revshortridge's Xanga

Still posting to Revshortridge

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:23:55 GMT

I am still posting to the new blog site at www.revshortridge.blogspot.com
revshortridge

Sorry about this!

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:07:52 GMT

The problem with change is that there is a curve involved. Moving, changing jobs, etc. all involve work, and it is sometimes easier to just stay where you are. I have been on xanga for a long time, but it has some limitations. Xanga is a social site, and I really just need a blog site. I use Facebook for keeping up with people, and xanga will not allow integration between Facebook and itself.

So, I am moving. I will be posting from now on on http://revshortridge.blogspot.com

If you are using an RSS feed from this page, switch it over to the new site. This should be easy for most of you. I have recommended Google Reader to most of you LCCers that read this, and Blogger is a Google service. If you go to the new site, you can simply add it with the RSS feed button, or if you go to Google Reader, you can paste the link above into the "add subscription" button on the left hand side of the page.

Sorry to do this, but like most moves, I believe it will be much nicer when we all get settled in at the new site.

Gratitude

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:19:50 GMT

The power is back on! My air conditioner is humming away! The lights work!

Somewhere early this morning the heroic guys from the electric company wired us back up after the storm two nights ago. All I can say is I have an attitude of gratitude. Electricity is a great gift. Thank God and our local electric co-op for all that electricity brings.

Part of living in the middle of nowhere is that long outages occur. Just one of the things that country life helps you with-- remembering to be grateful for what we take for granted each day. Take a minute to thank God for the things we sometimes forget to be thankful for. Maybe even write a note to the people God uses each day to bring you good things like electricity. An attitude of gratitude is the healthiest attitude on earth!

Need a Place to Vent

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:46:44 GMT

Sorry to vent here on my blog, but I have to get it out somewhere.

I try to be a good neighbor, and when we moved three years ago I looked forward to some new friends in a new community. There is a house behind mine, and I hoped we would become friends. I love neighbors, and have never dealt with neighbor problems. Most likely because I would put up with almost anything to stay on good terms with neighbors.

When we moved in, the people behind us didn't make it a secret that they didn't appreciate out house being built where it was. This wasn't my fault-- the builder put it there. All I did was buy it. I assumed that I would get to know the neighbors and it would all be cool. I like the man that lives there, but the woman has never done anything but stare at us.

The problem isn't so bad until you throw in the neighbor's dogs. They have about 12 of them. this wouldn't be a problem if they weren't constantly barking at us (not an exaggeration-- they bark even at the house). Even this is livable. The real problem is that the dogs are attacking us. A little one bit my son twice. A week ago two big ones tried to attack me on my front porch, and today one of the big ones charged my wife and tried to bite her.

The neighbors stand on the porch and seem to be amused at all of this. (Today the woman flew the double bird at us from her front porch) Somehow I think they believe we will leave if the dogs harass us enough. I don't know where to turn with this. The animal control people don't seem to care, and the neighbors obviously don't. Maybe good fences make good neighbors, but I can't afford a fence right now. I really don't want a feud. I wish this was happening another way.

Sorry to vent on my blog, but I needed to write about this somewhere. Pray with me for a solution.

Surviving the Storm

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:31:38 GMT

Had a nasty storm last night. Trees were down everywhere, and power lines were out. It took me over an hour to get home, and when I got there there was no electricity. Still have no electricity, and they say it might be a few days.
Those of you who long for the old days before electricity, let's trade houses for a few days. I am thankful that I live in the age of electricity. Thank God for Starbucks-- right now, I am sitting in cool comfort at Starbucks.

LCC at Five Years Old

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:11:30 GMT

LCC is five years old in June! It has been a long strange trip so far, but God has done some great stuff in us and in Bealeton. We will be celebrating all month, but I thought this space might be a good place to start. If you are a LCCer, post some comments about what LCC has meant to you and your faith journey.

Missing Rick Warren

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:30:31 GMT

I am feeling a bit bummed out today. Rick Warren is doing his new conference in LA, and I am not there. I had a great friend invite me to go, and I feel like I am missing something. Rick has built a lot of what we have at LCC through his sharing and previous conferences, and I am wondering what I am missing in LA. (It is cold and nasty here today, so I am sure at least that I am missing sun and warmth in LA) Maybe I am just California dreaming.

I am going to Whiteboard Sessions on Thursday, and maybe it will make up for some of missing Rick's conference. I feel like I need to connect with some other pastors on the East coast that are building churches like LCC. If you read this and you are going to Whiteboard, let me know so we can connect. If you are in LA at Rick's conference, let me know how it is. Those of you who are posting from the conference-- thanks for keeping me up to date.

Notes from Ron Johnson

Mon, 05 May 2008 22:02:30 GMT

Yesterday was a note taking day for me at LCC. I wrote something at all four services, and will probably take a few weeks to get it all thought out and into my system. Some of the key stuff I got was:

The keys (Matthew 16:13+) given to Peter (and to the Church) were meant to confer authority (even over demons and sickness), ability (even to raise the dead and heal), and access (to all heaven has).

Ron said most people in churches have no clue what they have access to. We have access to all Heaven has, but we live like we are outsiders.

Jesus gave these keys to us to use, not to hold on to like a little kid with a play set of keys. They aren't for show.

If LCC is going to go to the next level it will not come from me as pastor. It will come from all 200 of us at LCC doing the works of Jesus all over our community. When we get this and do it, we will turn this region upside down (like Acts).

The next great move of God will not be through special people or great leaders; the next great move of God will be through all believers. God wants to use all of us.

I could really see this lived out here at LCC on Sunday night as you LCCers prayed for each other and expected God to do big things. God is about to do something big here in this cow pasture, and it will be through you LCCers not through me. I am ready to see each of you minister in the fullness of the power of God. My prayer is that I can get out of your way as you all do great things. Let the next great move of God begin in us!

Sunday Night Mind Dump

Mon, 05 May 2008 02:12:49 GMT

Today we had a great day at LCC with Ron Johnson. Ron has an amazing ministry, and I was proud that he agreed to visit us today. Here a few random thoughts on the day.

    Sometimes great people make it easy to believe that you too might be great one day. Ron is a huge motivational speaker.

    I am proud of LCC. We might not be a mega-church by the world's standard, but LCC is a mega-church for God. LCC was really alive today. It is great when us regular people with real life problems find freedom in Jesus.

    Ron really spoke to my heart tonight. I can't wait until every LCCer is ministering in this community. I pray there is a release of ministry in LCCers after tonight.

    There is great power when people with a past let God handle their future. Tonight I could feel what it will feel like when the power of God is released among every LCCer.

    Ron Johnson is the real deal. He loves people deeply and loves Jesus greatly. There is real power when a person is overflowing with Christ's love into the lives of people.

I will post some more thoughts on the weekend tomorrow.

My Dad Turns 70

Fri, 02 May 2008 18:20:56 GMT

I drove down to my Dad's yesterday to tell him happy birthday on his 70th birthday. I drove for seven hours to do it, but it was worth it. You only turn 70 once. A few thoughts on the day:

I am grateful that my dad has been around this long. There were times in our lives that we didn't see things eye-to-eye, and I am grateful that my dad has been around long enough for me to learn to appreciate our differences. (And for me to realize how much of who he is has transferred to who I am.)

Life moves on quickly. I still think of my dad as around 50. It seems like the last 20 years went fast to me. My kids are almost teens, and I was thinking that it wouldn't be long until they were having "Happy 70th" written on my cake. I am glad I took the time yesterday to make this moment. It was a great time with my dad (and mom) and my kids.