Bryan, Meggan, Lillian, and Noah Wolff

RCC

2009-04-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

It became official this past week, I have accepted the call for the youth pastor position at Rothbury Community Church in Rothbury, MI. I have been in talks with the leadership of the church since November, have traveled to MI twice in the past few months, and could not be more assured that this is the place for me. Meggan and I are very excited for the opportunity and look forward to our move!

My starting date will not be until July so we are going to take an extended vacation as a family. We have been going hard at it for almost 4 years now and relish the thought of an extended break. It looks like we will be spending a few months in MN after graduation, so we look forward to getting caught up with many of you!

Thank you very much for your prayers during this process, and please continue to pray as we make the transition to full-time ministry in MI.

bry

Balances and Certainty

2009-03-30T15:02:00.001-07:00

Epistemic humility is in vogue. Objectivity was a mirage wrongly pursued by those of the modernist mindset. Nowadays, the way to assert truth is by first acknowledging your own subjectivity and inability to rid oneself of some biases. Is this true? Of course it is. In our sinful and limited state we are unable to view anything from a purely objective angle. So called “modernists” thought this was a bad thing and at most, an unfortunate reality. In contrast to that, so called “postmodernists” today see it as a good thing, something to be celebrated.

I have two thoughts on this issue that affect both how I think and act. First, I have found that I often succumb to the idea of “if I’m going to err on one side, I’m going to err on this side.” I use phrases like that all of the time. It helps in the sense that it acknowledges my own shortcomings, but it can also act as a copout. Why does my aim need to be on a certain side? Why can’t it be right in the middle which, in all the uses of that phrase is the “sweet spot”? When it comes to truth, why should I be satisfied with aiming for the subjective when the objective should be my goal?

Let me try to illustrate. The Bible is full of balances. Truth and love. Mercy and justice. Being in the world but not of it. Churches constantly strive for balances. “Doing” church in an excellent yet an accessible way. Preaching evangelistically yet for edification. Is it right of us to just admit that we are going to err and pick the side on which to err? It seems to me that while we ought to freely admit that we are going to miss the target, we still need to aim for the “sweet spot.” In fact, our eyes should never be off that “sweet spot”. While we may never hit the absolute correct position, shouldn’t we still try?

My second thought is more of a reaction against those who think they can indeed hit that “sweet spot”. While they may say it isn’t so, they seem to act as if it is so. When we read the Bible we see some truths presented with 100% certainty. For instance, Jesus is God. The Bible leaves no room for doubt on that issue. However, we all know there are other issues in the Bible that we cannot hold with as much certainty. When will the rapture occur? Are the charismatic gifts still in operation today? Issues like those, while one can come to a conclusion with a degree of certainty, do not come even close to the level of certainty as we have with Jesus’ divinity.

This thought is nothing new, but what I struggle with is how do I express the differing levels of certainty? Specifically, for me, how do I do so in the pulpit? Do I simply not teach on those issues that I am not 100% certain on? Do I teach on what all of the views are and leave the laymen to decide for themselves? Do I teach all my doctrinal conclusions on the same level of certainty? It seems that wisdom will dictate what to do in each situation, but how do I guard myself from the extremes?

I leave this post with more questions than answers. These thoughts are usually sparked by books I read and professors I listen to, so don’t think that anything is original. In the end it makes me look forward to glory when I won’t have to think of such things.

bry

Pride Cometh

2009-03-23T19:03:00.001-07:00

Pride has been called the root of all sin, and rightly so. The first sin (if we can even talk about the concept of time in this instance) occurred when Satan, exalted in pride, tried to overcome God himself. There is a biblical difference between wrong pride (self-exalting pride) and right pride (others-exalting pride).

A Father’s pride in his daughter when she does well in school. An American’s pride in his nation when he hears of a hero in the service over seas. Paul took great pride in the Corinthian church (cf. 2 Cor. 7:4). What could we say was in John’s mind other than pride when he said that he had “no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 Jn. 4)? There is a sense in which pride can be a good thing.

Contrasted against that right pride, we are all aware of wrong pride. Its what turns us off of sports stars. Its what makes us hate the bad guys in the movies. We love to quote Proverbs 16:18, and always in the flowery language of the KJV, “Pride cometh before the fall.” The prophets constantly berate against the pride of the various nations – look it up in a concordance sometime, it’s surprising! This is the type of pride that comes to mind when we first think of the word. This is the wrong kind of pride.

I write this because I have a question. This morning I jokingly wrote in a tweet that since I was getting fitted for a tux today for my brother’s wedding in August I would have to maintain my incredible muscular build until then which, unfortunately, is a lie. As long as I keep eating popcorn and cookies each day I should have no problem maintaining my shape.

Now, I don’t feel particularly guilty about being sarcastic and poking fun at myself, but if we analyze that type of joke (which occur all the time around us) what it breaks down to being is a presentation of false pride. Perhaps at its root it is a way to humble oneself as you admit your own faults, but is that all it is? Or does it fit into the category of wrong pride?

What is further interesting about this question is that it can’t be answered by one of those WWJD questions. There certainly was a category for sarcasm in Jesus’ day (cf. Gal. 5:12), but self-deprecating humor would have been unrecognizable in his culture. Even today if you were to travel outside of North America you would see that this type of humor generally does not exist to the degree that it does on our turf.

So, what’s the answer? Is this wrongful pride, or does this type of humor defy the categories I’ve created?

bry

Mohler Question

2009-03-19T08:25:00.001-07:00

I sent a tweet to Albert Mohler during his weekly question and answer radio program yesterday and he actually answered it! I asked for him to define what the synoptic problem is and how big of a deal it really is. The “synoptic problem” basically deals with the theories of Matthew, Mark, and/or Luke some how depending upon each other when writing their Gospels. It sounds complicated, but Dr. Mohler does a great job explaining what it is. If you are interested you can either download it or stream it. My question is answered just after the 21:00 mark.

bry

Windows 7

2009-03-12T08:56:00.001-07:00

I know I’m a wanna-be geek, I can’t deny it. I think a more accurate picture would be that I’m a poor man’s geek. I like to keep up on the tech industry, especially on the consumer side, but rarely do I actually indulge in the geekery since I usually can’t afford it.

A little over a month ago I installed the (free) Windows 7 Beta. I’ve been using it as my main operating system since then and I am impressed. Granted, this is the first beta of an operating system that I’ve used, but based on the stories I’ve heard, I should not be having such a smooth time. I have had next to no problems with it. In fact, my laptop came with Vista on it, but Windows 7 runs better than Vista ever did!

I could give you a preview of all the features and whatnot, but for those of you who care it is enough to merely say that Windows 7 is Vista done right. My advice for you is if you are going to be in the market for a PC in the near future, hold off until Windows 7 comes out – it is worth it. Most people are expecting it to be released this year, probably during the summer. Wait if you can, you won’t regret it.

bry

Dry Orthodoxy

2009-03-07T21:06:00.001-08:00

The existence of dead, dry orthodoxy has been used as reason for the rise of many movements in the Church. To counteract the perceived staleness appeals to parachurch prayer gatherings, to the seeking of charismatic gifts, to the promotion of ancient and modern mystics, and more have been prescribed. Those things may sometimes have their merits but they have usually proved to be worse than placebos, leaving the Church in more dire straits than previously. Why is this? I came across a great quote from John MacArthur on why this is and I thought I would pass it along to you.

Lifeless, dry orthodoxy is the inevitable result of isolating objective truth from vibrant experience. But the answer to dead orthodoxy is not to build a theology on experience. Genuine experience must grow out of sound doctrine. We are not to base what we believe on what we have experienced. The reverse is true. Our experiences will grow out of what we believe.

(Quoted from Charismatic Chaos, p. 13 in Truth Endures, p. 53)

bry

More Acronyms

2009-03-07T09:18:00.001-08:00

Today’s B.C. cartoon reminds me of my annoyance!

bry

Photo Pet Peeve

2009-03-05T21:15:00.001-08:00

Do you want to know another annoyance of mine? Well… too bad, because you are going to. This pet peeve is stock photos. Actually, it’s a little more specific: stock photos of people.

In the audio world there are databases of sound effects, which should be expected. If you need to include the sound of a 22 rifle being fired, it makes sense to have someone just record it once and then allow others to use it. But if you were going to advertise your rock band on the radio, you better be sure it was your band’s music that was used in the commercial. There are integrity issues there, but going further, why would you want to advertise your band with someone else’s recordings? What are you saying about yourself?

This is where the parallel is for me: I am bugged when I open up a church website or even a church bulletin to find generic pictures of people I don’t even know! Who is that guy smiling at me, telling me that he is happy with this worship folder? Should I know that family playing volleyball together? That kid sure is cute, but I’m pretty sure that’s the Rockies in the background and you are in Wisconsin. Who are these people? Why can’t you find nice pictures of your own people so you can accurately reflect who you are instead of who you wish you could be?

Again, probably me over-magnifying. And again, I’ll probably be using stock photos in my church bulletin next year. Don’t get me wrong, stock photos can be helpful, like the ones I usually attach to a blog post. But when it comes to promoting your church, how about actually using some pictures from your church?

bry

Family Pictures

2009-03-02T14:34:00.001-08:00

For those of you who did not see them on facebook, we posted some pictures over the weekend of the family. In theory, you should be able to see them through this link. Let me know if there are any problems.

bry

Acronym Annoyance

2009-02-26T21:05:00.001-08:00

One of my pet peeves in life is abused acronyms. Just a few days ago some Republicans starting pushing for the “Internet SAFETY Act,” which conveniently stands for “Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating the Exploitation of Today’s Youth Act.” Gee, that really helps me remember it. Think of the poor person who had to dream that one up, and then imagine the excitement they experienced when they realized they had done it!

What really bugs me about acronyms is when they are used to express some comprehensive concept. Businesses and churches do this all the time with mission statements. I remember walking into a Pizza Hut a few months ago and seeing their mission statement. It was a 6 point statement that just happened to spell “P.E.A.R.L.S”. I won’t take the time to dispel what they all stand for, but one example will suffice. The “S” stands for, “Think Safety First”. Now, shouldn’t that letter be a T? What makes it so the F is left out? I think we would be hard pressed to find a Pizza Hut employee who actually knows their mission statement, let alone the acronym!

I guess what gets me is that it is thought that since these letters fit in an acronym, it must be comprehensive and true. I can respect that Pizza Hut acronym in that it at least seems that they came up with their mission first, and then squeezed an acronym out of it. The one’s that really bug me are the ones that start with the letters and then find their mission statement from that. It seems to me that is doing the process backwards and you are just forcing yourself to work within the confined space of a particular word.

I don’t no, maybe I make too much of this, but that’s what pet peeve’s are for, right? Just watch, a year from now I’ll find myself dreaming up some acronym for the mission statement I’ve made. Or worse, I’ll be doing it the other way around.

bry

Pickles & Italian

2009-02-24T21:04:00.001-08:00

Pickles with spaghetti. Pickles with lasagna. Pickles with almost anything Italian. Everyone knows the tradition originated with the Randall family, which is my mom’s side of the family. Yet tonight when a friend saw us eating pickles with our dinner, my wife had the audacity explained that it was “a Wolff thing”!

When my grandparents passed the tradition of Italian pickle-eating on to my mom’s generation, I wonder if it was indeed a Randall thing, or was it an Ekstrand thing? Who would be willing to associate themselves with this tradition? Who started it anyway?

As far as our friend was concerned, all she needed to know was that it was “a Wolff thing”. After all, on our level of the family tree it was an accurate statement. Meggan was happy, just as my dad has been for so many years, to be able to blame the in-laws for this one. Despite the ability to trace this strange tradition through the generations, the truth of the matter is that I, along with my brother and sister, will be known as those responsible for bringing pickle eating into our own families, and my dad will not get a chance to explain himself.

I could try to draw some nice spiritual lesson out of this, like the reality of labels in life, or the need to pick and choose battles, but I think I will just leave it as an observation. All I know is that I come from strong pickle-eating-with-Italian-food stock, and so will my wife.

bry

Hero

2009-02-23T11:46:00.001-08:00

One of the best parts of being a dad is being able to play the role of hero. When the batteries are dead in a certain toy who does my daughter run to? The guy who can fix it! Me! When a wheel breaks off of one of her toy cars, who does she go to? Dad! Dad can fix anything! I am her hero.

Sometimes, though, Dad simply can’t fix it. We may be out of the AA batteries that we need. The plastic wheel may have broke in too many places making repair impossible. What happens to my hero status then? If Dad can’t fix it, her worldview is smashed! In my daughter’s world Dad can make anything better.

When that happens, what an opportunity for me! Yes, her world may be shattered because Dad failed her, but you know who will never fail her? Jesus Christ. Her ultimate hope cannot rest in Dad, but it can rest in Jesus. I don’t know the theology of toys in heaven, but I can tell her that someday we can live in a place where batteries never die or where plastic wheels never break. And why is that? Because of Jesus. Because of the Good News. Because of the Gospel.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:3-5a)

bry

Pooh at Disneyland

2009-01-21T16:49:00.001-08:00

Nana & Papa Wolff (my mom and dad) have come to visit us, and we had a blast at Disneyland on Saturday. We have a friend who is an animator for Disney so he was able to get most of us in for free. Lillian loved every moment of it. In fact, at the end of the day she pretty much just collapsed in her stroller because she was so tired! This is a video of Lillian’s favorite part, and that was being able to meet Pooh! I haven’t had time to edit it or anything, so please forgive the unnecessary length, but I still thought you would enjoy it!

bry

Suffering Well

2009-01-10T20:37:00.001-08:00

Earlier today I mentioned in a tweet/status update that I am amazed at how well our Bible Study suffers. I can’t exactly remember the order of all the events, but here is a list of what has happened in the past 6 months or so.

Dan, the leader of our group, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in July and has been pretty much shut down ever since. Check here for more.
Doug and Suzie were expecting a little one but the Lord decided to take the little one to be with him.
We rejoiced with Brian and Jacqueline at the news of their coming baby, but soon prayers were needed when Brian lost his job. Thankfully the Lord has come through with another opportunity and Brian is working yet again.
Michelle and Flavio were excited for their third child to arrive, but the Lord had other plans and chose to take little Jackson to be with him.
Ken worked in the property-assessing business, and obviously that took a big hit last year. His whole department was let go but he was allowed to stay on until the end of 2008, so he is now looking for a job.
Tim and Chelly had their 5th child in July and a few months later he lost his job. Thankfully another friend in the Bible Study was able to provide a job for him, until this past week…
Jim and Billie, who both were on the board of this company, experienced a hostile takeover by some very unreasonable men and not only find themselves unemployed, but also battling for some other assets they have/had. In addition to that they are burdened for some unsaved members of their family.

I’m sure I’m missing some others, and I’m sure this list will grow in the months to come. We were joking last night during our time together that we have a Jonah in our midst. We need to figure out who in the group should be thrown overboard!

I write all this because I am beyond encouraged by all the members of this study. Not once – and I really mean never – have I seen any of them lose their trust in God. God has always been their number 1 priority. They lean on one another for strength. Our study is the Body of Christ in action. They each have echoed David’s sentiments in Psalm 18:

I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.

I have known only a few saints before who suffer so well, and I pray that if and when the time comes I will follow in their example. Praise God for such faithful people to be in fellowship with! It is our privilege to know them.

bry

Law and Grace

2009-01-09T10:30:00.001-08:00

Law and grace. Ever since Martin Luther’s “Tower Experience” Protestants have seen a sharp dichotomy between the two. In Luther’s day the Roman Church had become so overbearing in people’s lives that all that existed in religious life was law. Indeed, one can see how Luther experienced that in his own life with tales of his days in the monastery. The freedom found in realizing that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works was astounding.

Protestants today have inherited this contrast between law and grace, but I think we have come far enough in our understanding that it is time we start deemphasizing the distinctions. To be sure, the debate of how the law relates to the Christian life will not be solved by me – especially in such a short blog post – but I think there is a need to slightly change our perspective.

When Christians look at the Gospels we see people like the Pharisees who live under the law and at best feel sorry for them. We are raised with the tendency to think that before Jesus, people earned their salvation.We look at the Old Testament and feel sorry for the people who had to live under that oppressive law. Nothing could be further from the truth.

First of all, salvation has always been by faith. Way back in Genesis 4 with Cain and Abel, faith was the difference between their relationships with God. We are told of how Enoch “walked with God,” and how it was “by faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death.” Old Testament saints were saved by faith – salvation has always been by faith.

My main concern, however, is with how we view the law. We view the law as something overbearing and harsh, but that is hardly the biblical view of the law. Psalm 1:2 says that a blessed man delights in the law. Psalm 119 says something along the lines of “I love your law” 4 times (1, 2, 3, 4), and expresses the same sentiment over and over again. Did the psalmists have a strange love for pain, or do we have a wrong view of the law? The answer should be obvious.

To some degree there is a right dichotomy between law and grace – especially when it comes to one’s understanding of salvation. However, I would contend that the law itself is a gift of God’s grace. For the Old Testament saint, the giving of the law was nothing short of an act of grace. Most pagans of their day had no idea what their gods demanded of them. Therefore, they constantly lived under a cloud of fear because they may cross their gods and not realize it. For those who worshipped Yahweh, they knew what Yahweh expected. How loving of Yahweh to lay out his rules for his people! What an act of grace!

As I read Scripture I often need to remind myself of this because I have been so steeped in our separation of law and grace. We need to take a step back and realize that the law itself is an act of grace. Off the top of my head the only verb I can think of that is attributed to God that is not of grace is probably judgment. God’s act of creating was an act of grace. God’s sending of his Son was an act of grace. God’s giving of the law was an act of grace.

The picture at the top of this post implies that the law was indeed overbearing for the Israelites. It drove them to fear. It’s almost implied that God gave the law so he could justifiably judge people. The God of the Old Testament is not a God of judgment and wrath. God has always been a God of love and of grace.

How do you see it? Law and grace, or law as grace?

bry

4th Year Anniversary

2009-01-08T07:29:00.001-08:00

4 years, 2 kids, and a big move ago we were wed!

Mosab Hassan Yousef

2009-01-05T10:00:00.001-08:00

Check out this story. I wanted to pass it along to you both to be encouraged but also to be sure to pray for this man.

bry

1/1/09

2009-01-01T22:14:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year! I thought I would start the blogging year off right with a post on the first day! I could make a resolution for how much we will blog, but resolutions are just guilt inducing mechanisms and I already carry around enough guilt as it is.

We have been busy these past few weeks, and by “busy” I mean ridiculously busy. Noah is already 4 weeks old, though he technically won’t be a month old until tomorrow – if you can explain that one to me, you get 10 points. I have to tell you, no offense to any of you parents of one child out there, but the truth is you really have not even begun to experience parenting until you have 2 of them! It is thoroughly exhausting, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

We had a wonderful Christmas. Lillian had been waiting for weeks for us to get a Christmas tree, so finally the Saturday before we went and got our tree (a real tree from Target of all places). Earlier that day I took Lillian up into the mountains with some families from the Korean church and we went sledding. Lillian was a natural when it comes to the snow – it must be that Minnesota blood.

We had a quiet Christmas, staying at home with the family all day and talking to both sides of the family via Skype. Most of Lillian’s presents centered on the theme of Cars, Meggan’s on the theme of sugar, Noah’s on the theme of clothing, and mine on the theme of electronics (says a lot about us). After the kids were down for their naps Meggan and I were quickly packing because we were getting ready to leave for a weekend trip to Virginia.

Christmas night we sent Lillian to sleep at our good friend’s apartment while we got the car packed for the next morning. We went to Virginia because there is a church there that I had been talking to the past few months. We finally got to the stage where they needed to have face-to-face interviews, so I went through a few “grill Bryan” sessions, which were actually a lot of fun for me.

In addition to the interviews, which all went very well, I was given the chance to provide pulpit-fill for the pastor. He was going on vacation with his family that Sunday so he needed someone to preach. I was more than willing to do it when he asked me! I chose to preach out of the last part of John 3 and John the Baptist’s final testimony – the sermon basically focused on making much of Christ in our lives while making less of ourselves.

After watching the Vikings barely win on Sunday after church we had a self-guided tour in Washington D.C. which was pretty tough going until we discovered the GPS in the glove compartment. We didn’t have much time so we experienced drive-by site seeing. At least I can say I’ve seen the White House, the Pentagon, and all the others!

We got back from our trip this last Monday and have been trying to get our lives into a little more normal of a schedule. Yesterday I drove to Fresno to meet with a pastor from Iowa about a possible position there. It was a very nice time talking with this man and his wife – we’ll see where the Lord takes it.

Meanwhile, I also wanted to let you know of a few prayer requests on our end. First of all, with all of this candidating stuff (remember, that is Greek for “job-hunting”), we would really appreciate your prayers for the Lord’s guidance in all those matters. I am incredibly encouraged that there are many churches out there looking for someone like me, so now it is about narrowing the list down.

Also, you can be praying for Meggan and dealing with the two little ones at home. You can imagine all that goes into that. In addition to that, I will be starting school up again next week – my final semester. I have a feeling my motivation level will be at an all time low as I am ready to get out of here, so please pray that the Lord will keep me faithful to the task at hand.

Finally, I thought I would throw a couple resent links at you for your interest.

It’s never too late to jump into one of these. I highly encourage you to pick one and stick to it!
I was called out on some of my heretical views (tongue firmly in cheek) over here.
This is a must see video for any Christian.
This year is John Calvin’s 500th birthday and many are organizing reading schedules of his works. See here and here and here.
One of my favorite profs. at school has recently been blogging here. I usually find his posts very authentic and humbling. I hope I can “do” theology in my life as he does it now.
I listened to this interview today and thought it was great on the topic of counseling.

Alright, that should get you through until the next post. Happy New Year to you!

bry

More Pictures

2008-12-14T21:22:00.001-08:00

For those interested Papa Jones has been posting some pictures from the past week or so here.

I’m running out of titles…

2008-12-08T10:42:00.001-08:00

A Few At Home

2008-12-06T19:48:00.001-08:00

Noah Alan (round 3)

2008-12-03T11:10:00.001-08:00

Noah Alan (round 2)

2008-12-02T21:21:00.001-08:00

Noah Alan

2008-12-02T13:43:00.001-08:00

Here are the first few pictures. We’ll put more up later!

Noah Alan was born at 12:15 P.M. weighing in at 6 pounds 10 ounces. We’re still waiting on the rest of the stats.

We named him Noah because of the biblical character whose righteousness God recognized. “Alan” is from Meggan’s dad’s middle name – a man who has had strong spiritual impact on our family.

bry

To My Baby:

2008-11-30T19:05:00.001-08:00

I wrote this post say back on August 15th, 2006 in anticipation of Lillian's birth. I was going to write a whole new letter to the next little one, but when I sat down to do it I realized that it would pretty much say the same thing, only with a few details that are different. So, rather than writing the same thing all over again, I thought I would simply repost this letter in anticipation of #2! Enjoy!

To my baby,

What a strange anticipation. When Christmas or a birthday comes around, there often is still anticipation, yet it is planned-anticipation. You see, every year Christmas lands on December 25th. Every year, your birthday lands on the same date. Yet, for the birth of a baby, there is no set date that the average human can know. Oh sure, some people cheat and plan a cesarean (“C-section”) or a planned inducement – but for us “old fashioned” (or, just normal) types, the date is unknown.

This anticipation, because of the unknown date, is full of not only excitement, but wonderment and pain. Wonderment because of your kicks and punches, because of your hiccups, because of your response to our voices – because of the Lord’s knitting. Pain because of the backaches, the sympathy-backaches, the added weight, the sympathy-weight (uh oh, 10 pounds!), the sore feet, and sometimes those same kicks and punches too! This anticipation is unlike any other.

The hour could be the next, or it could still be weeks away. Those false-contractions at first worried us a little bit, and they still worry us a little bit, but when we heard from your soon-to-be Grandmother that the more contractions now the less later on, we welcome them! Don’t worry, your mother will do just fine – in fact, when she sees you, she’ll forget all about those contractions.

Your mom is to the point where she is ready for you to come now! Just last night she was reading about what to eat and drink in order to induce labor. She even wanted me to pick her up some castor oil when a friend told us that it encourages labor to start! She has our bag, as well as your bag all packed and ready to go. The car seat is waiting for you in the car, with a stroller in the trunk. Really, she has everything all set for you.

As for a place to stay once we leave the hospital, no need to worry. We have a nice comfy crib all set up for you with brand new bedding. I apologize that you will have to sleep in the living room, but there isn’t much I can do about that. Actually, there is. At least for the first few months you will be sleeping in the bedroom with us in a pack-and-play. I wouldn’t know, but I hear those are fairly comfortable. Regardless of the comfort, you will be real close to mom and dad so whenever you quietly cry out (quietly, right?) we will be right there – or at least we will be able to hear you.

Your mom already made me give up my dresser because we have so many clothes for you! You sure have a lot of people who already love you even though you haven’t even taken your first breath. Everyone is waiting for you! I know you are going to have a lot of visitors coming from all over the country. As often as we can we will be sure to take you to see your grandparents, but don’t worry, they already are planning to come to see you as soon as you are here.

You see, we are all waiting in this strange anticipation. Part of me says, “wait!”, for I feel like there is a lot to do before you get here. But then again, part of me says “hurry up!”, because I can’t wait to hold you. I can’t wait to hear you. I can’t wait to simply see you. There is so much I want you to see, to hear, to smell – and I want to be there every time you have one of those experiences for the first time.

I know that in no time you will be talking and walking. After that you will be going to school, working at a job, going to college, having a career, and then (many many years down the road) dating. And before you know it you will be having babies of your own, experiencing this strange anticipation. So, that’s why I say “wait! Slow down!” You already are all grown up even though you haven’t yet had to scratch an itch.

What a strange anticipation. The gift of God that you are, you will come in His timing. Your mom and I will be stuck in this state of strange anticipation until you decide to debut yourself to this world. I’m glad, though, that we don’t have to long be content in this situation. Everyone says you will be here before we know it, but I’m telling you, hurry up! What a strange anticipation.
Love,
Dad
(P.S. Yet another strange thing – that’s the first time I’ve ever signed something “love, Dad”.)

The Ultimate Hope

2008-11-28T15:09:00.001-08:00

I enjoy watching movies. After a long day at work and school, I love sitting back and getting lost in a story. I appreciate how films can point me to themes found in God’s story of redemption – themes like forgiveness, faithfulness, justice, and love. Yet all those themes pale in comparison to God’s use of them in His story.

Despite my love for the cinema I find that almost always a movie leaves me feeling the same way: depressed. “Depressed” is a big word, so I better nuance my use by saying that it leaves me feeling empty, sorrowful, or hopeless.

For us Christians we have ultimate hope. Everything we do in life is done in the shadow of the reality of Christ and our promised future. Everything we do points to a higher purpose. Thus, even if we are facing persecution or imminent death, we have ultimate hope. As much as I find the bestseller unhelpful, the Christian does indeed have “A Purpose Driven Life”. The Christian is called to fix their eyes on Christ and to run the proverbial race of life with Him as the goal or purpose of it all.

Those movies leave me feeling hopeless precisely because they lack that higher purpose. Even when the protagonist accomplishes their goal – even if that goal is saving the world from impending danger or finally getting their dream job – that goal is empty to me, and I think it is precisely because I experience the ultimate hope.

What is even more interesting is the fact that I think those who do not have the ultimate hope don’t even miss it! Nowhere in Scripture are people presented as having a “God-shaped hole” in their hearts or having an insatiable appetite that can only be met by God. Rather, people are depicted as enemies of God instead of seeking after God. They are busy chasing after what their heart truly desires, and that is certainly not God. Let me remind you that we as Christians would be the same but for God’s grace. In fact, we still struggle with those sinful desires every day. Moreover, those without the ultimate hope by God’s grace can change.

Instead of seeking after the ultimate hope, people are lost in their sin. They are blinded to the ultimate reality of Christ. Their hearts are hardened toward God. Thus, when they point to hope they are always pointing to a much lesser hope than the Christian’s hope. Those movies are forced to point to hopes like defeating the enemy, winning the championship, or kissing the dream girl – not the ultimate hope of eternal life with God.

Just as once you try Godiva chocolate, Hershey’s bars never taste as good, those of us who have tasted the Lord and seen that He is good have our expectations raised as to what hope is. It is our duty to spread the Good News of hope to those who will hear it. It should be so obvious to others around us that it exists that they ask about it. We have the hope of eternal life. We have the hope of perfect communion with Christ. We have the ultimate hope.

bry

Wolff’s Saturday Adventure

2008-11-22T16:55:00.001-08:00

Well, last night we watched Father of the Bride II in prep for our big day. In the movie it says that the woman were weighing in at 128 and 130…..I cannot say that true of myself. Oh well.

Anyway, as we were watching the movie Bryan suggested that we go find the Father of the Bride home while we still live in CA. So after some searching on the internet Bryan found the address and directions.

The home is located in Pasadena in a beautiful neighborhood. The neighborhood looks very mature (none of those oh so common cookie-cutter houses and newly planted trees). This house was just used to shoot the exterior shots and not the inside shots. It was very nice walking around the neighborhood. I hope you enjoy the pictures and get a feel for what the surrounding homes look like.

The house is located on El Molino. Notice throughout the photo’s the cute light poles. Also enjoy pictures of the surrounding homes.

The house from across the street.

That’s our baby boy.

This is the soon to be big sister and mom of two.

Also,

These are the trees out on the boulevard.

“I painted that fence.”

“I laid these bricks with my own two hands.”

More tree’s in front of the house.

And

The road Brian and Annie drove away on in the end.

(Imagine it without the yellow hazard sign).

Compel Them to Come In

2008-11-17T15:45:00.001-08:00

Do you have friends who are not saved? I would hope you do, and not just for the sake of friendship, but also for the sake of evangelization. How can you say you are their true friend if you do not warn them of the coming judgment and tell them of the Good News?

I just finished reading a sermon by Charles Spurgeon entitled, “Compel Them to Come In”. It is full of many little nuggets, but read this one on the earnestness he felt for the lost: “I say again, when words fail us we can give tears—for words and tears are the arms with which gospel ministers compel men to come in.” Do you love your unsaved friends, family members, enemies, et al to the point where you weep for them in their spiritual state? Talk about conviction! I encourage you to take the time to read the rest of the sermon. The English is sometimes a little foreign for our day, but persevere and get through it – you won’t regret it.

bry

The Downpour of Worldliness

2008-11-14T13:58:00.001-08:00

The other evening while Meggan was at a seminary wives Bible study, Lillian and I were finishing up dinner when all of a sudden I heard this phrase come out of her mouth multiple times: “Oh my Gosh!” I froze in shock as that phrase is not something Meggan or I ever say, quickly trying to figure out where she learned it. I didn’t say anything to her about it because I wasn’t sure that if I did it might validate the phrase in her mind as a “no no” and thus tempt her to say it again. So, instead I distracted her with something else, all the while pondering where she learned that phrase.

To be certain, she has no idea what is behind that phrase. Her concept of God is pretty much that he made her, loves her, and is the one we thank for our food and day. So where did she hear that phrase before and why did it stick in her head that way? Then I figured it out, at least partially.

Lillian loves watching her “shows”. We have gathered a collection involving everything from Baby Einstein to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. And of all her “shows” (as we call them) her absolute favorites are the Disney shows. To be more precise, it is the Pixar movies – A Bugs Life, Toy Story, etc. Her absolute favorite right now is Cars. That’s right, my 2 year old daughter is obsessed with Cars. Lighting McQueen, Mater the tow truck, and Sally the sports car are her favorite characters. She loves to see fire trucks and semis on the highway, and is convinced that daddy drives a race car whenever she rides with me.

We try to limit Lillian on her TV time. It is the cheapest baby sitter we know of, but we try to make a point of at least watching the movie with her and interact with her while it is playing. I was watching Cars with her a few weeks ago and noticed at least twice that the phrase “Oh my Gosh” was used. It caught my attention, but I thought that of all the words and phrases used in Cars, the chances of Lillian catching on to that one is rather slim. Boy was I wrong. My best guess as to why that phrase stuck in my little girl’s head is because it is used (in the movie and in real life) to express surprise, and surprises always get our attention.

I am overwhelmed at the call I have to train my children, how I am to lead and protect my family, when worldliness seeps into our lives wherever it can. Just as rain faithfully finds the holes in your roof, so does worldliness faithfully find its way into your home. I can do my best to protect my home, but the reality is on this side of glory that there will always be holes in my roof.

If she were older I would take this opportunity to teach Lillian some principles about right and wrong, as well as how to think as a Christian in the world. I would and am trying my best to protect our family. For now,though, I’m forced to just try to distract Lillian from the rain seeping through the roof, hoping she doesn’t get too wet.

bry

And the Beat Goes On

2008-11-11T15:44:00.001-08:00

Well, the countdown is on. The little widget on the right tells me (as I post this) that we have 19 days until the due date. Meggan has been working hard on getting our home and lives ready for the little guy. Lillian is successfully being potty trained (notice, the verb is in the present tense). And I’ve been enjoying a lighter-than-usual homework load, but still keeping busy. We are enjoying life right now and thank the Lord for his daily mercies. Hopefully in the near future we will get some pictures of Meggo-Prego up here, but until that day here are some recent links that caught my attention:

A moving article about remembering our Vets today.
On that same note, here is a movie I recently enjoyed you can watch online for free.
Some good news for us online media consumers.
I wish we had been warned about this before we watched them all.
Two items for you music lovers out there. I like the business model of this site, and I may have mentioned this one before, but just in case I have not go check it out.
If you fear getting the flu, maybe this will comfort you (or add to your fear I suppose).
For you Windows geeks out there, here is a nifty tool I’ve been using lately.
The NWC administration responds to what is going on there.
One final one: don’t forget to continue to pray for this family.

bry

Nerdiness

2008-11-05T09:03:00.001-08:00

I’m a nerd, I know, but I still wanted to point this article out to you. In the midst of all the election coverage yesterday the FCC said that Google’s plan with the “white space” was a.o.k. When all of the TV stations have switched over to digital signals, the airwaves that the stations once used will be or are now opened up, and Google wants to use that so called “white space” to offer wireless connections to the internet. And we’re talking about long-range connections so in theory most of America could be blanketed with this access to the internet! I personally can’t wait for this to rollout and am still secure in my nerdiness. And you do need to be worried because it is contagious.

bry

Rom. 8:28 & The Election

2008-11-03T08:35:00.001-08:00

A fellow seminary student, a coworker, and a friend wrote this article (ok, they are all the same person) and I couldn’t agree with him more.

bry

Reformation Day

2008-10-31T08:58:00.001-07:00

Happy Reformation Day to you. On this day nearly 500 years ago Martin Luther nailed the 95 thesis on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The Reformation is marked by men who, like Luther, were willing to die for their beliefs. Martyrs like Hus, Tyndale, Zwingli, and the like.

I’ve been pondering lately about taking stands for one’s beliefs as the Reformers did. They were ready to die for what they believed in. Beliefs like having Bible translations, the doctrine of justification, the dangers of false doctrines, etc. I’ve been forced to ask myself this question, and I want to pose it to you too: what are you willing to die for? Or at least, what convictional stands would you take that could have consequences?

Those are real questions I have to face myself because who knows what life will be like in America in the coming years/decades. Will I be willing to be fined instead of marrying a homosexual couple? Will I be willing to be thrown in jail for preaching the exclusivity of Christ? Will I be willing to die for evangelizing?

We all need to reflect on and be thankful for the Reformers. They chose hills to die on – and often times they literally died. What hills are you willing to die on? Where would you follow the Reformer’s example and stand for truth no matter what the consequences?

bry

Boatload of Links

2008-10-28T15:12:00.001-07:00

I haven’t done one of these in a while and today there is a boatload of information coming my way so I thought I would pass some of it along to you. In no particular order:

All I can say is, I appreciate the man and his organization for many things, but this is a major reason I try to distance myself from him.
Exciting news out of Grace To You for those of you who appreciate John MacArthur (as you should).
If this is true it is way too funny. Swooning the Chiefs but now switching to the Lions? Could it get worse?
I knew that the school was heading this direction from my experience there but I did not realize it was this serious.
Here comes the next version of Windows aptly named “Windows 7”. Sounds like they are hoping to launch it mid-next year. So long Vista (though I am one of the few who like Vista)!

bry

HSM3

2008-10-26T15:21:00.001-07:00

We are semi-responsible for this. Ok, only about $25 of it, but still we contributed to it. Lillian really enjoyed it… and that was about it. Both Meggan and I thought it was pretty weak. We should say, however, that we didn’t like the 2nd movie at first as well, so maybe this 3rd installment will grow on us. Either way we can justify it with these words: Lillian really enjoyed it!

bry

Fire and Nice

2008-10-22T09:07:00.001-07:00

I bet most of you Minnesotans had no idea that the Twin Cities was such a theological/ecclesiological hotbed.

bry

My Computing Memories

2008-10-17T09:02:00.001-07:00

One of the more popular posts in the history of this blog, believe it or not, was on video games. It was a top ten list of my favorite video games. The list stirred up many memories for people and I had a lot of fun reading comments on that post. In that same spirit I want to offer the following memories from my computing history:

I remember connecting dots on some computer program on our computer in the late 80’s. Would that have been an Apple II dad?

I remember playing Lode Runner, Ghost Busters, and Gorillas all on Papa’s computer. I remember Ghost Busters being on a large floppy disk (literally floppy!) and Gorillas being run from QBasic I believe. Papa also loved to write basic programming in QBasic for us, especially having a counting race between me and the computer (I always lost).

I remember watching dad showing me this thing called the internet for the first time. I believe he went through CompuServe, and then tried to download a game to play. Do you remember that dad? Was it CompuServe?

I remember the first CD-ROM we put on my dad’s laptop (which was probably 4 times as thick as the computer I’m using right now). The program was Microsoft Dinosaurs. We were amazed at the ability to watch video on the computer! One other thing on this, we had to put the CD in a special case and then insert that into the computer. Does anyone remember what that case was called?

I remember Microsoft Bob and even though it was directed at someone like me I was thoroughly confused as to how this thing was helpful, but that dog was cute.

I remember getting AOL (I think during a Christmas ‘96) and creating my first screen name. In fact, I still use that screen name as a junk-mail account and for instant messaging. And it was the first time I had to think of a password and I still sometimes use that original password!

Who knows what my children will be saying some time from now. It is hard to imagine that my kids are likely never to hear the symphony of a dial-up modem connecting to the internet or of a computer attempting to read a floppy disk. I have many more memories, and perhaps some of your comments will spur some others. I look forward to reading some of yours!

bry

Bryan’s Political Primer

2008-10-12T19:59:00.001-07:00

With little less than a month until the fateful day, I thought I would give you a political primer. Really, it is just my philosophy for voting, and I would be interested in it being critiqued by you and/or perhaps influencing you as well. Here it goes.

First, let me acknowledge that God is sovereign. This means that whether a Democrat, or Republican, or Socialist, or Libertarian, or Communist, or Monarchist is elected (I know some of those categories overlap… in fact, all of them do!), God is still in control. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.”

Second, I need to affirm that part of the Christian duty is to see to it that, as much as it is up to them, the least amount of evil is done in the world. Not only is the Christian fight in the world against sin (both personally and nationally in this case), but against the consequences of sin as well. At every turn, it is the Christian duty to oppose evil.

Third, I think that as a Christian voting you are always, whether you like it or not, voting for the lesser evil. I suppose if you were an optimist you could say you were voting for the greater good, but that’s just semantics. Except for the rule of Christ, there will never be a perfect ruler. There can be righteous rulers or good rulers, but never a perfect one. Thus, it is about the lesser of two evils.

Fourth, since “evils” must be defined by political positions, one must decide which political positions rightly deserve the label “evil”. Which issues that politicians have influence over involve the most evil? The most good that can be done is in the opposition of evil, so we could put it more positively: which issues that politicians have influence over involve the most potential for good?

Fifth, and logically, since it is the Christian’s duty to see to it that the least amount of evil is done in the world, then the Christian must use their vote to promote the least amount of evil existing.

There you go. That is Bryan’s political primer. Critique it please because I want to be as biblical in my thinking as possible on this subject. Here is how the application of my philosophy works itself out for me, at least on a national level:

It will come to no surprise to readers of this blog that I see abortion as the issue that truly deserves the label “evil” (see here and here for instance). I have yet to hear any argument to convince me otherwise. While I cannot see how a true Christian could be consistent in their thinking and thus faithful in their walk with Christ if they did not oppose abortion, I suppose the principle of labeling things evil could be applied to other political positions and a decision based off of that as well, such as the war, or health care, etc. Even if there is little hope for a complete overhaul of the scar of abortion on our society in the near future, I still think I have a moral obligation to do what I can to oppose the greatest evil in America with my vote.

How does the application of this philosophy come out for you? Is my philosophy mistaken? Let me know!

bry

An Excellent Recipe

2008-10-04T21:38:00.001-07:00

This week we enjoyed trying a new recipe for supper. We will definitely have it again. Here it is:

Grilled Chicken Adobo

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup lime juice

6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1. Combine onion, lime juice, and garlic in food processor / blender. Process until onion is finely minced. Transfer to a plastic bag. Add oregano, cumin, thyme, and red pepper; knead bag until blended. Place chicken in bag; press out air and seal. Turn to coat chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

2. Prepare grill. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Grill chicken. Transfer to clean serving platter and sprinkle with cilantro. (The cilantro added great flavor!!!)

This meal was very very good. The freshness of the onion, lime juice, garlic, and cilantro was GREAT. Hope you enjoy.

Blessings,

Meggan

Dinner out with our Youth Group

2008-10-01T22:30:00.001-07:00

In early September we went out with our youth group for supper at BJ’s Restaurant. We love being able to hang out with them besides on Sunday. I think you can tell by the pictures that Lillian totally loves it too.

A Goofy Girl. She knows to smile for the camera, but is still learning how to not do it so cheesy like. Oh well, she is very happy that’s what’s important.

An attractive couple.

This is Caleb, Calvin, and Jae.

A daddy and his girl.

This is Daniel and Richard.

A goofy youth pastor.

Pastor Bryan and Chris.

A mama with her girl.

A PK, Yikes.

Our youth group has been such a great blessing to us. We love them very much, and have built close relationships with them. They will be GREATLY missed when we leave.

Meggan

I’m Candidating!

2008-10-01T11:00:00.001-07:00

No, not for president or any other government position. Instead I have started the candidating process which is ministry-fancy-talk for job hunting. My resume is up on the seminary website and I created an online resume. Please be praying as the Lord directs this process. We are excited to see what he has in store for us!

bry

Random Pictures

2008-09-29T20:21:00.001-07:00

This is Lillian watching a Spot episode on the IPOD.

She loves being able to do this.

I'm glad the IPOD is good for something useful.

We spent the day in Oxnard for the TMS annual picnic.

Checking out the ocean. As always the ocean is FREEZING cold.

Our little girl getting sleepy and cuddling with daddy.

This is HUGE!!! The first time Lillian has fallen asleep with out a passy in her mouth. (I'm sure being in the car helped).

Hope you enjoyed.

Meggan

Continued Prayer

2008-09-28T21:06:00.001-07:00

Do you remember the friend we asked prayer for back in July? Please continue to be in prayer for Dan as it sounds like he is going to have to go back to the hospital with the next few weeks. It seems his status changes daily, so please keep praying in general for God’s grace to permeate he and his family and that they will continue to be strong witnesses for their Savior. He is doing well overall, but they are running out of options as to what treatments they can do for him. Go to the link provided through the earlier post to learn more of what issues are going on.

On another note, before he became sick HGTV and a show entitled Red Hot & Green filmed an episode at Dan’s house! You can use this link here to get to the shows website and then in the left column you can select shows to watch online! The episode of Dan and his family is entitled “Perfect Harmony”. It is a lot of fun to watch a show like that with people we know in it.

bry

You Better Believe It

2008-09-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Miss Hollywood

2008-09-18T20:54:00.001-07:00

Can you tell we’re getting excited?

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Bry & Meg

Little House

2008-09-17T08:42:00.001-07:00

Some families watch CSI, 24, or Lost. Us? We watch Little House on the Prairie. It took us a little over a year and half, but we have finally completed all the seasons of Little House. I know your opinion of at least me has probably lessened somewhat having read what I just wrote, but I can’t deny the truth: I like Little House.

In all honesty, if I weren’t a married man, I don’t think I would have ever touched Little House. Even while in the midst of watching the seasons with Meggan, if I were to watch something by myself, there are plenty of options I would have chosen before Little House. But I have to admit, I really enjoyed viewing the show with my wife, and will probably see it again with our kids.

I’m not going to try too hard to convince you that you need to watch it, but compared to the morality on most of today’s shows, Little House shines. The values presented by the writers are definitely what can be called “family values”. The historical context is actually very interesting when you think of life in 19th century America – let alone 19th century Minnesota! Sometimes it does get corny, but it isn’t nearly as bad as a show like Full House (then again, does anything beat Full House in that category?).

Here are some random thoughts for those of you who have ever watched the show. (1) Mary is the cutest of the Ingalls. (2) Harriet is more evil than Nelly ever was. (3) Where were Ma and Pa in the final season? (4) Whether or not he knew it, Reverend Alden espoused heresy a few times. (5) I’m glad I’m not a farmer. (6) The camera shot pulling out from the window got old. (7) The show made me us cry a few times.

Well, we now turn back to another show we have been watching for years, namely The Andy Griffith Show! Barney Fife can make me laugh harder than Zac Braff can any day. Call me old-fashioned or corny if you will, but we know our tastes: old-fashioned and corny.

bry

(By the way, High School Musical 3 comes out next month! More corniness for me!)

Lillian’s B-day Videos

2008-09-15T17:16:00.001-07:00

It took my a little while, but I have finally uploaded the videos from Lillian’s birthday. She kind of cheated as she celebrated her birthday in the middle of August too when Nana Wolff was in town, so this is her second celebration of her second (golden) birthday. Enjoy!

bry

Lord, Have Mercy

2008-09-13T11:05:00.001-07:00

In many hymns, worship songs, liturgies, etc. we find calls for God’s mercy toward us. Usually these calls are in reference to our sinfulness. Thus we call out, “Lord, have mercy” as if this is our prayer to Him regarding our sinful condition. Is this right?

My quick perusal of the New Testament use of the word mercy shows two kinds of use of the word “mercy” for Christians. The first is the wishing of mercy upon others. This can be with sicknesses, or just a general statement. Thus, for believers, God us merciful in the same sense that he is gracious to us. This type of mercy is a temporal mercy – limited to our condition on earth. Thus, it is not in and of itself a strictly spiritual plea. Instead, it is a plea for God’s mercy in a situation where, whether or not he chooses to show mercy toward us in it, our spiritual status before God does not change due to the next category of mercy.

The second is that God has already been merciful to us in the act of our justification. Thus, it is a past mercy that no long needs to be called for. God has shown us his mercy. God already was merciful to us. When we cried out for mercy and grace because of our sin, he gave us his mercy and grace. Thus, for those of us on this side of salvation, God has already shown us this mercy and continues to show us this mercy. It will never change. He has already put us in the state of being shown mercy.

My question is this then: if God has already shown us his mercy when it comes to our sinfulness, is it proper to continue to cry out for that type of mercy? When we say, “Lord, have mercy” are we in a sense crying our for salvation again – for forgiveness again? How can God re-justify us if we have already been justified?

Let me know your thoughts as I continue to try to think this through.

bry

MN Viqueens

2008-09-10T09:12:00.001-07:00

Minnesota Vikings. Does anything else raise more frustration in your mind? Probably if you could care less about the Vikings I suppose. But for me, the Vikings are my personal epitome of frustration. I don’t know what they are calling for in the Minnesota press, but here are two things I think ought to happen.

First, fine the wide receivers every time they drop a ball they should have caught. I know in many cases it would be a subjective call, but at this point I don’t care. Those guys are paid to run and catch balls, and if they only do half of their job they shouldn’t be paid. Let’s make the position of a Minnesota Viking receiver based completely off of commission. You get paid when you catch balls.

Second, say good bye to Tavaris. Don’t even keep him as a back up. Just give him a one way ticket out of the state. Remember those QB’s the Patriots were talking to on Monday? I think the Vikings ought to go get Chris Simms, Kevin O’Connell, or even that guy named Culpepper! Anything, anybody! Please!

Okay, maybe I’m a little too harsh on Tavaris, but still I think he should spend some significant time on the bench. He was given an entire off season to work on his game, and he still looked confused out there. Time to move on!

Come on Vikes. Do something, please!

bry

Lillian’s Beaus

2008-09-08T19:44:00.001-07:00

At the Korean church there are two brothers (Calvin & Caleb) who are fighting over Lillian. They both find themselves pining over her love during the week – or at least that’s what they tell her on Sundays. In fact, they have already asked for her hand in marriage multiple times. On Lillian’s birthday the older one (pictured on the left above) wrote Lillian a poem that I thought you might enjoy. It goes as follows:

I remember when you were so small
You looked so helpless and you used to crawl

With your pacifier and your blankie
You’d always smile… but never cranky

If it weren’t for your dad, I’d give you a call
Take you out and roam the mall

We could search outside and hunt a bear
Or catch a fish that we can share

You know you like me, better than my bro
So on Sunday tell him, that’s fosho’

Lets go ride the swings so high
I’ll be there when you fly

I hope you have a happy birthday
With you’re wonderful parent’s who will make your day

At 2 in the morning I’ll climb your vine
And in the lakeside we can dine

bry

Salvation Survery

2008-09-05T21:21:00.001-07:00

There is an absolutely excellent series on Grace To You this week. I highly suggest you find time to listen to the various broadcasts. The series is entitled Salvation Survey: Saved or Self Deceived? This is absolutely key for you to apply to yourself and to those around you. Read this quote from Wednesday’s broadcast:

“The only validation you will ever have of your salvation is a life of obedience. It is the only possible proof that you really recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ.”

Are you obedient to Christ? Are those you think might be Christians obedient to Christ? Give those broadcasts a listen.

bry

Priority of the Local Church

2008-09-03T09:21:00.001-07:00

This is a blog post I have had in the back of my mind for months. I’ve held off from doing it for multiple reasons, but probably the biggest is that I do not want to come off as trying to make any one of you think I have exactly you in mind as I write this. So, if you think I am writing to you, you’re right! I am writing this for you, however, I am also writing it for the one who read this post right before you did, and for the one who will read the post right after you.

The topic I want to address is the local church. I think that in American culture in general the local church has wrongfully been set aside more and more each decade. When I think of the readers of this blog (and yes, that includes you!) I also see a wrong prioritization when it comes to the local church. Before we get into this wrong prioritization, let me discuss a little bit about what I mean by the local church.

The local church can be defined as a committed gathering of a local group of believers. It is in this place that God has ordained the bulk of ministry in your life to take place. Based off of Acts 2:42-47 the primary ministries of the church can be summarized into five categories: (1) teaching, (2) fellowship, (3) worship, (4) service, and (5) evangelism. I don’t really want to get too deep into how those ministries work themselves out in this post, but it is enough to note that the local church is where those items are to primarily occur.

Assuming you are a true believer in Christ, you should desire to be obedient to his Word, and in Hebrews 10:24-25 we read, “…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” We are commanded in Scripture to be actively involved in the local church for mutual edification. To “forsake the assembling” is to disobey God.

My guess is that for most of you this is not very new material. You already know that the Bible says these things. You were taught this material before. So why am I writing this post? I’m glad you asked. In summary, as I said above, I think that most of us have wrongly prioritized our own involvement in the local church. Rather than making a long list of everything we make more important in our lives, let me share just a couple of thoughts.

First, the local church is for more than Sundays. The local church has fought this mind set for centuries. It could be said another way by noting that the local church is more than the general assembly that occurs on Sundays. It is more than the gathering at the building we call “church”. It is about being involved on relational levels with people of your church. It is about encouraging, helping, convicting, loving, praying for, rejoicing with others, and so much more. It is not just about singing a couple hymns and listening to the pastor for 30 minutes each Sunday.*

Second, for some unfortunately the local church isn’t even just for Sundays. They think that they can focus on their “personal relationship” with God and ignore all else. That is so contrary to God’s Word I don’t even know where to begin. The emphasis on that “personal relationship” was meant to bring balance to a culture of inherited Christianity (the assuming that everyone is a Christian around you, including oneself), but now it has gone to the other side of the scale and has led to radical individualism. There is massive importance given to the community of Christ in the Bible. While our “personal relationship” is very important, so is the community of those who have that same relationship. It is a balance. To emphasize one over the other in your life is to live out of balance.

Third, the local church is not just about receiving, but it is about giving. This is similar to the first point. The local church is about community. If you are simply an attendee of your church then you are more of a parasite than a member of the community. You are taking, but you are not contributing to any of the ministry going on. Get in there and get your hand’s dirty in ministry. Host a Bible study. Watch someone’s children. Help with the church garden. There are a vast number of opportunities to minister. Get in there and do it!

Fourth and last, we truly reveal our life’s priorities by how we actually live our lives. You may say that God is important in your life, but if you are not committed to your local church in any significant way, then you betray your heart. It may sound harsh, but what you actually are is a hypocrite. God has designed it so that ministry takes place primarily in the local church. If the local church is not a priority in your life, then you are saying that God’s way of working in your life is not a priority to you. Too often we make our careers, our vacations, our hobbies, etc. more important in our lives than the local church. What are your actual lived out priorities?

If you are at all feeling convicted, good! In all honesty, I feel convicted after writing this! I certainly have some wrong priorities in my life as well. Yet, I don’t want to lessen your own conviction just because mine exists as well. Instead, we ought to both try to get our priorities in life straight. My prayer is that this post will move you to action. My prayer is that it will move you to obedience to God’s word. Make the local church a priority in your life. By doing so you are making God a priority as well.

bry

*I think that newer emphases on parachurch ministries (i.e. Promise Keepers, BSF, Campus Crusades, etc.), though not a bad thing in and of itself, has strongly influenced our commitment to the local church as well. Many of those ministries can and should take place on the local church level. Churches have given up those aspects of ministry to parachurch ministries instead of using those ministries as an augment to their own.

Happy Birthday Sweet Lillian!!!

2008-09-02T08:05:00.001-07:00

Our little girl is 2 years old today. We give thanks to our Lord for His precious gift to us. What a blessing she is to Bryan and I each day.

When daddy comes home we will enjoy a nice family dinner followed by cupcakes and presents. Later we will post a few individual video clips of her opening presents from Nana and Papa Jones, Uncle Jason, Nana & Lyle, Auntie Kyleen, and Auntie Jen. Please check-in again soon.

Meggan

Abortion Is About God

2008-09-01T10:21:00.001-07:00

For more on this from Desiring God go here.

bry

From Our Vacation

2008-08-29T07:54:00.001-07:00

Simplify Media

2008-08-27T08:29:00.001-07:00

I’ve been playing with another free program lately and I thought you might really enjoy this one. In fact, if you use it I will be able to enjoy it much more as well! Let me explain a little bit.

The program is called Simplify Media. If you use iTunes or Winamp for managing your computer music collection this program will allow you to share your library over multiple computers. In other words, if you have more than one computer you are able to access your library from any other computer. If you have an iPhone or an iPod touch you can use an application to get to your library on there as well.

Now here is where it gets really neat. In addition to sharing music with yourself you can share with up to 30 friends. Thus, if you were to install the program and become my “friend” we would both have access to one another’s music libraries. You could listen to any or all of my music, along with the playlists I have made, and vice versa.

If this doesn’t make much sense check out their website for more information. Be sure to let me know if you install the program so we can add one another’s libraries. I would love to make use of this fun free program with you.

bry

Another Fall

2008-08-26T16:03:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful time on our mini-vacation. Perhaps we will post some pictures or videos later on. Meanwhile I have begun yet another semester of school. If I counted correctly this is my 21st Fall in a row where I start another semester of school. In fact, the only full semester I have had off was one Spring after we were married. Otherwise my life has been about school, school, and more school. Well, at least for another two semesters (counting this one) it will still be about school!

This semester I am back to full-time status (but barely) both for financial reasons and for when classes are offered. Thankfully I only have one more class that semi-scares me and I will be taking that in the Spring. So, though I am taking a larger load, I think the classes themselves are bearable. Now, if you are interested, the following are the classes I am taking in no particular order:

1) Ordination Preparation – this class is basically a “memorize the Bible” class. We will be working on memorizing key verses, outlines, people, and the like for every book of the Bible.

2) Theology 3 – this is the final general theology class I have left to take and it covers the topics of anthropology (study of man), hamartiology (study of sin), and soteriology (study of salvation).

3) Discipleship Lab – each student is required to take six “d-labs” during their tenure at TMS and this is my final one. It basically is a chance for professors to get to know you individually and to encourage the students spiritually.

4) Worship and Music – I think the title to this course should make the contents obvious. The first class isn’t until tomorrow so I don’t have a full picture of what the class is, but I am hoping that with my novice-background in music it should come fairly easy for me.

5) Apologetics and Evangelism – another class that is obvious as to what it is. For those of you who know what it means we will be given an overview of the various apologetic theories, and then focus in on presuppositionalism.

I believe that is it! Yet another first day of school for me – hopefully it will be the last Fall for some time.

bry

Love One Another

2008-08-24T01:51:00.001-07:00

While preparing for this Sunday’s sermon I ran across this quote from D.A. Carson in his commentary on John and thought you might enjoy it. In reference to Jesus’ new command to love one another (John 13:34), Carson writes:

“The more we recognize the depth of our own sin, the more we recognize the love of the Saviour; the more we appreciate the love of the Saviour, the higher his standard appears; the higher his standard appears, the more we recognize our selfishness, our innate self-centredness, the depth of our own sin. With a standard like this, no thoughtful believer can ever say, this side of the parousia, ‘I am perfectly keeping the basic stipulation of the new covenant.’

bry

Summer Camp

2008-08-18T19:47:00.001-07:00

I suppose it is about time we post something on this blog! We have a good excuse though, sort of. We just got back from camp… last Wednesday. Oh well. It was overall a great camp! Only one bee sting and a few small cuts by way of injury, which is a blessing in itself.

We brought 8 members of the youth from church to Lake Casitas Recreation Center. By “we” I mean myself, Meggan, Lillian, and my mom! There is no way we could have done it if it weren’t for mom (aka Nana) – thanks for all the help!

Some of the activities at camp included the water park which helped us stay cool in the California summer, biking with special bikes they had for rent, and more. Lillian particularly enjoyed chasing squirrels and running away from bees. I think Meggan’s favorite part was sleeping at night (it was exhausting).

My favorite time was the teaching time around the fire. The youth were very engaged and, when their energy-level allowed it, they were very excited as well. I basically gave them a theology of sin in 4 messages with a huge focus, of course, on the good news that God has not left humans to lay in their sin but has instead intervened in the coming of his Son.

Anyway, I could easily get preachy, but I just wanted to provide a quick update. This week we are going to do something we have never done before with just our family: a vacation. It will only be for a few days but we are looking to go to a large water park, spend a night in a hotel, go shopping at a mall, and finish it off cheering the Twins on in Anaheim. We will be sure to post some pictures when we get the chance.

bry

Before the Throne

2008-08-10T08:55:00.001-07:00

Why can’t I write lyrics like this?

Before the Throne

By: Charitie Less Bancroft

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong and perfect plea

A great High Priest whose name is love

Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands

My name is written on His heart

I know that while in heav’n He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end of all my sin

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free

For God, the Just, is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there, the risen Lamb

My perfect, spotless, righteousness

The great unchangeable I AM

The King of glory and of grace

One with Himself I cannot die

My soul is purchased by His blood

My life is hid with Christ on high

With Christ my Savior and my God

bry

Too Funny

2008-08-05T20:59:00.001-07:00

I ran across this post today. Way too funny. Warning, some of the videos will cause you to cringe!

bry

Camp Help

2008-08-04T21:34:00.001-07:00

I’m trying to finish up a paper on egalitarian hermeneutics in the next few days so I can start getting ready for our youth camp next week! This is the first official camp for the youth, so it is exciting to be the one putting it all together, however it is certainly a lot of work too. Thankfully I have a wonderful wife who is helping handle all of the logistics, and a mom who will be coming out to help too. I write this post to perhaps elicit some help from you.

First off, please be in prayer! We will be gone from Monday to Wednesday of next week and a few of the parents are a little concerned as they have never sent their kids on a trip like this. Please pray for safety and an overall smooth time. We are a little concerned because of bees! Meggan, Lillian, and I went to the camp a few weeks ago and there were bees everywhere. Thankfully no one in the group is knowingly allergic to bees, but still there is potential for a rough time with them. So, please be in prayer for that.

Also, please be in prayer for the messages, and this is where I would like to get some more help from you. The theme for the camp is “to be sin” from 2 Cor. 5:21. I know, I know. I sound like some fundamentalist preacher, but I have only this one camp with the youth, and I really couldn’t think of a more practical subject as it will pretty much be gospel, gospel, gospel every teaching time. The final message I will be teaching on will be from Romans 7 and deals with battling sin after justification. So, what I want from you is this: how do you battle your sin? How do you daily fight against your sin? What practical tips do you have for young Christians as they pursue personal holiness? Thanks for your thoughts!

bry

Mario Kart Wii

2008-07-31T21:49:00.001-07:00

Does anybody else play out there?

My license number is 1891-2520-9358.

What’s yours?

bry

5.4? Is That All You Got?

2008-07-29T22:30:00.001-07:00

I can now truthfully claim, “I feel the earth move under my feet",” however that part about “the sky a tum-ba-lin’ down” doesn’t apply here. That earthquake today was quite an adventure! Contrary to what many may think, we have actually been through a bunch of earthquakes since we’ve been out here in L.A., but we just didn’t feel them! Check out this map to get an idea of just how many quakes occur around us every day. Today was different. It was different because we could definitely feel this quake. I was at work in Burbank when it hit, about 35 miles from the epicenter, and the shaking lasted a good 20-30 seconds. Meggan & Lillian were at the lake near our apartment around 65 miles from the epicenter and they felt it for a few seconds. Some in Las Vegas and San Diego even reported feeling it. This was a strong one!

It is officially listed as a 5.4 earthquake, which is generally categorized as a “moderate” quake. It began at 11:42 some 8 miles under the surface of the earth and, at the actual spot that the plates moved, only lasted 2 seconds or so. What we felt (and what any earthquake is) were the shock waves. Because of the building codes in the L.A. area no serious damage has been reported. In fact, most of the complaining I heard was that people’s expensive televisions had toppled over and broke! We can be thankful that it is just stuff like that!

Now, let me tell you about my experience. I was at work, as I said, in the back of the warehouse getting some Ram Board ready to sell. I’d say I’m about 75 feet or so from the large door in the front of the warehouse, and in between me and that door are piles and piles of pallets, Ram Board, and other stuff. So, the first thing I noticed was that the roof of our building was shaking a lot and I thought that it was probably the train behind us going by and that for some reason it was a little louder today. However, it only took me a few seconds to realize that this was no train. I literally was shaking myself! It is hard to describe what it felt like, but the closest thing I can think of is when you are standing on a long pier that is getting rocked by waves – you can never really tell when the pier is moving and when its not. So, I had 2 choices – and really it wasn’t that difficult of a choice to make. Either I could run to the front of the warehouse all the while possibly having to pull an Indiana Jones and dodge falling debris, or I could run to the door jam that was about 10 feet away. As you can guess, I chose the latter. So I stood there, watching the warehouse shake and all the dust falling from the ceiling, safe and sound (with no debris falling either), though my blood sure was pumping!

So, have no fears. We are safe and sound out here. California is yet to fall into the Pacific. My car is yet to be swallowed up in a sinkhole. And the warehouse is yet to collapse in on itself. As long as all that stuff waits to happen until after we leave, I think we’ll be ok. Praise God that he has allowed us in America to have and implement technology that makes a relatively strong earthquake happenstance. If this same quake were to occur in a less-developed country we would be telling a different story today.

bry

Another Prayer Request

2008-07-28T17:32:00.001-07:00

I just learned last night that a friend from high school, Andy Wiersma, was killed in a car crash. Andy was one of the greatest examples of Christ I knew among my peers, and because of that we can know with assurance that he is now present with the Lord. Please be in prayer for his family as the mourn.

(story and video)

bry

RIP iPod

2008-07-25T22:49:00.001-07:00

What am I to do? The iPod I received for Christmas way back in 2004 finally died. Well… it had died before, but now its “all dead” instead of just “mostly dead” as I was able to fix it previously(Princess Bride anyone?). This iPod actually became a small badge of honor for me as whenever I broke it out around new people I would usually get reactions like: “Dude, how old is that thing?” or “I can’t believe your’s is still going!” It’s true. I was proud that I kept the thing going for so long, but now the appointed time has come.

The hardest part of this iPod dying, however, is not my lack of ability to brag. In fact, to that end it is probably a good thing it finally croaked. The hardest part for me is actually not having it to use! I used that thing constantly. When I was in the car, sitting in L.A. traffic, 9 times out of 10 I was listening to my iPod. I even donated some old computer speakers to the warehouse at work so I could listen to my iPod while slaving away. I certainly can’t drag my CD collection around with me as I did way back before the iPod was born! That is so last century. Moreover, I spend most of my listening time with podcasts or audio books or sermons, all of which would be a pain to burn to CDs on a daily basis. What am I to do?

Obviously the answer is get a new iPod. But listen to how open I am: I am actually willing to get a different MP3 player if I can be convinced that it will be just as good or better than the now departed iPod. Granted, it is going to be some time until we can squeeze room in that ‘ol budget to buy such a thing, but there is no harm in looking, right? So, here are the ones I’m interested in:

First off, Apple. I am extremely interested in the iPod nano, especially for it’s size. If I could have done it over I would have gotten a smaller iPod when I first received one simply because I actually don’t need that large of a hard drive. I think the 4 GB version would be plenty of space for me. The problem with this one: prices start at $149. Ouch!

The price on this one hurts even more! The 8 GB version (the smallest available) of the iPod touch is $299! Double ouch! There are too many things to list for how cool this thing is tough. It is basically an iPhone without the phone capability (thus without the added cost of a phone plan). Plus, the nice thing about sticking with Apple is I can still use my entire iTunes setup. If I were a gazillionaire I would have the iPhone. If I were just a millionaire then I would by this one hands down. But since I’m neither of those, I think I’ll just move on to the next option.

I have to admit, I get pretty excited when I look at this 4 GB Zune. I know it is un-cool to go Microsoft, but I am actually becoming more and more a fan of the consumer products they put out as time goes on. The best part of this guy is that it is “only” $130. I put quotes around “only” because for me, that is still $130 – about two visits to the gas station here in L.A. Still, the Zune has me salivating a good bit.

Then there the economic choice. This is the Creative Zen. With 2 GBs of storage, this one costs only $80. I am also interested in it’s cousin, the Zen V Plus that is $10 cheaper. I have to be honest though, the Creative products don’t really get me going. I mean, I can definitely afford these guys before the other options, but I have my doubts as to how happy I will be with it in the long run.

So, what do you think? I know its probably months away before the purchase can be made, but still, I’d like to be able to more accurately dream rather than just be left in MP3 player limbo-land. Have you had experiences with any of these products? Would you have any recommendations or warnings? Did I miss any that you would suggest I look at? Help me dream accurate dreams please!

bry

Black & White

2008-07-24T21:05:00.001-07:00

I decided to switch back to a black & white base for the blog. I think it is a lot easier on the eyes – at least my eyes. Who know though? I’ll probably still be messing around with it in weeks to come just because I can. Any suggestions?

bry

Busy, Busy Lillian

2008-07-23T20:45:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of our little girl busy at work in the kitchen. Two weeks ago we had a Sunday afternoon bible study gathering at Davy & Hilary Muxlow's home. We didn't see our daughter for about two hours as she was busy playing in their pretend kitchen. She absolutely loved it.

Busy at work preparing a secret recipe.

Giving mom a silly smile.

Giving mom another smile.

And busy working again.

We were so happy to see her play with this kitchen because for her 2nd birthday this year we are getting her a pretend kitchen. I think she'll make good use out of it.

Meggan

Common Descent

2008-07-23T10:26:00.001-07:00

A common question I get from the Korean kids at church is how can we have so many different races among humans if we all descended from Adam and Eve? Of course, we technically can trace it all back to Mr. and Mrs. Noah, but I find that to be a fascinating question. Here is a neat story that has some interesting implications for that question.

bry

Prayer Request

2008-07-21T21:23:00.001-07:00

I mentioned a good friend of ours that was recently hospitalized a few posts ago. Well, they now have a CaringBridge site setup with more information on the situation. Please be in prayer for Dan and his family as they persevere through this trial.

bry

A Story

2008-07-19T23:54:00.001-07:00

For about 20 minutes or so today Meggan and I were locked out of the house while Lillian was locked in! The story goes like this: I was busy carrying some stuff in from the car so Meggan went ahead and went inside our apartment with Lillian trailing behind her. Thinking nothing of it, Meggan set the keys down, left the door open, and came back outside to help me carry stuff in. Well, what she didn't expect (nor would I have) was that Lillian was going to get up and close the door behind her! The door handle was locked, and our keys were inside! Ahhh!

After the "I've seen it on TV" credit card attempt failed, I proceeded to frighten my child by trying to twist the handle just far enough to allow a hip-check to free the door - that didn't work either. So, plan C. I went over to our sliding door, broke the screen door off, and attempted to get an almost-two-year-old to slide the lock on the door while mom drove to the fire station down the road. In between playing with her toy farm, eating some cheerios left over from breakfast, trying to put a tape in the VCR, et al, she would come over and try to pull the door open. She just couldn't get the concept of pushing the lock up instead of pulling it down. Believe it or not, however, after 20 minutes or so, I got her to do it! The firemen had just pulled up so Meggan waved them on while I grabbed my keys, put them directly into my pocket, unlocked the front door, left it open, and went back to my duty of unloading the car. Oh the joys of being a parent.

bry

P.S. I’ve been playing around with the blog template – trying to lighten it up a little. Let me know what you think! I'm currently having issues with firefox correctly viewing the template, so trying to fix that one.

HSM3

2008-07-18T10:20:00.001-07:00

I know, I know… we’re a family of dorks. But I don’t care! I just showed Lillian this trailer and she was super excited! I can’t wait to take her to see it in the theater in a few months.

bry

Live Mesh

2008-07-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

I have yet another tech suggestion for you. For a few months now I have been using something called Live Mesh from Microsoft, and I love it. It is still technically in a beta version, but you can still sign up for it as they just doubled the amount of people allowed to use it. There are some neat features with it – I use it for two reasons.

One, I use it as automatic online backup. Now at this point it is only 5 gigabytes of space, but that is plenty of space to backup all of my documents, and a good amount of pictures too. None of your files are truly backed up unless you have offsite copies of your files. It is one thing to copy all of your files to CD’s, or an external hard drive, or what-have-you. But if you keep those backups in the same place as the originals, then they both can be destroyed by a fire, or they both can be stolen, etc. I love using Mesh for some free online backup.

The second reason that I use it is for syncing between my laptop and desktop. It automatically keeps my My Documents folder looking the same on both machines, thus allowing me to work with the files on both machines. Plus all of those files are online, still organized the same way. So no matter what computer I’m on, even if it is not my own, I have the same access to those files.

Anyway, my suggestion for you is check it out! It’s free, so you have nothing to lose. Moreover, I think in the future, when it is no longer a beta version, there will be much more space available (probably for a fee) and it will be all the more easier to get all of your files backed-up! Give it a shot!

bry

Our Boy

2008-07-15T22:30:00.001-07:00

Finally, here are a couple pictures of our little boy! He wasn't feeling too photogenic, but we really only needed one shot to be happy!

bry

It’s a Boy!

2008-07-15T08:17:00.001-07:00

That’s right! We found out that our first son will be with us around November 30th! Check back here for pictures later this evening.

Life Is Messy

2008-07-14T09:17:00.001-07:00

About a month ago I finished taking a class on marriage and family counseling and one of the overall themes I walked away with was that life is messy. Sinful people interacting with sinful people leads to more sin, especially in marriages. Sinful behavior begets more sinful behavior in others and in oneself. Without the work of sanctification in the believers life, we would be left to the same vicious spiral the lost are perpetually trapped in. As believers we are called to be involved with this kind of messiness in hopes of being used by the Lord to aid in either the redemption of lost sinners, or in the sanctification of saved sinners.

This “messiness” is not just found in the sin-cycle, but it also is found in the curses of the Fall. A good friend of our family was just surprisingly put in the hospital this past week, and his life is radically changed for at least the foreseeable future. Why is this? Is it because he is such a vile, wicked sinner? Well…, yes. It is because he is such a vile, wicked sinner – just like you and I. As believers we are called to be involved with this kind of messiness in hopes of being used by the Lord to again aid in the redemption of lost sinners, but also to be a comfort and encouragement to saved sinners.

Life indeed is messy, and it is all thanks to sin. So often we find ourselves in “petty” sin, and when it is put in contrast to the consequences of that sin, it no longer seems so petty. It is amazing what proper perspective does for you. So the next time you find yourself even dabbling in sin, take a moment to consider the consequences of that sin. All the people who are having marriage/family problems experience those because of sin. All the people who are suffering of illnesses and injuries right now suffer because of sin. In fact, Jesus himself consumed the Father’s wrath because of our sin – that is the chief consequence of our sin.

In addition to considering your own sin in a clearer light, let me also encourage you to get involved in others’ messy lives – both believers’ and unbelievers’ lives. The messiness of life is where almost all ministry takes place, and all Christians are called to minister in some way. Out of love, don’t allow other’s sin to go by without a word from you. Confront them. Sober them with a biblical view of their sin. Point them to the cross and the life of righteousness they are called to live. In the same way, don’t shy away from those who are suffering. Comfort them. Encourage them with biblical hope. Help them to suffer well.

When it is all said and done, our own souls can be comforted in the fact that this messiness will pass away. Revelation 21:3-5b…

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

May we look to that day as our hope and persevere in our ministry now because of it.

bry

Diapers, Diapers, Diapers, Diapers, Diapers!

2008-07-12T22:21:00.001-07:00

Last week I received an e-mail from a former seminary wife regarding a Walgreens deal on diapers. The deal was so incredible (with the sale price and also tracking down 2 needed store coupons) that in the end the diapers were free. We were able to get about 450 free diapers. That's 15 packages of diapers. FREE!!!! I hope by the time we get through all of those diapers Lillian is potty trained. Just kidding. I'm waiting for my mother-in-law to arrive in August who claims to have helped train 15 kids in two weeks. :)

Meggan

Homosexuality

2008-07-09T14:51:00.001-07:00

Over the past few months during Lillian's nap time I've been able to sit down and listen to a Grace to You broadcast. I have been so thankful for the time God has allowed for me to do this. (Although lately I have found myself dreading when Lillian is about to wake up, because I've enjoyed so much being able to listen to broadcasts and do some extra reading). Yesterday afternoon I had been convicted about my attitude toward Lillian. I need to remember to be thankful for the "focused time" God has given me to know Him more, but I also need to be thankful for the time God gives me in caring for Lillian - in which the focused time with God comes to an end.

Anyway, 3 days ago I laid Lillian down for her nap and made my way to the computer to bring up GTY. Monday's broadcast was on Homosexuality. I thought to myself, I don't want to listen to this one. (I guess I just thought I didn't really care to know more). After a few more moments of thought I decided to listen in. It has been so so so good listening to these broadcasts. I encourage you to listen in as well. Though as I contemplated writing this post I thought, not many, if any will actually listen so why write it. But I guess I can't say much considering I thought the same way on Monday.

Anyway, it has been so wonderful to see and learn how merciful our God is to all of our great sins, and to be reminded that He took our death. Something we didn't deserve at all. So if you care to listen in here is the link. The broadcast series started on Monday they are about 20 minutes long.

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Grace_to_You/archives.asp?bcd=2008-7-7

Enjoy,

Meggan

You have to be kidding me…

2008-07-09T08:32:00.001-07:00

vs. vs.

So you Minnesotans, what’s the word on the street? Is Coleman done for? Is Franken considered nuts? Is “the body” seriously going to give this a run? What does the buzz around the state indicate? Who is the favorite (story here)?

bry

July 4th 2008 Newhall CA Parade

2008-07-05T18:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning we were able to enjoy the local parade. Here is a quick snippet of how we enjoyed it.

bry

Background Switcher

2008-07-02T10:01:00.001-07:00

I fully recognize that Meggan’s posts are more popular than mine, yet for the sake of content allow me to quickly bore you a little bit. Actually, hopefully you PC people will enjoy this one! You know that desktop background with the leaf that you love so much… and that picture of your pet you love… and that other picture of your messy kid you love… and that picture of me that you love! Ok, maybe not that last one. Anyway, how would you like to have them all for your desktop background? I recently was made aware of John’s Background Switcher, a free and extremely simple program that allows you to have a rotation of backgrounds set at a time interval of your choice. Check it out because now you won’t have to make that difficult decision between your cat and me!

bry

VBS.....Korean Style

2008-06-27T22:35:00.001-07:00

Last week our family got to serve in (possibly our last) VBS with our Korean church. These days were very long and exhausting, but fun. Bryan taught one of the messages, and I was a teacher to the preschoolers - at least the "English" speaking kids. (Lillian was my little helper - and a good helper she was).

The pictures above are of Lillian and her friend Joel. Joel is about 2 months younger than Lillian. He is the son of the children's teacher at our church. Lillian and Joel were invited up to lead in some of the worship songs.

Diaper changing time!!!

Lillian kept a close eye on me at all times. She would not settle to be with any of the Korean moms, but that was okay with me. I'd take her anytime.

We wrapped up VBS with the Korean church by heading to the ocean. We went to Carpinteria which is south of Santa Barbara. We played, ate dinner, Bryan led worship around the campfire, and then we went home around 9pm.

Note: The Korean culture does not enjoy the typical s'more around the fire. Instead they wrap up sweet potatoes and pumpkins in tin foil, cook it in the fire, and then eat it. (Its not bad, but at the same time its not all that good). They are definitely settling for 2nd best. Our family will continue to stay true to the s'more.

Meggan

Lillian’s first time finger painting

2008-06-26T23:07:00.001-07:00

Getting ready……

ooo…… this feels wet and cold

Let’s add some more color

She’s having a lot more fun than her face portrays

Posted by Meggan because a certain someone asked me too!

MarsPhoenix

2008-06-25T08:07:00.001-07:00

NASA has been posting status updates from the MarsPhoenix on Twitter (the thing I use to post my status on the top right). In fact, they announced the discovery of ice on Twitter! It is neat being able to read short blurbs on what that thing is doing on Mars. Check it out!

Disney Shows Online

2008-06-24T20:33:00.001-07:00

Disney has recently been playing some of their movies and favorite TV shows on their website. They played Finding Nemo a few days ago among other movies, and Camp Rock is on right now! … Hey come on, what is wrong with watching Camp Rock on demand, especially for those of us who don’t get cable?

Of First Importance

2008-06-23T22:54:00.001-07:00

There is a great blog I discovered a few months back that simply quotes a theological work on the Gospel every day. June 24th’s is simply too great for me to not pass along:

“It is not faith that saves, but faith in Jesus Christ… It is not, strictly speaking, even faith in Christ that saves, but Christ that saves through faith. The saving power resides exclusively, not in the act of faith or the attitude of faith or in the nature of faith, but in the object of faith.”

-Sinclair Ferguson quoting B. B. Warfield, In Christ Alone (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2007), 43.

Free OneCare

2008-06-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

If any of you are interested you can get Window’s Live OneCare 2.0 for free at Amazon with a rebate right now (I think today is the last day the rebate is good, so hurry). Even though the current trend is to be anti-Microsoft in everything, I actually really like OneCare, especially for running automatic backup through my home network.

For you Lutherans out there…

2008-06-19T09:10:00.001-07:00

There will be a Lutheran Study Bible coming out next year based off of the ESV text. Here is a summary of the contents:

The Lutheran Study Bible includes more than 26,500 study notes, including over 2,000 application notes and prayers for every part of the Bible; over 80,000 center column cross-references and 900 cross-references to 120 full or half-page maps, charts, and diagrams; and more than 220 articles and introductions to biblical books and topics. The Lutheran Study Bible notes were prepared by Lutheran theologians, scholars, and pastors from 12 Lutheran church bodies. “We are excited to offer all English-speaking Christians a study Bible that offers such a comforting and powerful Christ-centered understanding of the Scriptures,” shares Rev. Paul T. McCain, Publisher and Executive Director of Editorial for CPH. “As the Lutheran Reformers put it, Christ and His Gospel is the unspeakable treasure that alone opens the door to the entire Bible.”

Now, I think it would be really neat if they compiled notes from Luther’s commentaries, sermons, lectures, etc. in a Study Bible!

Resolved: Heaven

2008-06-17T15:16:00.001-07:00

Grace Community Church’s college ministry just finished hosting a conference on a great topic: heaven! You can find the free audio downloads and more information here. Also of note is that next year they are stealing my theme for the youth camp we are having this summer: sin! Ought to be a good one!

Systematic Theology

2008-06-16T19:56:00.001-07:00

Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology is now available for free online! It is the first place I turn to for a quick primer on any theological topic. This is an invaluable resource and I would encourage any of you who study the Bible on any level to learn how to use it.

Fireproof

2008-06-14T08:04:00.001-07:00

Hi Google

2008-06-13T14:15:00.001-07:00

I saw the google car drive by today. As it drove by I waved, so perhaps I will be on the streetview seen waving! I should be right around here if it pops up:

View Larger Map

Only in CA

2008-06-12T14:25:00.001-07:00

This picture was taken in Stockton, CA. My best guess is a language barrier, but even then you think they could have read the sign that spelt it correctly only 10 ft. away!

This is crazy cool

2008-06-11T13:58:00.001-07:00

Number 2

2008-05-20T12:52:00.001-07:00

Did you notice that the title of our blog changed? That's right, I am living with a prego-Mego. We are expecting a new addition to our family around November 30th (hooray for the insurance coverage and hooray for the tax break!). Meggan has been feeling pretty well. If anything she has been more tired than usual, but that 1st trimester is practically over with. We covet your prayers for protection and health for both baby and mama. We are beyond excited at this new blessing for our family! Here are baby's first pictures for your enjoyment:

Life Lately

2008-05-08T16:23:00.001-07:00

I've been busy lately due to the end of yet another semester, and life is only going to get busier the coming weeks. Summer school starts on Monday and I have a class that meets from 6-9 PM entitled "The Pastor's Home," which, as I've been told, is a graduate-level pre-marriage type class. That class will meet for two weeks and during the second week I have another class from 12-5 PM called "Marriage and Family Counseling". Thankfully I will have a few months to complete the homework for those classes. After those classes I'll be in MN for a few weeks, celebrating a graduation, wedding, and whatever else comes up! Then, when I get back yet another class begins, but I don't want to think about that one until then.

Things at the Korean church are going well. We just celebrated the oft-neglected holiday "Children's Day" where we hyped the kids up on sugar and gave them water balloons and more! I was given the privilege to address the entire congregation with a short message in which I spoke from 1 John 3 and the believer's status as God's child. The youth group has steadily been growing the past few months, something I can only credit God with since I really haven't changed how I do things. The church at large is going through what the head pastor calls "growing pains" as some families leave the church while many new families join. I'm just happy I don't have to deal too directly with those issues and can simply concentrate on shepherding the youth.

Meggan has been keeping busy. Earlier this year my cousin Asher moved to L.A. from Australia along with his wife Becci and daughter Scarlet. Meggan has been watching the almost-two year old Scarlet when the parents are both working for over a month now. She also is busy this time of year with baby showers and other random get-togethers in which she usually is making some food to bring. So, with the addition of keeping the house in order (something hard to do with me living in it!), she has more than enough to keep her going.

Lillian is always on the go. She loves when "Scar Scar" (Scarlet) comes over to play - they both are learning how to get along with another person their own age. They especially enjoy pushing each other around in strollers and having screaming contests, which always end with lots of laughter. In addition to "Scar Scar," Lillian is constantly moving. Case in point: this morning it took me 5 minutes to find my keys as apparently she got a hold of them last night at some point (she had put them in her stroller). It is impossible to keep up with that little girl!

On top of all this we have a new toy in our home. Thanks to some extra hours at work, our April birthdays, President Bush, and a few other sources of income, we splurged and bought a Wii. So, whenever we find the time we've been playing that too. I find it funny that the first thing we do with this new gaming machine is download games from 20 some years ago or so - Mario 1 and Mario 3. There has been a lot of baseball as well. Someday we can afford the real reason for a Wii: Mario Kart Wii. Hopefully that day will be soon.

So that is what is going on in the Wolff household. For those of you in MN, hurry up and get those lakes warmed up for us as we'll be there in a few weeks. However, we would appreciate it if you kept the mosquito population to a minimum.

Coming Soon To A Theater Near You...

2008-04-26T11:39:00.001-07:00

Normally each year there are only 1 or 2 movies I am looking forward to. For instance, last year I can only recall going to the movie theater twice - much less than I used to do. However, this year there are a bunch of movies set to come out that I will probably try to see in the theater, but will at the least watch the DVD when it comes out. I thought I would throw together a quick post on a few of those movies.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

(May 16)

I'll be taking a bunch of the Korean kids to this one - one of the only ones I think I can be assured of for appropriateness for a church group, but then again, is that ever guaranteed?

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

(May 22)

Another Indiana Jones! What could be more fun than watching a 60-something Ford doing the stunts he did 20-some years ago?

WALL-E

(June 27)

I don't remember a Pixar film I haven't enjoyed.

The Dark Knight

(July 18)

Heath Ledger looks positively psycho in this trailer. I enjoyed the first Batman with Bale, and I am looking forward to this sequel.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

(October 24)

There is no trailer for this one yet, but we as a family really enjoy the first 2. In fact, they both get played multiple times a week in our house as Lillian enjoys dancing to the music. So, the hope is to take the entire family to this one!

Did I miss any? Anybody want to go see these with me? Of course it is always wise to read reviews before seeing the movie (such as from Plugged In) to be sure the movie will not tempt you into sin, so barring a bad review, I hope to catch these in a theater near me.

Happy Birthday!

2008-04-23T15:47:00.001-07:00

Better late than never! Happy birthday to my bride!

Resistance is Optional

2008-04-19T20:22:00.001-07:00

One of the blessings of the "information superhighway" is the community. Now, I am not one of those who has ever found it enticing to make new friends online and count myself among solely-online communities. This can be shown from this very blog. I chose to not have it be listed in the greater blogger public precisely because I wanted our audience to be primarily friends and family members. Others are welcome to read if they want, but when I am writing I am writing for you!

I am writing all this to encourage you to get involved. I love the blogs of my friends and family members. Even if they only update once a month or worse, I still enjoy knowing what is going on in their lives and what they happen to be thinking about. You can find some links to family and friends on the right side of this blog.

If you were to start a blog let me first say to you that it is not that hard. If you can string a few sentences together you can start a blog - you don't have to be a computer geek or anything! Two of the more popular places to start your own blog is WordPress and Blogger (there are many other options if you don't like these). This blog is powered by Blogger, but really either of them are fine. WordPress is definitely more popular today for those just starting. Anyway, it only takes a few minutes to set up a free blog and you can keep it simple or get more fancy as you go on. It is all up to you, but I know that people like me love to see what is going on with you!

Another thing I should mention is what they call a "social networking service." You have undoubtedly heard of MySpace or Facebook. What is great about these sites is the ease with which you can communicate to family and friends. Most of the readers of this blog that are on a social network are on Facebook, so I invite you to come on over and set up your free account (if you're a parent you probably should monitor your child's use of such sites, but at the same time I don't think you should be frightened of them so as to stay away).

Finally, if you are a true nerd - I mean, if you want your spouse or friends to start calling you "geek" and you take it as a compliment - I have another site for you. You will notice in the top right spot on the blog there is a spot that says "Bryan's Status". I add text there through a service called Twitter. Twitter is supposed to be a microblog, but I use it as a place to write my "status update" on a few sites from just one place - I know only a few of you know what I mean, but I don't want to explain it. There are thousands (maybe millions?) of people who stay in constant contact through services like this.

I know what you're thinking. "Bryan, you are such a dork." Well... I know. I think the next time you see me you probably expect me to look like a member of the Borg, but as soon as Meggan see's any wires sprouting from my body we'll let you know - besides, I'm too poor to buy all the necessary hardware. For now, let me encourage you to join the collective (resistance is futile you know) and start blogging or networking! Be sure to let us all know where you are signing up so we can follow along!

bry

Flying With My Child

2008-04-13T15:42:00.001-07:00

We just got back from a short trip to MN to surprise my old man for his birthday ( I won't reveal his age, but needless to say, "old man" is appropriate). He was successfully surprised (good job mom!) and we had a grand time, but my experience on the flight back has confirmed my thoughts of the dangers of flying with a young child - or perhaps it is the dangers of flying with my young child!

When we flew back from MN in January of this year I was holding Lillian on my lap. To keep her busy we were playing with stickers, placing them all over the place. Everything was going great until I felt this warm sensation in my lap.... That's right, her diaper leaked on me on the plane while we still had a good distance to go! What's worse is that we didn't bring another pair of pants for her, so we were forced to hold a wet-baby for the rest of the flight.

Though we remembered the extra change of clothes, on this trip I had a few other things happen to me. Prior to flying, Lillian was nicely playing with my cell phone when all of a sudden she smashed it in my face! She hit right below my eye and as I write this I can still feel the tenderness there. Then while on the plane she managed to punch me in the eye with a wicked backhand - enough so my sight was blurry for a minute or two. And to cap it all off, right after we landed in L.A. she punched me in the nose! Meggan was laughing when I asked her if I was bleeding until she saw that actually was bleeding! Oh, the perils of flying with my young child.

Why is all of this happening? Is it that I'm a dad and that stuff happens to dads? Is it that I am getting slower in my reaction speeds? Is it that I induce extra wetting in others? Whatever it is, let this serve as a warning.

bry