It was a success...

The Backpacker Paluza team held our Rummage Sale/Car Wash today. We stayed overnight at the church to sort the rummage. We made about $1,500! The team worked so hard. I got about 5 hours of sleep the night before. Typical me, I was walking around at midnight taping up a few more signs and moving cones around...stuff that doesn't really need to be done but I spend hours tweaking things. My leaders are really getting to know me because they kept telling me, "Trav...sit down."

Jo-Jo

Last night, Jonah and I laid on the couch together and talked for about 1/2 and hour. We would go back and forth asking each other questions. I would whisper secrets in his ear and he would do the same to me. Then we both fell asleep together. Then my wife woke me up by taking this picture...

Church is a people, not a place...

I want to show you a "real" picture of my church...here THEY are!

In my previous post, I gave you a picture of our church BUILDING...but we know that the building is just where the church meets to get out of the rain.

This was our group last Sunday...we were missing a few of our friends, but we had a great time together studying God's Word, loving each other, listening to each other, and praying together.

Vintage Faith Church

Here's a picture of the church I'm serving at. Vintage Faith is about only about 5 years old, but we joined with a Presbyterian church that has been in Santa Cruz for a LONG time. This building goes back to the 1930's.
At Vintage Faith Church, we are asking God to transform us into a:
WORSHIPING
COMMUNITY of
MISSIONAL
THEOLOGIANS

Give your bike some love...

This is a picture of when Annette's Dad went bike riding with us along the beach. Next week (May 12-16) is BIKE WEEK. How about riding your bike to work (or school or the arcade) one day? In Santa Cruz, thursday May 15th is bike to work day and a bunch of restaraunts offer a free breakfast if you ride your bike to work that day.

I rode my bike to work yesterday because I had to leave my car in the repair shop for a tune up. We live in the mountains so there are HUGE hills to and from work.


I took Davey's training wheels off on Monday. Today he made his first "turn" and kept riding. He calls his bike the "Mud Shark" because that's what the stickers say on it.

Great song...

Last Sunday, Josh Fox led us through the musical worship time of our service at Vintage Faith. He led us in a song from Tim Hughes called "Everything" from his album, "Holding Nothing Back". I LOVE THS SONG. You should download it...it is worth it. It speaks to much of where Annette and I are at in our lives right now. I hope you're encouraged as much by it as I am.

By the way, this is my friend Josh Fox:

He is a tremendously gifted worship leader and also becoming a good friend of mine. I'll hear him lead a song in service, then I go buy the song for my iPod...but I always prefer it when Josh plays it rather than the original artist! Josh has some songs on iTunes also (look them up under Josh Fox).

Backpacking...

We had our first meeting with our Backpacker Paluza team from the VFC youth ministry. We have 15 of us signed up to go. It sounds AWESOME. Our friend Mikahla (a Rock-N-Water guide & part of our church community) stopped by to tell us all about the adventure ahead of us. Some things I'm looking forward to:

* time alone with God

* new adventures in nature

* no showers for four days (we will have a fresh water swimming hole next to our base, though)

* using an upside down bucket over a hole in the ground for a toilet (I've always talked about an adventure like that, but I've yet to experience it...can't wait. I'm practicing at home.)

* seeing our young people be challenged spiritually, relationally, physically, and emotionally.

We still have 5 spots left...wanna go?

Yesterday was a good day...

It's been a nice week of rest. I taught at all three services last Sunday, so this week I'm taking some time to rest. Josh at Vintage Faith has encouraged us all to get away ALONE one day a month for prayer and reflection.

Yesterday, I went for a hike along the creek in Henry Cowell Park (see picture). I took my Bible, my journal, and A.W. Tozer's "The Pursuit of God". I hiked about 1/2 and hour to an isolated sandy spot alongside the creek. I hopped some rocks to cross the creek and even swam a bit (really cold water).

Then I went to Cowell's Beach and surfed for about 45 minutes. Annette bought me some of those water "booties" for my feet and they worked GREAT!

Then I closed out the day at the beach with some friends as we played doubles volleyball. My legs were a bit tired from the whole day, but it was a good time with some good friends.

I'm a bit sore this morning...

Playing Volleyball Again...

One of the greatest things I've been excited about has been Friday afternoon volleyball at the beach with some of my friends from Vintage Faith Church. Playing volleyball was such a major focus in my life during high school and college. It has been SO REFRESHING to play ball again. My mom bought me a volleyball for my 35th birthday and I carry it in the passenger seat of my car (not in the seatbelt, though). I feel 21 again...except for my ariolas are a few inches lower.