February 15, 2005

• Happy Valentines Day! (belated)

  Christy and I had a fantastic weekend. We were very spoiled and were able to go out TWICE because of you awesome folks that have given us gift certificates (and our wonderful babysitters too!). It is kinda funny how it all happened, too...

  On Sunday, we had a special guest trio that came out to the church to sing for us and lead us in worship. As is customary, we were planning on taking them out to lunch after the service (it is usually our obligation to get lunch for any performing group that stops by Midway) and had confirmed this with them on Thursday, prior to Sunday. Well, they totally blew us off...I have no idea why. I asked them on their way out where we were all going to lunch and they told me they were just going home...ok! Anywho, Christy was bummed. So I took her out to a fancy place in Coronado later on for dinner, (many thanks to the Altigs for the gift card!)

  Then, I made reservations for Valentines dinner at perhaps the coolest and fanciest place I've ever eaten in my life! Thanks to Pat Boldt for the gift cert...this place was cool. I was wearing jeans and a nice sweater, and I was totally underdressed...oops. It was a restaurant downtown San Diego called "Galileo 101" and is right across from the Civic Center on J and 2nd...This is one of those deals where you pay a set price per plate, and choose from a couple of different choices on a special menu they created just for this evening, for your 4-course meal. I actually ate shrimp (one of the courses) for the first time ever...I just shoved it down, thinking, "darn it, I WILL eat this shrimp...". Christy was much more chicken than me. She only ate three of them...and then she made me take some of hers on my plate so it looked like she ate more than she actually did...HA!
  This place also had live music--a little group singing chart-toppers from the past several years, AND this waiter just burst out into an aria from RIGOLETTO at one point...so cool...Our dinner reservations were @ 9PM, so I also took Christy to see "Hitch" before that. We both loved it!!! Super funny!! Mike babysat (thanks again!) and we had a great time!

  This morning I'm going to get our car repaired under warranty in National City. My appt is @ 7AM. I hope they have a shuttle service that will take me back to work...otherwise I'm walking!!

  I am really looking forward to choir tonight!!

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  Ephesians 6: 5-8
  5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
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  This is a portion I've used over and over to inspire commitment among ministry team members. Serve as unto the Lord...I tell them to remember to serve the Lord, and not serve me. Although this passage gives an indication of reward for serving the Lord, I often think about serving the Lord just for who He is, regardless of a reward or not.

  Although I am very motivated OFTEN by reward (eat your vegetables and you'll get a cookie...), in this case I am reminded of the Lakewood song "You Are Good". The lyrics say "We worship you, Hallelujah, Hallelujah. We worship You for who you are..." That's what makes that one of my all time favorite songs, because, as opposed to a song like "That's Why We Praise Him" that says we should worship the Lord for all He's done for us, I like the idea of worshipping (and serving) the Lord, just because He is THE LORD. Not because He did anything for me, but because He deserves it REGARDLESS of what He did for me---just because He's worthy of my everything and MORE.

  Mike says he likes my long blogs...well, he ya go...

  • 9:39 am
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