Eternal Perspectives

People are busy. There is always something to do and somewhere to go and this is also true in the lives of students. I received a phone call from a mom whose son is involved in our youth ministry, informing me that although there are no practices scheduled for wednesday nights, (the night of our student ministry) there was a football dinner slated for each wednesday night of the season.
I'll be honest and say I hung up the phone rather frustrated. I've seen over the years of being a youth pastor countless parents push there kids into sports while letting them drop out of attending church. It is starting in 6th grade middle school and continuing into high school. So many parents wouldn't dream of allowing their child to miss a practice, and they eagerly cart them all over the city and state for games, while church involvement falls by the wayside. Some parents complain about the cost of a youth trip while spending hundreds of dollars on sports camps and equipment without blinking an eye.

Here are some interesting statistics,
There are approximately 1 million kids playing high school football in the united states. 5.8% will go on to play college and just 2.8% of those will end up in the pros. Out of 300 thousand high school soccer players, 5.7% will play in the NCAA and less than 2% of those will play at a professional level. 500 thousand play school basketball with 2.9 % playing in college and only 1.9 % of those college players going pro.

I'm not railing against sports. I think they build character and should be encouraged. I also love the teamwork and friendships that are emphasized. But I marvel at how much goes into preparing a child for sports vs preparing them spiritually.

When you consider that 80% of kids also graduate Jesus when they finish high school, it is important to have some perspective. If young people entering secular Universities are not firmly rooted and grounded in what they believe, they will fall....period.

It's time for us as parents to make spiritual growth and maturity in our children paramount. Sports are not eternal.

My Big girl daughter

Ava starts pre-school in a few weeks and we took her to the doctor for her turned four check up. We preempted her about the possibility of some shots in the leg and told her how fun it would be to see how much she's grown since three.

Kendra and I were so proud of her. she had to get four booster shots and never even cried!! It is so painful to watch something you know is going to cause someone you love temporary pain even when it is for their good. Not to get all sermony, but I couldn't help but think of God the Father allowing Jesus His son to be murdered on a cross because of the good that would result from it. Having my own children, I can't imagine what kind of love that is to allow your own perfect son to suffer like that (1John 3:1)

Anyways, the sweetest part was when the nurse told Ava she could get some stickers for being such a big girl, Ava told her she was going to give one to her sister:) My girls certainly have their fighting moments, but this was one of the sweeter ones:)

Here are the 4 year old statistics,

height---43.5 inches---97th percentile
weight---42.6 lbs-----95th percentile


Looks like she may end up looking more like Dad after all.

Olympic memories that Last

We are now closing in on the conclusion of the 08 summer games. I have to admit that I found myself watching more of it than I envisioned originally. In fact, I became obsessed with the U.S.A and their medal count. Anytime they would flash the totals and China would have more than us, I wanted to comfort eat. (weird I know, but sometimes my body just responds better when it has Ben and Jerry's.)

Anyways, the top story in all of Beijing is obviously Michael Phelps and his amazing, history setting run of eight gold medals. I'm sure every pastor in the world is going to find some way to squeeze him into a sermon illustration at some point. Who would of thought that a swimmer could become a household name? I was watching a special on MSNBC where his trainer told the world how Michael consumes over 8,000 calories a day and basically never leaves the pool.

I began to wonder if this ever happened to him? After all, 8,000 calories is a "ton" and if your whole life is spent in the pool..........











What do you think? Could this be the kind of poopulsion that gave him the finger length victory in the 100 meters? I wonder if he'd be disqualified if this happened or is it fine as long as it stays in his lane? These are the kind of olympic moments that stay with me a lifetime.

fun with Aunt Jane!!

Last tuesday while Kendra and I led a band of Jesus freaks on an adventurous trip to Cedar Point, my wonderful, beautiful, thoughtful and caring sister Jane took our little girls to the zoo. (I forgot to bring her a coffee this morning so I am trying to make up for that with this litany of adjectives, even though they are all true, don't tell her that.)

Anyways, this blog is my feeble attempt to thank my sissie for all that she does for me and my family. Even though when we were little, I had to be the dog when we played house, and even though she told me i was adopted and my real parents were going to come back for me, I still love her and look up to her. Many people don't know this, but when I was about as far away from God as you can get, Jane prayed for me consistently and believed that God was going to radically save me. She and her husband Lee have modeled to Kendra and I how to raise Godly children and I appreciate her wisdom and insight more than she probably knows.

All in all I am so grateful to God for my great family and the people around us. Thanks for being the bestest Auntie in the world, and for putting up with your snotty little brother all these years!!!

grieving with hope

I ran across this video on another blog, but after watching it, I needed to comment on it as well. I'm sure most of you heard in the news about the steven curtis chapman family that lost their five year old daughter in a tragic accident. Their teenage son was pulling into the driveway in the family suv, when his sister, five year old Mariah, ran into the path of the car and was killed. This video is an ABC follow up on the family since the accident and focuses on how they are dealing with the grief and pain involved when tragedy strikes. The dynamics of this story are even more heart wrenching because it was her own brother and their son driving the car.

As a father of two beautiful girls who mean everything to me, I can not imagine the grief, pain, and questions associated with a tragedy like this. You must wake up every day wondering how this could happen. How, but by the grace of God, could you possibly navigate between the grief of losing your daughter, and the comfort you know your son needs. As I watched the video, I was drawn to how the parents said they of course are grieving, but with HOPE. A hope they are anchored to, even when the pain seems unbearable. I also loved how even as a family with faith in God, they had questions. Faith is living with those questions and still choosing to trust God. I was reminded of the life of Job in the bible. He had lost everything. His family, fortunes, and his health were gone in a day. He had no way of knowing that God was "showing him off" to the devil. He thought God was responsible for all of it. In chapter one, after hearing that all his sons and daughters were dead, verse 20 tells us he tore his robe, fell to his knees, and worshipped. Then in Job 13:15 he declares...."though He slay me, yet will I trust Him". Job didn't understand what was happening or why, but he knew God was worthy of both worship and trust, even when he didn't understand. I lost my dad to asbestos cancer four years ago. He never worked with asbestos, why did he get it? I believed he would be healed, why wasn't he? I don't have all the answers, but I must choose to worship and trust beyond my understanding. Maybe for you its not a death. Maybe its a divorce or a broken relationship. Maybe its an addiction you've prayed and prayed about and aren't free. Whatever our situation, we must choose to believe that God is a restorer, and will make all things new again. When the enemy tries to attack my mind, I strengthen myself in the Lord and remember that no matter what, He can be trusted.

i hope you take the 8 minutes to watch this video, and have some kleenex ready. When it is done, take a moment to pray for the Chapman family and your own children. Give them a kiss and tell them you love them. Remember to thank God for the hope we have in Him.


1 Thessalonians 4:13---And now dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like those who have no HOPE. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when He returns, God will bring back with Him the believers that have died. Then together with them, we who are still alive will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and then their will be one huge family reunion with the master"

"pets"

The new hit show among the girls at my house is the movie Tarzan. Ava gets on these kicks where she wants to watch one movie over and over for like a month and then usually forgets all about it for a while.

anyways, her and Addy are watching the shirtless Tarzan swing thru the trees and Addy starts proclaiming the he has boobs. Mommy, look at his boobs, look at his boobs.

Ava turns to her sister and with a "why must I put up with this kind of ignorance in a little sister tone", tells her......Addy when boobs are on a boy, their called "pets!" and then went right back to sucking her thumb and intently watching her movie.

Pretty funny moment, now addy follows me around the house asking to see my "boobpets" Since Tarzan and i are built so similar, I'm sure she has no problem making the connection:) Yea right< I'm praying that this obsession with human anatomy wont' lead to any more candid proclamations at the super market. Last week when Addy was in the shopping cart with me at wal-mart, she suddenly looked down her shirt and whispered, "daddy, I have pink boobs."

have Tarzan and I created a two year old boob monster, or is this normal? anyways, my wife will probably be mad that I posted this, but it won't be the first time:)

Love you honey!!

back to the cow tongue

My experiences with cooking a cow tongue (see "I still got it" post) made it to the world of youtube so I thought i would post it for viewing pleasure. It is a bit long, so don't feel obligated to have to watch all of it, however at about 8:30 seconds, Kendra finally decides to try it and it is pretty funny. I've decided I don't like watching myself on video, I was kind of spassing out in some parts.

this video is dedicated to the memory of Betsy, thanks for allowing your tongue to be used for the Kingdom................

ps. Addy my daughter still asks about you, so you are not forgotten



click here for video link