Randy Wray’s Blog

Mexico defeated USA in the world baseball classic with both runs gven up by Roger Clemens. So that was his idea of showing the world how to play “our” game.

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We are still taking care of the details for our event Saturday night. The pace and activities are bringing back some fun memories from my youth ministry days. (Cue reminiscing / flash back music here)

When I was in youth ministry my especiality (pronounced exactly as spelled) was the big event / retreat / conference / youth rally. I love everything about the big event. The planning, the frenetic place, the strategery, all of it. The preparation, planning and execution of a successful event energizes me like nothing else. It’s the unleashed creativity that makes the difference.

Late nights, set building, chips & salsa, multi-media presentations . . . the sounds, smells, and memories of projects gone by are floating happily around in my mind as we get ready for Saturday night.

Once during a retreat, a stayed up all night long putting together a multi-media slide-show. Back then we used slide projectors with carousels and a fade / dissolve unit for neat special effects going from one picture to another. I worked for hours meticulously selecting, on a home-made light table, the sequencing of each picture. I loaded both carousels did a practice run through to make sure of the timing with the music. I made a few changes and was ready to go. As I began to pack up the carousels to move to the main hall I dropped both trays on the floor and 200 slides scattered all over the floor.

Those were the days my friends, those were the days!

Our religious movement holds dearly to the communal eating celebration known as the potluck. Basically every one gathers together, brings a covered dish to share, and eat. With that many people bringing food you’re never quite sure what to expect. I remember in High School someone bringing a jar of half-eaten Goober (peanut butter and jelly mixed in the same jar) complete with bread crumbs. The point was they brought what they had - something like the widow’s mite I presume.

For some odd reasons I am not a big fan of the potluck. I like everything about the potluck except the consuming of strange food. Strange fire - no problem, strange food – now that’s a different story. I am a big fan of everything else the potluck represents.

For example, wikepedia says this about the potluck:

The purpose and benefits of potlucks include fun, socializing, good food, and building healthy community. Some of the most honest and meaningful communication can occur over a dinner table.

That’s good stuff. Last night, in our mid-week tune-up we talked about the origin of the fellowship meal. Check this “strange” passage out:

Deuteronomy 14:22-26 (NCV) Be sure to save one-tenth of all your crops each year. Take it to the place the LORD your God will choose where he is to be worshiped. There, where you will be together with the LORD, eat the tenth of your grain, new wine, and oil, and eat the animals born first to your herds and flocks. Do this so that you will learn to respect the LORD your God always. But if the place the LORD will choose to be worshiped is too far away and he has blessed you so much you cannot carry a tenth, exchange your one-tenth for silver. Then take the silver with you to the place the LORD your God shall choose. Use the silver to buy anything you wish–cattle, sheep, wine, beer, or anything you wish. Then you and your family will eat and celebrate there before the LORD your God.

What do you think about that? Anything here that would change your observance of the potluck?

I was helping a friend this morning pick up some fence panels from Lowes. The fence panels are 8 feet wide by six feet tall. They were secured properly in the back of the truck and we made our way home after an erand on that side of town. We drove about 15 to 20 miles to get back from the store location and almost lost the panels right in front of the Pentagon. We are having some wind gusts today and a gust hit us on a bridge overpass. It’s usually not a good idea to curse in the presence of a former elder (which I didn’t do). But if you do, make it sound like a Greek word.

Our big event is this Satuday night and I’ve been trying to makes sure all the details are covered. The devil is in the details (or as the famous architect Le Corbusier said: “God is in the details) so here’s to glorifying God through the results!

I imagine that most of us enjoy specific aspects of our jobs and tolerate the rest. The more interested I am in an event, the more investment I make. Have you had those projects where you thought “now if I only I was doing this full-time”? It makes a difference on so many levels.

Judy (aka meowmix) emailed to say that her brother J.W. (the one with diabetes) died last night. She is requesting the prayers of her blog community. I know you will keep her and her family in prayer.

2 Corinthians 1:2-5 (NCV) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. We share in the many sufferings of Christ. In the same way, much comfort

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The Wray family spent a lovely late afternoon playing in the yard. The kids delight themselves in a new game they have invented. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s called let’s try and tackle dad. We punt a football back and forth to each other and try to run one back for a touchdown. Their favorite part is to horse collar me and bring me to the ground. The old man, however, still has some moves left in the lily whites. Now where’s the Advil?

It was funny watching the kids yesterday. The weather is turning colder today, supposedly for the next few days. They stayed outside as long as there was an ounce of light and played every sport they could think of in that short time period. Football, Basketball, Soccer, Softball - they literally covered the bases in one afternoon.

I wish I was a kid again.

We were without running water yesterday for about four hours. There was a break in the water main which affected the entire county of Arlington. Four hours is not a long time. Unless of course the preacher has been saying “and one more thing” for the last four hours.

I was even tempted to think of our plight as dire and drastic. Each time my thoughts began flowing in that direction (dire and drastic) I made myself think of the Gulf states and how long they have been without running water. I made myself think of the places in the world where running water still is not a reality.

I thought of the church we are planting in a remote location in El Salvador - no running water. They are blessed to have a well on their property. You pump water out of the well for every liquid purpose. I thought of my friends in Mexico who have running water that is not safe to drink. Try showering with your mouth closed the entire time.

Why do I get worked up about going without water for a few hours and not be so concerned when I can go days without speaking to God or meditating on his word (for purposes other than sermon creation)?

Why do I get worked up about going without water for a few hours and not be so concerned when I can go months without giving up food to focus on the greater purposes of God?

Why do I get worked up about going without water for a few hours and not be so concerned with the periods of drought in my spiritual life?

There is no question I’m spoiled and take too many things for granted. Four hours of doing without is necessary with ever increasing regularity.

Spring arrived last night (hopefully to stay). We woke up to 65 degrees with a high expected today of 75 degrees. In honor of this event I put a pair of shorts on and took the boy to school. You know those passages in the Bible that talk about something being “white as . . .”? For example:

Genesis 49:12 (NCV) His eyes are dark like the color of wine, and his teeth are as white as the color of milk.

Numbers 12:10 (NCV) When the cloud lifted from the Tent and Aaron turned toward Miriam, she was as white as snow; she had a skin disease.

2 Kings 5:27 (NCV) So Naaman’s skin disease will come on you and your children forever.” When Gehazi left Elisha, he had the disease and was as white as snow.

Isaiah 1:18 (NCV) The LORD says, “Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are like scarlet, they can be as white as snow. Though your sins are deep red, they can be white like wool.

Matthew 17:2 (NCV) While they watched, Jesus’ appearance was changed; his face became bright like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Matthew 28:3 (NCV) He was shining as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

Revelation 1:14 (NCV) His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like flames of fire.

Well today this biblical phenomenon was fulfilled in my legs. This is the biblical reference that would apply to me.

Wray 4:22 (RDW) School children ran away from him for his legs were white as crisco.

It has been awhile since the lower limbs have seen the light of day. I have since put on a pair of athletic pants until I can find some shoe polish.

And now for a small rant . . .

I like baseball (as both a fan and player) and I consider myself a patriot. However, the add I saw promoting the world baseball classic just made my crisco white skin boil. Roger Clemens was doing the promo spot saying things like “I love my country,” “I love America,” “I’m representing my country to show the world how baseball is played,” “This is our game and I’m proud to be on America’s team.”

I thought this commercial was idiotic because of the implication that his playing baseball for America was somehow on the same level as our men and women in uniform on the front lines of Iraq, Afghanistan and the world over. It’s easy to be patriotic playing a game — that you get paid millions to play.

Not to mention that virtually every other player he will face (with the exception of the entire Cuban national team, some members of the Canadian team, and perhaps others) are all playing right now in the major leagues. Every one of those guys on their national team has listed which major league club they played for in 2005.

He’s babbling on about this being some ultimate war of the nations and will leave this classic and be in the dugout with most of the opposition. Whatever.

Baseball players are celebrities, stars, athletic achievers — they are not heroes.

And that’s all I have to say about that. Beth, do you still love me? Steve, can we still be friends?

Like me you were delighted to hear that Chloe Dao won the fashion design competition “Project Runway.” In a surprising come from behind sew off this 13 year veteran of fashion upset the favorite Daniel Vosovic. I understand the IOC is considering including Fashion Design as an olympic event to replace Baseball and Softball.

Gustav - “Bjorn looks fabulous, darling, shooting his rifle in that Chloe Dao original”

Pierre - “Not to be outdone, take a look at the two man skeleton team from Trinidad and Tobago . . . are those Vosovic knickers?”

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Summary points from chapter 1 of SoulTalk by Larry Crabb:

Most people go through their entire life never speaking words to another human being that come out of what is deepest within them, and most people never hear words that reach all the way into that deep place we call the soul.

We almost never speak words that are formed in the center of our soul and pour out from our very being with power and a sense of life. And we almost never hear words that stir life within us, that pour hope into those empty spaces deep inside filled only with fear and fury and frustration.

We rarely hear words that draw our soul into the soul of another human being and, together, into God.

Most people tuck their soul out of sight and try desperately to ignore that something is missing they can’t supply. We speak few words that come out of an honest look into our soul, and few words are spoken to us that inspire the courage to take an honest look, that give us hope that painful authenticity could lead to real life.

While there are instances where my conversations have not been on this level - certainly not every conversation - there are people in my life which provide this level of intimate dialogue.

Am I missing something here?

I was reading the news of a certain high profile baseball player suspected of taking steroids and wondered how steroids would affect a preacher.

• Would he preach longer sermons?
• Would he preach better sermons?
• Would you really feel the fury and wrath of God?
• Would you get a wiff of burning spiders?
• Would every point be right on target?
• Would he hit every sermon out of the park?

Any other ideas?

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Here are the words of the current song that has taken up residence in my mind. I hope to dwell on these words long enough that they seep into my heart.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s ‘all as it should be’
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say Lord
blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

The words of this song bring this Scripture to mind. I long to communicate and regularly experience the passion for God demonstrated by these early believers!

Nehemiah 9:1-5a (NCV) On the twenty-fourth day of that same month, the people of Israel gathered. They did not eat, and they wore rough cloth and put dust on their heads to show their sadness. Those people whose ancestors were from Israel had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood and confessed their sins and their ancestors’ sins. For a fourth of the day they stood where they were and read from the Book of the Teachings of the LORD their God. For another fourth of the day they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD their God. These Levites were standing on the stairs: Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kanani. They called out to the LORD their God with loud voices. Then these Levites spoke: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah.

Don’t get lost in the names, you might miss what these men said.

Nehemiah 9:5b-6 (NCV) They said, “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who lives forever and ever.” “Blessed be your wonderful name. It is more wonderful than all blessing and praise. You are the only LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, with all the stars. You made the earth and everything on it, the seas and everything in them; you give life to everything. The heavenly army worships you.

Yes, Lord, blessed be your name - even today. No matter what happens today or tonight or tomorrow blessed be Your name.

My dad was in town for a couple of meetings this weekend. If you have ever been to D.C. you know there are many things to see here. We had a free day and timed it just right to tour the Guitar Center. It was a blast.

My dad has been playing the guitar since he was a young man and so he would show me a particular vintage guitar, explain how his guitar was different, tell me how much he sold it for in a pawn shop (you don’t want to know) and how much that same guitar would be worth today (another number you don’t want to know). He fell off a ladder a few years ago and broke his wrist. He has quite a bit of hardware in there and can’t bend his wrist to adequately play the guitar. We’ve been searching for solutions for the last few years every time we get together.

We sat in the expensive guitar room and played just about every guitar in that room. I was playing these really nice guitars and believe it or not I was thinking of Beth the whole time. “If I bought this guitar Beth would kill me” is what I was thinking.

I started playing the guitar when I was a kid because my dad played. I’ve played off and on for years and never applied myself to the craft until my dad got hurt and couldn’t play. I’m playing now better than I’ve ever played – still not on the level of Greg but I can hold my own. I realized today that I invested myself so energetically in guitar playing to somehow make up for the fact that my dad can’t play like he used to - an interesting angle on honor your father.

Tomorrow we are planning to visit an actual area landmark music store in Maryland before he has to catch his return flight home. That’s my idea of seeing the sights.

Another full weekend in the books. Yesterday was a marathon day in many respects but many good things promise to begin as a result.

In our small group Bible study last night we discussed the need to prepare rather than react. We noted how often difficult situations become worse because we react to the situation rather than having a plan going in as to what we will say and how we will say it.

We are continuing our reflection from Philippians 4:8, focusing especially on this phrase: “Think about the things that are pure and beautiful and respected.” We talked about how these thoughts would help in specific times of stress, conflict, and even success.

Please keep Oscar Gomez and his family in your prayers. Oscar is one of our ministers and learned late last night that his sister died in El Salvador. He will be flying to El Salvador today for the funeral.