A tribute to Mike Roth

This morning as I was walking around the construction site I was thinking and praying for all the safety of the workers. Mike Roth was one that came to mind. Mike is the father of two wonderul young children Ashley and Travis. He is a very hard worker and an honest friend. He thinks in practical ways to the degree that I often come home and tell my wife Jackie that he is a genius. Mike was one of the crew that helped build the waterfall when everyone thought was impossible. He along with Gary Child, Rob Mc Junkin, Matt Bechtel and others worked almost every Saturday for a year and pulled it off. Mike is the kind of guy that just makes things happen. Think of all the people of all ages that have enjoyed that waterfall due to the commitment of these young dad's. The Roth family loves to laugh, roller skate, dance, and sing. Once Mike cut off his thumb on one of his construction projects and he calmly went to the hospital. He is a tough guy. In fact, he could play Hercules in the next play -- but Hercules is a mythical figure and he does not appear in the scripture. His wife Tara is a brilliant computer engineer and manager. Together they and their extended family are just the salt of the world. I can't tell you how many times Mike comes up with a tractor to fix something at the church. He just gets things done and really does not care who gets the credit. In fact, he will probably be a little embarrassed about this article but people should know the stories of the wonderful people who are stretching our investement in building this recreation center. The church that I grew up in had such a man and his name was Lloyd Sanders. The Cathedral of Joy would not be there if it were not for people like Lloyd. After Lloyds funeral I wept as I drove back over the mountains to Seattle thinking about his impact on my life and so many others. Mike is that kind of man - as a very old man, when he dies, the kids who have grown up in the church - swimming in the pool and playing basketball in the gym, hanging out in the cafeteria reading a book they checked out from the church library while their parents received counseling at the counseling center. And when they realize that this church would not be here except for this tough construction worker they will weep. I got to work here at 8:00 am this Saturday morning and there on the contruction site working all by himself was Mike. Praise God we are all part of a wonderful miracle that will bless generations

The Chomsky - Foucault Debate

Recently I have been reading a book entitled teh Chomsky - Foucault Debate on human nature.  In 1971 Anarchist Noam Chomsky debated Marxist Michel Foucault.  Noam Chomsky a professor at MIT spoke English in the debate.  Michel Foubault (1926-1984) held a chair in the History of Systems of Thought at the College de France spoke French during the debate.  The debate took place in Holland and was broadcast on Dutch television.  While I do not agree with the philosphy of either thinker I find their debate fasinating.  I am amazed at their intellect and all that is said about human nature in this debate.  The dimensions of the debate certainly have an impact on linguistics, political science and of course human nature.  It gives insight into modern discussion on these items but it also says something about the nature of humanity itself that such an amazing debate would take place at all.  More on this later - I have to run and as you might have guessed my computer/web skills are severely limited.

Forgiveness is often a work in process!

I was reading an article this morning on forgiveness.  The article by Stan Guthrie in Christianity Today shared an application of the scriptural imperative to forgive with the practical lessons of Dr. Smeedes and his book Forgiveness - The power to Change the past.  Dr. Smeedes was one of professors when I attended Fuller Theological Seminary in the 1970's.  And of course Forgiveness is something every human being wrestles with throughout our lives.  Many times we say we forgive and yet in our deepest subconscious we wrestle with this God given emotion in ways that are difficult for us to understand.  Sometimes we coach others to forgive not realizing that this will really be a struggle.  It looks easy from our perspective but we are not seeing it from their shoes or seeing why forgiveness was sometimes so impossible that it took Jesus going to the cross to pull it off.  Smeedes who is now in heaven looking at this issue from a much deeper perspective said while he was on earth that three stages are invovled in the miracle of forgiveness.  Suffering is the first.  Forgivenesss does not mean that we passibely and unemotionally accept evil.  No, the very cooncept acknoledges that evil has been done and that suffering has resulted.  Dr. Smeedes said that forgiveness happens only when we first admit our hurt.  The second stage is spiritual surgery.  Dr. Smeedes as a psychologist works at communicating how God can go into the past do a surgery on our heart which begins to set us free.  And the third stage is starting over.  It is the beginning of a new journey together.  We must begin where we are, not anat an ideal pace for reunion.  Nasty questions  are unaswered, the future is uncertain; we have more hurts and more forgiving ahead of us.  Corrie Ten Boom once prayed after going through the Holocost, Lord Forgive me I cannot forgive.  Everyone of us are in this life long - God dependent, Grace sustained process of learning and applying God's forgiveness.