What happens after you get what you want?

I've been getting ready for this Christmas Holiday with a bit of apprehension. I don't know if it's getting older that occasionally ZAPS my Christmas Spirit or if it's other forces outside of myself hard at work. It's strange. This time of the year I usually am filled with excitement and wonder. I don't think excitement and wonder have an age limit. Last year we were waiting for Liam to be born. We were filled with hope and anticipation for the coming year. Anything would have been better than that last year. The IVF's, Shelly's Hospital scare and other difficulties. This year has been filled with it's own set of challenges. I think that Liam was our high point this year. His birth was the culmination of many years of praying through frustrated words and angry hearts.

I still remember after our first IVF exactly 2 Christmas's ago. I had gotten a call from our Doctor while at lunch with my family and my parents. Liv, our 5 year old, had been praying in her own way for quite a while. She would pray that God would give her a baby brother or sister. She was happy with whichever one...she just wanted one. When we told her, I remember that she was sitting on the chair watching TV and we sat down with her. We told her that God decided that we needed to wait on a baby brother or sister and that there wasn't a baby in mommie's tummy yet. Her eyes filled with tears and we all cried a little bit together, but we said that God knew what he was doing and we didn't need to worry. ( I should have said that to myself.)

So, here we are...our answer to prayer is 8 1/2 months old. We've gotten our answer. But still, I grumble a bit because of circumstances, hurricanes, money problems and job stresses. But, what happens after I get what I want? I still want more. The asking is where the transformation occurs. Satisfaction is for a moment. And even though I am thankful, I am greatly reminded that the absence I feel in my heart is a part of life. It's the yearning for perfection...for wholeness that will only come through relationship. And even then, only in pieces. I will not be whole until I see God face to face. I will know even as I am fully known.

So for now, as I think about this Christmas, I must remind myself that God has answered my prayer. I must remember the journey I've taken. How far I've come. I must remember the joy I felt and still feel when I see my children's smiling faces and hear their laughter and cries. And when I ask myself what happens after I get what I want? I will remember that Life happens. So do Job issues, stress and acts of God. This is a journey. An exciting one at that. They will continue as will we. Hopefully, though, I have a bit of wisdom for my two little ones seen here. I will tell them that the most important thing isn't in the getting...it's in the asking. Besides, there will always be something else that we really want.

Vision

I attended the WFX Conference and Expo yesterday. The keynote speaker was a man named Dave Ferguson. He is the Lead Pastor of Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL. (http://www.communitychristian.org/) His congregation has grown from the initial meeting with he, his wife and four friends to a 8 location Campus with over 5,000 people in regular attendance. I mention this because what he had to say about Vision was quite remarkable.

His original Idea was simple, but not fully realized. He wanted to be a church planter. Many dreams and ideas later, a meeting with an entrepreneur friend encouraged him to think about what he wanted. Think about the end. What did he see? He thought, Church Replication. If we have everything we need and we are making Jesus known to people, then why not replicate that? He began to formulate the vision and his conclusion was simple. If your vision cannot fit on the back of a napkin, then it’s too complicated. He chose, “Help people find their way back to God.” It was Simple. It needs to be something that everybody gets. Once the vision decided upon, then it needs to be cast to the people. As I have always said, if people buy into the vision, they will do so with their time and their money. Money always follows vision. This is what followed his idea. It wasn’t that he had the answers, it was that God was up to something and was ready for someone to follow His leading. God then began bringing people in to help fulfill that vision and, whether you agree with church replication, was able to begin 8 locations with 700+ members each within a few years. Wow.

When I think about Southeast, I see a church that is strong. I see a church situated in a fantastic location. There is absolutely no reason why we should not be leading the pack when it comes to how 21st century Churches of Christ should do church. We have the staff and the people to carry it forward. I know this to be true.

Does Southeast agree on what kind of a church we wish to be? The end is different for many of us. I know the ultimate vision is the same…for people to get to heaven. But the way we reach people is an area for discussion. I think we all know what will draw people to our church, but some people might see the ‘slippery slope’ as more dangerous than a church without many people.

I was really encouraged by Dave’s message yesterday. He let me know that it can be done. I’m not referring to the mega church realization. I’m referring to the fact that vision attracts people. If people could get excited about a new purpose then we might be able to reach goals and change the world!

Fireproof - A Review

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing the film Fireproof. I’m typically a go against the flow type of a guy, so you see my conundrum. Do I go with the flow of all my Christian Friends who are yelling at me to go see this “Christian Film” or do I go against the world and actually see it. I chose to see it reluctantly and not expecting much. After all, it stars Kirk Cameron. What I found was surprising. It was a well done film that boldly attempts to reach into the heart of marital conflict.
Caleb is a firefighter who seems to be a hero to everyone in the world, except his wife. Catherine is lamenting the train wreck her 7 year marriage has become. They both need a miracle. The Story follows their conflict in some detail as they explore such marriage killers as infidelity, selfishness and addictions in the marriage covenant.
Ready to call it quits, Caleb is asked by his father to complete a 40 day “Love dare” if he has any desire to see his marriage succeed. He reluctantly accepts the challenge, but finds much more than he anticipated as he comes to realize that the ‘never leave your partner behind’ motto relates to much more than his job.
Expect to see the obligatory conversion scene, which you come to expect from a film by a mainstream Christian organization. This might be a turn off for some, but for me, it fits in this story. Every major story deals with a character whose life fundamentally changes somehow during the story. This is a standard storytelling formula. In this case, the change just happens to be that he chooses to follow Christ, which in my opinion is the pinnacle of change. So, it works. The film is quite heavy so there are several moments of comic relief, which at times, seems out of place and a bit forced. Nevertheless, some of those moments are very humorous.
This is the 3rd major release from Sherwood Pictures, the previous being ‘Facing the Giants.’ The truth is they are getting better. This is a marked improvement. At times, the acting appears amateurish, but not terrible. This could be said about other films as well. Overall, I recommend this movie. If people need motivation for their relationships, then this movie will help them in that direction. I left the theater with a better idea of how much God loves me and how much I love my wife.

Marital Bliss?

I performed a wedding last weekend. I haven't done many, but each time I have the opportunity, I'm reminded of many things. My own marriage...of course. I'm reminded of how young I was, not physically mind you, but mentally. I don't think I had maintained my preconceptions by the time I got married, but I did have some idea as to what it might involve. For the most part, though, I discovered that marital bliss isn't a long term reality. I love my marriage, don't get me wrong, but when I think of "bliss," I don't also think of "work." But moments of bliss...those moments come in-between bills and talking about what's for dinner and working through issues...bliss creeps into those unexpected moments. When it does, it's like a drug. Those moments justify the work. They solidify the bond. I'm becoming better at recognizing those moments and when they come, I drink them in. So, for my friends who marry, I pray for the ability to work as well as the ability to recognize and enjoy those moments of bliss.

The Sound of Your Love

I don't think I've never blogged about my Haiti Adventure. Experiencing the poorest of the poor in the Western Hemisphere has changed my life. Since returning from Haiti over a year ago, I've thought to myself that I'll be going back. Hope for Haiti's Children is an organization that I plan to be involved with for some time to come. You can find out more by visiting their website at http://www.hfhcministries.org/.

This is a video that I made of the orphans that HFHC houses. Their love for singing is evident here as they sing for us the song they have learned from the group Leeland. Take a look.

Freedom

I just finished this piece on Freedom. It isn't my best work by any stretch, but it is fun and was a good segue into our Wednesday night lesson time. Take a look and I'd love to hear your comments.

Facebook

I resisted at first, yes. I have, however, seen the light. Facebook really can bring the world together. At least it can bring friendships together in the shallow end of the relational pool. What I find is that the seeing an old friend after a long time of...well...not seeing them is very exciting and moving. You know, those friends I had when I was in High School, college and beyond. I mean, after all, I was voted "friendliest" in my class like 3 years in a row. I never did get best looking or most athletic. Sigh! Oh well.
When I do get some communication from one of my old friends the pattern becomes more or less a 'HEY! How's it Going!" and then they reply pretty quickly with a, "great! it's great here...and you?" And then I reply a little less quickly with, "yeah, family's good and so is the job! Man you look great after all of these years!" And then, a few days later they might reply with a, "well, it's good to see you..." and then...well, that's pretty much it. I find that those relationships I had so long ago were fantastic in the moment, but life does move on and it's difficult to share what's really gone on in my life- the ups and downs -the tragedies and successes- those things that have formed my spirit, personality and my purpose...it's hard to share these things in a short email. It's hard to briefly say, yeah, we've been trying for a kid for about 4 years and oh yeah, my wife almost died last labor day from what we thought was a muscle pull...yada yada yada... So, without really going into the details, I put forth the Cliff's notes version of my life. I know that there is so much I truly want to say, but I'm not sure how to write it all down.

It's not that my Facebook friends aren't important...it's just that, well a lot has happened in 10+ years...with all of us. But it's nothing to regret I guess. We offer pockets of communication...like our facebook profiles...or a blog, like this one. I think that blogs are a great way to peer into someone's life. Of course, you have to update it. And I try.

One thing I do not like about Facebook is an application I'm trying to get rid of...compare people...so far I'm on the low end of the most date able and best looking rating scale. Of course, I'm sure that if there were a 'friendliest' section, I'd probably be at the top. I guess after 10+ years, not much has changed.

Liam's Blessing

I love the idea of a moment of blessing. When it comes to Children, typically more conservative churches have shunned the idea of blessing infants in a public way because it looks too much like dedicating or baptizing babies. I guess this is bad because when it comes to infants the baptists dedicate and the catholics baptize. I reference these two because deliniating one segment of christians from the other usually lies in areas of practice right? And we all know that practice makes perfect right? ( I hope you see the sarcasm in that statement.)

Of course we know that Jesus blessed the children. (Mark 10) How, we're not sure. Many Christians are intimidated by things that they don't know much about. Moments of Blessing are found throughout the bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament. My opinion is simple. Blessing occurs when your words give encouragement, direction and a realization of power. My son was blessed at our church on April 13th of this year and this is what was said. I'd love to hear your comments.

Some More Pics

I thought I'd go ahead and publish some more pics our experience.  I'm working on a short piece on our adventure...I'll publish that soon. But for now...here are some more pics. 

 

He's Here!

We've been waiting quite a long time and he's finally made his appearance.

He Showed up at 4:04 on Tuesday APRIL 1st.  Can you believe it?  Liv showed on Halloween and Liam is here on April Fools day.  God is Good...too slow sometimes for my impatient self, but I'm not complaining.  I feel fortunate to have captured his attention.  He loves us...And as I look at my son, I can see how much he loves mankind.  Wow... Thanks for your prayers.  Here are some pictures. 

We're ready to come home.  It's been a wonderful experience.  More soon...

Horton Hears a Who.

"I said what I meant and I meant what I said; an elephant is faithful One Hundred Percent." This tale from the mind of Dr. Seuss weaves a story of faithfulness and forgiveness.

Horton, voiced by Jim Carrey, is an unassuming character who seems to be more in tune with his he hears a sound from a passing speck. He recognizes the sound as a small voice calling for help. He immediately drops everything to investigate this sound and save the speck from certain doom as it flits and floats helplessly through the jungle. Those around him are seemingly unaffected by this sound except for the local self-appointed morality police/kangaroo voiced by Carol Burnett. She sees Horton as one who would disrupt the status quo of the serene jungle life with fantastical tales about a speck bearing life. The main character, Horton, is loyal and simple. And his best trait seems to be that he does not regard his neighbor's view of his seemingly crazy behavior as something to deter his quest to fulfill his vow of faith. Meanwhile, in the middle of the speck, the mayor (voiced by Steve Carell) is faced with questions about the fragility of life in his seemingly serene world of Whoville. Unexpectedly, he meets a disembodied voice that, interestingly, only he can hear. When near catastrophic events occur in Whoville, the mayor risks reputation and family to save his world by putting a little faith in his new, but unseen friend.

Horton Hears A Who is a story about characters who discover that their worlds aren't as large or small as they seem. It's a story about a journey of faith and courage. Interestingly, both main characters never actually see each other. In moments they can hear what the other is saying, but without sight must rely on this faith to save the day.

I'm a fan of both of the actors in this film - Jim Carrey and Steve Carell – as is my family. I decided to take my wife and my 5 year old daughter to see the film and didn't see or hear anything that caused me regret. The film wasn't as funny as I had hoped, but what it did provide was a great opportunity to discuss what it means to keep your word even in the most difficult of situations; especially in a world that fights against those who would do right regardless of the cost. Horton Hears a Who is playing now in a theater near you. Horton Hears a Who is Rated "G."

Love this Video

I'm an office fan. I recently came across Jenna Fischer's my space page and saw this video. It's very intriguing for the production quality. Plus, I just like the song. Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVpBw5V7sPU

Dogmatic

I was looking for some similar words to Dogmatic today and this is what I came up with. "Rigid. Inflexible. Unbending. Strict. Narrow. Authoritarian. Dictatorial."

I grew up in an independent, Fundamental, Bible believing Baptist world. (I get tired just typing that phrase.) And yes, it did shape my beliefs a bit. I was raised to think that a few arguments and questions could be won and answered by just a few well selected scripture references. I was taught (informally) that once a question was answered, then you really didn't have to think about it again. You knew the answer. Therefore, the focus became making sure that others know the answers you know. Just the facts.

Yes…I really was sure of myself for quite a while. When people asked about Revelation and the end of the world, I knew the answer. In fact, I knew exactly how it would play out. I could type it up for you now in all its literal detail, but I would probably lose the few of you who actually take time to read this stuff. You want to know what happens when you die? I knew it! What about those in the world who have never heard about Jesus. Those who have never even heard the name of Jesus? Well, I knew…and frankly, it's really too bad for them. Bummer.

Of course, we were taught about God's grace, but weren't really taught that we should show such grace. There was a time when I was, sad to say, DOGMATIC. Rigid…Inflexible…Unbending…

But a bit later in life I discovered something about myself. When someone lacks Grace, there lacks personal experience. No grace…No experience. And I really had not experienced normal, living-in-the-world people. Fortunately, from knowing such people I've learned that there are fewer and fewer Black and White areas anymore. Grayness seems to be moving in like a typical April day on the shores of Galveston. Does this mean my faith is shaken? No. It means that I have more experiences now. I have several friends that weren't raised in a little fundamentalist bubble. And that is good.

So, why should you care about this? After all it is a bit of personal discovery really. I think you should care because at any given moment what someone needs more than a proof text or a solid, though out answer is this. A hug. You were expecting more weren't you? Actually to break it apart…what people need are words that encourage, arms that comfort, tears that sympathize, and feet that will meet them where they are. They need the real love of God showed from a living body. When you hug someone fully…dogmatics aren't present. Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever experienced a rigid, inflexible and unbending hug.

CHAIN EMAILS - AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!

I recently received a chain email from someone who 'usually doesn't forward these things, but thought I would be blessed.' What the email included was facts about people who rejected christ and how their lives came to a horribly abrupt end. Those 'endings' included being shot to death, burnt alive, drowning in their own vomit, car accident and overdose... Yes...I was definitely blessed! It ends by telling you that if you love Jesus then you should forward this on to 8 people. Something I'm sure Jesus would have done had he had access to email...

I am not a fan of these emails. Frankly, I hate them...yes I said hate. They always seem to generalize the facts. In this case, they treat these sad stories as a 'turn or burn' example of someone's bent out of shape idea of evangelism. These are people who were the beloved of God. There’s always a bigger story than someone’s final rejection of Christ. I hope it’s something that can serve as a sad reminder of how dependant we really are instead of a joyful cry of how God zaps those who reject him.
The first story was about John Lennon. The email says,

"Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said:
"Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him" (1966). Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times.

Yeah...God Zaps those who don't follow him doesn't he? I have a real problem with this type of conversation being spread through christian emailers. I also have a message for them...STOP IT!!!!! This is not full of love, but of condemnation. John 3:17 says that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." We are not to be condemning either. So STOP IT!!!

I’ve always been fond of John Lennon because, he was a seeker. More so than many so-called Christians today. He searched for that thing that constantly eluded him. If you want to read an interesting article about his struggle with Christianity visit http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/januaryweb-only/001-22.0.html It gives an interesting insight to this guy whose insecurities kept him from accepting the truth. Not to mention that his comments about being more famous than Jesus wasn't an egocentric statement, but rather a sad commentary about the decline of spirituality and religion in America.

Yes, there is always a back story...a bigger story than someone's horrific end. I tell you, if God zapped everyone who rejected him, how many of us would still be here?

Thanks for reading and by the way, if love Jesus, then please send this blog post to 8 people :)

Not Sure...

This week...I'm not sure what to write about. So, as any author would tell you, it doesn't matter what you write necessarily - just write. Things will flow. So, ok..I will. We've got about 4+ weeks to go until baby is here. Lord willing, it will go smoothly.
Other news...I'm currently in the beginning stages of two book ideas. One I'm working on with Michael Harbour, our preaching minister. It will be a rather exciting look at 'funerals.' Yes...very exciting stuff.

The other book is finally developing into a pretty solid idea. I think it could help more traditional congregations move forward into creating a more productive learning environment for their Sunday Worship services...Blah, blah, blah...it won't be a new york times bestseller, but hopefully a few people will read it and make some of the ideas their own. We'll see. I'm going to need a lot of encouragement though. My goal is to have a rough version by the middle of '09.

As far as other life goes, I just got a wii and I absolutely love it. Best thing ever. I'll let you know more about that later...once I get pics of me and Liv playing it together. Shelly...well, she's a bit too pregnant to care about playing tennis or golf, but Liv on the other hand is having the best time beating me at boxing. Also, I purchased the game 'Hannah Montana.' Pretty exciting I tell ya. The object is simple. Pick out your clothes that you will wear for the concert...do the dance moves at the concert...and then get money to shopping at stores across the world so that you can pick out more clothes to wear at the next concert. What else is there really?

Thanks for reading...more later.

What are we doing?

The question of the day is, what are we really doing? I've been reading a new book...actually a second edition (updated with a cooler cover) called Pagan Christianity. If you want to read an interesting take on how the modern day church arrived in their current situation then please read. If you aren't quite ready to have your religiously conservative mind blown, then I suggest you wait a while. It's definitely not for everyone.

But the question remains...what are we doing? I've been a minister for the past several years...9 almost ten to be exact, and I still wonder occasionally what we are trying to accomplish. Is it teaching and experiencing the life of Jesus through Scripture and relationships? Is it to become good people? Is it to promote the values of Moralistic America?

I'd love to hear your take on this. Because, once we discover what we're trying to accomplish for an hour or two on Sunday, then maybe we'll also discover better ways to communicate that answer. I'm not a pessimist by any stretch, and I think that there are some great things about worshipping together in a building on a Sunday morning...but honestly, when it comes to communicating the truth of Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the dependance of his people...I don't think we're even close to communicating well.

So, the question on the table is this...'What are we doing?' Please let me know your response and it should give way to some good discussion.

For God so loved

I've been studying about our upcoming sermon series on John 3:16. This was probably the first verse I learned as a child growing up at Bethel Baptist Church. It was all about 'Belief.' You didn't have to do anything except 'believe.' I wasn't sure what that meant exactly, but I knew I wanted to believe. When I came into the churches of Christ, I didn't hear that verse alot. I heard acts 2:38 and a few others that are C.O.C. standards, but John 3:16...I rarely heard mentioned. Maybe it wasn't spoken of because the premise behind the verse seemed a bit fuzzy. You know, many people look at the bible as instructional. They want to know What to do and in what order to do it. This verse is pretty simplistic and offers no real instruction on how one should 'believe.'

It says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

After being involved in the churches of christ, I can see why this isn't a focal point. It's pretty basic. I'm sure people would say, "well of course we know that God loves us. That's a given. Yes you should believe. But if you want to know how to believe you have to read this verse...."

I'm not a proponent of taking one verse and hanging my christianity on it's principles because I think the bible should be looked at as a whole, in context. But the context behind this verse did change everything. Love is explained and an alternative to death is offered. It doesn't explain it all, but then again, which verse does explain everything?

I'll be writing more about this...these are just a few of the things I'm thinking.

Amazing

It’s amazing really. To think that the picture on the left is actually my little boy safely growing inside my wife. Our doctor recently got her new machine and we weren’t expecting this, but when she started the camera, he started the show. Legs flailing. Arms moving. Mouth opening and closing. Actions we would be trying to stop were it 5 years later in a doctor’s office…but now, it’s magnificent.

We’ve been waiting a long time. Makes me wonder about the sending and arrival of God’s son. I wonder if he was excited about the stir his Son would cause when he placed him right in the middle of the world? He knew that he would cause commotion even as an embryo. God only knew what a baby that created that much uneasiness while in the womb would do once unleashed into the world. I also wonder how he could have parted with him. How he could have sent him to endure so much…it’s not that he couldn’t stand the pain or the solitude or the life set out before him. I think the difficulty was that he was coming to help. He was coming bringing truth that anyone in their right mind would be glad to listen to. His love for his people was about to be rejected in huge ways. To send your son into a world that is overflowing with fear and hate. That kind of love I can only hope to partially understand.

I look at this strange picture and I know what he is in for. The heartache, disappointment and trouble. But, I also know that one day he’ll meet the God I’ve met. He’ll meet the Jesus who has saved me from myself. He’ll know the lineage and history of those who have come before him…their mistakes, problems and successes both spiritually and physically. I also know that he’ll experience love so profound that he will not know how to process it. And one day, God-willing he’ll be sending his son into the world too…with prayer and expectation.