Last week we had an incredible thing happen. Here is the back story. Over 2 years ago, I shared with Michelle that I wanted to be able to send every Oak Ridge Elementary student home on Friday with enough food to feed their family over the 48 hour weekend. The problem is that 452 students represents approximately 2000 people.
Last Thursday, Michelle was asked to meet with the great folks at the Sacramento Food Bank. These incredible people have shared the same vision but didn't have the mechanism to disseminate the food. We didn't have the food. Together, we are stronger.
The beautiful people of Oak Park are often under nourished. We hold in our hand the ability to serve...to give...to go.
We have the ability to do it because it is the right thing with no other motive.
Imagine the impact when we launch this on October 16th. On this day, we will do our first distribution. We need volunteers to have a passion to pursue this monumental feat of sheer logistics.
It is possible.
Much hope. More love.
JAS
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Hope Bends History
Friends.
Life is a series of steps that have the potential to bend history. These moments we can choose to impact in realms our feet have never set foot. My friend Eric Hogue just returned from the Pacific Rim. China, Phillipines, and other Asian cultures are wanting to learn. In China, they are hungry to fill the void that was left when the Red Book lost its influence.
You can be a part and it will take 3 minutes. Each of us can send Bibles to SE Asia today and tomorrow. Here is how. Call 1-800-YES-WORD to send them Bibles.
When you call, say Eric Hogue Project when you call. This will assure that the Scripture hits the villages that Eric just returned from.
Life at $4 a book.
Place the book in their hands.
Peace.
JAS
Life is a series of steps that have the potential to bend history. These moments we can choose to impact in realms our feet have never set foot. My friend Eric Hogue just returned from the Pacific Rim. China, Phillipines, and other Asian cultures are wanting to learn. In China, they are hungry to fill the void that was left when the Red Book lost its influence.
You can be a part and it will take 3 minutes. Each of us can send Bibles to SE Asia today and tomorrow. Here is how. Call 1-800-YES-WORD to send them Bibles.
When you call, say Eric Hogue Project when you call. This will assure that the Scripture hits the villages that Eric just returned from.
Life at $4 a book.
Place the book in their hands.
Peace.
JAS
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Final Video: 9G's USAF THUNDERBIRD PT 2
Yesterday's video showed the warm ups of the Thunderbird flight. This final video, shows when the action heated up. The first G roll is at marker 2:25. Second is a 3:05.
Was it the flight of a lifetime? YES!
Would I do it again? YES!
Much hope.
JHARP
Was it the flight of a lifetime? YES!
Would I do it again? YES!
Much hope.
JHARP
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
USAF Thunderbird Flight: Part 1
Last Friday, I had the flight of a life time. After my glorious ride, Royce Gough and I waited patiently in the post-flight area. The doctor popped in and congratulated me on the flight and its success. With subtle over tones, I think she was eluding a verbal high-five to the fact that I did not puke and I did not pass out. Granted, both were of high probability.
After nearly three hours of briefing, “Split,” pilot of Thunderbird 8, explained to me that he wanted to give the ride of a lifetime and allow me to experience every move that the Thunderbirds execute during their air show. However, instead of capping the ride with a 7G (Seven G-force) which is the maximum experienced during the show, he would throttle our flight an hopefully hit 9G’s.
With light cloud cover, we took off the tarmac and immediately hit 6+G’s as we went into a vertical climb to approximately 18,000 feet. After an inverted roll out, we headed to a military no-fly zone in the far north/east corner of California. Imagine, a 600 mph ride at 15000 ft, high above the Sacramento Valley. It was exhilarating.
Trying to allow the adrenalin to settle, Royce and I began to walk out. I had been cleared to leave with a clean bill of health. One of the host Thunderbirds walked over and said, “Here is a cockpit video recording. I hope you enjoyed your flight.”
I hope you enjoy Part 1 of 2.
That was the warm up. Tune in tomorrow for where is started to get a little bit crazy...
Much hope and more love,
JHARP
After nearly three hours of briefing, “Split,” pilot of Thunderbird 8, explained to me that he wanted to give the ride of a lifetime and allow me to experience every move that the Thunderbirds execute during their air show. However, instead of capping the ride with a 7G (Seven G-force) which is the maximum experienced during the show, he would throttle our flight an hopefully hit 9G’s.
With light cloud cover, we took off the tarmac and immediately hit 6+G’s as we went into a vertical climb to approximately 18,000 feet. After an inverted roll out, we headed to a military no-fly zone in the far north/east corner of California. Imagine, a 600 mph ride at 15000 ft, high above the Sacramento Valley. It was exhilarating.
Trying to allow the adrenalin to settle, Royce and I began to walk out. I had been cleared to leave with a clean bill of health. One of the host Thunderbirds walked over and said, “Here is a cockpit video recording. I hope you enjoyed your flight.”
I hope you enjoy Part 1 of 2.
That was the warm up. Tune in tomorrow for where is started to get a little bit crazy...
Much hope and more love,
JHARP
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I Think I Can Fly.
Wow.
To say I am speechless is an understatement. To say I am stoked is also an understatement. I can’t focus, I can’t stand it. I wish it was already Friday at 10 AM
I am overwhelmed and rarely speechless because on Friday I get to take the Flight of a Lifetime. Think Top Gun. Think Dangerzone.
Think USAF THUNDERBIRDS.
Think 9G’s, 800 miles and hour, and inverted barrel rolls.
USAF calls it the "Flight of a Lifetime." On Friday At 10AM, complete in a G-Suit and Flight gear, I will fly in the F18 with the Thunderbirds starting from Mather Field. Off the tarmac, a 13,000 ft vertical climb will be exhilarating and thrilling and only take seconds to achieve.
This will be the closest thing to a rocket launch that I have every experienced. The Thunderbirds are the elite of the elite of jet pilots with our Armed Forces and are in town this weekend for the Capital Air Show.
Look into the Sacramento skies at the plane that is flying inverted at the speed of sound.
Here is the media Link:
http://indytransponder.blogspot.com/2009/09/two-sacramento-heroes-take-flight-of.html
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Out the Backdoor?
It’s alarming when you really grasp the numbers. Recently I stumbled across a statistic that explained the fact that many people no longer find value in being involved with a church or faith-based community. What used to be common for Christians was involvement in a weekend service. Today that assumption can’t be made. According to the stat, a third group has emerged to stand alongside the “churched and unchurched.” It is the “once-churched.” Essentially, it is a group of people who at one time (in their adulthood) attended regularly but for whatever reason stopped going. I am interested in the “whatever reason.”
I asked some who I know. Some said the cost of going was higher than the reward of going. The “once-churched” I talked to described a list of do’s and don’ts, early start times, cliques, irrelevant teachings, and lack of trust as the reasons they decided to skip out on going to a church. When I pressed further it came down to trust. They did not trust that it would be worth their time, energy and effort to attend, yet maintained their value of spirituality.
The “once-churched” number are in the millions. Many slipped out the church’s back door and nobody realized they were gone. No one called. No one reached out. It only further reinforced their perceptions. Bitter and feeling betrayed in their heart, most still wanted to connect with God; just not at the church. Sad. These are good people.
What would happen if every church poured over their attender’s list and identified the people who were no longer there? What if they called, sent a card, letter, or dropped by to say, “We completely missed it. We are SORRY that we failed you. We need to get better at what we do. We don’t expect you to attend here, but please consider finding some place to reconnect?” What would happen?
It is not about increasing attendance. It is about being a peace maker to those who are offended, bitter, broken, and betrayed.
If you read this and it described your experience, on behalf of pastoral leadership and clergy, we want to say we are sorry. If trust has been broken, please forgive the person, pastor, or church community that failed you. They just missed it and though they have not said it, they miss you. Try it again. Try a new place. Consider connecting again. It may sooth the soul.
Much hope and more love,
Jason
I asked some who I know. Some said the cost of going was higher than the reward of going. The “once-churched” I talked to described a list of do’s and don’ts, early start times, cliques, irrelevant teachings, and lack of trust as the reasons they decided to skip out on going to a church. When I pressed further it came down to trust. They did not trust that it would be worth their time, energy and effort to attend, yet maintained their value of spirituality.
The “once-churched” number are in the millions. Many slipped out the church’s back door and nobody realized they were gone. No one called. No one reached out. It only further reinforced their perceptions. Bitter and feeling betrayed in their heart, most still wanted to connect with God; just not at the church. Sad. These are good people.
What would happen if every church poured over their attender’s list and identified the people who were no longer there? What if they called, sent a card, letter, or dropped by to say, “We completely missed it. We are SORRY that we failed you. We need to get better at what we do. We don’t expect you to attend here, but please consider finding some place to reconnect?” What would happen?
It is not about increasing attendance. It is about being a peace maker to those who are offended, bitter, broken, and betrayed.
If you read this and it described your experience, on behalf of pastoral leadership and clergy, we want to say we are sorry. If trust has been broken, please forgive the person, pastor, or church community that failed you. They just missed it and though they have not said it, they miss you. Try it again. Try a new place. Consider connecting again. It may sooth the soul.
Much hope and more love,
Jason
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Once 324 Lbs.
I remember when it hit me the hardest. I was sitting in a coffee shop with a group of city pastors in Sacramento. We had gathered for prayer and then for breakfast. As we all stirred our coffee, one of the pastors quieted the table to gain everyone’s attention. With silence gained, he directed his question to me.
“So Jason, seriously, how much do you weigh? 280, 290, surely not 300? Come on, Jas, tell us.”
I wanted to die. Better yet, I wanted to kill. I felt a cold bead of sweat running down my forehead. I was humiliated. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I was at 324 pounds.
That was the year 2000. A lot has changed. How it changed is not as important as why it changed. I realized that I had an issue out of control in my life. I was a husband, I was a dad, I was a pastor, and I had a problem that was out of control.
Before Christ, I drank way to much. When I discovered Christ's love for me, those around me made it clear that my drunkenness was not going to work. I was trying to drown out my internal pain. But because showing up to church drunk wasn’t going to fly, I learned that gorging myself after church wasn’t a problem.
I traded addictions. From a drunk to a glutton.
I ate to celebrate. I ate to comfort, I ate to…fill in the blank… I found a reason.
It wasn’t until that painful question was asked of me that I realized food had become my drug of choice. I began to notice things in my life that were out of control, but all the while, Jesus’ comfort was leading and helping me navigate the dysfunction, the root cause. And in the midst of it, I learned firsthand Jesus loved me, even in the hypocrisy of my gluttony.
As a pastor, I had learned how to rail at great length about “sin.” I tackled every sin I could think of. I blasted people for lust, immorality, drunkenness, addiction, etc…the only one I left out was gluttony.
My hypocrisy knew no bounds. As I railed, my jowls jiggled. As I used words to cut, my three chins dangled. Yes, I was a mess, but Jesus loved the glutton. He loved me despite my hypocrisy.
Now, nearly a decade has passed and I weigh 190 lbs. Five years ago, I found a new addiction: running. It has given me the confidence to go public with my journey.
I still struggle with the dark side of battling obesity. I have never spoken publicly about my weight. In fact, this blog is the first time I have written about it. Running helps me breathe, think, pray, and remember. Often on a run, I thank God that he loved me through the insanity. Jesus loves the glutton.
Today is a day for a fresh start. Maybe your world is being filled with darkness and despair. Maybe weight is a battle you are fighting. This chunky kid from California understands.
Realize, even with this, God is near.
Much hope,
Jason
“So Jason, seriously, how much do you weigh? 280, 290, surely not 300? Come on, Jas, tell us.”
I wanted to die. Better yet, I wanted to kill. I felt a cold bead of sweat running down my forehead. I was humiliated. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I was at 324 pounds.
That was the year 2000. A lot has changed. How it changed is not as important as why it changed. I realized that I had an issue out of control in my life. I was a husband, I was a dad, I was a pastor, and I had a problem that was out of control.
Before Christ, I drank way to much. When I discovered Christ's love for me, those around me made it clear that my drunkenness was not going to work. I was trying to drown out my internal pain. But because showing up to church drunk wasn’t going to fly, I learned that gorging myself after church wasn’t a problem.
I traded addictions. From a drunk to a glutton.
I ate to celebrate. I ate to comfort, I ate to…fill in the blank… I found a reason.
It wasn’t until that painful question was asked of me that I realized food had become my drug of choice. I began to notice things in my life that were out of control, but all the while, Jesus’ comfort was leading and helping me navigate the dysfunction, the root cause. And in the midst of it, I learned firsthand Jesus loved me, even in the hypocrisy of my gluttony.
As a pastor, I had learned how to rail at great length about “sin.” I tackled every sin I could think of. I blasted people for lust, immorality, drunkenness, addiction, etc…the only one I left out was gluttony.
My hypocrisy knew no bounds. As I railed, my jowls jiggled. As I used words to cut, my three chins dangled. Yes, I was a mess, but Jesus loved the glutton. He loved me despite my hypocrisy.
Now, nearly a decade has passed and I weigh 190 lbs. Five years ago, I found a new addiction: running. It has given me the confidence to go public with my journey.
I still struggle with the dark side of battling obesity. I have never spoken publicly about my weight. In fact, this blog is the first time I have written about it. Running helps me breathe, think, pray, and remember. Often on a run, I thank God that he loved me through the insanity. Jesus loves the glutton.
Today is a day for a fresh start. Maybe your world is being filled with darkness and despair. Maybe weight is a battle you are fighting. This chunky kid from California understands.
Realize, even with this, God is near.
Much hope,
Jason
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