Posts Tagged: "seattle"

my favorite imperfect cookie post

My Favorite Imperfect Cookies

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

Each week, I write two little family devotions that are printed as mini-booklets and added to the Kid’s Activity Pack that we hand out at our Drive-Thru Food Bank and our Sunday service. We’ve given out over 5,000 of these Kid’s Activity Packs now. Last week, I wrote about a happy family memory… my favorite imperfect cookies:

There is a fortune cookie factory here in Seattle’s Chinatown that sells bags of “un-fortunate” cookies. They’re the cookies that were somehow damaged, flattened, or just didn’t turn out perfect in the fortune cookie folding process. They are sold in a large plastic bag about the size of a beach ball (and they are much cheaper than the perfect ones).

bags of unfortune cookies for post

My parents loved going to dinner in Chinatown and they would always stop at the fortune cookie factory so they could buy a big bag of “un-fortunate” cookies. Sometimes, they would even buy an extra bag and give it to me.

I didn’t mind that these cookies weren’t perfect. Actually, the flat ones are easier to eat than the perfectly folded ones. Sometimes the folded ones hurt the roof of your mouth.

fortune cookies for post

The “un-fortunate” cookies tasted the same as the perfect ones. They came from the same factory. They had the same recipe. They just looked different.

I’m glad the fortune cookie factory doesn’t throw away these flat “un-fortunate” cookies.

Sometimes, when things don’t go the way we planned, or when everything isn’t as perfect as we’d like, we might not want to accept it.

But, have you ever had a warm chocolate cookie fresh out of the oven that broke when it was taken off the cookie sheet? Those broken cookies are delicious!

Maybe we should accept things, or situations, or people… that aren’t perfect.

After all, neither are we!

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” —Romans 15.7

 

 

viviana post

NWLife Weekly Conversation—In This Together

- - Life With God, Uncategorized, Video

Here is our fourth video NWLife podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: In This Together.

We’re in this together. As Pastor and author Brian Zahnd has said, “We like to tell ourselves that we are rugged individualists, that we make our own way in this world, that we are an island set apart and immune to the unexpected and inexplicable changes of life, but all it takes is a tiny fragment of genetic material to remind us of the truth: We’re all in this together.”

In today’s video podcast, Pastor Andy and Shari listen to Viviana share her… Read More

advent isn't a guit trip but it is a journey into compassion

Advent Day 7: Advent Isn’t A Guilt Trip But It Is A Journey Into Compassion

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

*Pictured above: Kahal, a homeless man I met this past Spring. He’s worked a number of jobs—in kitchens, landscaping, Uber driver… but has recently fallen on hard times. He doesn’t have an address right now, or a computer, and this makes applying for jobs a challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Kahal. He was pleasant, intelligent, and kind. He was quick to smile and laugh.

Those who cannot see Christ in the poor are atheists indeed. —Dorothy Day

Advent, the season of anticipating and waiting and reflecting on the arrival of Christ, is a journey that leads us into compassion. We can’t think about Christ’s coming without remembering the humble, low, and socially unacceptable truths of this story…

—a young unmarried minority girl who is pregnant

—no friends or family to call on for help, no place to go for shelter

—needing to squat where it was allowed—in the animal barn of the local inn

How would this story sound if it had played out in 21st century America?

Perhaps Jesús would have been born in the early morning hours at a downtown homeless shelter.

At the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth, he spoke of the final judgment and those who would be… Read More

i go to a church that gives away bicycles post

I Go To A Church That Gives Away Bicycles

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

I go to a church that gives away bicycles. Here’s a little background on that—a few lines from our recent Vision Day message at NWLife…

God is FOR THE PEOPLE

The cross means life FOR THE PEOPLE

And God wants his church to always be FOR THE PEOPLE

Look, we have too much work waiting to be done—we don’t have time to waste being all political or afraid or selfish. What I’m talking about here is doing stuff: Real stuff. Hands dirty, hearts breaking, brows sweating… behaving like we give a damn—because we follow Jesus who was, is, and will always be FOR THE PEOPLE.

This thing called church is not for profits, it’s not for power, it’s not for popularity…

What’s it about then?

It’s about… Read More

trust in the slow work of god post

Lent Day 25… The Slow Work Of God

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

The whole culture is telling you to hurry, while the art tells you to take your time. Always listen to the art. —Junot Diaz

Pictured above: that’s John, my father-in-law. He’s the best farmer I know (he grew up on a farm in North Dakota and came to Seattle to work at Boeing). He walks slowly—probably because of a bad hip or a bum knee… but there’s something cool about his slow walk. And even though he’s not super-fast, he grows the biggest onions and the best blueberries of anyone I know. It almost seems as if walking slowly is some kind of requirement for being a great farmer.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said… Read More

when doves cry post

When Doves Cry

- - Uncategorized

Pigeon friend of mine, fly on, sing on. —Carl Sandburg

Last weekend in Maple Valley my family and I walked from the farmer’s market back home – through a neighborhood – and while we were walking, I could hear a distinct sound. One we’ve all probably heard before. It wasn’t loud, but it was present.

Like a subtle soundtrack. Music to set the scene. And yet it seemed unusual. A bit out of place or context. For a moment I tried to place the sound. And then I realized what it was…

The gentle cooing of doves.

Which did seem odd to me. Are there doves here?

My last experience with… Read More

concord grapes patience post

God & Guns N’ Roses

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

*picture above: concord grapes growing at my dad’s house, September 2015

 

We planted our vegetable garden on Saturday. There were a few “starts” – small, already growing tomato plants we purchased from a nursery, but the rest of it was seeds—seeds we deposited beneath the soil.

And now we wait.

The various seeds, and the plants they represent, all have their own timeline: days to germination, days to maturity – or harvest. I asked when we will see the first green shoots of life breaking through the soil. Shari said a couple of the plants might germinate in as little as 7-10 days. That kinda bummed me out. I was hoping to see something in a day or two.

It’s easy to be impatient.

*     *     *

On Tuesday of this past week, I went to the Mariner’s game with Moses. As we were lined up outside with a crowd of people waiting to get through the security check, a street preacher was blasting his message through a powerful loudspeaker. You need to… Read More

2014 stain post

14 Good & Bad Stains 2014 Left On Me

- - Life With God, Uncategorized

*note: The picture above was taken through the window of my room at the Los Angeles Dream Center from our recent trip with a crew from NWLife – serving for a week there.

I’m so ready for 2015.

This year—while it wasn’t all bad—certainly had more than it’s fair share of bad news. I’ve felt like 2014 has refused to go out quietly or peacefully. It all reminds me of the opening lines from Jesus Walks by Kanye West…

Yo, we at war. We at war with terrorism, racism, and most of all we at war with ourselves.

As I reflect on 2014, I’m struck by a number of things that left their mark on me. So here they are: 14 Good & Bad Stains 2014 Left On Me… Read More