the Low Down

The Influence of Coach

We all have influence.  We influence others every day whether we are trying or not.  What we say or don’t say, how we look at or don’t look at someone, and especially how we give our time or don’t give our time all send very influencing messages to the people around us. 

Have you ever stopped to think about what influence you want to make?   Let me tell you about someone who’s influence is nothing short of Unbelievable.

This week My High School Baseball coached passed away.  He was in his 70’s but none of us thought he was even at risk of losing his life.  He was still coaching the El Segundo Eagles and coaching them with the same consistent success that decades of players have come to expect.

In 50 years John Stevenson must have coached over 1000 teenage men and taught another 10,000 students at El Segundo High School.  Who gives their lives to the development of young men and Women for 50 years?  When was the last time we gave so much as an hour to invest in someone outside our own family?

As news of his passing spread, stories quickly started to pour in about the impact that Coach Stevenson has had on people over the years; Stories on the field, stories in the classroom, stories in the community and personal stories of friends. 

My story started in the stands, was developed on the field and has lived on in my pursuit of investing in others.

As a young kid my brother Phil Norris played for Coach and I watched from the stands.  The dream of one day playing for the Eagles quickly grew and grew.  Now the stories of Coach Stevenson’s, tenacity as a coach and passion as a competitor were plentiful.  You know what I’m talking about everyone of us who ever played for coach lost part of ourselves on that field courtesy of a verbal chewing.  John knew how to get his point across when we didn’t do what we were supposed to do.  He knew what it took to win and expected us all to give it our best.

In the moment it seemed harsh and we might have hated him for his strong words.  In hindsight though I have greater appreciation for what he instilled in us.  John instilled in all of us a strong work ethic.  He held us to a higher standard and he spent time with us developing us every step of the way.  He knew how difficult life was and he used baseball to develop the skills we would need to not only survive but succeed in this life.

My days of playing have long passed but what remains is the drive to be a team player, the passion to never loose hope no matter how far behind we are going into the last inning, and the value to invest in those around me.  A part of coach will live on inside me in those ways.

These days I am a Pastor and I realize that the things that made me successful in baseball are not too different than what will make me successful in Life.

-Listen to your Coach.  God truly wants me to experience life to the fullest and has given me The Bible and Jesus Christ to instruct me.

-Be Ready everyday.  God is using life situation to make me stronger, more capable, more  seasoned, more complete and more prepared to deal with life’s challenges.

-Care about the people around you.  God wants us all to work as one so we can face life together and not be on our own.

- Debrief after the game.  You cant learn from your mistakes if you aren’t aware of what they are, so be receptive to constructive criticsm.

-Be willing to sacrifice yourself for your team.  Jesus gave himself so we could get home!  It was the ultimate Suicide Squeeze!!  In the same way we need to give up our own desires so others around us can know they are cared for.

One day we all have to hang up our spikes and our Playing days are over.  I encourage all of us to live life while we can!!!

Thanks for your Inflence Coach!!! 

So have you given it any thought?  What type of influence do you want to make on others?  What do you want people to say about you after its all said and done?

 

Pastor Low Norris

Tags: Coach John Stevenson, El Segundo Baseball

Spiritual Warfare or Spiritual Development?

Seems recently that everywhere I turn people are being faced with very interesting situations in life.  Work conflicts, car crashes, deaths in the families, property damages, friendship issues, marital strains, pet tragedies and homelessness.  It seems to never end.  In some ways it seems to line up with Daryl Worley’s lyric “Sounds like life to me”.

But when they line up one after another one has to think….is there more to it?  In the church world there are some who will be quick to point straight to Spiritual Warfare.  That Satan and his crew are menacing at each step and anything that doesn’t fall into our convenient gentle lifestyle must be the work of the devil.  Others will take the opposite approach that its just life and there is no spiritual element to it at all.

As I navigate this life and spend time with more and more people I seem to think there is another more important conclusion to land on.  They are all opportunities for Spiritual development.  The less time we spend wondering where our circumstance comes from the sooner we can start understanding what God might want us to learn from it.  Romans 8:28 states “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

This week I have been reminded to look for the good that God wants to bring from the situations in my life.  Uncomfortable? yes!  Inconvenient? Yes!  Annoying? Yes!  Aggravating? Yes!  Disturbing? Yes!  Opportunities? YES!!  Growing pains are a natural part of life and the result is a mature, strong, fully developed version of our selves.  So let’s look forward to the growth.  Let’s appreciate the development and let’s look forward to being stronger so we can handle all that life has to offer.

Because after all for those of us that know Christ, this is simply a brief moment in time before we spend eternity with Him.

Pastor Low

 

 

Into the Wilderness

         I have some solid men in my life.  The kind of guys that you would go to war with.  Literally!  Guys that are trustworthy, courageous, inspiring, honest, and adventurous.  Last month we were hanging out during our normal Wednesday night Bible Study and we were talking about how distracting our lives can be with everything that is going on.  In a moment of inspiration he came up with an idea….” We need to go out to the desert”!! 

Now let me clarify what “going out to the desert means in this context.  It means heading out to the wilderness. It does not mean going out to a condo in Palm Springs.  It does not mean renting a room in Las Vegas.  It does not mean driving out for a round of Golf at La Quinta.  And it most certainly does not mean visiting friends overnight for a relaxing getaway.  It means grabbing the tents and sleeping bags and driving out to a remote road where we can set up camp.

When he threw this idea out there we were all amped.  So we settled on a date and the 3 of us began looking forward to our adventure.  Quickly three became 4 and a fifth was added and leading up to the day of the trip we had 6 guys on board.  There was another last minute adjustment to our plans. A 30 year storm that hit Southern California with the lowest snow levels it has seem in 3 decades.  It was amazing. 

So that Saturday morning we met before sunrise and began to transfer all the gear into two cars.  A Ford F150 and a Toyota Sequoia.  We were on the road in time to see the sun creep over the horizon.  We were fired up and looking forward to a day in solitude.  We made great time into Vacaville and then cut into the mountains on a side road.  The terrain was amazing everything had a fresh coat of powder turning the desert into a winter playground.  We made it to Pioneer town and took one final rest before making our way to camp. 

The main road was nothing more than worn gravel and two shoulders that could barely fit a car if it had to pull over.  We turned off to head into the foothills and were met with roads that were wide enough for one car with snow pilled high on each side of us.  We came to a fork and came to a stop.  Our guide bounced out of his car and asked…”how committed are we?”  We all said “lets do this” and with that we took the road to the left and made our way down a fresh packed road flanked with snow.  Feeling the car slip from left to right and right to left we kept going until we came around the bend only to see our guide’s car gently deposited into the snowy bank.  As we slowed our car followed suit and slid sideways into the 3 foot high white embankment. 

            It was 8am and both cars were stuck on a one way snowy trail.  At this point it is important to disclose that both truck and SUV are 2 wheel drive.  After numerous attempts to push and pull the truck free, we humbled ourselves and went up the road to ask for help.  What we thought was a road was actually a driveway and as we made it to the house we learned that the family had a party to get to and that road we were stuck on was the only way out. 

            The only help he could offer was a huge piece of used carpet.  Used Carpet?? What good was that going to be?  So with 4 shovels and a big piece of Carpet we went to work.  6 hours….SIX hours it took us to dig out and inch our way on the carpet (for traction) down the driveway to a cleared landing that we dug with our own hands.  We made it just in time to get the family out and be free before the sun went down.  So we made it back to the road and decided that the best idea was to just go ho…..errr go look for a campsite at Joshua Tree.

            So we went to the park and found a campsite.  Yeah we were committed to staying the night in the desert.  We found a great site set up two tents and all our gear just in time to enjoy a raging fire.  So we rested and got out of our damp pants and clothes….well most of us.  Some of the guys hadn’t planned for a day of Snow walking and plowing with working up a sweat.  They had nothing to change into. 

It was nice by the fire and the sun was completely down by now.  28 degrees started to drop to 26 then 24.  It was a beautiful night and the guys were starting to make observations.  “did it just get considerably colder?” “My sleeping bag was only $20 at Target will it keep me warm enough?” “My feet can barely feel the fire”.  “The fire seems to be going out” and my favorite upon looking at our friends pants the comment came. “dude you have icicles growing off your jeans”.

            We all started to admit what was really on our minds.  “It was way too cold to sleep out here”, “I’m miserable and want to go home”, “we could be in the car on the way out of here in 30 minutes”, “we could be home and in warm beds by 10pm.”  So that’s exactly what happened.  We broke down camp in record time and were on our way home by 7pm.

            We didn’t end up spending the night in the desert but we certainly went into the wilderness.  We might have come back a little earlier than originally planned but we packed more into that trip than humanly possible.  We came back with great stories, great memories and stronger friendships.  All in all it was worth every minute!!!  Want to go with us on the next trip??  

Pastor Low

I Hope It Fits

I don’t have a tradition or philosophy regarding Christmas Shopping but in my older years I have become more proactive in buying presents for my family.  I am not a big fan of buying presents just because you have to, or buying anything just so you have something to give.  I like to buy present that have meaning or that I know fits someone’s style.  This year I have been uncharacteristically ahead of the game.  This summer I came across a few things for my brother and the rest of the men in my family.  This Fall I was able to go to Peru where I saw a few items that would be perfect for my nieces and Nephews.

When December finally arrived I was almost completely done with my shopping. 

Now this proactive approach comes with a couple very real challenges.  The first challenge is waiting to give these gifts. I just knew that this year’s gifts were going to be enjoyed by my family.  I’m not a very patient man and I genuinely like finding that very cool gift.  So at times it can be torture just waiting. But I have learned that if you just pile them away in a place you don’t see very often you quickly forget you even have them.

            The second challenge comes as a result of buying as you go.  When you pick up presents on vacation its not that easy to drive down to the store and exchange the item in the event it’s not the right one.  When you buy gifts in other countries it’s kinda a pain to return it.  Luckily for me I know my families style but where I am not completely confident is when it came to size. 

            So as I began to wrap this years presents I started to feel a certain anxiety creep in.  I started having a frequent concern echo in my mind…”I Hope it Fits”.  I hope the shirt fits because It was from a store that’s out of business now.  I hope that hat fits because it was from a store that is out of state.  I hope that sweater fits because I’m not sure I’m going back to Peru any time soon.  I hope those slippers fit because I don’t think Miguel does shipping and receiving from his Corner stall at the Lima marketplace.  I hope the sweat suit fits or I’m going to have to explain that they were one of a kind and can’t be exchanged.

            I Hope It Fits.  One by one the presents were unwrapped and the faces lit up.  One by one I had peace of mind return to me.  There was only one last hurdle to navigate.  That was when I noticed how Christmas morning was shaping up.  As everyone made their way through their pile of presents I noticed that three people had placed my gift to them aside to open it last.  The suspense was thick.  I was going to have to endure a grand finale of anxiety.  I’m happy to report that I made it.  To my knowledge all is well and everyone was pleased with their gift. 

So another Christmas is behind us and it was a wonderful celebration of not only the Gift of Jesus Christ to us, but also of the gift we have in each other.  And if that is not enough the icing on the cake was…..It All Fit!!

 

 

Pastor Low

 

Mariners Church Beachside Campus

            We have an address.  It is with great joy that I share with you all that we have our new home for Mariners church Beachside.  Our new address is 18110 Magnolia blvd Fountain Valley CA 92708.  It is a traditional Community Church with a cross facing the street.  It has a sanctuary, classrooms, a playground, offices, parking and even a gazebo.  Our wait was so worth while.  Now that we have a location we are moving forward with our Easter 09 start date. 

When we started out on this journey back in April of this year we felt confident about a Fall launch.  As our location challenges became a reality fall became unrealistic so New Years became our next logical date to start.  Then came October, and the reality set in that none of our 6 location finalist had any guarantee of being secured any time soon.  It was discouraging.  So we prayer fully humbled ourselves and once again postponed our forecasted launch to Easter 09. 

            In hindsight I can see the brilliance in God’s plan for this Easter.  It has allowed Mariners to focus on all the excitement of our Central Campus buildings that are being completed.  It has allowed our staff to give their attention to new ministry that is happening with those new buildings.  It has removed one more strain that could have distracted us all from the significance of this Christmas Season.  And most importantly it has allowed us to spend quality time with our Mariners families that live in our new Community.

            Mariners Church Beachside will be serving people in the cities of Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Long Beach, Westminster and beyond.  The more time we have to spend with these future friends the healthier our church community will be and the better prepared we will be to minister to our neighbors.  Exciting times for sure.

 

Pastor Low

One OF millions…one IN a Million

One of millions…one in a Million

 

The streets are bumpy, there is dirt everywhere.  It looks like a wind storm has blown through leaving a brown coat on everything from the streets to cars and even the wall of the homes.  It is dry and at times you have to be very intentional about taking a deep breath because the air quality.  We are driving through narrow neighborhoods made of brick cinder blocks, metal siding and occasional fiberglass rooftop.  There is garbage in the streets and the crumbled stone of broken walls lay crumbled on the sidewalks.  Rivers of murky water run down from the streets above. 

We make our way up street after street.  Then we stop.  We have come to the house of a teenage boy in need of a wheelchair.  We scale down stones to get to his front door and are met by his mother who looks excited but overwhelmed with so many people in her modest home.  Her home has wall of brick and a floor of cement.  The front door consist of pieces of plywood that swing freely on make shift hinges.  A curtain draped from the ceiling acts as a back door.  The space is cold and dark.  The roof is made of metal sheets that keep the weather out but it keeps the cold dampness in.  There is no furniture just pieces of various junk being used as places to sit or lean on.  In the corner there is a small figure who slowly stands up to cautiously greet us.  It is her father a man in his 70’s.  From a nook off the living room we hear sounds of a young man.  He is in his room which is simply a brick closet.  Just enough room for a cot.  There is no light except that coming from the one lamp in the entire structure.  This cot is where this young man spends his life.  Not just where he sleeps, not just where he hangs out, not just where he goes when he wants to be alone.  It is where he spends his entire life.  He has no control over his legs, he has advanced Cerebral Palsy.  He is too heavy for his mom and aging grandfather to take him out of his room.  He cannot speak or make eye contact.   When we lifted him into his new wheelchair it was the first time he had been off his bed since he was a young boy.  He was scared with all of us being there and he clung tight to his mother.  But he was excited.  His mother told us he was content and she began to see what is possible for her son now.

            This stirred up many emotions.  It seemed so overwhelming to make a difference.  This was one child of possibly millions of children in need.  He still will struggle with his condition and it will take enormous support from the neighbors to get this boy out of the house.  How many more like him are out there?  Where do you begin?  Then it hit me.  It may seem overwhelming to us but to them their world just became brighter.  It became more accessible.  We added to their joy by being a messenger of God bringing them the gift of mobility.

            Yes this young boy is one OF millions in need. 

But this young boy is one IN a million.

We were able to show him love and that is the gift we get when we go out and choose to be a blessing to others.  We are blessed.

 Pastor Low

$5 Can Go A Long Way

What can you get for $5 dollars?

• A matinee movie ticket if your lucky
• A cheese burger deal from In-N-Out
• A smoothie with a protein boost
• A venti Caramel Machiado
• A greeting card that you can brighten someone’s day with

 

I have another way to brighten someone’s day for $5. 

• Send me to Peru instead of a greeting card.
• We will help at a medical clinic
• We will give malaria pills and other vaccinations
• We will play with kids at orphanages and give them basic supplies
• We will work with abused women giving them so hope for tomorrow
• We will pass out free wheelchairs to the handicapped  LEARN MORE

 

God has blessed me with so many good friends and so many acquaintances over the past several years.  Rather than ask a few people to give much,  I want to ask a multitude to chip in $5 so we can go change the lives of those in need.

You can give online by filling out a form.  It’s secure, somewhat quick, and can be done right from your computer.

My total need is $2000 that covers airfare, lodging, food and supplies needed to care for our Peruvian neighbors.  The trip is 7 days long and our time there will forever change the lives of several people.  I look forward to coming back with stories of how your $5 changed lives.

Giving on line:

Click on this link:Online Donations  

Step 1:  Fill in your information

Step 2:  Designate Global Outreach – Trips

Mission Trip Name: Peru Fall

Team Member name: Low Norris

Step 3: Fill in your financial information

Step 4: In the Additional Information area, list again Peru Trip, Low Norris

Thanks for your help!

If you have any questions please write me at lnorris@marinerschurch.org

Pastor Low

Out Of Control

I have an ability, a flaw, a defect, a gift to be somewhere doing something but at the very same time be somewhere totally different.  Come on you know what I’m talking about.  For instance sitting in the living room talking on the phone with your friend or family member.  But at the very same time you are watching the game or your favorite makeover show on TV.  I know I’m not the only one…for the record I’m getting much better.  Or how about standing and talking to someone and you feel your phone vibrate in your pocket and you are trying to figure out when it wouldn’t be rude to grab your phone to check your messages.  Boy I’m not painting myself in the best light here am I?   

This week I have been going through the motions here at work but my mind has not always been fully present with what I was doing.  The dominant thought in my head is An Elder Board meeting happening this Sunday night.  Its not our Church’s board but another church who has a big decision to make. 

Will they let us lease a church site that they own that is available for weekend services? 

I have been mentally grinding for 4 months trying to locate and negotiate a place for our campus to meet at. At this moment in time I feel powerless, I feel helpless and I feel Out of control.  I’m trying not to get too emotionally invested or excited about this potential location because there is no guarantee we will get it.  On the other hand I want this site so bad I can visualize all the people coming through its doors to find community and most importantly Jesus. 

So I sit here feeling out of control but knowing even in the midst of the uncertainty that God is doing exactly what He has planned.  With that little pearl of truth I can be excited about whatever the outcome of this Sunday’s meeting. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 ⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. ⁶Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.

Pastor Low

 

Gas Siphoning

So I’m watching the news and a clean cut newscaster is reporting live from some random city.  The story is about the rise of gas thieves who are siphoning gas from innocent people’s cars.  The result is a rude awakening for the victims who cannot get to work because they have empty tanks.  I’m thinking that this is just absurd that people would do this.  Then the absurdity jumped to a whole new level.  The well dressed newscaster reaches down and proceeds to show each piece of equipment necessary to quickly and efficiently siphon gas just like these thieves. 

 

Do we really need to educate the next wave of Gas siphoning bandits?  Who is the genius who says.  We should teach people how to commit the crimes that are damaging our society. 

Whats next? 

• “Illegal Gun trafficking” Where to find them and how much to spend”
• “Home Invasions: 10 household items that you can use to break into your neighbors home”
•  “Identity Theft: 15 Tips to Spend Money That You Don’t Own”

 

Maybe its just me but we need a healthy dose of Common Sense in this world.  Now if you will excuse me I must go by the hardware store for some supplies I’m running on Empty!!

 

Pastor Low

Taking Time To Let It Sink In

I have been putting this post off for awhile because I’m not sure how to say what should be said.  Should it be funny?  Should it be formal?  Should it be long or short.  There are times in my life when I can remember not doing anything of any worth.  I felt like I was wasting my life.  I knew I wanted more but I felt powerless to do anything more.  In looking back I was powerless.  So when I get to do something of significance now I hesitate to just gloss over it without soaking it in.

I still feel like my life doesn’t have much significance.  The only difference now is that I know that is a lie.  Just over 2 weeks ago I got a phone call from a friend who told me that he knew someone that just lost her husband to cancer and needed to talk to a pastor.  I told him I’d be glad to talk to her.  Rhonda lost her best friend after 30 years of marriage Matt was 73 years old.  A strong man who never backed down from a challenge.  He was a 23 year vetran of the Police Department and a former Sheriff and Member of the Coast Guard.  He built houses from the ground up and could fix any car.  He was now gone.

Who will service the car?  Who will fix the heater?  Who will manage our savings?  Who will do our taxes?  Who will I spend all my time with?  These were all questions that Rhonda had.  What can be said in response to these questions.  She asked me to honor Matt by procedeing over his memorial.  I didn’t know the man but I knew I was able.

God walked through it with me.  Matt was laid to rest that day and his memories lived on with great joy and sadness.  I had a chance to reflect back on earlier times in my life when I felt like a waste.  Look at how God can change a life when we let him.  It was an honor to represent Matt that day.  It was a joy to walk with a wife who is heartbroken and whisper compassion, hope and the love of Jesus to her in her greatest time of need.

Although I never knew Matt, I learned that he made a profound impact in several people throughout his life by making them think and ponder and often about Jesus and God.  Even in his death he had a profound impact in me, through reflecting on what a great and powerful God we serve.  A God who can change a waste filled life into one that hopefully….no certainly….can change the world.  Thanks Matt!

Pastor Low