Lagniappe and Life

Hope of Heaven...

2007-06-24T18:00:00.000-05:00

Today was another of the 'between two worlds' days that has become so common. The worship at Lagniappe was incredible- we had a mandolin, guitar and a jimbay drum. John Henry has really come in to his own as a worship leader. I preached on the 'Just and Justifying' God. It was one of those moments where God spoke very clearly. Oddly enough, even on the heels of that, in this Sabbath afternoon I find myself longing for heaven- for all things to be made right. I guess that actually makes sense- there is only one place where the upside down things will be made right side up. Oh, the glorious thought- one day, some day- all things made right. I am becoming keenly aware of how little I actually believe the Gospel that I have been called to preach. I find it 'easy' to preach the truth, yet believing it is harder and harder. My heart longs for temporal reminders of Gospel truth- shadowy pictures here, but the true longings are for the shadows to disappear and the reality to come. Keep Lagniappe and me in your prayers, y'all are in mine.

The Closed Fist (a bit of Larroux poetry)

2007-06-10T16:33:00.000-05:00

Firmly grasping nothing.
Holding hopes and dreams.
Like a python wrapped around a desire, the closed fist constricts a dream.
Demanding.
Deserving.
Determined.
And deceived.
It SHOULD be!
It MUST be!
It WILL be!
Firmly grasping nothing.
Like a gavel of judgment the closed fist pounds.
It echoes a heart's verdict.
I know best!
I know when!
I know how!
Firmly grasping nothing.
White knuckles.
Flushed skin.
Straining to hold.
This is something I SHOULD have, right?
This is something I MUST have, right?
This is something I WILL have, won't I?
Bruised and bloodied a lone finger surrenders.
Exhausted.
Panting.
Weary.
It surrenders.
The metamorphosis begins.
The closed fist becoming.
The closed fist opening.
A lone soldier followed by his men.
The closed fist transforming.
The open hand dawning!
Submitting.
Surrendering.
Becoming.
Like a flower opening it's eyes to the sunlight, the fingers open!
The hand blooms!
Unwilling, NOW willing.
Unwaivering, NOW free.
Unmoved, NOW inviting.
Oh, the cavernous space of the open hand!
There is room for so much more-
Blessings and yes's and dreams too big, now rest in an upturned palm!
Alive and free.
Alive and free!!
Alive and free!!!
Firmly grasping nothing.

-Jean F. Larroux, III

Happy Birthday to me....

2007-05-21T05:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much to everyone who called, wrote, text messaged, etc...on, what I am certain for most is somewhat of a holiday, my birthday. It was a great day spent in Washington, DC with Hayden and Steve Hoffman (sister and brother in law). We went to their church and then had libations for the afternoon, before coming home to watch old episodes of the Office. As if life couldn't get better my birthday dinner was WINGS! Oh, yes and Hayden made a M&M cake for my birthday too. Yesterday was a beautiful day in DC, cool breeze, warm sun- my only birthday wish was that Christ would draw closer and that my heart would be sustained and rest in Him alone. It is a battle isn't it? Oh, well- 37 years old....I guess I'm officially middle aged cause I KNOW that I'm not gonna live past 74- I live too hard...wings and beer....wings and beer....deep love to all....- J.

Livin' on Sponge(bob)cake...

2007-04-25T04:53:00.000-05:00

Tonight at 8 p.m. eastern Mr. James Buffett will step on to the stage at the Phillips arena in Atlanta, Georgia and yours truly will be in attendance to welcome him there. Every once in a while you have to get 'somewhere other than here'- a short trip to 'Margaritaville' is precisely the kind of detour where you move from 'livin and dyin in 3/4 time' to being 'the people that our parents warned us about'. Moving to the Bay seems to be the 'change in latitude' that always results in a 'change of attitude' for us Lagniappers. As Mark Twain said, 'be good and you will be lonely.' We're leaving at 5 o'clock, should be there by 5 o'clock, show starts at 5 o'clock. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it....for more info. stay tuned to the Lagniappe telegraph! To the rest of you- 'the weather is here I wish you were beautiful' and 'if the phone doesn't ring- IT'S ME!!!!' NOTE: The above picture was taken in Bay Saint Louis in June of 2006. It is Jimmy Buffett signing T-Jean's guitar in French- 'Play this guitar with all your heart- Jacque Buffett' p.s. He also offered to teach Jean to curse in French!

Saturday night...

2007-04-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

It is the evening prior to my second week preaching in Hattiesburg, Ms. First Presbyterian Church is in the midst of a pastoral search and I was able to begin preaching in Nehemiah last week. Tomorrow I continue in Chapter 2- it is an exciting opportunity to be able to be with a church in the midst of such a great time of growth and dependence. Please keep them in your prayers as they seek the man for God to lead that congregation. It is a blessing to have Curt Moore on staff who will be preaching at Lagniappe and allow me to serve sister churches in our Presbytery. Curt has been in Atlanta at the PCA Mercy ministries conference all weekend. It has been a hard weekend at home, lots of work to do and God seems content to continue His work in me personally. To live is Christ; to die is gain.

Happy Birthday!!!!

2007-04-15T15:04:00.000-05:00

Ann Elizabeth turned 11 recently and we celebrated in the backyard yesterday with a slip and slide, lightning, thunder and 10 screaming girls covered in mud and headed inside the house, hmmm. I added some grey hair today for sure. I think she had a great time with her friends in spite of rain! I preached in Hattiesburg this morning and will for the next two weeks, please be in prayer for that church...many of the staff head to Atlanta this week for a mercy ministry conference, keep them in your prayers as they make new contacts for LPC and reconnect with old friends. Blessings and grace to you all! P.S. Check out the new www.prayforthebay.com site- to sign up and pray for Bay Saint Louis and Waveland.

Bad blogger...

2007-04-07T20:32:00.000-05:00

I've been a bad blogger of late...kinda busy (not anymore than most, but probably just trying to do too much). It is Holy Saturday and I am reminiscing on a year in the Bay- April 2006 until now... much heartache, much pain and a faithful Father. I was talking to T-Jean the other night about something that he was praying about and as I offered him the comfort of prayer he responded in exasperation, "I HAVE BEEN praying!" I understand T-Jean. I understand. This is a month full of special birthdays- T-Jean turns 14 (I am an old man) and Ann Elizabeth turns 11. We'll do some fun stuff I'm sure---- Keep Lagniappe and me in your prayers- my busyness (spelling?) comes and goes, conferences 'on' and then 'off'- I feel like I've preached everywhere lately- I will be in Hattiesburg for the 3 consecutive weeks following Easter. They are without a pastor and I intended to preach about Nehemiah, but I think I'm just going to preach about grace. What else is there really? Ahhh, that favorite quote of mine from John Sartelle, "Christians do not fall out of grace they fall INTO it!" Preach brother, preach to my soul! I am praying for all of you that love Lagniappe so much- thank you for everything.

They'll Come to Lagniappe

2007-03-05T18:42:00.001-06:00

I had a profound realization on Saturday. There was a benevolence walk-in case that we were dealing with and the individual had gone from one relief agency to another. He had been sent from one church to another. He finally was sent on from the Salvation Army and ended up at Lagniappe. He just needed some help getting 'over the hump'- a job was on the horizon. Wires had been crossed. He was short on cash and needed help. There were tears that welled up continually in his eyes. We met and decided to help him over the hump. He wept. He said that we were the 'only ones' who would help him. It was a great moment. I was passionately expressing my frustration to Helen Buckley. "Helen, what is someone supposed to do- they go from one church to another- each place passing the buck....each one too busy....everyone suspicious....no one taking the time to HEAR the story....if everyone rejects them and everyone tells them that they can't help then what are SUPPOSED TO DO????" Helen calmly replied, "Then they'll come to Lagniappe." I can remember precisely where I was standing. It felt like the floor was giving way- I began to weep. She was so right- they WILL come to Lagniappe, that is why we are here. I feel like I want to run from this place and never leave at the very same time. Pray for us and for our friend from Saturday. He started his job today.

The 10,000 foot view

2007-02-17T21:31:00.000-06:00

Andy Chapman, a member of our core group, emailed this photo to me earlier tonight. It was from Google earth or something similar and he pointed out that you can actually see our bunkhouse on the lower right hand corner. He noted is still 'not connected' together and that the hole in the roof of the main building is still visible.

It got me thinking (here is where you should get some coffee....) Lagniappe Church has been in existence long enough to have had a Google satellite photo taken of us AND there has also been enough activity since the time that photo was taken to make it VERY outdated. NOTE: the hole is fixed and presently there are 3 more completed bunkhouses on the Lagniappe 'compound'.

Interesting isn't it? The 10,000 foot view- it has a way of making the 'messy', 'unfinished' things look kind of cleaned up and making the progress seem somewhat irrelevant. Six months from now the satellite will pass again and all that will have changed in the photo will be some black and grey pixellated rectangles added for bunkhouses and a silver square noting a closed up roof. There might be some more cars in the Sicily's parking lot across the street but other than that no big deal, image updated.

I am usually not very focused on the 10,000 foot view. I am more prone to find myself in angst about the one foot view- the details in the office, or the kitchen, the nursery (yes, we have a nursery), the copier or whatever. At any given point in my frantic self-reliance the satellite will pass again and 'CLICK' the 10,000 foot photo is snapped with anxious, fretful me not even visible to the lens. My fears and obsessing become somewhat irrelevant don't they? The 10,000 foot 'big picture' puts things in the right perspective.

I like the 10,000 foot view, it's like a providential rear view mirror. It's like a chance to look back by looking down from a higher vantage point. Thing are clearer in the rear view mirror, aren't they? Jesus promised that HE was building His kingdom and that the gates of hell would not stand against it. Roofs DO get closed up. Bunkhouses DO come together. A bit of cold spaghetti at dinner DOES get heated up, right? From the throne of heaven the picture isn't one of a Lagniappe 'facility update' it is one of a Divine KINGDOM moving forward.

Dream for a moment. You are in the war room, the 'oval office of heaven' if you will. (P.S. If you think we shouldn't allegorize images of heaven take two C.S. Lewis' and call me in the morning!) As the angels and archangels strain to see the troop map there are pins and markers and placeholders in and around the Bay. "The troops are holding!" cheers erupt! 'The troops are holding!" Just then, wet from the darkroom and pungent with the aroma of developer, an updated photo arrives- another 10,000 foot view- "roof closed! more room for teams! materials moving out! teams coming in! residents worshipping!" Like rain on a tin roof, shouts and cheers fill the room! "To our God and to the Lamb! From every nation tongue and tribe!" TO OUR GOD AND TO THE LAMB...

And at the one foot view were out of toner. What words are shouted? "Who was supposed to order that?" Ahhh, typical. Right then I have a one man pity party for the martyr-like existence I live. It is difficult being the ONLY ONE WHO EVER refills the toner, right? Where are my notes for orientation? I can't find anything around here! There's dust on everything, on EVERYTHING! As I throw my head back on my chair I need to hear what I CAN'T seem to hear only looking at the one foot view of Lagniappe. I DO need a one foot view, but NOT of Lagniappe- of the war room! I need to look from here to there and see something bigger than me, than houses, than Lagniappe or the Bay. I need to hear sounds louder than my sighs, to hear the peals of heaven, to hear the coronation trumpets of the King!

We had a home dedication today. Another family was restored. The Gospel was proclaimed there. We rejoiced in being able to participate and God was given the glory. The oval office cheered again and for a moment you could hear it, even from the Bay.

It is good to hear it, isn't it? It is. Please keep us in your prayers. Pray that we can, 'see Thee in the heights' though we dwell in the depths*. Thank you Father for the 10,000 foot view. Amen and Amen.

*Reference: The Valley of Vision

**************
Lagniappe and Life note: it is good to have a place like this blog to be able to share the 10,000 foot and the one foot view concurrently. Life is lived somewhere between the two. As I have learned this past year (who am I kidding.... 'AM LEARNING this year') it is mostly a 'tension' where we are sent to the one from the other and back again to find meaning, purpose and pleasure in Him alone. Love and Grace to all.

Lagniappe and Lexington

2007-01-28T22:34:00.000-06:00

This picture is from the end of an amazing weekend in Lexington where John Sartelle and I have enjoyed all of the best that God has to offer- we have seen 10 degree weather, great food, great beverages and the glory of the gospel preached. I'm headed back to the Bay tomorrow! Thanks for everything!

Lexington, Kentucky

2007-01-27T09:34:00.000-06:00

I am a the home of a dear friend in Lexinton, Kentucky. I am speaking at Tate's Creek Presbyterian Church this weekend for their mission's conference and staying with John and Janet Sartelle. John and I stayed up til' 1:15 a.m. talking about Lagniappe AND life- He is so merciful and kind...he is also fun...we had some fabulous red wine and then great bourbon (when in Kentucky do as the Kentuckians...) I am studying for tomorrow's message, "Bad people make good missionaries" and then we are going to sightsee the rest of the day. John gave me a prayer by Luther to read before bed. It is an appropriate prayer for my life. They are listed in a book called Luther's Prayers under the heading 'Short and fervent petitions'. This particular prayer is called 'For help in the time of need': "Dear God, in the midst of anguish and need, I am in great trouble. My brother has his trials which the devil increases. This is not the time to ask whether I am godly or worthy. Help me now in this time of need, as you said you would. Amen." - Martin Luther

Late evening from Asheville, N.C.,

2007-01-26T00:10:00.000-06:00

I'm in Asheville, N.C. having preached at Arden Presbyterian here for their missions festival. The trip began in Jackson, Mississippi at Pear Orchard Presbyterian's mission's conference which was wonderful- lots of old friends and memories there...I spoke to a Sunday school 'sip and see' (usually reserved for seeing newborns, but that's what it feels like as a missionary when everyone is drinking coffee and just looking at you as you talk). I also had the opportunity to speak to a 5th grade class- more on my level, very fun. I flew to Asheville, spoke that night, studied & rested today and I'm flying to Lexington, KY to speak at Tate's Creek Presbyterian all weekend. John Sartelle is the senior minister there and a fellow pastor from my days at IPC in Memphis- I can't wait to see him and Janet. It's been a long trip already and I'm blogging at 1:15 a.m. so I'd better hit the sack...p.s. if they put the Arden message online I'll post it- it was a great night!

Toni is HOME!

2007-01-22T17:41:00.000-06:00

In what can only be described as miraculous Toni is home from the hospital! She was released on Saturday around noon. She even tried to come to our one year anniversary celebration on Sunday, but Hayden dissuaded her (thankfully)! She is doing so well that she and I ate breakfast together at Waffle House this morning- it is really amazing! She is trying to take it easy, start doing some walking, etc., but keep praying- her spirits are good and indeed our Father in Heaven is gracious. Thank you for the calls, text messages and kind words- they were all deeply felt and appreciated.

Toni Larroux update....

2007-01-15T20:58:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm still here at the Hospital, but Hayden has been home for a few days and it has been a joy to have my sister to help with the situation. Hayden is a registered nurse and really can speak the lingo. UPDATE: Toni is still on the ventilator. She partially breathes on her own and the machine does part of the work. She has trouble taking deep breaths which she desperately needs to do. On the 'miraculous' front the pneumonia is gone- GONE. So encouraging. They are hoping to take her off the ventillator tomorrow. Please be praying.
Thanks to everyone for the calls and text messages, etc...we've disconnected the room phone- whenever it rings it sends a loud piercing sound through the whole room- we just figured that wasn't, how can we say 'helpful'. Hayden and I are keeping each other's spirits up by competing for the 'child of the year' award. Each time the other takes a break we whisper in mom's ear that the other one has abandoned her and is at home putting colored stickers on her possessions. Toni would appreciate the humor. Seriously though, we cherish your prayers and we KNOW that you are praying and thinking about us even if we can't talk to you directly. God seems to have this passion about leaving us with Himself. He is good. "When you cannot trace His hand, trust His heart"- C. Spurgeon

ToniSitting...

2007-01-11T13:49:00.000-06:00

Last night was a long night. My mom really had a rough night. The doctor believes that her stomach is having spasms now. That makes her jump about every 15 to 30 seconds and wince in pain. It's hard to watch your mom in so much pain. They are giving her large amounts of pain medicine, but it makes her QUITE loopy. There are lots of fun halucinations that I can share when this actually becomes 'funny', but right now it is still difficult. They related to me that they did a full abdominal cut to reach the stomach and had to use several liters of fluid and rinse the entire cavity out. I imagine it is something like being punched in the stomach from the inside for an extended period of time. They are giving her something for the spasms, but it doesn't seem to be enough. Hooray- they just came in with Demerol 50 (I think that's what they said) The nurse just raised her eyebrows and said, "This will ease the pain- she'll be asleep soon..." I thought to myself, "Can we make that a double? How 'bout a little somethin' somethin' for the son?" No luck. Thanks for the prayers and the text messages...

Please pray....

2007-01-10T18:42:00.000-06:00

This morning at 3:30 a.m. my mom was rushed by ambulance to Hancock General Hospital where they immediated diagnosed a ruptured peptic ulcer at the bottom of her stomach. She underwent surgery and is now resting just past my laptop in ICU at the hospital. I'll be having a slumber party with her tonight in the room. Please pray for her physically and spiritually. Her spirits are good and she has the Larroux sense of humor which won't die. I am tired and emotionally drained, but glad to be here with my mom. Thanks for praying. She should be here for 5 days or so.- JFL

My "Happy Place"

2007-01-06T20:14:00.000-06:00

There are a few things on my calendar that are absolutely non-negotiable. One of them is that every year from January 1-5 (ish) I head to Lake Bruin, Louisiana with my friends Trey Biggs, Chad Biggs and Nathan Tircuit for a week of hunting, harrasing each other, hunting, partaking of the fruit of the vine, eating chicken wings and laughing until we hurt. When I was 16 I thought I'd die with 40 or so good friends, at this point I'm hoping for 10% of that. These guys are in that 10%. Here's a few key words for them: Justin- WHY?, I like they way they're talking to you Chip- my boys are winners! the Feeder, brother? I'm laughing even thinking back. The long and short of the trip is that we had no success hunting unless you count Nathan's 'shut up' doe.
It is strange to be back in the Bay. I haven't gone by the church yet, I think that mentally I'm just waiting for tomorrow- I know there's plenty waiting on me. It can wait. I'm enjoying watching a little football trying to see who the Saints will be facing next week. Dallas is playing Seattle. I'm cheering for the Seahawks, until they face New Orleans of course. I think that I possibly have some playoff tickets, but realized this afternoon that I'll be in North Carolina preaching- ahhhhh! Oh, well I'll record the game and try not to hear the score as I fly back in. That should be a challenge around here especially if we win.
I think our NCCC team is heading back to the Bay and all other staff are back 'home' now. We've got 'Homecoming' week from the 15-21st of January ending with my installation service. I think it will be a good conclusion to the week although everyone who has been part of Lagniappe won't be able to be there personally. I had lots of time on the deer stand to think back over all the faces and people who have helped to make Lagniappe what it is- the list is remarkable. You are remarkable. I know that many of you read the blog from time to time- thank you. Words can't express. They just can't. Your empty chair on Sunday the 21st will be noticed and God given the glory for your life and impact on LPC.

It's all about Jean (the 4th that is...)

2006-12-28T20:33:00.000-06:00

In what may have been the funniest Christmas present moments I have ever seen, Jean the 4th unwrapped a present marked for Jackson the dog. Seeing only the "J" on the package he tore into it with vigor and passion. As the package opened before his eyes you could clearly see his young southern sensibility begin to face a dramatic catharsis with his knowledge of reality and personal taste. Let me see if I can adequately describe the contents of the package: It was a small bathrobe type object with velcro closures....it looked enough like a terry cloth object you'd wrap a baby in just fresh out of the tub....Jean politely smiled, swung it around his head (at this point his grandmother- seamstress of said 'bathrobe' and I are almost dry heaving we are laughing so loud) the confusion was further perpetuated by the large "J" sewn onto the back of the bathrobe. After closing the velcro around his neck, he closed the closure around his chest and muttered, "T...hankssss" and sat down. I couldn't breathe. Toni, my mom, then told him it was for Jackson OUR DOG. As you can see from the above photo it fit Jackson to a 'T'. Addendum: following this, while our tears were still flowing, Jean opened another package, but this time it was for me. It was a Cabela's gift certificate which no one had the heart to tell him wasn't for him. I assumed he was going to buy himself some decoys to retrieve. it wasn't until yesterday when J4 offered to SELL me my own Cabela's gift certificate that I broke the news to him. After telling him I swatted him with a newspaper and sent him to the yard to bury the gift certificate. What great laughter and fun! Merry Christmas to all of our loved ones- you are deeply missed!
- J. (the daddy)

Keep 'X' in Xmas...

2006-12-23T22:10:00.000-06:00

Someone commented to me the other night that they disliked the use of 'Xmas'.... I understand that. At first glance 'Xmas' seems to 'X' Christ out of CHRISTmas doesn't it? X (the Greek symbol Chi) was acutally used to abbreviate the name of Christ. Xmas is actually just an abbeviated rendering of Christmas. I think that Jesus might be more in favor of Xmas come to think of it....Jesus wasn't flashy and in your face. I think He would have preferred to come under the radar. After all didn't He choose Bethlehem? Wasn't He from Galilee? Wasn't He the one who was almost coy when Herod questioned Him about being King?
My personal experience with Christ has been more like that...subtle and profoundly subversive. He always seems to be at work but not in flashy ways, more like the stock guys at Home Depot- working from Midnight to 8 a.m. restocking, moving things around, changing the setup of things and then 'all of the sudden' the electrical department is moved clear across the store.
In reality Jesus likes to restock my heart, move it around and change the setup of things. I dislike it. I like the electrical department where it was. I put it there. In alot of ways that is a good description of my life for 2006- subversive movments of God that change everything. I wonder what 2007 holds. Will the electrical department be moved back again? Will the garden center move to the other side of the building? Who knows. It is a wild ride. I know what I'd like, but I'm beginning to learn that the suggestion box isn't checked too often (if at all). I was praying with Jordan this morning before he left for home and asked God to strenthen us, to make us more like Christ. Presently we are tired- retreating from the crowds, trying to rest, trying to see Jesus again- My prayer was that God would allow us to incarnate in the Bay, to be a picture of the Gospel in this place.
Ironicaly, I think that while we're seeking to do that in the Bay, Jesus himself has been doing that very thing in our lives. He has been 'incarnating', becoming more real to us, taking on flesh in our daily lives. That means less of me, more of Him, less of me, more of Him (lather, rinse, repeat.) Pray for me this year. Please do that. Pray that all I'll want for Christmas is Christ.
I'm frightened how that might be answered- I want it to look like victorious spirituality, exponential growth and a renewed devotional life. If 'X' shows up it will probably look like repentance, faith, tears, struggling and true joy. That frightens me and at the same time excites me. Narnia is thawing. God is at work. His ways are not our ways. His plans are not our plans. Exery day is Xmas- the incarnational reality of Jesus himself. That seems to be the Lagniappe way. I guess not the Lagniappe way, just His way. Merry Xmas.

The Rockies...one last view

2006-11-09T19:16:00.000-06:00

Well, this is it. Thanks to Rev. Scott Lowe who was a wonderful tour guide- we saw elk, whitetailed deer (as pictured above), bear lake (which I'm seated in front of) and an expansive view of the Rockies (the front range where Jordan is above). We didn't see everything we wanted to, but there's always another trip- God is so beautifully present here. Blessings. P.S. the hotel was worse than imagined- our first room had beer bottles in it and a 'soiled' baby diaper in the bathroom along with some used bath towels- wow, I can pick 'em!!!!

Almost done in Colorado...

2006-11-08T22:44:00.000-06:00

With the conference completed, a day of hiking done and one last drive through the Rockies tomorrow before heading to Denver then we'll back to the Bay on Friday. Funny side note- Jordy and I are living literally moment to moment- we decided to do a last minute hotel booking tonight for tomorrow- we are staying at what could possibly be our last night on earth in Denver tomorrow night- get this a 'suite' for $49/night- yeah right, but we've booked it so if there's a drive by at the Best Inn and suites in Denver tomorrow night that's probably us... and it's so exciting because I've got to fly out again on Monday to Tampa for a speaking engagement at the Presbytery of southwest Florida...keep us in your prayers....

A day at Grey Rock...

2006-11-08T21:49:00.000-06:00

As Jordan said when he saw this picture, "Got a little Captain in ya?"

Jordan and I at the base of the summit of Grey Rock. Just FYI it looks like it is smaller than it is- from the beginning of the hike to the summit was about 2.5 miles, but the elevation which changed during the hike was from 5,300 ft. to 7,600 feet at the summit. By way of perspective, the small patch of trees at the top of the summit which you can see was a tree that was almost 10 feet tall.

A view from the top of the summit and a small pool of water that had formed there. I took a sip from it just to say that I did, but am now very sick- foolish I know, but y'know.... (c'mon- do you really think I would do that?)

Scott, Jean, Jordan and Josh- (Scott and Josh attend Grace church in Fort Collins- Scott is on staff and a dear friend...he has been our host as well for the Micro brewery tour of Fort Collins)

Trail marker.... desperately deceptive. It ought to have a picture of an out of shape pastor leaning over with his hands on his knees dry-heaving...

A beautiful vision of life...

2006-11-05T22:20:00.000-06:00

I am in Loveland, Colorado with Jordan attending a conference at Group Workcamps. We arrived yesterday and stayed at some hotel in downtown Denver before travelling to Fort Collins for worship this morning. I must tell you that this may be one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and I've barely seen it. There are mountains which frame out the view to the west of where we are- they are majestic, snow capped and stand with a beauty that is overwhelming. I have heard about their beauty, but face to face with it is astounding. Jordan and I are planning to go snowshoeing on Wednesday perhaps before heading back to Denver Thursday night for our flight out on Friday. The altitude is a bit something to get used to- I got up early and walked for a bit this morning (very cold in Denver, but there was something about the sun on my left and the mountains on my right) wow- I could get used to this. I always have said that I'd have to live near water, but I think it's now water or mountains.

On the plane here I was listening to some Steve Brown (www.keylife.org) from his podcast and he made a statement that I've got to share- I think he said it was a quote from Charles Spurgeon talking about our need to trust in God's providence when we cannot see beyond the day- it said, "If you cannot trace His hand, trust His heart." Profound.

As we worshipped this morning at Grace Church (www.gracefc.net) Richard Rieves preached a profound message- I'd highly reccomend his podcast as well- I'm sure there's a link to it on their site. Today's message was about the kingdom of God and how it ALWAYS includes the broken and misfits of life, get the MP3- amen, amen. If you live close or visit this area- you have to visit Grace church- Richard gets IT.

Last random statment of Larroux reality (isn't it a blessed thing to live under the smiling face of our Father in Heaven and finally be free to be real- I hate the facade of Evangelicalanity..) anyway we were singing a hymn this morning titled "Praise to the Lord" and there is a stanza at the end of the third verse that reads, "Hast thou not seen, how thy desires ere' have been, granted in what He ordaineth?" to which I responded verbally without realizing it, "No." That's the truth isn't it? Have you seen how all of your desires have been granted in what God has ordained? Surely not if you're honest. Perhaps I'm too honest. Perhaps I ought to put on the preacher smile and give a good ole Presbyterian, "mmmmm" at the end of that. I think that's what makes the Spurgeon quote so powerful to me- I cannot often trace His hand, so I'm learning to trust His heart.

Hayden come home...

2006-10-26T00:37:00.000-05:00

It is late Wednesday evening....I have been on the verge of death for 3 days....no joke. The above photo was from our first trip to the Bay following Katrina. My sister Hayden, a registered nurse had to give me an IV in order to keep me hydrated. As of Tuesday I am unsure if I had any fluids left in my body- I would have given away almost anything for a liter of saline. What a week... I would ask for your prayers for me, life is quite heavy right now, suffice to say that my physical afflictions have been paralleled by God's desire dehydrate me of EVERYTHING but Himself. There is an old hymn whose chorus is 'what ere my God ordains is right'- that is so true. In all of that it is abundantly clear that He does indeed love me, protect me, cherish me and truly free me to be honest with Him and others. Oh, these blessed days in the Bay- dear friends I can tell you with absolute resolve- the God you have read about is REAL. He is alive. He will not be restrained. He is NOT safe and He will do as He pleases. It is good and as a dear friend told me recently, "God will take care of everything." So simple, yet profound. I will rest (perhaps collapse) there- it is all that I have and that is a good place to be (at least that's what I keep reading in His word- smile...). P.S. That photo above was taken in September of 2005 - 13 months ago- I think I've aged 10 years....scarry.

Long day...

2006-10-14T18:37:00.000-05:00

Well, the preaching went well today. I spent the afternoon with a good friend, Kevin Teasley who is the RUF campus minister from Wake Forest University just about 30 minutes from here. He and I got together and watched the first part of the Ole Miss game and then I got back to the hotel talked to my lil' sis on the phone and am trying to get boarding passes, etc. online- It was funny to chat with Hayden she must read the blog daily (I guess so she's been the star right?) She said, "Hey, did you go back for Chinese last night?" I laughed- someone noticed my food fetish- perhaps this evening dear Hayden Hoffman...perhaps...Okay- I'm running- check out the links I posted to the hotel in last night's blog- it's also got a link to the conference promo page at the church- yee-hawwwww

On the road again....

2006-10-13T21:37:00.000-05:00

Well, it's 9:37 p.m. Larroux body time...10:37 p.m. Greensboro, N.C. time- I'm staying at the O'Henry hotel in Greensboro preaching at a 'Christian Life Conference' for Christ Community Church (ARP) in Greensboro. Tonight was a great night there was a concert at the church preceeded by yours truly (the concert was better...) and the church is very warm and welcoming. So far I am quite impressed with the O'Henry Hotel- wow, you should see this place- a far cry from the Bay, it is swanky----I fit right in, although 'table for one' at dinner tonight was a bit 'awkward'- oh well, the life of an itinerant preacher. I am going to be preaching twice in the a.m. preceeded by breakfast at the hotel (can you tell I'm such a food conniseur?- is that spelled right?) Speaking of...I walked around downtown today, stopped at Eckerd drug store grabbed some contact solution that I couldn't take on the plane and found a great little Chinese place for lunch- it was unreal...I wanted to go back tonight, but you'know gotta branch out- maybe I'll sneak over there late night, mmm. Okay- sorry for no photo I'll grab some tomorrow.

My Sister's Wedding.....

2006-10-12T05:43:00.000-05:00

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Hoffman were married on Saturday, October 7th in Charleston, West Virginia. The dress was J. Crew, the bride was stunning and the surroundings were provided by Hayden's father in heaven. They were married outdoors in one of the most appropriate settings I have ever seen.

It is obvious from this photo, but it must be said- Hayden and Steve really have a passion for one another that is striking. The three of us all wept at different times during the ceremony struck by the beauty of what was being said and the life awaiting them. It would be impossible for me to convey all of the thoughts I had- such beauty, such mercy from God. When He gives a gift it is beyond our wildest expectations- Steve and Hayden are both that gift for one another. On a side note: my sister has to be the most LOW-MAINTENANCE bride in history she got her hair done 4 hours before the wedding by a stylist she'd never met at a salon that she chose because it was 'close to the hotel'- when the caterer asked her about the cake she replied, "Oh, yeah- I guess we do have to have one of those- let's do carrot!" (and they did by the way!)

This is my favorite photo from the entire lot- Hayden and my dad. What an appropriate picture! Hayden's face says everything.

Father Jean? Father? Jean? Okay, okay before I get e-mail confessions let's just say that not only priests wear collars- this was a great occasion to break out the ministerial collar and I got endless abuse from cousins, friends and my children. I hope you like it- I wish we could do a blog poll....We all got used to it- aren't my girls adorable?

Just so no one mistakes the beautiful, serious photos for a stoic time, that Larroux sense of humor is unstoppable- Hayden and my new brother in law- "Dieter" Hoffman never missed an opportunity to ham it up. This is the prom chair I used in 1987- something old, something new right?

A worthy exception...

2006-10-02T16:06:00.000-05:00

Okay a designer never makes a rule he doesn't allow himself to break...the blog has a scheme...the photos all are similar (sepia tone) but then Our Father in Heaven decides to paint on His canvas and I just couldn't strip out the color- it was too profound. These are the photos of the Bay that I'll cherish forever- so peaceful, such beauty. Stolen moments like this are so vivifying- It is good to remember the Artist and to know that each moment of this day He was planing this picutre until the moment it expolodes in the sky with fervency and beauty. Come to the Bay! Come BACK to the Bay- join us for a sunset or a Lazy Magnolia or a ride down the seawall....blessings.

Someone's been looking at my blog...

2006-09-26T21:59:00.000-05:00

Holy counter hits Batman...what in the world have ya'll been doing: forwarding the Saints thing to the entire world? I logged on to see recent activity and the site has gone through the roof t0day- I guess I'll paint my face every Monday- Good to see all of you checking in from all over the globe- from the West Coast through the mountains to as far away as England/Scottland (shout out to Roddy Mckay!) Roddy- post your blog in the comment section so people can see your photography! Just as an FYI update on the Lagniappe Church website- we've finally got some of my 'old' sermons posted- starting with "7 Relationship Issues Jimmy Buffett sang about"- I hear Buffett is working on a new album called "7 Spiritual Issues that Jean Larroux preached about", but I'm not sure when it's going to be out....

Who Dat?

2006-09-26T12:30:00.000-05:00

There are moments, and then there are MOMENTS. 70,000 fans, 2 teams, 1 Superdome- the cost of parking didn't matter, a $7 hot dog didn't matter, 'bloody nose' seats (as Hannah Grace put it) didn't matter- New Orleans needed something to rally around, the Saints delivered. It would be a close to a non-religious, religious experience I've ever had. From the first 1:40 of the game until the end we all stood. We all screamed. We hugged complete strangers. We cheered, "Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints? Who dat?" We cheered when the 'dirty birds' fumbled. We cheered when we scored. Ray Nagin declared a few months ago that New Orleans was going to be a chocolate city. Last night the city was neither chocolate or milk white. It was Black and Gold. I will post other pictures later, but suffice to say that everything you've ever read or seen about Mardi Gras was condensed into an 8 hour window on Monday night. Unbelievable. As we walked out of the stadium I heard one person say, "Superbowl..." People wonder how New Orleans and coast is going to recover from Katrina. We've been cheering for the losingest football team in NFL history for years. We win 3 games and think "Superbowl!" We love lost causes, we do. There's a little Lagniappe in New Orleans, a love for lost causes- I love that. I love to dream that maybe the impossible might, one day be possible- Go Saints! Go New Orleans! Who Dat BABY! p.S. that is Jordan, Ryn and Me from the Sun-Herald newspaper this morning (they cropped t-Jean out of the photo- acutally he was at the concession stand getting his old man a beer...)

Are you ready for some football?

2006-09-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ba, ba, ba-bamm, doon, doon, doon, doon-doon- That's right, you can hear it can't you the Monday Night Football theme music...well Saints fans, get ready- Jean IV, Jean III, Jordan Sikkema and Ryn Lukcas are all headed to the Louisiana Superdome TONIGHT to see the first night the Saints are back in the dome- it is going to be unreal, UNREAL- check out this link- U2 is there, Green Day is there, former President Bush is tossing the coin! It will be a good break from shingles and drywall- although I imagine Jordan will be scoping the dome roof to see if the hole has been fixed (should we send a team over?- could be fun, trip to New Orleans, hang a little drywall...seafood, Pat O's...) Look for pictures tomorrow- I'm sure we won't get any posted tonight. I'm considering the face paint thing.... Okay, blog poll- Face paint or no face paint? Post your answers on the comment section: we've had several hits from England/Scottland lately so all of you 'across the pond' chime in dearies...not to exclude all of you non-Continental types- I know you're out there checking in so you chime in too...p.s. if you post any 'Go Falcons' type stuff I will delete it!

Pure Genius...

2006-09-20T22:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, many of you are going to think that what I'm about to write is crazy...so be it. The above threesome is a band called Obadiah Parker from Phoenix, Az. I was sitting in the Mockingbird Cafe here in the Bay answering e-mail, etc. and I got an .mp3 from my little sister Hayden. It was listed as an acoustic cover of "Hey Ya!" by the pop band OutKast. I thought to myself, "Boy I'm glad I just downloaded 4.5 mb of that!" But then in a blessed moment iTunes opened and it played. Listen to me- DOWNLOAD this file. Just do it. I would say that this may be the most artistically creative cover work I've ever heard. It is remarkable and the Grizzly Adams fella on the left has an unreal voice. I think they are believers to boot- that would just be gravy- they certainly aren't awkward evangelicals. Enjoy this and let's hear some chatter in the ole comment section for "Obadiah Parker"!
Download the song right here (to save it to your hard drive right-click 'save target as')

Another day...

2006-09-19T20:29:00.000-05:00

Jackson the dog is furiously searching around each corner for someone to puppy dog around with him. I imagine that spending each day laying on the linoleum, taking a break to eat, scratch or stretch must get old so he releases the pent up energy when we walk in the door. Dogs are funny like that- my theory is that they have no 'hard drive' only 'RAM'. Everything exists in the moment, no context, no history, just the 'now'. What a blessing to have some hard drive space, to have a default system software- we have hard drive space and our Father, in a sense (if you'll forgive me beating the analogy to death), reboots us each day- new mercies, new day. That is a good thing- there are things on this side of eternity that are hard to decipher. I received some hard words from a friend today- a rebuke of sorts, but it is hard to know sometimes- our propensity to read between the lines is one of those non-dog, manish sort of things. They are good occasions for 'manual re-boots', personal re-orientations to be the godly man I am called to be. It is hard to fail a friend, but it is good to know that in those moments there is another FRIEND, he protects even when I cannot or don't, he is an older brother who is not only friend, but Christ. He is a good friend indeed and holds us in moments when we must say, "sorry". There are just a few more days until these days which are passing away will indeed pass, just a few more days... We will awake and be changed- non posse pecare! NON POSSE PECARE!

Good Monday Night...

2006-09-18T20:43:00.000-05:00

Ann Elizabeth is sporting her 'Lagniappe' wear which she has chosen to make a 'sleep shirt'. Homework is done... lunches are packed for the morning... Ann has come in for 2 sets of kisses... and now sleep time is here. It's a great time to be a dad- an experience that I'm trying to share via the blog- but it just doesn't do justice, hmmm! Apparently LPC t-shirts will do double duty for the Larroux girls- when the ole LPC shirts are too big they're just perfect for sleep (even those green staff ones)! I'm checking out a hard fought Monday Night Football game between the Steelers and Jaguars (scoreless in the entire first half) and doing a little blogging/work in between the plays. Okay...back to some real work...love to hear from ya'll...goodnight.

Women's Conference, "Magellan" Chapman and Thai Food

2006-09-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

This weekend we attended the PCA women's conference in Atlanta, Georgia. There were almost 3,500 women in attendance and it was a great opportunity to say and show that the work on the coast still continues and needs their support. There were some great conversations and opportunities to catch up with old friends (campus minister's wives, etc...) as well as make new contacts for Lagniappe. The interstate photo on the left is included in the blog as a tribute to Andy "Magellan" Chapman who took over the helm on our way to Atlanta. I casually pulled over south of Montgomery, got some more coffee, plugged in my laptop and left it to Andy to simply take us to Atlanta. After getting engrossed in my work I happened to look out the windshield to see "Birmingham 14"! Fourteen miles to Birmingham? Andy was on the phone when I screamed. Needless to say I abused him all the way to Atlanta and planned at that moment to blog about it- the only virtue of the detour was that it made the drive home today seem short (acutally it was 1.5 hours shorter.) At the top right are Sid and Shay Grant from Gainville, Georgia- new friends of Lagniappe! We accompanyed them to a Thai resturaunt in Atlanta for dinner on Friday night- it was amazing! I love oriental cooking, but this was off the charts- I wish we had one here in the Bay. I could go for it anytime! One of those strange things about it- you have it and then an hour later you could eat again and again and again.... What a great night! Sid is working on putting together a group to come down to the coast and do a whole house build with us! Can't wait to have them in the Bay!

Presbytery Today...

2006-09-12T07:23:00.000-05:00

I am heading out of the Bay for a meeting of Grace Presbytery today in Collins, Mississippi. It promises to be 'lively' and should provide some occasion to talk about what God is doing on the coast. Friends, please pray- these are HARD days in the Bay, Satan is so passionate about destroying what he can. He cannot thwart the ultimate work of God, but desires to devour each of us. Please pray, please. I am learning the sobering truth that God must be enough. He must be. He is. I will have some good time to pray in the car, great talk time with God. Psalm 62:5

Promised photos of T-Jean (future Heizman)

2006-09-11T17:02:00.000-05:00

T-Jean (short for Petite Jean) suffered his first loss in football to Hancock North Central Hawks last Thursday evening, but did get some good playing time. He is number 51 in the top picture (duh!) HNC is the alma mater of Mr. Brett Favre aka. King of the Kiln- his hometown in Kiln, MS. The boys put up a good fight, but in the end came in second. I simply told him when he got home that he should have tried harder and then I would be prouder. (If you think that is serious don't ever logon to this blog again, you don't know me at all- and if you do know me but then think that things like that are too serious to kid about and that he could be wounded etc... bla, bla, bla... then please, please don't ever logon again and especially don't 'confront' me on a post- I'll just delete it!)

Goodnight...

2006-09-11T00:19:00.000-05:00

It is late Sunday evening, actually Monday morning- I'm finishing up lots of details on the computer, etc... (I watched the Manning brothers battle it out on Sunday Night Football) This week holds a very hectic schedule- Presbytery on Tuesday, PCA Women's Conference (raising awareness about Lagniappe) all weekend long. I enjoy getting on the road and talking about the work God is doing- there is something about it that re-kindles the passion to labor in these fields at this time. Lots of thoughts and things to say, but my eyes are heavy- I'll write more in just a few more days...goodnight. P.S. Keep your eyes open this week for my 'web publication' of a Children's book I've written called 'The Moon is still round'- very exciting and packed full of good, solid, subtle theology!

5 feet, 9 1/2 inches

2006-09-09T20:43:00.000-05:00

A man must know when he has been beaten. Tuesday I went to the doctor here in the Bay, they weighed me and then she measured my height. I was wearing shoes that probably have 1/2 inch soles on them and she very casually verbalized as she wrote, "5 feet, 9 1/2 inches, okay you can hop down." Sure, I can hop down can't I! Not such a long hop for a Hobbit! Hey, Rumplestiltskin why don't you repel down from that scale platform and follow me, little guy! The above photo was the beginning of the slippery slope of my emasculation. This past summer, I challenged Haley Darylimple to a 'Who's taller' contest? She was wearing heels as the picture clearly shows and obviously cheating. I can't remember the exact occasion of the picture, but I remember it being a great night, wonderful food and dear friends (minus Haley). Haley should be at the conference in Atlanta this weekend...I plan to bring some platform shoes and try again, but at a miserable 5'9" (once you remove the shoes) I imagine that I will just have to embrace being vertically challenged. P.S. Haley, you were right! (P.S.S. What rhymes with 'Pig Arby'?)

David & Bekah...thinking about ya'll today!

2006-09-09T20:30:00.000-05:00

I spent some time in the yard today. I had to rent a brush cutter and a very cool propane torch that I used on the fence to burn off some vines, etc. As I was thinking about a short blog tonight I came across this great picture of David and Bekah who served at Lagniappe this summer for a week or so in their second or third tour of duty. Why, might you ask would they be part of the blog about the Larroux yard? Well, David and Bekah made the first beachhead clean-up effort at 1129 Old Spanish trail- David is a chainsaw master and Bekah is such a servant. We met them through Jordan 'Jordy' Sikkema and they have been great friends of Lagniappe, the kind that come once and then come back over and over again! Lagniappe is special that way, kindof magnetic. There's something about a place and particularly people that say "It's okay that you're NOT okay!" that turn 'normal' things into profound moments. Normal internships and friendships are transformed into inseparable bonds. Speaking of inseparable: David- I got a couple more trees if you want to come back to the Bay sometime soon! Miss you guys, thanks for being part of the Lagniappe family!

Geaux Tigers!

2006-09-07T17:12:00.000-05:00

Jean IV has his first Bay Middle School football game tonight! He is number 51 and is slated to play tackle, linebacker and possibly kickoff. I plan to be in the stands yelling at the referee in my Lagniappe Church golf shirt as I throw popcorn on the people in front of me. The day will probably end like an episode of COPS with me being handcuffed into a BayPD squad car while beating my head against the plexiglass divider. I'll post some pictures when I'm bailed out. Please just make sure ya'll come visit at the Bay-waveland central lockup.

Signs of the times...

2006-09-06T14:52:00.000-05:00

Two interesting signs aren't they? Before you get too offended, think of the sentiment behind the signs- there is something at work in the Bay-Waveland area right now. C.S. Lewis would call it 'deeper' magic! There is a frustration and an abandonment of hope and trust in the 'normal' places of hope and trust like insurance companies or savings accounts. Concurrently, there is an appreciation and a reliance upon the unknown, unidentified hereos on the Coast know affectionately at coffee shops and Wal-Mart lines as 'volunteers'. You can go anywhere and the residents ask groups, "Are ya'll volunteers?" There are always words of appreciation and thanks that follow. there are statements like "I don't know what we'd have done without the volunteers, thanks!" WAVELAND LOVES YOU- the generic, unknown, nameless volunteer that is driving down the beach road and happens to see the sign- YOU! Our mission at Lagniappe is to 'participate in the restoration of the Gulf Coast through the declaration and demonstration of the love of God shown to us in Christ Jesus!' Part of the beauty of Lagniappe is that we get the opportunity to not only do the work, but to put a 'why' behind it. Waveland may love us, but that wonderful city's love is not enough to compel us- We love Waveland because we have been loved by the God who made Waveland. Perhaps, just perhaps, we should give thanks for the 'State Farm Sucks' signs- they might be saying more than you think. State Farm is not enough to hope in. Savings accounts don't cover everything. Even volunteers won't be enough. He is enough. He loves Waveland and her people, so we do too.

Three Larroux Generations

2006-09-06T07:35:00.000-05:00

From left to right: Jean Francois Larroux, III, Jean Francois Larroux, IV, Jean Francois Larroux, Jr., Michael Pierre Larroux. All of my family was in town for the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the passing of my Aunt and Uncle Gloria and Luke Benigno (Gloria was the sister of Jean, Jr. and Michael P.) As a special bonus many of my family members joined us at LPC for worship on Sunday morning. I preached on Psalm 107:23-32, an incredibly encouraging passage about God's sovereignty over the storms of life. It also speaks of His redemption after the storm and our joy in being guided to 'our desired haven'. He is good to have brought my family togehter again even through the storm. We gathered the previous night at the home of my cousins- Charley and Teri Lucas (Gloria's daughter). It was a fabulous evening despite the occasion. It was a great time to remember family and also friends who walked through this time with us. My cousin from Seattle, Eleana Waite (Gloria's other daughter) joined us with her husband Ben Hines who travelled to the Bay with fresh salmon from Washington state. It was fabulous and definately made me want more- grilled, charred, a little bit of lemon- oooohhhh eeee, gimme some mo of that!

Guest Book...kind of

2006-09-05T00:16:00.000-05:00

I would love to know who actually makes it to the personal blog- leave a comment or a hello :) either personally or 'anonymously' either way I'd love to know that people 'dropped by' the digital neighborhood. Also, how do you like the site?- I'm such a stickler for design detail, but if I don't say so myself I like the white with sepia photos- blogging can get so chaotic, you gotta reign it in...I guess I'll only have myself to blame if it gets junky. I will try to keep the site fairly fresh- I wish I could keep up with each of you personally, laugh with you on the funny posts and cry with you on the hard ones but I guess this will at least give you a window into moi! You are all in my prayers...I know that the Bay isn't the only 'hard' place in the kingdom, so please know that there are prayers and love coming from, not just headed to me at Lagniappe!

First Post...

2006-09-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

Blogger offered to let me create a blog on their new google beta version, so here's a try and I will probably use this to post more personal thoughts about Lagniappe and Life while leaving the church stuff for the other blog! Above are my babies- not so baby anymore- Hannah Grace (9), Jean IV (affectionately known as T-Jean, 13) and Ann Elizabeth (10).

Mrs. Haley Barbour, First Lady of Mississippi

2006-09-04T02:57:00.000-05:00

You may have seen the recent post on our other blog that shows us at the Governor's prayer breakfast in Jackson, Mississippi. We joined Lagniappe friend Charles Irby for the breakfast and he was kind enough to introduce me to Mrs. Barbour. She was a kind person and has a real passion to help the people of the coast. Mississippi is blessed to have her in the Governor's mansion. She mentioned to me, "Haley couldn't be everywhere. I had to go down to the coast and be his eyes for him." Maybe somewhere in the future I've got some politics in the Larroux blood- it will take the right people around me, but I think I'd love it!