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Showing posts from August, 2014

Simon’s Celebration of Life Video

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Tonight marks three months since we’ve held Simon – but more importantly, it marks three months since Simon was loving placed in our Creator’s arms.   I feel like today is the perfect day to share Simon’s celebration of life service which took place on June 14, 2014 at our church home, Christ Community Brookside Campus.   We are so thankful for Ben Hollon, videographer, who donated his time and talents to recording the celebration.   Thank you for capturing this moment in our lives.   We are humbled by the outpouring of love through our friend, Jose, pastor Bill, music and worship pastor John, and all of the unbelievably talented musicians and singers without whom the service wouldn’t be the same.   Thank you to all of the volunteers who made the time after the service truly a celebration with cake, cookies and beverages.   We thank all of you who were with us in person (loved seeing everyone in blue!) and in spirit – you helped us stand tall this day.   Above all, we thank God for h

Longing for the City

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I woke up early this morning (Aug. 15th), determined to set my eyes on the San Francisco Bay.  To come to the City and not see it would just feel wrong to me.  My trip is very condensed.  I’m here for just 24 hours.  I sit on a park bench I’ve sat on many times before, watching the ferries come and go as they shuttle commuters to and from the City.  As I gaze out on the waters that roll beneath the grey, foggy sky I think about why I miss San Francisco.  Certainly I have deep nostalgic longings for my old life here - a time when everything seemed right.  But that’s the funny thing about nostalgia.  Nostalgia clouds your judgement of that past and forces you to remember the good.  I went through some very difficult times early  during  my tenure  in San Francisco.  On the very park bench I sit in now, I had many a phone conversation with my parents where I felt like I was at the end of my rope.  At certain points I was so close to giving up that if my mom or dad would have uttered, “

Hearing and Seeing Him

Since Simon’s memorial, God has been asking me to be silent and listen to Him.   Not be idle, but do all that I can to hear Him.   I’m trying to hear Him by spending time in The Word.   I find myself wanting the pain to be passed and naïvely dreaming of when the hurt might “go away.”   But in that same thought, I don’t want to speed through the grief.   I know He’s refining and restoring me through the valley ( 1 Peter 1:6-9 ).   So I continue to wait and listen and wait and listen ( Isa 30:18 ).   One thing that has been placed on my heart is to be in continuous thanksgiving.   I am typically in and out of prayer with the Lord throughout the day, more of a dialog.   It’s been this way for me for some time, however, I usually didn’t thank God for every little thing.    So I am choosing to acknowledge and give thanks to for everything – after all, every blessing flows from him.   So I have been focusing on thanking him for the little and the big things.   I’ve thanked him rec