KimHogue

wondering...

2011-05-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

Very often when I read scripture, I begin wondering. Yesterday I was talking with some new friends of mine, Larry and Carolyn Waggonner about one of those scriptures that cause me to do that. Larry told me I should blog about it, before he steals it! So Larry, here it is.

Luke 9:10-17. Jesus had just left the crowd to withdraw with his disciples but the crowds learned about it and followed him. Then verse 11 says this, "He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed healing."

Here's where my wondering begins...I wonder, "What did Jesus' welcome look like?"

I see him, in my minds eye, walking through the crowd. I imagine him shaking hands, "Hi, I'm Jesus, so glad you are here. I hope you stay for lunch." "Hi, I'm Jesus, what's your name? So nice to meet you, I hope you stay for lunch." "Hi, I'm Jesus, what's your little one's name? I hope you stay for lunch." Hi, I'm Jesus, how long have you been sick? I hope you stay for lunch." I imagine his disciples following him through the crowd and wonder... if they didn't over hear him inviting everyone to stay for lunch?

And then I love verse 12 and 13, his disciples say to him, "Send the crowd away so they can go find food and lodging." Then, you gotta love verse 13. Jesus says, "You give them something to eat." I don't know I just think this is so funny!

and I wonder...didn't Jesus know the whole time what he was getting ready to do in verses 14 through 17?

just wondering...

throw in the towel

2011-03-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

I love when God reveals truth about Himself to me in common, everyday life. He did that recently with a little game my two-year old grandson, Logan and I play. Its almost routine for us, right after his bath.Its a game we've all played, "hide and seek". Our version goes something like this...we wrap him up in his bath towel and then we start asking, "Does anybody know where Logan is?" We call his name, "Logan! Logan!where are you?" I think, he thinks we really can't find him, I think in his two-year old mind, he actually believes he is hidden from me, so he'll stick out his little foot, just hoping to be found. I acknowledge the foot and grab hold of it," I see a foot! Is this Logan?" Then.. the big reveal,he throws back the towel,allowing full discovery of himself,"here he is!",he yells. That's when he his lavished with love! "Ahhhh! Logan!" and we cover him in kisses, all to his great delight and squealing! Put another way by one of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen, "I am beginning to see how radically the character of my spiritual journey will change when I no longer think of God as hiding out and making it as difficult as possible for me to find Him, but, instead, as the one who is looking for me while I am doing the hiding. Wouldn't it be wonderful to make God smile by giving God the chance to find me and love me lavishly?"
Pull down your towel,and discover that you are worth looking for, that there is a real desire in God to simply be with you, that He already knows exactly where you are and He's ready to lavishly love you, it brings Him great joy!

The strangeness in a moment

2011-03-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

Was looking back on a time when I was working for another organization, we had hired an outside consultant, an expert in his field. During his work for us he learned that I identified myself as a "Christian". In one of our meetings over dinner he had questions about that, really he had questions about God and questions about the human condition. He wondered, in particular what I thought about how awful the human race could really be, the terrible things people can do or be involved in. I remember saying to him, "it never amazes me how awful man can be, it amazes me more still that God treasures us and is always ready to restore us, that's what amazes me." Then there was a moment of strangeness as I observed tears welling in his eyes and one drop down his cheek. Turns out there are people all around us who still have not been touched by the grace of the gospel message of Jesus Christ and sometimes...they wear nice suits, have wonderful homes and success in business.

Lessons from Disney

2011-02-10T15:38:00.000-08:00

One of the things I have the privilege of doing, is working with a team of people at our church who's responsibility it is to be intentional about our guest's experience. My family just returned from a weekend vacation at Disneyland and I came away with some great reminders about just how important our experiences are. First, I believe it is most important for the church to be intentional about that and get it right. Second,how easily it can slip away from us because I also would have thought, if anyone was going to get it right it would be Disney....but there was a gap in our expectation and our experience with Disney.
Don't get me wrong, we had a great time! Our family was together, the weather in Southern California was perfect! The Disney Grand Hotel is beautiful! And who doesn't love breakfast with Goofy!
Still... I was reminded how the church can be like my Disney experience. Our vision for people and the experience they have can slip away from us. Our team talks intentionally about creating "Wow!" experiences in the church because right or wrong? People are walking in to our churches with expectations. I was reminded that one small moment, colors the entire experience for good or bad. The Disney Grand Hotel is kinda cool because you have an entrance right from the hotel in to the park called California Adventure. My husband and I were up before the kids and grandson,so we took an early stroll around outside with a cup of coffee, it was really nice and we were enjoying ourselves in the sunshine, other folks were walking around as well and there was an excitement in the morning air, we were spending the day in Disneyland! We noticed an attendant at an entrance to the park as he checked some passes and let some folks enter. Even though our kids weren't up yet, we thought well, let's just take an early stroll in to the park. That's when the attendant became a security guard. We approached, held up our annual passes (which we think are pretty cool) and here's where the encounter goes wrong. "What's that?", he asks in a very curt tone. In a flash, I'm thinking, really? You work here and you don't know what this is? But I answer his question with a question anyway. "It's our annual pass?" Because really at this point it feels like we must be doing something "wrong", we aren't doing it on purpose, really we only realize we are "wrong" because he made us feel, very small, remember we're just on a stroll! Very abruptly,the attendant now turned guard informs us that the people he allowed in ahead of us had some special kind of pass, that the park is not open yet, and he made it very clear, we weren't so special! Same day an encounter of a different kind and...another lesson. Our kids want to have their caricature drawn by one of the Disney artists. She apologizes and explains the wait time, as she is in the middle of another drawing and the other artist is at lunch. Easy to understand, its about a 20 minute wait she explains, as she looks fondly at our two-year old grandson, she conveys that she understands this is a significant wait for the little guy, but then she says, "Is that okay? because I would really love to draw your family". Now we feel special again! So, I'm reminded that we are all responsible for the guest experience, that right or wrong people have expectations especially, when there is a brand promise attached and it takes the whole team to deliver.
People will have an experience in our church, lets decide together what that's going to look like.
"When they develop their pictures what do we want to show up in their photo albums? Cuz, we're responsible for what shows up there". Walt Disney

walls of my heart

2011-01-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

I have so many things to do today....I need to go buy detergent BEFORE I can even begin to tackle the pile of laundry, on my only day off. But this is too important to keep in my own head all day...so...I must blog.
In my quiet time with God this morning I'm reading some Henri Nouwen another of my most favorite authors,(guess I need to add some of his titles to my recommended reads)and was struck sweetly by his reflections. You see I love art! I love looking, gazing, being inspired by it and just beholding it. Paintings, sculptures,a beautiful chandelier, I love old things, old hardwood floors, old houses they too are like works of art to me. I love paintings of fields and vineyards,the masterpieces of a different kind of artist, farmers. I love knowing the title of a piece of art and learning something of the artist who created it. I dream of visiting Europe some day,so many famous works of art come from there, I imagine it must be such a beautiful place! In my home are walls of art, not priceless masterpieces but art I admire just the same. Pictures that I find comfort me.

The picture here is a wall in my home. My two-year old grandson loves to look at these pictures with me and I love that, I love, when in his two-year old voice, he points and says "this?" then as we look at the picture together we talk about what is in that picture, like this one of George Washington we talk about the horse and the snow and praying. Then he points to the next picture and says again, "this?" And, we talk about how the shepherd dog is calling its Master to help the lost lamb,and then he'll whisper, "this?" and we talk about the men seated next to the farm house. I love these moments no matter how times we repeat them. Its always a sweet quiet time, sometimes we are talking so softly together its just a whisper, as we talk about the paintings, first one then another.
Then as I said, I read Nouwen this morning, "The daily contemplation of the gospel and the attentive repetition of a prayer can both profoundly affect our inner life. Our inner life is like a holy space that needs to be kept in good order and well decorated. Prayer, in whatever form, is the way to make our inner room a place where we can welcome those who search for God. Whenever I meet people during the day, I receive them in my inner room, trusting that the pictures on my walls will guide our meeting. Over the years, many new pictures have appeared on my inner walls. Some show words, some gestures of blessing, forgiveness, reconcilitation, healing. Many show faces: the faces of Jesus and Mary, the faces of Therese of Lisieux. It is very important that our inner room has pictures on its walls, pictures that allow those who enter our lives to have something to look at that tells them where they are and where they are invited to go. Without prayer and contemplation, the walls of our inner room will remain barren, and few will be inspired."
Guess you can see how that probably struck me? I want to have that kind of life, the kind that gives people pictures, I think that's what Jesus did every time he spoke to someone, he drew a picture in their mind of what their heavenly Father is like and what life with Him can be like and...they were always invited and included. I think...the magic happens when the picture moves from our minds to our hearts. Love that!

Young Faith

2010-11-24T11:25:00.000-08:00

I love young faith, because it is so honest, its sometimes hard to see, or maybe we have such a predefined image of what it looks like, we just miss it or don't know how to engage it? It happened recently to me, like this.
A young girl I'm just getting to know, a young girl that I love talking with because she has a genuine curiosity about faith and God and well... she's just someone who can have a real conversation about her questions and I love that she, like many young people her age are, is genuinely interested in what faith in God really looks like.
Early this month we were on a trip together, we had a stroller for my grandson, (that's a different blog, lol!) he wasn't much interested in a ride, so the young girl had placed her purse in the stroller. I immediately thought it would be too easy for someone to nab the purse from the stroller and so picked it up and placed it over my shoulder. She asked, "How come you don't just leave it in the stroller?" "Its too easy for someone to steal", I replied.
Then she started a faith conversation that I can't stop thinking about. "What about your faith in God?"
I then did the predictable Christian thing. I said,"Yes, but God also expects us to use wisdom." Her reply, "Oh see... that's where I would get in trouble then, with the whole God thing because I would just put my faith in Him."
Now don't hear me saying, "throw wisdom in the wind", I'm not, I understand how it can operate in our lives, especially Godly wisdom....but can you see the great faith she possesses? I hear a total abandon of herself to God, when she's ready to make that decision, I think she'll become a life-long "student" of the fullness of life in God, the kind that we might envy? I think about Noah, who built an ark before he knew what "rain" was. I think about Gideon, who went after a million with just 300 and I think of a student called Peter, who walked on water. Who do you think of?

Airhead or Apple Pie

2010-05-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

Leadership is just one of the things I "love" reading, talking, exploring and learning about. Like everyone, I've had experiences with Leadership or at least people in those positions and they shape us. Just today I was thinking back to when I enlisted in the U.S. Army, it was a crash course in Leadership. I remember two leaders in particular. One was a Lieutenant Arehart who we nicknamed Lieutenant "Airhead" until he was promoted, then we called him "Captain, Airhead" we always respected the rank, just not the person inside the uniform. He didn't have our respect because he spoke down to us, yelling orders and he created confusion. Then there was "Lieutenant Apple pie", we called him that because he was young, fair-haired and blue-eyed. We LOVED this guy! And you know what, somehow we knew he genuinely cared for us. We also loved him because we could have fun with him too. I remember one morning run he lead, it was a hot, humid summer day at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, we thought because he loved us, we would take the short route and not the 10 mile route we sometimes ran. I can still hear him give the command, "column right, move!" We must have all been thinking the same thing because everyone in that formation, sweat dripping, continued to march straight ahead,as if they couldn't hear his command or believe he would take us on the LONG run in that heat. C'mon he loved us too much! He yelled the order again, "column right,move!" Still we marched straight ahead, and some laughter began to rise up in the hot air, conscious that we were simply choosing not to obey the order,until we were all laughing, even Lieutenant Apple Pie. But being the good leader that he was, he halted the entire group of us, turned us around with "to the rear, march!", "double time, march!" and off we went on a 10 mile run on a hot, humid, Virginia day. Still in my book, one of the best runs I ever went on, and I went on a lot of them! Still love that guy today, wherever he is! Thanks Lieutenant Apple pie, for your lessons in Leadership left there mark on me!

For lessons on Leadership check these guys out they are an invaluable learning resource.

Dan Rockwell @ http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/
Michael Hyatt @ http://michaelhyatt.com/
Daniel Harkavy @ http://www.danielharkavy.com/
Jake Hillman @ http://godrivesolutions.wordpress.com/

Capital "A" confession

2010-03-11T10:09:00.001-08:00

Not sure why? but confession has been on my mind this week. Maybe its my Catholic roots, maybe its because I regularly talk with Christ-followers who still live condemned or ashamed, (I so wish they didn’t) Maybe its because Easter is so close and the thought of Jesus dying on the cross for my sins always overwhelms me and that he rose three days later! Whatever it is…it caused me to remember a time when I was a little girl, 9 yrs. old. With six children in our family and one working parent, there were not a lot of frills, but mom had one prized possession, her dining room table. It was a special table to her and to us. I think it was special because of the way it was treated, we were always careful pulling the chairs out making sure not to drag the legs across the floor, everyone had their own place around it, and extra attention was given to every setting, everything in its proper place. Sitting around that table was almost magical, the talk of everyone’s day and the laughter shared around that table are forever etched in my fondest memories. But one day something happened to that table. My mother was setting all its places when she found a very large capital “A” carved in to its dark, polished wood. I remember being lined-up like all the children from the movie “Sound of Music” and Captain Von Trap (my mother) wanted to know who the culprit was! No one fessed-up, can’t say I blame them, the death penalty seemed imminent! Forward two years later, I’m 11 yrs. old, our youngest sister Colleen is 7 and making her first confession. She enters the little booth, pulls the curtain shut and begins in strangely enough, a very loud voice, I mean she is loud! Everyone in the church can hear her! She starts in the Catholic way, “Bless me Father for I have sinned, aloooong time ago I carved a capital “A” in my mom’s table!” It was out! We finally knew who the woodcarver was! My mother’s knuckles turned white clenching the pew in front of us. Me and my other sister Kelly, barely manage to keep our laughter from filling the high ceilings of the church. Mom gives us “the look” and then says, “don’t you dare tell your sister we know!” I can still see their faces, I remember the look of relief on my little sisters face as she exited the confessional, the weight of her deed lifted and the look on mom’s face, was one of my first pictures of grace. To our amazement mom never said a word. So? How much more is our Father God willing and desirous to forgive us?

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Who do you want to be?

2010-03-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

I'm amazed by the insights God grants. There's pictures of it in Scripture, just look at 2 Kings 6:15-16. Elisha and his servant are surrounded by the enemy army and Elisha says,"O Lord, open the eyes of your servant, so that he may see." In this very moment his servant is able to see what he was not previously able to see. John Ortberg is a pastor and author who shares great insight in his new book, "The Me I Want to Be" becoming God's best version of you.

Don't you just love that God still does that today? Gives insight. Cuz, when He does, we change, our hearts change, from stone to flesh,fear to courage, hate to love, hopelessness to hopefulness, harsh to soft, unkind to kind, pride to humility...and yet, I have talked with many Christ-followers and not-Christ-followers who struggle with an unspoken fear or belief that God wants to change "me" in to something I don't want to be. A Sunday morning from 16 years ago replayed in my mind just the other day and as it did, I understood that it was the soft nudging of the Holy Spirit. Our son was just three years old and we were all getting ready for church. I had purchased his, first, 3-piece suit, it was navy blue and I had had to save up to purchase it. He looked like this, cutest, little man, I was beaming! But something was wrong, he wasn't beaming back at me. Then I noticed,tears were welling up in those big, beautiful green eyes and I watched the slow, soft flutter of his long eyelashes knock those tears down on to his little boy cheeks, and then, came... the cry! We thought something was pinching him, you know those moments, I didn't have a clue why, my son, was now crying uncontrollably. His dad finally asks, "Son, why are you crying?" It was the release valve. "I don't wanna be a preacher!" That's when his dad came to his rescue, "Get that suit off of him." Needless to say he never wore that suit! He was only three, but the conflict already existed.

God does not want to turn us in to people we wouldn't want to be, but... I pray that you and me become God's best version of ourselves. There is great freedom and joy to be experienced in that place.

Psalm 139:13-15 For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful,I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

not cussing as much...

2010-02-11T14:23:00.000-08:00

Every Friday night a group of people meet in our living room. We have one common, and that is we attend the same church. We seem so different from one another...some are more affluent,some are white and some are not,some are young and still others pierce you with the wisdom of years that sparkle in their eye. Some married, single, some wishing they were married and still...others wishing they were not! Some fatigued by the demands of their young families and work and some who see the drawing end not too far off in the future.I LOVE our time together...I LOVE listening to each and every one of them and I LOVE when I hear something true and honest and real. Last week it happened like this...

We're having discussion around a study from John Ortberg's new book, "The Me I Want to Be" a few of us mention struggles in general or some tendencies in general and then, one mom, demonstrates more courage than us all. "I'm not cussing as much at my kids, and I feel really good about that...I feel like God is really working in me, I still yell at them too much...but I'm not cussing as much." I LOVED it! Because here's the truth sometimes, especially for anyone who's been a Christ follower for a long time, this probably isn't your struggle. I was a Christ follower long before I was a mom, yell at my kids! Cuss at my kids! NEVER! The easy response or knee-jerk reaction is NOT me! Even if we don't say it out loud...we think it! don't we? Or we subconsciously categorize ourselves in a different class, a better class. I read a quote today and it made me laugh, maybe it will make you laugh. "You may ask, “How can I realize my own sinfulness?” WRONG question faker! @gracefreak

Love this mom, love when her kids are in our home and love it when they are happy to see me and always give me a hug, they make me feel loved! Love that she has courage to be real...I'm still workin on it!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "God's word is to be heard by everyone in his own way and according to the measure of his understanding."

Same stage...New actors

2010-01-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life seems like a stage. One recent performance touched me deeply. Our church partnered with a project in Ethopia called Mossy Foot and more than $38,000 was given towards this cause...but thats just the outward result of the work on the inside of hearts and still... the beat of one heart in particular,grabbed me. I don't know his name...but here's his story.

It was a busy Sunday morning in the lobby, the busiest time actually, in between services, one crowd coming while the first crowd is still lingering. The lobby is full,the guest services desk is bustling, the line in the cafe is backed up, new guests are looking for directions to childrens class rooms, you hear the sounds of so many voices filling the air,folks who know each other catching up with one another, or a mother trying to get all her kids headed to the car. The hungry husband who'd like to get home cuz he's hungry, you get the picture....its busy! Right in the middle of that...I feel a tug on my sleeve,you know that little tug you've felt as a mom when your little one has been trying to get your attention? I turn to see a gentleman probably in his 60's, I recognize immediately that there is something different about him, his speech confirms my guess. In somewhat of a child like manner,he opens the clutch of his hand to reveal five, one dollar bills. "How do I give this to mmm-Mossy Foot? Am I ttt-too late? Cuz, I made a promise..I have to keep my promise." I assured him he was not too late and together we got a tithe envelope, we wrote "Mossy Foot Project" on the envelope and together we walked to the tithe box where he dropped his offering...with child like glee. "I have to keep my promise." and off he went but only until after the end of second service and again in the middle of a busy Sunday morning lobby, he found me. "Can I have a hug? thank you for helping me." Not even conscious of the fact that it was he, who had helped me, he had blessed me! It wasn't the size of his gift or the size of his mind but the size of his heart that reminded me of the story Jesus once told, you know the one. Life really is a stage and there are still amazing scenes being played out in everyday life!

A Great Spirit of Candor

2010-01-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

I know there is controversy whenever "the church" looks at, weighs, considers or even adopts practices or principles that appear to serve a "consumer" experience. But, can it be about reaching some level of excellence because we really just want people to meet Jesus and we genuinely care about their encounter with His church? Recently I read "The Starbucks Experience" and "The New Gold Standard." by Joseph Michelli In his book "The New Gold Standard", Michelli shares some of his insights in to the legendary customer experience of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He links one of the marks of their success to a "great spirit of candor" among its leadership and staff. I recently appreciated a dose of candor from one of our own team mates Chris Shoemaker, I needed the shake up he provided with his honest in put on things. I most adored him because he said,"Kim, I can tell you this because I know you really do love us!" Does a spirit of candor mark us? Is there a New Gold Standard we should be reaching for? Are we responsible for the "experience" in our church? Oh, and I'm still waiting for the Ritz-Carlton experience...someday!
Two great books I recommend them both!

Book review: The New Gold Standard

Posted using ShareThis

Stuck

2009-12-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

Just left our staff meeting. We prayed for all of you and Pastor Tim shared a little about what is on his heart about this weekends message. . We can be stuck on ourselves, stuck in habits, stuck in the past....He shared how he felt this message is a today word from God.

Its kinda a trend that the Sunday after Christmas, attendance in church services is down.So, if you fall in to that category, just want to remind you that you can still tune in at kcfchurch.org and attend Sunday morning online. 9am or 11am.

For some reason we're all a little more open each New Year's to change. We make New Year's resolutions to lose weight, mend a broken relationship, go back to school....etc.
Me...I just want Jesus to help me be all He meant for me to be...and if I'm stuck somewhere...I want to get unstuck.

Change our culture?

2009-12-22T14:42:00.000-08:00

Social media...what if we don't engage it? Watch the clip...still can't decide?

">

2009-12-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

Today my mother-n-law gave me the best Christmas present ever! I did say mother-n-law right? See there has always been a tension in our relationship and a distance between her and our only son. Now she loves Jesus and I know she loves her grandson as well but the truth be told just not a warm, fuzzy closeness. Being that what it has been...she knocked my socks off today when I read the intimate message she included in her grandson's (our son)Christmas card this year. She spoke life-giving, kind, encouraging words and she made herself real, when she added that she hadn't always got it right in her own life. It got even better as I read her thoughtful words, she wasn't pushy and she left the door wide open. I loved it!, I love her! and mom....this is the best Christmas present we ever got! Here's an excerpt.

"I want you to know something I had to learn the hard way- a truth, I'll share more with you if you want to listen. The truth, I learned is- you may want to be a good parent--but, if you are a good Christian father only then can you be the best you can be, we love you."

Full of grace, love it! Our son became a dad last year at 18. We're proud of him! He's got a real Father's heart!

Speak life in to someone this Christmas...it will be the best gift you can give!

Where's the line to see Jesus?

2009-12-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

Sent by my friend Trudy Maletta....had to share it with everyone! Thanks Trudy!

Encouraging Next Steps

2009-12-16T10:38:00.000-08:00

I want to help people take their "next step" in Jesus from wherever they are, no matter where they've been, what they've done or what they look like and I really get excited about a person's first step toward faith in Jesus. But what that looks like and how it works is beginning to change me in ways I never expected, it continues to challenge me too. I started this blog as part of that change. I'm learning new ways to engage with those who might be disenfranchised with the "church" but as I'm also learning, are... oh so interested in engaging in a conversation about life with Jesus. They probably just aren't going to walk in to my church. I'm not a tech kind of person...but one night at midnight my son called me from a tattoo shop owned by one of his friends, where a group of them were hanging out and looking for me on facebook, myspace and other internet places I had never been. These are some neat kids, yes, they have tattoos but I actually like these kids because they challenge me and engage me in conversation where the answers are not pre-recorded, it is genuine gut-wrenching honest conversation. Now, I'm slow and it was midnight but... it hit me. ENGAGE with them, from where they are and on their terms. (think I read this in the Revolutionary Communicator) These are kids who maybe haven't taken any steps toward a relationship with Jesus but I've watched them simply bow their heads at our dinner table and it was pure! Maybe? that's a first step? I've just decided to enter the community online in hope that I can help someone...anyone take a step toward knowing and walking out life with Jesus. Now I tweet on twitter, read and journal my bible reading on youversion.com, have mastered text messaging (it might be the best conversation you can have with your teenager), and working on my facebook and this blog. An old dog can learn new tricks!