Tim Harlow

Beautiful Feet

The summer affords us all some time to catch up with people and relationships. I love the summer weather and the fresh food and the blockbuster movies and all of that. But what I really love is some extra time to catch up. I hope you get some of that this holiday weekend. A lot of “catching up” for me will be with fellow pastors. I’ll be at a convention next week in Cincinnati (because who doesn’t want to spend the 4^th of July week in Cincinnati) and that will really be the point of most of the week for me. I love hanging out with my two brothers-in-law who are pastors, and will do that this summer. And one of my “Stinkling” guys was in town yesterday. Eddie Lowen pastors a great church in Springfield. He and Sharon are dear friends and it was great to hang with them. And the day before I got to catch up with Bob Bouwer from Faith Church in Dyer. 

Can I just pay honor to my brothers and sisters doing ministry for a profession? 

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15 

I’m so proud to see Brian Hunt and Casey Tygrett and our next generation of preachers who have decided to have beautiful feet. Casey is finishing up his Doctorate this summer, and Brian has been to the doctor many times. So proud of them and our entire staff team. 

I tweeted (@tlharlow is my twittery name) this verse this past week. 

Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation. Psalm 71:18

So glad to see the next generation taking the power! 

I’m proud of my Lauren who has beautiful feet in South America right now. You can follow Lauren in Bolivia at http://laurenharlowblog.blogspot.com/ 

And proud of our kids headed to the Czech Republic next Tuesday – to teach English and Jesus.  We also have kids going to Oklahoma and Tennessee. 

You can look at a previous blog from a few weeks ago and see all the “beautiful feet” we have out there right now.

I’m just reflecting on my good fortune to be surrounded by great feet, young and old. I LOVE being sent. I love helping to send. I love beautiful feet. I hope you have them. I hope you don’t think you need a degree or a full time job at a church to have beautiful feet. That would have ruled out Christianity ever making it out of the first century, wouldn’t it? 

Take some good news to someone this week. It’s your job too. 

I found this Psalm in my quiet time this morning. 

O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old—what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. Psalm 78:1-4 

What else could be more important than the “praiseworthy deeds of the Lord?” 

Tim

What a “Head” Case!

Father's Day was a Head case, in every way possible!

 

'Head' (AKA Brian Welch...former lead guitarist for KoRn) was AWESOME!
 
 

Having Head here really freed me up to be the big dork I really am (me and Casey and Bill and Brian, et.al)!  We rocked the video, "Dad's Life," which was completely borrowed from our friends at Church on the Move – it’s just funnier when it’s your own pastors!

If you weren't there (and 7,000 of you were!), here's the video starting with Dad's Life, my crazy entrance, and then right into the interview with Head.

VIDEO OF FATHER'S DAY 2011 @ PARKVIEW!

It was a great Father’s Day for me, with a surprise video from my kids – two of whom are not even on this continent. [Keep up with Lauren in Bolivia!]

At the end of the day, worshipping Jesus on the front row of Parkview Christian Church with my new friend, the rock star, was just about, well – “it just doesn’t get any better than this!”

 

Tim

P.S. BTW – speaking of interviews… Josh Hamilton was on David Letterman last week and really stood up for Christ.  [Here's the interview on YouTube.]

 

A Proud and Broken Heart

I'm so proud of 264 people !! who signed up to help us love locally this past weekend. They will be serving the poor and the neglected and the abused and the Jesus' 'least of these' this summer. I'm SO EXCITED for what will happen in our community and to our people. You can still sign up by contacting Brian Oswald – brian.oswald@parkviewchurch.com.

I know my blog has mostly been about my family lately. It’s because my life has been about my family lately. It’s literally been overwhelming. My whelm is over. I’m glad we didn’t have 4 kids:) 

So we put Lauren on a plane to South America yesterday. She’s moving there (with 115 pounds of gifts and shampoo and stuff – yes I weighed it) to work with street girls in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Website (mostly in Spanish) Mosoj Yan and  here is an English site talking about it. Sustainable Bolivia.

“Mosoj Yan” translates as “new road.” It’s a place where street girls/child prostitutes can be rescued, detoxed, educated, loved and given a large dose of Jesus. Lauren is a Psych major and is especially interested in the psychological aspect of helping these girls and will be working directly with a resident psychologist (who will be gone some, leaving Lauren in charge:)). She’s doing this through Wheaton College’s HNGR program which has 22 kids all over the world this summer and first semester of next year.  Lauren will be there for 6 months.

You will be able to follow her and pray for her at Lauren's Blog.

We’re off to a great start so far. Her plane was late into Miami and she missed the only flight to Bolivia until Thursday night – so she’s getting a little pre-trip Sabbath at the Miami Marriott. It’s so typical with mission trips – to get stuff screwed up. I mean seriously. Satan obviously doesn’t want us doing these things. I bet I could fly to Vegas to gamble a thousand times and never have a problem!

Satan is the Prince of the Air!

Anyway, please pray for her – BUT – we also have a ton of other people, especially kids, out on the field this summer.

We have a group of kids in the Czech Republic again this summer. Erin Stai, Josh Shaw, Zac Felice, Katrina Mixson, Brit Norris, Max Shaw, Caleb Harmon, Christa Kordik, Trevor Rigsby, Shelby Wegforth, Becca Harlow, Isaac Withrow, Paige Cooper, Danny Hartnett, Courtney Kodat, along with Tarne and Sean Mixson. They will be there July 5-18 teaching English at a High School.

They spend a week at the camp creating relationships with the Czechs, sharing their faith and then doing home visits at the end of the time there. They will also be leading in Radek Kolarek's church on Sunday July 17. This will be the 5th year that we have partnered with Garaz572 (Radek's ministry). They have been able to witness over 25 Czech's accept Jesus at the English Camp throughout the previous years.

Kristin Seefeldt – is in Jamaica all summer at the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf.

Katlyn Vosler will be in Uganda from June 23 through August 10 with Teen Missions International. She'll be working with Teen Missions and serving the orphans in Uganda. They will be washing their feet and then giving them socks and shoes so that they can attend school. There will be opportunities for evangelism through puppet ministry, music and drama. 

Mikayla Vosler will be in Zambia from June 12 through July 30 with Teen Missions International. She'll travel by motorcycle to various remote locations to assist in the teaching of Sunday Schools, literacy classes, and Bible quizzes. She'll also be working one-on-one with orphans for those that want to learn how to read.

John Scott – who grew up in this church planted a church a few weeks ago – Crosspoint Lutheran Church.

Emily Perkins is currently in Africa working with Missions of Hope International.

Mindy Jackson is currently training with Pioneer Bible Translators and is looking to be on the field in Africa sometime at the beginning of 2012.

Nolan Scott will be in Sudan in July on a site visit to continue his work with Frontiers and investigating the possibility of a long term commitment there.

Elena Forsythe is working with Frontiers to possibly be in Pakistan in the near future.

And we have a group in Cuba right now taking the funds to build a leadership training center for training new pastors.

This group of 13 just returned from a medical mission trip in Brazil down the Amazon River. Dave Anderson, Julie Conry, Joe Galan, Shelly Galan, Rich Gilbert, Kathy Glenn, Jack Martin, Eric Pritchard, Jim Rayson, Priscilla Sandoval, Janice Sosnowski, Lauren Tatum, and Matt Wilson. 

Parkview’s first trip to the Amazon was filled with many unknowns, capturing & eating alligator, trading fuel with a stranded boat in exchange for fresh piranha (which they ate for dinner the next day), sleeping in a “hedgy” (Brazilian hammock), treating 300 Amazon natives, and evening church services which included dodging giant moths larger than any North American bats! The very best take away is the fact that many of the villages they visited had never been introduced to the Gospel before. Fulfilling prophecy by sharing the Gospel to the “Ends of the Earth” was an amazing blessing. 

I’m so proud of the way Parkview gets this!

The Wheaton kids put together this HNGR (Human Needs Global Resources) covenant: 

Lord, you are holy and your love is without limit. Thank you for hearing our prayer.

Most Merciful God,

We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

Gracious Father, we are compelled to love you because you first loved us, and we are called to pursue you because you first pursued us.

Holy Spirit, bind us together in a covenant of love and unity, enabling us to serve you and each other with our whole heart. Where there is fear, we choose to be rooted in love; Where there is death, life; Where there is pride, thanks; Where there is despair, hope;

Lord Jesus, in the midst of our brokenness in a broken world, we know that you are with us and that your kingdom is present among us. Yet, we see poverty and starvation, disease and discord, conflict and oppression. We know that your kingdom is not fully realized. In faith, we declare your power over all things and call on you to act on behalf of your people. Grant us your grace, that we may see your goodness as we walk in the land of the living. Come, Lord Jesus, the world longs for your promised restoration.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. 

THAT WILL PREACH!  

TIM

Acts 20:24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

 

Life is a Rollercoaster

 
I should write a country song. “Life is a Highway” just doesn’t work unless it’s a highway in Colorado. Life is certainly not a highway in Illinois. It’s up and down, and twisty.

Monday night, my youngest daughter Becca graduated from High School.

 

I can’t tell you how proud I am of Becca. Not that she graduated from HS, she’s smart and driven – that part is not a big deal for her. I’m proud of who she is. She is going to change the world (and with my luck – a different part of the world than the one I live in). She is headed to Biola University in Los Angeles to study “intercultural studies” (world missions) and business and continue her Spanish.

Becca has always walked in some pretty big sister shoes, and she’s done it very well. She’s her own person, but she definitely has that drive to take Jesus to the world that they all got (from their mother – seriously – everything, but the hair is from their mother).

I really think that we survived the emotions of the wedding and will be okay losing Lauren to Bolivia for 6 months, because she’ll be back. But losing Becca is going to be really tough. Not just because she’s the baby and empty nest and such – but because we love her so much and are REALLY going to miss her. Dang.

 
But then we got a major reality check on Saturday morning when we got the call that two of our Parkview kids were in the hospital hanging on for dear life after separate accidents. Justin Wiscons is in the Navy and married to Jenny Rhodes. They met and married here. They both are good family friends – Justin went to school with our Rachel. Good news there is that he was released from the hospital today. He had brain trauma and has a long way to go, but he’s good.

Kristin Hartnett has been more like extended family for us. The Hartnetts have been with us on this journey of Parkview almost all the way through. They are the sweetest and bestest people in the world. And Kristin is still in ICU. She’s a miracle to this point, but we still need a lot of prayers for both of these kids.

If you want to keep up with Kristin, you can do so here: Kristin Hartnett

Please be praying!

It was a reality check for all of us into the brevity of life. I know we’re going to miss Becca, but she’s got work to do for Jesus and the time is short – so it’s time. Justin and Kristin do too. Kristin was supposed to start her internship with us this week in the student ministry, where she has already been a leader.

I jokingly told her that we gave her spot away today. I tear up as I recall the sly smile she gave me through the many tubes – and the squeeze of her hand. She’s got a long way to go – but God has plans for her.

Life is short – Jesus saves – let’s go do something about it!  (somebody tweet that)

The weekend was a great celebration as Chris Medina from American Idol shared about commitment with us.

 
 

 
And as hundreds of couples – including us – renewed their vows to each other in front of God.

 
 
Life is a rollercoaster.  If you’ve got someone to share it with – be glad!  And love them today.

Please stop and pray right now for my mother-in-law, Carol Vernon. She's undergoing disk fusion surgery this morning. She has Parkinsons and is 73 years old so this is not going to be easy. Please pray for this amazing woman.

Tim

Royal Wedding 2

Okay — how can I get this all into one blog?  How can I have room to express all the ways we are so grateful for our family — church family and blood family?

The wedding was awesome.  Yes, I cried.  Seems to be the most common question ☺  Duh!

 
It all started really when his family came in last Monday and Tuesday.  We had a great time getting to know them on Tuesday - took an architectural boat tour and Lou Malnati’s pizza.

Then we hurried home to figure out what to do about the fact that one of the bridesmaids had been sent the wrong dress.  (You will never be able to tell which dress was made on Thursday by our new hero seamstress Brenda Michuda!)

Wednesday most of our family was in and we split up and had the boys’ party and the girls’ party. 

You know it’s a safe “stag” party when the father of the bride is invited and he’s a pastor.  But we did have a blast!  Thanks in part to the Party bus - Limos Alive What a great way to get a bunch of people around town!

So it turns out the manager of the best brewery in Chicago - Goose Island is a Parkview guy so we got a private tour of the brewery – which is heaven for Brits.  Then we went and ate and decided to go down by Wrigley to show them some form of a baseball stadium (Sox were out of town).  Well it was the 4^th inning and cold and rainy so we bought really cheap tickets off some scalpers and actually got in. I just wanted them to experience the bathrooms. :)

We watched about an inning and were freezing so my Cubs’ friend decided to buy the poor groom a Cubs’ jacket – just to try to start some kind of bad karma in my family.

 
Did I mention that I was wearing my Sox jacket inside of Wrigley? You bet.

Thursday was very busy with details and tuxes and such.  Rehearsal went well. The Auditorium was decorated by my wife and Debbie Burke and was just transformed.

The wedding went off very smoothly.  Sean Mixson, who has been our daughters’ Youth Pastor most of their lives, officiated and I gave the bride away and did the sermon part.

I really don’t think it could have gone any better. It was priceless. And we had plenty of scones and tea (we still have a few if you’d like to try one). The great thing is that any leftovers can be used at Becca’s graduation party in 11 days!

We had a tremendous party afterwards with our families and they started their honeymoon downtown for the weekend. Then they came back through on Monday for a few hours to repack for England. They are in Europe now. Ash’s visa situation is still not resolved so they will be finishing that up and then coming back in a month or so. And they can have a reception over there and honeymoon in Europe – which is cool.

Then  they will move to Nashville where they have rented a house and he has a real job! Not like a musician thing. A real job.

So we’re off to the next thing – Becca’s graduation from HS. But before we transition our brains into the next major event, I just want to say how grateful I am for my families.

All of our family pitched in so much. Making stuff, organizing, cleaning – wow, it was a lot. And they came early and stayed late – we are so fortunate to have such a great family. We love you all. 

But family doesn’t stop at blood lines for us. We’ve lived in this Parkview Family for over 21 years now – actually more time than we’ve lived with our real family come to think of it. We had so much help from our church family. Keeping our relatives, making scones, working to move tables, and decorate, and throw the shower, and etc., etc.

I can’t say enough how grateful we are to be here. And how rewarding it was to share our daughter’s wedding with a room full of people whom we love and who love us so much. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. We have a mission here - of that there is no doubt, but like the first church – we are more than people on a mission. We are the family of God.

I couldn’t begin to name all the church friends and staff friends who took such good care of us without forgetting a ton of them. 

I just want to say thank you for adopting our family!

 
If I can do some product placement (which I can, since it’s my blog and you can’t stop me) I want to say that these pictures are the work of Brooklyn Anhalt (our student pastor Jason’s wife) and she is awesome. Lovely Life Photography

 
Video was done by Scott Joseph’s scott@pixstudio.org and Barry Tegel barry.tegel@parkviewchurch.com .  And DJing was done by Chuck Mitchell chuckmitchell@sbcglobal.net.

None of them asked me for product placement, I just know that many of you will ask – so there you go. Might as well get a good product from a PCC person.

 
A couple of weeks ago, I had a friend tell me that his daughter’s wedding was one of the best days of his life. It really struck me because I was just stressing over the details of it all. But it caused me to reflect more and I would have to agree with him now. It was one of those moments you dread and look forward to all at the same time. And it was awesome.

Btw – if you want that song that Rachel’s friends Molly and Patrick did at church last weekend click here Wedding Song. 

It’s not too late to sign up for the Parrots’ Marriage Seminar.

Don’t miss Chris Medina this weekend – singing and a short interview. And we are doing a mass vow renewal too – to finish the “Flip this Marriage” series strong.  I have a renewed passion for it. :)

Tim