Snap, Crackle, KABOOM!

While we were waiting in line for fireworks this afternoon, Gregg's dad reminded us of our favorite fireworks story. Gregg was a young boy and his dad had continuously warned him NOT to go near the box of fireworks with his lit punk. 


As a young curious boy, Gregg did just the opposite. Too excited to see a box of explosives within just a few feet of him, he inched closer and closer. His punk ignited the entire box of fireworks. Everything went up in flames. 


Fast forward 35 years. . . Gregg now has three boys of his own, two daughters and a nephew over for New Year's Eve. (In Hawaii, New Year's Eve is like 4th of July--times 10!)


Something fishy is going on in the driveway. The children all look incredibly suspicious. I call  to the curious one and ask what's going on. "Nothing. . . really, Mom." 


I don't buy it. "Please come inside, son. What are you really doing?"


"We haven't done anything. . . yet." His hands are holding a bunch of shredded up paper. 


"What are you planning to do with the shredded paper?" (They were supposed to be outside throwing their poppers around.)


"We've been taking the powder out of the poppers to stick inside all of the shredded paper to make an EXTRA BIG ONE!"


Please pray that I make it through the night without a trip to the ER.

Nerf Wars

This Christmas, I made the mistake decision to buy the children nerf guns. Consequently, my home has been transformed into an ongoing "war zone" for the past four days (and believe me, it looks like it). To make the experience even more fun, Gregg bought the mega-pack of darts at Wal Mart that come with artillery belts. 


Just when I think I've found a safe place to read and drink my coffee, I find myself in the midst of an intense nerf battle with foam bullets grazing my head. Furniture has been moved to pose as "bunkers" and piles of laundry have been used as ditches. 

So much fun to watch and thankful to have these moments to pause and play. Ah, but reparations must begin soon. Gregg's mom and dad arrive in just a few hours. Need to get cleaning. 

When the Time was Right

Having to wait for something that you desire so badly can be a difficult thing. And I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not as good at waiting as I’d like to be.

I thrive on being productive and to wait. . . well, let’s just say, that’s difficult because it seems so unproductive.

It’s a lesson I’m continuing to learn. Maybe that’s why this scripture has been helpful to me.

“When the time was right, God sent his Son. . . “ (Galatians 4:4)

God didn’t rush or shortcut his plan. He was patient for the perfect time to bring forth his perfect plan. And as I and grow in my trust in God, I’m learning that He will do the same in my life as well. 

Christmas Services

This morning, our Grace Bible Honolulu 'ohana celebrated Christmas together. We had lots of music, lots of food and a great time. 


Gregg talked about The Gift of a Savior. Jesus is our savior! We can now approach God, not because of what we have or haven't done, but because of what God did for us through his Son, Jesus!


Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10,11)


I'm so thankful that I don't have to journey through life alone, but have others with whom to walk. I've linked the photos and hope you enjoy them. 


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=131658&id=85054433235&ref=mf

Mele Kalikimaka!

A Gift

For the most part, the “external conditions” of my life are rarely peaceful. I don’t wake up to a quiet, serene home; I don’t have butler to cook my breakfast or bring me my morning coffee. Neither do I awake to the soothing sounds of waves crashing against the seashore, or to the view of the majestic snow covered mountains.

No, my days are probably a lot like yours—filled with appointments, commitments, carpools, sporting events and children needing love and attention.

While most of us don’t have the opportunity to ease into our day, but are instead, thrust into it, it doesn’t mean that our lives should be absent of peace. Yet, why does it so often seem elusive in our lives?

I think the answer lies where we look for peace.

Several years ago, I read a story about two artists who were asked to paint pictures of peace as they understood it. The first, painted a quiet lake, far back in the mountains. The other painted a raging waterfall, which had a tree hanging over it with a bird nesting on one of the branches.

The first picture, although relaxing, doesn’t as accurately represent peace as the second one. True peace is that which is present in the midst of difficulty. True peace in our lives, is not the result of the absence of conflict, but being able to find peace in the midst of challenging times. It’s an inner peace that’s not determined by our external circumstances.

God offers us the gift of peace through his Son, Jesus. It’s a gift that we experience as we learn to  enjoy each day, accepting what cannot be changed instead of worrying about it, trusting in God’s loving care and wisdom, and surrendering to his purpose and plan for your life.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. (John14:27 TLB)

Zucchini Bread

Okay, so this isn't actually a meal, but it sure is good!

3 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

2 c. grated zucchini

3 c. flour

1 c. chopped walnuts

Beat eggs until foamy. Add sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Then add zucchini and flour. Fold in nuts.

Turn batter into greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes at 350. (If using 3 smaller pans, check at 1 hour. 

A Football in a Palm Tree

Yesterday, I met a friend at the park so our girls could play. Because it was a furlough day, the boys came along to play football.

While heading to the field, Brandon grabbed Jordan’s football and began throwing it in the air to try and knock some coconuts off of a palm tree. The ball never came down, nesting firmly on one of the fronds.

So Brandon decided to throw a water bottle up to knock it out. Guess what? The water bottle didn’t come down.

So Brandon got another water bottle and threw it into the palm tree. THAT water bottle didn’t come down either!

Then another boy came walking by with a bucket of tennis balls. After losing two of his tennis balls to the tree he gave up and headed to the courts.

Next, Brandon got my umbrella and attempted to javelin the football out of the tree. CAN YOU GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?

My UMBRELLA got stuck up there too!

By now, Brandon had spent about an hour wrestling with this tree. He had tried “Bear Grylls-ing” his way up the tree; he and his brothers had attempted a human pyramid to reach the numerous items that are stuck.

Finally, a parks and rec. man came to Brandon’s aid with a basketball. He didn’t lose his ball to the tree but gave up, telling Brandon, “That’s not comin’ down, dawg.”

Later that afternoon, my friend went home and got her mango picker. (A mango picker is a long pole with a metal hook on the end).

Guess what? She was able to recover the football!

For the past day, I’ve been trying to rewrite The Twelve Days of Christmas to go along with my mini-adventure. 3 Brenes boys, 2 water bottles, and a football in a palm tree. J

My Daily Challenge: Chicken Taquitos

My children enjoy these chicken taquitos. They’re much better than the frozen ones. I adapted this recipe from a Rachel Ray version.

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded.

1 4 oz. can of chopped green chiles

2 handfuls of pre-shredded cheese, 4-cheese Mexican blend. (I just get the big bag at Costco.)

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

About 12 soft taco flour tortillas

In a big bowl, combine the shredded chicken, green chiles, cheese, cumin and oregano.

Heat a little bit of oil in a pan and lightly warm and soften each torilla. (It only takes a about a minute on each side.)

Place a thick row of the shredded chicken mixture in the middle of each tortilla and roll them up. Bake them on a cookie sheet at 350 until they’re lightly brown and crisp (about 20 minutes).

I serve them with salsa, sour cream and guacamole. Enjoy!

The Meaning of Life According to Jojo

This morning, Gregg asked our 6-year-old, Jordan, what he thought was the meaning of life. Without hesitation, Jordan shot back, “To spend time with each other.”

Not bad for a 6-year-old. Something so simple, yet so easy to miss and overlook. Sometimes it takes children to remind us of the things that are truly important. We can invest so much time in the urgent needs, tasks and responsibilities that we push aside the things that should matter the most: our love for God and people.

Amidst the activity of this season, I hope you are able to pause and reflect on God’s amazing love for you revealed through the gift of his Son, Jesus. And as well, to make the time to enjoy those special people God has placed in your life.

Gotta go. Going to take the two little ones to ride the Christmas train at Ala Moana. 

Making Room for Christmas

Do you ever feel as if you have more things on your schedule than you have time to do them? Too often I succumb to the pressure to get the most out of my life by cramming my schedule with as much as possible and stretching myself to the limit. I say, yes, to the sporting activities for the children, then I say, yes, to volunteer at the school. And I say, yes, again to coffee dates, play dates, sleepovers, . . .. 

I add, add, add, 

plan, plan, plan, 

schedule, schedule, schedule; 

and then wonder why I’m not really able to enjoy anything. 

This Sunday, Gregg will be talking about creating margin in our lives. Something of which I continually need to be reminded to do because I thrive on being productive.

God created us with limits and when we approach these limits, we squeeze out the margin and run the risk of burning out ourselves and those around us.

God invites us to live differently–to live with margin. Margin is the leftover, the extra, unhurried, unscheduled space. It is in the margin of life, where we are able to experience and truly enjoy life and relationships.

As the Christmas season is upon us, I want resist the temptation to spend it running from activity to activity—rushing around, stressed out. I desire margin. Time to reflect, time to pause, time to value people, time to enjoy and appreciate life. 


Most importantly, to take the time to slow down and consider the precious gift of God’s Son, Jesus, who entered a little, stressed-out, margin-less city of Bethlehem that was just too busy to even notice.

Thanksgiving for Everyone

I urge you, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all who are in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

As I was reading this scripture this morning, I was considering Paul’s urgent plea to offer thanksgiving for everyone. Often my prayers focus on thanking God for my stuff and the special people in my own life.

How often do I say thanks for everyone?

For all people?

Even people that I find difficult.

Even people with whom I don’t agree.

My life can be so microscopic, and myopic, so self-centered and inward focused.

How often do I turn my gaze outward and even attempt to see people as God sees them? To thank God for their lives and for the love that He has for them?

Lord, help me to see people as you see them, through your eyes of love, compassion and worth.

And to offer thanksgiving for everyone. 

My Daily Challenge: Chicken Bruschetta

This recipe is one of our family favorites. It meets my “daily challenge” requirements because everyone in our family likes it. In fact, it’s one of Gregg’s favorites. It’s also quick and easy enough to fix on a weeknight. Here’s how you make it:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt, pepper and garlic powder

2 T. olive oil

1 8oz. pkg. of presliced mushrooms

1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced into bite-size pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped tomato

1/3 cup chopped red onion

½ cup chopped fresh basil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese

1. Preheat your broiler.

2. Pound the chicken breasts until they are thin and then sprinkle them with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place the chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray and broil for about 4 minutes on each side, or until done. Remove the chicken from pan and keep warm.

3. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomato, onion, basil and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes. Serve the vegetable mixture over chicken and sprinkle with the cheese.

I usually serve this with a side of pasta. Hope that you enjoy this as much as we do!

Now God

This Sunday, we will continue our series Choosing to Cheat with part Two: Now God. Here’s a sneak peak:

In the Old Testament, a man named Daniel faced a dilemma. Daniel had to decide who he was going to be loyal to—his Heavenly Father or his earthly king. He couldn’t have it both ways. He had to choose whom he was going to cheat. 

Every day we make choices as to how we’ll use our time and prioritize our lives. We often face a dilemma similar to Daniel’s. Who’s going to be our priority? Who are we going to cheat?

God takes full responsibility for the life that is wholly devoted to him. If we choose to reallocate our limited time according to God's priorities, we actually make space for God to intervene in our life in an exciting way.

Daniel had a “now God” moment when he did this and proposed a test. Daniel specifically identified what he desired to see changed regarding what was expected of him at work. He presented his plan to his boss and listened to the objections from his supervisor. Then Daniel asked his boss to test him in it for ten days.

There would not have been a “now God” moment for Daniel, if he had not made the decision to step out and trust God.  When you decide to order your life, family and marriage the way that God desires, you have no idea what God is capable and willing to do in the arena of your career.

To follow the series, you can download the full messages here.

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel,… (Daniel 1:8-9)

Mom, I Think I Flushed My Wallet Down the Toilet

This afternoon, Jordan came running to me with a worried look on his face. “Mom,” he said in a slight panic, “I think I accidentally flushed my wallet down the toilet.”

Now for most 6-year-old boys, the spare change they’ve collected throughout the weeks wouldn’t have amounted to much. But Jordan has learned the value of a dollar at an early age and has somehow managed to squirrel away $115! All from a $1/week allowance!

So when Jordan said he “thinks” he “accidentally” flushed his $115 down the toilet, it sent us into search and rescue mode.

Thankfully, we found Jordan’s wallet on the bathroom floor. There are a lot of unanswered questions to today’s drama, and I still don't know all of the "why's" and "how's". But afterwards Jordan made the comment, “I think I have short-term memory loss.” 

Unlimited Patience?

A couple of days ago, I wandered into the family room and found my children eating a huge bag of frozen fruit. Not the neutral-colored fruit like bananas, mangoes, or pineapples. No, this was the berry variety of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries! Two of my children were covered up to their elbows in purple berry stains and it was soon to threaten the color of my furniture, walls and carpet.

Just the day before, I had to wash that same berry juice off of my couch. I had asked them many times not to eat food in the family room. Why didn’t they listen to me? I have to admit, I was frustrated.

Then I remembered how many times I have said that I won’t do something, only to find myself a short time later repeating the same habit, same attitude, making the same mistakes.

Lord, help me to be as patient with my own children as you are with yours.

“But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1Timothy 1:16

Choosing to Cheat

In our culture, I think it’s pretty safe to say that work and family make up the two most significant and time-consuming arenas of our lives. It can be a struggle to juggle the demands of maintaining a career and a family. Success or failure in either category directly impacts and affects our lives.

The problem we encounter, is the reality that there is just not enough time to get everything done. We can’t do everything. Someone is going to get cheated. Worse yet, somebody is going to feel cheated.

This Sunday, we will begin a new series, Choosing to Cheat: Who Wins When Work and Family Collide? For those of us who wrestle with this ongoing tension, it’s going to be an honest look at the reality that although we will need to cheat somewhere with our time, we must make a decision not to cheat our family and the people who matter the most to us. 

Get Up!

Today Jordan, our 6-year-old learned to ride a bike. Before we started practicing, I reminded him that he will fall, but the important thing for him to do was to get up and keep trying.

He did fall . . . a lot. But after each fall, Jordan got up, brushed the dirt off of him and climbed back on his bike. He was determined to ride that bike! It was a huge accomplishment for him and afterwards, Jordan exclaimed, “Now, I’m a big boy!”

Watching Jordan’s determination reminded me that there are times when I will fall, when I will fail. The important thing for me to remember is to get up, to keep trying. Too often in my fear of failing, I avoid the risk altogether. Where’s the joy and satisfaction in that?

I truly think that a large part of our maturity as people is fashioned, and character is developed, when we persevere, endure life’s bumps and scratches, and refuse to stay down when we fall. 

“Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” Micah 7:8

My Daily Challenge: Chicken Parm Soup

Today is a soup day in Hawaii. We don’t get too many of them, so I hope to take full advantage of it.

This soup is one that our entire family enjoys and it only takes about 15 minutes to make. I got the recipe from Rachel Ray’s book, Just in Time.

4 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 pound of chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces

   Salt and pepper to taste

4 garlic cloves, 3 chopped and 1 halved

   Red Pepper flakes, to taste

1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes

1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth

4 thick slices of Italian or sourdough bread

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh basil, shredded or torn

Preheat the broiler.

Heat the EVOO in a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Stir in the tomatoes and chicken stock and cook until heated through.

While the soup cooks, char the bread on both sides under the broiler. Rub with the garlic halves and drizzle with EVOO, then mound with handfuls of Parmesan cheese. Return to the broiler to melt the cheese.

Turn off the heat and stir in the basil. Ladle the soup into bowls and float the toasts on top. You’re done! Enjoy!

My Daily Challenge

Every day, I wake up with this challenge. 7 days a week, including holidays I face it, wrestle with it and encounter it. This daily challenge, of course, is what to make for dinner.

I love to cook, but the challenge I find is coming up with something different every day, that will accommodate the palettes of seven people. Yet it must be easy enough to make in the midst of homeschooling, house cleaning, helping with homework and the variety of sports and activities that we continually have.

So, I’ve decided to pass on a few recipes that I’ve found that meet two criteria:

1.   They must be quick enough for me to make during the week, and easy enough for me to make considering the many distractions and interruptions that seem to occur only between the hour of 5-6pm.

2.   They must taste good and pass the test of at least 5 of our 7 family members.

I’ll plan to post the first recipe in my next post. Bon Appetit! 

Youth Can Make A Difference

Last night, our Friday night youth service was completely run by the students. They operated the sound, led the worship, played an entire band, taught a strong word, served the snacks and even coordinated the rides home for those who needed them.

But what inspired and encouraged me the most was to see the enthusiasm, care and effort they put into making the entire evening a success. They rose to the challenge given them and used the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of their peers.

JR and Toan began their teaching by asking their peers if they had ever been told, “you’re no good” or “you’ll never amount to anything”. Hands shot up across the room.

These young men encouraged their peers to not to believe the lies and not to “let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

It is heartbreaking to see so many young people who have experienced deep betrayal, rejection, and feelings of worthlessness at such a young age.

They’re looking for somewhere to belong. Looking for someone to believe in them. Someone who will affirm their worth. They're looking for someone to believe that their lives matter and that they can make a difference.

What a great opportunity for these youth, who are seeking answers, to see their peers living with hope, purpose and passion in an environment that often seems unfocused and without direction or purpose. What an inspriration for them to hear that their lives have value and they have something to contribute.

Young people can make a difference. 

Even As We Put Our Hope in You

Last Sunday, Gregg concluded our series, He’s Still Got the Whole World in His Hands, with the message Hope, describing hope as a person or thing in which our expectations for the future are centered.

Although we don’t often think about it, whatever we are leaning our life against is that in which we have placed our hope. Gregg described hope like a ladder that we lean against a wall. Often we find ourselves leaning our lives against temporary and unfulfilling things such as our career, our relationships, or our finances.

Placing our hope in the world, in anything temporary, is futile because our world is hopelessly broken. Sin has messed up, infected and impacted every living thing. If our hope is in the world, we will always be disappointed. The only way to maintain hope in a broken and uncertain world is to lean our ladder against, or place our hope in God’s incredible love for us.

We asked one of our campus staff members, Shaun, to paint some artwork for the set. Shaun is also a professional artist whose work is currently on display at two of Hawaii’s libraries. You can view Shaun’s portfolio here. The picture below shows what Shaun and JR, one of our talented high school students, constructed for last week’s message.

May your unfailing love be with us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” (Psalm 33:22)

Brandon's Big Catch

Last weekend, a friend of ours took Brandon and Gregg free diving for the first time. I have to admit, I was a little nervous. Free diving in the open ocean, sharks, . . .. But what really scared me was the though of my highly curious 11-year-old swimming around armed with a spear gun. 


Thankfully, there were no injuries to report. None, except this one:

Can you figure out what this is? It's a tako, Japanese for octopus. It was about the size of a grapefruit and Brandon speared this little guy all by himself. Island living suits Brandon well. 

My Quest to Find Pumpkins in Hawaii

Today, I woke up with the realization that none of my five children has ever carved a pumpkin. Gregg assured me that they have, but after asking all five of them, none said they remember carving a pumpkin. What kind of a mom am I?

So I set out, with all five in tow, on a quest to find pumpkins. We were so excited! After several hours and many miles of searching, we couldn’t find them anywhere. Any suggestions? It finally started to get dark and the enthusiasm the children once had, had diminished into frustration and bickering. Disappointed, I bought a bunch of gourds and came home. 

Pray Until the Peace Comes, Part 2

Last Sunday, Gregg spoke a message on prayer that has dramatically changed the way I pray. I’ve heard many messages on prayer before, but this message brought a fresh perspective and new challenge. Here’s just a brief summary:

Uncertainty in our life can often reveal some of our deepest insecurities and greatest fears. When we experience uncertainty, we can choose to be ridden with anxiety or we can pray until the peace comes.

The reason that we’re often overwhelmed with anxiety is because we’ve not asked God to stand guard over our hearts and minds. We ask him to stand guard over our job, our finances, our children and our health, but we allow our hearts and minds to be devoured by stress and anxiety.

It is in praying, discovering and revealing to God our deepest desires and fears that we experience intimacy with God and the peace of God. God promises amazing peace when we take the time to search our hearts, and reveal to God the deepest desires of our heart.

Although three brief paragraphs don’t really accurately communicate the point, my amateur computer skills will attempt to link the full message here. Hope that worked.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 

Spam Musubi, Anyone?

The other day while driving in my car, I began to smell something funny. After looking through the car, Becca and I decided that the stench must be one of the boys’ stinky slippers.

Yesterday on the way to church, we discovered the true source. One of the boys presented me with a moldy, stinky spam musubi that had been decaying deep in one of the seat pockets. We’re estimating that it had been there for quite some time, but had finally developed the potency to be found.

I think it’s time for me to thoroughly clean my car. You never know what else I may find hiding and growing in there.

It’s also a good reminder for me of the importance to daily cleanse my heart. If I neglect to, things that may seem to be small and insignificant, if left untended, will grow into something ugly and stinky.

“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.. . . Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:2, 10

Pray Until Peace Comes

Two years ago, both Gregg and I began feeling that tugging from God. We had experienced this feeling many times before and began sensing that God was moving us into a new ministry role outside of Nashville. The only problem was that we didn’t know where this new place would be!  But we were so sure of it that Gregg found his replacement and began to transition out of his role. Someone even offered to buy our home, and we hadn’t even put it on the market yet.

So here we were in Nashville with no home and no viable prospects for our next season. Our neighbors would ask us, “Where are you moving?” They couldn't believe that we would sell our home without a next step in place. In hindsight, I can’t either! There was so much uncertainty! Yet, in the midst of the uncertainty, there was this incredible peace.

Uncertainty can often surface our deepest insecurities and greatest fears. While experiencing uncertainty, we have a choice to make. We can choose to be ridden with anxiety or we can pray until peace comes.

This Sunday, Gregg will continue his series, He’s Still Got the Whole World in His Hands, with part two, Pray Until Peace Comes. He’ll unpack this truth further by discussing that although our circumstances may be uncertain, dark and confusing, we can still experience the peace of God, which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Hope to see you there!

He's Still Got the Whole World in His Hands

Just returned from my women’s small group. I’m so thankful that I have a group of women with whom I can meet weekly to talk, pray and process life. 

Today, we discussed Gregg’s new sermon series, He’s Still Got the Whole World in His Hands. Sometimes I forget that most of the Bible was written under extremely uncertain times and circumstances. It is filled with stories of people facing uncertainty and discovering that not only is God not absent, he is diligently at work accomplishing his will in the world and in the lives of those he loves.

Last Sunday, Gregg proposed that if you were to ask Jesus’ disciples when their time following Christ was the darkest, most fearful, and most uncertain, they probably would have told you that it surrounded the events of Jesus’ crucifixion. But he went on to also say, that if you were to ask those same disciples about when God was doing his greatest work, in hindsight, they probably would’ve also said it was during that same time of darkness, fear and uncertainty.

This is encouraging to me because even when life is uncertain, God is not. Even when it seems that my life has spun out of control, God is still in control. Even when his voice seems to be silent and his activity appears to be absent, He is still at work to accomplish his purpose. He’s still got the whole world in his hands. 

Adventures in Church Planting: An Unexpected Surprise

When Gregg and our team made the decision to move our Sunday services to Kahala Elementary, we were excited for the opportunity to be in a community and to reach our Honolulu community.

A couple of weeks ago, Kahala Elementary held their school beautification project on Sunday morning during our services. One of the fathers that had come to help paint decided to bring his family yesterday to check out the new church in his neighborhood.

When Gregg got up to speak, he immediately recognized him. Turns out, this was one of the college students Gregg introduced to Christ more than 17 years ago when we were campus ministers at the University of Hawaii!

Gregg spent hours with this young man. In fact, if you’ve listened to enough of Gregg’s messages, you’ve probably heard a story about him (for example, Gregg’s near death snorkeling experience). He didn’t know that we had returned to Hawaii; he definitely didn’t know that we were planting a church at his children’s school. 

Church planting can be challenging. But seeing someone, whom you helped introduce to Christ more than 17 years ago, still loving God, still following Christ, reminds me that I wouldn't want to do anything else. 

A Church Planting Essential

This January, we will officially plant Grace Bible Church Honolulu. Believe it or not, this is the fourth church plant of which Gregg and I have been a part. You may wonder, are we crazy? Possibly. Glutton for punishment? Most definitely. And we have the gray hair to prove it! We’ve learned a lot through our experiences and the growth it has brought forth in our lives is invaluable.

Yesterday, during my daily ramblings to Gregg about church thoughts, ideas, etc., Gregg stopped me and reminded me of this one church planting essential:

He said, “All that we need to do is to stay in love with Jesus, and help others to do the same.”

It sounds like a no-brainer, but in the midst of planning, meeting, scheduling, preparing, and the daily demands and routines of a family and ministry, it is so easy to . . . slowly . . . drift . . . away from God.

So, fellow church planter, fellow Christian, stay in love with Jesus and help others to do the same.

The God Who Sees Me

This morning during my devotional time, I read Genesis 16. This is the story of when Sarai, unable to have children, gives Hagar, her maidservant, to Abram. Then when Hagar conceives a child, Sarai begins to take her hurt, insecurity, jealousy and anger out on Hagar.

Talk about dysfunctional!

Hagar must have felt so betrayed. So unloved. So used. So alone. 


After the angel appears to her, “she gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13

When I hurt . . .

When I cry . . .

When I feel all alone . . .

When I feel as if no one cares . . .

You are the God who sees me. 

Do What You Gotta Do

One night as I was putting my little Jojo to bed, I noticed that he had something in his mouth. It was a mouthful of candy! The little rascal. He was pretty bummed when I had him spit it all out. I vividly remember how he looked at me and with a sigh, he said, "Go ahead. Do what you gotta do."

Jordan didn't resist, didn't argue, didn't excuse. I laughed, but got to thinking how often my tendency is to resist God's work in my life, to make excuses and justify my attitudes.

David seemed to understand this too as he prayed in Psalm 27, "Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path. . ."

I want Jesus to have his way in my life. Lord, do what you gotta do.

Mulligans

Yesterday, Gregg and I were able to break away from our routine for an afternoon of golf with some friends.

Now, playing golf is not something I get to do very often, and I don’t do it very well either. For some reason, when I hit the ball in one direction, it has the amazing ability to follow a completely different trajectory.

Because of this, I always get a little nervous before playing. What a relief to me, when on the first hole, my friend, Annie, said, “Would you like to take a mulligan? Go ahead, take a mulligan.”

In golf, a mulligan is a do-over. You get a fresh start. You don’t have to play your horrible shot that landed in someone’s backyard, you don’t even have to count it. It won’t be written on the final scorecard.

A mulligan is similar to what God offers to us, isn’t it? A fresh start. A clean slate. A do-over. Have you taken your mulligan?

“. . . he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. . . as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10, 12)

Who Ate My Cookies?

For my mom’s birthday, I bought her a box of cookies from the Honolulu Cookie Company. These cookies are so good and they come nicely wrapped in a gift box.

Anyway, until I got around to sending them, I placed them in the refrigerator with a big sign, “Do not open!”

Last night Gregg and I went out for dinner and upon returning home, I noticed the box had been opened and cookies had been eaten! (Sorry, Mom.)

I began my search with the usual suspects . . . the children. After some probing, one child finally came forward and confessed to eating the cookies.

Why do confessions often turn into excuses?

“I ate the cookies, because I didn’t see the sign.” “I didn’t know I wasn’t suppose to eat the cookies.”

We often do the same thing, too. Don’t we?

As Gregg and I discussed this with our child, we mentioned that true confession involves taking responsibility for what you’ve done, not shifting the blame or making excuses for it.

John Ortberg, in his book The Life You’ve Always Wanted, makes a good point saying, “Confession means saying that somewhere in the mix was a choice, and the choice was made by us, and it does not need to be excused, explained, or even understood. The choice needs to be forgiven.”

So Mom, be looking for an opened, slightly eaten gift in the mail that came with an important life lesson for your grandchild.

What We Need the Most

In a few weeks, my youngest child, Jessica, will turn five. She’s busy planning her big day and has decided that what she really wants, what she really needs is a “muffin maker”. What Jessie thinks she really needs is an easy bake oven so she can cook for treats for everyone.

Most people, spend their entire lives pursuing what they think they really need, but neglect pursuing the one thing they need the most: forgiveness.

Last Sunday, Gregg talked about how God is generous with what we need the most. He invites us into an incredible relationship that is characterized by forgiveness, mercy, grace and unconditional acceptance.

Yet, He doesn’t stop there. God asks that we, too, be generous in forgiving others. This is tough because it’s sometimes easier to focus on what’s been done to us by others, rather than focusing on what’s been done for us by God.

We forgive others not because they deserve to be forgiven, but because we have been forgiven.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

An Audience of One

This afternoon, I overheard Jordan and Jessie sword fighting. Jessie was yelling, “All for one and one for one!”

I mentioned to her that the proper way to say the chant was, “All for one and one for all!” But she just couldn’t get it. So off they went shouting, “All for one and one for one!”

Which got me thinking. . . How much energy do I spend throughout the day living with a one for all mentality? Trying, on my own, to please everyone, make everyone happy and meet everyone’s needs?

I want to live one for One. In all that I do, to seek and pursue the praise that comes from the One, Jesus Christ.

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

The Generous Life

A couple of months ago as some guests were leaving our home, Jessica began showering the children with toys as they left. She had several dolls and stuffed animals that she was liberally giving away.

I was so proud to see my daughter selflessly giving her things to other children. Then from the other room, I hear my son yell, “Hey that’s my toy!” And then my daughter, “And that’s my stuffed animal!”

Jessica was liberally giving away her brother’s and sister’s stuff! She didn’t have difficulty giving it because it wasn’t her stuff to begin with.

Which made me think. . . Maybe if I saw everything that I have been given, as God’s and not really mine anyway, maybe then I would find it easier to liberally and generously give it away?

Oops, We Lost Your Stuff

Move #11: from Los Angeles, CA to Nashville, TN

This is the final moving story I’ll share. I could go on, but hasn’t it been painful enough? Since Gregg concluded his On the Move series last week, I’ll move on to something else (no pun intended).

When we made the massive cross-country move from LA to Nashville, our ministry found a pretty good deal for us with a moving company. Since we were moving 6 months ahead of the rest of the office, there was only one other family moving at the same time. They chose a smaller, lesser known company.

Having been on the road for over a month, we were really excited to move into our new home and unpack our stuff. When the movers finally arrived, they got out of the moving van looking a little rattled.

Apparently, they can usually fit about three client's stuff per truck. Because our ministry only had two clients at the time, another client's stuff was loaded onto the truck with ours.

Believe it or not, their other client was smuggling drugs. The FBI had been tracking the truck and somewhere between Los Angles and Nashville they made their raid. Scent dogs and all, they stormed the van and began a massive search for the loot.

Good news? The FBI found 150lbs. of drugs hidden on the truck. Bad news? The FBI and their dogs are not very gentle with stuff when performing a drug raid. In fact, they couldn’t fit some of the stuff back onto the truck and just left it. Most of our things arrived damaged, some were completely destroyed and other things just never showed up.

Not quite sure who’s to blame. A few follow up calls to the moving company and they had disconnected their phone and appeared to have closed shop.

As they unloaded our stuff piece by broken piece, I learned a few things:

- Cheaper isn’t always better.

- It’s just stuff. And that stuff can sometimes have a stronger hold on our lives than it should.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? Luke 9:25

Searching for Jojo

In my last blog, I mentioned that only twice has my search for one of my children continued so long that I broke down in tears. Last Saturday was my second, this was my first experience:

It had been the perfect Easter day. A wonderful afternoon with friends that had extended well into the evening. It was now after 9:00 pm and time to gather our children and head for home.

The children all ran outside with their friends for one last minute of fun while I gathered the few remaining items. When we finally began loading everyone into the car, we realized that Jordan was nowhere to be found. Gregg ran inside to get him but couldn’t find him either.

That sick feeling rushed through my body. My stomach sank and my heart began to race. There were at least 12 of us looking everywhere for him and although we would loudly call out his name throughout the house and neighborhood, all we would hear in response was a dark eerie silence.

Amanda and Rick began searching one end of the street, while I took the other. Tina began frantically looking through every closet and spare space inside her home. Tina’s brother got a flashlight and began searching the woods in the back of their house while Gregg and Paul searched anywhere and everywhere they could imagine a four year old boy would wander. As all of our panic intensified, the time dragged on.

After what seemed an eternity (it actually was only about 15 min), we really thought it was about time to call the police. Then Tina found him.

Apparently, Jordan had crawled under one of the boys beds trying to retrieve one of his Easter eggs that had rolled out of his little reach. His shirt became caught on something and he couldn’t get out. He was stuck.

When we asked him why he didn’t respond when several of us came into the room calling (freakishly shouting) his name, he said it was because he had gum in his mouth. (Since when have my boys been concerned about talking with their mouth’s full?) He also said he thought it would be fun to scare daddy. (He didn’t take into account the many other adults who were sent into a frenetic panic.)

We all collapsed, emotionally drained and physically exhausted, breathing a big sigh of relief, thankful to be able to bring all of our children safely home.

Funny though, if you were to ask Jordan about the incident, he would tell you that he wasn’t lost. Just stuck.

Many Christians, in certain seasons and circumstances, find their relationship with God in a similar place. Stuck. Stuck in sin, stuck with the repercussions of bad choices, stuck with their bad habits and attitudes, and helpless to change. Unable to move forward.

How it must grieve God. Those children He loves, created and died for, just stuck. In those seasons, may we find the strength, power and grace that God supplies to move forward one day at a time.

Searching for Justin

One of the scariest experiences a parent can have is not being able to find their child. Only twice has my search for them gone so long that I was reduced to tears. Today was one of them.

Justin had finished his soccer game and we were now at Jordan’s game. About halfway through the third quarter, we realized that Justin had disappeared. We looked everywhere. Other fields, playgrounds, bathrooms. . . couldn’t find him anywhere. My heart began to race. It wasn’t like him to wander off without telling us—and he had just been sitting with us minutes before!

It was well into the fourth quarter when one of the parents shouted to us from across the field, “He’s over here!” Justin was just sitting on some steps, but a concrete wall had blocked him from our view.

After the whole experience, Gregg told me I shouldn’t have panicked. But I’m a mother. Can you expect anything less from a mother who can’t find her lost child?

How desperately God must feel towards his lost children.

“I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.” Ezekiel 34:16

“In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:14

We're Gonna Die!

Move #13: Nashville, TN to Honolulu, HI

When our family made the massive cross country, trans-Pacific move from Tennessee to Hawaii last summer, Gregg and I thought that it would be an exciting “family bonding adventure” to drive our minivan across the country. We loaded up our five children and packed all of our remaining stuff strategically around them. There was barely room to breathe.

About halfway into our drive as we were leaving Kansas and approaching the Colorado border, the beautiful weather we had been enjoying suddenly changed dramatically. While it was only four in the afternoon, the sky grew eerily dark and the winds became so strong that you could see funnel clouds off in the distance. Although we had only lived in Tennessee for two years, we had learned quickly what tornado weather looked like. We did not like what we saw.

To make matters worse, we began to hear a loud thumping noise coming from the top of our car. It was our Yakima carrier, filled with more of our stuff. The wind had damaged it and it was loose, threatening to break. We were heading into tornado weather with no town or exit in sight (Gregg had always wondered what would happen if one of those broke off, now with his golf clubs inside he was hoping to not experience it firsthand).

Then, very quietly at first, one of our children began to chant, “We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die!” As fear can be very contagious, within minutes, all five of our children were screaming in unison, “We’re gonna die!” I looked at Gregg and had one thought, “We’re gonna die!”

Thankfully, we didn’t. We made it to the next town, Gregg was able to fix our carrier, the weather cleared and we were on our way to Denver for the night.

What I learned from this experience:

- Next time, fly.

- Fear can paralyze us and cause us to question what God has called us to do.

- When we’re afraid, God is with us to strengthen us.

“Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. . .” Isaiah 41:10

Security Blankets

Today, I sent my oldest son, Brandon, off to 5^th grade camp for three days. Where has the time gone? Although I still have a couple more moving stories to share, here is one of my favorite Brandon stories:

For some reason, things were just better for Brandon when he had it with him. The dark wasn’t as scary, boo-boos didn’t hurt as much, and mommy and daddy leaving him with a babysitter just wasn’t as difficult. When he felt uneasy, it comforted him; when he was scared, it calmed his fears; when he was tired, it gave him peace.

Brandon used to drag his blanket around like Linus from the Peanuts gang. As the years passed, it grew old and tattered, but his love and devotion to it remained strong. That is, until that fateful day when Brandon placed it on the hot stove shortly after I had finished cooking. Don’t be alarmed; we didn’t have to call the Fire Department. There were no open flames, just a smoldering, smoky smell that filled the house. Brandon’s much-loved white blankie from that day forward resembled an overdone marshmallow.

That day Brandon burned his security blanket. You may not be dragging a blanket around with you, but do you have other “security blankets” that need to be burned or thrown away? Where do you look for your security?

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

Oops, We're Having a Baby and We Have No Place to Live

Move #9: from San Diego, CA to Los Angeles, CA

If you were to ask Gregg which move was most difficult, he would probably say, hands down, this one from San Diego to Los Angeles. Many circumstances made it challenging, but the looming stress-factor was the fact that our fourth child was within weeks of being born, and we had no place to live.

Finally, we gave up looking, rented a two-bedroom apartment and put a lot of our stuff in storage. And with boxes everywhere, our little Jordan was born. In hindsight, although our new home was a tight squeeze, it was a blessing in many ways. In fact, we stayed there until Jessica was born.

Here’s what I learned:

- If at all possible, don’t move when you’re 36 weeks pregnant.

- You can trust God to lead you through the dark and unknown seasons of your life.

- While our new home was small, it was affordable. We had been living on the edge financially for years and it was freeing to finally have the element of financial stress removed from our lives and our marriage.

- Wherever God calls you, his grace and strength will sustain you.

If You Don't Come Back, I Understand

Move #11: Los Angeles, CA to Nashville, TN

Several years ago, our family made a big cross-country move from Los Angeles, California to Nashville, Tennessee. To date, we have moved thirteen times and it seems that with every move we have more children, more pets and more stuff. The challenge with this move was that it fell in the dead of winter. We had safely made the drive across the country through rain, sleet and snow with our five children, packed minivan and pet bunny. We were now camping out at an extended stay hotel until our home was ready. After eating near lethal doses of fast food and living out of various hotels for over one month everyone in the family (including the bunny) had frazzled nerves, quick tempers and testy emotions. Remember this was one hotel room, 7 people, a bunny, for 30 days.

One restaurant experience during our trip stands out among the rest. Your family has probably never had this kind of experience. Our three boys were full of energy bouncing up and down in the restaurant booth (one was even hanging from my husband’s neck) when our one year old conveniently had a stinky diaper. My husband, Gregg, handed me the keys and as I ventured out into the icy cold to scrounge the floor of our car for a diaper he calmly said to me, “If you don’t come back, I understand.

In the moment, we were both second-guessing our decision to uproot our family from a comfortable house, stable job and close friends to venture into this unknown territory of big belt buckles and country music. This wasn’t what we had signed up for. This picture didn’t look as glamorous as we thought it would. It would have been easy to give up. It was difficult. Painful. Uncomfortable. Remember: one hotel room, 7 people, a bunny, for 30 days.

As a little girl, I remember having lofty aspirations and dreams of what I would some day become. Big plans to change the world. High hopes for what God would some day use me to accomplish. What had happened? Here I was in the middle of a snowy parking lot in an unfamiliar town searching through my incredibly messy minivan for a clean diaper. What happened to my plans to be different, to make a difference?

Here’s what I learned:

- Don’t quit. When circumstances become difficult, the temptation is to give up and focus on the wrong things. God desires for us to focus on him.

- God is able to provide meaning in even the mundane seasons of our life.

- The painful, difficult seasons are opportunities for God to do a special work in our lives and to draw us closer to him.

You Can Cry Now

Move #7: from Austin, TX to San Diego, CA

Many years ago, when we lived in Texas, Gregg and I had the exciting opportunity to buy and build a home. Our first home. A new home. Brand new.

With the paint on the walls barely dry, we began to feel God’s tugging on our hearts once again. We’d felt that tug before. It was God beginning to pull us into something new. Only months after moving into this cute little home in the Austin suburbs, we sold it, packed all of our stuff and moved our family (at the time, only four of us) to San Diego to help with another church plant.

We had found a home to rent in San Diego. Hadn’t seen it yet. But from everything the owner was describing, it sounded beautiful. Large double doors, a huge backyard, newly remodeled bathrooms, ceramic tile throughout the house. . . We thought we had scored!

After the long cross-country drive, with anticipation we pulled up to our new home.

Immediately, Gregg turned to me and said, “It’s ok, you can cry now.”

This home that had sounded so good, was actually the eyesore of the neighborhood. Interestingly, everything the owner had told us about the home was true!

Gregg proceeded to tell me to not even bother unpacking, because we weren’t going to stay. Funny thing, we lived there for three years—the longest to date that we’ve lived anywhere.

What I learned:

-Just because something sounds good, doesn’t mean it is.

-Change is difficult, no matter how welcome it may be. Believe it or not, when the time came to leave that home, it was difficult because we had made so many memories there.

-God uses change in our lives to grow us, stretch us and prepare us in ways that He just can’t when we’re comfortable.