What's worse...?

This post is for the students in the youth group that might decide to follow up on my offer to extend their search on the topic of the night...

What's worse: dying for something you believe in and finding out you were wrong, or dying without believing in anything?

Post your comments below...

Thirstier Than Ever

Well, a full year has passed since I launched this blog. Pathetic, I know! But, I've been idle at blogging for all the right reasons. I'm busy with my life as a new dad, now that my wife and I have welcomed our second child into the world. It's AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL, and more vivid than the first time around, which felt very much like I was in some weird family-friendly, tame, joyful episode of the Twilight Zone. I'm also very busy with my job as a high school teacher, with the various volunteer roles that I have at my church, and with all the general stuff that life throws at normal people like myself. Suffice it to say that I don't have time to sit around at my Pavilion desktop and wax philosophic about much of anything!

I'll sort through some recent pictures and get those posted here soon. I'm horrible at organizing and sorting digital photos/video clips. I just let the software do all the work and pick out the good ones.....

The biggest surprise of my life lately, worth posting here for all the world to see, would be the variety of ways in which having two kids is so much more hectic than having one. (What else can be expected, right?) But, I'll take the frenzied pace of our home any day. It helps us to seek out times of quiet and solitude to balance it all...In fact, that's a good segway that brings me to my title for this blog, "Thirstier Than Ever". I grabbed that from somewhere in my conscience simply because of the fact that lately, in my spiritual walk, I have been hungrier for the things of Christ than ever before. All it takes is a little peace and quiet in my own living room, either by myself, with my wife, or with the boys, and I get reminded of His incredible love and the blessings He has given me. I am learning through experience that there is no better way to be a stronger husband, a better dad, or a more effective teacher, than to spend time in fellowship and prayer with Jesus!

Who am I? I'm a husband and a father...

I'm doing a few brief "Who am I?" posts, figuring that there might actually be a few people who are strangers who view my blog. This one follows up the random motorcycle post that showed pictures of one of my close buddies attempting to ride a street bike. Hah!

As I experiment with learning how to put posts up quickly and effectively, I'm trying to figure out a few of the techniques related to images and captions...so, bear with me...

Above I tried to post a picture two pictures.

The first, in the upper left, is my wife and I, taken on my 30th birthday at Dessert Noir restaurant. We went out with some friends to celebrate the beginning 10 more years of youthfulness! When I hit 40, I doubt there will be any pictures of me smiling. I'll be a depressed lump of discouragement, sitting on my couch, watching the Blazers lose...but that's in the future...

The second picture my wife and my son Noah. To date, this is my absolute favorite picture of them, because it is a candid shot taken on a mild, windy, summer afternoon over in Cannon Beach. It's a classic Oregon-coast picture and I love the fact that Jessica is right in the middle of laughing and talking (she says that makes the picture look bad...I respond by saying that's the beauty of candid pictures...I also like the fact that Noah was actually looking at me when I snapped the picture)...

First Posting! Dated 011206 (revised 012806)

Well, let me just start my first post by claiming that I have no purpose greater for these blogs than taking the gospel of Christ that has changed my life so dramatically through the years and communicating that to friends near and far through the Web. It is much better, of course, to hold such conversations in person...but we all know that isn't always possible in today's society!

On a lighter note, I'd love to discuss the upcoming World Cup that will take place this summer...only the soccer fans will want to venture into such talk!

On another note, but a heavier one: I'd also love to participate in some conversations about the condition of the traditional family unit in America today. I'm saddened by the lack of nuclear families in my own city and across the cultural landscape. I believe we're in trouble as a society, because of fatherlessness, and because our families are quietly disintegrating...I also believe that the Bible has much to say about how to restore wholeness to the family...I am so thankful for that guidance that comes from the Lord of all creation...


A crusty old author and an acquaintance from my days in Seattle can have the credit for inspiring me to finally get started with my own blog; so thanks, Newbigin; thanks, Drew.

--Todd