I have been out of the news loop and recently caught up with what has been going on in the world. I was blown away at the massive loss of life from the tsunami. An estimated 20,000+ people dead. So many lost... So many impacted and hurting...
I just read that some experts believe that the earthquake was so massive that it bumped the earth's rotation slightly. This would cause a shortening of our days by micro-seconds. Amazing. Something so big - kicking a dent in the earth and affecting our rotation.
God - bring peace and healing and comfort to those in need. Amen.
I wonder how we could help?
sd
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Deurty will be doing the vacation thing for a few days and will be out of blog range. I may audio blog. This morning we enjoyed a special worship gathering. I really sensed that I know so very little about God and the mystery, awe and wonder of God was very real to me. It was a heart warming experience.
Christmas was awesome! Yesterday I played basketball and even though I could not run or jump - I had a great time. I almost forgot that I had bum knees. :)
Wishing my knees were 15 again,
sd
The picture above is allegedly the location of Jesus' birth in Bethleham. When you go to visit this location many people bend over and kiss the spot. A church is basically built on the location.
I lived and studied in Jerusalem for one month in January 1992. This was an amazing experience. It was an intense learning experience with a lot of work and fun. We lived on Mount Zion and around the corner from the alleged location of the upper room where Jesus had his final meal with His followers.
One of our stops was in Bethlehem where we went through an armed check point. It was a much different picture from the song "Oh little town Bethlehem..." or "Silent night." I encountered armed security and scrutiny. It is amazing to think that Jesus was born in a location within a walk from where we visited. It is bizarre to grasp the fact that we stood where the walls of Jericho tumbled and where Nehemiah led the people to rebuild the wall. It is movi...
The flu has hit the Deur home. Harrison started doing the upchuck thing a bit this morning, but we prayed he would be healed. (Remember - no flu shots for us!) :) Anyways, he may be not that sick... Time will tell. So our big two day away trip is getting gutted and half of us will be doing it.
Praying for health in the holiday season.
That's why the lady's a tramp,
sd
Great day today! It was great because my whole side of the family gathered for an unbelievable dinner from my mom and a lot of gift giving for the kids. The kid's loved their gifts. Harrison suprisingly loved his new pajamas the most. (At least it wasn't a Barbie - huh Wade!) The older kids (everyone else over the age of five) opened their stockings. I received my yearly "Rolo" candy. (It is tradition and I may get into it some day.) I also received the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King DVD. It has like fifty extra minutes! Cool! (Doug M. would be proud - getting my money's worth! - love ya Fresh!) Anyways - one of the gifts was a baseball that helps you determine the speed. (see above pic).
Unfortunately I will be trying this out with two bad knees and a weak arm. When I was 18-25 I could wing the sucker fast and hard. But alas, I am a 33 year old wash up! :) Did you know I played baseball in Australia when I was 24 years old? It wa...
Just got back from the Van Andel arena where we saw the Trans Siberian Orchestra. We were invited to go by some friends and so we jumped into the phenomenon... It was very cool. It was dripping with 80's cliche's (that's why I loved it) like the big hair, drum solo, guitar solos, swaying back and forth, kicking at the air and musically battling back and forth with fellow band mates. THEY ALSO HAD LASERS! It was a very cool show! It united rock and classical and techno music into a total unique and amazing experience.
The light show was unbelievable. I realized again how much lighting and atmosphere add to the experience and make a good perfomance into an amazing performance.
Anyways, we also had our gathering this morning and that went smoothly. The message turned out okay and it was fun sharing the story like a personal experience. Gotta try new stuff or we sit and die.
Well gotta go to bed...
sd
Lazy day of light shopping, cleaning up the house and checking in on people through their blogs. I also spent time going over the message for tomorrow.
The message is taken from Luke 2 and it is the story of the angels telling the shepherds of Jesus' birth. I am doing it as a narative. So I'll be a shepherd and tell the story and I'll be an angel. (We all know that I am an angel.)
Anyways - I am excited about doing the message in this fashion. It has made me think differently about the story and has made it more real and personal. I also feel nervous about it. I have only done one other message like this. (as the thief on the cross at Easter time.) So, hopefully it will go well. I am taking a bit of a risk and stretching myself and I pray it will be impactful for those listening. I think that doing a story this way invites people to participate in the story themselves.
I received one of my Christmas gifts t...
I added daily prayers and readings that you can do in the morning, evening or late at night if you desire.
I also added "The Roach" and other links. I cleaned up some blogs that have not been updating regularly.
I think I am going to start doing more regular journaling and reflecting in this new year. Also I am going to be dropping some weight and getting into shape in this new year. DRURY - We need to get at it again!!!!
What would you do if you had time and freedom and resource to do a hobby? I am trying to figure out a hobby to be involved in. How pathetic that I am even asking that question. 2005 better be more healthy - or I'll be miffed. :)
I am getting addicted to ebay,
sd
One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to go to "Showbiz Pizza." They had tons of video games and the mechanical critters playing knock off covers from current hits. The pizza was bad, but the video games ROCKED! I am not good at playing video games, but I get giddy around them. One game I really loved, but was HORRIBLE at was "Dragon's Lair." I was totally blown away at bringing animation and a video game together. It was like walking on the moon for me. I think it cost a whole $.50!!!! Can you believe it! That was a lot! Now adays you can't avoid paying $1.
Anyways - good meetings today. One of my meetings was with LOVE INC. This is a Christian organization that provides everything from food to cars to laundry facilities for people in need. It is a great ministry that truly is on the front lines of meeting practical needs. We are partnering with them in our effort to impact and invest in our community. I really want to see Water...
Christmas memories...
> Being put to bed in my pajamas with my cousins at my grandparent's house and my dad taking me to the car in the snow.
> My grandma Deur's fudge.
> Going to church with my grandpa and grandma Van Wieren.
> Tennis ball wars and broken light bulbs.
> Stockings with rolos.
> Laughter and love.
> Wrapping paper and hugs around the circle.
> Bingo with grandpa Van Wieren.
I have a lot of amazing memories and one of my favorites includes my dad and my little sister Lisa. Years ago we all were celebrating Christmas and had finished opening up our gits to each other when my dad told my sister Lisa to cover her eyes. He darted out of the room toward the garage. What could this gift be? It had to be big! Anticipation grew... My dad came in and told her to open her eyes. There was my dad - laughing and wheeling in her old bike. Being a dad rocks! I learned from the master and I fear that my children will on...
Here I go again on my own.... Whitesnake sang it best with that girl on the cars. I dig the 80's.
I went through many phases in high school from 1986-1990.
The little mullet and middle part with rugby shirts.
The shaved close with sweaters from the gap.
The middle part fluffy look with the button down shirts.
The long all over with the mock turtle neck and cardigan sweater - GQ wanna be.
The hair in the eyes dance club kid.
Anyways - i have morphed indeed. I think that for the most part I have never cared a great deal about having the latest and greatest stuff and items to wear. There were moments of desire to dress nicely until I realized I would need to hang my clothes back up when I was done. There were moments of reading GQ and Details, but then realizing that I can't afford to look that way. Mostly, the look I've kept is the, "I care, but not THAT much" look. :) Some of my best shoes in the past years have been hand-me-downs from N8 Dogg.
...
I spent two days reading, writing, thinking and praying at Maranatha in Norton Shores. It was very refreshing and I got a TON of stuff done. My messages are all done for the rest of 2004! As Carter would say, "thank you Jesus."
I am very excited about the message on December 19th! Should be fun. I was really motivated as I spent time studying the passage.
I went to see National Treasure. It was very good. Clean fun. That would be a good nickname for my dad, "Clean fun." He is Mr. Integrity with a healthy dash of fun.
So, I am feeling like I am getting ahead, which is good because the holidays drop me behind usually... So I guess I am just right.
My wife made Tandori Chicken tonight. We got some spice from Saugatuck and it tasted outstanding. The kids spent the night with my folks so we stopped by Nate and Jenn's house (along with a bunch of others there) late at night. We used to hang with them every Sunday night back in 1997-1999 when...
Meeting, meeting, meeting, meeting... oh the joys of meetings! Actually I don't mind meetings, but I like to have a clue why we are meeting in the first place. :) But, today was one of those meeting days.
I am getting some great planning work time over the next two days. I will avoid the net in that time, but may call in some blogs. Refresh this page every five minutes to get the latest happenings! What the... huh?
Seriously though, I'll be working on the messages for the end of Decemeber and our new conversation series (TRUTH) starting in mid January. I would appreciate prayers for insight, innovation and wisdom. Thanks. If you don't pray you will go to hell. Pardon me? You read correctly. What the.. help. Just kidding.
In anycase - we watched ELF tonight. I really enjoyed seeing that movie again. Very funny.ork
By the way - I SAW THE DUMBEST STORY EVER on NBC early this morning. Some woman took her toddler son (maybe 2 or close to 3) from ...
Served with a group of guys at the Muskegon Rescue Mission. It was a good time hanging with fellas in the drug treatement program and stocking in the food pantry. Quick Tip: when providing food for a food pantry - AVOID CORN and GREEN BEANS! That is what people send the most of... oh Tomato Soup too.
It was a good and rewarding time.
Jingle Bell parade tonight. Great time with friends. Lots of Watermarkers hanging around outside in the cold. It was cool to see so many meeting with their Life Groups.
Life is short - gulp it up,
sd
I thought this picture would get us all in the Christmas spirit. Nate "the falcon" Smith as Sam X our Christmas planner.
Had a good meeting yesterday with a few gifted ladies that will be designing, refining and leading our global missions effort. I am excited because we are talking about building relationships. We have a partnership already built with New Zealand (Shore Grace) and Bosnia, and we want to focus on those efforts and look for a potential humanitarian opportunities. One idea was to adopt a town or orphanage or something (maybe in Bosnia) and meet practical needs there.
Why take the time to do stuff overseas when we need to be doing it in our own back yard? Why does it have to be either/or? I believe it is both/and. Not to mention Acts 1:8 and the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and the example of the apostles.
I think we all need to get out of our regular routine, life style, comfort and worldviews for a while to practically share the love o...