Switchfoot @ Six Flags St. Louis

September 11, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

The Switchfoot concert I attended yesterday was fantastic.
– Maybe it was fantastic because of the weather: I was blown away when it was raining and sunny and a rainbow spread across the park. We are so blessed by this beautiful world. May we treat this precious gift with the dignity that His generosity demands.
– Maybe it was fantastic because of the spirit of everyone in attendance: I loved it when all the young men and women came together in the center of the venue. The sense of spontaneous and uninhibited joy was palpable. I was reminded why I love working with youth so very much. Lord, please bless me with the ability to always teach people that burn brightly on your behalf.
– Maybe it was fantastic because Jon, Tim and the band were really going with where the Spirit led them. They were fantastic – as always. But it was so intensely cool to watch Jon change up the set list just because he felt led to do so. I don’t know if that was planned or not. But it was staggeringly awesome.
– Maybe it was fantastic because I was there with members of my family. While we didn’t have the full complement of my family there, it was wonderful to be with my children and the people that they love. It was amazingly intimate to be with them – and with a few thousand other people.
– Maybe it was fantastic because God’s Spirit was really present with us. In fact, I can guarantee that God’s intimate Spirit was the reason that yesterday was so fantastic. For me, it was one of the most meaningful concerts that I have ever been able to attend. I can’t tell you how many times I cried during the concert. In fact, I’m crying as I write these words.
Some days you tuck away into your memory because they are so very special. This was one such day for me. When I finally see my Savior face to face, I will be tearfully thanking Him for moments like this.
Thank you, Lord Jesus!

My Phone, The Chew Toy

July 21, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

It’s marred and unseemly… but it still functions.
These words will haunt me for awhile. When I got up at 4:30, I really didn’t want to get moving. But my life has mission and purpose. So I got up and got prepared for the morning commute.
Everything was progressing to plan until I went to disconnect my phone from the charger. Alas, there was no phone there. I worried that I might have left the phone at Cheddars last night. But I dismissed that thought and proceeded to hunt the phone down. I called my mobile phone from the house phone. After three or four rings, I heard the phone vibrating. I chased down the sound.
When I found the phone, I was disheartened. The phone was in my wife’s chair in the family room. The protective case was utterly destroyed. And the phone itself has scratches and bite marks. Apparently, my 19 year old son’s 75 pound puppy had decided that my phone was a chew toy. He had disconnected my smartphone from the wall and carried it to the family room while I was asleep.
I was furious. Since everyone else was asleep, I restrained the urge to utter a primal scream. I settled myself and finished preparing for the morning commute. Then I hit the road, I was white hot. And that’s when God began to speak to my heart.
I wanted to rage. He calmed my heart. I wanted to punish the puppy. God reminded me that the puppy didn’t know any better. I wanted to have harsh words with my son. God reminded me that my son is a lot like the puppy… a whole lot like the puppy.
I was finally cooling down a bit. I then started to think about replacing the phone. My anger swelled. Then I thought about cool new replacements. And that’s when the real lesson began. Yes, the phone was blemished. And there are some serious teeth marks on the speaker grill. But the phone works. After all, I’m typing this, aren’t I?
God then spoke even more clearly: I am the phone. I was made with a purpose. And in my “as built” state, I was sleek and beautiful. Then I entered this fallen world. And the world wantonly ripped me from my purpose. It chewed me up. It marred my image of myself. But it didn’t alter my purpose. Nor has it prevented me from fulfilling that purpose. God will still use me to accomplish His purposes – despite the scratches and bite marks found throughout my soul.
Friends, don’t let your daily concerns rob you of the joy that can be found when fulfilling your God-ordained purpose. You WILL be marred and bruised. But your purpose remains. Go forth with joy as you discover and fulfill your purpose.
-Roo

Sometimes You Have To Have Faith and Patience

July 16, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

Some of you have been asking me where the prenuptial posts have been. I have been loathe to post about the subject because there is still a great deal of emotional turmoil surrounding the situation. So without further fanfare, I am announcing that the upcoming marriage of Bailey and Daniel has been postponed.
While the dust clears and while God ministers to everyone’s heart, I ask for your continued prayers for both Bailey and Daniel. May God bless their hearts, minds and spirits. May they see His clarity of purpose. And may they have joy pursuing the path that He has ordained for them.

-Roo

2T-7: Double Teaming For The Win

July 9, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

It is a bright and beautiful Saturday morning. In one week, my third daughter will be getting married. The whole family is abuzz with anticipation – and a little bit of dread.
As you know (if you’ve read my posts recently), my first daughter got married in late May. And despite all predictions to the contrary, that event went off with narry a hitch. I give all of the credit for that success to Meredith as she invested a great deal of thought and attention to the event.
But the second marriage of the summer could easily be characterized as a more free-spirited event. Bailey is a beautiful child of God. And she has a great sense of intuition. But planning and discipline are not her primary strengths. Her idea of getting married was to invite her family and a few friends to a ceremony and a simple party. Earlier this year, she would have said that doing more than this would be ostentatious and thriftless. In fact, her sense of utility and maximum stewardship expressed itself when she decided to wear a previously-worn wedding dress.
But her betrothed (and his family) did not share the same sense of the matter. So Bailey has adjusted. In odd ways, the rehearsal dinner may be a more formal event that the wedding reception itself. But that’s OK with me. I want Bailey to be happy. And Bailey wants to integrate everyone into the festivities. So she has learned adaptability and grace.
Of course, all of this comes when she is trying to finish her bachelor’s degree. Cindy and I had only one real requirement for the wedding: we wanted Bailey to earn her degree BEFORE she got married. This was a practical requirement because we know that once married, family priorities would necessarily outweigh personal priorities. So we held firm – and she has delivered. A little over ten days ago, she pushed through a compacted summer school session where she earned her last few credits. She now can put B.A. on her CV.
Of course, she has been swamped – and emotionally overwhelmed. She has only known Daniel for about nine months. So she is still learning how to deal with conflicts between herself and her future husband. She is also becoming an adult (as she just turned 21 about eight months ago). She finished her B.A. in three years. She is planning a wedding. And she has secured a first job that starts after her return from the honeymoon. And they will be moving away from friends and family as they start their life in Wichita. Wow, she has been busy.
And between her frenzy and my wife’s frenzy (juggling a job, raising a grand-daughter, and planning for two weddings), it has been an emotional blender over the past few weeks.
But I do think that we have finally reached a point of equilibrium (or emotional exhaustion). And everyone appears ready to get Bailey and Daniel married – and into their new lives. I want to thank everyone for their prayers to get us to this point. Less than a week ago, I had my doubts about whether the event would occur or not. But the train is on the tracks, the engines is fired up and the whistle has been blown by the conductor. We are finally underway. And just in time.
While this event will not go as “smoothly” (i.e., per a scripted plan) as the previous wedding, that is part of the bride’s “plan” for the wedding. Spontaneity and joy are Bailey’s hallmark traits. So we have dealt with spontaneous conflagrations. Now it’s time for some spontaneous joy and celebrations.
Cindy and I must now lean on each other and double-team our way to our own joy in this event. And Bailey and Daniel must begin to learn how to work together as a team. After a few years, we will get to see what kind of a team they become. I’m putting my money on Rowan and Martin.
-Roo

There Is Honor In Competing

June 12, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12:1

Today was my second chance to participate in the 2011 Kansas City Corporate Challenge. I got up at 5:15 to assemble my gear and get ready emotionally. Clyde Miller arrived at 5:50AM. We strapped my bike onto his car and we headed out to Shawnee Mission Park. Today was the duathlon/triathlon competition. And my job was to ride around the park four times (approximately sixteen miles).

My spirits were upbeat. And my attitude was positively ebullient. After this year’s bicycle commuting, I was ready for the challenge – despite the looming hills and the threatening weather. I ride about twenty five miles every day. And there are some substantial hills on the return home. So I wasn’t too worried about completing the course. In fact, I took finishing for granted. Boy, was that premature!
Clyde started us off at 7:00AM when he began his swim. He did his leg in about thirty minutes. I give him so much credit. I can’t imagine swimming in open water with a pack of people kicking you in the face. I heard them call our number when Clyde left the water. So I lined up and got ready for the transfer. I worried about the transfer and getting clipped into my pedals. But the transfer went so very smoothly. I started off my part of the race with excitement. This was looking epic.
During the first lap, I did fantastically well going up the hills. I was dropping folks w/o much trouble. And my downhill pacing was good. [Note: I hate downhill racing. It requires much finer motor control. And my poor vision really reduces my ability to react quickly – especially in a big pack of people. But I was doing remarkably well going downhill.
I passed the start/stop line and shifted up into a high gear so that I could grab every ounce of power/momentum on the downhill stretch before the dam. When I shifted up, I heard a very disheartening clunk in my rear derailleur. I could still pedal. So I figured it was just a poor shift on my part. I kept hammering across the dam and then turned to go up the hill. And that’s when I figured out what happened: my shifting cable between my shifting levers (on the handlebars) and the rear derailleur had failed. I tried to shift down and nothing happened. I made it halfway up the hill before I had to hop off and run it up the hill.
I rode across the next flat and down the next hill. And I then tried to shift down. There was no joy. I tried to shift up – but with no success. My rear shifting was completely kaput. So I was riding a fixie in a high gear up and down the hills of Shawnee Mission Park. I had to hop off twice. I tried on two more occasions to fix it myself.
After about twenty minutes of fiddling and walking, I finally made it to the north side of the park. I rode down toward the transfer point where I had seen a bike repair truck from BikeSource. So I stopped at the finish line, dismounted and headed for the repair truck. My teammates thought that I was done. I had to wave them off and hoof it to the truck. It took about ten minutes for the tech to resolve the cable issue. Fortunately, I knew the tech. In fact, he was the person who had prepped my bike for KCCC almost six weeks ago.
After taking almost forty minutes on the second lap, I finally was back on the course for the third lap. The shifting was smooth, but I was hesitant. I probably did a twenty minute third lap. By the time I passed the start/stop line, I was one of the last folks still on the course. As I started my last lap, I had finally gotten back into the rhythm that I had built on the first lap. The final hills were tough but not punishing. I hammered through the last lap in about thirteen minutes.
While I don’t have the final time I posted, I think it was almost ninety minutes – a full thirty minutes off what I had expected to do. Yes, I did have a mechanical failure. But I did finish the course. And surprisingly enough, I wasn’t last. I was certainly in the last third of the participants. But I was passing people even during the last lap.
But for me, I must chalk this up as a moral victory. This was my first relay competition. So any time was obviously my best time. More importantly, I finished the course. I really thought about just packing it in when I rolled into the transition area for the repair. But as I thought about it, I realized how silly that would have been. I was here representing the USMC. Young Marines were (and are) in harm’s way. And they never gave up. So how could I give up on a simple bicycle race. I HAD to complete the course – regardless of which position I ended in.
The bottom line lesson for me was the obvious lesson of perseverance. I would finish in order to validate the work that Clyde had done. I would finish in order to give Julie her opportunity to compete in the running segment.. I would finish so that I could prove to myself that there is honor in the competition.
I must say “thank you” to all the volunteers who made the race possible. I must also say “congratulations” to the victors. Finally, I must say “Amen” to my Lord and Savior. Thank you for allowing this lesson to be so permanently impressed into my consciousness. I will not soon forget the message from the hills of Lenexa, Kansas.
-Roo

What Isn’t In The Cloud?

June 4, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

In the eighties, we saw the emergence of email and file transfer across unimaginable distances. We also began to see network games being offered by startups like CompuServe. No, I don’t remember my original CIS id number. Nor do I remember my first real accounts with an ISP (in the early nineties). But I do remember MUD’s.

Times sure have changed – and my how they haven’t changed.

Today, I use “the cloud” for the following services:

Email,
File/document transfer/sharing,
Reading,
Photo sharing,
Music streaming,
Video streaming,
Remote access (to corporate systems as well as to my own systems),
Remote banking,
Shopping (and shipping),
Ticket ordering (i.e., transportation, entertainment, etc),
Bureaucratic animal taming (i.e., tax forms, student loans, job apps, medical forms, insurance forms, pharmacy/prescriptions, daycare payment and forms, etc),
…and an endless list that would be too darned tedious to fully enumerate.

So what has changed since I was young?

Everything is available online,
Everything is available in real-time (except government services),
Everything looks good, appealing and/or enticing,
Almost everyone has access to these online services.

But let’s really think about this for a minute. Is there really anything new under the sun? That’s a debatable proposition. The means of communication are varying – but the need to communicate remains. The means of commerce are changing – but the need for trading skills for money and money for goods remains. The means of government control are varying – but the innate desire for people (and governments) to control you still remains. Solomon was right when he wrote (in Ecclesiastes 1:9) that there was nothing new under the sun.

In my limited view, I see a compelling truth: if there really is nothing new, then the tried and true solutions (as found in the Scriptures) are still very applicable – even to a twenty-first century citizen. God is in control. And our Creator can still teach us about our own condition – and His solutions for our difficulties.

-Roo

What Isn't In The Cloud?

June 4, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

Cloud computing has been around for as long as there have been computers. When I was in high school, I was involved in “cloud gaming.” Yeah, it wasn’t the same kind of thing back in 1976-1979. But I could connect the school’s remote terminal to the district’s mainframe. From this connection, I programmed (and played) Blackjack and poker. I also began to play games like Colossal Cave.
In the eighties, we saw the emergence of email and file transfer across unimaginable distances. We also began to see network games being offered by startups like CompuServe. No, I don’t remember my original CIS id number. Nor do I remember my first real accounts with an ISP (in the early nineties). But I do remember MUD’s.
Times sure have changed – and my how they haven’t changed.
Today, I use “the cloud” for the following services:

Email,
File/document transfer/sharing,
Reading,
Photo sharing,
Music streaming,
Video streaming,
Remote access (to corporate systems as well as to my own systems),
Remote banking,
Shopping (and shipping),
Ticket ordering (i.e., transportation, entertainment, etc),
Bureaucratic animal taming (i.e., tax forms, student loans, job apps, medical forms, insurance forms, pharmacy/prescriptions, daycare payment and forms, etc),
…and an endless list that would be too darned tedious to fully enumerate.

So what has changed since I was young?

Everything is available online,
Everything is available in real-time (except government services),
Everything looks good, appealing and/or enticing,
Almost everyone has access to these online services.

Are new things available each and every day? They are indeed. Just look at the image above. I can use my phone to control file transfers to/from my home PC. There are some really unique and exciting things that materialize every day.
But let’s really think about this for a minute. Is there really anything new under the sun? That’s a debatable proposition. The means of communication are varying – but the need to communicate remains. The means of commerce are changing – but the need for trading skills for money and money for goods remains. The means of government control are varying – but the innate desire for people (and governments) to control you still remains. Solomon was right when he wrote (in Ecclesiastes 1:9) that there was nothing new under the sun.
In my limited view, I see a compelling truth: if there really is nothing new, then the tried and true solutions (as found in the Scriptures) are still very applicable – even to a twenty-first century citizen. God is in control. And our Creator can still teach us about our own condition – and His solutions for our difficulties.
-Roo

Get Motivated, At His Feet!

May 29, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

I am so very excited. Our program manager (who works for the United States Marine Corps) has asked us to attend the Get Motivated seminar that will be in Kansas City on May 31. The list of attendees is truly remarkable. I am amazed that so many important and inspirational people will be in the same place at one time. This will be totally AWESOME!
But there will come a day when I will be among the most inspirational people of all time.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

On that day, I will be at the very feet of Jesus. I can only imagine what that day will be like. Last weekend, we were all told that the end was near. In fact, the end was supposed to happen on Meredith’s wedding day. But the end did not occur as predicted. We were told that we would need to wait to be in the presence of Jesus.
However, God doesn’t make us wait until that day. We can be at Jesus’ feet every day. Yes, the day of His return will come “soon and very soon.” But the day that we kneel at His feet can be this very day and this very moment.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. Psalms 95:2

God, teach me to come into your presence with each and every breath that I take. May I kneel before Your awesome majesty. And may I trust in Your will for my life. So let it be written! So let it be done
-Roo

T+1: You Can Only Imagine

May 22, 2011August 22, 2018 Lorin Olsen

I don’t know where to start. So I’ll start with the only phrase that makes sense: praise God! I have a new son-in-law, I hope. [More about the hope below.]
Yesterday is a complete and total blur. I think I’ll be blogging about it for a while. But here are the highlights:

Meredith was more beautiful than I have ever seen her. She smiled all day long. If you knew my eldest daughter, then you might be surprised by the fact that she was calm, poised and almost regal. While she can be a full-on (though un-certified) PMP, she set aside her ‘directorial duties’ and choose to be the leading lady. And she was wonderful. She trusted her plan. She trusted her team. More importantly, she took the time to speak with everyone at the reception.
My new son-in-law is amazing. Meredith is (normally) a compulsively talkative fuss-budget. Josh is her absolute antithesis. He is a rock. I don’t think anything can disturb his zen-like calm. More importantly, he is truly devoted to my daughter. He cares about her so very much. What is so very special is that he doesn’t have to shout it aloud because he wears his heart on his sleeve. His devotion is inspiring. I can’t wait to see the shared mission that the two of them will have.
Cindy was amazing. She radiated joy for our daughter. She helped to coordinate everything – and she was there whenever Meredith needed her Mom. The interplay between them was positively overwhelming for me. I will never be able to fully express my gratitude to God for the gift He gave me when I married Cindy.
Meredith’s siblings were phenomenal. They helped to set up the ceremony site. They helped to break down the ceremony site. They helped to set up the reception site and they helped to break down the reception site. They were there throughout the day and night. Bailey spent several hours making sure that the chuppah looked positively perfect. Bailey was also moved to pay special tribute to her older sister during an unexpected toast to the bride and groom.
My granddaughter (and her fabulous Mom) were a treat. Yes, Jayden was the precocious two-year old during he ceremony. But she was also the hit of the party. She got out on the dance floor and she had a blast. She danced with anyone and everyone. And she actually has a great sense of rhythm for a two-year old. And Dana deserves special recognition: she saw her older sibling get married. Yet she is the one who already has a child. I am sure that there was some very bittersweet feelings rolling around through her mind. But throughout the day, Dana was poised – and positively ebullient. And she made sure that Jayden was allowed a little running room – but still knew when she needed to restrain her daughter. This was especially true when Jayden would run from the dance floor and try to get into the kitchen.
Bailey’s fiance (Daniel) gets all sorts of special kudos. First, he is a caring and dear young man. He danced all night with Bailey (though he seemed a little uncomfortable with dancing last night). But he was also a fine dance partner for Jayden. OK, everyone was a fine dance partner with Jayden – including Adam. Daniel took special care to engage Jayden. When he and Bailey are married in July, I pray that they will some day be blessed with children. God has certainly blessed this young man with an amazing heart for kids.
I would really like to thank all of the “vendors” that Meredith pulled together. The photographers were fantastic. Yes, they took lots of pictures. But that is what the bride wanted. Despite being everywhere, they were very good at being less “visible” than they actually were. The DJ was terrific at setting a great mood during dining. Also, he was able to get everyone onto the dance floor. The wedding planner was nothing like the JLo version. However, she helped keep Meredith focused – and that was a blessing.
My daughter has some awesome friends. The entire wedding party was bright, excited, thrilled (for Meredith) and willing to help out wherever they could. When we were at the site, they were all there, eager to put a shoulder to the wheel in order to make the day so very special for Meredith. While I would like to name everyone, I’ll control that inclination. But I will give a shout out to one specific man: Sam Sharp was amazing. He was not in the wedding party – though his brother was. Many years ago, he and Meredith had dated. Meredith had the good sense to keep Sam (and Kyle and Wes) as friends – despite the fact that they were no longer dating. Sam epitomized what the term ‘friend’ truly means.
Finally, I want to wholeheartedly proclaim God’s awesomeness. Every prayer we lifted to Him, He honored. He allowed peace to reign in everyone’s heart. He withheld the rain until after the outdoor ceremony. All of the equipment worked. All of the decorations were special. And everyone had a heart for the bride, the groom, the solemnity of the occasion, and a desire to share the joy that Josh and Meredith share in being married. As for me, I am so glad that God honored my prayers concerning the homily. Not only did I remember enough of my thoughts to have a coherent message. But God also gave me the grace to see how uncomfortable my new son-in-law was becoming. So God helped me find a path to modify (i.e., shorten) my message without missing the content that He placed upon my heart. In truth, He prepared me and then He re-directed me to where He really wanted me to be. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you for your Spirit. Thank you that I was in a place where I would listen to your words.

I could go on and on. But God was so gracious and beneficent in everything that happened yesterday. Now I must ask for His continued assistance. One of the bridesmaids was supposed to bring the wedding license to the reception. Unfortunately, no one can find it. Lord, can you help us find the license so we can get it signed, sealed and delivered?

-Lorin Olsen (a.k.a., Father of the Bride)

[Note: The photo above is v1 of Meredith’s chuppah decoration. I’ll post the final version (with tulle that reached the ground) when I can find it. That little chuppah represents the construction capabilities of a bunch of men who had to use lashings rather than modern screws and glue. BTW, Bamboo is a lot harder to work with than you may think! Also, the original and final versions of the tulle were Bailey’s inspiration. She wanted the chuppah to be an expression of her love for Meredith. So she worked it until it was perfect. Folks, I love the spirit that my family showed to one another. Stress be darned. This entire day was magnificent.]

The intersection of vision and action

Category: Faith