Around Us?

Jesus in the background

Are you more of a reactor or planner. We know that our productivity goes up when we're thinking ahead rather than reacting to our circumstances. Imagine what would happen if Jesus was leading the way in each of our lives. Our daily consultant. What next. We have the greatest consultant in history.

Huh? Where'd this come from?

Lisa Vannalee update

Wow!!! Lisa is sitting up, talking and smiling. She is an inspiration. Against the odds she's fighting through. Lisa told me last night that she can't wait to come to church and her family said they would all be back in church this Sunday again.

I'm thankful that God is truly giving this family hope. They have hope for what will happen even in the middle of this horrible situation.

Mr. Vannalee is in the middle of reading the book of Mark and learning about the life of Jesus. Please pray that God will continue to give him hope and strength as the leader for this family.

The diagnoses for Lisa hasn't gotten better but she continues to improve. She was moving her fingers last night ever so slightly and was told that would be impossible. She said she felt warmth in her legs yesterday and you know what, my faith is growing and I'm believing for a full recovery!!!!

Why not! Imagine the power if we all, with GREAT FAITH, pray for an amazing full recovery!!!

Lets pray!

Popcorn

Hair Wonders

What's up with hair? Some have it some don't.
Why do we need it. So we have something to consume our mornings? Some more than others. Bald spots, dry patches, itchy scalp, dandruff, curly, straight, oily, well kept, mohawk's, bowl cuts, hives and more. Hair, one more thing that God added to make us who we are.

Wow.

One more. Lisa and Chris.

Chris is Lisa's sisters boyfriend.

Lisa Vannalee

Here's a picture of Lisa V. Please keep her in your prayers.

Truth

What is Truth.

The Truth will set you free.
The Truth and nothing but the Truth
I speak the Truth.
Jesus, "I am the way, the Truth and the life"

"The truth is relative to what you believe." - Univeralist Pastor
"The truth is what I think it is." - Tattoo artist.

Do you have a definition for Truth? How have you defined Truth?

Jesus. He was Truth in human form. All that is right and good. Truth.
The writings in the bible and the principles Jesus stood for confirm and scream authentic people caring Truth.

Jesus.

Truth.

CCC Challenge

The Vannalee's

I met the Vannalee family one week ago today. I wish I could have met them under different circumstances. Last Sunday morning after the message in the 11:15 service a young lady named Boula Vannalee approached me in tears with her boyfriend Chris. They told me a story that will forever change my life and for the last week has impacted me in a way that nothing else in my life has. I am still amazed at the love, endurance, and strength that I've seen in this amazing little family.

Last Friday night actually early Saturday morning the Vannalee family sat in there home watching a movie together, not knowing that in the next few minutes there lives would forever be changed.

Preceding this night at there home "Sam" or Patthana Vannalee, 19 year old brother had been acting very strange since being brutally assaulted and beaten horribly. The injuries he sustained were noticably located on Sam's head and upper body. Sam's behavior was now extremely random and unpredictable which had his family worried for his health.

While watching the movie together Friday night Lisa Vannalee, 16, left the room and was followed by Sam in the next few moments Sam attacked Lisa with a knife and delivered life changing injuries to his little sister. The rest of the family heard the commotion and went to find Lisa injured and Sam literally out of his mind.

Lisa is now in PICU at UCDavis in critical condition with massive cuts on her face and neck area with injury to her spinal chord. She is slowly regaining feeling in her upper body but still hasn't felt anything in her lower body.

Sam is in the Sacramento County Jail.

There family is staying at the hospital with Lisa and we are praying with Lisa daily and daily her improvement is amazing. She was told she wouldn't be able to feel anything and everyday more feeling comes back. She's communicating well and is getting stronger daily.

Gretchen and I have fallen in love with the Vannalee family and are spending time with them daily as they walk through this life changing circumstance.

I'm asking everyone I know to please pray for God's peace and strength for the Vannalee family. I'm believing for a miracle with Lisa! Will you have faith with me for a great recovery. Lisa is extremely smart young lady who is attending Grant Highschool and has competed in beauty contests. The little I know her has been inspiring as she is in the fight of her life.

Good morning

This is what my Monday mornings start like.

? You Write the title.

Life this way and that
The ups the downs
The straight the narrow
The quiet the loud
The calm the storm
The rush the relax

Just in tune with the melody of our time
Life like this with the daily twist of cirmcumstance
With 24 hours today and a few tomorrows
How will I spend this precious gift I've been given called time.

Time, Yes, Time
Can I find more, or will it shrink as the days go by.
Will Time be friend or foe
Eternity, forever, when time calls for you which direction will you head
Door one or is it two.

Do you know your options, what's on the other side of your door.
Maybe you should look or search and seek for more.

For which door you go through will tell the rest of your days.

My Friend

The Falls on Highway 50. Kiah and Tate in Awe once again.


Do you have someone in your life that is a real friend? Loves you regardless, forgives you when they shouldn't, gives you that word when you need it. I need that, you need that, we all need that. I'm thankful for my friends and I don't use that title lightly. Those of you that are friends of mine, thank you, when you've spoken I kind word or said a prayer or smiled my way. Thank you.

Amazing.

A little pic of my boys and I in the snow last weekend.

My Dream

Do you have a dream? I'm going through a section of my life where dreams are becoming reality. What does it take to make a dream come true! It's something we all probably have thought about but do we ever make it happen? I want to make it happen, I want to see my boys live happily ever after, my wife to come home with a smile and what I do all day to count.

Dream it 08 is a place where all of us can come together for a couple of days and just dream. Tap into what God has for us and dream.

Pd.

What do you hear?

(My Boys and I)


Have you ever noticed that all of us hear things differently. We can hear the same thing, said by the same person even at the same time and still we walk away hearing something a little different. I guess what I'm getting at is this, I want to hear what God wants me to hear. I think sometimes that when we hear things our opinion enters into the equation and we hear what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear and what God wants us to hear. "God, help me to listen deeply for Your message in what I hear and work at putting my own opinion aside in order to hear YOU. "

I'm sitting backstage listening to Pastor Ricks message this morning and I'm realizing there's a whole lot of things I need to work on. Pastor is speaking out of James, my favorite book in the bible. Wow, I've heard this so many times and yet, it sounds different again. I guess that's how God works.

Pd.

Day one done.

Great day! Day one of our remodel service settings for Capital Christian Center is over. Beginning last night at 6pm then today at 8am, 9:30am, 11:00am and then 12:30pm. I'm totally excited about everyone that showed up. What a crowd. overflow was packed, and all the services looked great!

I believe change is huge in our culture today. Pastor Rick talked about living in a lazyboy culture and he's totally right. We are comfortable and because of it often times we never really push ourselves to become what God has for us. Even in church culture, we are comfortable, the change we are going through right now is amazing and actually making us so much stronger. This change is stretching us and causing people to experience church and God from a different angle. New perspective sometimes bring about new thinking which allows us to GROW. Yep, that's what God wants, he wants us to GROW. Never be the same.

Big Question

How should we deal with homosexuals in the church? How do you think Jesus would have us deal with them? Any different then someone else who isn't a christian? These questions are provoked because of some individuals who have decided to parade there message about homosexuality infront of our church. I spent some time talking with one of there young men and now I'm interested in what you have to say.

Pd

40 Days of Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I didn't really think that something so simple could become so profound. God is literally challenging all Christians at CCC and around the world to quit just attending and start doing. Individuals who begin to do and not just sit will experience a whole new vitality in there relationship with God.

I'm in. Yes I'm a pastor I'm in ministry full time but it's a new day calling for new thoughts, new insights, and new action plans.

I hope your in to.

Pd