he would have been glad to sign for us anyway.)

We walked over to one field where they were taking batting practice and giving outfielders some practice with pop-ups. The Boys with Their Toys were goofing around. The GM - Kevin Towers, the Skipper - Bud Black and several of the coaches were standing around the pitching machine. This was probably a special, larger machine for the pop-ups. They were seeing how far it would throw and if it could make a home run over the fence. Then they aimed it straight up. One by one, they popped up four or five, really high, that fell behind the fence into the area where we were standing. Each time everyone yelled, "HEADS UP! HEADS UP!". I was trying to get my glove out of my backpack and couldn't in time plus the sun was right there where it was blinding us from seeing the trajectory of the ball as it fell. The fourth one landed about 1 foot to the left of Jordan - could have killed him. He said it hit him on the elbow after it bounced. Phew!! That was enough for them and they quit when they saw that.

The gates to the stadium were beginning to open so we migrated that way. There were more player encounters, watching more b.p. and warm-ups. Tommy Lasorda was there in full baseball regalia.

Unfortunately, L.A. dodged the Padres and beat us 5-4.

Hohokam Ball Park - Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

2009-03-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

Ahhh! The pop of the glove, the crack of the bat, the smell of hot dogs & eating sunflower seeds. Baseball's back!

Today we went to Hohokam Ball Park to see the Chicago Cubs take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. We celebrated with Jordan. He was picked before the game to be the Culver Fan of the Day. They took his picture and put it up on the scoreboard just before the start of the game. He was given a Cubs cap and T-shirt. I grew up with Culver's in Wisconsin. I'm glad to see they've branched out so much. It brings back memories of their frozen custard and fried cheese curds. MMMmmmmm!!

El alerted me that Rollie Fingers was signing autographs - raising money for juvenile diabetes. Then I remembered that I had a Brewers cap on so I sought him out and had him sign it. I also bought a ball that he had signed. As a kid, I watched him play 1 mile from my house.

This was a fun park to see a game in. I had to sample the local fare. Let me introduce you to the Mesa Super Nacho Dog. There's a hot dog in there somewhere. It's got chili, cheese, fritos and jalapenos on it. Extra napkins and a fork are a must when eating this thing. I ended up with chili/cheese all over the place; my shirt, sunglasses, cap (when I removed it for the Star Spangled Banner) and on the camera (a loaner, Ooops!)

We met up with some of the players after the game for autographs. On the way driving back to the room we saw this cool light in the middle of the sky. It reminded me of a rainbow but it didn't have all the colors represented and it was just a small ray. We couldn't think of what it's called. Anyone?

On Vacation!

2009-03-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

We rolled out today and headed for AZ - on vacation! I can probably count on my hands and feet the amount of times I've not attended church on a Sunday in my life. One big marker for me though of a good vacation is that I easily forget what day it is. Already this doesn't seem like a Sunday. The sun is brighter and the mood lighter. Already, it is a true Sabbath for someone used to working on Sunday.

We're off! I have the privilege of going with Team Kess to Arizona for baseball spring training, relaxation and seeing the sights.

The trip to Phoenix was fun. Stopping in Yuma for lunch, we continued on and met El and Nancy Kessler at our destination - the Marriott Canyon Villas. It's going to be hard not to relax here. A dip in the pool and hot tub were the order for the evening.

serendipitous??

2009-02-28T22:24:00.000-08:00

The writing's on the wall...or as was the case tonight, on the fortune. I'll find out tomorrow morning.

Whatever.

2009-01-28T21:13:00.000-08:00

Enjoying a good day off. I had lunch with the venerable Andrew Layman today. He and Dana have moved back to the area. Yay!! He's working in Point Loma. It was fun to meet in the old hood again where we were roommates. I was asked yesterday to contribute information for a PLNU Yearbook writeup on the Bread of Life Student Ministry. Chatted with Phil Barron today to get some background on its genesis and he reminded me that a friend of his helped him start it, Andrew Layman. Oh that's right, how ironic as we were getting together! That would be the reason I got involved and have been ever since. I reminded Phil of the time we raced from the PLNU dorm kitchen to the lot downtown in his Cobra going 90 mph down Pacific Highway with food in tow. He said we were going more like 100. I said I know, that's what I typed at first and then cut you some slack. :)

Thanks to Starbucks for the two hours free wifi. Membership has its privileges and I've joined the ranks of the Starbucks Gold Card members. Just doing my part to boost the economy. Sorry if *bucks is not your thing. I enjoy coffee at the non-chain places too but there's something to be said for consistency and in a variety of locations. Having worked in various food service jobs, it's enjoyable to see other people having to do the closing procedures for once. As for their social consciousness, I'm satisfied with their umpteen page brochure on social responsibility, though I haven't taken the time to read it. Their critics can be happy today too b/c they've announced they're closing more stores.

Matt & Holly, we could meet here sometime if you'd like - probably centrally located for us. I can ride a bike here from home which is kind of cool. Besides the mountain bike you gave me, I've recently added three classic Schwinns to the arsenal - two cruisers and a 10 speed road bike. All are in some need of repair so I've acquired a new hobby where my mechanical & restoration skills will be tested once again. El, I might pick your brain from time to time for bike repair tips.

Ewwww!

2009-01-26T08:32:00.000-08:00

O.K. - I'm generally down on big government, erring on the side of free will, but in this case there aught to be a law. I shouldn't have to be subjected to this - especially this early in the morning. But I guess "my rights end where someone else's rights begin."

2009-01-19T09:12:00.001-08:00

Pops is in the house.

2009-01-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

Pops came to visit today. We hadn't seen him for maybe two years and weren't sure if he was still kicking. He sure is. Good to see you Pops!

Yuck!!

2009-01-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

Life is full of road bumps. It's never easy having to call 9-1-1 on a friend. I pray it doesn't ever become easy or routine. I have had to call it more in the last 10 years than I care to remember. Suicide attempts, motor vehicle/motorcycle accidents, car fires, hit-n-runs, injuries/illness, fights, threats against me and on and on ....

I'm thankful tonight that the Lord caused us to cross paths when we did. He asked me to take him to the hospital. It was quickly evident that he had a self-inflicted injury. "Let me see, turn your head". "No I'm calling 9-1-1." The emotional pain rose to the surface once again and the wound was too deep.

So, we cheated death again today.... I hope and pray.

MARANATHA!!!

Ill-Gotten Booty

2009-01-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Heretofore, I have had blogger's cramp in '09. It's time for me to get with it. Something came up today which lends itself to storytelling. Nothing much, but it will serve to inspire me to start writing again. Sure I could have blogged about the Chargers, but what more can be said. They're the best! No doubt, I need to catch up on some things from '08 that I haven't written about yet. Stay tuned.....

Hats Off To Office Depot Customer Service

Some punk needs to resign from the gene pool. They're giving we humans a bad name. Late in '08 I purchased some HP ink for a church printer - a black & white cartridge/color cartridge combo. It weighs in at around $64. Today the printer called for ink. I ripped open the box only to find that he/she had carefully opened it, wrapped two old empty, unrelated, smaller cartridges in it, stuffed extra paper in the box so they wouldn't rattle around, glued it shut and returned it to Office Depot where it sat on the shelf until I came along and bought it. Fearing the worst, I returned it today. They were kind enough to feel my pain and replace it. Thanks! I was told that printer ink is their #1 most stolen item - hands down. It's stolen and in turn sold on the 21st Century black market - eBay. I don't blame eBay, just more of those reprobates that make our gene pool a cess pool and give a preacher some job security.

For my Green Bay Packers adherent-friends. Spotted this the other day:

Continental's Response

2008-12-29T11:51:00.000-08:00

In defense of Continental, they responded today to my aforementioned e-mail. They were following protocol, are forwarding it to senior management, and have upgraded me to "Dr." :) .

"Dear Rev. Matson:

Thank you for contacting Continental Airlines."

"We appreciate your email, Dr. Matson, and hope you will include Continental Airlines in your future travel plans."

Hair Today.....

2008-12-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

"Excuse me", he said, as he slid by me to get to the baggage claim. By all means.

Later that day, a milder version.

Immanuel - God With Us

2008-12-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

Poop!

2008-12-18T20:00:00.000-08:00

Hmmm?? They say you learn something new every day.....

Down with the Guvment and Can'tinental Airlines!

2008-12-16T23:28:00.000-08:00

An expiration date does not an expiration date make.

I usually resist jumping on the bandwagon to rage against the machine but have to take my turn tonight. They tag teamed us and sent Antony packing. He was going to go witness the nuptials of his friend Brian in Honduras but they got all funny on us and rained on his parade. I was this close to having a John Q. moment there in terminal 6 of LAX airport.

Word to the wise - It seems that even if you have a passport that expires in June 2009 it doesn't mean you can just hop on a plane up until that point and travel with it. Some countries, or maybe it's Uncle Sam, have requirements like your expiration date cannot be more than six months out from your arrival date in another country. After you've reached the 15th of a month it's like that month doesn't figure into the equation - round down. Despite the guvments website statement that you can find there today, the info that Can'tinental abides by says 6 months. They won't bend. Supposedly they could be fined and/or the traveler could be stranded at any other point along the trip. They asked us to show them this info (below) which we couldn't 'cause we got it when we phoned a friend. They brought us into the inner sanctum and showed us their statement from immigration but wouldn't look this one up:

"ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A U.S. passport valid for at least three months from the date of entry is required to enter Honduras." [Confirmed current with U.S. Dept. of State by phone on 12/17/08 1-877-487-2778]

Let's hope Billary cleans this up when she comes into power.

Additionally, their recommendation is to camp out in L.A., go to the American Embassy and ask for a rush job on a new passport that costs an arm & a leg. Then, they want to send you off two days later if the rush job thingy works for an additional $400. Where's the love?? The buyer was given no caveat emptor - a term I learned when I had to bring the weight of the BBB and the CA State Attorney General's Dept. of Consumer Affairs to bear on Ticketmaster when they reneged on an agreement.

Our night in a nutshell.

Continental Airlines could not be reached Wednesday for comment.... well I got cut off after waiting in line on hold for 5 minutes. We'll see if they answer their e-mail.

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-13T23:24:00.000-08:00

Having grown up in Wisconsin I was used to having a white Christmas more often than not. It's still hard for me to get in the mood with the absence of snow in So. Cal. There are the universal elements leading up to the 25th - carols, food, trees, lights, traffic jams - but it still seems like something's missing. I remember my first December here. The season seemed so contrived to me. The snow and the cold does add something to it all. I kind of miss all it has to offer. I remember:

Sledding, innertubing, skiing, skating, getting in trouble for errant snowballs, trudging through it to deliver newspapers before anyone was awake to shovel the sidewalks, shoveling, blowing it with a snowblower & trying to prevent your eyelashes from freezing together, losing control of your car, the car getting stuck in the snow, doing doughnuts in the mall parking lot, giving your enemies a facewash, making snow people, snowmobiles, & the Klondike Derby with the Boy Scouts.

I hope to get a dose of snow in Colorado when I go home.

Merry Christmas!!

Ellis Island

2008-12-12T23:10:00.000-08:00

Part of my evening was spent picking up more items for our annual hygiene kit project. I visited friend and former neighbor, Sebastão at the 99¢ store he staffs. Later, I parked near two drugstores to do some comparison shopping and stopped in between at *bucks for a pit stop. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, Ellis sitting at a table alone. Life's been hard for Ellis and he recently lost a family member. We shared coffee and a Cranberry Bliss Bar. He preached to me - the Cotton Patch Version. I was happy to listen and get lost in his world for a moment forgetting about mine.

Ellis is a good egg. He rarely stays for the entire church service. You'll find him arriving late, crisscrossing the sanctuary obliviously right in front of the main speaker as he finds a seat. He is a survivor and is always restless. Philippians 4:11-12 is not a picture of Ellis. He has a hard time making his ends meet. That, and the love of Christ he finds at the church, keeps him coming back for more. He plays some kind of game hustling cell phones and pagers. He goes through them like dirty diapers. Though he tried to explain more of that to me tonight, I still don't get it. It keeps him busy and out of real trouble. It just makes it hard to get ahold of him as his phone number(s) change about once a week. That's our Ellis!

Random Thought of the Day: IMHO, the bassline in "It's My Life" (Talk Talk or No Doubt) is one of the best around.

In the Street Smarts Dept. - I was approached again tonight in a parking lot. My tendency in these cases is not to engage a stranger in conversation at night when alone. Call me new-fashioned. I get it often late at night near the church or in a parking lot when shopping. If someone does this and begins their petition or even before they begin it I'll utter a preemptive "Don't approach me!" If that's not enough, they won't be satisfied and I feel like it, when they say "why?" I'll just say something like, "It's too late at night." Yeah, I know "what would Jesus do?" I'm still asking myself that but also I am still here to tell you about it. All this keeps them guessing as to what surprise I might have for them if they do approach me. I guess I may be cold in this regard but for all I know they may be out to do me harm or in the case of a female approaching me, far-fetched as it may be, it could be an undercover police officer out for a night of entrapment.

CBS Evening News with Katie Couric

2008-12-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

A local CBS news crew is here using the Church's food distribution as a backdrop for the national network CBS Evening News. May air tonight. Shout out to Katie Couric!

Lucky

2008-12-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

There you have it. The fortune cookie gods know something I don't and I have until 11:59 PST to figure out what it is.

"They Call Me Mellow Yellow"

2008-12-09T22:28:00.000-08:00

O.K., this one's a little graphic but it's where I live. Sorry.

I just had someone come up the steps of the church toward my office. There's the tell-tale sounds. You hear them come up to the stoop, expect a knock, or a ring of the doorbell (before it was stolen) but nothing. It can only mean a few things. They've dragged their kill over here from the taco shop across the street and are feasting on it, they are thinking they're going to bed down in front of the door (i.e. - from a facility coordinator's position - fire escape) for the night or they are thinking what better place could there be to commit an act of public urination.

Then there's the other tell-tale sound I need not describe to you. I threw open the door and there SHE was stooped on my stoop, a young "lady".

stoop² (stp)

n. Chiefly Northeastern U.S.

A small porch, platform, or staircase leading to the entrance of a house or building.

stoop¹ (stp)

v. stooped, stoop·ing, stoops

v.intr.

1. To bend forward and down from the waist or the middle of the back: had to stoop in order to fit into the cave.

a. To lower or debase oneself.

v.tr.

1. To bend (the head or body) forward and down.

2. To debase; humble.

1. The act of stooping.

3. An act of self-abasement or condescension.

She's not the first and unfortunately won't be the last. We've had our share and more. There was the "Urinator". His work was found most mornings in a stairwell or in the alley. Becker and I stayed up all night to catch him red-handed because he would deny having done it every time.

We're a popular spot for those going through the drive thru across the street to come and find relief. Behind the dumpsters is another popular spot. I get really upset when they do it during business hours and our restrooms are open at the time.

The excuse is usually the same - "I'm really sorry, I couldn't find anywhere else to go." Usually I lay into them, coming on strong in the beginning and then lighten up. I did that with one guy. I ranted, he apologized, I started to make a friendly gesture and offered my hand to shake hands but then pulled back remembering what he had just done. This time tonight I was speechless. Instead of biting her head off, I bit my tongue. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

F/A-18 Down!

2008-12-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

FYI-Well I just got a text from BFF, Steve, in Indiana - "How close was the plane wreck to you?" Fortunately, not too close - 10 miles. I'm not an ambulance chaser but had to be in the area so we checked it out. We took an alternate route, I-15, to the Feeding America/Food Bank and then took the 805 back to see if we could see anything - you can barely make out the rising smoke. It had subsided quite a bit at that point. The exit to that neighborhood from the freeway is shut down and rightly so. They don't need people like us over there right now.

A Date Which Will Live in Infamy

2008-12-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

Today we remember those who were injured or lost their lives during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

U.S.
2,345 military and 57 civilians killed, 1,247 military and 35 civilians wounded.

Japan
55 airmen, 9 submariners killed and 1 captured.

My brother, Lyndon, and I were able to visit the memorial on our trip to Hawaii, courtesy of 24 Hour Fitness.

Entertaining Angels

2008-12-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2 NIV

Hats off to Angel! Though he completed his community service with us long ago, he continues to come by and help out often. Many people tell me after they do their duty they'll return and volunteer. The truth is, it seldom happens. Without much fanfare at all, Angel returns time after time and always with a smile to serve the Lord and his community. Thanks!

SERENITY NOW!!!

2008-12-04T01:15:00.000-08:00

Now I lay me down to sleep….

Well today (Wednesday) was a day off. I won’t go so far as to say a good day off, but a day off. Parts of it were good. I estimate it was split up the middle; 50% work, 50% off. In that time off, I found some time to read and to commune with the Creator and the created. The all-encompassing aspect of the work, though, crept in via the mobile phone. It was turned off for a time. I know, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind." “We have been trying to get you to do that.” “Why did you even bring it along?” I heard you today. Thank you.

Lately, the job is driving me to drink and because on principle, I don’t do that, (occupational hazard and all) I’ll find another outlet for my angst. I don’t drink, but I know those days when I would, if I did. Today will find me at some point at the driving range, shooting range, Sarah’s Smash Shack, or all of the above. Please flatter me and tell me you have days like that too. I have an old cell phone that might be martyred in the process. Why not bid good riddance to some golf clubs as I wrap them around a tree? Please don’t try and stop me. In the end, I will be a better person/parson for it.

Have a good day,

My thoughts and prayers are with a family member who’s in surgery today…..

Can You Hear Me Now Mr. Edison

2008-12-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

I think Google is onto something here:

You have to check this out! I'm looking for the best type of internet service. You've got Cable, DSL, & BPL. Google has a new type that they are BETA testing - TiSP. If anyone has experience with this please let me know. Personally, I think it's ground-breaking and will revolutionize the way we communicate. Seeing this I can't help but think we've come a long ways since the tin can telephone.

2008-11-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

Washington, D.C.

2008-11-21T22:58:00.000-08:00

It is good to be back in DC today. One thing I loved about being here was the variety of license plates. Of course you have those from DC, MD, & VA. You also have diplomat plates & plates from all the states and beyond. I never licensed my leased vehicle in DC when I was here. I did when I picked up another vehicle and moved to MD. DC at that time had some Clergy plates that would have been cool to get.

The tag-line on the plates are interesting to read. MD has their website mentioned. I was reminded that the slogan on the new DC plates is a political statement - a slap in the face - "Taxation Without Representation". They have been trying to get statehood and were even willing to settle for the status of a U.S. Territory for awhile. Wisconsin's is and has been for a long time, "America's Dairyland". When they redesigned the plates they asked for submissions of designs and tag-lines. The all-time classic which didn't win - Wisconsin: "Come Smell Our Dairy Air".

You think red light cameras are bad? They have the equivalent for speeding here. I guess some zones have warning signs warning of the cameras and some don't. YIKES!

CBN Story.

2008-11-21T13:17:00.000-08:00

You can watch it here (click on the downloads tab and search for: "The 700 Club: November 21, 2008") or download it here.

CBN News story to air tomorrow.

2008-11-20T09:01:00.001-08:00

On November 4 I mentioned that a CBN News crew was at the church to do a story on hunger. Here's the information I've been given today.

"The story airs tomorrow on the 700 Club. Locally, look for it on your ABC family channel--or view it at CBNNews.com. It will also air on Newswatch and possibly Christian World News--two of our others newscasts."

Samuel Nehemiah Smith

2008-11-19T20:55:00.001-08:00

This weekend I will be returning to Washington, DC and will be attending a Homecoming/Homegoing of sorts to celebrate the life of a Pastor, Friend and Mentor. Rev. Sam Smith was my pastor when we lived in Danville, IL. My Dad was on his staff as the church's Minister of Music.

Years later he invited me to do my college internship with him in Washington, DC. My parents would visit the church, return and try to explain to me what a wonderful place it was. I was somewhat hesitant; maybe a fear of the unknown, a new city, considering obstacles I would face in picking my internship destination and getting that approved. A college choir field trip to DC First, directed by George Dunbar, during my senior year (my first senior year :) ) again was providential and helped to remove the mystery and mystique surrounding the situation. I fell in love with the place immediately and now had faces and names to put with my prayers about returning there for the internship. My request was approved! The director was leery at first, but upon learning that Sam Smith was behind it, soon acquiesced.

The tradition in March was for candidates to attend a lunch, with bags packed, ready to go out to parts unknown. They and their new pastor would dine and dash to a church in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, or Wisconsin. Only then did they find out where they were going for the next two months. Instead, I dined and drove the 700 miles alone to my new assignment. When I arrived though, I was really made to feel at home. I was in seventh heaven. I could not have found a better learning lab myself. The Lord was gracious.

Washington, DC First Church of the Nazarene (since then National C.O.T.N. and now "Mosaic: A C.O.T.N.") was "the church home for 450 people from some 45 different nationalities. Incomes range from those barely subsisting on welfare to a few earning more than $200,000 a year." It was a pleasure to watch Rev. Smith thrive in this setting. It's not always easy in such a context or an urban setting. Rev. Smith could "honestly say that the benefits of ministering in the city far outweigh the frustrations: 'I love the diversity. Within minutes of each other, I might be in a millionaire's mansion and a welfare home. I enjoy helping those people learn to love each other.'"

Regarding his preaching: "He learned that 'the farmer who's been alone on his tractor all day wants to know you're preaching to him personally. If you use notes, he'll tune you right out. He needs intimacy. In the same way, city people are starving for intimacy and love. Their real needs are the same.'

So Sam has kept his country preaching style - using few notes, lots of self-deprecating humor and colorful stories, and avoiding literate phrases that some may not understand. He firmly believes that 'the best sermons are preached where the pain of the people and the truth intersect.'"* It was fun to sit behind him each Sunday and watch the sermon unfold in this way.

Rev. Smith took his chances again and hired me to return after graduation. Following his retirement, Ed Felter was given the nod. He allowed me to stay on during his tenure. 3 1/2 years spent in ministry in the Nation's Capital was a dream come true.

So it will be bittersweet to make the trek but trek I must. One more trip to DC alone and back Home.

For more on Rev. Smith see - http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?sid=10000023&id=10006599

"The Church Without Walls"

*excerpts & photos from "The Pastor in the Big City", Lyndee Breeding, Worldwide Challenge, Campus Crusade for Christ, Inc., March/April 1990, pp. 26-31.

National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

2008-11-14T23:00:00.000-08:00

Today is an important National Holiday. The banks remained open. Most employers didn't give workers the day off but many stayed home sick to clean their nasty ice box. How did you celebrate the day? There wasn't much to clean out of mine but I took time to give it the once over nonetheless and give it a fresh box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. The idea is too purge your appliance of all the unnecessary entrées and accoutrements, making way for the inevitable Turkey Day leftovers.

Bon Appétit!

Hi Mom!!

2008-11-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

I was blessed to have grandmothers who could cook and who passed those skills on. Both of my parents know their way around the kitchen. When Mom was completing her degree, Dad often took over for her. When Mom was sick, which as I remember it was rare, he wouldn't resort to ordering pizza but came up with a full-course meal.

I'll pit my Mom against your Mom any day in a cooking contest. She can cook things in short order, go southern, international or gourmet. She can acommodate your allergies or hers. Catch a cold or the flu and you'll receive some comfort food and room service to boot. Sunday dinners and holidays were the most memorable. She has entertained everyone in Nazarenedom from the top dogs to the rank and file. She can easily follow a recipe or taste something she likes in a restaurant and mimic it to a 't'. Forget the tableware for tailgating at a ballgame? Nevermind, she'll make her own out of whatever she has on hand.

You've probably heard of the Ritz Mock Apple Pie. Well, my mom is so good, she can make pumpkin pie without the pumpkin and pass it off as the original. :) We like to give her a hard time around Thanksgiving and Christmas every year because she forgot the main ingredient in a pie served at a potluck and people might not have known if my dad hadn't told them. For a minister as with anyone, confession is good for the soul.

Here's to you Mom!

Today the church received these large cans of pumpkin and a pallet of pie shells. Wish you were here!!

Tastes Like Chicken - Turn Your Heads My Vegetarian/Vegan Friends

2008-11-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

We had the Sculpin (a.k.a. California Scorpionfish) last night for dinner. It was a small fish so it helped that the deck hand threw in two more from someone elses catch. They either didn't want them or were over the limit. It turned out to be a good tasting fish.

Wendy Kessler found a great recipe in a Rachel Ray magazine for Parmigiano-Reggiano Crusted Chicken Piccata. She cooked up some chicken and sculpin that way. I was as equally enamored with the dish as I am with the author of the recipe.

Wendy, you were wondering about the garlic changing color and why? It just adds to the presentation. :)

"Garlic contains anthocyanins, water-soluble pigments that can turn blue or purple under acidic conditions. This is a variable phenomenon that is more pronounced for immature garlic but can differ among cloves within a single head of garlic. If you grow your own garlic, be sure to mature it at room temperature for a couple of weeks before using it." http://cetulare.ucdavis.edu/news/n0898pub.htm

Undone. C'est la vie!

2008-11-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

Well I've learned not to take life too seriously - why bother? It's better that way. Sometimes you just have to laugh at life.

Yesterday the stitches that went in on 11/01 came out. Larry called today. I hadn't told him yet about the injury with his TV. I didn't want him to feel bad about it at all. He did feel bad when I told him. He then said, "Is that the TV set that came out of the bedroom? That TV was no good. It needed to go in the trash."

:)

ginormous pumpkin

2008-11-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

we have received all kinds of things in donation. limburger cheese. scrapple (yes Dad, you can be proud I know what that is). caviar. store displays. lawn furniture. things i can't mention here but are sold in the store. add to that an 80 lb. pumpkin we received yesterday.

CBN News Visits Our Food Distribution

2008-11-04T23:59:00.000-08:00

Today we hosted CBN News Reporter, Heather Sells, and crew at the church's food distribution. They are are planning to air a story sometime prior to Thanksgiving. More to follow.

Thanks!

2008-11-02T07:09:00.001-08:00

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. In the morning I got to do something I love - fishing on the Pacific. I caught a Sculpin and a Barracuda that was too small to keep.

In the evening some friends took me to the Old Spaghetti Factory. They solicited letters from friends & family & then took turns reading them. Thanks to all who called, wrote, sent e-mails, text messages, facebook shout-outs, etc.! It was a lot of fun and very humbling hearing what you wrote.

We really laughed at a portion in my Dad's letter that I'll relate here. He spent some time this last week looking at some of my photos and papers that they have at home.

"I also found a really cool list of 10 things that you were promising yourself about life. I'd sure like to know how old you were when you wrote the list, but I'd guess that it was somewhere in the second, third, or fourth grade. The list is printed, but your signature at the bottom is written in cursive, so I think that may be a tipoff as to when you wrote it. Want to know what you wrote? Here is the list.

1. I will never smoke
2. I won't quit high school
3. I will graduate from college
4. I won't marry for money
5. I won't beat my children
6. I won't watch T.V. a lot
7. I won't change my religion
8. I won't drink
9. I won't try drugs
10. I won't be on welfare

It seems to me that those were pretty good goals for you as a child, and it appears that you have lived up to them in your life. I do wonder about number five. I wonder if the list was written after one of the infrequent spankings either Sharon or I administered. :) "

So .... I was fascinated by this list that was found. I was pleased with it - except for #4. I'm willing to make some concessions now on that one. I learned cursive in the second grade and tried drugs in the third so that tells us when it was written. :)

Sleep depravity took over at the end of the meal. I could identify with the would-be drunk driver at that point. I wanted to charge my phone which was as dead as I was & go check the alarm system at work to be sure it was armed. The Kesslers threatened to take my keys and phone. Their will thankfully won out. I ignored the phone, re-charged it and myself on their couch. Thanks! I'm well rested and ready to write the next chapter in life.

I heard the song "All the World" coming to work this morning & it seemed apropos for how I feel today. [Had a chance to serve the ladies (Point of Grace) dinner while catering in college.] I would post the lyrics here but want to abide by the copyright guidelines. I could probably do it with the church's license but don't know all the ins & outs of that. You can google it if you'd like. Sorry.

Saint Deron/I want my Mommy!!!

2008-11-01T01:46:00.000-07:00

If this doesn't flow so well I'll blame it on my head trauma.

********************************

Well, I came into this world on All Saint's Day at St. James Hospital so it is fitting that I would spend 4 hours in the hospital this go around on All Hallow's Eve/All Hallow's Day. A run in with a television was the cause this time. A few of us were helping Larry move everything out of his apartment. He's recuperating in a nursing home.

It was a race against the clock - trying to beat the 8:00 curfew at the storage place. I think I ducked to exit the truck and hit my eyebrow on the corner of the TV. It felt reeaaallllllll good - let me tell you. Then came the blood (sorry - PG-13). Some have been trying to tell me I'm accident prone. I say I work/play hard. This takes the cake of my most recent escapades if nothing else just because medical intervention was required or desired to reduce scarring. Popping the wheelie last week and the subsequent melon jarring fall to the pavement - no sweat. Running into chairs in the dark at work because I'm too lazy to turn on a light - routine. Working on my truck recently, stumbling backwards over my toolbox, breaking my fall not by landing with my hand on the ground but my thumb in my toolbox, sitting on the toolbox as I went down, threatening to sever said thumb from the rest of my hand - levity for those looking on.

I now have bodyguards at work that go before me and clear my path of all obstructions. They pretend to talk to each other in microphones hidden in their cuffs like the Secret Service. Where were they tonight??? Greg tells me of a dream he had where I break my arm. We're just waiting to see how that happens.

I've got to thank the Doc on duty tonight for 4 wonderful, strategically placed sutures in the upside down Y or "Mercedes symbol" in my left eyebrow. I have arrived!! Thanks also to the nursing staff, one a PLNU alum. Thanks for the warm blanket, an update on the tentanus and for dinner. It does help to have someone familiar nearby in such settings. I was blessed also when I had my wisdom teeth pulled. One of the nurses in the room was one I had done a grad check for while working in the Records Office.

I learned early on tonight that there was another Matson in the house. What are the chances? Whenever they called for Matson, I had to clarify. "Matson come on in here." "Which Matson - there are two of us." Then the lab guy came around with a cart of vials. I was pretty sure they didn't need my blood tonight. I knew I didn't want to give any blood tonight - for me on occasions a.k.a. "pass out". He poked his head in my room. "Blah, Blah, Matson?" "It's Deron Matson". I thought he said Devon Matson. I get that all the time b/c people read the r as a v. He said "no, Kevin (not my cousin) Matson. What's your date of birth?" "No there are two of us." Upon further review he chased down Kevin and came back, got his cart and left without any of my blood. I wish Kevin Matson would have paid my co-pay.

So much for my planned snooze before fishing this morning. There will be time for that later.

Pastor John says the church would make me a Saint but reminds me they would have to kill me first.

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

2008-10-30T03:30:00.000-07:00

This song by Chicago has come to mean something different for me this week.

Daylight Savings Link to Heart Health?
Heart attack risk declines after an extra hour of shut-eye.

O.K. - someone's got a little too much time and grant money on their hands. Leave it to the Swedes [of which I am one or am 1/4 of one] to figure that out.

I can relate a little though. I was away from home this weekend housesitting. Monday morning I woke up in my own bed again. I looked at the clock and about had a heart attack. I planned to wake up at 6:00 a.m. My clock read 6:00 but my phone read 7:00. Foiled again!! @#$*)(^&!!!!

Who can I sue?

You see, we are too automated now. The clock sets itself. I plug it in and sparks fly, numbers flash, and voilà, the time is set. It must be one of those new-fangled atomic clocks. It's usually about 10-15 minutes off which really confuses me but that's another topic. This clock had reset itself while I was away housesitting. No one told it though that Congress has postponed our cessation of DST by one week again this season. I wanted to wake up at 6:00 and woke up at the old 7:00 or whatever. I'm still confused. If I wasn't renting, that clock would be thrown at or into the nearest wall. That's saying something too b/c I'm usually one of the calmest persons I know. I might take it to Sarah's Smash Shack. I've been wanting to check that place out and this would be the perfect specimen to obliterate. Someone told me Monday that they had some aggression to work out and wanted to beat me up. I recommended we go there instead.

Wikipedia says, "Many computer-based systems can adjust their clocks automatically, but this can be limited and error-prone, particularly when DST rules change." That is an understatement.

On this date in 1894, Daniel M. Cooper of Rochester, N.Y. received the first U.S. patent for a time clock (No. 528,223). I think he's the one I should sue.

Seefood Diet

2008-10-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Are you on a seefood diet? If so, they've got you covered here:

Got Yogurt?

2008-10-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Church starts at 10:30. That's not time certain - it's usually more like 10:45. We'll today it was more like 11:00. It was a surprise to all of us but for good cause. At 10:30 I met Gerry. He was parked outside with a refrigerated truck. He said he had some yogurt for us and asked if we had room to store about 100 cases? I mulled it over for a second and said sure, we'll put it in our refrigerated truck and plug it in.

We summoned help from those gathered and began the relay from one truck to the other. He explained that he was looking for a church to donate it to and had about given up. Just then he looked up and saw a steeple & cross. He happened to "find" a church that had several gathered at that hour who could make use of it and a church that distributes food 3 days a week and also has been blessed with a refrigerated truck. What are the chances? Oh, & his count was off. It was more like 440 cases. 440 x 12 = 5280 containers of yogurt. You can imagine the street value!

"'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?"

2008-10-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, October 21, between 5-9 a.m. Fox Channel 5 will be featuring a facet of our food distribution. We receive food from many places and are constantly amazed at the volume. They will be concentrating on Albertson's Fresh Rescue program which is administered by Feeding America San Diego.

It's nice when the publicity comes but we make it clear that we do not seek it. We have been feeding the hungry as our Lord commands and will continue to do so whether or not it is publicized. The publicity does shed some light on the increased need, the increased supply and how we are all used as instruments of His peace in the process.

There will be a segment once or twice an hour during those times.

Have a great weekend!

San Diego - "America's Finest City"

2008-10-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

I've got to brag a little and say I live in one of the best cities in the U.S. I mean I can have an eyeful of this on a nightly basis if I want. I know it's got an ugly side too. Don't they all. I have lamented that and probably even spoken out against it a time or two.

For now I choose to bury my head in the sand. I rarely watch or listen to the news anymore. It's probably not recommended for someone in my position to do that indefinitely, but for now it works for me and helps me keep my sanity. People often ask, "have you heard about this or that"? There's something to be said about the liberation that comes in simply saying, "no I haven't". Period. I've got enough cares of my own. That may sound selfish but I think that's o.k. for us to proclaim once in awhile.

We do have a nice cityscape. It's simple, fairly contained and you can't go wrong when you add in a portion of the bay or ocean along with it. Some of my favorites have been:

Chicago from the top of Sears Tower.

Looking across Lake Monona from our home in Madison, WI with the State Capitol Bldg. in the background.

Copacabana from Hotel Sofitel when we took a bump after Heap's wedding. [Each of us got a separate room, food, ground transportation, $1000 American Airlines voucher, & seats in Business Class the next night.]

View from Lady Bird Johnson Park of the Lincoln, Washington, & Jefferson Memorials lit up at night across the Potomac River.

Subway's website.

2008-10-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

O.K. - I think this is funny and creative marketing, but perhaps bordering on sacrilegious. I've had occasion to visit Abe Lincoln's Memorial, the places he governed from on a state & federal level, the theater where he was shot and the room across the street where he supposedly died & his tomb. I don't know how he would feel about this portrayal of his likeness but go ahead and have some fun at his expense.

Subway Fresh Buzz

I'm not going to SPAM you all with this like I did with the interactive phone call from Samuel L. Jackson telling you to go see Snakes on a Plane. I'll leave it up to you and let you SPAM yourself.

Mail Call!!

2008-10-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

Well, today I arrived at work later than usual for a Saturday morning. The main reason was that someone asked me to pick them up at the bus station at 1:00 a.m. and then take them "home". I say "home" because unfortunately they are homeless again and home is a make-shift campsite near the freeway in Chula Vista.

I receive messages constantly as we all do and from all directions; snail-mail, e-mail, v-mail & on and on. Some of it I would just prefer to delete or throw away. Property tax bills, suggestions and work orders, anonymous complaint letters ad nauseum. This letter was on my desk as I arrived this morning and was a welcome change. I'll take this kind any time.

Centennial of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene

2008-10-05T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated the centennial of the organization of the "Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene" in 1908. I felt like in some ways it was just another Sunday and in other ways like we were caught up in something bigger than ourselves that only comes once in a lifetime. We were instructed that it would be best to celebrate it in our local church rather than face the nightmare and logistics of trying to gather together in one location. It was cool to hear what other churches did to observe the occasion.

Dr. Terry Read spoke for us. He is a former missionary, seminary professor and a multitude of other things. He & Joan have circled the globe and have connections to many in our church's congregations having lived in their homeland or been exposed to their culture. I've seen his picture many times in the past. It was good to meet face-to-face.

As one who is privileged to have documents, letters, books, photos, news articles, etc. pass through my hands on a regular basis, some 100+ years old, pertaining to our history, I was in seventh heaven. You can't help but think what it will be like in another 100 years when the church is 200 years old, D.V.
[The church used this D.V. in the early writings a lot - latin deo volente - "God willing". Essentially, in this case, if the Lord doesn't come back before that.]

When we sang "Tis' a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, washed in the blood of the Lamb", my mind went to the scandals of the church I've read about. Those make for interesting reading, if enough time has passed and they've been de-classified :). I guess you can't help but be 100 years old and not have a scandal or two or .... The song seems to say there's forgiveness for those too. I am glad to be a part of a 100 year old church. Still, my heart goes out to friends that are no longer with the Church of the Nazarene who've been burned, let down, disenfranchized, disallusioned, etc. Lord help us!

Bikefast

2008-10-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Tom & Kari Crittenden! Mari is now officially part of the family. It was my first opportunity to attend an adoption ceremony & it was an awesome experience.

I've been a part of the process in other ways before, albeit a small part. I assisted with the recruitment of families by pastors through San Diego County Adoptions & was tapped as a spokesmodel for them - Mr. March in the '03 calendar :) . Whenever I think about adoption I am reminded that all who believe in Christ for salvation are adopted into the family of God. (Romans 8 & Ephesians 1)

"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons [& daughters], the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Patience paid off today. Mari was beaming.

I had to laugh at the Curse of September 30th and break the bike fast today. It was a perfect day for it. The weather advisory was: "Get to the Coast". I saw 102° in the North County so it wasn't hard to convince me. To the boardwalk we went. Greg showed Dave & I one of his favorite hangouts in his old stomping grounds.

Then it was off to Anaheim to see the Red Sox/Angels game. Aaron Firberg & I have made it a habit - since he started law school at UCLA - of going to see the Padres play at Dodger Stadium late in the season. Somehow we missed doing that this year, probably because of the Padres performance or lack thereof. Tonight was a make-up game for us - Game 1 of the ALDS. The last time I was at the Big Å I was partaking of Holy Communion with 50,000 other Nazarenes courtesy of the Big J.C. If I remember right, that time I was seated in the Upper Deck above third base.

O.K. - I'd seen enough red for one night. I had to snap one in black and white to mute it all. Ahhh!

The Curse of September 30th.

2008-09-30T01:05:00.000-07:00

September 30th is a day which will live in infamy for the Matson clan. On this day we are forbidden from bike riding. One year apart on that day both Kathy and Melody had biking accidents. One involved failed brakes (I have to contend - brakes she wasn't used to) and a cement block wall. The other involved a bike race with a borrowed, modified bike and a rather hard, sidewalk-type surface. One was left with two front chipped teeth and the other ... well .... one of her front teeth is no longer with us. OUCH!

Happy Birthday!!

2008-09-28T16:36:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th Birthday Hannah! I love you!!,
Uncle Deron

Under Construction

2008-09-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks for checking in. Apologies. My intent was to blog on each days happenings here from Mexico City. So much has been going on that it hasn't happened that way - good stuff. In the meantime I had hoped to let some pictures speak a thousand words on my flickr account but I'm fighting with a "low" wi-fi connection. I'll try to catch up but it may not happen 'til I return to S.D.

Peace.

D

Ciudad de los Palacios

2008-09-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

Well it's been 25 years since the last time I was in Mexico City. That time I was representing the Nazarene youth of Wisconsin attending World Youth Congress in Oaxtapec. The sights, smells, & sounds have brought back a flood of memories. I'm on vacation here visiting my sister, Kathy. It's good to see where she calls home and the work she's involved in. She's been here in this capacity since 2003 so in a land where "mi casa es tu casa", I don't have a good excuse for not coming sooner (I know... double negative but when in Mexico....).

The flights went well and the jaunt through customs went off without a hitch. The layover in Dallas was just long enough to see a couple scoring drives by the Chargers on Monday Night Football (24-14 at that point). The customs line in Benito Juárez International Airport was short. The airport was nice but I have no pix to show. I learned the hard way in Brazil once that they frown on picture taking in Customs. After walking down the stairway, off a plane and onto the tarmac I promptly turned around to snap a picture of friends deplaning. People rushed at me from all angles and I feared for my life for a second - looked like they were going to tackle me and I didn't know why? Still have the picture :) .

The flights gave me a chance to catch up on sleep, reflect on what I forgot for the trip and work on some unfinished business. The main flight attendant on the second flight was a hoot. He announced the pilots as if he were announcing a wrestling match with Nacho Libre. First-class passengers got fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. I regretted for a bit, my decision not to cash in some frequent flyer miles and upgrade. That would have been an expensive cookie though. When you're a landlubber and used to just buying what you want, when you want, to satisfy your cravings & that smell is filling the air, it's hard not to rush that cart at 30,000 miles up. A cooler head prevailed.

So I forgot a pair of shoes I wanted to bring. Stores just don't carry shoes here over size 10. Hard to believe, but I guess I could search day and night and not find a man here wearing anything over a size 10. It's like trying to find a size XXL shirt in Brazil. Can't do it. And don't forget your swimsuit when going to Brasil. If you're shopping for one you're going to be looking at speedos. I'll leave you with that thought.

Scott & Sarah

2008-09-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

We had a sending service today for Scott & Sarah Borger. Two weeks ago we sent Sam Nichols and Vanessa Contopulos. They will be greatly missed. Scott's background in economics might tell him "money makes the world go around". My physics teacher would tell us "financial capital causes the earth to rotate on its axis in centripetal fashion". It's people like this that push the church and help it to go.

Adeui mon amis! I will miss my fellow ONU alums and Chicago-style pizza affecianados. Sarah has taken a job in Baltimore with World Relief.

Prayer Request

2008-09-14T02:02:00.000-07:00

Please say a prayer for P---. Please pray that he can see beyond his past & present pain and realize the hope that God can give him for his future. I have known him for 7 years. In that time, I've visited him in every type of living situation from the streets, ICU, hospitals, a hotel, "crisis house", independent living, sober living, board & care, and lock-down psych facilities (County & State). I've traveled all around the county for visits and even to San Bernardino.

He's hit bottom again. I remember the first time I saw him in a drunken state. I let it happen on my watch. I agreed to take him out of a facility on a pass to attend church. I had to take him back to the facility in that state. It felt like someone balled up their fist and hit me as hard as they could in the gut. I've seen the cycle occur now over and over again. His request today for $3 was categorically denied because I had no doubts where the money would be spent.

He's made numerous attempts to end his life. He bears the emotional and physical scars of those attempts. They are evident on what he calls his "earth-suit". He hopes to shed it one day in exchange for a heavenly one. A few months ago I saw something on his neck. I thought it was just dirty. I said "hey you've got something on your neck, why don't you wash it off?" "It won't come off", he said. "How about using some rubbing alcohol?" "No that won't work, it's a tattoo." I took another look. It was a dotted line from one side of his neck to the other. Below the line it read, "CUT HERE".

Thanks Roy for taking him to the hospital for me today.

David C. & I visited Bill in the nursing home & changed a seat belt on his wheelchair. We took the occasion to go across the street & see David's friends at Badlands Motorcycles - a flashback to his former lifestyle. He's educating me on motorcycles & the shopkeepers educated me by teaching me a few new choice words.

D-E-R-O-N

2008-09-10T00:14:00.000-07:00

Today, several of us assisted the Hunt family with packing, cleaning and exterminating. The move had Bill's dad and a friend pulling away a trailer with an estimated 90% of their belongings & leaving friends with more questions than answers.

I acquired 3 more baseball cards today of my namesake, Deron Johnson. Depending on which dictionary you consult, I'm his namesake or vice versa. Technically, he might be my eponym because I don't think I was named after him for who he was & what he did ?? but because my parents liked the spelling of his name. My Dad took me to meet him once when he was coaching with the Angels & they were playing the Brewers.

I like my name. Always have - good thing. It has caused some difficulty though. I've heard all the pronunciations & been called them all - D'ron (Deron Cherry - KC Chiefs), Dee-Ron (Ryan gets away with that one routinely). There are probably as many ways to spell Darren as there are letters in the alphabet. I've even seen it with an 'h'. At Starbucks if they ask for my name & for the spelling I tell 'em they can just spell it however they like because even if I spell it the next person that reads it is probably just going to slaughter it anyway. How hard can it be? :) Deron rhymes with heron - the bird. Roll call in class at the beginning of the school year was always fun too. For those that get it right the first time, it's like we have an instant connection - want to give them a high-five.

I will sometimes avoid the trouble when making reservations at a restaurant by using my middle name. It seldom gets used for anything and is hard to mess up. Interesting side note: I learned while working in the Records Office - Japanese & Swedish students do not typically have or use middle names. I think I'm going to mess with my kid's name by putting a punctuation mark in the middle of it. That will also give me an automatic excuse to raise my voice when addressing him. "Joh!nny."

The Church Without Walls

2008-09-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

I came across this cool, hollowed-out church last summer on the way to New Mexico. It's a convertible model. I suppose some would say it's good for nothing but it stands as a testament to some good times and God's work with His people.

When we were looking for a church building I came across two adjacent storefronts in North Park I thought would fit the bill. They were boarded up. Upon further investigation, looking through a crack in the plywood, I saw that they were sans roofs and the walls were propped up with long metal reinforcement poles. They are just now getting re-habbed and one of our Associate Pastors, Enrique V. & his son Aldo, are on the team of workers working on them.

Upon retirement, one of the pastors I worked with in DC, Sam Smith, said he was going to start a new church called "The Church Without Walls". He was free to go out and minister wherever & whenever. I get a glimpse of this when I go to a Padres game and end up spending most of the game counseling with the person beside me and see very little baseball - and that's fine.

Try wearing a clerical collar downtown on the way to a court hearing and see and hear the reactions you get - good and bad. Angst for the clergy comes out and some keep you at arm's length. Pastor John was even sucker punched while wearing a collar when our Tuesday meal for the homeless was at its former location on the dirt parking lot. A bystander exclaimed, "hey, you don't hit God!" Others feel it's an open invitation to talk, confess a deep, dark sin or share a prayer request.

John Wesley's parish was the world. In today's parlance, or that of the Doobie Brothers, he was "takin' it to the streets". His work took him out to the coal mines where others didn't dare to go. He was able to meet with those that may have not otherwise darkened the doors of the church.

Last evening I was able to sup with a group of Student Ministry Leaders at PLNU & more particularly met with all those involved in outreach to the Homeless. I am encouraged by their willingness and obedience. They are a part of The Church Without Walls. There's something to be said for sacred space - that which has been set apart for God's work. There's also something to be said about space God makes sacred because we are willing to follow Him there. My desire also is that my heart will continue to be molded into sacred space. Wherever & whenever I go out from the walls of the church I want to be a minister in The Church Without Walls.

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Pet. 3:15)

Dark Night of the Soul

2008-09-05T02:50:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for the hiatal silence but I just haven't felt like writing lately. I've been given over more to a contemplative mood and needed the time off to do a lot of soul searching.

When you've journeyed with someone for a significant period of time and they're going through the "Dark Night of the Soul" it's hard to function normally and to know how to act and be. It's still hard, as a pastor or a friend, to always have the right words to say. What really is the remedy or the right posture? If you're close, it's natural to feel the pain as they do.

King David's assessment of the situation and remedy might go as follows: "Then the king said to his men, 'Do you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?' Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner." Hardly seems appropriate in this day and age but a tempting option given the desperation of the situation we face. (2 Sam. 3:38, 31)

Another remedy David offers is a good cry: "To you, Lord I call; You are my Rock, Do not turn a deaf ear to me, For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place." This might help some. For others you can cry until it feels like your eyes are going to pop out and the pain is still there and the right words don't come. (Ps. 28)

I do take comfort in the words of Henry Nouwen, D. McNeill & D. Morrison in Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life. "When do we receive real comfort and consolation? Is it when someone teaches us how to think or act? Is it when we receive advice about where to go or what to do? Is it when we hear words of reassurance and hope? Sometimes, perhaps. But what really counts is that in moments of pain and suffering someone stays with us. More important than any particular action or word of advice is the simple presence of someone who cares." Know we are with you.

On a lighter note, I was able to get away for a while on Wednesday to clear my mind. I had an opportunity to hike in the Lake Cuyamaca area. I didn't hit the trailhead until 12:30 but there was a nice cloud cover the entire time that provided some shade. It was ideal because of the solitude offered - time alone with the Creator of all that I was able to drink in. The only others I ran into on the trail were one other loner going up on my way down and this group of CDC inmates who joined me at the summit. It was interesting to see this group, clad in orange jumpsuits, led by one fire captain coming up the mountain on their own, and good for their sake, unshackled. My Buck knife suddenly said, "hey dummy, quick, conceal me". They were on their 2nd climb of three for the day.

At one point a flock of 9 wild turkeys crossed the road in front of me. Oh for a shotgun and a couple large sacks. That would have made for a nice early Thanksgiving via Billy's smoker. Somehow they seemed to know they were on protected land.

MercyMe - Hold Fast

Get 'er done!

2008-08-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

..... That's not the attitude with which we do it but we are amazed that it happens week-in and week-out. God calls us and gives us the strength to get 'er done. The staff & volunteers report having distributed food to approximately 596 people yesterday. That's a record for us. Thanks be to God! Your love is amazing!

At Christmas time we always remind each other when opening gifts, don't be fooled by the box. It could contain what is shown on the outside or perhaps not. One theory on Saturdays uptick in guests holds that there were two pallets that claimed on the box to have watermelon inside. That, however, was not the case. They contained some kind of squash. Scouts are often sent in ahead of time to report back to those waiting at home, what awaits them in the line. They may have reported to the troops that there were watermelon in them there hills.

Umm. Excuse me waiter but there's a snail in my soup!

2008-08-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

O.K. - I'll try anything once. I pride myself on being adventerous when it comes to trying new food. I just wasn't prepared for this today. But let's dive in. Because of some minor food allergies I am afflicted with, if you're trying something new on me and you ever want to dine together again in the future -PLEASE- if I go into anaphylactic shock do me the favor of calling 911. Thankfully my reactions are usually minor.

Hien Pham is a gracious host. I've had Vietnamese food many times before today but this was new to me. He recommended this dish. By his description, I thought mussels were on tap, but as it turned out it was escargot in a spicy soup made with coconut milk. While I wouldn't avidly seek it out again, if it's ever offered again I wouldn't be as apt to shy away from it.

Hien said that in his culture this food is served to teens sometimes as a rite of passage - to teach them how to kiss. I'm pretty confident in my skills in that department - no comments please - but I guess a refresher could never hurt anyone.

Another restaurant down the street from ours - How did they get away with naming this restaurant thusly?

No They Di'nt!

Mental Health America of San Diego County

2008-08-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

MHA - This is a follow-up to Monday's post. If anyone wants a tangible way to get involved with suicide prevention/education I'll plug an organization the church has a relationship with. We (the church) were the heirs of their community food distribution program in November of 2005.

Hear, Hear!!

2008-08-27T16:45:00.000-07:00

Some Packer fans are still having a difficult time with Favre leavin' on a Jet plane.

Day game on my day off - $38

Lunch on the way @ Ciro's Pizzeria - $15

For Dave - 3 games/3 days/zero alcohol consumption; connections for the hook up on free parking and food at the game; tanning; Trevor Time; watching the last place Padres find a way to touch up Cy Young contender, Brandon Webb & "The Unit" to sweep the first place Diamondbacks - $Perplexing but Priceless$

Hood-Shot II

2008-08-27T01:22:00.000-07:00

Here's another snapshot from the hood.

If anyone plans to attempt this, please give me a heads up first. I'd like to come take a picture of it. For those that don't already know - the word 'en' in Spanish can be translated 'in' or 'on' in English. I can see where the two would be easily confused. It reminds me that I once saw a sign in the window of a Mexican restaurant in Kankakee, IL that read, "Best Burrito On Town". I have to remember though that if I didn't have the aid of an American-Mexican sister to proof my bilingual signs for me I would be the laughing stock at work.

1 Corinthians 9:22 - All things to all people [even a Cardinals fan].

2008-08-25T23:35:00.000-07:00

[Sorry this one is long]

Bingo - I'm online. This place rocks! Open 24 hours and free wi-fi.

Following a Board Meeting tonight I high-tailed it to Petco Park to join David Harrison and a game already in progress. I arrived at the top of the 7th and got in on the best part. The game was tied 2-2. Jody Gerut hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th to win the game & snap a 7 game losing streak. Better late than never tonight. Always good to see a game with Dave. Any innings I can catch with him are a blessing. I almost lost him on May 20th.*

We have spent many good and bad times together. The good times include sharing games, concerts, meals, the Word, prayers, & the pulpit. The bad times include accompanying him to 4 doctors appointments in the past 4 years where he's been told he has another form of cancer. At the last appt., he was told he would undergo 6 weeks of radiation, 5 days a week. He seemed to take it pretty well at first but then it started to sink in.

His roommate, Larry, called me on Tuesday, 5/20 to tell me that Dave was downtown mixing his regular poison - Cobra beer - with Vicodin. He said he was somewhere new where he hadn't been before and somewhere we wouldn't find him. He was just going to continue popping pills, curl up somewhere and die. Despite Tuesday being my busiest day it was time to find the lost sheep. I didn't have to think twice about it. Natalie and I pointed the Explorer SSW to see if it would live up to its name once more. We stopped anywhere we thought he might be and prayed hard that our paths would somehow intersect. Larry kept us up-to-date by phone.

Dave phoned home periodically. He was beginning to tell Larry what belongings of his he could have after his death. We scoured the caller id #'s on the phone to try and figure out where he was but then realized that service had been dropped months ago. At one point Larry told Dave, "if you're gonna die, come die at home." That turned out to be the ticket. We received a call then that Dave was at home. When I arrived there Dave was not himself - very beligerant. He was taking handfuls of capsules over and over. I tried to subdue him verbally and then physically but to no avail.

He said, "here take this Cardinals hat 'cause I won't be here tomorrow to go to the game with you." He had pitched in the Negro leagues in the 60's/70's and the Cards are his favorite team. I snagged us tickets for seats behind the Cards pitchers' bullpen and I was determined I wasn't going to that game without him.

[He was one of the few white players to play in the Negro Leagues. He thought he was the first. We spoke with Joel McGinty at Daniel Hartzheim's going away party about telling Dave's story on the big screen. I researched it some more though and found out that Eddie Klep was the first & a movie with Adam Sandler is already slated - "Wild Pitch". We'll check with the Producer to see if he can be a creative consultant :) ]

I slipped out and called 911. Dave was very upset when he heard sirens outside. The police came in first (followed by the paramedics), asked us some questions and asked us to step back. I saw the laser beam from the site of a weapon dancing around on the wall - not sure if it was from a pistol or taser. I could see the situation going south pretty quickly if he resisted or put up a fight. I saw his life flash before my eyes and then saw mine. They cuffed Dave and escorted him outside. He was arguing with me, cussing at me and saying he would never speak to me again. I told him I felt it was the right thing to do and I would do it again.

He was released later that night and was talking to me again already. His tongue was black from the activated charcoal treatment. He said he didn't know what got into him - he wanted to check out. Someone told him this recipe and that it was quick and painless. He still wished I hadn't been clued in, knew I was busy and didn't want Larry to call and bother me with it. I'm glad he did. He said he wanted the Cards cap back.

We made it to the game the next night. When I arrived to pick him up he had purchased another Cards cap because he didn't want to give me something only to take it back again. He didn't remember giving it to me but was reminded by Larry. I told him I was glad he was accompanying me and that I would be a Cards fan for one night in honor of the occasion. That's not an easy thing for me to do as they beat the Brewers in the '82 World Series. He got a ball from the players in the bullpen & gave it to me. Even though it's dirty, scuffed up and relegated as a practice ball I will probably keep it forever. It's worth more to me than the 2004 autographed Yankees team ball that was passed down from our friend, the late "Crazy Mike", to Dave, and then to me.

Dave is now 5 weeks into the treatments and coming through them like a champ.

Thanks Mom for your tips & influence over the past couple years. You've spent many nights working the graveyard shift on the Suicide Prevention Hotline. They have not been spent in vain.

*Story promised on the 8/12 blog entry. Told with Dave's permission. More on Dave's story at the NCM magazine link on the left side of the screen.

Slap your grandma - good!

2008-08-24T23:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you Pastor John for your sermon today. It hit the spot. Rom. 11:33-36 was a part of the lectionary today - the providence of God.

I received a double portion tonight - dinner and a show at the Kessler's. You will probably have access to the show soon on the Team Kess blog. As for the dinner, Wendy kicked it up a notch. BAM!! White Turkey Chili. Yummy! As they say in the south, "so good it'll make you wanna slap your grandma".

Annie is who's in the news today!

2008-08-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

8/23/08 Union-Tribune Article - "Against odds, parents bring baby home"

Home Sweet Home.

(l. to r. - Diane, Corey, Wendy, Annabelle, Kevin, Ryan, Holly)

6/5/08 Union-Tribune Article - "Home gets a makeover, thanks to many friends"

1 Corinthians 12 - Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

2008-08-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

I am constantly amazed by the God-given gifts and talents that each one in our Body possesses. There are the spiritual gifts used to glorify God & encourage one another in the faith. There are talents and skills that we have learned in life. They can be used or in some cases redeemed for God's purposes. One blessing of my work is to discover on a daily basis what God has equipped each one to do. Roy has HVAC expertise. David C. can overhaul your motorcycle. The list goes on and on.

Today Greg got a chance to show off his forklift driving skills at one of our pickups. He'd been telling us about them and has been schooling the dock workers we have the pleasure of working with. We got to see him in action today. You did a superb job loading the truck my friend. He's licensed on the regular lifts and even 4-wheel-drive lifts for off-road settings. I don't know what that fully means but I'm impressed. For him I guess it's like riding a bike. It's evident he hasn't lost his touch. Look out - he's back in the saddle!

He is also our resident, praying, soothsayer for all things edible. A few weeks ago we had a picnic for our church youth at Mission Beach. We were planning to save any hot dogs we received during the week prior to the Saturday event. Greg started praying for hot dogs. Two days prior to the picnic we received 400 lbs. of hot dogs from one of the grocers that donates to us. God really has a sense of humor. Be careful what you ask for. This was the first picnic we've planned where we spent $0, used all donated food & drinks & had enough left over to send people home with boxes & cases of food & drinks so we wouldn't have to haul it back.

Sometimes I have to ask Greg to stop praying :) . It's not unusual now to get flooded with calls to pick up food and turn over 15-25 pallets in one day. Thanks be to God!

Craving Chinese

2008-08-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

O.K., so watching the Olympics has given me a craving for Chinese food the last two nights. FYI - Hong Kong* Restaurant in Hillcrest is open until 3:30 a.m. on Saturday nights. Got a craving late on the weekend. No worries. Go there to get your 蘑菇鸡片 on.

Two notes on that. My fortune read - "Live every day like it's your last day." I feel cheated. What kind of fortune is that. That's a downer. I'd rather live every day like it was my first. Life was simpler then, anyway. Second, many restaurants have the sign "No MSG" or "No MSG Added". Sometime I want to say please give me the Kung Pao Chicken with extra MSG or I'll have the Beef & Broccoli with the MSG on the side.

Hood-Shot
WWJS? - What would Jesus sell? I've driven by this place many times and have to laugh every time. I'll have to stop in sometime and get the scoop on this.

Tony what happened to da Bears? I know, it's a pre-season game. Nice TD though by dem Bears to finish off the game.

* Disclaimer - I am aware of the socio-polictical ambiguity surrounding the subject of Hong Kong and whether or not it is technically a part of the People's Republic of China proper. I am also somewhat aware of the human rights controversies in regards to China/Tibet. I will look into this more but it will not deter me from eating Chinese food yet at this point. In addition, I am also lamenting the treatment of Agent Jack Bauer in 24 by the Chinese government and did not especially appreciate that.

Sunshine Mountain

2008-08-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

Following after my Uncle Mat and his mission to get us to reconnect with the land, I took a hike up Cowles Mtn. today. It was an easy climb - 1/2 hour/1.5 miles long/elev. ∆ 950 ft. - at a moderate clip. Mat's blog is strangely silent this summer but I trust he is tearing it up somewhere on the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado. He plans to hike the entire trail from Mexico to Canada in four summers. [Incidentally, we just heard from him today 8/21 and he told a wrenching story of God's protection from storms & lightning. I can't share the details publicly. Unfortunately, someone he met on the trail perished later due to the lightning. If you get a chance please whisper a prayer for him and his posse].

I had a chance to join him on the trail last summer at the NM/CO border. If not sooner, I'd like to join him again one of these summers when the trail takes him through my birthplace - that would be a poignant reconnecting with the land.

Congratulations to Megan & Rigo! He surprised her this evening at the summit and proposed to her. They were suddenly in need of a camera and photographer & perhaps, later, a minister :) .

There's nothing like receiving a call at 1100 feet from the church's security company saying "your alarm is going off" to bring you back to reality, disconnect you abruptly from the land and hasten your descent.

#1 Pet Peeve

2008-08-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

O.K., call me hypersensitive, O.C. or whatever but I'll blame this on my time in food service/cooking/catering. It really gets under my skin when I'm eating at a restaurant and see the busperson using the same rag to wipe the table that they just used to wipe down the seats. I know, "lighten up", but there outta be a law.....

Burnout

2008-08-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't burned out. But I can see where it could easily happen. Natalie, one of my interns this summer, asked if I had ever experienced burnout. "No - I don't think so." Upon further review though I think I do experience it in spurts. I know just enough to see it coming or see it upon me and am able to do something in response to quickly change course and get back on track. If anyone deserves a good episode of burnout though, I feel I'm well qualified and entitled. The weight of the demands placed on a minister are quite challenging perhaps no more though than those weighing on you.

Tim Hancock, Song Evangelist, told me early on when I was in school, "take care of yourself because no one else will." Sounded harsh but there was a lot of truth in what he said. "Make an appointment for yourself and keep it." There are thankfully exceptions in those who genuinely ask the hard questions consistently - "how you are doing?" - and expect an honest, detailed answer, but often I have to take this matter into my own hands.

Ways I guess I combat it:

† I have good friends who are an oasis, visiting with them refuels me.

† drive some golf balls (yeah right, when's the last time I did this).

† work on my car - preferably on a job that requires swinging a large hammer repeatedly

† exercise

† take a break, get away for a moment - get a cup of joe, plan regular breaks. I was in a job where I wasn't getting any breaks and it was taking a toll on me. I had reached the end of my rope and called the California Department of Labor to find out my "rights". I was told what they were, presented them to the MAN and got what I needed. Why shouldn't I plan for those in my current position as a minimum.

† take a fast from all news and politics.

† kick a dog.

† talk with my pastor or family for some advice, chances are they've been through what I'm going through and can add some insight.

† talk with someone "worse off than me" - I had a random conversation with a woman the other day. She called out to me as I was parked & waiting outside a friends' apartment. She was passing by using a walker. "Hey what's that patch on your shirt say, who do you work for?" I said, "it's just the brand of the shirt, it says 'Dickies'." Then to her point, "Hey, you're lucky you can drive. I was in an accident. A car hit mine and the glove compartment went into my head. Now I suffer from severe headaches, epilepsy, and memory loss. I can't drive anymore. You're lucky you can." I wasn't going to argue with her but just be thankful.

† talk with someone "better off than me". Either way it gives me perspective and I can be more grateful for what I have and where I'm at or aspire to be and do more

† do something for others

† go to the Word

† j.k. on the kick a dog comment above. I was just checking to see if you were reading all this. That should read "kick a cat".

† go to a game. It all comes back to baseball, huh? It's my drug of choice. I can escape from the cares of the world for at least three hours & there are no bad side effects.

Hope your evening is a relaxing one.

Padres Win!!!

2008-08-16T22:55:00.001-07:00

The Phillies were in the house tonight. The Padres were behind 1-3 and had a two out rally in the bottom of the 4th to go on top 6-3. Two more were tacked on in the 8th to garner a 8-3 lead and eventually the win. Textbook baseball. For those who think I eat, breathe, & sleep baseball you're only partially right - just eat & breathe. I max out at about 4-5 hours sleep per night lately and have to save that time for other things. It's not quite as bad as Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon) in Fever Pitch but close. He had better season ticket seats anyway.

Speaking of seats, I was reminded of that fateful night three years ago, Saturday, August 13, 2005. Dave Harrison, a friend of a friend, was in town from Boston. He is an avid Phillies fan and came out for the series. We were given tickets to some great seats behind home plate. The Padres were also throwing a party prior to the game for 40-game season ticket holders. We held tickets to that as well.

At the party they had player interviews (got some autographs) & door prizes. Dave won an upgrade to tickets for the S.D. Padres President's Suite. We were allowed to call in two others to use those original seats behind home plate. We were the first to arrive in the suite. The wait staff apologized that the food wasn't ready yet. "The food is all-you-can-eat and you can have anything from peanuts & hot dogs to buffet food. Can we get you something to drink?" The food flowed non-stop throughout the game. "Sir it's time for cake, would you like some. (this thick chocolate cake like something from Claim Jumpers)" "Oh, but of course." Same with Häagen-Dazs® ice cream bars.

Dave caught a foul ball. The President, Dick Freeman, and his wife sat behind us and we got to meet them. Valerie Stallings, former SD councilmember, asked if I was ?? so-and-so. I asked the Pres. who she was talking about. He said, "she thinks you're a Union-Tribune reporter". The Padres honored the former players of the Negro League at that game and those players then sat in the same suite. I got to meet Buck O'Neil (R.I.P.) & have him autograph a baseball.

I would have to say that was the ultimate Padres experience for this fan. The only thing that would have made it better for me would have been a Padres win. Dave was happy that the Phillies blew it open in the 9th, rocked Trevor Hoffman's world, and won 5-2.

Nazbo Rap II

2008-08-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

O.K. - everyone's probably seen this by now but just in case you haven't, here's some comic relief for your Friday.

Annabelle....

2008-08-15T01:03:00.001-07:00

Thursday evening I got to see Annabelle again. The last time I saw her was over the weekend. She was born 1 week ago and has grown by leaps and bounds already. She is eating on her own now. I watched as she polished off 60cc's from a bottle in no time. That would usually have been a mundane thing to observe but with her it was like watching a miracle happen before my eyes. I told Holly I could watch Annabelle all night - but I needed to give equal time to the others. Mom & Grandma were going to give her her first bath. The swelling in her face is gone. All her wires, probes, iv's, etc. have been removed. Her hand is no longer covered by the iv and tape. Tiny little fingers & fingernails. Beautiful. A site to behold.

Day Off!

2008-08-13T23:00:00.000-07:00

I didn't set an alarm and got to sleep in today. That was a milestone in and of itself. Lunch was spent with K-Rod at the Antique Row Cafe. They have a lot of 50's decor and memorabilia on the walls. The food never disappoints. Following this we went to BevMo. I like to imbibe some of their micro-brewed soft drinks. Today I picked up some more to test drive: Jeff's Chocolate Soda, Manhattan Special Espresso Coffee Soda, Capt'n Eli's Strawberry Pop, & Jack Black's Dead Red Root Beer ("Once you've had Jack Black you'll never go back!" We'll see.)

Next it was to the American Shooting Center with David Crazythunder to bust a cap (200 caps to be exact). I don't own a gun nor have any immediate desire to do so. If I did it would just be for hunting. My experience with guns revolves around rifles & shotguns. This was a first time with handguns - tested the .40 caliber & 10 mm glocks. This was primarily for recreation, to blow off some steam and for artistic expression. David produced this work.

Mine looked more like a game of tic-tac-toe.

The finale was another Padres game. J.P. accompanied me on this one. Can the Brewers sweep the series tomorrow?

7th Inning Streak

2008-08-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

I got a call on Monday from Kev. He scored some sweet seats behind the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen for Tuesday night's game. No problem, we’ll move down from the season ticket seats. As Bob Uecker would say, “must be in the front row”. This cheesehead was in heaven. ¡Mil Gracias! to the donor. I would have to place this in my top 10 games at Petco Park and in the top 5 where event and seating location are combined. In no particular order:

1. Tonight’s game.
2. Barry Bonds attempt at HR #755* with the mob in the bleachers.
3. Barry Bonds success at HR #755* poised in row 1 of right field. (*though I don’t agree with his claim to the record, the night was electric.)
4. 5/21/08 behind Cardinals bullpen with Dave Harrison of San Diego (more on this another day).
5. 8/13/05 in San Diego Padres President Dick Freeman’s Garden Level Suite with Dave Harrison of Boston (more on this another day).

The 7th Inning Stretch was pre-empted by three wanna-be-streakers who cascaded over the left field wall and onto the field. They led the Elite Security staff on a wild goose chase. I'll have to say it did add some excitement to the game. The only other memorable 7th inning stretch this season was the one on 4/17 that was followed by a 14th and 21st inning stretch. D. Harrison stuck it out with me for 22 innings until 1:30. We had to take a taxi home and as it turned out I knew the driver - a past church attender.

My insider friend at Elite, K-Rod, tells me this breech onto the field will get you a new set of bracelets and 3 days in the pokey. Friends, if you are thinking about trying this sometime, I would just recommend you avoid doing it near a weekend, especially a long weekend with a Monday holiday - this could land you some extra time off work until the courts are back in session.

The bullpen had a good laugh in the third inning when Jeff Suppan came up to bat. The Padres staff flashed a picture of Brian Shouse on the screen instead of Suppan. Seth McClung is a real joker out there in the bullpen - a class clown of sorts - his show is worth the price of admission.

Procurement of Nazarene Antiquities

2008-08-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

I have a hobby that has developed & some might think it strange. As a result of my academic research & the inspiration of Dick Willis, Stan Ingersol and others I have been collecting Nazarene stuff. Dick Willis was a member of L.A. First Church of the Nazarene and San Diego First Church. He helped us in our birth and infancy as well. Stan Ingersol is Denominational Archivist for the Church of the Nazarene.

Some of this stuff will be saved for personal research, some will go to the Nazarene Archives at HQ and some will be given to living relatives of those mentioned in the materials.

Today I received the book, "The White Slaves of America: A Book on Rescue Work" by the Rest Cottage Association. We are going to celebrate the Centennial of the Church of the Nazarene in October. In October of 1908 several merging bodies from the four corners of the US and points in between joined forces in Pilot Point, TX to form the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. This book has a copyright date of 1909 and a printing date of 1910 in Pilot Point, TX. It talks about the rescue work being done to pull prostitutes from their plight. Take a trip on El Cajon Blvd. – the next main street to the north of our church on University Avenue – day or night and you’ll see this work is still needed. One day a friend of the church who had completed community service here for a DUI came to the office escorting “Cookie”. Her needs were apparent – medical, food, housing. We went through the normal list of resources and got to G.R. (General Relief). Cookie said I need to go to the Welfare Office. I recommended she go to the one at 70th Street and El Cajon Blvd. She came back, "I can’t go to that one – I was told if I’m seen on El Cajon Blvd. again I’ll be arrested." There’s a great need for something to be done in this area. I’m at a loss for now as to what could be done except to commit it to prayer for the time being.

Tribute to Isaac Hayes - R.I.P. - 1942-2008

2008-08-11T11:24:00.001-07:00

A Soul Man of another type. His rendition of the Sam & Dave classic.

Shabbat

2008-08-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I got a little of that today. It's to be expected that I won't get much on a Sunday. That's what Wednesdays are for.

The afternoon found me returning to the hospital to check in on Annabelle and her padres. She is making great strides today and seems to be itching to go home. The day was then complete following some phone calls, prayer at the homes of David C. and Greg (dedications/blessings) and our weekly staff meeting. I'm back @ the Church to check in on a group of kids visiting from The Giving Tree out of Tucson. They are kindred spirits and will be here for the week. It sounds like they are heavily involved in their community in the lives of those without stable housing. Following the leading of the Spirit they have combined efforts in places beyond like Houston (Katrina fallout) and "Nogales, MX, serving those who literally live in a dump". It seems to be the summer to host AZ groups. We have had two from Tucson and one from the Phoenix area. They are fast asleep. I'll take the opportunity to skidaddle and follow suit.

In the beginning....

2008-08-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

Well here goes - my foray into the blogosphere. Until now, I have hesitated to blog for a couple reasons. First, there are some academic endeavors that have needed fulfilled first. Writing here though should serve to get the creative juices going. Secondly, someone once said (and the quote has stuck with me), "Blogging is like urinating. Anyone can do it and people are equally interested in the results." Therefore, if you're here reading this, please know I'm not insulting you but rather applauding you - for taking an interest.

Some have expressed an interest in a newsletter of sorts from me lately. This blog will have to do. I figure some of my routine will make for good blog fodder.

This week much of my time was spent in a couple hospitals. The miracle of Annabelle came to us on Thursday - three weeks early. She valiantly endured two surgeries consecutively on the two days following birth - utterly amazing to view God's handiwork.

Yesterday I went to see Jane and Bill. Jane was released later in the day. Bill called me to tell me that he had indeed had both legs amputated the day before. He's suffered from a disease in them for an estimated 6 years. He has told us many times that they would take the legs. He endured the pain all that time. His sojourn has left him on the streets at times or living in his car on the parking lot. For the past 2-3 years he has had constant care and housing. Thanks be to God.

His requests to have it done were with mixed emotions. We were never completely sure whether it was motivated by the pain level or a need for attention or both at any particular time. It was finally medically advisable this week and actually occured. It still didn't sink in until I saw him face to face. There was a great sense of loss. I prayed with him. He wept, then I wept and couldn't finish the prayer. God heard it anyway. I assured Bill we had walked with him up to this point and would continue to walk with and for him now.

Today I traveled up to Lake Forest, Cali to witness the nuptials of two of our congregants, Rebecca Go and John Paynter. They made a beautiful bride and handsome groom. A friend, Jamie Gates, officiated for the first time on a solo basis and did a superb job - classy, commanding and tastefully comedic.

For a nightcap we went to the Q to see the Bolts rope the Cowboys 31-17. ¡Good Times! I still hold a small place in my heart for the Cowboys having lived in two Texas towns and idolizing Roger Staubach as a kid, but then again these aren't the same Cowboys.

I reached my goal weight today having dropped 25 in 2.5 months. It's been a goal for awhile. I didn't see it coming until one day we were weighing food donations from a local grocer. Two of my friends, Greg Merrill & David Crazythunder, who volunteer at the church were having a competitive debate about their weight. I wanted to settle it and hopped on to see that 16 lbs. had recently vanished. Figuring the scale must be broken I confirmed it on two others. From then on it seemed to come off like an avalanche. The plan now is to celebrate by going to one of my favorite restaurants to gorge myself silly. Makes perfect sense to me.