What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Well, it is back to work!  I had a very productive sabbatical and got much done. 

I completed a series for Tabletalk (which will run throughout 2009).   I'll post the links when they are available.

I completed a chapter dealing with church-planting for a forthcoming book for church-planters.  In the chapter, I try to answer the question so many of you have asked me--"what do we do if we live in an area where there are no Reformed churches?"  The chapter is a step-by-step guide as to how to go about planting a confessional Reformed/Presbyterian church in your neighborhood.  Hopefully, I'll be able to post it here when the book is released.

I spent a fair bit of time preparing to teach a course on Christology in the Spring of 2009 at Westminster Seminary California.

I also completed a book outline and proposal which I'll tell you all about after it undergoes some peer review and discussion with publishers.  Hint--it is not a book on eschatology, but it is a frequent topic on the White Horse Inn.

The picture above was taken last week at the Mammoth Hot Springs with some church friends.  If you've seen John Wayne's True Grit, you'll recognize the location.  The picture below was taken at Ohlmstead Point in Yosemite (we came in through Tioga Pass, for those of you who know the area).  That is "Half-Dome" way off in the distance.  A number of us (40 or so) vacation together in the Eastern Sierras during early August.  This week is always the high point of the summer!

Lord willing, beginning next Sunday I'll be preaching on the Book of James (I'll post the audio links here) and then on 1 John.  I'll also be adding some lectures to the "Amillennialism 101" series during the upcoming fall/winter 2008 Academy session.

All in all, it was a great summer!  And it is almost over . . .

Comments

[plw]

You are to funny Kim.....I recognize your title :) That should give away my age! We have been to Yosemite and just love it there. Sounds like you were very productive while away for a bit. Glad to hear all is well and we are looking forward to your writings that are upcoming. Blessings to you.

[HB]

I am very glad you're all home safe and sound. It sounds as though you have been refreshed and ready to hit the ground running.
hb

[Mark Vander Pol]

Kim - Who is editing the book on church-planting? Sounds like it might be a good book for me to pick up since I have no idea what I am doing in a year and church-planting might be one of the options!

I am jealous that you get to go to the Sierras every summer. My HST trip just whetted my appetite to explore the "Range of Light" a lot more!

[DB]

Kim, I have to think the best part of the trip was seeing Jeff's face when he left the house on Friday night and walked right into Yogi the 300lb black bear (or was it Boo-boo). Jeff, has a new sense of his need for Church, and I am sure he was ontime on Sunday morning. We got some video of Yogi enjoying our trash that night after everyone left.
Thanks for the memories Kim (Jeff).
DB

[Timinator]

With all that you got done this summer did you at least get to take it easy. Sounds like your plate is full lokking forward to Wendesday night bible studies and soon the academy.

[PB]

Vacation? You call that a vacation? Yikes, you do more work on vacation than most folks do at work!
Is there a chapter in that book about planting Reformed Baptist churches?<grin>

[VJ]

Hi Kim,
That book on church planting will be very useful and needed as I want to plant a Reformed Church in the neighborhood where I grew up. There are no solid churches in that neighborhood and most people are Catholic(nominal), so any advice would help! I was just in San Diego-Escondido for my honeymoon this past June and we had a great time. We stopped by Westminster to see the grounds. We loved the Wild animal park!

Glad you had a great summer - wehave too and we are going to top it off with the Minnesota State Fair!

God Bless you and your family,
VJ

[Aukmal]

What I did on my summer vacation...sat around a lot, ate too much, and drank some good beers...not quite as productive as Pastor Kim, but I did blast with all the CRC folks in Mammoth.

Now that I'm back at work, I spend time trying to go to happier places which include Olmstead point, hiking up to Duck Lake with the Riddlebarger men (excluding Kim and who, by the way, are truly solid men who have been properly raised in the faith: many props to Micki and Kim), and time spent fishing on the shores of beautiful eastern sierra lakes.

The Eastern Sierras have been called, "The Range of Light," and IMHO, are a testament to the majesty and power of our God above.

Aukmal