Baby Boy Gets Another Ultrasound

Our baby boy in Megan's tummy got checked out again today by ultrasound. It was great to have the doctor there with us and the ultrasound technician. What was even greater was having the doctor tell us that everything looks good! No heart issues to worry about. All the right parts in all the right places. That is a relief, especially after our little scare last month. We're looking forward to seeing him again soon - not on an ultrasound, but in person in October!

Furniture Needed!

Christchurch has rented two apartments for the summer so that our first team of church-planting interns has a place to live. But they are unfurnished. This weekend, I'll be hitting the garage sales to furnish two apartments. We also hope to borrow as much furniture as we can. Do you have any furniture we could use?

May Day Snow

Yesterday afternoon, Sophie's cheeks turned red after spending a couple hours in the 80 degree sun.


This morning, it is snowing on my tulips.

It's also snowing at Arapahoe Basin, but I'm working today, not skiing.

Happy May Day! Today's snow reminds me of Isaiah 1:18: "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

Monday with My Girls

I love our girls, Anna (10) & Sophie (7). On Monday, we enjoyed a late season snowshoe hike with Megan.













Earlier in the day, Anna skied the East Wall at Arapahoe Basin with me.















The lean-to fort we built on Labor Day last year was still standing!










And as the sun went down, the alpenglow was much more brilliant than this picture suggests.




"...children are a heritage from the LORD..." - Psalm 127:3

I Love A-Basin

The obsessive skier loves Arapahoe Basin, especially at this time of year. Nearly every run at Summit County's highest-altitude ski area remains open while every other Colorado ski area has now closed.

The spring skiing at A-Basin will stretch into summer this year - a closing day of June 8 was announced this week.

While some guys get out their bikes and golf clubs and start talking baseball, I'm still gleefully focused on carving turns in the corn. Spending a sunny spring day in the snow above 10,000 feet is about as good as it gets in this life. (Of course the skiing in heaven will be WAY better...spring skiing is just a foretaste of joy to come.)

I've now embarked on a new mission to top my record number of consecutive months skied on Colorado snow (19 months from October 2004 to April 2006). I have been skiing at least one day a month since October 2007. May & June will be easy with A-Basin staying open and my Colorado Pass still valid. July & August should be a cinch with a quick hike up to St. Mary's Glacier. September is the tricky one (your hike-to suggestions are appreciated). And with A-Basin's perennial battle to be the first resort to open each year, the 2008-2009 ski season is sure to start in October. Breaking 20 consecutive months could be a breeze...depending on what my options are in September.

Still Singing

The Kellys were up late last night. We took a quick trip up I-25 to Greeley, Colorado for a vocal jazz concert by Take 6. These 10-time Grammy winners have been one of our favorite groups for nearly 20 years. Vocal jazz isn't as widely popular today as it was in the 80's and 90's when Bobby McFerrin was singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy", but we're glad to see Take 6 still going strong. And we're glad that they are still sharing the gospel during their concerts. The crowd last night was made up of mostly college and high school jazz students, and I'm guessing the majority of them were not followers of Jesus. The crowd responded favorably as they talked about our Lord. Take 6's concert last night reminded me of Colossians 3:16-17: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Ministry Leader Titles and The Heart of Spiritual Leadership

A few nights ago, I was emailing back and forth with another church planter friend about what the Bible says about church leadership roles. What does it mean to pastor a church or to serve as an elder or deacon? The mere mention of these ministry leader titles brings many different thoughts to mind, some good and helpful, others not so. Titles can be confusing. I think it is important that our church leaders understand their biblical responsibilities and that their titles match what they do in service to the church. Perhaps that could help reduce some of our confusion about church leadership.

But as I was reading Matthew 23 this morning, I was reminded that the most important thing about leadership in our churches is not the titles leaders are given, but rather the heart of those spiritual leaders. In Matthew 23, Jesus takes on the spiritual leaders of his day, and he calls out the hypocrites. Having a true heart of spiritual leadership demonstrated in self-sacrificing service to others is so much more important than the titles we give our ministry leaders. In truth, we too often make even our ministry titles into idols.

Matthew 23:1-12 (ESV): "Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."