Sophie's Guitar Debut

Sophie has decided. And if you know Sophie, when she decides something, that's that. Guitar is HER thing! She takes "lessons" from her dad every week. Her general sense of rhythm is really solid.

Here is a link to her playing her 1/2 size guitar for her preschool classes' Art Show Program. We're proud at how brave she is playing for others, especially her peers. Way to go Soph!

The Rat Race

I have been reading Richard Foster's book entitled "Prayer". He considers the practice of solitude. I'm loving this quote:

"To be sure, at first we thought solitude was a way to recharge our batteries in order to enter life's many competitions with new vigor and strength. In time, however, we find that solitude gives us power not to win the rat race but to ignore the rat race altogether."

Since I'm an only child, I've got this strange mix of first-born competitiveness and last-born laziness. If you're an only child, can you relate? At times I want to get in "the race" and run hard to prove myself, and at other times I can't get my butt up off the couch. The thing I'm realizing is that whatever race that I'm trying to run often has me looking left and right to see who is my competition. And yet, Hebrews 12:1 talks of: "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."

I understand that the race is marked out for US. The is a "together" thing. My encouragement of others is necessary. I have a friend right now who is running the race alone. I need to press on toward the goal and not worry so much about how I'm doing RELATIVE TO others. Rather, I should focus on what I'm doing FOR others to help them run their race well. This is the heart of the servant. This is the heart of Christ. Am I giving my best to God and others? I'm still chewing on this.

Anna's First Solo

Anna had a wonderful opportunity last week. She performed her first vocal solo at Darden Primary Center's 1st & 2nd grade concert! If a proud papa can say - SHE DID A TERRIFIC JOB! Such confidence and poise! We're so proud of all that she has done! We pray that God will continue to use this great gift of music that she certainly has. Mr. Copelin, her music teacher, calls Anna his "little star". I pray that this little star's light shines bright. Click here to check out the video. Enjoy!

Baaaaaaack Home

Oh yes...


It's good to be back home. Awesome date with my awesome wife yesterday. Nothing crazy. Just shopping at Plato's closet and Taco Bell for lunch. The strange thing is that after having been married for almost 11 years I sometimes forget how great it is just to hang out with Lisa. I'm so thankful for the blessing that she is to me.

Unbelievable that over the May 13-14th weekend that 833 people committed their lives to Jesus by signing their names on a reproduction of Davinci's Last Supper painting.

My daughter Anna solidified her faith by signing her name. Very cool.

I'm throughly excited to see what Jesus will continue to do in the lives of our sweet daughters. More later.

Greetings from CA!

Hey,

I'm hanging out in Lake Forest, CA at the Saddleback Church Purpose Driven Church conference. We are learning a lot. I thought I'd share a few pics of the people we're learning from.



This is Rick Muchow who is often called America's "Most Dangerous Worship Pastor". Things have felt rather dangerous. I really appreciate his heart while I don't exactly resonate with the style out here. If you're looking for a little older-school style but rather tuneful, check out Rick's site



This is Rick Warren who is the author of the Purpose Driven Life. He brings 26 years of experience to helping other churches become healthy. The thing that has struck me the most out here is the global impact of the Purpose Driven movement. There are people here from over 30 countries. I met a couple of guys from Sri Lanka this morning who traveled over 36 hours to get here. Translators in 6 languages! Very cool.

More later.

Mary...

Have you ever had "the scoop" on something. I mean, NOBODY, nobody else knew what you knew. Like when you are the first person in your set of friends to hear about an up and coming band. Or a new movie that's coming out next summer. Or a new restaurant that's coming in on Grape Rd. (yeah, like that's something new...) Or maybe you're the first person to tell your family that you and your spouse are expecting. That is one of the coolest feelings to be the first person to spill the beans. Of course it makes you seem hip and "with it". Here's the thing, though, that feeling seems to wear off. Yeah, only so much time can elapse before calling Coldplay an up and coming new band seems to be breaking news. And so we must search for the newest and hippest thing in order to ride the wave.

Since it was Easter yesterday, I was reading the account of the resurrection in John. The part that struck me most was about Mary Magdalene.

The Message translates this passage:

But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?" "They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him. Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?" She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."

Jesus said, "Mary."

Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"

What struck me was Jesus' perspective. Can you imagine his excitement? I mean, he's just beaten the grave. He's just conquered sin and death! He's got the scoop on the BEST NEWS EVER!!! And now, here's his chance to tell the world "I'm BAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!" And what does Jesus say to trumpet his resurrection? With overflowing joy (like a parent on Christmas morning getting ready to see the kids open presents) he whispers, "Mary."

FLASH - THE LIGHT GOT TURNED ON FOR MARY. She now knew her Lord had indeed RISEN!

"Mary." So much was said in one word.

You could tack on:

"Mary, I rose for you."

"Mary, I rose for a common street hooker."

"Mary, I rose for the undesirables of society."

"Mary, I rose for women, the 'property' of that day."

"Mary, I rose for people like you who bless me with their sold-out worship." (the jar of nard)

"Mary, I rose for..."

And it continues.

In our context God celebrates each time a person has those "lightbulb" moments of awareness of Him. And so he has said in the past, says now in the present, and will say in the future our names, as we come into greater consciousness of our GREAT GOD! He repeats:

"Dan."

"Lisa."

"Anna."

"Sophie."

"Sylvia."

"Bob."

"Corey."

"Matt."

"Gene."

"Maggie."

"Aaron."

"Dustin."

"Jason."

"Jeff."

"Karen."

"Eric."

"Kim."

"(fill in your name here)."

International Hat Mondays - We're Back Baby!

Oui, oui. We are in Paris! And yes, I consider my wife a hottie!

She's decked out in a Rasberry Beret. The kind you find in a second hand store... uh... except for this is Disney... so it like costs $80 for just about anything, including a hat. We were going to have "Vukmirovich" or "Griswold" or something embroidered on the front of 4 matching ones but we figured that might have already been done. So, we just stuck with the picture.

France in Epcot - Rating = C+

It looks cool but not a whole lot there. A film that's kinda boring and really expensive food. The street entertainment was good last year with acrobats.

Au revoir!

By Popular Request... The Culps Video on the Web

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to share with you a little piece of our lives this past month. We did a spoof on SNL's "The Culps" for our volunteer night at Granger Community Church. We finally had a chance to upload this for your viewing pleasure. Thanks to everyone for their very kind remarks. Here's the link:

International Hat Monday on... Tuesday!!!

This week: Morocco! Yes, we pretty much ran through Morocco this year and took about 20 pictures. Anna is pictured with native head garb. Mostly the photo-op thing this year. Last year, (below) on the other hand, was a bit more special:


Anna, lost her first tooth in Morocco, at the Tangierine Cafe. The crazy thing was that she lost it during a ticklefest with her friends, the Oldenbergs, from Grand Rapids (pictured) that we met down there. She lost her tooth and it was bleeding but we couldn't find the tooth. THE TOOTHFAIRY WAS GOING TO BE A NO-SHOW!!! That didn't sit well with Anna, so we looked all over for the tooth. Yes, the booth we sat at was rather dark, and yes, a main staple of Moroccan dining is rice. A five year old's tooth is about the size of a grain of cooked rice. So, after we searched through much food on the floor that had probably seen time in other people's mouths, we finally found the tooth! And yes, the toothfairy made her first appearance that night! Here's a happy Anna after we found the tooth:

International Hat Mondays Part III!

Ya, fer sure! The Viking Hats in Norway were certainly a treat! One thing I must say about Norwegians, very clean. The movie that you see about Norway makes everything look spic and span. I think I'd like to visit someday, but I think stuff is way expensive.

More later. Just keeping the people happy with this new series that is incredibly important to our lives - no not the Pure Sex series at GCC, the International Hat Mondays thing! Yeah, that's it... Okay... I'll go sleep now....

International Hat Mondays Part Dos!

Mi casa es tu casa... uh... como esta... uh... nachos bellgrande....


Yes, it's Mexico this week. And Epcot's version of Mexico is most cool in the fact that it feels very much like a scene from The Three Amigos when El Guapo holds a fiesta in his own honor. Favorite quote: "Hefe, would you say that I have a plethora of pinatas?" And yes, the Three Amigos taught me a cool vocabulary words PLELTHORA - an abundant amount.

I hate to say it though, the boat ride that they take you on through "modern" Mexico is a movie that kind of plays as you float by. I'm honestly embarassed for the Mexican people by this representation. It's about 20+ years old! Going for retro in the unintentional way. For all it's cheese though, I give Epcot Mexico a solid B rating.

At long last... Foreign Hat Mondays!

As we journeyed around the world last month - okay, it was just around Epcot at Disney - we had some photo ops with hats from each country we visited. Our first entry: Canada, eh! Land of the Maple Leaf, land of hockey, land of a wacked out government run healthcare system...


Did I mention how cool "The Lion King" show was at Animal Kingdom? Oh yeah. Way cool. Disney's finest live show outside of Broadway.

Back from Disney Part I

Yes, it was AWESOME! Okay, we had a couple of days of rain, but our temps hung out mostly in the lower 70's. Not bad considering it's now 2 degress in South Bend!!! Well, I thought I'd share a few photos from our trip.


The second day at Magic Kingdom, Anna and Sophie thought they'd "goof" around a little.

And yes, a pic with the BIG CHEESE himself!

"Why don't you come with me little girls - on a magic carpet ride!?"

And finally, THE RIDE of the vacation for the Vukmirovich family. Did I mention that we went on this ride NINE times! Yes, NINE times! We got soaked only about 6 of the 9. Most fun though.

5 cool things on the trip:
1. The Disney Dining Plan - this is the last I'll mention it, but anyone going to Disney MUST use this plan. SO WORTH what you pay. We truly ate like kings and queens. Le Cellier in Canada at Epcot was a great recommend by our friend Lindsay. Great service, great food, and available through the dining plan. Great Filet and New York Strip.
2. The $11.99 refills for life mug at any of the Disney resorts. You can bring this cup back over and over until you're old and grey and it doesn't cost any more. Good deal.
3. Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom - check out www.disneyeverest.com for a cool interactive site.

Pic from the start of the ride. Based on the ascent to the top. Watch out for the YETI!

The top of Everest

This is the top of the ride where the YETI has destroyed the track! No way to go except BACKWARD! Yep, you kick it into gear going backward on this ride. Mostly in darkness from this point on. By far, the coolest coaster I've experienced at Disney.
Also,check out how Disney just promoted this www.wdwmagic.com/everest_pressrelease.htm. Pretty over the top, no pun intended!
4. World Showcase Players at Epcot. These people do such a great job with improv. Our kids loved it.

5. The beauty of seeing Sophie play in the ocean for the first time! What a great example of full commitment to the moment. She didn't mind that the water temp in the Atlantic was 59 degrees! It was really beautiful.


More later.

My Taffy Valentine

One cool tradition in Lisa's family has been that of making taffy. The picture below shows Lisa and I making a batch in our garage.


It's pretty simple really. Very few ingredients - karo syrup, sugar, butter, whipping cream, parafin (yeah, that's wax that you ingest), and a little vanilla + nuts for flavoring. Then you heat it up to 252 degrees - no more, no less or it is rock hard or stickier than duct tape. After it's cooked, the taffy is then cooled on a marble slab. Wait a while and then the pulling begins. Two people start "working" it - technical term in the taffy industry - which helps it cool. Later, after it hardens some, you begin to take turns pulling it on the taffy hook shown in the upper left corner of the pic. Finally, after it is the right consistency you take it inside to cut and wrap it. Of course a few tastes here and there are a must.

The great thing about taffy is that it's not meant to be made alone. The saying "it takes two to tango" also works for "it takes two to taffy". The best part is doing this together. Lisa is the love of my life and there is no one I would rather pull taffy with. She makes my heart sing. She is "My Taffy Valentine" - so sweet! I love you honey!

Hey from FLA!

Just wanted to say HEY from the land of oranges, palm trees, and retirees. We're having a great time relaxing from our vacation at Disney. This sounds odd to take a vacation from your vacation, but after each day walking around 5 miles and running on occasion to catch a bus, we need it! Anna and Sophie absolutely loved Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom! We literally rode it NINE times!

We liked our hotel, but Anna would like to try All-Star Movies if we come back next year. More updates and pix when we get back!

Disneyworld - Here we come!!!

Look out Disney, here we come! Oh yeah, baby! 6 days in the parks, then 4 days of relaxation on the beach. Little piece of advice for anyone going. Check out the Park Hopper Plus Dining option when you hit the parks. Each day you get a counter service meal (entree, side and drink), a full service meal (sit down - appetizer, entree, drink, dessert), and a snack (ice cream/drink). TIP IS INCLUDED! We're loving it. The price all of this is certainly way below what it would cost to purchase separately. Also, check out www.mousesavers.com as a site to find savings. We went with WDWVacations.com for our travel agent and have been very satisfied. The lady we worked with was Andrea Rollins. Very knowledgeable and helpful.

Top 5 Things We Want to Do:
1. Splash Mountain - best ride with overall theme/thrill and length
2. It's a Small World - looking forward to seeing what they've done with remodel last year
3. Soaring - Amazingly cool ride in Epcot where you basically "fly" over California
4. Crush's Under the Sea - most excellent interactive thingy in FutureWorld at Epcot
5. Lion King Show - way impressive broadway style show at Animal Kingdom

Updates and best moments when we get back!

Digital Performer Here I Come

Okay. So I'm totally not a tech geek. I'm kinda like, "just make sure it works and don't ask me to fix it." So the thought of me taking on this program which is known for it's steep learning curve may make you question my sanity. But nonetheless, I really feel that God has called me to this. My thoughts are that He has a purpose that might even be beyond what I can actually do with it and more to how I can help my girls benefit from it's use. We'll see. My six year old has several songs to her credit, but I'm not bragging. My friend Gene is going to be my major lifeline in helping me get through the initial stages of learning. Only a 995 page manual to read through. See you next October...

You Like Me... You REALLY Like Me!

I'm dating myself here by using this quote. Sally Field's famous Oscar acceptance speech started out with this catch phrase. I'm kinda wondering if we all don't wear a shirt like this one. I think it would be more accurate if it had a question mark at the end of it. "You like me? You REALLY like me?"

I'm speaking from my own experience here. No matter where we're at, who we're with, we often fall into the "do you like me?" mindset. For me it conjures up nightmares of the 8th grade hallway before school. Do I cruise the halls with my friends checking in with "the cool people" or do I play it safe and hang out outside the bandroom with the other band geeks? What it comes down to for me is simply acceptance. Am I accepted or part of this group or am I not?

Mars Hill Bible Church's Pastor Rob Bell quotes his wife on her definition of what's SEXY: "It's someone who's comfortable in their own skin." I would like to also transfer this same definition to someone who is likeable. I think the most likeable people are people who are comfortable with themselves. Comfortable enough to be fully present in a given social setting; not have to dominate or compete in that setting; and ultimately show genuine interest in others. Whenever someone feels the need to dominate or control a given setting, he/she automatically emits a "not cool" vibe which can send people away like bad B.O. The basis of this need for control is fear.

Here's something that I've been brewing on for a few days: FEAR KILLS COMMUNITY. In every shape and form. Fear brings out the worst in community: lack of trust, superficiality, competition, jealousy, envy, - you name the sin. Looking back over my life as an approval addict, I realize how much of my time has been spent motivated by this fear of rejection. Particularly in the area of competition. I have that alpha male syndrome that crowds out other males because of fear of competition. I often "image manage" to make myself look better, causing me not to be fully present in a given setting but looking for a way to control the situation to make me look good. Big confessions here.

I've thought about what the opposite of this fear is and came up with this: LOVE FEEDS COMMUNITY. Also in every shape and form. Love brings out the best in community. "Pefect love drives out all fear." 1 John 4:18. The Corinthians "love chapter 13" talks about this kind of love: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Not self seeking! Ouch! Not envious! Eww! Not boastful? But what about me!!!?

So what does this mean for me? I can tell you this, that since God has planted this in my heart, I will do my very best to simply BE. I apologize to all those who I have tried my not-so-crafty skills of image management on. No more. I'm done.

Final thought - I guess I need a new t-shirt. I think it will say, without being overly egotistic: "I Like Me." Anyone know a good, cheap, custom t-shirt place?

Just What is Relevant?

A friend of mine and I were speaking of the topic of relevance which is often spoken about or at least inferred in the way that modern ministry is done. What he brought up was the fact that our Christmas Eve services, which hosted 9000+ people, had a great sense of relevance while not all of it was current.

There seems to be a false sense out there that RELEVANT = CURRENT.

I think that this isn't necessarily always the case. Sometimes an older song, a hymn even, might really fit the flow of a given service. Jason Miller, my friend and fellow worship leader, talks about what is helpful. I think this is essential to our thinking about designing services. If we can consider what is most helpful and then possibly what is most current to our audience, that might be a slightly better way to think. Your thoughts?

Yep, It's Time, I'm Back

I am a serious pragmatist. Especially with regards to time. I really want serious bang for the proverbial buck when it comes to my use of time. This doesn't mean that I'm totally organized when it comes to my use of time (I'm working on this). So maybe this is why I haven't written in a while. Or perhaps I reallly didn't have a whole lot to say. Kinda like now where I'm rambling. One way cool thing is that I'm blogging now for the first time from my brand spanking new Power Mac G5! Oh yeah baby! She's got POWER. Dual 2.3 Ghz processors. I thought I'd show you a pic:



So now I need to really learn how to harness the power of this thing. I made my first iMovie of my daughter Anna's 1st Grade play, The Three Little Pigs, where she played the Big Bad Wolf. She's the cute one with a black shirt and a wolf hat:



More later.