Goonies Coming to Northwest

The story of a pack of kids who catches wind of some criminals up to mischief in their hometown then bands together to nab the bad-guys and save their neighborhood from impending danger never gets old does it? Maybe it is because we long for the innocence of childhood while at the same time wanting our lives to count for something.

This Saturday, 727 will dance with our childhood fantasies as we view the 80's cult-classic "The Goonies." For info on this event, click here. And if you have 12 minutes to waste, check out The Goonies Vacation. A couple of 20-something fans traveled up to the shoot location to relive their favorite childhod movie and in the process they added fuel to the Goonies fire. The "National Lampoons Vacation" clips are a riot.

Cinderella Man

A few weeks ago my wife and I spent a Sunday Night watching the critically acclaimed Ron Howard film, Cinderella Man. We had heard good reviews from our friends about this story of an against-all-odds boxer trying to survive during the depression. But we weren’t quite prepared for how the story would resonate with us. We quickly became enamored with the hero, James J. Braddock who quickly fell from being a touted prize-fighter to a husband and father of three just struggling to pay the heating bill.

The story of James J. Braddock’s struggle to keep his family together during the toughest of times and his mythic rise as a figure of hope for the average man of the depression impacted me. I saw what appear to be biblical themes being lived out, incarnated before my eyes and in my heart I longed to measure up. And as the movie wound down I found myself on my feet cheering on this Rocky-like underdog as he represented me, the average man fighting the good fight. Here is what I remember of the hero:

He had Integrity: At one point in the story, Braddock’s oldest son stole a salami. The boy confessed that he was afraid that if his parents couldn’t feed him that the kids might be sent away. Braddock marched his son back to the grocer to return the stolen goods. He knew that ones desperate need did not justify taking advantage of others. His own character and reputation was more valuable than a full stomach.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. Proverbs 10:9

He was a Good Father: In the same seen above we find out that the son stole the salami out of fear that the family would be broken up. Braddock sensing the fear in his son looked him in the eye and promised to keep the family together. As he struggled to follow through on his promise he humbled himself to accept support from the government. He even swallowed his pride enough to go to the boxing promoters whom he had made rich and to beg for some handouts from them. He took his responsibility as a provider and protector of his family as seriously as a prize-fight.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. Psalm 103:13

He gave Hope to the Hopeless: Braddock’s rise from the streets to world champion status made him a mythic hero for every struggling, working man. Men struggling to find work identified with Braddock as one who walked in their shoes and faced their pressures. So with every blow that Braddock landed it was as if America’s depressed were being lifted from their devastation and freed, if but for a moment, from their own chains of poverty. It is here that Braddock becomes almost Christ-like, as a man who saves men from their hopelessness.

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17

Jesus, the incarnation of God, has walked in my shoes. He walked with integrity, caring for his people like a father, giving hope to the hopeless. His life was whole and unified in its loyalty to the will of the Father. The story of James J. Braddock as “The Cinderella Man” has re-connected my heart with the one who has fully identified with me and offers not just a mythic hero to follow but propitiation for my sin.

Part 6, Talking Directly

Sorry for the delay in this final post. Here's are my other thoughts on Christian Conflict:
Part 1, How should Christians Fight?
Part 2, The two R's of Christian Conflict
Part 3, Seeing Clearly
Part 4, Approaching Humbly
Part 5, Speaking Cautiously

One of the simplest guidelines in this matter of resolving our disagreements often becomes the most difficult and therefore the most neglected. Sitting down and talking directly face-to-face with the person involved. For some reason this is a fearful thing for us to consider. It takes real courage to look someone in the face and say “you hurt me” or “you offended me” or “I think what you did or said was wrong.”

It is much easier for us type out an e-mail, hit the send button and then hide behind our computers. I have received e-mails from people that should have never been sent. Sometimes the e-mails don’t even go to me, but to others about me. What’s up with that?

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (Matthew 18:15)

If you truly want to gain your brother do him the honor of approaching him face-to-face. When you do this you have the chance to dialogue with him, to discuss the situation. To hear him out and be heard. Truth resides in dialogue. If you fire off an e-mail or leave a voicemail there is no opportunity for brother-gaining discussion.

Paul even did this when he had an issue with Peter’s apparent hypocrisy in Antioch. Paul did fire off another letter to Peter, he opposed him to his face (Gal 2:9). At issue was the affect that Peter’s choices might be having on the Gentile believers. Paul was afraid that some believers might be led astray, so he told him to his face, and it appears that he gained his brother. So if you are tempted to fire off that nasty-gram, like I am every so often. Hit the delete button and take them out for a cup of coffee. You might pick up the tab, but you also might gain your brother.

The goal of our conflict should be restoration and reconciliation. And this is only possible to restore broken relationships through face to face interaction. Then you can see the body language, the facial expression, hear the tone in the voice and ask questions. Understanding one another requires lots of questioning and probing all of which is impossible through letters or e-mails. Often times that type of communication only inserts other hurts and misunderstanding into the situation. Direct communication while sometimes difficult is the sole path by which restoration is possible. No other road leads to a restored relationship other than direct conversation.

Kickin' It for Jesus

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus

This time of the year soccer is on my mind. One big reason is that I am extremely involved in the Northwest Soccer Camp, a camp that we run for our community. In one week we will have dozens of 8-13 boys and girls stomping around on the grass working on headers, square passes and penalty kicks. But we hope that this is not just another soccer camp. So we add a twist.

We emphasize character training. Why? Good soccer players don't necessarily make good citizens or good employees or good husbands & wives. But if we can use soccer as a vehicle to challenge kids to be good people, then we are on to something.

So this year we are appealing to the innate desire within kids to be a success, at least at something, even if it is not soccer. So we will be challenging them with "The 3 Keys to a Successful Attitude." Each day we will drive home one key idea. And then we will reinforce it at the end of the day by have a professional player from the Columbus Crew share how they have learned that lesson as well.

Kids certainly have much to learn, and their path from naivete to wisdom requires much direction. We hope that this camp will be one of those experiences which helps shape them for their future. But according to Jesus, we adults have something to learn from these children. Maybe its their simplicity, or their trust, or honest questioning. So during this camp an interesting event will take place. We will be mentoring, coaching and directing the kids... and simultaneously we will be learning a lesson from them on "how to enter the kingdom of heaven."

Costly Mistakes

Have you ever made a costly mistake? I just made one yesterday and I'm still trying to figure out how to get over it. I lost my iPOD Video....that is the short of it. You see I went on a long run and my lovely wife was going to pick me up at my final destination...quite nice of her. And when she picked me up I made a fatal mistake, I took off the iPOD and put it on the roof of the car. A simple act, but that was the mistake. After I did that I got a drink of water, cooled down a bit and then loaded into the cars (sans iPOD). It wasn't until last night that I realized my blunder. I had never retrieved my traveling jutebox from the rooftop. So last night at 10:30 pm I grabbed a flashlight and headed out to the scene of the crime. I found nothing...and now someone is probably joyfully loading their favorite videos onto my iPOD.

How we respond in these situations is quite revealing. I'm a blamer. I figured out some way to blame my wife for not reminding me to grab the gadget. I even wondered, God why have you allowed this injustice to happen to me. But as passing time cools my thoughts I realize that no one is to blame but me. I make decisions, I make choices and I make mistakes...and I have to live with the results. It's quite simple. I'd love to get my video iPOD back, but if I not...it's void will be a silent reminder of my costly mistake.

What's Your Style???

I'm not talking hair or clothes or even music... I'm talking church. I spent some time today researchng a Pastor's Conference that I am interested in and they posted some interviews of the speakers. One that really caught my eye was Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. He talked about style in ministry. The Bible is pretty clear that Christ has "sent" the church to its local geography as "missionaries" through whom he wants to announce the good news of his kingdom. But how we do it, or in what style is an issue that often trips us up. What things MUST NOT change in translating the gospel to our neighbors and what things do we have the freedom to change. I like Mark's answer. See it for yourself.

http://desiringgod.org/media/video/2006_National/national2006_driscoll_interview4.mov

Some people have way too much free time...

Part 5, Speaking Cautiously

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will never hurt me.


Lies, lies, lies. Words don’t hurt our bodies, but they penetrate deep into our souls and they either give life or suck the life out of us. Words can be like a refreshing summer rain quenching the thirst of a dry flower bed. Or they can be like a swarm of small termites which slowly eat away at a giant oak tree until it is so hollow inside that it comes crashing to the ground.

When you are offended by something someone does or says, watch your tongue. Your natural tendency will be to say something to someone. The tongue is small, but it is powerful. Remember James caution?

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (James 3:5)

Word once spoken can be like hand-grenades tossed into a battle zone. The can cause destruction that is irrevocable. You can’t take them back. You can try, you might even be forgiven, but the damage has been done. James compares the tongue to untamable wild beast, and says it is full of deadly poison (James 3:1-13).

In your offended state you are liable to think some nasty things about the person… they may even be true and the person may even deserve it. But don’t pollute your mouth (or your e-mail) by hitting the send button. Whenever I am tempted to spout out some poison I sit down and write out a nasty e-mail or letter…I let it all out. Then I sit back, take a deep breath and hit delete button. Then I physically get up, walk away from the situation (if I can) and prayerfully consider a wiser approach.

The bottom line is watch your words. Too many, too quick, too close to the situation will often get you in trouble. The Proverbs offer some great nuggets about speaking cautiously, check out these nuggets of truth (NLT):

Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. (10:19)

The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives. (12:6)

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed. (12:18-19)

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. (15:1-2)

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! (15:23)

Kind words are like honey-- sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. (16:24)

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. (17:27-28)

Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook. (18:4)

Just a suggestion....

If you've ever received a "helpful" suggestion from a well-meaning do-gooder then you'll get a chuckle out of this voicemail that one pastor received.
http://ship-of-fools.com/Signs/blunders/hello_pastor.html

Part 4, Approaching Humbly

If you are considering approaching someone because you disagree with something they have done or said, approach humbly. What I mean is check your motive. Check your heart. For the motives that reside deep in your heart must first be addressed by you before you are ready to approach them. In James 3 (13-17) we see a negative to avoid and a positive to strive for.

If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. (James 3:14)

Are you struggling with bitterness toward this person? That might mean you have let past small issues well up inside you and you have walled them off in your heart. Are you feeling jealousy towards that person? If you can’t go up and sincerely praise them or encourage them, then you might have a jealousy problem. Is there something you are trying to personally gain from by confronting this person? If you hope to win something while they lose something in this process, you might have a selfish ambition. Confess these feelings and repent of them before proceeding.

Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)

Here is the litmus test for a humble approach. Such an approach is wise and pleasing in God’s eyes. It is open to reason which is seeking first to understand the person before bashing them over the head with your correction. It is possible that you misunderstand them and by engaging in a conversation you are open to be persuaded by the facts and better understand their position. A humble approach is full of mercy, holding back what you think they deserve, it seeks peace which heals the relationship and is gentle not abusive.

If you must approach someone, thinking that you see the situation clearly, do it with wisdom from above. Pray for a right heart and confess any bitterness, jealousy or selfish ambition. Ask God to fill you with mercy and gentleness and first seek to understand by asking questions and listening then engaging them in discussion.

Here are a few questions to consider starting such a conversation:
Why did you do/say xxxxxx ?
What did you intend when you did/said xxxxxx ?
Were you aware that your action/words could have xxxxxx effect?

Part 3, Seeing Clearly

Now let’s walk down the path of how to resolve our conflicts.
Appropriately.
Biblically.
Wisely.
Maturely.
Effectively.








It is easy to make judgments of others, because we are naturally caught up in the lives of others. Jack Johnson captured the idea in his song "Wasting Time" with these words...

“everybody thinks that
everybody knows about
everybody else,
nobody knows anything
about themselves
cause their all worried
about everybody else.”

It is easy to make judgments of others. It is even necessary. I would say that life is largely about making judgments. My job as a dad is to teach that to my kids. I want them to judge the advice they receive and who gives it. I want them to make right judgments about choosing friends and jobs and hobbies. Life is about decision making based on our judgment of people and situations. Life even calls for us to share our judgments with others and even with the people about whom we are making the judgments. But the Bible warns us that would should tread lightly when we walk down this path.

The reason is that while we think we might see others clearly, we are often far-sighted. We seem to think we see things in others lives (speech, actions, decisions) very clearly while we are blind to our own issues. For this reason we should first look in the mirror, judge ourselves first, then and only then will we see with the clarity necessary to speak clearly with wise judgment about others. Jesus taught this very lesson in Matthew 7:3-5….

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

We must first be willing to submit ourselves to the standard which we are going to hold someone else up to. Remember we are far-sighted and often blind to our own shortcomings, so we need others in our lives that will honestly bring clarity to our issues.


Here are some suggestions for seeing clearly:
-Make friends who will honestly & lovingly point out your weaknesses and listen to them.
-Before speaking judgment about someone else’s issue, have your friend judge you in that area.
-Consider that the speck you see in someone else might be a log in your own life.

Part 2, The 2 R's of Christiann Conflict

When we must deal with those who have offended us there is a both a practical and theological goal for our confrontation. We must seek Restoration and Reconciliation.

Restoration
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

The first five verses of Galatians six discuss the responsibility that we have to one another as followers of Christ. The key responsibility we have is to work to restore the person. We should help to pick them up, dust them off and put them back on their spiritual feet.

When the sin is a personal offence against us in word or deed this can become personal struggle with our own tendency to sin. If we have been hurt, we might want to hurt them. If we feel estranged, we might want to let them feel the ostracism that we have. But that is not restoration. We have an opportunity to offer forgiveness and do so in such a way that they are welcomed back into the community of faith.

Reconciliation
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; (2 Corinthians 5:18)

Reconciliation is the commitment to restore a relationship to harmony. God has done this for us, something that we could not do for ourselves. We offended him, but he came to us in reconciliation. We betrayed him and walked out on him, but he humbled himself to restore our relationship to harmony. We have been forgiven a great offense, and therefore should be quite thankful. Then he released us to do the same with others.

As those who have been forgiven we have the motivation and power to live out lives of reconciliation. We share how people can be reconciled to God, but we also seek to restore broken relationships in our own lives. It is part of our being, to be reconcilers. When we are offended or hurt, we remember how we have been forgiven our own offences by God and we seek to repair and heal the relationship.

It’s not that we are so shined up and clean that we never offend or disagree or hurt one another. But when that happens we struggle through our own insecurities to restore relationships and reconcile with our offender.

Part 1, How should Christians Fight?

When was the last time you offended someone or disagreed with them or were hurt by something they did? It happens all the time. And often times it can lead to a deeply damaged or broken relationship. But it doesn’t have to end that way. The good news is that God is forming a new community of people who don’t settle for disunity. It doesn’t mean we will always agree or never offend…it does mean that we must have the courage to handle or disagreements wisely.

So the Big Question I want to answer is, How do we handle our disagreements Christianly?…meaning, in a manner that confesses we are a gospel-centered community and reflects that we have been supernaturally transformed by the Spirit of God.

I do not suggest that these posts will be exhaustive, rather they will reflect some of my recent thoughts on the subject. You in fact my have some reflections or questions that might add the discussion, if so I invite your engagement.

But in my mind the first question that must be answered is Why even Bother?

In the house I grew up in there was little conflict or open disagreement and so my own natural tendency is to avoid conflict and suppress disagreement. But shortly after my wedding (a happy 6 years ago) I learned that such an attitude is not an environment for healthy relationships. Similarly in the organism of the local church, our very health as a body demands that we deal with our differences and disagreements. I don’t want to jump into the how just yet, but here are some reasons why.

We are members of one another. The NT explains that the church is like a body (Rom 9; 1 Cor 12; Eph 4). That shows that we are all different and distinct in our role or function, yet we are unified in our purpose and place. God has designed us to be connected to one another, like it or not. Consider Romans 12:5

”so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

We have been joined in Christ to one another. That means that we have responsibility to one another. We are accountable to one another. We are responsible to one another. Our actions and our words affect one another. We must not think that our actions do not affect others, they in fact affect the whole body. Disagreement breaks up the harmony of the body and must be addressed.

Dissension affects our Worship. In other words God cares about our reconciliation. Our relationships with one another can affect our relationship with God. If we have disharmony with one another then God wants us to deal with that before we go about our public worship. Jesus even encourages us to go get right with or brother, if we have offended them before we bring our gifts to God (Matt 5:23). That means go apologize or ask forgiveness or acknowledge your part in the offense and seek reconciliation.

Dissension affects our Witness. The church as the “body of Christ” is the place where the gospel is incarnated or “lived out” for the world to see. Part of our witness to the fact that we have switched our allegiance to Jesus as Lord is how we as a new community exist in a way that is according to the Spirit and not the flesh. For example, that means when “outsiders” see how we handle our disagreements, they will see such a difference that they are drawn to the Lord to whom we witness (Matt 5:16). When our body breaks down… when the community is in controversy…our witness is a community is cloudy.

I remember one experience while being involved in a Christian leadership team on my college campus. I had the horrible habit of being late to every meeting (a habit that my wife has nearly reformed me). At one particular meeting I strolled in late and was rebuked by one of the members at how my behavior was negatively affecting the attitude of the group. It communicated a selfishness and laziness on my part and showed disrespect for the other members of the team. I was initially embarrassed and hurt, but soon realized that they were right and worked to improve in that area of my life.

Do you have some good or bad stories about dealing with disagreements or personal offenses?

Passing by a Neighbor

It happened again on the way to work today. There I was minding my own business and it just happened. It had been a regular morning. I woke up when my son started yelling out my name. I showered…I ate my breakfast…I helped get my kids up and I was off to work so I would not be late. Then it happened, a simple thing, really. As I was preparing to turn left I saw a guy with his hazard lights on pushing his car out of the stream of traffic to the side of the road.

And I had the chance to put “me” on hold for a few minutes. Although cars were streaming down the road, there were no cars behind me in the turn lane, so as time slowed to a crawl I sat and pondered the choice as I watched this poor fellow push his car to the side of the road.

“Should I help him?”
“I really should!”
“But I might be late to the office…and I’ve got some important stuff to get to.”
“And what could I do to help anyhow?”
“Plus he probably has a cell and just needs to make a call to AAA.”
“So what…why not at least try?”
“But how am I going to cross all that traffic…and my day is busy.”

You’ve had that same conversation with yourself. They are simple little decisions…but in the end they make all the difference, because they reveal our heart. Jesus had a way a boiling the big stuff down to simple decisions.

What did Jesus say was the greatest commandment? To love God with all you’ve got AND to love your neighbor like they are you (Mt 22:37; Mk 12:30; Lk 10:27). You can’t get any simpler than that.

One observant listener quipped to Jesus, “well then who is my neighbor?” And Jesus told a heart-pricking story which gave the answer, anyone whose path you cross who is in need. The question is “am I willing to be neighborly?” Do I have the heart to live out what I say I believe…namely, that I do love Jesus with all of me. Such a heart turns the same energy which is applied to selfish interests towards others in selfless acts. When the opportunity arises, be selfish on behalf of the one in need, for their benefit. But that requires putting “me” on hold for a bit. A simple thing, but it makes all the difference.

So just when I am about to flick on my turn signal I notice another car has beat me to the punch. The driver almost instinctively pulled out of the whizzing traffic, like their kid dropped their favorite pair of sunglasses out the window. They are just as quickly out of the car and walking toward their neighbor in need. Whew…I’m off the hook

I flick on my turn signal and turn away from the car and towards work. And for the rest of the ride I consider how much more I am like the religious leaders in Jesus story who passed by the man in need.

Being neighborly requires interruptibility. How uninterruptible I am.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:3-8

Is Environmental Concern UnChristian?

In a recent discussion about the effects of man's rebellion against God we agreed that things are not the way they were designed to be. Everything has been affected...by sin. As Wayne Grudem says, "We don't live the lives we were originally designed to live, and we don't live in the world we were originally designed to live it." Everything is different know. But the story of the Bible is the good news of God working to redeem and restore broken people in a broken world.

So I posed the question, "What role should Christians play in caring for Creation?" The response varied but drew mostly blank stares. Why? I think largely because we view God's work of redemption as a spiritual work in the spiritual world, which has little to do with our physical world. The result is that Christians focus their concern on the spiritual aspect of people. This is not bad, don't get me wrong, but is this two-fold focus, spiritual or invisible and people, a bit of a reduction of what God is doing in his kingdom through the gospel?

I notice that when Paul is talking about the future glory of those who have been made alive by the Spirit (Romans 11:19-21) he mentions more than people:

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

It appears more than just mankind are under the bondage of sin, everything has been affected. It also appears that the things and stuff of creation, which God said were good (Gen 1) and sing out his praises (Psalm 148), long for their redemption, restoration & future glory.

It also seems that Jesus message about initiating the reign of God (or kingdom of God) involves a universal supremacy over things seen & unseen. Consider Colossians 1:15-20):

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

It thus seems logical that his plan of redemption involves the reordering of things seen & unseen, spiritual and physical into their created harmony. If this is the case, then Christians who have begun this new life (2 Cor 5:17) and who order their thinking around the message of the kingdom (Matt 5-7) should be involved in redemptively caring for Creation. Not because we care about plants more than people, but because we have been redeemed (in part yet awaiting our full redemption) and we are ordering our lives under God's work to redeem all of creation.

There are groups of Christians who are trying to work out the implications for everyday life of these grand ideas.

One is an upcoming Conference called Christianity & the Environment in September 2006. Here is the goal of the conference:

This conference on Christianity and the environment is being held to understand better what it means for us to demonstrate a Christian perspective as we live our lives at the interfaces of the three “worlds” (natural, engineered and human). The challenge for this conference is to articulate how we can consistently demonstrate Christian virtues (such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) at the interfaces of these three “worlds” in our public and private policies.

Another is a group called Care of Creation, which is trying to mobilize the church to its wholistic gospel ministry for all of creation. Here are CoC's 3 loves:
1. Loving God by worshiping him in all we do;
2. Loving God's People by sharing the good news we have in Jesus Christ, and by strengthening and empowering local Congregations to join in...
3. Loving God's World by working with and through his people to care for and heal God's hurting creation.

How now shall we live in this broken world of broken people?

6 tips for a picture-perfect vacation

I'm back after a bit of hiatus and still have my family vacation on my mind. Our family of 4 packed up our mini-van and recently drove down to Sarasota, FL for some rest and relaxation. Since summer is the time for vacations I thought I'd add a list of 6 things that you should do on vacation.

1. See an old friend: When you get away from the office, invest some time in catching up with an old friend. Since we drove to Florida from Ohio we used this excuse to break up our trip by "inviting" ourselves to a couple of friends houses. We stopped in Knoxville, TN for 1 night on the way to FL and visited with some friends we hadn't seen in 11 months and stopped in Atlanta, GA on the way back to see some friends we hadn't seen in 9 months.

We felt like we had 2 extra mini-vacations be breaking up our trip this way. And we realized how refreshing it was to spend time with people. Our time away from home was great, but it is better when you can spend at least part of it with friends.

2. Try a new style: Don't be afraid to experiment with a new style. It keeps you playful, experimental and from getting dull. In our house that meant that all the boys got haircuts, including dad. And we had fun breaking out our beach clothes and cool new sunglasses. For us vacation is a chance to break out of the ruts of life, with a hope to bring some of that freshness back home.

3. Do a new activity: Whenever I try something new I experience a bunch of things that are healthy. I first have to admit that I am a novice and I might fail a bit. The humility is good for me. I then have to face a bit of fear and nervousness about trying something I have never done before. My stomach gets butterflies and my heart starts pumping...all those things associated with jitters. Then I end up using new muscles or new parts of my brain that haven't been active in a long time. At the end of the day I feel like I have really lived. On this vacation, Caden was probably the most daring when it came to trying new things. He had never been in the ocean and during our first time on the beach he was out "riding waves". Mind you, he was only 3 feet out in the water...but for a 3 year old those can be the trickiest waves to ride.

4. Sleep in Late: The longer the better. Have nothing on the schedule...just sleep. It is refreshing to wake up just because you are done sleeping, instead of to the annoying beep of an alarm. It just feels good. We didn't do too much of this because of number 5.

5. Wake up Early: I know this contradicts number 4, but plan enough days so that you can do both during the same trip. There is something nice about waking up and having the feeling that there is no need to rush out to some meeting or off to school. There is a lightness and an enjoyment about the cool of the morning when there is no rush. It is great to eat on the porch as the sun peeks over the horizon. To go for an early bicke red or walk before the day heats up. To feel like you have warmed up to the day and done something, then to look at the clock and see it reads 9:00am. We were up before 7:00am nearly every day in Florida, not by our choice, but by the choice of our boys who felt that number 5 is how we should spend our week together:)

6. Eat something new: If you are in a new place then you have to try a new restaurant or a new dish. Find out what the locals eat and where they eat it and then jump right in. We ate lots of fish in Florida, but our boys favorite was trying as many flavors of Italian Gellato as possible, always in a chocolate chip cookie cone. They even were able to share one cone between the two of them...hopefully a sign of future sharing.

I know you don't need any tips on how to spend your time off work. Just being away from our regular routine of work and office and deadlines is refreshing enough. I hope you have a trip planned and you enjoy it as much as we did.

Da Vinci gets "Canned"

The Ron Howard film "the Da Vinci Code" based on the Dan Brown book open up the 2006 Cannes Film Festival in France and did not impress the critics. Here are some of the first words on the film.

"Cannes critics left cold at Da Vinci Code screening."

"Secret is out: Critics hate it."

"Critics crucify 'Da Vinci Code' in Cannes."

"I didn't like it very much. I thought it was almost as bad as the book. Tom Hanks was a zombie, thank goodness for Ian McKellen. It was overplayed, there was too much music and it was much too grandiose," said Peter Brunette, critic for the US daily The Boston Globe.

"At the high point, there was laughter among the journalists. Not loud laughs, but a snicker and I think that says it all," said Gerson Da Cunha from The Times of India.

"It was really disappointing. The dialogue was cheesy. The acting wasn't too bad, but the film is not as good as the book," added Lina Hamchaoui, from British radio IRN.

On Friday, with the worldwide release, you will have the chance to "Seek the Truth" or at least see what is causing all this stir for yourself. Remember it is fiction.

Empty Shoes

This past Saturday we did one of those Progressive Dinner's. We emptied our shoes at three different houses and shared some food and some laughs with three different "IT" couples. It was interesting to see our shoes and coats clog the doorway at each house as if to say, we are are slowing down enough to spend some quality time together...we aren't going anywhere...we are here to stay for a while. And when you do that, you never know what you are going to get. We ate, but it wasn't really about the Dinner part. And we progressed but it wasn't really about the Progressive part either. It was about spending time laughing with and listening to one another.
Hors' D'oeuvres at the Hlads. Pastor Tom and Chris Hlad got us started with some munchies. They shared with us about their days in the ministry, Chris's brussel sprout SNAFU and their love for hosting lots of people. I think that was invite to come back for seconds.
Stroganoff at the George's. Pastor Denny and Carol George kept the tummies happy with Beef Stroganoff and mixed veggies. We gathered around as they shared their funny stories about Denny walking "her" dog and how he inadvertently made fun of a gift that she had intended to get for him. They talked about how laughter and just being normal have allowed them to handle the pressures of ministry while raising 4 boys.
Dessert with the Lanes. Bruce and Karen Lane opened up the party room for us to come and enjoy some make-your-own-sundaes. They kept the room very light with their fun stories of how they met, what attracted them to each other and how Bruce proposed. Their three kids were present to make sure that their answers were extra honest.

We all need some places where we can empty our shoes for a rest. Places where we can share warm food and a good laugh. Places where it is safe to be yourself and not fear judgment. We got a taste of such places last Saturday night.

Farrel-ly Good Relationship Advise

We recently enjoyed lunch with Bill & Pam Farrel who are authors and speakers on family life issues, especially relationships. They shared some insights with us from their book "Single Men are Like Waffles, Single Women are Like Spaghetti." We laughed a lot and learned a lot from their stories, their suggestions and our own discussions together.

They suggested some real down to earth things that help us to understand ourselves better as well as the opposite sex. Here are a few of their thoughts that struck me:
*Guys and Gals relate differently (seems like a no-brainer, but misunderstanding one another is the biggest problem with relationships).
*Guys often feel inadequate at communication (I often feel like I'm talking my way out of a corner with my own wife, this is an area in which I have some work to do).
*Meet lots of people (great advice for singles, that attitude can overcome loneliness and depression)
*Here's a quote from Bill, "Emotions follow decisions, make good decisions and emotions will follow.

*Be a good listener... (I didn't exactly hear the rest of the comment because I wasn't listening). Actually they gave us 3 R's for active listening and good communication (try it):
1. REPEAT...key phrases
2. REGROUP...hand back the conversation
3. RECONNECT...to something you've gone through.


They talked about the 4 levels of communication:
1. Small Talk
2. Thoughts & Ideas
3. Convictions and Opinions
4. Emotional Intimacy
What level are you able to go to with the different relationships in your life?

And they shared some good verses for relationship wisdom:
Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Hebrews 3:13; James 1:19; Romans 15:17; Eph 5:22-33; Phil 2:3-4; 1 Thess 5:13ff; 2 Peter 1:3-7)

It was encouraging to see a group of 25 people who were interested in growing in their ability to communicate with others. They came to figure out how to have relationships that would be personally satisfying and at the same time glorify God. The Farrel's encouraged the group to plow ahead faithfully with eyes wide open to how God was going to use them for his purpose.

Pray & Eat

Thursday May 4
Pray: 6am-7am @ the Church
Eat: @ 7am at the Burkles
3411 Patcon Way, 43026

To my 727 faithful,
This Thursday our church will take part in the National Day of Prayer. It is a bit sad that it takes an edict from our President before we will set aside a serious amount of time for intercession and thanksgiving, but nevertheless lets do it. Since early morning prayer time can often turn into dream-like prayer sleep, lets get together for just 1 hour to pray together. Then you are invited to mi casa for a scrumptious breakfast (a little enticement for those not to excited about an hour on their knees).

Let love be genuine.
Abhor what is evil;
hold fast to what is good.
Love one another with brotherly affection.
Outdo one another in showing honor.
Do not be slothful in zeal
be fervent in spirit
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
be patient in tribulation,
be constant in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the saints
and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be haughty,
but associate with the lowly.
Never be conceited.
Repay no one evil for evil,
but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
If possible,
so far as it depends on you,
live peaceably with all.
Romans 12:9-18