randalevan's blog

jesus makes us bigger

a friend and fellow pastor, liz milner, recently completed an internship at a local jail and the experience stretched her faith a lot. as i read her personal evaluation, i felt encouraged to see people in a different way, to believe that jesus is present even when our world feels like it is falling apart, and to face my fears with more courage. i have copied her evaluation below.

a pastor's dilemma

A friend of mine and fellow pastor, Sean McMasters, made an interesting post on his blog recently that I would like to share with you.  Here's a brief quote.  (*If you would like to read more, click-on the link below.)

"Pastors are caught within a wonderful dynamic: On the one hand I need to be an example of what it means to be a successful follower of Christ; on the other hand I am not, & never will be totally successful. What makes this more interesting is the never-ending appeal of religion; Those who do good are--gooder & I am the gooderest of them all. Right? However, I'm not good.

What is the role of a pastor? To create the "That's it" image? I need to teach Saints & non-saints how to be: Broken, angry, forgive, sexually appropriate, depressed, frustrated, etc. However, do I teach them from the position of: "When I used to..." or "Last week when I..." Don't I have a pious image to uphold, since no one wants to follow a loser? Especially a pastor who wrestles with sin. No doubt there are limits to my involvement with any sin & it's ability to control me vs. my ability to yield to the Spirit. However, we can so easily create a theology of leadership, which says, "Follow me as I follow Christ" because, "I've arrived," vs. "I've been working on this for years, & I'm still walking."

To read more, please go to:

http://offthewahl.blogspot.com/2009/09/pastors-are-caught-within-wonderful.html

jacquie's 5k run - september 2009

Jacquie just ran a 5k race this morning, and I have posted an album.  (*I think it is the second album on the bottom right.)  She did a great job, and then we enjoyed breakfast together with our friends, Kevin and Janice, at the Baylands Park.

Javalujah!

Well, this is my first shot at posting a youtube video.  Hope it makes it! )(You can´t see the full screen from my blog because of the column width. So, click on the window and watch the clip from youtube!

Two important factors for personal growth

I have a friend from church named Heather.  She shared with me this past week two important factors for personal growth.  It's funny, because I think they are two things we often run away from as fast as we can...and yet...I also believe that we cannot grow in any significant way with out them.  The two things are living in close proximity with others, and, being pruned.

why are palo alto kids killing themselves?

There have been three, local teens who have killed themselves by stepping in front of an oncoming train the past four months in Palo Alto.  (*For the latest suicide, check-out this article: http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_13195853?nclick_check=1

How can this be?  What could possibly motivate a 13 year old girl to end her life?  How did we all fail this young, "all of life before her" teenager?  It seems to me as a member of this community that we aren't helping our neighbors to discover and live a life that's worth holding onto, even when we are going through a hard time.

Whenever I hear an official spokesperson say something about the suicides, they say something about learning to watch for the early signs of depression.  OK, so why are teens depressed?  What are they putting their hopes in?  How are their parents helping them?  Their teachers?  Their friends?  If they go to church, their fellow churchgoers?  How do they spend their time?  What are the messages they are hearing about what is important in life and who is it that imparts these values to them?

If we don't do something about the way that we live, and the way we teach our kids to live, there will be more child suicides.

paella

We made a paella and a flan for some friends last night and took some photos to share with you...it is the album entitled "Paella in Mountain View", and it is at the bottom right of my blog. (*Viewer Caution: these photos will make you hungry!)

never thought i was like judas

Yesterday morning Jim Lin (*one of the leaders in our church) did a teaching on Judas. The thing that stood out to me was the fact that Judas was one of the closest friends of Jesus and yet it appears that none of the other disciples saw him as any different than themselves.  They ate together, worked together, went on road trips together, experienced both wonderful and terrible things together...and yet, when Jesus told them during the Last Supper that one of them would betray him, they all didn't point their finger at Judas and say, "Behold, the man!"  Instead, when Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me", this is what happened: "Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, "Am I the one, Lord?" (Matthew 26:21 & 22)

Michael Jackson, American Tragedy

 

Michael Jackson died yesterday.  Some people cried.  Others were in shock...he was only 50 years' old and about to make one, final comeback.  (*Is it ever "final" for someone who has become addicted to fame? Think Brent Fabre, Lance Armstrong... I guess he had multiple millions of dollars of debt and needed to do something about it.) A lot of people laughed, considering him a freak.  I am sad.  I have looked at Michael Jackson's life from afar for the past 15 years or so, shocked by the child abuse accusations and the grotesque effects of dozens of unnecessary plastic surgeries. (*Who are the doctors, any way, who lack the personal and professional integrity to tell someone like Jackson "no"? Should we look at those physicians and say, "You are more freakish than Michael!")

 

I read an article that a friend posted on Facebook this morning.  I will quote it here.  (*Below the quote find a link for the entire article.)

Spain Photos

Check out my latest photo album: Spain April 2009, for a handful of photos from our recent trip! (*You have to go all the way to the bottom of the blog on the right-hand side.)