by Bret Capranica | Jun 19, 2008 | Blogging, Personal
So, Big Chris Meirose spread an infection to me by tagging me to respond to a Meme. IF I were to do this, I would certainly make quite a few people angry since I have dissed virtually every Meme with which I have EVER been tagged. Here’s my rant: Who really has the time for this? What value does it really bring to the blogosphere? Why? See how arrogant and selfish I have been. I really should learn to loosen up and play nice. So, despite my normal protestations, I cave to the pressure (humbly) and now give in to the Meme virus. To those who have previously meme-ed me – oh well, I suppose you will simply have to be angry. Here’s the Meme: In an effort to keep it simple, short, and easy to follow, I’d like to challenge you to quote one verse (not one chapter). And then say what the Lord has been teaching you in one sentence (not one paragraph). Then tag 5 peeps (you know the drill). Here’s my passage: Philippians 2:5: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, Here’s my lesson: Stop seeking status, image, likability for the sake of self-promotion and do nothing, absolutely nothing, with the aim of self-exaltation or self-preservation (unless it is merely to defend the gospel), but pursue humble, selfless service that seeks to show the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, letting God have His way with you in His own time and by His own means. Hmm, is that really a sentence or more of a paragraph? See, I’m not too good at...
by Bret Capranica | May 11, 2008 | Personal
Mother’s Day celebration reaches 100th anniversary – Yahoo! News Today marks the 100th Anniversary of Mother’s Day and the first official year of celebration of Mother’s Day in the Capranica Home. So, here’s my Mother’s Day Card to one of the most superior mothers I know of: Mother’s Day has not been an easy one for you. A decade ago, your mother slipped from here to heaven. Over six years ago, we began asking God that we could be a mother and father. Over one year ago, He provided an 18 day old jewel for our thus far empty crown. Six months later we were blessed with a second arrow in our quiver, even though she may be with us only temporarily (aren’t they all only with us temporarily). Only a few months ago, God mercifully granted our request and allowed us to officially be parents. While many mothers work hard in a vocation that demands nothing less, few work as hard and happily at motherhood than you. Not every day is easy and for two people who love to accomplish loads of tasks in every day; some days feel as if only one task is accomplished: being a mother. And still, I know of few mothers who can enjoy the accomplishment of that one task more than you. Our children are an immeasurable blessing to us both. But, for me you still surpass them with the blessing you are to me as a wife and mother. I thank God for you: your love of Christ, your love for me, your love for our children, and your love for...
by Bret Capranica | Jan 26, 2008 | Adoption, Personal
Yesterday I became a father. The road to fatherhood for THE CAPRANICA was a tad different than what many experience. Our daughter was born at 3:25 a.m. January 15, 2007. A year and ten days later, I finally became her father. Unfortunately, I did not go to the hospital when she was born. Actually, no one told me that she had been born. I didn’t find out for seventeen days after her birth that she had arrived. I never had the privilege to see her through the glass window where they take the newborns for ecstatic fathers and family to smile and stare. We took no pictures of mom, dad and infant in the delivery room after her birth. No family was present when she entered this world, and within hours, the woman who gave birth to her would even walk away. She was sick and needed ten days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to detox from the methamphetamines and marijuana that were found in her blood as well as to be taken off of the ventilator and oxygen necessary to sustain her life. Even after little Brie was allowed in our home, the authorities would not allow me to be considered her father. In fact fatherhood for me and Brie would require months of paper work, court hearings, conversations with multiple social workers, lawyers and other state mandated and sanctioned organizations. Prior to Brie’s birth, my wife and I were required to attend over thirty hours of classes, just so one day we could actually be allowed to officially be called her parents. Multiple social workers had...
by Bret Capranica | Jan 1, 2008 | Personal
What does an ordinary pastor do on New Year’s Day? Wake up later than normal (6:30 a.m.). Spend extra time playing with the kids. Pick some oranges from the tree with one of the girls so mom can make some fresh squeezed orange juice. Read the news headlines, a few more blog articles than normal, compose a future blog post – and not really care about any of it. Enjoy a good time of fellowship over breakfast with some church members. Take a nap. Read from Ronald Reagan’s diaries (I’m into September 1986 so far). Begin another year through the Bible. Enjoy playing with the kids some more. Have a quiet dinner with the wife while the kids play wildly in the family room. Help feed the kids and put them to bed. Compose a blog post. Think about what bowl games went on today and have no concern whatsoever. Enjoy some 2008 goals-conversation with the wife. Start a new book (Future Israel). Go to bed by 9:00 p.m. Wonderfully ordinary! Enjoyably so. Happy new...
by Bret Capranica | Dec 25, 2007 | Personal
The Capranica clan wishes you a very merry Christmas. We pray that Christ will not only mentioned but truly honored in our celebration. This year we are humbled with the gracious gifts we have received in Brie and Josie. The entire adoption process has made us think much on our own adoption as sons into the family of God. It has caused us to consider more carefully what is truly important in our life and how central the gospel must be in our every day living. THE CAPRANICA looks forward to making its full return after the holidays, with the aim of publicly chronicling the thoughts, comments, recommendations, ramblings, both biblical and practical from the mind and ministry of an average pastor. Enjoy your family and friends – enjoy living out the gospel before...
by Bret Capranica | May 8, 2007 | Pastoral Ministry, Personal, Time/Life Management
Tracing one’s time is a tool I often suggest to people when they are making the first steps in getting a hold on the use of their time. I regularly suggest that one begin with keeping a record of how they have spent their time during a week in thirty-minute increments. Go HERE for the Excel file I normally use for this purpose. So, when I am wanting to reflect and examine my own time habits, I usually do a running “tick-tock” of how I spend my time. This go-round, I actually published it to the web rather than merely kept the list on a piece of paper. What I Think Went Well: In essence, the majority of what I planned to accomplish I was able to accomplish. I did not find myself forwarding many of my tasks to the next day, I was actually accomplishing them. I was able to meet with twelve people for discipleship purposes, our pastoral team in several significant meetings, the majority of my Sunday School class for a fellowship and one of our shut-ins. According to my e-mail statistics I received 63 legitimate e-mails (not spam) to my church account and sent 25 e-mails from that same account. I made or received 31 phone calls on my cell phone, and 60 text messages were sent & received. Through various means, I did a lot of talking. I was able to have significant times of Bible intake and prayer during my devotional time and consistently read from John Owen’s book, Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers. I finished Augustine’s Confessions and made progress...
