"Would you like insurance on your new cell phone?" asked Chris, the sales guy.
Hmmm...I pondered the question. Since I was strolling in with an aging phone that was baptized by our washing machine, I was about to agree when Chris added, "The insurance covers any unforseen damage to the phone like water or being baked."
Baked? Did he just say baked?
Yes, sure enough. Chris went on to relay the account of a pleasant lady who brought in her iPhone to him. Apparently she was baking cookies and her delicate piece of technology slid onto a corner of the pan without her noticing. A few minutes later black smoke and a really weird smell was coming from her oven.
"She let me take a picture of it," Chris continued. He showed me. It looked like a small black plastic cake. I've heard of 4G before, but not 400 degrees!
After going with the insurance (how could I say "no"), the thought of the smell stuck with me. How are you and I smelling these days?
II Cor. 2:14-16 reminds us -- "Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?"
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Skol Vikings
How is it that I can be so discouraged by a weak outing by the Vikes only a week ago AND NOW encouraged a week later by a strong outing against a weak (or "already-ready-for-the-off-season") Giants team?
In the past, I have made regular pre-Playoff predictions. No, the Patriots didn't get to 77 points, but I was close. Based on how up-and-down the NFC has been AND how clustered together the AFC has been, this year I make no calls.
What sounds like complaining is actually eagerness.
I cannot remember a time where all 12 teams in the playoffs have a legimate chance to end up in Superbowl XLIV.
Although I'm not predicting, I know some of you are.
What are you thinking about the Vikings' chances?
In the past, I have made regular pre-Playoff predictions. No, the Patriots didn't get to 77 points, but I was close. Based on how up-and-down the NFC has been AND how clustered together the AFC has been, this year I make no calls.
What sounds like complaining is actually eagerness.
I cannot remember a time where all 12 teams in the playoffs have a legimate chance to end up in Superbowl XLIV.
Although I'm not predicting, I know some of you are.
What are you thinking about the Vikings' chances?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Welcome to the Family
My pastor is kind enough to ask me to preach at my local congregation once in a while. It happens about two or three times a year. I like to think of it as the fill-in for the fill-in. In wrestling with Galatians for January 3rd, I was struck by the sequence in the first part of chapter 4.
Verses 1-3 = Human heritage (spiritually)
-- sin by nature and activity; bondage of the will
Verses 4-5a = Heavenly gift -- Jesus
-- True God and True Man
Verses 5b-7 = Heavenly heritage (in Christ)
-- His adoption, His Spirit, His inheritance
The picture of God's redemptive work through Jesus as His adoption of us is powerful to me. Without Christ, we are 100% helpless under the law. With Christ, we are 100% redeemed by His grace.
Is anyone else finding that the more I take ownership of my sin that the more sweet the grace of God in Jesus is?
Verses 1-3 = Human heritage (spiritually)
-- sin by nature and activity; bondage of the will
Verses 4-5a = Heavenly gift -- Jesus
-- True God and True Man
Verses 5b-7 = Heavenly heritage (in Christ)
-- His adoption, His Spirit, His inheritance
The picture of God's redemptive work through Jesus as His adoption of us is powerful to me. Without Christ, we are 100% helpless under the law. With Christ, we are 100% redeemed by His grace.
Is anyone else finding that the more I take ownership of my sin that the more sweet the grace of God in Jesus is?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Happy New Year Answer?
Yesterday I raised the tension between social networking and selfishness. It is more than blogging. Rick Warren, of Purpose Driven Life fame, once called Twitter "a narcissistic time waster", but now uses it regularly.
Where is the healthy Biblical stance between self-absorbed and self-control?
Motivation appears to be at the core. "Selfish ambition" is listed in the fruit of the flesh (the sinful nature) in Galatians 5:19-21. Then "self-control" is described as one of the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23.
God's grace enables us to see both our need to put the selfish desires to death (v. 24 and 26) and to place our footsteps in line with the Holy Spirit's leading.
How would I describe my motivation walking into 2010?
Where is the healthy Biblical stance between self-absorbed and self-control?
Motivation appears to be at the core. "Selfish ambition" is listed in the fruit of the flesh (the sinful nature) in Galatians 5:19-21. Then "self-control" is described as one of the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23.
God's grace enables us to see both our need to put the selfish desires to death (v. 24 and 26) and to place our footsteps in line with the Holy Spirit's leading.
How would I describe my motivation walking into 2010?
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Question?
Happy New Year!
My goal is to post one blog per day for all of 2010. Since I have only a teen-number of blogs to my name, it might not be attainable (as in A in SMART goals...I'll touch on that another day).
My lingering curiosity about blogging is how to be personally engaging without being totally self-absorbed. I can tell you all about my life or ministry -- the number of times in a day I deal with self-doubt or marvel at the grace of God in Jesus -- but even transparency can turn into selfishness.
My thought is by ending each post with a question, then I can truly demonstrate my genuine desire to interact on God's truth in all our lives. So what do you think?
P.S. Did I really start every paragraph with "my"?
My goal is to post one blog per day for all of 2010. Since I have only a teen-number of blogs to my name, it might not be attainable (as in A in SMART goals...I'll touch on that another day).
My lingering curiosity about blogging is how to be personally engaging without being totally self-absorbed. I can tell you all about my life or ministry -- the number of times in a day I deal with self-doubt or marvel at the grace of God in Jesus -- but even transparency can turn into selfishness.
My thought is by ending each post with a question, then I can truly demonstrate my genuine desire to interact on God's truth in all our lives. So what do you think?
P.S. Did I really start every paragraph with "my"?
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
459 Days Later
It has been 459 days.
459 days since I last blogged. It has been quite a road. I intended to mention around the end of December 2008 that I moved to part-time effective January 1, 2009. But being part-time...well...I had only so many hours that I could give to the YM department, so it seemed wise to let it go.
And let this blog go I did.
To all three of you still reading 459 days later I want to say, "Thank you!" Thank you for praying. Thank you for cheering on. Thank you for saying that encouraging youth leaders that share Jesus with teenagers is worth it.
The good news -- I will be returning to full-time on January 1, 2010. The Lord has provided. Jen and I are really grateful.
The bad news -- I have time to blog again. Your anti-donations can be sent to the number at the bottom of your screen. Call now!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Stop! In The Name of Love
It was a crisp, fall morning. The leaves were inching toward the change from green to auburn. As I turned the corner in my 1990 Buick, I found myself pulling up behind a school bus. The morning route was under way and I would get to follow for awhile.
The school bus was at a stop to pick up a reluctant student. The lights were flashing. The stop sign extended. The teenager stepped on and the bus took off down the road.
Two parts surprised me:
+ The warning lights stayed on.
+ The stop sign stayed extended.
"Maybe the next stop is just down the block," I thought. The bus gained speed down the street, past a new road, and continued on. Lights flashing. Stop sign slicing through the breeze.
My route led me to turn from trailing this interesting sight, so I glanced to take one last look. No change. Every vehicle this bus driver would meet for the next few blocks would force others to respond to a moving, flashing, stop sign.
As I readjusted my vision to the road, the thought came, "Do teenagers see me that way?"
Ouch.
Am I a moving, loud signal of STOP to the youth I minister to? Stop talking while the youth leader is talking. Stop being quiet during the Bible study discussion. Stop doing the "bad" things. Stop spending time with the "wrong" crowd. Stop...stop...STOP!
This blog is not about discipline. That has its place and needs to be a well-handled area in a healthy youth ministry, for the sake of the teens and the honor of the Lord.
This blog is about loving Jesus and loving teenagers. It's the great commandment (Matt. 22) and the great commission (Matt. 28). This blog is about communicating truth about sin with a tear of pain, and grace with a tear of hope. Because we know the reality of both.
A potential volunteer visiting a youth group was met at the door afterwards by the youth director. He asked her, "Tell me about your experience tonight." She looked him in the eyes and said, "I fell in love."
A little startled, he asked, "With who?"
"With ALL of them," came the reply.
How do you show Jesus' love to teens?
The school bus was at a stop to pick up a reluctant student. The lights were flashing. The stop sign extended. The teenager stepped on and the bus took off down the road.
Two parts surprised me:
+ The warning lights stayed on.
+ The stop sign stayed extended.
"Maybe the next stop is just down the block," I thought. The bus gained speed down the street, past a new road, and continued on. Lights flashing. Stop sign slicing through the breeze.
My route led me to turn from trailing this interesting sight, so I glanced to take one last look. No change. Every vehicle this bus driver would meet for the next few blocks would force others to respond to a moving, flashing, stop sign.
As I readjusted my vision to the road, the thought came, "Do teenagers see me that way?"
Ouch.
Am I a moving, loud signal of STOP to the youth I minister to? Stop talking while the youth leader is talking. Stop being quiet during the Bible study discussion. Stop doing the "bad" things. Stop spending time with the "wrong" crowd. Stop...stop...STOP!
This blog is not about discipline. That has its place and needs to be a well-handled area in a healthy youth ministry, for the sake of the teens and the honor of the Lord.
This blog is about loving Jesus and loving teenagers. It's the great commandment (Matt. 22) and the great commission (Matt. 28). This blog is about communicating truth about sin with a tear of pain, and grace with a tear of hope. Because we know the reality of both.
A potential volunteer visiting a youth group was met at the door afterwards by the youth director. He asked her, "Tell me about your experience tonight." She looked him in the eyes and said, "I fell in love."
A little startled, he asked, "With who?"
"With ALL of them," came the reply.
How do you show Jesus' love to teens?
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