Hazy Fourth

Downtown Denver in a haze around 7pm.

This morning we woke up to a haze across the horizon as far as the eye could see. It was so thick that, from our area, we could not see the mountains or downtown Denver. It was really weird because we couldn't smell smoke but the sky was smoky. We spent the afternoon with some friends down in Columbine; delicious hot dogs, turkey burgers, homemade cobbler and good conversation. On our way back home it seemed like the haze had become thicker; ominous. I jumped online once I got home to find out what the haze was coming from because I thought most of the Colorado fires were under control. I found out it was from fires in Wyoming. It's amazing that smoke from a fire in a neighboring state miles away can affect us.

What a way to spend the 4th of July—in a haze with no fireworks.

Related Articles:

Smoke, Haze Coming From Wyoming Wildfires, 7 News (ABC)

Where can I see 4th of July fireworks in Colorado?, 9 News (NBC)



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Sue Samuel at Front Range

Messianic Recording Artist, Sue Samuel and her husband Brian, will be performing at Front Range on Saturday, July 7th at 7:00pm. Visit the Facebook Event here: Sue & Brian Samuel

Come out and enjoy original praise and worship music by this very talented Messianic Jewish couple.

Visit her website: SueSamuel.com

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My Experience in High Places

The Flatirons in Boulder, Colorado

Soon after I began my walk in the Torah I started a new job in Boulder at an up and coming graphic design firm. Working in Boulder was exciting for me because when we first moved to Colorado from Texas, Boulder was our original destination; but once we arrived, we found out how expensive it was to live there so we ended up in Westminster.

Driving to Boulder every morning was breathtaking. When I didn't take the bus I would drive through the backroads so I could see the morning sun shining on the Flatirons. I'd often pull over just to gaze at the mountains. During my lunch break I would walk up and down the Pearl Street mall and visit the eclectic shops or I'd stroll through the nearby neighborhoods and enjoy the scenery.

I found out that a Messianic Judaica shop, called High Places, had relocated from Estes Park to Boulder. When I found out where it was located, I would sometimes walk to it on my lunch break and eat my lunch as I browsed. One of the store owners, Elizabeth, would point me to books and music that she thought I would like. She was a kind lady. I would talk to her about the Messianic Movement and the Torah. I often encouraged her to consider making a website for their store; at the time there were very little Judaica shops online, not to mention Messianic ones. Unfortunately, the store didn't stay open very long. I remember driving up one day to find the store closed down. I would later run into Elizabeth at various Messianic events in the area. At one event I found out that her son, Toby, had recently joined FFOZ. I didn't have any interaction with Elizabeth after that, but when I think about my Boulder experience, she is part of it.

Elizabeth passed away last Wednesday. Yesterday I took a half-day off to attended her memorial service in Loveland. It was interesting to see the variety of folks there, Messianic and Christian believers, paying their respects to this godly woman who touched their lives. I was encouraged and moved by Toby's beautiful tribute to his mother. I was also encouraged to see the ways of God passed on from one generation to the next. Elizabeth's legacy will live on in her son's life and the lives of her grandchildren.



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Getting Back In The Swing

As a bi-vocational pastor (i.e., having a fulltime job in addition to overseeing a congregation) I've seen a pattern in the ebbs and flows of 'busy seasons' especially around the Moedim. This year, however, after Shavuot the busyness seemed to increase and hold at a steady, accelerated pace. I take this as an indication of a number of things: 1) my children are getting older, 2) our community is growing, 3) business is picking up.

As my children get older I have noticed that each of them are requiring more and more one-on-one interaction. This takes time and effort, which I will gladly give. The conversations are getting deeper, the questions are more thoughtful, and the bike rides are getting longer! There's nothing that can compare to spending time with my family.

As our community grows it requires more attention too. Delegating tasks is now a necessity if I'm going to get anything done, namely prepare a message for Shabbat. God continues to send folks our way and folks continue to step up to serve. We will be appointing deacons in the next month or so. This is an exciting step in the development of our community and an indication of the blessings of God on this local body.

Being in the HVAC business for the past few years I've come to understand the 'busy seasons' in this industry as well. When the weather gets warmer, the phone begins to ring off the hook. Thankfully we are gainfully employed with service and maintenance calls to businesses all over the Metro Denver area. Although I'm not a service technician and sit at a desk, I still feel the increase of work in our shop. Thank God for the heat!

Although I haven't made a blog entry over the past month and a half, I haven't been short of topics to write about, just the time to do it. There have been many things that I've wanted to address or comment on, but because more and more topics keep popping up every week, I may never get back to those thoughts. Oh well, I'll just keep moving forward and try to get back in the swing of things.



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Are You Growing Spiritually?

Sheaves of Wheat in a Field, 1885
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890)

It's been exactly one month since my last post. Lame, I know, but it's been busy around here. After Passover, everything seemed to pick up—park celebrations, Yom HaShoah, March of Remembrance, a birth in the community, Brit Milah, warmer weather, fixing bicycles, going for walks, yard work, other miscellaneous life events and then Sunday night was Pesach Sheni. In the midst of all the busy-ness we’ve been trying to keep track of the days as we count the Omer leading up to Shavuot. During the past 31-days we’ve been examining our hearts and our relationship with God.

Did you know that there are different theories on how to break and/or start a habit, whether good or bad? During this season of reflecting on our spiritual growth, I’ve challenged our community to use this time to break bad habits and start good ones. An example of a bad habit is watching too much television or movies, especially the inappropriate ones. What about spending too much time on facebook? These bad habits are horrible time wasters and in families, they can get in the way of spending time with each other and hinder the development of stronger familial relationships. But, when considering starting a good habit, focus on the ‘spiritual’ ones like praying and spending time in the Word. While positive ‘physical’ habits—like eating healthier or making better vocabulary choices—are good practices to have; let’s keep in mind that this season is about our spiritual growth. Let's use this time to focus on the strengthening of our spiritual life and our relationship with God.

FREE Download: Counting of the Omer Chart (PDF, 133 kb)



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