Best of 2008

Here's the short list of the best of 2008 (take "best" in a mostly trivial sense)


Best Movie: Slumdog Millionare
close seconds: Dark Knight, There Will be Blood

Best Book Fiction: The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
Honorable Mentions: the Samurai by Shusako Endo; The Bridges at Toko-Riby James Michener; A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle;
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

Best Book Biography:
The Road to Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam

Best Book - Theological: The Gospel According to Jesusby John Macarthur
honorable mentions: Crazy Loveby Francis Chan; The Cross and Christian Ministryby D.A. Carson

Best Album:
Keith Green: The Live Experience

Best Trip: Driving to Canada and back with my honey

Best Youth Group Memory:
Missions trip to NYC
honorable mentions: Having Joe live with us, Seeing Joe and Anai lead youth group, Youth led worship band

Best Adventure: Lobster Fishing on San Clemente Island with Dad

Best Kisser:

Sarah Freiberg


Happy New Year!

Valentine's Banquet

Last Tuesday (Feb. 12) the high school youth group put on a Valentine's Banquet. This was both an outreach to the families of the youth and a fundraiser for a summer missions trip we hope to go on. We were hoping for 20-30 people but got over 130! This was of course a blessing but it definitely added to the craziness of the night and necessitated a couple emergency trips to the store to get more food. Despite the pandemoniom, the night was successful in the things that mattered.
The staff worked as a team, the youth stepped up and owned the night participating in everything from leading prayer and worship to waiting tables to fixing food, we raised over $400 and most importantly the Gospel was preached! My friend from college and seminary preached a short but excellent and potent message on having a cross-centered family that preaches and lives out the Gospel daily and Carlos Pizarro, assistant pastor for the Spanish Congregation, translated. Below are some pictures from the night. Enjoy and join with me in praising God for blessing the night!

News from Iraq

As some of you know, my dad shipped out to Iraq for thirteen months last week. Here is his first news letter:

The Next Big Adventure
Tales from the Land of the Arabian Nights

Hello friends and prayer partners. After a harrowing and eventful (just kidding) 20 hours on the airplane, we found ourselves in Camp Virginia, Kuwait. Having arrived at 0400 in the morning, we were assigned our tents and promptly did a recon of our situation. Being the old guy in the group, I tried to sleep. However, after listening to 20 other senior folks make noise, I realized it was an exercise in futility. Having then joined the gang, I went to breakfast.
After a day-long delay, we got a brief and our line types received ammunition for their weapons. We were after all, in a war zone. When our flight arrived, we all put on our flak jackets and helmets and crammed into a C-130 flight to Al Asad. Once there, we all pulled our gear and went into our assigned quarters. May I say, rustic is too good of a word to describe the situation. However, no complaints here because it was better than many who went before us had it. It was here that I stopped to thank the Lord for those who were praying for me and also for His grace in my life.
Having not slept for 2 days, it was a great feeling to sleep. Being a light sleeper, I had no trouble at all falling asleep for three hours before I woke up to meet my fellow Chaplains. Matter of fact, I had no trouble falling asleep when I was listening to many boring briefs. Yes folks, jet lag had set in. My counterpart did his best to accomodate my inattentiveness, but I finally succumbed and hit the rack at 7 pm only to become wide awake at 2 am. Forcing myself to sleep again, the Lord refreshed me and all is normal once again.
I have spent the day now looking at facilities, logistical arrangements and placing Chaplains over this whole base. I will say that this is a position which is out of my league and so I ask you for the following prayer requests:

1. Wisdom in using limited resources of preaching and teaching so we can maximize our testimony for Jesus Christ.
2. The Lord of the Harvest. There are over 22,000 souls on this base. Many do not know or care about the Lord.
3. Safety for our fighting men and women. It’s been a month since the last death, but that is still one too many.
4. Peace in this part of the world, so that the Gospel will have free access.
5. Peace of mind for Nancy who is taking care of the family business at home.
6. The radio ministry to be an effective witnessing tool for this base and 3 others as well.

I will give more specifics in my next letter. For now I just want to thank you for your part and help in this ministry. For the glory of the Lord!!

Desiring God Conference 2007 Top Ten

Last weekend I had the priviledge of attending the Desiring God National Conference with my Dad. Needless to say it was a great conference. The speakers were: John Macarthur, Jerry Bridges, Randy Alcorn, Helen Roseveare, and John Piper. All of the sessions are available to view and/or listen to at the Desiring God Blog

Since the conference was in Minneapolis, where I was born and most of my extended family is, I was able to visit some of my relatives as well. While there were many, many memorable experiences, here is a list of the top ten:

10. Stillwater - after getting picked up at the airport at 430am and sleeping for a few hours, my dad and I drove out to the town of Stillwater. Stillwater is a beautiful (whoa, I almost said 'cute'!) along the St. Croix river which forms the border with Wisconsin. More importantly it is home to one of the greatest used Christian book stores in the country.

9. Fall - I was again struck by the beauty of Minnesota. Fall doesn't really happen in L.A.

8. Worship - being able to join in worship to our Lord with believers that I didn't even know (and sing a lot of songs that I didn't know!) was and is always a blessing and a wonderful testimony to the power of Christ in uniting people from all tongues and tribes to worship Him.

7. John Piper - Piper on his homecourt...need I say more?

6. Jerry Bridges - this man began serving in the Navigators the same year my parents where born (1955). He is still doing it. A highlight of his message was when he spoke about the fact that the Gospel is not for unbelievers only, it is for believers as well. The same grace and power that saved us, is the same that will sustain and preserve us. We need to begin everyday at the cross.

5. Macarthur - I've heard Macarthur at my college, seminary, and at his church. But to see Him in another context I was able to see how incredibly gifted God has made this man in explaining and expounding the Word of God in a clear, relevant way.

4. Meeting Helen Roseveare - I didn't know it before I went, but Helen Roseveare is my hero, and always has been. She was a missionary in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. She worked there for a number of years doing medical missions before a civil war tore the country apart. Not only were all of the hospitals that she helped establish demolished, she was taken hostage and brutally beaten and raped. After 5 months she was rescued. She returned to England but returned to Congo a year later to get back to doing the Lord's work. She is now in her mid 80's and still full of fire for the Lord. I got to meet her and told her that my wife and I are preparing to do missions in Congo. She was so excited and asked what organization we were going with. I told her that I was having problems finding agencies willing to send us to DRC and she said, "Oh, bother! Go with WEC! (the organization she is with) We'll send you!" and gave me some contact information. I pray I still have that kind of zeal at 50, let alone 85.

3. Seeing Josiah Timothy Hendley - While I was in Minnesota, my friend, cousin, and brother in Christ Matt had his first boy. It was an honor to visit Josiah, and Matt and Bonnie and Gracie (their daughter)in the hospital. I have never seen such a young baby and it was amazing to wonder at the miracle of new life.

2. Witnessing God working in my Uncle Bruce - Before the conference started my dad and I were able to spend some time with my Uncle. My dad and uncle have not always gotten along, so the time had a good probability of being somewhat tense, with me playing peacekeeper. I was praying about this time far in advance, and God graciously and abundantly answered prayers. Instead of getting into arguments, the majority of our time was spent discussing things of the Lord. God is working powerfully in my Uncle, who has not always confessed Christ. He was sharing Scriptures he had been studying on his own and asking questions about certain passages and theological beliefs. It was really wonderful to the hunger for the truth the God has put in my uncle. It was also wonderful to see my dad and uncle show the love of Christ to each other. A miracle indeed.

1. Spending time with the Old Man - that's not the "old man" of Ephesians 4:22 (KJV)but my dad. Sure we got into plenty of arguments but that seems to be how God forces us to go deep with each other. But we also had plenty of times of great conversation. I could have listened to the sermons online but it was experiencing the moments of the conference with my dad and working through the truths presented together that makes me the most thankful that I went.

by His grace
for His glory
jrf

Cedar City to Salt Lake City (Road trip part II)

The man with the assault rifle (see previous post) was noneother than my longtime partner in crime, Bradley Russel Swenson. Brad and I met in college and since then have been on many different adventures together around the globe. Last year Brad lived in the Nehemiah House with me and worked with me in the youth group. At the end of last summer he moved out to Utah with his family (his parents and sister and two brothers with their wives and kids - each brother just has one wife - just thought I would clarify) in a migration akin to the pioneer days. They set up their homestead in Cedar City and have begun to set down roots in the community. This isn't so easy when you are a perceived wacko from California in the center of the polygamist center of Utah. This area of Utah is not only heavily Mormon, but it is also a haven for off-shoot cults of Mormonism. You can't get much weirder than being from a cult that is an off-shoot of a cult. And the Swenson's have found themselves right in the middle of it. Anyways, Brad met us at his brother's house, where he was house sitting, and the gun was his brother's. Apparently his brother is really getting into the whole frontier, cowboy motif.


The next morning we met Brad's girlfriend Megan, who was visiting from Florida and was staying at Brad's other brother's house. After a delicious breakfast, we packed in the car and drove to Zion National Park. Going from Los Angeles to Vegas to Zion was like going from the dark side of the moon to the center of the sun. coming from a city of 12 million people, 20 million cars, a couple hundred half-dead trees and a globzillion particles of polluted air to the majesty and beauty God's creation in Zion National Park with it's steep red-rock cliff faces and fertile valley's was almost too much for my city - numbed senses to take. Once at the park, we went on a hike called "the Narrows." The "trail" consists of the Virgin River, which can get to chest high in some places. The river flows through a steep and narrow canyon - hence the name "Narrows". Think the Siq with water for those of you who have been to Petra. Needless to say (but I will anyways) we had a blast. Our hike was not without a few hair raising brushes with death...ok there was only really one dangerous part and it wasn't really death defying...more like anklesprain risking...but still. I realized on this hike that years of school and hours spent in front of my computer have had a very wussyfing effect on me. Gotta do something about that.
After a long day of hiking we met the Swenson clan for some savory carne asada. This was a real blessing. Their whole family getting together and investing their lives in each other and the community for the cause of Christ set off a holy glow that still warms me as I write this. Being an only child and growing up far away from extended family has given me a unique appreciation of family fellowship. When that kind of fellowship is sanctified, directed, unified and empowered by the love from and for Christ, there are few things on earth as beautiful.



The next morning we said goodbye to the Swensons and headed north to Salt Lake City by way of a little detour to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon is another example of the mind-blowing beauty that only my DAD can cook up. To think that this kind of beauty still exists after years of erosion and human abuse. I can't wait to get to heaven.






After Bryce Canyon, we headed for Salt Lake City. Taking Charles Kuralt's advice that, "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything" we decided to take backroads instead of I-15. This added time to our trip but it also rewarded us with unexpected treats and rarely seen parts of Utah. A highlight of the trip was stopping at Big Rock Candy Mountain. Ever since the soundtrack to "O Brother, Where art Thou?" came out one of my favorite folk songs has been "Big Rock Candy Mountain". I have no idea whether this Big Rock Candy Mountain has anything to do with the song but that wasn't going to stop Sarah and I from dancing a little jig underneath it's sign. We also spent some time watching the swallows come and go from their mud nests underneath the eaves of the Big Rock Candy Mountain Gas Station and Souvenir Shop. As I explained to Brad the day before, Sarah is into birds...and I'm into Sarah...therefore I am into birds.
We arrived in Salt Lake City around 6pm that evening and checked into our hotel. What happened that night will have to wait until next time.
Sorry for the "and then we did this...and then we did that..." nature of this post. I don't have the time to journal and blog and I want to remember what we did so you guys get to read more detail here than you probably care too. So I understand if you just skip or skim these posts. If you have read every detail of this with unabated excitement, it probably means that your standard for literature is very low or and/or you have way too much time on your hands and you should be spending your time more wisely. So close that computer up and go tell somebody about Jesus!

Christ is all
jrf

Next Episode: Mormon stand-up comedians, a dude named Moroni and even more polygamy!

Road Trippin

I was hesitant to post anything about our recent EPIC road trip because I assume that the only reason people read this is because of the deep and life-changing theology so clearly and skillfully presented here (that is a joke in case you can't sense the sarcasm pulsing from your computer screen, not that theology is a joke...or that it couldn't change your life). But then I realized that if I didn't blog about it I would not have a record of our trip floating about in cyberspace until eternity. So we will take a break from Elijah and in the next few posts I will reflect on the latest adventure God granted us to take.

L.A. To Cedar City


Sorry, not much scenery to show off here unless you think Barstow is beautiful (Sarah and I decided that Barstow should be a synonym for upchuck...just try using it in a sentence sometime...sorry if you are from Barstow). We got to Vegas around dinner time and headed strait to Excalibur for their "cheap" $15 buffet. I had to cover Sarah's eyes on the way there so that she would not stumble (spiritually and literally) by looking at the poster's for the "Thunder from Down Under" (don't ask). I on the other hand wanted to barstow all over the place (told you it worked!).
After our over-the-top MSG drenched dinner we decided to take in some sites. We waded our way (literally) through the inches of pornographic handouts which littered the sidewalk down to the Bellagio, apparently one of the swankiest casinos on the strip. Although I really wasn't too impressed with indoors (after living in Europe it is hard to get impressed with any form of American architecture) I have to admit the fountain show was pretty snazzy. After that we decided we had had enough of sin city and made a beeline back to our car, trying not to get a seizure from the neon overload. I guess I can maybe understand the shallow pleasure of this city that is so attractive to the world but I really don't see how someone who is in love with Jesus would feel comfortable there for too long. But what an awesome mission field! Pray for the believers in that city that they would be focused on reaching and changing their city for Christ! Don't think it could happen? God did it to Nineveh with 1 ornery, racist and disobedient messenger!

From Vegas we headed into Utah for our final destination of the day, Cedar City. As far as scenery goes I can only tell you that the drive from Vegas to Cedar City is dark at night. We got into Cedar City about 2am which is 3am in Utah hours and were greeted by a half-naked man holding an M-4. Fortunately, this man was my good friend and he had a bed waiting for us.

NEXT EPISODE: Polygamists, pygmies, and bruised bottoms!

Japan Top 10

Hello?
any body out there any more?

I apologize for the cemetary of content my blog has become lately. I was expecting to be able to post from Japan over the break but everytime I pulled blogger up, everything was in Japanese. I was hoping to be hip and do one of those travel blogs where I update all you ravenous readers on "where I am right now" and try to be really esoteric about watching the sun pour through the brazen clouds over the imperial palace and so on. Instead you will have to satisfy yourself with this top ten list of Sarah and I's adventure in the Orient.

Honorable Mentions:

- SUMO WRESTLING


Do I really need to tell you how cool this was?

- NUDE TRUMP


Yes. You read that right. Nude Trump. Don't worry the store wasn't as glamorous/revolting as it sounded. I have no idea what the genesis of the name was. It was just a glorified thrift store. But it symbolized for me all the weird and wonderfully random mom and pop shops hiding on the upper floors of Tokyo apartment buildings. Places where you have to take a rickety elevator to and when the door opens up the hallway is so cluttered with junk you can barely get out. One of those off the beaten track memories.

- NIKKO


Few places in Japan that I have seen (which isn't really all that many) compete with Nikko as far as asthtetic natural beauty. On the other hand, there are few places where I have been in Japan that seem so spiritually dark. I was able to see more of the mountain complex this time than I did last year and while the sights were visually amazing, they were spiritually sickening. To see the hordes of people throwing their money and their souls at the feet of little man-made dolls with twisted green faces made me feel like Paul in Athens (Acts 17:16). The picture above is of a shinto priest collecting his paycheck from the coin coffer. Idolatry is truly pathetic. Here in the states we rarely see the old school, graven image kind of idolatry, but dont you doubt for a second that we are not an idolatrous people.

- PARASITE MUSEUM


Sarah and I spent about an hour trying to find this place and let me tell you, it was well worth it! Where else can you see an 8.9 meter (almost 27 feet) tapeworm recently pulled out of a local Yokohama man?

TOP TEN:

10. THE TOLIETS IN THE NEW YORK BAR AND GRILL AT THE TOKYO PARK HYATT




Our last night in Japan, Sarah and I went out with my parents to the New York Bar and Grill atop the Park Hyatt in Tokyo( where Lost in Translation was filmed), easily the best view in the city. We had a great time chewing the fat and enjoying the view. The real treat came however as we were leaving. I decided to make a contribution to their sanitation facility and discovered THE BEST TOILETS IN THE WORLD. In a country that is light years ahead of our own in toliet technology, these toilets were the shining stars in an already bright galaxy. Each toilet comes with heated seats that gently massage your hind parts while you squeeze out your morsel. If you don't want the person in the stall next to you to enjoy the musical talents of your rear, you can switch on the lovely music to drown it out. Once your business is over, the fun really begins. You have your choice of strategically placed water jets to clean whatever orfice you wish. In addition you can select between a hard spray and a gentle rinsing spray. Once your cleaning is finished, its time for a nice warm air dry. Yep, a fan comes out and blowdrys your freshly cleaned bum. What a ride!

9. YUNESON - INCLUDING THE RIDE HOME

I can't seem to find any pictures of this place but just close your eyes and imagine thousands of Japanese people in blue and pink robes walking around in a water park for grownups relaxing in pools of coffee, wine, sake, green tea, champagne, and various other themed hot pools. Wierd right? But wonderful at the same time. Trust me. On the ride home my mom tried to keep my dad's mind off of the traffic and Sarah and I awake by treating us to a little concert. Eventually we all joined in and much silliness insued.

8. DisneySea





If I was an unbiased observer (which I'm not)I would definetly say that this is the best theme park in the world, very possibly the Milky Way. Disneyland only beats it out for one reason, sentiment. DisneySEA is what Disneyland would have looked like if Walt had an unlimited budget. Truly amazing.

7. "NIGHT CAPS" WITH THE FOLKS

Almost everynight we were in Tokyo, Sarah and I joined my parents for a drink. Although I am hopelessly childish it was a blessing to have some more grownup fellowship with my parents and I will cherish the memories.

6. BIRD WATCHING



One of the many blessings of being married to Sarah is that I've caught her fascination with birds. So as a surprise I took her to a Wild Bird Park in Tokyo Port. Although it took us a while to find it, the trek was well worth it. We spent the morning spying on God's intricate and beatiful creation, many species of which we had never seen before.

5. TEA IN YOKOHAMA

One night my family stopped at a tea shop in Yokohama's Chinatown. Never could I have imagined that I would enjoy tea or learn about tea so much. Definitely one of those cultural/family memories that I will cherish.

4. HONMONJI TEMPLE


My dad is doing some research on a ship whose crew is buried in the confines of this temple complex which we are hoping to turn into a book so he took us and showed us around. The temple was founded by that syncronistic puppet of Satan, Nichiren, and is where he is interred. Also of interest was a noble family plot from the Tokagawa period whose grave stones seemed to have crosses on them, perhaps in homage to their forbidden faith. There were countless historical wonders at this out of the way site, but mostly we just enjoyed having the old man show us around and share what he had learned.

3. DISNEYSEA


Just had to put it in here again. It's that great.

2. FOUNTAINS OUTSIDE OF IMPERIAL PALACE WITH SARAH





Few things can compete with watching beauty while cuddling close to one. I will always thank the Lord for the time He gives me with my wife.

1. DINNER WITH KAZU

Without a doubt the highlight of the trip was going out to dinner with a Japanese saint named Kazu Obara. How humbling and inspiring it was to hear this dear brother share his testimony and speak of the struggles of being a Christian in Japan. Sarah and I hope to continue our relationship with Kazu and support him in any way possible. What a blessing to have such a close connection through Christ to someone from across the globe.

Until next time,
jrf

a diversion...

I need a few minutes break from studying for my Greek and Hebrew finals so I thought I would post some pictures from my trip to San Fransisco two weeks ago. Sarah's sisters (and Dad) were in the Nutcracker so we drove up to see them. I also got to see some family friends while we were in the area. Sunday morning we got to go to Sarah's dad's church plant in inner city Richmond. Good times. On the way home we took the 1 freeway which goes along the coast - beautiful! - and made a few stops. So here they are. Especially enjoy the one of Sarah's sisters (Rachel and Hannah) in all their glorious ballet makeup (I'm going to get in trouble for this one!).

musings from the Southwest...

Last weekend I had the opportunity to accompany my girlfriend and her family to Arizona to celebrate her grandparents' renewal of wedding vows. Seeking to make the most out of the weekend, Sarah and I noticed that the Grand Canyon was only about an inch away on the map from where we were in Arizona. So on our way back to LA we swung by. Once we were on our way back from the GC I had the great idea to swing by Las Vegas and hit a cheap buffet (again only and inch off course). Instead of arriving in Los Angeles on Sunday evening we got in at 530 Monday morning, just intime for Sarah to drive down to San Diego and work and for me to hit the books. Needless to say we learned a lot about cartography and scale this weekend. But thankfully those werent the only lessons learned:

1. The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
Ps 19:2

Living in the inner city surrounded by man's creations, it is easy for me to become overwhelmed with the beauty of God's creation. Whether it's drving through miles and miles of flower speckled plains, becoming lost in a foreboding thundercloud, or peering over a very "Grand" canyon, nature is the setting that I often find it most easy to become enthralled with my Creator. One of the more hilarious and saddening things I heard this weekend was a little girl ask her daddy how the Grand Canyon was formed only to get "it was formed by the river slowly wearing it away over millions and millions of years" for an answer. Do you have eyes Daddy!? Are they connected to your brain!? I'm no geology expert but just by looking at the Grand Canyon it seems to me inconcievable to suggest that a slow and steady river over millions of year could have made it. It's just too #(*&)$! BIG! The river would have to be over a mile wide. And why did it just carve out a canyon here and not along the other few thousand miles of it's route? Now I'm sure scientists have thought about these questions and played logical gymnastics to offer some type of explanation, but it seems to me that it could be much easier to explain by some kind of natural catastrophe, say a universal flood. But that's just me. And God (a little more authoritative)

2. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to
a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
2 Peter 1:19-20

As I continued in my state of entrancement at the wonders of God's general revelation, I realized that I should be even more enthralled with God's special revelation. I have access to the very Word's of the Creator of the Universe! Not just impotent myths, but powerful, living, life-shattering Words. I don't need to go to the Grand Canyon to become overwhelmed with God. All I have to do is open His Word and let it invade my heart.

3. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Ps 133:1

Being an only child and a Navy brat, I have not had the opportunity to be around large groups of family members very frequently. In addition somewhere along the way I picked up the TV and movie influenced idea that distant relatives and reunions and in-laws were not much more than a necessary evil. However, being an observer to my girlfriend's family's celebration of their parents' marriage this weekend taught me a lot about the power of the family. Sure, they are not perfect, and every family has painful seasons in their history, but for that one night, everyone there found it so easy to love each other. It was a blessing to be able to witness that. It makes me all the more motivated to love my family, both earthly and heavenly.

4. What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Ps 8:4

In the eyes of the world, Vegas is probably on most top ten lists as far as luxury and excitment goes. Many probably see it as the summit of human achievement and expression. How puny compared to the greatness of God! Seeing both Vegas and the Grand Canyon in the same day made it very easy to compare God's creation with man's. And God spoke the universe into being in six days. It took man over 50 years to build it's testimony to perversion. And they're still not done. Yet I still believe that God can shine His light there through His greatest creation, human beings. Don't forget to lift our brothers and sisters who minister in Vegas up in prayer. They need it.

by His grace, for His glory,
jrf