swim festival

This past Saturday the club where Simon and Braden take swimming lessons held a swim festival for them and the other students to show off for the parents what they've been learning. The night before we had some serious wind blow in along with some cold weather. Needless to say it wasn't ideal swimming weather. But the boys braved the chilly waters and did their strokes.

Luke's b'day

Saturday we went to the Longs' for Luke Long and Meg Dempsey's birthday party. Several families from the church were there and we had churrasco and cake. Always a great combination. The Longs' dog, Jake, somehow got into the kitchen and gobbled up a fourth of the cake just before it was served. But thankfully there was enough Saran wrap covering the cake to serve the rest. From the left: Braden with his new hair cut; Andrew Lane is holding the lightsaber; Simon is down at the bottom with the green hat on; Ethan Lane is the red head; John Long with the red striped shirt on, and Levi Long is standing next to Amy with the red shirt on (notice Lucy's bow in Amy's hair - cute). You can see Lucy's little curly head down at the head of the table, and Luke Long is serving the cake (he turned 10).

chillin' in san fran

We talked with my mom and dad this morning on iChat (nifty video chat program on the Mac). They were in their hotel getting ready to drive down the California coast to some culinary school in a quaint little coastal town. Since tax season they've been winding down in San Francisco (a gift from my brother). They said it was surprisingly cold. My mom bought some socks and one of them a jacket. A friend of theirs told them before they left:

The coldest winter I ever spent was in San Francisco in the spring.

So Amy and I are living through them vicariously for the next week. I thought that was supposed to be the other way around.

photo shoot

This morning we went out to the Praça da Liberdade for some pictures of Lucy in her Easter dress (the one she hasn't already grown out of). Candace took this nice shot of the family that I thought I'd share with everyone.

celebrity and anonymous

Last Sunday was the first night of our new series at church - celebrity and anonymous. The name sounds kind of strange in English. The series is about our motivation as disciples. Basically about how the world creates the motivation of despair and how the kingdom produces the motivation of hope. We are talking about how we naturally strive to be famous as the fulfillment of identity (anonymous to celebrity) and how in the kingdom we are given our identity which gives hope and a willingness to live anonymously (celebrity to anonymity).

tragedy...

Some thoughts about yesterday's shooting...

Read DJ Chuang's comments on the shooting yesterdat at Virginia Tech. DJ is a graduate of Virginia Tech and works with the Asian-American church. He has all kinds of information and a unique perspective considering his work with the Asian-American church. Read his own comment in response to those that replied to his post.

Also pray for Matt Bradner. He and his team of ten just started a campus ministry there with Campus Outreach. Here's an email he sent out about the tragedy...

I imagine most of you have heard about today's tragic events at VT.

...The first shooting took place on the 4th floor of a dorm (West AJ) in which one person was killed and one injured. We don't think it is coincidence that 4th West AJ is actually the one floor (of hundreds) on campus that we have spent the most time in our first year ministering here. We have many students in investigative Bible studies from that hall.

...Please pray for our team as we move forward with great compassion and love as we seek to be a part of God's redemptive plan on this campus.

Just yesterday afternoon we had a young man come to Christ that I have been sharing with since January. May God continue to be exalted in this place.

John 16:33-

Matt Bradner

Campus Outreach Virginia Director

I also found the post on Desiring God's blog relevant and good to remember.

Yesterday's happenings reminded me of this passage in Titus:

Titus 3:3-7 (NIV)

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Father, console the families and friends of those who fell yesterday at the hand's of a deceived and enslaved, confused young man. I pray that your kindness and love would be present in incredible ways on that campus and in our hearts as we think and rethink what happened.

after Easter

We arrived yesterday from our Easter weekend retreat with the church. The retreat turned out to be really special. We focused in on teaching each part of the happenings from Easter and their significance. Several people from the church mentioned that celebrating Easter for them has forever changed. Amy planned the activities with the kids. They colored large mural scenes from the Easter story and did an egg hunt with Resurrection Eggs. Pictured above are some of the younger kids that participated. It was interesting that most of the younger kids turned out to be staff children (American) and the older kids were primarily Brazilian. It's usually not as lopsided at the church.

championship

Braden and I went to Demps' apartment last night to watch the Ohio State-Florida game. Florida ended Braden's run in our CO bracket pool. At one point Braden led all participants (27). He picked Ohio State to win and I picked Florida. I tied for fourth place, Braden finished in ninth, and Amy in 21st.