Cape hatteras ferry

We have been in the Outer Banks for a few days, with our four kids, Sam and Lauren, who are now engaged, and david and Sarah and their two kids.

Here is the happy couple!


-- Post From My iPhone

Brennan Manning - legenda português

brennan kicks ass and takes names in this one... bottom line. period. done... this is what i love about jesus. period. that He loves me. period. done... "."

Army of babies

In explanation of my facebook. We are truly knee deep in an army of youngsters. Some still in larval stage, some several molts deep in nymph-hood.

The theme has been marriage and multiplication, these last few years. We are amazed at all God has done.











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The Leaven of the Pharisees

We've had some good conversation around the Scriptures on Sundays concerning the "Leaven of the Pharisees", lately.

Recently, someone asked me to define it...

Here it is: "Hypocrisy"

That is the leaven of the Pharisees.

You know what I like about the Pharisees of the Bible? a LOT.
They believed in the Resurrection, Angels, the Judgment, an actual Messiah...
They were fervent believers in the authority of Scripture, but not in a way that confronted their HEARTS.

In their hearts, they were devoid of love and fully devoted to the things of this world, albeit religious forms of those things...
They loved money.
They loved to look good to others...
They lied about God.
They oppressed people...
They were full of death (dead men's bones)...

But in their practise! They were great! They set up a GREAT temple, with benevolence and worship and sacrifice and deep symbology, all in accordance with what Moses commanded the Israelites in the desert... At least as long as you didn't REALLY look at what they did... their symbols, wardrobe, words... all very full of bible and piety... but they cheated the poor widows and didn't really love God or their neighbors, or even their parents, by the time you get to all Jesus said to them...

They were terrible. They were great! Why both? Because they were hypocrites! It is impossible to argue with a hypocrite. They get to believe whatever they want to, about themselves.

Jesus told us to watch out for this. Not to allow hypocrisy to get the upper hand on us. He also told us to leave the Pharisees behind. Who calls the shots in your heart, head and life? Wack religious leaders whose practise doesn't match their teaching?

Check for it! I've been in so many church board meetings where Jesus just isn't loved or honored... decisions to withold truth or help from the poor, or needy saints... decisions to spend all the money on US and not on Jesus!

Wow. gotta rest...

Dangerous God...

God IS love. Period. All that he does is done in, by, love, Himself...

Like when Jesus personified Way, Truth, and Life, God (of whom Jesus is the perfect view) is LOVE.

Many of us have trouble integrating what we feel to be polar opposites in the grace and wrath of God.

Blessing on that trouble... but understanding Father is our great joy and boast in this sojourn! Look at Jeremiah 9:23 where it says that!

We truly can understand that grace and wrath are not separate at all, but both expressions of the great personality of our Father!

We may be horrified at the extent of His wrath, and we may dare to be stunned at the depths of His love, but they are both from Him.

He is good. He is love. and he is God.

Fearing him is a doorway to wisdom. That is, knowing how dangerous He is will calm our hearts at the myriad lesser fears that surround us.

A person captivated with the grace of God in Christ is not cowed by the majesty and danger of Father, the King of the ages. They are lifted by relief, being secure in the rescue that Jesus has wrought in his own flesh on the cross...

"Fear not...I have inscribed you on my palms..."

Isaiah's scroll...49:16

Meet Avi Maher

The Mahers have moved in. Here is Avi today in the kitchen.


-- Post From My iPhone

Prayer tonight

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This is my office.

From my bedroom, you can see that the safety rail for the "eagle's nest" loft is made of old skateboards. Below is my desk.

Can you make out the little boy hiding in this picture?


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This dude lives here

Dude the gecko has rough skin and lives above the desk in my office.







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Something Dangerous

Danger.
Danger is the key word when it comes to dealing with fear and God.


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One last trip...

Judy has nicknamed me "the transporter". I couldn't get enough of the hilariously cheesy movie when it first came out. Seriously, that and iron monkey rule the roost followed closely by shaolon soccer and Kung Fu Hustle.




So this is my last of at least five trips out and back to get teens and Seth where they need to go. This is a pickup from a youth group. Solid.

To fortify the trip, I got a peppermint tea from the sidewinder.









-- Post From My iPhone

One more day.

Tried my hand at skatepark consultations today. For those of you who don't know, that's been my side gig lately.

From six am till eight thirty I help get kids ready and drive them to school. Three different schools now.

Maecus' school is moving him up in class difficulty. He is doing very well. Very well.

Aaron is doing well in a different way. We have found Walnut Hills HS very challenging, academically. I am seriously considering and probably will withdraw him and do the year through again with home supervised curricula.

Aaron's skateboarding is awesome, and he has a real interest in business. Needless to say, any home curricula will be heavy on the roadtrips.

Here is what the sink looks like, no matter how many times I wash em.


-- Post From My iPhone

Moving in the Mahers

Britt, Rachel, Avi, Ryan! Welcome to 1320. Bless this mess, Lord.

...and thanks for the manual labor, Indigo, Marcelo, Aaron and marcus. Sam and lauren too and everyone else! And especially judy.

















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Boards

Sam and I started a skateboard company.


Our friend Kevin Betsch did our first round of art.

If you wantto buy a board, email me at Lew@Fickleboards.com I'll bring it to ya for forty bucks if you're not too far away.

They come in two sizes and three graphics.


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Sam and Lauren

These two. What a great life over here!


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What's the deal with fear, again?

First and last, check out Psalm 85. This is a prophetic marriage of truth and grace.

Think about how Jesus Himself is our peace. (Eph.2:14)

Hear Jesus call His disciples "friends" in John 15:14.

...and hear the old apostle arrive at "...perfect love casts out all fear" in 1 John 4:17.

What a marvel that the holy God of all creation and beyond has called us to Himself as His own beloved children!

-- Post from my iPhone

So do I still have to fear God?

Short answer? "You sure will."

Have to? What is this a choice thing? Maybe it is. Maybe that's what's behind Jesus telling us what he does in Matthew 10... That is to disciples. You and me. Period.

But it is only a choice thing for a little while. One day everyone is going to stand before Him.
First peter five talks about the impact that knowing this has on us. That we consider this life a pilgrimage and walk it in that kind of fear that keeps on track.

And check out Hebrews three and four to see how afraid we ought to be of getting off track.

Period.


-- Post From My iPhone

New Tools

Hey. I got this great iPhone here for my skatepark consulting work. I found out that it works wonderfully fit blogging.

Here is a pic from Judy's and my trip to Seattle and Northern CA. Redwoods and Bigfoot, people.



Judy is very cute there.



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why not just email?

then why not have a little "email" type of conversation that people can enjoy/be freaked out by? I could entitle the blog "Hey Mike".

did i quit blogging?

not really, i just don't know how to talk to you anymore. you are... you're just...


you're just so many people.

and i don't know who you are...

Since we last talked (or since you last listened) soooo many things have gone on... babies have been born in our little church family,

sam and i started a board company

vehicles have broken down and been fixed...

trees have been removed (no more pine trees at 1320 as of this afternoon)...

people are getting married
due soon
newly preggers...

it is an amazing maelstrom of LIFE...

i spent 13 hours on the road yesterday retrieving our van from a breakdown and visiting our board supplier...

lots of skateboarding
lots of workign with suburban Rails, a company i consult for and help with operations...

lots of stuff...

and we got custody of Marcus! Remember marcus? search for him up above in this blog. enjoy...

so i still love you. i just don't know who you are...