the gift receiving response

There's nothing quite like looking at your child's face as they open a gift and marvel at the wonder of Christmas. They can't wait to rip the box open (unfortunately they usually have about fifty twisty tie things in the back that you have to undo) and begin to experience the newness of whatever this new gift may be.

There are also those gifts you receive that do not quite elicit the same level of excitement. You know what I mean. The paper comes off and immediately your mind is racing to try to come up with a response that at least borders on appropriate. Here are ten things you hope you never hear after someone opens the gift you brought them.


1. I can't wait to wear this..........in the basement

2. If this ever catches fire, I'm gonna be sooooo mad

3. what is it? Oh of course. You know, I really don't deserve this

4. boy did I pick a bad year to donate all my gifts to charity

5. why do you hate me?

6. Christmas is about giving, does anyone else want this?

7. Wow, it cuts hair and it vacuums? I can't wait to try it

8. This will go so nice with that light up sweater you got me last year

9. It's perfect! What day is our trash pick up again honey?

10. get out of my house, now.

Hopefully your Christmas gift experience brought nothing but rainbow smiles and Unicorn tears.

Christmas 2010

Another Christmas season has come and gone. I can't believe how fast my kids are growing up=( There is nothing quite like being surrounded by friends and family and reflecting on all the goodness of God. Here are a few pics for you Jim and Amy, we missed you sooooooo much!!!!!=) (and my sister Laurie too=)

back on my soapbox

Jersey shore makes me sad. I just watched a trailer on msn.com that gave a sneak peak of their new season. I've never seen the show and I'm sure you can argue that it's harmless "adolescents" showing the base side of humanity while showcasing the epitome of a wasted life and don't take it too seriously, but I disagree.

What bothers me even more than the shows content, is how they have been embraced by our culture. About to embark on their third season, the cast has gone from no name partiers known for fake tans and drunkenness, to now the "situation" is on the cover of mens fitness and has Brad Pitt's publicist, J-woww was offered almost a half million dollars to pose for playboy, and Snooki has her own book, appears on talk shows and was the #1 halloween costume among 12-14 year olds.

Two things stand out to me amidst the moral decay of our nation particularly among our youth.

1. The message is given to young people that drinking, partying, fighting, and hooking up whenever with whomever are paramount among activities teenagers should pursue. Every young person should have the book "do hard things" as mandatory reading in my opinion. In it they will learn that the concept of your teenage years being spent frolicking in the fields of fornication (you like my alliteration) is something that never existed before the fifties. The idea that you can just mess around until you graduate college and then flip on the "wisdom" switch and begin acting responsibly is not only dangerous, but unrealistic and impossible. You reap what you sow, period.

2. Our culture values status much more than significance. As I stated, I have nothing against the cast personally, but why are they famous? They have done nothing with their lives and contributed nothing to society and yet they are idolized and adored!!!
Isn't that crazy? I promise that if you ask 100 teenagers who snooki is, 99 of them (at least) would know, now ask these same teens who Winston Churchill was or what Mother Theresa accomplished, and I assure you the percentage would plummet. Our culture is obsessed with reality tv stars and musicians with no real talent, but 15 minutes of fame. Whether we open our eyes to it or not, this mentality is shaping the future in many ways.

My prayer is that this generation would begin to realize the potential they have in Christ. That God is the one who determines your worth, not a television program. God has an amazing ability to use the seemingly insignificant in the world eyes, to accomplish the greatest things in His kingdom. While the rest of the world may be enamored by the fleeting pleasures of sin, let their be a generation with the vision of Moses.

Hebrew 11:24-26 "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward"

May 2011 be a year of looking ahead to HIS reward!!!!!!!

setting up for Christmas

Ever have one of those years where you just seem to be behind. Well, this isn't like the year where I went to walgreens at 3am christmas eve and got my parents the clapper and my sister a sobakanawa pillow (sorry about that family, I was young and didn't know Jesus) but setting up for christmas did seem to get away from us a little this year. Probably because we were planning our trip to Mexico for so long and the old tree took a back seat to 80 degree weather and sunbathing=)

Anyways, the tree is up now and for the first time ever, the Zondervan home is decked out with the Clark W Griswold Christmas light set!!! Unbeknownst to us, while we were in mexico, some of our great friends actually took the time to stand out in the freezing cold and decorate the outside of our house for us!!! Don't get jealous that you don't have friends like that, we just happened to be blessed and highly favored=)

It was so crazy we were driving back from our trip and it was like 3am and i'm exhausted. We're coming up our street and notice what looks like our house but it's decked out in lights!! I ask Kendra "is that OUR house?" She squints and says "NO!" =) Upon closer inspection I tell her it indeed is our house and we were welcomed home with the new lights that our girls absolutely love!!!

Thanks Batchos, you guys are great and Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Christmas program

I can't believe I let the thanksgiving program go by and I didn't even post any pics!! I figured I better get a few up of the Christmas show Addy was in. Not only was she an angel, but the highlight for her was being able to dress up as a horse in the manger scene!!!
Of Course Addy could sing all the songs at the top of her lungs in the car or at home, but clammed right up with stage fright when it was time to perform=) Still Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. B did a great job and it's so sad how fast your little babies grow up=(

meh-he-co

Kendra and I just got back from a week long excursion in the riviera maya. We celebrated our ten year with an amazing all inclusive hotel and nothing but sun and sand for a week. Many thanks to Val and Mike Flick for watching our girls and it was so amazing to just unplug from the matrix and relax with kendra.

The name of the resort was the Valentin Imperial Maya and it was incredible. Highly recommend it=) Here are a few pics from our stay.

what should I do?

sometimes we let our relationship with God transform into doing, instead of being. Obviously as a follower of Jesus there are things we should do, and things we shouldn't do, but is that what it's all about? It can become almost contractional, here's what I do now that I'm a christian and here's what God does now that He's "my" God.

I am convinced that so many believers live their life out of a performance mentality. When they are doing "good", (reading their bible, praying, controlling their temper, staying pure etc) then God is pleased and you can expect God's blessing and favor on your life. When you're in a "down" season, (lack of devotion, loss of temper, etc) than somehow God has to be convinced thru more diligence and harder work that you are "worthy" of his blessing and favor.

I'm not implying that how we think and act is not important, and the bible is clear that a tree is known by it's fruit. How you live as a follower of Jesus will reflect his impact on your life. I'm simply saying that you can never "do" enough anything to obtain favor from God. His love and salvation is a gift that you could never earn or repay if you had a million light years to do it. Stop concentrating on what you should or shouldn't do, and put your eyes on Him. Be with him, Love him, Let His incredible love for you become a reality.

That's why I love this song. Take a minute to let the lyrics really sink in. The first part of the song asks the question "what can I do for you?" in response to all God has done for me. Sing a song? Dance a dance? What can I do for a king this beautiful?

The last half shifts to God speaking to us about what is His greatest desire.

"you, don't have to do a thing. Just simply be with me, and let those things go. They can wait another minute, wait, this moment is too sweet. Would you please stay here with me, and love on me a little longer, cause I'm in love with you."

Let that sink into your heart and spirit, the unreasonable love of the Father, longing to just be with His Children"

Blessings!!

move over fruit of the loom.

I guess traveling is getting a little more intrusive these days. Obviously in light of 9-11 and the vulnerability of people on a plane, certain security measures must be taken. Also the "christmas bombers" underwear bomb would not have been detected with our current metal scanners.

However, many people feel the extreme TSA measures taken recently are not only annoying, but degrading and a blatant violation of privacy. Apparently if you don't agree to go through a full body scanner, (many are concerned with radiation risks) there is a new groping, i mean pat down policy that becomes mandatory.

Horror stories are surfacing of private areas being grabbed in public and even a breast cancer survivor having to remove a prosthetic breast in front of other passengers.

Before I unveil my newly found solution to this dilemma, here are a few thoughts regarding these procedures.

1. I am all for safety in the air at almost any cost and to me there is no inconvenience quite like being on a plane with someone who wants to kill everyone on board. This is where "better safe than sorry" is certainly applicable in my book.

2. I'm sure the TSA workers themselves aren't exactly excited about having to "pet" the wrinkle free dockers of fat middle aged men all day long, they're just doing they're job and trying to follow the new government procedure.

3. I read a statement from a TSA exec who attempted to reassure passengers that all TSA workers have been trained to only use the back of their hand when "checking" private areas. I"m pretty sure I speak for most Americans when I say a latex gloved strangers hand across the groin is a latex gloved strangers hand across the groin, no matter how "backhanded" your training is.

So what to do if you are traveling this holiday season and are concerned with Radiation dangers from scanners, but don't want to be subjected to embarrassing "pat down" procedures?

Let me introduce you to the revolutionary, lightweight, attractively stylish and elegant radiation shielding garment brought to you by your friends at rockyflatsgear. I know it didn't work so great for Adam, but the figleaf you see on these amazing briefs are a lead free, scientifically engineered barrier to all radiation put out by the high tech scanning devices.

This is not a joke, (ok, it kind of is) but an example of the entrepreneur spirit of America and Unless you're taking the bus to Grandma's this thanksgiving, I suggest you grab a pair.

I'd let you borrow mine, but Kendra and i are going to Mexico in a few weeks and I plan on not only wearing them in the airport, but having it double as a european mansuit at the pool.

happy Travels,

david and goliath 2010 style

I stole this from a guy Bryan Allain whose blog I follow and since I love sports and humor, I thought I would share.


It’s what a modern day sports telecast of David v Goliath would sound like. Hope you enjoy.

.
—
Elijah Musburger: Ladies and Gentlemen you are looking live at the Bank of Jerusalem Battlefield in South Israel where today history will be made. I’m Elijah Musburger alongside Isaac Herbstreit, happy to have you along for this historic matchup between Goliath of Gath and David of Bethlehem.

Isaac: Yeah, you’d have to be a simple Canaanite to be unaware of the storyline here. For over a month now, Phillistines Head Coach Isiah Thomas has been sending out his 6-time All-Star Goliath to battle an Israelite. The 9-foot, 6-inch giant’s continued taunting of the Israelites have earned him a record 114 personal foul penalties and a 12-battle suspension that is currently under appeal by the Phillistine Warriors Union. For more let’s send it down to our sideline reporters Jezebel Tafoya and Rahab Andrews.

Jezebel: Thanks Elijah. It was not until today that Goliath’s invitation to rumble was accepted by the unlikeliest of challengers from King Saul’s army. And if you haven’t seen David yet, well, picture a malnourished ewok shaved head to toe. For more on that story, let’s send it over to the Israelites sidelines and Rahab Andrews.

Rahab: The Babylon Sportsbooks have the over/under on this donnybrook at 10 seconds, but I don’t see it lasting that long. The youngest of 8 brothers, David the shepherd boy went undrafted coming out of Bethlehem University last Spring. Despite a slow forty time and a below-average Wonderlic score, his impressive defeats of a lion and a bear were enough to earn him a spot to fight for the Israelite army. King Saul took a chance on the young waterboy, who now finds himself facing the greatest challenge of his life. Back to you, Elijah and Isaac.

Elijah: Thanks Rahab. Before we start let’s remind everyone that today’s action is sponsored by Over Armor Sports Apparel, Promised Land Iced Tea with new ‘Milk and Honey’ flavor, and Delilah’s Supercuts, “a great haircut guaranteed or you can chain us to a temple pillar and poke our eyes out”.

Isaac: As Goliath steps onto the field of play, let’s go over the rules with our viewers. Rule Number 1 is that there are no rules. First person to kill the other person wins.

Elijah: Let’s also remind everyone what is at stake today, Isaac.

Isaac: Well Elijah, besides being able to hoist the coveted Golden Calf Trophy over their heads in victory, the winning side will also get to make slaves out of the losing team. I mean, can you imagine this in the NFL? Hard to picture Carson Palmer cleaning Tom Brady’s toilet.

Elijah: Actually I CAN picture that.

Isaac: Yeah, you know what? So can I. In any event, the stakes have never been bigger than they are today.

Elijah: Speaking of never been bigger, let’s not forget David’s initial response to hearing Goliath’s taunts of his countrymen. In a tirade that has gone viral on ThouTube this week, David referred to Goliath as an “uncircumsized Philistine”, choosing to mock the loins of the Warrior from Gath.

Isaac: Considering the size of Goliath’s sandals, that might have been a mistake.

Elijah: Indeed. But back to the action, Goliath has approached the 50-yard line and he doesn’t look particularly pleased with the diminutive size of his competition. I haven’t seen anyone this angry since the time I painted my wife’s kitchen with sheep’s blood.

Isaac: And you really have to wonder if rust will be a factor with the long layoff Goliath has had between gruesome murders. It’s been almost two years since he ripped off that remarkable streak of 61 consecutive dismemberments. He was untouchable until he lost a toe in a freak winepress accident, but he swears he’ll be competing at 100% today.

Elijah: Thanks for that history lesson, no doubt brought to us by Goliath’s Wikipedia Scroll.

Isaac: Don’t thank me, thank Alvah Gore for inventing the intercave system.

Elijah: Check this out, David is sprinting towards the 50-yard line to meet Goliath, and he’s waving around a small piece of leather that looks like, umm, an iPhone case?

Isaac: I think that’s a slingshot.

Elijah: Whatever it is, Goliath is bracing himself for what should be a quick kill and WOAH!!! David just hurled a smooth rock at Goliath that found it’s mark right between Goliath’s mangy, unkempt eyebrows! The stone appears to be lodged deep into the skull of the giant, who just collapsed to the ground like a sack of fossilized donkey excrement.

Isaac: I can’t believe what I’m seeing here! It is total bedlam in the Valley of Elah as David has toppled the mighty Phillistine. I hope you’ve got the DVR going folks, because you are witnessing history right now.

Elijah: David just mounted the Philistine giant and he’s standing triumphantly on Goliath’s chest. It looks like he just pulled a Sharpie out of his sandal and is signing his name on Goliath’s forehead. Wow, this could draw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Isaac: Yeah, he’ll be hearing from the league office this week to the tune of a 50,000 shekel fine for that display. Kids these days could learn from the old schoolers and act like they’ve felled a giant before.

Elijah: OH GREAT JEHOVAH, did you see that? David just took Goliath’s sword and cut the head off the dead giant! Now he’s holding it up and waving it around to the delight of the fans who made the trek all the way from Jerusalem to take in the action live!

Isaac: Blood is shooting from Goliath’s severed neck and showering the battlefield. This is a gruesome scene.

Elijah: David is making it rain! Pacman Jones would be proud.

Isaac: Call me Josiah Buck if you like, but like the Randy Moss fake-moon incident that will happen in a few thousand years, I find this to be completely unnecessary and a disgusting act.

Elijah: Necessary or not, it looks like David’s barbaric display has made an impression on the Philistine army. Faced with the prospect of doing David’s laundry for the rest of their lives, they’ve decided to make a run for it.

Isaac: And that is already turning out to be a bad decision with all that heavy armor they’re wearing. The Israelites – wearing their ultra-light and breathable Over Armor clothing – are chasing them down and savagely killing each and every one of them. And what’s worse, some of the fans have stormed out of their seats and have taken down the goalposts at the north end of the battlefield. This is why they should stop selling wine at halftime.

Elijah: Let’s throw it down to Rahab Andrews, who’s with a beaming David.

Rahab: David, what a win, how did you do it?

David: First I want to thank Yahweh, I couldn’t have done it without Him. You know, and all week long people were saying that we didn’t have a chance, that I was too small, and that I was a sissypants for writing poetry. I just wanted to come out here and prove everyone wrong.

Rahab: David, my gag reflex tells me that you’re holding Goliath’s bloody stump of a head only a few feet away from me. Can you tell us why you decided to chop his head off after you had already claimed the victory?

David: I don’t know, you know? I’m sure I’ll get fined for it, but I got no regrets. It was just a heat of the moment kind of thing, and sometimes I do that kind of stuff without thinking. Hi mom, hi dad, hi sheep, I love you.

Rahab: David, what happens next for you? Talk is already circulating about you starting a political career.

David: I don’t know. I just want to soak this one in. I’ve got nothing but love for Saul, and I don’t have any political aspirations right now. I just want to get this dude’s head mounted on my wall, go chill on the roof of my building and enjoy the view, restring my lyre, and maybe write some canonized poems.

Rahab: Well, there you have it: fearless warrior by day, sissypants poetry writer by night. Back to you, Elijah.

Elijah: Thanks Rahab. That’s all the time we have for today. We’ll be back next week live from Babylon as Daniel tries to defend his title at the National Lion Taming Championships. Stay tuned for your late local news, except on the West Bank where you’ll be watching an all new episode of CSI: Judea.

Phil Collins

I"ve always been a Phil collins fan. I mean who didn't sing along to groovy kind of love while saying take a look at me now as you felt it in the air tonight? And who hasn't had at least one girl that stayed on your mind named, Su su sussudio? Kendra and I played "separate lives" at our wedding for Pete's sake!!! (jk, it was love stinks=)

I was pretty shocked to see an interview with Phil where he revealed he'd been contemplating suicide for years but decided against it because of his children.
Here is a small part of the interview....

"I wouldn't blow my head off," he says. "I'd overdose or do something that didn't hurt. But I wouldn't do that to the children."

The 59-year-old Oscar and Grammy-winning solo artist has five children from three marriages.

"A comedian who committed suicide in the '60s left a note saying, 'Too many things went wrong too often,'" Collins says. "I often think about that."

"I sometimes think I'm going to write this Phil Collins character out of the story," he says. "Phil Collins will just disappear or be murdered in some hotel bedroom, and people will say, 'What happened to Phil?' And the answer will be, 'He got murdered, but, yeah, anyway, let's carry on.' That kind of thing."

Sometimes it's so easy to associate talented wealthy people with having it all together. After all, they have money, fame, and world wide recognition, what could possibly be wrong? The truth is that people are searching for something and may not even know what it is.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken---Psalm 62:4-6

David understood something our world has not figured out. Rest, hope and salvation are found only in God. No matter what you may have accomplished in this world, everything that is not grounded in Jesus can and will be shaken. Your life amounts to very little outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I pray that Phil Collins finds the hope and rest for his soul available only in King Jesus.

Don't stop there

As I mentioned, I'm meditating on what it means to put off the old man and put on the new according to Ephesians 4:22-24. If you keep reading the following verse Paul talks about not lying, but speaking truth, then he says

"let him who stole steal no longer, rather let him labor, working with his hands that he may have something to give him who has need" vs 28

I find it interesting that many times as christians, were satisfied with only the absence of bad habits or sins in our life. If we heard about someone who used to steal but now doesn't, we would all celebrate. Paul however, instructs us not to stop there. It's not enough to just not steal, you need to now go further and give. Too often we ask God to "take off" our bad habits and sins, but we rarely ask him to help us "put on" godly virtues.

I think one reason for this is that sinful habits make us feel guilty and defeated in our walk with God, but the absence of Christ like character doesn't always have the same affect and provides less motivation to make changes in our lives.

Becoming like Jesus must be the reason for everything we do, and to make it about not feeling guilty or not wanting a blow to your "spiritual pride" is wrongly motivated and will lead to frustration. Remember that the process of "putting on the new" is just as important as "taking off the old."

--don;t just stop coveting, be generous
--don't just stop being bitter, but put on extravagant forgiveness
--don't just tolerate those you consider enemies, love them
--don't just stop blowing up in anger, develop patience
--don't just stop lusting, but put on holiness in every area
--don't just show up for work, but be the best employee there
--don't just stop complaining, but start being thankful for what you have
--don't just stop putting people down, look for ways to be an encourager.

what's my part?

Lately in my devotional time, I have been meditating on Romans 12:2 as well as Eph. 4:22-26 and how they relate to what is influencing my decisions, thoughts, and choices. I am also trying to pray and determine the balance of my role and the Holy Spirits role in being able to remove the "old man" and put on the "new". Who's responsibility is it to "not be conformed to this world", but rather "have your mind renewed through transformation?" Here is some thoughts I have upon reading "joy in fearing the Lord" by Jerry Bridges.

1. Many Christians think living for Jesus is training yourself to "not sin" This is usually done in their own strength and it makes overcoming temptations and living for Jesus about their own performance and willpower. No one is righteous in themselves and we are saved by grace alone.

2. There is also the mistake of thinking that any "effort" on your part to live for Jesus is attempting to "earn" your salvation, thus depending on human effort.Our responsibility is only to sit back and "let the Lord live through you"

We do have responsibility as believers, but we also must be totally dependent on the power of God.

In the incredible book of Nehemiah, the men of Israel faced great opposition as they tried to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. When they had succeeded in rebuilding the walls to half of their height, the bible say that their enemies plotted together to come fight them and stir up trouble among them.

Here is the response in Neh. 4:8-9 "but we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat"

Notice how they prayed AND posted a guard. There is a temptation to handle this one of two ways. One church camp would go the "spiritual" route and call an all night prayer meeting. They would consider posting a guard to be relying on your own strength and not God's ability to deliver.

The other camp would execute an incredible military strategy by deploying guards on every pivotal spot on the wall, but would be too busy to pray. "What do you mean have a prayer meeting, we have important posts to guard!!"

I believe we must do both. In the new testament Paul told the Church in Philippi, "I have learned to be content in every situation" (phil.4:11) He didn't just turn it all over to the Lord and hope his heart would become content, he realized he had to "learn" this response which would require a measure of spiritual maturity and growth on his part.

Yes we are called to "work out" our salvation, but to do so in absolute surrender and in reliance upon God enabling us to do the work. What God has done thru Jesus does not make our effort to now live for Him unnecessary, but rather it is the only thing that can make it effective.

2 Peter 3:18--"grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ"

I realize there are instances where God miraculously intervenes with no human effort at all (2 Chronicles 20 has an awesome example of this) but I believe it is the exception and not the rule and we are responsible for now "putting on" this new man available to us because of the work of Christ.


What are your thoughts?

top ten worst halloween handouts

I remember as a kid, there were a few houses known for putting the ween in halloween. (I have no idea what that means, but it's supposed to be good.) It was the house that every t and t er (you catchin my oct. 31 lingo here?) got super pumped about because you knew that the goodies were gonna be flowin like the salmon of capistrano.

Then there were the other dreaded houses that although they had the light on, you knew that they were notorious for BUNK treats that scared children far worse than any werewolf or vampire.

Here is my own personal top ten list of worst halloween handouts.

10. cleveland cavaliers Lebron James jersey's---Yes I realize you can't eat these, but I had to throw it in their anyway. Probably because they are the most useless item on the planet right now and the only way to even give them away would be to sneak them in the unsuspecting bucket of a defenseless child.

9. dum dum suckers.---what is this, the bank? dum dums are the saddest excuse for suckers and look like someone spent two hours licking a real sucker, and then wrapped it back up. They shouldn't even be classified as loli-pops and I can only imagine the crestfallen face of tricker treaters as you smile and pretend that you actually gave them real candy.

8. a penny---seriously, we had a lady (big red house on wa****lsh street) who handed out pennies. I realize they are technically legal tender for all debts private or public, but at least take into account inflation and bump it up every year. I can't even buy a dum dum for a penny.

7. little star mint thingies-----You know what i'm talking about right? Those red and white star mints wrapped in plastic that look like they belong in a mens room urinal? Newsflash--no tricker treater is worried about their breath and nobody wants you or loves you red and white mint. You are worthless and now that I think about it, you may actually belong lower on this list than dum dums.


6. apples--yes this sort of tragedy does happen. Am I also the only one who heard the same story every year about some kid who got an apple on halloween, cut it down the middle and smoke/mist/poison leaked out? It was like a modern day sleeping beauty. I could barely eat apple pie without lifting the crust up after that. Here's a halloween hint, don't hand out fruit, of any kind. Anytime I got an apple it hit the road before the next house.

5. mystery round candy wrapped in that all orange wrapper----I think they were meant to taste like peanut butter, but they were more like chewy turds.

4. mystery candy wrapped in that all black wrapper.---This is the evil brother of the orange wrapper candy and way more sinister. It made the orange turd candy taste like a king size snickers. I think the main ingredient was cod liver oil and I would throw them away before they got in the wrong hands and someone used them to cast an evil spell or something.

3. smarties--possibly the worst candy every. Whoever named them smarties should have licked more dum dums. Half the time they would open themselves or split down the middle and spill all over anyway. My daughter is a sugarholic and even she thinks smarties are terrible.

2. toothpaste, toothbrushes, or dental floss---come on people. It's candy night, not push your cavity creep agenda night. If you want to opt out, its cool, just turn your light off and no one will judge you. Being a halloween hater is unacceptable.

1. Anything homemade---This is up there with handing out pecans or walnuts you gathered from your lawn. That popcorn ball my have been made by your sweet grandmother, or maybe Freddy Krueger. No child should take that risk. Instant trash status.


Did I miss any? Aren't you glad you didn't grow up in my neighborhood? =)

bullying

I have a confession to make.........I was a bully in grade school. oh yea, and maybe a tinnnnnny bit in middle school too. I was huge into professional "wrestling" and because I was bigger than most kids I felt obligated to try to put them in a sleeper hold or perfect my figure four leg lock on them. It was really more in the spirit of "playing" with friends than hard core hateful bullying for the sake of being mean, but I'm sure there were some times it got out of hand.

I ran across this article about a school in ohio that has had four suicides allegedly in response to bullying. (I say allegedly because as much as I hate bullying and believe it could easily lead to suicide, you never know if there are other factors like untreated depression or family history that could also play a part) The story of brutal attacks endured by a young girl whose family moved here from Croatia literally made me cry. I've included an excerpt from an ap article about the incident here........

"Sladjana Vidovic, whose family had moved to northeast Ohio from Bosnia when she was a little girl, was pretty, vivacious and charming. She loved to dance. She would turn on the stereo and drag her father out of his chair, dance him in circles around the living room.

“Nonstop smile. Nonstop music,” says her father, Dragan, who speaks only a little English.

At school, life was very different. She was ridiculed for her thick accent. Classmates tossed insults like “Slutty Jana” or “Slut-Jana-Vagina.” A boy pushed her down the stairs. A girl smacked her in the face with a water bottle.

Phone callers in the dead of night would tell her to go back to Croatia, that she’d be dead in the morning, that they’d find her after school, says Suzana Vidovic.

“Sladjana did stand up for herself, but toward the end she just kind of stopped,” says her best friend, Jelena Jandric. “Because she couldn’t handle it. She didn’t have enough strength.”

Vidovic’s parents say they begged the school to intervene many times. They say the school promised to take care of her............

Sladjana Vidovic’s body lay in an open casket, dressed in the sparkly pink dress she had planned to wear to the prom. Days earlier, she had tied one end of a rope around her neck and the other around a bed post before jumping out her bedroom window.

The 16-year-old’s last words, scribbled in English and her native Croatian, told of her daily torment at Mentor High School, where students mocked her accent, taunted her with insults like “Slutty Jana” and threw food at her.

It was the fourth time in little more than two years that a bullied high school student in this small Cleveland suburb on Lake Erie died at his or her own hand — three suicides, one overdose of antidepressants. One was bullied for being gay, another for having a learning disability, another for being a boy who happened to like wearing pink.

Now two families — including the Vidovics — are suing the school district, claiming their children were bullied to death and the school did nothing to stop it.

If there has been soul-searching among the bullies in Mentor — a pleasant beachfront community that was voted one of the “100 Best Places to Live” by CNN and Money magazine this year — Sladjana’s family saw too little of it at her wake in October 2008.

Suzana Vidovic found her sister’s body hanging over the front lawn. The family watched, she said, as the girls who had tormented Sladjana for months walked up to the casket — and laughed.

“They were laughing at the way she looked,” Suzana says, crying. “Even though she died.”---------


Has human life really been so devalued that people could seriously laugh at a young person who took her own life? Has "the love of many grown cold" to this level?

My opinion is that extreme cases like this are not merely a symptom of kids being kids, but a reflection of the moral decay of our society.

Here is my two cents,

Cent # 1. Although bullying has always existed, the ability to engage in character assassination using things like social networks and websites designed specifically to attack individuals, lets the torment continue 24/7 and also allows for a level of anonymity.

cent #2---I can't help but believe that we are creating an environment in our culture where this is becoming acceptable. we have turned public humiliation into entertainment and kids watch HOURS of programming (even on "family friendly" channels" where they are schooled in how to be cruel and rude under the guise of family entertainment.

I'm not trying to be anti technology and I'm not saying we can raise kids in a bubble, but I pray by the grace of God that a generation of Jesus Followers is raised up who will recognize this for the evil that it is, and let Philippians 2:3-4 be their standard!!!

Do you think bullying is worse now than when you were young or am I way off here? I'd love to hear your thoughts or bully stories.

scare tactics

short video clip of my wife and Jenny both getting scared at work =)

All dogs go to heaven?

I've been asked before if I think there will be animals, or even more specifically pets, in heaven. While I am unaware of any scripture verifying that as factual, there is the old saying nothing is impossible, so who knows. I also realize that people become very attached to their pets and want the absolute best for them. I'm all for that too.

I want you to imagine yourself in your living room watching Kurt Cameron and the left behind series with your family. Your so grateful that being a christian and all, there is no way your getting caught off guard when the believers get whisked away. Suddenly you find yourself staring at fido on the floor and you wonder........"what would happen to good ole fido if I were to be raptured???????????

Whatever your position on pets and the after life, what I'm about to share is going to blow the doors off of not only your theology, but the entrepreneur spirit of American commerce.

I bring you, "eternal earthbound pets" --"The next best thing to pet salvation in a Post Rapture World." Yes you heard correctly. For only 110 dollars, you can be assured that if the rapture should occur anytime within ten years of them receiving your payment, your pet will be rescued and cared for by those who are left behind. (one pet per residence, each additional pet is $15 more)

Again, you heard correctly, "christians" are actually paying 110 dollars so that a "screened" animal loving atheist in the midst of a chaotic world where presumably one plus billion people will have vanished from cars and planes instantly, is going to track down your cat and nurse it back to post rapture health.

There are so many things wrong here I don't know how to process this. Can you imagine someone calling (presumably a christian) and asking "how can I be sure you hate Jesus?" "You better call me if you ever get saved, I've got a cat I'm worried about!" We seriously have a world to reach with the truth of Jesus, and I'm not trying to make a complete joke of this, but it is a little crazy. I would be super interested in finding out how many people have actually coughed up the dough.

I've included a link to the "frequently asked questions" (which includes how they will care for your "special needs" pet) so that you can have all the facts before you consider purchasing this valuable service.

I heart boobies?

Wondering what the first thought that came to your mind was when you read this blogs title? Inappropriate? I would agree. Apparently, there is a growing segment of people that would disagree and consider this to be an instrumental marketing tool to raise awareness for breast cancer and its victims. The bigger issue is that they are being worn by high school and jr high students causing concern about sexual harassment, cancer awareness, and giggling adolescents.

While I"ll leave it to the school officials to decide whether they should be allowed or not, here is my take on it.

First off, many if not most teenagers are not mature enough to handle the slang word used here even if you do believe it's going to create dialogue and raise awareness. The majority of students are just going to wear them because it pushes the limits and I believe it will lead to more harassment then actual discourse on the topic of breast cancer.

Secondly, and more importantly, to do something like this cheapens the message. I equate it to PETA using naked people to try to get their message out. It's controversial and draws attention more than anything else. The problem with using that ploy with cancer is the insensitivity it reflects toward those who have been affected. Cancer is no joke. It is straight from the devil and deadly serious. 250,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone and countless people are affected in a negative way because of it.

Not to mention that breast cancer is not the only cancer ruining lives. What about colon cancer, is "i heart rectums" next? My dad died of Mesothelioma and I don't think a "I heart asbestos" bracelet has hit the market yet.

Maybe I'm making this a bigger deal than it is, but do we really have to "sexualize" every single thing in this country in order be heard? I loved when all the pro athletes wore pink for breast cancer awareness, this however presents the message in a most unflattering way. I pray for a wave of the Holy Spirit to sweep across our mtv, jersey shore generation, and I pray for those who have been affected by the ugliness of cancer. I miss you and love you Dad.

praise the Lord or pass the pancakes?

can't we all just get along? I remember in my old c.r.c church days, showing up with my dad for the good ol saturday morning pancake breakfast. We would throw a few bucks in the folgers can and sit down to tackle a tower of fluffy goodness.

Those days are seemingly over as the war over "IHOP" is getting heated. Apparently the "international house of pancakes" is suing the "international house of prayer" over the use of it's acronym. The pancake house claims to have had the letters coined in the 1950's while the prayer house has only been around ten years. This bodes the question of why the pancake giant would wait until now to make a fuss? It seems they fear that there will be some confusion now that some of the international house of Prayer's are serving food...................?

Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine that anyone is going to walk into the pancake house and say they want Mike Bickle to wait on their table, nor can I imagine anyone walking into a 24 hour prayer center and ordering a short stack. But maybe some people might replace the annointing oil with blueberry syrup and that could make things pretty sticky.

I'm just thankful that the group J.O.N (jolly odd neanderthals) have allowed me to keep my name without litigation. I don't have time to take this to court and I heard they have a pretty powerful attorney named Lucy?

Well I'm off to make some pancakes, I might just pray over them too, and maybe I'll confuse myself.

milestone

Many things have happened that have marked our world over the years. Men landing on the moon, the fall of communism, and the creation of redbull to name a few.

Now we can add to that list "Ava Zondervan no longer sucks her thumb". For quite some time now we have tried to determine the best way to deter this habit so that she won't need braces for the better part of a decade. We contemplated everything from hot sauce to amputation, but it actually happened rather organically.

We had a going away ceremony for her blanket. She literally has had this blanket since birth and was the queen of finding the tag, positioning it under her nose, and then sucking her thumb until she passed out. All we did was make a special box (not really all that special, old gift box with pink paper) for her blanket and then told her now that she was six she didn't need it and we would put it somewhere safe. TA DA!!! Instantly the thumb which had been so connected to the blanket was no longer seen as necessary and she hasn't done it once since=)

ORTHODONTIC VICTORY!!! (or at least postponement)

birthday

I turned 36 on the 31st, and nothing is better than coming home and having your two beautiful daughters run up to you yelling "we made a card for you daddy" and then hand you these=) I am a blessed man.

official preschooler

so cute. Addy tried not to act like she was too excited or nervous, but you could tell it was a really big deal. Last night when I tucked her in she asked me when it would be tomorrow. I told her when you wake up in the morning. "Then I go to school?!" Yes honey, then you go to school.

I dropped her off along with the fifty five million dollars in supplies we're required to pay for on top of christian education (i'm not bitter=) and watched her interact with her brand new classmates. A boy (obviously not good enough for my daughter) tried to talk to her and I quickly shot him a threatening glance while doing the throat cut with my finger motion, KIDDING!! I did pass him a note saying I'd be waiting by the swing set after school for him if he ever talked to her again, but he never showed.

Anyways, a new chapter is beginning in our lives and I guess I'm ok with it. I told her on the car ride to school that I wanted to pray for her in three ways.

1. God would protect her
2. she would have a mind ready to learn
3. she would show her classmates and teachers the love of Jesus

Right in the middle she blurts out, "Dad, are you closing your eyes?" I explained to her that I had to drive and God would still hear, but I'm not sure she was convinced=)

Love you Addy!!!

can this really be happening?

Today was Addy's open house for her preschool class at Kalamazoo Christian. She has the same teacher Ava had who commented that when we brought Ava to this, Addy was barely out of her carseat=( Addy had a little trouble finding her name tag because it said "Adalyn" which is her full name that we never call her by (unless she's in big trouble and I'm raising my voice=)

Anyway, it's a bit sad to see our youngest go to school already, but who knows, maybe this will inspire a new Zondervan appearance in the future =)

one of my favorite songs.

Jacob really longed to be a hero
All I really wanted was a friend
I'm the way, the life, the truth
So tell Me Jacob when will the lying end?
And does the striving make you strong?
Because when I came to love on you
You fought me till the dawn

Finally Jacob's lying down
And while he sleeps I will dream
Of a generation not known for their crowns,
Or success, but a King...
Who was not so much as interested in crowds, or
Pleasing men, but knowing Me

CH:
I have given Jacob's generation the key of David, intimacy
To open up the doorway to the nations, and release
Revelation, of intimacy, with me

Jacob had a dream for all the ages
Jacob had a drive to build a nation
But the fighting is in vain
If your only aim is to build your own great name

Because My dream's not what you do
Jacob will you dream for me
The way that I have dreamed for you

CH:
I have given Jacob's generation the key of David, intimacy
To open up the doorway to the nations, and release
Revelation, of intimacy, with me

Jacob really longed to be a hero
All I really wanted was a friend
I'm the way, the life, the truth
So tell Me Jacob when will the lying end?
And does the striving make you strong?
Because when I came to love on you
You fought me till the dawn
Finally Jacob's lying down
And while he sleeps I will dream
Of a generation not known for their crowns,
Or success, but a King...
Who was not so much as interested in crowds, or
Pleasing men, but knowing Me
CH:
I have given Jacob's generation the key of David, intimacy
To open up the doorway to the nations, and release
Revelation, of intimacy, with me
Jacob had a dream for all the ages
Jacob had a drive to build a nation
But the fighting is in vain
If your only aim is to build your own great name
Because My dream's not what you do
Jacob will you dream for me
The way that I have dreamed for you
CH:
I have given Jacob's generation the key of David, intimacy
To open up the doorway to the nations, and release
Revelation, of intimacy, with me

"bad planning" a sure hit for halloween

Just when British Petroleum thought it had stanched the flow of oil and bad PR, this little item washed up like an oil-drenched pelican on the shores of American consumerism.

If you're like me, you start planning your halloween costume super early, NO? Well just be thankful you're not like me. I know halloween is not supposed to be celebrated if you're really saved, but after going as Miley Cyrus last year and soaking in the 15 minutes of fame it brought me as thousands of crazed tweeners mobbed me for autographs, I'm kinda into it now.

Since we're only two months out or so, I figured it was time to get serious. That's when I stumbled across this. The "bad planning" (BP) costume ready for 2010 pre-ordering. What better way to show you care then to make fun of the worst ecological event to happen in our nations history? I guess they're only trying to poke fun at BP, but it does seem a little insensitive. Lot's of people are suffering because of it not to mention the wildlife and birds affected.

with a sticker price of 39.97 + shipping it's a little too rich for my blood, but the company owner is donating ten percent of profits toward the clean up effort in the gulf.

Two questions.
1. do I look alright as miley, cause I was leaning toward icarly this year

2. how should christians "celebrate" halloween?

Leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Jesus save us from your followers

I'm not trying to beat the same drum constantly, or beat a dead horse, but stories of "christians" going out of their way to protest the fact that sinners act like sinners is so redundant and, well, stupid. Now the sinners are fighting back=) Apparently the employees of an ohio strip club have had enough of the finger pointing and hell fire insults from a nearby church and took it upon themselves to show up on a sunday morning in bikinis to protest. Here is a snipet of the article.......


WARSAW, Ohio (AP) — The owner of an Ohio strip club and some of his dancers have been protesting at a church that has done the same to them for four years.

Women in bikinis sat in camp chairs Sunday outside the New Beginnings Ministries church in Warsaw, about 60 miles northeast of Columbus.

Tommy George owns the Foxhole strip club in nearby Newcastle. He says he and his employees decided to start coming to the church because they were fed up.

George says the church’s pastor, Bill Dunfee, and his congregation have bothered the club’s weekend patrons. He says they come armed with bullhorns, signs and video cameras for posting customers’ license plate numbers online.

Dunfee calls George a “parasite” and says seeing the protesters outside the church has strengthened the resolve of his flock.


"armed with bullhorns signs and video cameras", if that doesn't win people to the Lord, I don't know what will. Again I pose the question, how does this help people who are far from God get closer? How does this represent the church and the idea that true followers of Jesus would be easily recognizable because of the love they have one for another? Oh it doesn't, good. And remember that time the Pharisee's brought a women caught in the act of adultery and Jesus called her a parasite? No, Ok, I just wanted to be sure. Bad enough when the people we are trying to reach just won't come to church, whole nutha level to have the very people your called to reach outside your church in bikinis, picketing those who are supposed to be the very body of Christ.

This might be the sunday you wish you wore your "Jesus save us from your followers" T-Shirt.