Antioch, California

Seen the name of our fair city in the headlines or heard it on the news lately? I'm sure you have. With all that has been said and written about the unexpected resolution of an 18 year kidnapping, one more word of explanation needs to be shared.

Other than the overt sneakiness of the kidnapper, there is one other primary reason why he was able to elude law enforcement over the last 18 years: jurisdiction. The area of Antioch where his sprawling compound was put together is actually not in Antioch. It's in a fairly small unincorporated section that is really Contra Costa County, not city of Antioch. Thus, the law enforcement agency charged with this area is the County Sheriff's Department, not the Antioch PD. Contra Costa County contains more square miles than any other county in California, so the Sheriff's Department is spread rather thin even if fully staffed. Sometimes these small unincorporated areas within the limits of a city just don't get the attention more active areas do.

Could they have discovered this earlier? Did they have at least a couple of opportunities? Certainly... but when you combine the isolation of that unincorporated area with the extreme efforts by the kidnapper to conceal what was going on, you can at least see how it was missed.

The Antioch PD is now involved in the investigation (along with the Sheriff, FBI and Pittsburg PD) because the case is potentially spilling out well beyond that small unincorporated area.

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Here's what we did Sunday as we looked at the crucifixion through the eyes of the Roman centurion who was overseeing the execution that fateful day over 2000 years ago.

He Is Exalted
Show Your Power

Welcome and Family News

Come into His Presence

Prayer

Shout Hallelujah

Reading: Hebrews 11:17-19
My Faith Looks Up to Thee

Reading: Hebrews 10:4-7
Salvation Belongs to Our God

Communion: Looking into the Face of Jesus

Lamb of God

Offering

Children’s Sermon & Invitation to Children’s Church (age 3 – 3rd Grade)

Behold the Lamb

Sermon

My Everything

At the Name of Jesus

Shepherd’s Blessing

How Do We Remember Ted Kennedy?

As one whose views of the Kennedy family were most shaped by the deaths of Jack and Robert during my teen years, I admit that I have always wanted to see their family in a positive light. While much of what has been done by others in the family, including Eunice Shriver's work building the Special Olympics, has happened outside politics, Ted's personal struggles always gave me pause and caused me to feel as if he had squandered both opportunity and legacy.

What I did not know until recently is how he rose to the occasion of caring for his brothers' kids... how he genuinely cared for his colleagues and others he met. And it seems that in the last 17 years or so of his life he grew into being the person he perhaps could have been along.

I offer this quote from President Obama's eulogy at today's funeral.

We can still hear his voice bellowing through the Senate chamber, face reddened, fist pounding the podium, a veritable force of nature, in support of health care or workers’ rights or civil rights. And yet, while his causes became deeply personal, his disagreements never did. While he was seen by his fiercest critics as a partisan lightning rod, that is not the prism through which Ted Kennedy saw the world, nor was it the prism through which his colleagues saw him. He was a product of an age when the joy and nobility of politics prevented differences of party and philosophy from becoming barriers to cooperation and mutual respect – a time when adversaries still saw each other as patriots.
And that’s how Ted Kennedy became the greatest legislator of our time. He did it by hewing to principle, but also by seeking compromise and common cause – not through deal-making and horse-trading alone, but through friendship, and kindness, and humor.

My hope is that perhaps his death will remind all our legislators that they can work together as patriots, as those who love this nation, in that same spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. I for one have had enough of the hateful posturing and vitriolic speech.

Various

Character

The best index to a person's character is (a) how he treats people who can't do him any good and (b) how he treats people who can't fight back. - Abigail Van Buren

If you don't have enemies, you don't have character. - Paul Newman

It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. - The Apostle Peter

I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? - Jesus of Nazareth


Health Care Reform

There are plenty of people on all sides of the issue expressing a variety of opinions, but one thing in particular has grabbed my attention. One "side" seems to be using fear as a primary tactic, and there may indeed be things in some of the proposed bills to be afraid of. However, one of their principal arguments is that health care reform will be bad for senior citizens. They go on and on about "death panels" and cuts in services... none of which actually seems to be part of any of the proposed bills. Well, I did a little checking. We have one organization in our country that has advocated for the interests of seniors for decades... over 50 years to be exact: The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). They have some good articles on their site. It is most interesting to me that this organization, which has a progressive leaning but nevertheless goes to great lengths to remain politically impartial, both supports the idea of health care reform and many of the proposed specifics before congress. There are other very vocal organizations that purport to represent the interests of seniors who stand firmly against any health care reform... these are the ones using the fear tactics. The Senior Coalition, United Seniors Association and USA Next are three of these. They've been around since the early 90's and are basically funded directly or indirectly by the pharmaceutical industry. You can click around and read about them here. Now, you tell me which side is more likely blowing smoke.


Grand Kids

This is now the pic on my Ipod touch. :-)

Wesley Pics

OK, I thought it was time to post a few Wesley pics. I certainly don't want to preempt his parents, but a couple of pics by Papa won't hurt, right!?! :-)

He's already thinking it over.

Napping in his Nanna's arms.

Enjoying time with Daddy.

Mommy and Daddy sure love that boy.

Finally, I took a hilly bike ride this morning, stopping at the crest of Empire Mine Road to get this panorama of Antioch, looking toward the river. Pretty nice view, even with my phone!

How Great Is Our God!

Sunday morning was one of those times when not only God shows up (as He always does), but nearly all of the rest of us noticed and "showed up" as well. Great morning!!

Here's a snapshot:

Lord, Reign in Me
Glorify Thy Name

Welcome and Family News

Awesome God
How Great Is Our God

Prayer

Reading: Romans 11:33-36
God Moves in a Mysterious Way
Holy, Holy, Holy

Reading: Psalm 133
We Are the Body of Christ

Communion: United in Christ

By Christ Redeemed
Blest Be the Tie

Offering

Children’s Sermon and Invitation to Children’s Church

How Great Is Our God (reprise)

Sermon

Lord, Take Control

Show Your Power

Shepherd’s Blessing

And... last night was our final Summer Sunday Night Event: Eastside's Got Talent. What a blast!!! We had guitar pickers and singers and keyboard players and a trumpet... a skit... a dramatic reading... it was just simply a lot of fun.

Acappella Music Link

Keith Lancaster linked to this article on his blog, and after I read it I thought I'd do the same.

Hilarious!!!

My high school chemistry teacher and good email buddy sent me this link. I had heard this great Ray Stevens song but never seen the video... makes it even better. Click here.

Anniversary Trip, Part 3, the Clips

Driving down Hwy 1 on Thursday a stiff wind began blowing the fog in.

The dolphins and sea lions were enjoying the fishing and seemed to have better luck than those fishing from the pier.



Our pelican friend on the pier.

Some of his buddies fishing.

Anniversary Trip, Part 2

During our brief stay in Cayucos, we saw lots of sea birds, including pelicans, as well as dolphins and lots of sea lions. For the most part the pelicans, dolphins and sea lions spent their time fishing a few hundred yards off shore, but we could get a great view from the fishing pier. One pelican seemed to enjoy hanging out on the pier with people instead of dive bombing for fish. My guess is that he was hoping for a handout. He was quite at ease around people and snapped only if you reached your hand out toward him.

Here he is walking along the pier with a sea gull buddy on the rail.

We thought this was a cool shot of him by the "doo not feed" sign.

During low tide many of the birds were hanging out on these rocks, doing some tide pool fishing.

I love this black and white shot of the pier... actually a double exposure with two shots of VJ enjoying the water.

Anniversary Trip

Thirty-eight wonderful years... how do you celebrate and honor that time? Well, if you are Virginia Bean Johnson, a trip down Hwy 1, a night in a beach bed and breakfast, and walks along a beautiful beach.
Sooo... last Thursday we drove down the coast and stayed in Cayucos. Here are a few pics. More tomorrow...

Restoration: Jesus Style

Today Brice used the healings of the blind man and the woman who had bled for 12 years to show us they were not just healings... they were complete restorations for these people to their lives, their families, their faith communities. Jesus doesn't mess around!

Here's what the morning looked like:

We’re Marching to Zion
Come, Worship Christ the King

Welcome and Family News

That’s Why We Praise Him
I Will Praise You

Prayer

Reading: Romans 5:9-11
Nothing but the Blood (sung antiphonally)

Reading: Romans 8:35-39
What the Lord Has Done in Me

Communion: A Faith-Filled Response

When We Meet in Sweet Communion

Offering

Children’s Sermon and Invitation to Children’s Church

Restore My Soul

Sermon

There’s a Stirring

O Worship the King (v 1)
I Stand in Awe

Shepherd’s Blessing

Cool Quote

Nobody denies that we are almost daily becoming more and more dependent on technology to accomplish things, to communicate, to stay in touch and on the cutting edge of society. I mean, who would have thought, even a couple of months ago, that a hacker crashing the Twitter site would be a top new story?

My guess is that most of us would also say that our continuing boom in the use of technology has also often increased our "techno-headaches" along the way. We all have computer crashes, cell phones that drop calls or "misplace" data, text messages that seem to disappear, and so forth. My mom is having problems with her computer right now, and she's about ready to "pitch the whole thing," except for that glimmer of hope that it may get better.

Well, having said all of that, I ran across this quote which I thought you fair readers would enjoy:

"Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog." (Doug Larson)

On this date in 1945, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, hastening the end of World War II.

Speaking of bomb shells, Lucille Ball was born on this date in 1911.

...and...

Cy Young pitched his first game in 1890.

Have a great day!!

Dance Clips

OK, I realize I'm not usually on the cutting edge of things, but how did I manage to let over 15 million people see this before I did? Click here. It's GREAT!!

This next clip was created using professional dancers as a spoof of the first, and it's just as funny!! Click here and enjoy!!

And, finally, if you want to dance once more, here is a live recreation on the Today Show by the original wedding party.

The Kingdom is like...

Brice spent his time unpacking Matthew 13 today, encouraging us to both let the Kingdom make a difference in our lives and to be sowers so others can make that choice as well.

In addition, Roland talked about communion as a "thin place" where we can draw close to God.

Here's a glimpse...

He Has Made Me Glad
I Will Call Upon the Lord
Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down

Welcome and Family News

We Praise Thee, O God
Salvation Belongs to Our God

Prayer

Reading: Matthew 13:44-46

You Are My All in All

Reading: Hebrews 10:19-23

Jesus, Draw Me Closer

Communion: A Time to Draw Near

Offering

Children’s Sermon & Invitation to Children’s Church

Ancient Words

Sermon

Ancient Words

The Joy of the Lord

Shepherd’s Blessing