It's all about Jean (the 4th that is...)

In what may have been the funniest Christmas present moments I have ever seen, Jean the 4th unwrapped a present marked for Jackson the dog. Seeing only the "J" on the package he tore into it with vigor and passion. As the package opened before his eyes you could clearly see his young southern sensibility begin to face a dramatic catharsis with his knowledge of reality and personal taste. Let me see if I can adequately describe the contents of the package: It was a small bathrobe type object with velcro closures....it looked enough like a terry cloth object you'd wrap a baby in just fresh out of the tub....Jean politely smiled, swung it around his head (at this point his grandmother- seamstress of said 'bathrobe' and I are almost dry heaving we are laughing so loud) the confusion was further perpetuated by the large "J" sewn onto the back of the bathrobe. After closing the velcro around his neck, he closed the closure around his chest and muttered, "T...hankssss" and sat down. I couldn't breathe. Toni, my mom, then told him it was for Jackson OUR DOG. As you can see from the above photo it fit Jackson to a 'T'. Addendum: following this, while our tears were still flowing, Jean opened another package, but this time it was for me. It was a Cabela's gift certificate which no one had the heart to tell him wasn't for him. I assumed he was going to buy himself some decoys to retrieve. it wasn't until yesterday when J4 offered to SELL me my own Cabela's gift certificate that I broke the news to him. After telling him I swatted him with a newspaper and sent him to the yard to bury the gift certificate. What great laughter and fun! Merry Christmas to all of our loved ones- you are deeply missed!
- J. (the daddy)

Keep 'X' in Xmas...

Someone commented to me the other night that they disliked the use of 'Xmas'.... I understand that. At first glance 'Xmas' seems to 'X' Christ out of CHRISTmas doesn't it? X (the Greek symbol Chi) was acutally used to abbreviate the name of Christ. Xmas is actually just an abbeviated rendering of Christmas. I think that Jesus might be more in favor of Xmas come to think of it....Jesus wasn't flashy and in your face. I think He would have preferred to come under the radar. After all didn't He choose Bethlehem? Wasn't He from Galilee? Wasn't He the one who was almost coy when Herod questioned Him about being King?
My personal experience with Christ has been more like that...subtle and profoundly subversive. He always seems to be at work but not in flashy ways, more like the stock guys at Home Depot- working from Midnight to 8 a.m. restocking, moving things around, changing the setup of things and then 'all of the sudden' the electrical department is moved clear across the store.
In reality Jesus likes to restock my heart, move it around and change the setup of things. I dislike it. I like the electrical department where it was. I put it there. In alot of ways that is a good description of my life for 2006- subversive movments of God that change everything. I wonder what 2007 holds. Will the electrical department be moved back again? Will the garden center move to the other side of the building? Who knows. It is a wild ride. I know what I'd like, but I'm beginning to learn that the suggestion box isn't checked too often (if at all). I was praying with Jordan this morning before he left for home and asked God to strenthen us, to make us more like Christ. Presently we are tired- retreating from the crowds, trying to rest, trying to see Jesus again- My prayer was that God would allow us to incarnate in the Bay, to be a picture of the Gospel in this place.
Ironicaly, I think that while we're seeking to do that in the Bay, Jesus himself has been doing that very thing in our lives. He has been 'incarnating', becoming more real to us, taking on flesh in our daily lives. That means less of me, more of Him, less of me, more of Him (lather, rinse, repeat.) Pray for me this year. Please do that. Pray that all I'll want for Christmas is Christ.
I'm frightened how that might be answered- I want it to look like victorious spirituality, exponential growth and a renewed devotional life. If 'X' shows up it will probably look like repentance, faith, tears, struggling and true joy. That frightens me and at the same time excites me. Narnia is thawing. God is at work. His ways are not our ways. His plans are not our plans. Exery day is Xmas- the incarnational reality of Jesus himself. That seems to be the Lagniappe way. I guess not the Lagniappe way, just His way. Merry Xmas.

The Rockies...one last view

Well, this is it. Thanks to Rev. Scott Lowe who was a wonderful tour guide- we saw elk, whitetailed deer (as pictured above), bear lake (which I'm seated in front of) and an expansive view of the Rockies (the front range where Jordan is above). We didn't see everything we wanted to, but there's always another trip- God is so beautifully present here. Blessings. P.S. the hotel was worse than imagined- our first room had beer bottles in it and a 'soiled' baby diaper in the bathroom along with some used bath towels- wow, I can pick 'em!!!!

Almost done in Colorado...

With the conference completed, a day of hiking done and one last drive through the Rockies tomorrow before heading to Denver then we'll back to the Bay on Friday. Funny side note- Jordy and I are living literally moment to moment- we decided to do a last minute hotel booking tonight for tomorrow- we are staying at what could possibly be our last night on earth in Denver tomorrow night- get this a 'suite' for $49/night- yeah right, but we've booked it so if there's a drive by at the Best Inn and suites in Denver tomorrow night that's probably us... and it's so exciting because I've got to fly out again on Monday to Tampa for a speaking engagement at the Presbytery of southwest Florida...keep us in your prayers....

A day at Grey Rock...

As Jordan said when he saw this picture, "Got a little Captain in ya?"

Jordan and I at the base of the summit of Grey Rock. Just FYI it looks like it is smaller than it is- from the beginning of the hike to the summit was about 2.5 miles, but the elevation which changed during the hike was from 5,300 ft. to 7,600 feet at the summit. By way of perspective, the small patch of trees at the top of the summit which you can see was a tree that was almost 10 feet tall.

A view from the top of the summit and a small pool of water that had formed there. I took a sip from it just to say that I did, but am now very sick- foolish I know, but y'know.... (c'mon- do you really think I would do that?)

Scott, Jean, Jordan and Josh- (Scott and Josh attend Grace church in Fort Collins- Scott is on staff and a dear friend...he has been our host as well for the Micro brewery tour of Fort Collins)

Trail marker.... desperately deceptive. It ought to have a picture of an out of shape pastor leaning over with his hands on his knees dry-heaving...

A beautiful vision of life...

I am in Loveland, Colorado with Jordan attending a conference at Group Workcamps. We arrived yesterday and stayed at some hotel in downtown Denver before travelling to Fort Collins for worship this morning. I must tell you that this may be one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and I've barely seen it. There are mountains which frame out the view to the west of where we are- they are majestic, snow capped and stand with a beauty that is overwhelming. I have heard about their beauty, but face to face with it is astounding. Jordan and I are planning to go snowshoeing on Wednesday perhaps before heading back to Denver Thursday night for our flight out on Friday. The altitude is a bit something to get used to- I got up early and walked for a bit this morning (very cold in Denver, but there was something about the sun on my left and the mountains on my right) wow- I could get used to this. I always have said that I'd have to live near water, but I think it's now water or mountains.

On the plane here I was listening to some Steve Brown (www.keylife.org) from his podcast and he made a statement that I've got to share- I think he said it was a quote from Charles Spurgeon talking about our need to trust in God's providence when we cannot see beyond the day- it said, "If you cannot trace His hand, trust His heart." Profound.

As we worshipped this morning at Grace Church (www.gracefc.net) Richard Rieves preached a profound message- I'd highly reccomend his podcast as well- I'm sure there's a link to it on their site. Today's message was about the kingdom of God and how it ALWAYS includes the broken and misfits of life, get the MP3- amen, amen. If you live close or visit this area- you have to visit Grace church- Richard gets IT.

Last random statment of Larroux reality (isn't it a blessed thing to live under the smiling face of our Father in Heaven and finally be free to be real- I hate the facade of Evangelicalanity..) anyway we were singing a hymn this morning titled "Praise to the Lord" and there is a stanza at the end of the third verse that reads, "Hast thou not seen, how thy desires ere' have been, granted in what He ordaineth?" to which I responded verbally without realizing it, "No." That's the truth isn't it? Have you seen how all of your desires have been granted in what God has ordained? Surely not if you're honest. Perhaps I'm too honest. Perhaps I ought to put on the preacher smile and give a good ole Presbyterian, "mmmmm" at the end of that. I think that's what makes the Spurgeon quote so powerful to me- I cannot often trace His hand, so I'm learning to trust His heart.

Hayden come home...

It is late Wednesday evening....I have been on the verge of death for 3 days....no joke. The above photo was from our first trip to the Bay following Katrina. My sister Hayden, a registered nurse had to give me an IV in order to keep me hydrated. As of Tuesday I am unsure if I had any fluids left in my body- I would have given away almost anything for a liter of saline. What a week... I would ask for your prayers for me, life is quite heavy right now, suffice to say that my physical afflictions have been paralleled by God's desire dehydrate me of EVERYTHING but Himself. There is an old hymn whose chorus is 'what ere my God ordains is right'- that is so true. In all of that it is abundantly clear that He does indeed love me, protect me, cherish me and truly free me to be honest with Him and others. Oh, these blessed days in the Bay- dear friends I can tell you with absolute resolve- the God you have read about is REAL. He is alive. He will not be restrained. He is NOT safe and He will do as He pleases. It is good and as a dear friend told me recently, "God will take care of everything." So simple, yet profound. I will rest (perhaps collapse) there- it is all that I have and that is a good place to be (at least that's what I keep reading in His word- smile...). P.S. That photo above was taken in September of 2005 - 13 months ago- I think I've aged 10 years....scarry.

Long day...

Well, the preaching went well today. I spent the afternoon with a good friend, Kevin Teasley who is the RUF campus minister from Wake Forest University just about 30 minutes from here. He and I got together and watched the first part of the Ole Miss game and then I got back to the hotel talked to my lil' sis on the phone and am trying to get boarding passes, etc. online- It was funny to chat with Hayden she must read the blog daily (I guess so she's been the star right?) She said, "Hey, did you go back for Chinese last night?" I laughed- someone noticed my food fetish- perhaps this evening dear Hayden Hoffman...perhaps...Okay- I'm running- check out the links I posted to the hotel in last night's blog- it's also got a link to the conference promo page at the church- yee-hawwwww

On the road again....

Well, it's 9:37 p.m. Larroux body time...10:37 p.m. Greensboro, N.C. time- I'm staying at the O'Henry hotel in Greensboro preaching at a 'Christian Life Conference' for Christ Community Church (ARP) in Greensboro. Tonight was a great night there was a concert at the church preceeded by yours truly (the concert was better...) and the church is very warm and welcoming. So far I am quite impressed with the O'Henry Hotel- wow, you should see this place- a far cry from the Bay, it is swanky----I fit right in, although 'table for one' at dinner tonight was a bit 'awkward'- oh well, the life of an itinerant preacher. I am going to be preaching twice in the a.m. preceeded by breakfast at the hotel (can you tell I'm such a food conniseur?- is that spelled right?) Speaking of...I walked around downtown today, stopped at Eckerd drug store grabbed some contact solution that I couldn't take on the plane and found a great little Chinese place for lunch- it was unreal...I wanted to go back tonight, but you'know gotta branch out- maybe I'll sneak over there late night, mmm. Okay- sorry for no photo I'll grab some tomorrow.

My Sister's Wedding.....

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Hoffman were married on Saturday, October 7th in Charleston, West Virginia. The dress was J. Crew, the bride was stunning and the surroundings were provided by Hayden's father in heaven. They were married outdoors in one of the most appropriate settings I have ever seen.

It is obvious from this photo, but it must be said- Hayden and Steve really have a passion for one another that is striking. The three of us all wept at different times during the ceremony struck by the beauty of what was being said and the life awaiting them. It would be impossible for me to convey all of the thoughts I had- such beauty, such mercy from God. When He gives a gift it is beyond our wildest expectations- Steve and Hayden are both that gift for one another. On a side note: my sister has to be the most LOW-MAINTENANCE bride in history she got her hair done 4 hours before the wedding by a stylist she'd never met at a salon that she chose because it was 'close to the hotel'- when the caterer asked her about the cake she replied, "Oh, yeah- I guess we do have to have one of those- let's do carrot!" (and they did by the way!)

This is my favorite photo from the entire lot- Hayden and my dad. What an appropriate picture! Hayden's face says everything.

Father Jean? Father? Jean? Okay, okay before I get e-mail confessions let's just say that not only priests wear collars- this was a great occasion to break out the ministerial collar and I got endless abuse from cousins, friends and my children. I hope you like it- I wish we could do a blog poll....We all got used to it- aren't my girls adorable?

Just so no one mistakes the beautiful, serious photos for a stoic time, that Larroux sense of humor is unstoppable- Hayden and my new brother in law- "Dieter" Hoffman never missed an opportunity to ham it up. This is the prom chair I used in 1987- something old, something new right?