No Hear
I’m in NM with my teens on a mission trip. They are rockin’ my face off!!!
I’ll be back late Wednesday night. We covet your prayers.
Peace.
Category Archives: General
Vacation Photos
We have had a great couple of days here in Washington, DC.
The in-laws have lived here since Sandy and I started dating so we have had quite a few opportunities to see the Capital City. We’ve done the museums and the monuments so this trip was all about seeing and doing things that we haven’t done before.
Monday night we attended the Nationals vs. Tigers game in RFK Stadium. There were so many Tiger fans there that night that it was practically a home game for Detroit. The Nationals rallied in the 9th but still came up short. I was completely underwelmed by RFK Stadium by the way. It is old and ugly. Maybe that’s why they are building a new stadium.
Every ballpark seems to have some variation of “the race.” At the Ballpark in Arlington it’s “The Dot Race.” In Milwaukee it’s “The Sausage Race.” In our nation’s capital they have “The Racing Presidents.” When I saw that giant Roosevelt race down the first base line I had no choice but to yell out, “Bully! Look at that giant Teddy Roosevelt!” After the race I just had to get a picture with them. The only thing that would have made this moment better is if they had stood in Rushmore formation. Oh well. Good times regardless.
These seat were much better than the ones we paid for. (Full disclosure: I sat here to snap a few shots and then it was back to section 505)
My dad is a history teacher and I have always enjoyed Civil War history. In all of our visits here we have never been to Ford’s Theatre. I guess we will have to try again later because the theatre is closed for the next 18 months as they renevate. D’oh!
There was some sort of cultural festival on the Mall this past weekend. As we came up out of the metro we were greeted by this Bali-licious truck. All the information signs had been taken down so I can’t tell you the story behind it. Just mavel at it’s beaded glory.
These are all the photos for today. Have a great week everyone.
Thoughts For the Day
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
(Colossians 3:23; 1Corinthians 10:31 TNIV)
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.””
(Exodus 31:1-11 TNIV) also see Exodus 35:30-36:8
Part IV and V
Ooops! I didn’t post a Simpsons article last week because of Work Camp so I’m making up for it today by bringing you the forth and fifth installment on Why I Love The Simpsons.
Part 4: The Flandereses Aren’t Geeks
Ok Rod and Todd are and Maude has a thing for Homer which she hides behind a low… but there isn’t a better neighbor in the world then Ned Flanders.
Born to a couple of freaky beatniks, Ned Flanders is the patron saint of Springfield. In Mark Pinsky’s wonderful book, The Gospel According to The Simpsons, he writes about Flanders saying,
Religion and morality inform nearly every aspect of Flanders’ life, from the door bell that alternates chimes of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” and “Bringing in the Sheaves,” to his air horn that blares the “Hallelujah” chorus at football games. Together with his family, he prays at meals and before bed. He attends his church three times a week and tithes, contributing to seven other congregations just to be on the safe side. He belongs to a Bible study group and keeps his notes stuck on the refrigerator with a fish magnet, and he turns his basement into a Christian youth hostel from time to time. Like many believers, he thanks God often for his blessings, for things as small as a beautiful day. He calls on the Almighty for everything from a better performance of Guys and Dolls at the local dinner theater to the backstage players-those who work behind the scenes to make the production work. The family carves Bible dioramas out of pumpkins at Halloween and gives out hugs instead of candy to trick-or-treaters.
What I love about Flanders is that he is no a one-dimensional evangelical stereotype. He is multi-layered and the writers allow us to see him get angry and flustered and act like a human being. We see Ned struggling with the death of his wife and raising two sons on his own. We see him losing his temper from time to time and we see Homer push every one of his buttons. Yet every-time Ned’s faith stands strong.
To see Ned’s Greatest Hits check out the following episodes:
Homer Loves Flanders
In Marge We Trust
Hurricane Neddy
Part 5: Maybe You’d Like Some Unitarian Ice Cream?
Religion plays a huge part in the Simpsons. More than any other show on television the Simpsons openly discuss religion of all shapes and sizes. Apu is a Hindu. Lisa has become a Buddhist. Krusty “Herschel Pinkus Yerucham” Krustofski is a Jew. Stange cult leaders have even made appearances from time to time.
However, most everyone else in town attends The First Church of Springfield which is a off shoot of “the western branch of American Reformed Presbylutheranism.”
Name me another show on TV where the main characters regularly attend church. You can’t. 7th Heaven is off the air and Edith Bunker is in reruns. Name me another show where religion is examined, talked about, and often placed at the center of the episode. Again, you can’t do it.
The next couple of installments in this series will deal directly with the religion found in the Simpsons. That should make for some interesting discussions.
Next Week: BMIN 4F18 – The Simpsons Episode Every Minister Must See
Nothing New Under The Sun
We started studying the book of James last Sunday. As I have been preparing for the class I have been struck by just how relevant this 2000 year old letter is. Just read the first chapter:
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; they are double–minded and unstable in all they do.
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each of you is tempted when you are dragged away by your own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirrorand, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like. But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:1-27 TNIV)
It Begins…
The summer is right around the corner. The last day of classes around here is May 24- which is a week from this Thursday. Crazy!
In the coming weeks I will be traveling on mission trips and to church camps. We will be painting houses and serving people in and around our community.
Summer is the bread and butter for youth ministry because students have free time and it is really when relationships can fully develop.
Growing up I had a great youth ministry experience while in high school. We did work camp, a camp at a Christian college, mission trips, late-night movies, sleepovers, cook-outs, service projects and a VBS.
Looks like that is close to what we’ll be doing this summer. It won’t be to much longer until…
(eerie voice) …it begins!!! (dum-dum-DAAAH)
Compare and Contrast
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.” (Mark 2:1-4 TNIV)
Sometimes I feel like one of the crowd. I bet you do too. We are so intent and so focused on packing the house in order to hear a word for Jesus that we forget about people on the outside.
In Mark 2 we see a man with a real, physical problem. His body has betrayed him and left him helpless. He needs Jesus- both physically and spiritually. Only, the crowd is making it difficult to come to healing. Imagine the picture of what that paralytic saw. The non-verbal cues that the crowd was giving him.
Backs turned. Blinders on. “We’re in.” “You’re out.” Tough luck buddy. No time for you. Maybe next time.
Recently I read Dan Kimball’s newest book titled They Like Jesus but Not the Church. Ever since I have found myself looking critically at how others might see the church and, more importantly, how we in the church treat those who are outside of the house.
Earlier this week I sang We’re Marching to Zion with a group of college students in their chapel service. I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for the “ye olde hymns” but I found myself struggling with the second verse:
Let those refuse to sing
who never knew our God;
but children of the heavenly King,
but children of the heavenly King
may speak their joys abroad,
may speak their joys abroad.
Do we really mean that? Are we really a people who rejoice and act as though we are the only ones who can and should sing praises to the Father of Creation? I’d imagine that if a stranger wandered into our worship services and stood in the back of our auditoriums observing us as we sang this he would see what the paralytic saw.
Backs turned. Blinders on. “We’re in.” “You’re out.” Tough luck buddy. No time for you. Maybe next time.
As I read the old hymn on the screen immediately I was struck by the words in another song. The last few lines of U2’s City of Blinding Lights transformed this gorgeous rock song into a psalm of remembrance. From a ballad about a city to a modern-day hymn that challenges the way I think about who God truly is.
The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for, others steal
Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel
Luckily
Maybe I’m being hyper-sensitive. Maybe not. Maybe I just want to be one of the four friends. A friend to the helpless or spiritually dead and dying who is willing to tear open a hole in our clubhouses in order to bring people to Jesus.
We forget that at one time we too were on the outside. There was a time that we desperately needed to get to the Savior. There was a time that we didn’t, couldn’t, or wouldn’t kneel before God. And yet…
God blessed us anyway. His sun shines on the irreligious and the faithful alike. Luckily. Thankfully.
Do you live like you believe? If you really believe that God cares for everyone than quit turning you back on the ones who need Him the most. Don’t hinder those who need to come by making it difficult for them to see Jesus. Let everyone experience the joy of lifting their hearts in praise. Not just the ones who kneel.
I Could Watch This For an Hour
We have really enjoyed watching Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel. The series was aboslutely brilliant! I was facinated by crystal caves created by acid, snow leopards on the hunt, land monkeys marching across the highplains, and bison asserting their dominance. However, one segmant not only stole my heart but has kept me laughing ever since.
In the Seasonal Forrest episode, a female mandarin duck emerges from her nest in a tree trunk. Her one-day old hatchlings have to jump from the nest to the forrest floor in order to journey to the water. Thanks to YouTube, here is the video and some appropriate Ben Folds music. Enjoy:
Back in the Big D
I’m back home after spending Monday and Tuesday in Searcy at an Uplift meeting. I grew up going to Uplift every summer and while interning and in college I was able to be a counselor for the camp. Last year, I was excited about coming full circle by getting the opportunity to teach one of the encounter classes.
This year the Uplift team invited all of the teachers from each of the three sessions for a brainstorming meeting. Uplift got to explain to all of the ministers about the theme and their vision for what they hope to accomplish over the summer. I am teaching a leadership class during third session. Both the first and second session teachers were there and we spent a good 3 hours tweaking, dreaming, and exploring our topic and curriculum. I was really great. I left the meeting excited and challenged. I am a certian that was the case for everyone there.
I had a blast catching up with friends and swapping stories from my time at Harding. I also got to catch up with a few former students who are experiencing “dead week” in preparation for their exams. I walked around Hasting’s and drank a Mr. Blonde from Midnight Oil while I was there. It was a good trip.
It is good to be back home though.
Today Was a Good Day
I have had a wonderful birthday.
I got a billion facebook messages, I preached a pretty good sermon, my parents took us out for lunch, I had ice cream with some of my students, and we had an Easter egg hunt up at the building.
Thanks everyone for a great birthday!!!