A Faithful Servant

With Father's Day around the corner, I've been reflecting on my own father and the legacy he left. This is the second Father's Day since his death. The older I get, the more I realize how much my life has been shaped by his faithful example. 

If there is one word that described my dad, it's the word faithful. The virtue of faithfulness has fallen out of vogue in our culture. We value new, variety, novelty, exploration, and self-expression. Faithfulness is boring, constraining, old fashioned, and restrictive. In that regard, my dad was "old school!" Dad valued character, being a person of your word, following through on commitments, timeliness, and taking care of business. He was faithful in everything he undertook. 

It's not that dad wasn't willing to learn new things and to change. At the age of 78 he got his first computer and learned to use email. It was a great upgrade from Web TV! He used online banking but preferred to deal face to face when it came time for financial transactions. During the last days of his life, he was so glad that he made it to May 1 so he could receive another month of railroad pension. He made me log onto his bank account to confirm that the money had been posted!

Dad followed cultural events and was conversant on the latest piece of news, whether local or global. But there were some things that were non-negotiable. There were a few things that he wouldn't compromise. You don't compromise your word, your commitments, and your obligations.

My dad lived out Micah 6:6-8. 

"With what should I enter the LORD’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Will the LORD accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for rebellion, my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin? He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God."

What does the Lord want from us? To be faithful! The Scriptures put a high value on being faithful and so did my dad.

Dad met Madelyn Elaine Rank when he was 17, a senior and she was a sophomore in high school. They later attended a Billy Graham movie together in the same gym in which my dad played basketball for his high school team. That day, when the invitation was given, my dad realized his sin problem and placed his trust in Christ. For the next 65 years my dad faithfully lived out His commitment to Christ in a quiet, unassuming way. 

As a follower of Jesus Christ dad knew he was to be faithful. He knew he was to be a faithful:

• Employee who worked hard at whatever he was assigned
• Husband who loved the woman he married and to faithfully live out his marriage vows
• Provider for his family
• Father who provided spiritual direction to his children
• Servant in his church
• Friend to a group of men

So, how my did dad do? 81 years provides an adequate amount of time to assess a persons life and legacy. Faithful is the word that comes to mind as I review my dad's life.

• Faithful Employee - Dad worked 42 years for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. I was always so proud of him. He had the coolest job in the world! Sometimes he would take me to the depot with him! Everyone knew and respected him. One summer he worked it out so that we could catch a freight train going from Iowa Falls to Tama. The engineer, one of my dad's fiends, let us ride in the engine with him and even let me run the throttle and blow the whistle at the intersections!

• Faithful Husband - Dad married my mom on December 31, 1949. He was 21, she was just 18. They were married for 48 1/2 years. Not always easy years, but they loved one another and expressed affection for one another. I never heard my dad criticize my mom. He faithfully served her, did the dishes, helped with grocery shopping (my mom didn't know how to drive a car), and willingly supported and helped with my moms country craft business. They were a wonderful team. And he stood by my mom as she died of cancer 13 years ago. My moms last words to me were, "Make sure you take good care of your dad." My mom would often say, "I married the most wonderful man in the world!"

• Faithful Provider - My dad made a modest income. I remember during my high school years that he was making $12,000 a year. My mom didn't work outside the home and helped raised three kids. He worked hard at his garden that helped feed our family throughout the year. My dad could have taken promotions for his career, but choose not to so we could continue to live close to family. He had perfect attendance on his job year after year. He built the first home our family owned, learning the various skills by reading a how-to book. He saved and spent cash for everything he purchased, using his vacation time to work on house projects. When I wanted a bike, rather than give me the money, he taught me how to earn it. He took me door to door selling Christmas cards for the new Huffy three-speed bike that I wanted. At the end of his life he left his family a substantial financial estate built by frugal budgeting, shrewd investing and living within his means. One of his last requests to me was to see that each grandchild got a financial gift. He was still providing right to the end.

• Faithful Father - My dad was a beloved and faithful father. After his diagnosis my two sisters and I  stayed by his side for the last 19 days. It's the least we could do for a man who had given his entire life to his family. I'm blessed with many wonderful memories of time spend together with my dad playing catch, attending church together, coaching baseball, fixing up our Spicebush Trail home before we moved from Syracuse to Iowa, digging potatoes in the garden, attending a Twins game with my boys and a trip to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame. I'm not certain when it began to happen, but later in life we began to hug every time we met and he would tell me that he loved me. There's no sweeter sound this side of heaven that to hear the words, "I love you." spoken by your father.

• Faithful Servant - My dad was a faithful servant in his church. Over the years he served as the church treasurer, 5th grade Sunday School teacher, helped plant/remodel the Fellowship Baptist Church in Tama, and faithfully served at the Sanibel Community Church. He set aside an amount of cash weekly that he gave when the offering plate was passed. Later in his life I had opportunity to have many spiritual conversations with my dad. On one trip to Florida, Jason and I stayed with him so we could catch some spring training baseball games. We spent time each day reading and discussing the Purpose Driven Life together. At the end of his life when Hospice asked my dad if he would like to talk to a Pastor or Chaplain, he told them, "My son is my Pastor. He's taking care of everything."

• Faithful Friend - My dad was a faithful friend to many. On Sanibel Island my dad had a rich collection of friends ranging from neighbors, a daily morning coffee group, a coffee group a Baileys Store, a cribbage group, and the Brown Baggers at his church. In Tama and Toledo he had a morning coffee group. At his memorial service and visitation, I met men who knew my dad his entire life. And I learned that "coffee" is a verb, as in "I have been coffeeing with Bud for over 15 years."

My dad didn't seek anything for himself. His only thoughts were about his faith and his family. As we sat in the exam room by ourselves on Thursday, April 26 after Dr. Kutteh delivered the devastating diagnosis, we talked about life and death. My dad said, "I don't think there is anything that can prepare you for a moment like this." I replied, dad your whole life has prepared you for a moment like this. You're at peace with your God and are trusting him for your final destination. You're at peace with your family. You have three children who adore you and 9 grandchildren who respect and love you. There is no unfinished business. You're ready. And his response? "I just wish I could have done more!"

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. One servant received five talents, one two talents and one one talent. The servants that were given five and two talents each used what they had been given to multiply their return. Each heard the words, well done, my good and faithful servant and then entered into joy of their master for their reward. My dad was a two talent servant who used faithfully leverage all that he was given. 

Vernon Leroy Pagel was born on August 6, 1928, and died on May 15, 2012. Bud was born in Tama, Iowa and lived most of his adult life in Toledo. My dad lived a simple, humble life. He didn't aspire to greatness. He simply lived each day as a faithful employee, husband, provider, father, servant and friend. 

In the living of his life my dad showed us all what true greatness looks like. In the living of his life, he left his family a legacy worth aspiring to. By God's grace, I hope to faithfully pass on the Pagel legacy and the life of Christ to the next generation who will impact generations yet unborn.

Well done my good and faithful servant! I love you dad!

Days

In 2005 Steve Jobs stated that he looks in the mirror every morning and asks himself, "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" This is a great question.

On Thursday, April 26 I accompanied my father to several medical appointments here in Cedar Rapids. He had called the day before and asked me if I could go to the appointments with him. My father is very independent and he never makes a request like this. So I cleared my calendar and met him the next morning at the urologists office.

Later in the day we met with oncologist Dr. Kutteh. In a matter of 30 minutes our world was turned upside down. Dr. Kutteh read off my father's blood numbers and wasted no time in delivering the devastating news ... acute leukemia ... days to several weeks to live ... I can't allow you to drive home ... do you have a place where you can stay here in Cedar Rapids ... would you like me to set up an appointment with hospice ... we will keep you comfortable.

We brought my father home to live with us. Three days later he was admitted to the Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha. At 10:00 AM on Tuesday, May 15, my father shed his earthly tent and was welcomed to his new eternal home!

Days! The word rang in my ears. Days ... Days ... Days. What would I do, what would I say if this was the last day of my life? What would I do, what would I say if this was the last day I would see my father?

In God's providence, we were given not one day, but 19. 19 days, some too short, some very long. Days filled with expressions of love, laughter, tears, sorrow, joy and hugs. For 19 days life seemed to stand still. I arose each morning wondering if this day would be my father's last. 19 days of crystal clear focus. 19 days of eternal perspective. Today may be my father's last day to live. Today may be the last chance I have to tell my father how much I love him. Today may be the last time I get to sit in the same room with my father and enjoy his presence. Today is all that matters.

Nothing in life can adequately prepare you for a moment like this. God's presence walked with us and His grace surrounded us. God gives good gifts to His children. The gift of time ... presence ... family ... friends ... days. All sweet gifts. All received with a grateful heart. Thankful for just one more day.

For those who are interested, the visitation and memorial service will both be at the Kruse Phillips Funeral Home in Tama, Iowa. The visitation will be on Sunday, May 20 from 4:00-7:00 PM. The memorial service will be on Monday, May 21 at 10:30 AM. The graveside service and lunch will follow.

The lunch will be held at the Reinig Community Center in Toledo. In lieu of flowers, we request that gifts be made to the Hospice of Mercy in Cedar Rapids.

If you are traveling to Tama on highway 30, please note that the new bypass may not appear on your GPS. Traveling from the east, take the first exit for business 30 and then proceed to the funeral home.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Christmas 2011

Our Christmas Letter is published! After several years not getting it done, Sharon thought we needed one this year. I guess she thought that two college graduations, two weddings, my 60th birthday and 20th work anniversary, and our church relocation was deserving of an update!

Enjoy! May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas as you reflect on our Saviors birth.

Every Boy Needs A Buddy

For right or wrong, much of how I look at myself is through the roles I play. I'm a follower of Jesus Christ; a husband to one awesome woman; a father to four incredible boys; a father-in-law to three (soon to be four!) wonderful daughter-in-laws; a son to Bud Pagel; an adopted/surrogate grandfather to Annaclare, Annika and Allison; a Pastor to a growing church family; a friend....  You get the point!

Recently I have added one more role or title. Monday evening I went to the Metro Youth Football League fields to watch Deshawn play football. He's on a Wash 6th grade team. Deshawn and I have been Lunch Buddies through Big Brothers Big Sisters for the past two plus years.

It was a beautiful evening for football. It was just cool enough for a jacket, perfect football weather. The smell of fall leaves, the sound of parents cheering on their teams, and the glow of the lights breaking through the darkness to illuminate the fields created a memorable evening.

I arrived a little late and was trying to find the field Deshawn's team was playing on. In my search I came across one of Deshawn's friends, who immediately said, "Hey, you're Deshawn's Lunch Buddy!"

In that moment, something incredible happened that I wasn't prepared for - my heart filled with pride! I was honored to be known as Deshawn's "buddy."

I was the only person at the game Monday evening who was there to cheer on Deshawn. His teammates had parents, friends, aunts and uncles at the game to cheer them on. I got photos. Deshawn even scored a touchdown and made a solo tackle! I got to see it all!

Monday night brought back a lot of memories of watching my own sons play Metro football on those same fields. But I also reflected on my new title. I'm Deshawn's Lunch Buddy! It's a title that fills my heart with pride.

Every son needs a father. Every person needs a friend. Every team needs fans. Every boy needs a buddy!

Best Men

I'm the richest man in the world! Four sons and a wife who love me for who I am. I can't even begin to express my satisfaction and gratefulness. By grace, God has made me a participant in His story.

Part of my story is the two guys you see above. 23 years ago our lives changed for ever. We went from a family of four to a family of six overnight. Being the father of four boys has brought the best and worst out of me. And it's made me acutely aware that I'm in need of God's grace.

Josh and Jon have brought, and continue to bring, joy to our lives. Our prayer when they were small is that they would grow up to be friends. One of the first words they learned was "cooperate!" And over the years their commitment to pursuing Christ and His mission has only brought them closer.

Josh and Jon are becoming awesome young men. You make me proud. I'm honored to be called your pops!

And just as 23 years ago when our family changed for ever, our family is changing again. In October of this year, Sharon and I will officially become "empty nesters."All four of our sons will be married and on their own!

And so our life comes full circle. It's Sharon and me, four awesome daughters in law, a heart full of hopes and dreams, and new opportunities to trust God. We are leaving one season of life behind in order to press into this new one.

And our boys? Ryan and Natalie are pursuing what God has for them in Oklahoma. Jason and Erin are trusting God for their future direction in Colorado. I'm proud of each of you and the journey of faith you have chosen to pursue.

And Josh and Jon? This summer Josh asked Jon to be his best man as he and Diana shared their vows in Hornick, Iowa. And this fall, Josh will exchange the favor and will be the best man in Jon and Trista's wedding in Johnston, Iowa. Two brothers standing shoulder to shoulder. Much has transpired the last 23 years. But one thing remains the same - Josh and Jon, you're still best men!

Biggest Fan

Saturday morning Sharon and I made a trip to the landfill to get rid of some "stuff." It's amazing how quickly things begin to accumulate that no longer have a useful purpose. Pleasant memories alone aren't reason enough to continue to hold on to something.

Of all the things we pitched Saturday morning, the item that was the hardest to throw out was our Eureka four-man tent. It was a gift to us from our small group some 30 plus years ago. We have many pleasant memories of camping in the Adirondacks as a family and with our small group. The tent had surpassed it's useful life expectancy, but I was still holding on to it because of it's sentimental value.

But on this Saturday morning, into the landfill it went! We have decided to hold onto the memories but pitch the stuff of life that is no longer useful.

I share this as background to help you understand what came next. From the landfill we traveled south to the College Community campus to watch Prairie take on Wash in a high school baseball game. Matt Thede is the head coach of the Prairie Hawks.

As we sat in the shade on Saturday afternoon watching the game, memories of similar summer days came flooding back. All four of our sons played baseball and we spent many hours on ball fields around the state. Many Mother's Days were celebrated in the stands watching our boys play a game they loved.

But today we traveled to the south side of Cedar Rapids for another reason. We were there to support Matt, not one of our sons. We understand the important role that a coach can play in the life of a young man. We pray for Matt, asking God to use him to shape young boys into men. Today we came to Prairie to support Matt and to cheer on his team.

And as we sat watching the game played by teenage boys that we don't personally know, Sharon sent off the following email to all four of our sons:

It's a perfect summer day for watching a baseball game and dad and I are at the Prairie/Wash game (in support of Matt Thede, Prairie's head coach). I can't help but reflect how much fun (well, not ALWAYS fun) and the sweet memories of coming to/watching all you boys throughout your years in baseball! In the midst of the craziness of the seasons I always wanted to be one of you biggest fans.Those days are long gone (not the memories), however I still seek to be one of your greatest fans in life, encouraging you to live for the Glory of God, trusting Him as you live out His purposes in your life!! I love you - Ryan, Jason, Josh & Jon.

"Play ball!"

Our children have grown from boys into men. Three of our sons are now married and the other is engaged. We are learning to treasure the past, live fully in the present, and to move forward with expectation into the future.

We are still our boys biggest fans! We still cheer for them and root for their success. And we're still trusting God with them and praying for their future.

The past, like our boys baseball playing days, are long gone. The future, full of hope and expectation, is yet to come. But today, someone is waiting for you to just show up, to cheer them on, to be their biggest fan!

In Need Of A Friend

Life is circling back around on Sharon and myself. We met at Iowa State University in 1971. It was my junior year and Sharon's freshman year. I knew Mark, Sharon's brother, who lived on my dorm floor in the Towers. Through Mark's encouragement, we both got involved with Bible studies and weekly meetings with The Navigators.

Which led to .... nothing at first. Ah but later (several years later), I began to notice this cute girl who had an awesome walk with God. And I decided I wanted to know her better. And the rest is history. I like to tell people that I liked Mark (her brother) so well that I married his sister!

The Navigator ministry connected us with a group of students who loved Jesus and who believed they could change the world. Scripture memory, Bible study, summer training programs, conferences and weekly gatherings helped lay a solid spiritual foundation in our lives that we are still building on today.

I'm thankful for Mark and the many Navigator staff who prayed with, cared for and invested in us during a very important time in our lives.

And now, 40 years later, one of my sons is sensing God calling him to the same ministry, to invest in the lives of students with The Navigators. Jon and his fiance, Trista, will be married October 22 of this year. It's their prayer that they will be fully funded by that time so they can be on campus, ministering with Kyle Nelson and the rest of the staff and student leaders at UNI.

It's my prayer that Jon and Trista will be used of God at UNI. That they would build relational connections with those far from God and equip those who are followers of Christ. That they would seek out freshmen students and others who are at a crossroads regarding who they are, what they believe and who they want to follow. That they would befriend students and help them grow into young adults.

And I hope they will be on the lookout for a quiet girl from a northeast Iowa farm and I shy guy from a small central Iowa town. They're a little overwhelmed right now. They hope they can make friends. They aren't sure what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but they hope the next year will be good. They're not real comfortable talking about spiritual things, but they would be interested in meeting people who have a vibrant, genuine faith. Something real, something that makes a difference in life. Keep a look out for these two. They are in need of a friend.

Raising Young Men

"From the wild Irish slums of the 19th century eastern seaboard, to the riot-torn suburbs of Los Angeles, there is one unmistakable lesson in American history: A community that allows a large number of young men to grow up in broken families, dominated by women, never acquiring any stable relationship to male authority, never acquiring any rational expectations about the future - that community asks for and gets chaos. Crime, violence, unrest, disorder - most particularly the furious, unrestrained lashing out at the whole social structure - that is not only to be expected; it is very near to inevitable. And it is richly deserved."

The late Senator, Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Calling All Men

My Dad

The Pew Research Center just released a new study titled, A Tale of Two Fathers. In 1960, only 11% of children in the U.S. lived apart from their fathers. By 2010, that number had risen to 27%.

Fathers’ living arrangements are strongly correlated with race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status as measured by educational attainment. Black fathers are more than twice as likely as white fathers to live apart from their children (44% vs. 21%).























69% of Americans believe having a father in the home is essential for a child to grow up happily. Yet one out of four children in the US are growing up without a father in their home.

Fatherlessness is a growing crisis in America, one that under girds many of the challenges that families are facing. When dads aren't around, young people are more likely to drop out of school, use drugs, be involved in the criminal justice system, and become young parents themselves.

President Obama grew up without his dad, and has said that being a father is the most important job he has. That's why the President is joining dads from across the nation in a fatherhood pledge – a pledge that we'll do everything we can to be there for our children and for young people whose fathers are not around.

I'm thankful for a dad who was there for me as a child. A dad who loved me, provided for our family, taught me valuable life lessons, loved my mother and sacrificed so that I could have opportunities that he didn't have.

Growing up, my dad was my hero. And 60 years later I still admire and respect him. I've been given a rich heritage. And I've also had the privilege of passing the Pagel name and family reputation on to my four sons.

Me and Deshawn, my Lunch Buddy

Our families long for and deserve our best. Men, let's step up to our responsibilities in our families and in our community. Let's be the men that our sons and daughters aspire to become like.

Let's mentor boys and young men in our community into manhood. Become a Lunch Buddy at Polk School, coach a sports team, become a Boy Scout leader. Our children and our community are counting on us.

Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!  Psalm 82:3

Kim Sent You

The day is off to a great start! We found a small bakery called the Estes Park Pie Company that makes cinnamon rolls. The shop opens at 8:30 AM and we arrived shortly after 9:00 to pick up our freshly baked treats.

However, much to our surprise, they only had two cinnamon rolls left! I explained to Vallerie how sad all of our kids would be if we went home empty handed! My sob story must have worked as Vallerie volunteered to bake up eight rolls for us if we were willing to wait.

No problemo! I asked Vallerie if there was an up-charge for hot cinnamon rolls and she assured me that the price would be the same. The recipe Vallerie uses is a family favorite, passed down from her grandmother. 50 minutes later and we were the proud owners of eight warm cinnamon rolls! It was all I could do to get them home without eating one!

They looked delicious, they were warm and they smelled incredible. The only thing left was to put Vallerie's cinnamon rolls to the Pagel "taste test!" And they didn't disappoint! Everyone agreed that they were as good as Sharon's, which is saying something! A glass of cold milk and the morning culinary treat was complete!

If you're ever in Estes Park, stop by the Estes Park Pie Company and check out their cinnamon rolls. I hear their pies and cakes aren't bad either. But stop in early or you may be disappointed.

Oh, and say "hello" to Vallerie for me. And tell her that Kim sent you!

A Blessing!

One of our sons moved out last week. He's on a six month missions trip with Send International to a country in eastern Europe. He will be assisting a missionary couple with the construction of a camp in the mountains that will be used as an outreach to Muslim families and children. Pretty neat stuff!

Which son, you ask? Preston Smith, our "adopted son"! Preston came to live with us the day before Thanksgiving 2008. He originally came to Cedar Rapids as a volunteer with Eight Days of Hope in the fall of 2008. Preston enjoyed his time in Cedar Rapids so much, he decided to move here to volunteer with flood relief. We offered Preston a place to stay and the rest is history!

Preston refers to us as his second family, and to Sharon as his Iowa Mom! He introduces himself to Josh and Jon's friends as their "other brother!"

Last fall we enjoyed hosting Steve and Linda, Preston's parents, in our home for a week. It was a great time getting to know them. They have raised an awesome son!

This past week, Steve and Linda returned again. This time they came to help Preston pack up his room, clear out the garage, return tools, and prepare to leave. We are excited for Preston and the new adventure that awaits him.

But we also experienced a sense of sadness that only a parent of adult children can understand. I'm convinced that letting go is the hardest work a parent ever has to do. Our home is now a little quieter. There's no one else at the dinner table in the evening. His room is empty. This past week we walked with Steve and Linda as they readied their son and his stuff for departure. I'm sure they had a long, lonely trip back to West Virginia.

In November 2008 Preston moved to Iowa, knowing almost no one. Eighteen months later he flew out of Cedar Rapids, leaving an adopted  "Iowa family" and his mark on our community.  Thank you Preston for the blessing you have been to us and our entire church family.

We Are Family

I'm reading Joseph Hellerman's book, When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus' Vision for Authentic Christian Community. I'm reading the book because of my interest in the use of the family metaphor. I was also interested because Christianity Today listed it among the five top books on community.

Here is the way Hellerman begins the book.

"Spiritual formation occurs primarily in the context of community. People who remain connected with their brothers and sisters in the local church almost invariably grow in self-understanding, and they mature in their ability to relate in healthy ways to God and to their fellow human beings. Long-term interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life. People who stay also grow. People who leave do not grow."

In an age of hyper-individualism, I find Hellerman's analysis refreshing. There's something to be said about making relationships work. And did I mention that relationships take work? Just like our family of birth, we're stuck with one another. We might as well figure out how to make this relational thing work. At New Covenant, we call it becoming a "family of growing disciples."

Contrast this with the vision George Barna has for the follower of Christ, as outlined in his book, Revolution.

"Now its virtually impossible to craft a "typical" spiritual pattern, especially among people under the age of 40. Growing numbers of young adults, teenagers, and even adolescents are piecing together spiritual elements they deem worthwhile, constituting millions of personalized "church" models."

"Ultimately, we expect to see believers choosing from a proliferation of options, weaving together a set of favored alternatives into a unique tapestry that constitutes the personal "church" of the individual"

Personal church of the individual? This is a oxymoron. Collectively, together, we are the body of Christ, His bride. Or to use another metaphor, we are family!

On a group - individual continuum, place me toward the group side. My highest aim in life is not the pursuit of my personal goals and ambitions. Rather, I look for ways to serve my family, church and community for the glory of God, and for the good of others.

The family teaches me that the good of the whole is a worthy ambition. That relationships require sacrifice and service. That the world doesn't revolve around me and my wishes. And that people, even good people, will sooner or later disappoint and frustrate me.

The family also teaches me that some of lifes greatest joys can only be experienced with others. That meaning and satisfaction are found in the context of relationship. That together we can do more than any of us could do apart. That disappointment and trouble were never meant to be carried alone. And about the power of grace extended and grace received.

Given the option to choose between the Lone Ranger and Father Knows Best, I'll take Father Knows Best every time. Given the choice between the "church of the individual" or the church as family, count me in the family column!

I like the way Tim Keller describes this new tribal community, called out by God to be His family.

"The context for a gospel-centered life is never merely individual. The gospel creates a new community, a unique community. One of the immediate changes that the gospel makes is grammatical: we instead of I; our instead of my; us instead of me. This kind of new community is not an optional thing, an "extra" for the Christian; instead it's part of the overall purpose of God's kingdom."

"A new community is both the end of the gospel and also the means of spreading the gospel. God's promise in salvation is to create his "holy nation", a people that dwell with him forever. I will be your God and you will be my people." (Lev. 26:12, Jer. 30:22). So Christians, who are eternally united to Christ, are therefore eternally united to one another."

So, where are you? Are you a radical revolutionary, seeking out a portfolio of spiritual experiences in your quest for the personalized church of the individual? Or are you community connector, pursuing and serving God in the context of relationships? How do you understand the New Testament scriptures on the nature of the church?

Me? You know by now what I think ... we are family!

Mentoring

I'm teaching on Mentoring Relationships tomorrow in the Be[cause] Adult Bible Fellowship. This is a topic that I'm pretty passionate about. I wouldn't say that I'm a great mentor, but I've certainly had some really good mentors and models in my life. And I would bet, that most of my mentors didn't even know how powerfully they were impacting me. They may not have even realized that they were mentoring me!

But that's the way it should be in a good organic mentoring relationship. They two parties may not even realized all that is happening. I would have to say that most of my experience being a mentor is with my own sons. As they grew up and got into high school, we would go out once a week for breakfast and talk. Sometimes we studied something and discussed it. But mostly we connected and talked. Jon and I met for breakfast this morning and had a great time. I love spending time with my sons!

My desire for each person in the class is that they would see the need for having a mentor(s) and know how to ask someone to mentor them in a specific area.

So, what areas would you like to be mentored in? What are the qualities of a good mentor? What's the best mentor you've ever had? I'd love to hear your experiences with mentoring.

Don't go it alone! There are people who care just waiting to be asked. Both your lives will be the richer.

Creating Memories

We made a quick trip to Oklahoma to visit Ryan and Natalie this past week. We had a great time and packed a lot into three days.

Natalie ran the Half Marathon in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday morning. She did an awesome job and ran a 2.04.09! Great job Natalie! You can see a short slide show of Natalie running the marathon here. She was the cutest runner on the course! I'm sure you would agree!

The marathon ended near the Oklahoma City National Memorial. This was my first visit to the Memorial and it was a powerful experience. 168 children and adults lost their lives on April 19, 1995 when the Alfred P. Murrah building was bombed. You can see a short slide show of the Memorial here. I encourage you to view the virtual tour here even if you have seen the Memorial. Hans and Torrey Butzer, the Memorial designers, explain the symbolism and meaning of the Memorial. Very powerful.

On Thursday we toured and explored Bricktown, the older section of Oklahoma City. The stream running through the area, outside shops, benches, public spaces and recreational venues make this a fun place to explore. We can only hope that Cedar Rapids is able to do something similar along the Cedar River in the future. You can see a slide show of Bricktown here.

And no trip would be complete with a baseball game! We got to see the Oklahoma City RedHawks play the Omaha Royals. The game was so-so, but we had a lot of fun. Will and Ginny Davis, Natalie's parents, joined us for the game and we enjoyed a good cup of Starbucks and dish of Cold Stone ice cream after the game.

It was quite a trip! We put some miles on the van, walked a ton, and laughed a lot! All part of creating memories!

Renewal

Sharon and I have been enjoying Sanibel Island, Florida for the past week. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! You can click on the picture above to see a slide show. We are staying with my dad on the island. He has cooked our evening dinners for us, it's almost like having our personal chef!

We are within walking/biking distance of the ocean and beach! The weather has been in the 70's so we have spent a lot of time outside. This past week I walked 21 miles and biked 37 miles! Sharon and I started each day with an early morning beach walk of 4 miles. What a great way to start your day!

I have been mostly unplugged this past week, making it very relaxing. We went to two spring training baseball games. There's nothing like watching baseball in February when it's 70 degrees in Florida and 10 degrees in Iowa! Sharon and I are working our way through the TrueFaced Experience guide, and we've had good conversations each afternoon in a local park or coffee shop over the topics of trust and grace.

We've also enjoyed evening walks on the beach at sunset, bike riding, extend times in the Word and times praying together. I read two books and have had fun capturing some photos of our week. It's been a great vacation. But better yet, it has been a wonderful time of recreation, refreshment and renewal.

Congratulations Jason and Erin!

We had a wedding this past weekend! Congratulations Jason and Erin for planning such an incredible God-honoring wedding ceremony. And a special "thank you" to Scott and Julie Juedes for their willingness to have the wedding at New Covenant, allowing us to invite many of our family and friends.

I have prepared several slide shows for those who are interested. You can click on the slide show title to view it.

• Set up on Friday
• Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner on Friday evening
• Pre-Wedding Prep and Family Pictures
• Wedding Ceremony
• Wedding Reception

It was such an honor for me to have a part of the ceremony. Standing on the platform with my four sons is as good as it gets! I am so proud to each of them.

I also want to thank Steve and Linda Jenkins for helping greet and host, John Maurice for taking informal photos, and all those family and friends who helped with set up and clean up.

It was a wonderful weekend full of memories. We look forward to how God will use Jason and Erin in the months and years to come.

A Tradition Unlike Any Other

One of our Christmas morning traditions is enjoying Sharon's world-famous cinnamon rolls! They are spectacular. And we get to enjoy them twice. First, we enjoy the wonderful aroma as they bake in the oven. And then we enjoy the warm bundle of goodness as we wash the first bite down with a cold glass of milk!

You can click on the photo above to see a short slide show of our cinnamon rolls. And if you're curious, you can probably coax the recipe out of Sharon by emailing her at KimPagel@mchsi.com.

I personally promise to expedite the recipe to you if you promise to share a cinnamon roll with me from your first pan! It's a tradition unlike any other!

Christmas Cookie Art

We decorated Christmas cookies last night. It has become an annual tradition. This is the 4th straight year that Erin has been with us for this event. Erin turns decorating Christmas cookies into a work of art! You can click on the photo above to see a slide show.

Heather, Jon's girlfriend, was able to join us this year also. Heather is a nursing major at Allen Hospital in Waterloo. She decorated the "nurse" cookie. Erin and Jon teamed up to do the "bride and groom" pair. Jon put a mustache on the groom after Sharon showed off our old wedding photos! It was all great fun!

Dessert Open House

We are hosting a Dessert Open House for Erin and Jason in our home. You can choose between two different times:

• 7:00-8:00 PM on Monday, December 15
• 7:00-8:00 PM on Thursday, December 18

Come and learn about the Timberline student ministry that Jason and Erin are involved with. You click on the image above to see a short video on Timberline.

You can click here to get a map to our home at 712 71st Street NE, Cedar Rapids. We hope to see you at one of the gatherings.

Three Cheers

We traveled to Gallagher Bluedorn yesterday to hear Josh perform in the UNI Men's Glee Club Christmas Variety Show. And what a show it was! You can click on the photo above to see a slide show of the evening.

The 116 voice men's choir was awesome! I especially enjoyed Mary Did You Know, Ave Maria, and The First Noel sung to candle light! David Hoobler did an awesome job in the Men's Camerata. And Caroling, Caroling sung by the Vocal Jazz Ensemble may have been my favorite!

A Star-Crossed Christmas was a Star Wars meets Star Trek Christmas play. There were some classic lines and scenes! And of course, the show ends with its traditional Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairies performed by the Arthur Murder Dancers!

We thoroughly enjoyed the 2 1/2 hour show. Three cheers to Dr. Barrett and all those who performed.