Auld Lang Syne

What the heck does Auld Lang Syne mean? I hear it sung every New Years but had no clue what it means. In fact I couldn’t even remember anything but the first line! Well this year I looked it up and discovered that this old Scottish phrase is roughly translated as “old long since,” or “days gone by.” So at New Years, as we look forward to the year that has arrived in all its newness, we pause to look back. We ask “Should old aquaintance be forgot?” to which the chorus responds - not at all. The song really is about relationships. It is a song about remembering and celebrating old relationships as we look to the new year. There are many relationships that I will be remembering and celebrating this year...my family, my church family, my friends and each of my children especially. I will also be celebrating my amazing wife - all that we have shared, all that we will share in this new year and just how special she is to me. There is one other relationship that I would like to celebrate this New Years as well, and that is my relationship with Jesus. I think that as I hear this song played over the next few days, I would like it to be a reminder to stop and give thanks for my relationship with my Lord, Saviour and Friend. I also hope to begin 2009 with a re-commitment to that relationship, to re-kindle and fan into flame that relationship and aim to make 2009 a year of worship, passionate commitment and hope. I don’t know where your relationship with Jesus may stand - close and personnel, distant or neglected, non-existent or perhaps you have never even considered it. Wherever it may be, let me invite you to at least consider it this year and to make it a part of your New Years Celebration. Here are some words to think about: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my father I have made known to you.” John 15:14-15

White Christmas

Even after two big snowfalls and shoveling four driveways with my boys, I am still looking forward to a white Christmas. The idea of a White Christmas truly has become a romanticized ideal in North American Pop culture. Heck it even has its own theme song! Written by Irving Berlin and made famous by Bing Crosby (who sang it in two movies, the second of which was actually called White Christmas, in1954), the song is a holiday classic. One of my favourite things about this time of year, is to be able to look outside the window after dark, and to see snowflakes dancing in the beams of streetlights, glistening in the golden glow, and creating a clean white blanket over the earth. I admit, it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. As much as I love the idea of a White Christmas , however, I do find myself wondering what it has to do with Christmas?
The first Christmas took place in Bethlehem, whose Mediterranean climate makes rain far more likely than snow, which is rare. Even rarer would be an accumulation great enough for sleighs making it unlikely that one might hear “sleigh bells in the snow”. When you read about the birth of Christ in the bible, there is no mention of snow at all. Snow doesn’t play any role in that original Christmas. I live in Canada, however, and many of my Christmas memories do include snow. It is just a reality about where I live and thus a significant part of my Christmas experience.
There are numerous scripture passages that do mention snow, and one of them in particular seems relevant. Psalm 51 is a Psalm in which King David is repenting of sin and in it he makes this request to God:
“Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” (NIV)
It is God who offers forgiveness and cleansing from our sin. At Christmas we celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world, God the Son taking on human flesh. We celebrate His life, which would see Him go to the cross and shed His blood, poured out for many for the forgiveness of of sins. By virtue of His sacrifice, we might be forgiven, cleansed and washed as white as snow. So, as I look for the snow falling through the streetlight beams and making a blanket of white, I will try to remember this fact; that I have been made white as snow and that is a White Christmas worth celebrating.

Advent Calendar

Every year, my father-in-law likes to buy my kids an advent calendar. It is a daily calendar with little windows to open (often with chocolate behind them!) that counts down the days until Christmas. A couple of years ago, I remember how disappointed he was that after weeks of searching, he could not find one that had anything to do with Jesus. There was Santa and Rudolf, Frosty and even Barbie! But no Jesus anywhere. How ironic it is, that these calendars which mark the Advent season, which is supposed to help us focus on Jesus, seem to just contribute to distracting us from the point. Advent is supposed to be a time where we remember God’s people waiting expectantly for the coming of the Messiah, as well as looking forward and waiting for the second coming of Jesus. Much of this waiting however, seems to have been lost. I don’t want to be too critical of my own culture and generation alone, because as I think about, being distracted from what God is doing, especially around Christmas, is not a new thing at all.

Have you ever thought back to that first Christmas, when God entered the world in the form of a baby. We often have pageants and nativity scenes in which we celebrate all who were there to witness the amazing event: Mary, Joseph, maybe some animals, some shepherds and eventually some wise men from the east. But this was the coming of God into the world, where was everyone else? Although God’s people had been waiting for the coming of the Messiah for hundreds of years, when the event actually came, most of them missed it. They were distracted. Maybe they had expected something bigger or just different. Maybe they were distracted by the Census that was being taken which had everyone in the Roman world on the move. Strangely, the census meant that there were probably thousands of people in the town of Bethlehem at the time, but they all seemed to miss it. The only ones who seemed to get it were some shepherds, to whom that angels announced the event. They were an odd choice when you think about. They were marginalized from the religious community because their occupation made it a challenge to fastidiously maintain religious law. But then again their occupation meant they were out in the field away from a lot of the distraction going on in town. The wise men got it as well and they were not even a part of that religious community. But from miles away they saw a star and for some reason they were not distracted but rather paid close attention to this phenomenon. They too would get to see the infant Jesus and worship Him.

So how will we be? Will we be distracted? There is a lot to distract us, and I often find myself being distracted. It is a great question for this time of year and every time of year for that matter. Am I distracted from what God is doing? Am I distracted from what God would have me doing?


Here is a link to a song I recorded a number of years ago that reflects on the theme of waiting:
Waiting

Santa Claus

My youngest daughter is terrified of Santa. She was scared when we saw him at the mall, and then when he made an appearance at a recent Christmas party she was petrified. She sat on her uncle’s lap, held his arms for dear life, and as she was shaking she buried her head into his chest and tried to disappear hoping Santa wouldn’t notice her. We finally had to whisper to her that it was just her grandpa dressed up like Santa and that there was nothing to worry about. When I thought about it later it occurred to me just how strange a thing this character has become. In any other context a big fat hairy stranger who invites children onto his lap with the promise of special presents would in no way be something we would teach our children to embrace. But this time of year Jolly Old St. Nick, can actually be kind of fun - just not to my daughter. My older three children don’t believe in Santa either. When we were adopting our oldest two children (who were 8 and 5 at the time) we recognized how important honesty and trust were going to be as we forged our new relationships. We also knew that they were getting to the age that they might here the truth about Santa and thought that it would be best to hear it from us. We made the decision to tell them, and our other son (who was three), about Santa. We told them that Santa was not a real person, but rather a character much like Buzz Lightyear. We were surprised by the reaction as our youngest son exclaimed “What?!?...Buzz Lightyear is not real!!!” And that was that. For one reason or another it seems that Santa hasn’t played a huge role in our family’s Christmas celebrations. Santa is everywhere this time of year, and we don’t hide from it or react against it, but when it comes to the way we celebrate at home, once again, for the sake of my youngest daughters sanity, he will play a very small role. It is a good thing that Santa is not really the heart if this yearly celebration; if he were then we would have a lot to miss out on. On the contrary, I think that our situation has actually helped us to focus on the true meaning of the season. After all, Christmas is about the coming of our Lord and King in the form of a baby. It is about Immanuel - God with us. It is about the incarnation. It is about Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)

Although a jolly, plump fellow with a big sack of gifts can be fun, the greatest gift of all still remains the gift of Jesus. I put some thoughts down in a song a few years ago so I thought I might share them with you today. Here is a link to a rough cut demo of The Greatest Gift of All, and the lyrics below.
Enjoy!

The Greatest Gift of All


They say that wise men still seek Him
They still call on His name
And when they seek they still find Him
What am I looking for? What am I looking for?

The greatest gift of all, still answers when I call
The greatest gift of all is You, is You
The greatest gift of all, came wrapped in swaddling cloth
The greatest gift of all is You, is You
Jesus Jesus

They say the humble still seek Him
The One who so humbly came
His example to follow
What am I looking for? What am I looking for?

The Christmas feeling is so elusive, no one ever has defined it
If I don’t know what I’m looking for
How will I ever find it? How will I ever find it?

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Let me go on record as saying that the soundtrack to the “A Charlie Brown Christmas” television special, that first aired in 1965, is the greatest television soundtrack ever. It has also, in my opinion, become the greatest Christmas album of all time, bar none. I love this record and it is a Christmas time must play around my house. It seems that I am not the only one who likes it as it really is a holiday classic and is a perennial best seller. Ironically, this jazz soundtrack was a source of concern for network executives who thought that it did not suite a children’s animated program. Apparently the sound track was not the only concern that they had. Along with concerns about the lack of a laugh track and the use of child voice actors, executives did not want the reciting of the birth of Christ from the Gospel of Luke which is spoken by the character Linus: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2: 8-14) Charles Shultz (the Peanuts creator) was adamant to keep it in and is even reported to have said “If we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?” What a great thought for all of us who claim to follow Jesus Christ. The Christmas season will go on with or without us. It has become so big, so extravagant and so commercially important that it will continue to be a mainstay of North American culture for a long time, whether or not we recognize Jesus at the centre of it. And ironically, even for those who do believe in Jesus, it can be so busy and overwhelming that it distracts us from our relationship with Christ rather than being a celebration that helps us focus on Him. Let us first and foremost endeavour to keep Jesus at the centre of our Christmas celebrations this year, and then also remember that we are Christ’s ambassadors, and thus have the responsibility to tell others about what lays at the heart of this season. If we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will? As it turns out the television special, despite the executives' concerns, was a smash hit. It was a commercial and critical success, 50% of US televisions tuned in to watch it, and it won an Emmy and a Peabody award. And about the scripture reading...at least one critic, Harriet Van Horne of the New York World-Telegram, said, "Linus' reading of the story of the Nativity was, quite simply, the dramatic highlight of the season."

Aluminm Christmas Tree

It is late November but the snow has already come. We have begun hanging Christmas decorations at my house. I was thinking about my grandparent’s aluminum Christmas (no that is not my grandma in the photo). My grandparents have a reputation of being frugal...to the extreme (some might even say cheap) and they have had the same artificial tree for decades. For many years it was even a joke among their children (but never their grandchildren of course). Imagine the surprise when this tree began to show up in very trendy decor magazines. Apparently it is now retro, extremely trendy and sought after by those in the know about fashion and decor trends. Now those who were laughing wish they had the tree! It reminded me of a phrase I recently read in Ecclesiastes, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the son.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) He was speaking about more than artificial Christmas trees and decor, of course, but there is a similar observation to be made. After looking at the world the writer observes endless and apparently meaningless cycles found in nature and history (1:3-11). Think of human nature for example, have greed or pride really changed over the last few thousand years? I don’t claim to have fully grasped all the complexity of Ecclesiastes, but what I have begun to see is that life, when seen from a strictly earthly perspective, is meaningless and futile. Hopefully, however, we don’t just settle for this earthly perspective, but rather look to the supernatural. It is a relationship with God that brings the hope to transcend the cycles, to find purpose and meaning. As we prepare to enter the Christmas season, hopefully we will take pause to consider the Lord for whom the celebrations are supposed to be about, and consider what He means to our life.

Easy-Bake Oven

My niece came to the hospital a few days ago to visit my son. Seeing as Christmas is approaching the conversation turned to what people were asking for for Christmas. My niece said that she wanted an Easy-Bake Oven. These toys have been around since 1963 and are apparently still popular today. I remember reading something about the name Easy-Bake and that it was originally named a Safety-Bake oven but television broadcasters were not convinced about its safety and that prompted a name change. I remember thinking that if there were safety concerns, shouldn't they have suggested changing more than just the name? Now I don’t know if this story is true or not (and there have been many new models between 1963 and 2008 so don't let this blog affect your Christmas shopping) but it did get me thinking about honesty, integrity and truthfulness. I am sure that many of us look at advertising or politics for example and think that, although technically the truth is told, that there is a least some duplicity or integrity issues at play. The “truth” being told is carefully sculpted and crafted. If, however, we were to honestly asses our own actions and words, we are often tempted to do much the same. We can massage the truth to our own benefit or to avoid trouble, tell half truths or perhaps tell the “little white” lie. Jesus, however, encouraged us to simply let our yes be yes and our no be no (Matthew 5:37). Jesus gave this teaching in the context of a discussion about swearing oaths. I think that what he was getting at is that should we aim to be truthful people and aim for truthfulness in every word there would be no need for swearing oaths, or making special declarations to guarantee truthfulness. He was challenging us to be truthful people full of honesty and integrity. It may not be easy, but it is a worthy pursuit. Can people trust us to tell the truth? Can they trust us to tell it like it is in a loving compassionate manner? Can they trust us not to hide things in fine print? Can they trust us to have integrity?

Memory

I remember playing the game of memory when I was a kid. The game consisted of a number of picture tiles, two of each, that were mixed up and then placed in a grid upside down. Each turn, a player is allowed to turn over two tiles revealing the picture, with the intent to find two matching tiles. As the game progresses each player watches intently, trying to learn where each tile is placed, memorizing the position of the matches so that they may be found on the next turn. As I sit here in the hospital with my son who is recovering from one surgery and preparing for another, I have been reminded about how important scripture is. It has helped us to celebrate the good moments, to trust in the harder moments and given much comfort in the painful moments. The thing about life is that it often happens unexpectedly, without much notification and without a lot of opportunity for preparation. I think that is why it is so important to be in God’s word regularly. As we spend time reading, learning and studying scripture we become familiar with it. Like in the game of memory, we begin to recall where things are found, and when life situation arise we can find applicable passages. In all honesty, however, nothing can replace memorizing scripture. We may not always have access to a written copy of the Word, and life usually doesn’t stop while we try to find one. Memorized scripture, however, will always be with us and it is amazing how it comes back when needed. I am the first to admit that I am not the best at memorizing scripture and have not invested as much time in this discipline as others. My children, who have joined a bible quizzing team and have been memorizing huge chunks of scripture, have been an example and a challenge to me of late. If they can learn so much, surely I can do some myself. At the end of the day, we cannot retrieve what is not there and so the more we learn and study and know the more we have to rely on when a time comes where we really need it.

Play-Doh

Play-Doh has been on the market since the 1950’s and continues to have a strong presence today. In fact my daughter just got some the other day. I have been reminded about some of the qualities of Play-doh, including the fact that if you leave it out after playing with it, it doesn’t take long to become a dried out crumbly mess! I am sure that if you were using it to make a sculpture that you wanted to harden then it is great stuff to use and works fast. If, however, like my daughter you like to use and re-use the clay then you had best be careful to get it all back into it’s container, get the lid on tight and make sure that you never ever use the stuff near carpet! Cleaning up the hard crumbled mess recently, got me thinking about spiritual life. If we let ourselves become hard and crusty however, could it be that we are just not all that useful to God? In order to remain soft and usable we must be sure to keep ourselves doing the things He has told us to do, such as, studying His Word, praying, meeting with other believers, serving and sharing. When we neglect such things we run the risk of becoming hard, crusty and useless!

Jack-O-Lantern

I know that amoung Christians there are differences of view regarding the appropriateness of Halloween based on its history and how it has been celebrated over the years. This short devotion is in now way the forum to wade into that conversation with any depth. But regardless of how we might feel about it, for many of us it will be going on around us anyway and we will be faced with how we respond. In most cases the Jack-o-Lanterns around us will be doing little to intentionally point us to Jesus. I can’t help, however, but look to those lanterns glowing in the darkness around my neighbourhood and be reminded that we too are supposed to let our light shine (Matthew 5:16). We are to shine like stars in the darkness around us (Philippians 2:15) and to represent Jesus in all we do. So my challenge to all Christians, regardless of how you might view Halloween, is to be intentional about letting your light shine. For those of you who will be celebrating Halloween, how will you look different from everyone else around you? How will you use the opportunity to reach out to to others and represent Jesus in your community? For those of you whose convictions mean that you will not be celebrating Halloween, what will you be doing? As you choose not to engage in those things that you stand against, is there a way to share the things you do believe, in a positive and intentional way? For all of us, how might we let our light shine?

Shakespeare

At first it may seem odd to include a poet and playwright from the 15th/16th century, considered by many to be the greatest writer of the English language, and whose english is sometimes barely recognizable to our current english, in a series on pop culture! But consider for a moment the impact of his writings and their influence today. How many contemporary stories are based on his stories, how many modern phrases and figures of speech are traced to Shakespeare? Perhaps the greatest argument for including him in a discussion of pop culture is that almost every person who has attended high school in modern western society has had to study his work. Whether that was the beginning of a passion and love for literature and theatre, a cause for sleepless nights and nightmares or distaste and mockery, no one can deny the impact that Shakespeare continues to have on popular culture. Every year english classes and drama clubs in high schools around the world will try their hand at Shakespeare. Some will do great, others just fine and still again others will massacre a Shakespearian classic. They will not come close to representing the true depth of Shakespeare, nor can we judge the playwright solely on how well a high school student communicates his work. And yet no actor or scholar I know would argue that we should take Shakespeare out of schools because they don’t give a clear enough picture of his true genius.
I think that in some ways the church is like those high school english classes as they fumble through Shakespeare. We are left with the task of representing our master Jesus. The reality, however, is that even at our best, we will never really be able to give a true picture of the depth of Jesus’ love, compassion and greatness etc. The church after all is a hospital for sinners not a museum of saints. We will get it wrong, make huge mistakes, and at times do a poor job of representing Jesus. But just like we don’t take Shakespeare out of schools, we the church must keep trying, keep learning and keep growing. I would also add, to those who are not followers of Jesus, that if what you think and how you respond to Jesus is based solely on what you have seen from his followers, then please take a closer look. Grab a bible and read a gospel for a start. Take a closer look at Jesus himself before you make any final conclusions. Just like we would not judge Shakespeare solely on a high school english class, don’t let the mistakes of the church be an excuse not to take a closer look at Jesus himself.

Sock Monkey

Sock Monkeys have been around from as early as 1932 when ingenuity combined with the trade mark Red-Heel sock from the Nelson Knitting company. The company was acquired by Fox River Mills in 1992 and this company still produces red heeled socks and sock monkeys but with one small distinction. The heels on the older socks were not as uniformly oval, but had end points thus giving original sock monkeys a permanent smile. It is a look that works really well for a sock monkey. For humans however, a permanent smile would be incredibly shallow, superficial and inauthentic. There is absolutely no promise in life, and certainly not in scripture, that life will always be rosy, nor that we must face it with a grin. Scripture, however, does speak of something far deeper and more profound and that is joy. Joy, in a biblical sense, is not superficial. It is not just being happy. Joy is a deeper reality stemming from our relationship with the Lord, the fruit of a Spirit filled life, living out His will and purpose and trusting in His promises (and this only scratches the surface!) It is not simply an emotional response to our situation and circumstance but is often experienced despite them. It is also not a naive response that ignores reality or hides behind masks. Joy acknowledges reality while celebrating God’s character and His work and His promises. We may not have permanent smiles like a sock monkey, but we can have joy in all situations.

Jack-in-the-Box

I have just recently had the pleasure of watching my youngest daughter discover the Jack-in-the-Box. She was enjoying the pretty tune as my wife rotated the handle, lulling her into a sense of quiet and contentment when...POP!!, out jumped the Jack-in-the-Box. She was of course very startled at first, after which she began to laugh and insisted on trying it over and over. Life is a bit like that isn’t it? Things can be going along just fine, but then, seemingly out of nowhere, something pops up and takes us by complete surprise. Sometime the surprise is a delight, other times it is devastating. The reality is that we have no idea what tomorrow brings. James points out this reality in his letter when he warns us not to boast about tomorrow and reminds us that we “do not even know what will happen tomorrow.” (James 4:14) We may not know what is coming, but our Lord does. One amazing thing about an eternal God who stands outside of time and space is that there is nothing that is going to take our Lord by surprise. So when those surprises in life hit, that shake us to the core and instantly change the whole course of life we can turn to the One who saw it coming. He has eternal perspective and knows the whys and hows of each situation. We may not see it clearly, but He does. We can do as the author of Proverbs urges and “trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make you paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Pop Gun

I have just recently returned from a visit to an old fashioned general store that had a pop gun for sale in the toy section. I remember having one of these as a kid. It was great because every time you shot it off it made a great "pop" sound as the cork was forced from the barrel. The other great thing was that the cork was attached by a string and so it never got lost. It got me thinking about the words we use. How often are we in a frustrating situation and we just pop, letting words exit our lips that we would not ordinarily speak? Or maybe we are joking around and say something in jest that only after we hear it, and see the reaction, do we realize wasn't really funny after all. Our words, however, are not attached by a sting, and unlike the pop gun, once we release them we cannot get them back. How often I wish that I could take things that I say back! A rude comment that offends someone, a sarcastic joke that although meant in jest ends up hurting someone. It is amazing the things that we try to justify by claiming to be "just kidding." If we were to hold those words and comments up to a biblical standard we might hear Paul or Jesus saying "as clever as you think you are, your jokes aren't funny." How may times have I been impressed by my own quick wit? I think however, that I may be the only one that I impress.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians offers this challenge: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their need, that it might benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29) It is a tough challenge indeed, but one well worth striving for. I love the fact that it does not just tell us what not to say, but gives us a clear place to re-direct our focus. Speak only that which is useful, that builds up and benefits those around us. If we lived this out then it would not matter that our words have no string and that we cannot get them back. We would not speak out of anger, frustration or with inconsiderate jesting.
I anticipate speaking a lot less than usual over this next week and into the future!

Operation

Perhaps It is because I have recently had the opportunity to hear a surgeon give a detailed description of one of the surgeries they perform, but I have been in awe of the human body. Hearing the surgeon left me amazed in two ways. Firstly, as she shared about the complexity of the human body and mind I could not help but be astounded. I found myself thinking that surely something this amazingly complex, intricate and finely tuned is not the product of random chance, but an intentional and finely crafted masterpiece. If the master crafter is, as I believe He is, this God that we worship then He truly we should be brought to a sense of awe and wonder, worship and praise. Secondly, as I heard the surgeon sharing about surgery, I was astounded by the depth of knowledge, insight and skill that our medical professionals have. The things that they have learned, and the things that they can do are truly astounding. I truly believe that God has guided this process too. All too often we can take our medical system and medical professionals for granted. We are no longer left with a sense of awe when we are healed of what we would consider common conditions. The mere fact that we have common cures and routine treatments is amazing in and of itself! Then there are the complex surgeries to truly amaze us. I hope that we do not take such things for granted. Not only can we be tempted to take it for granted, we can also forget to give thanks where thanks is due. We cannot forget that although God can do miracles, he also lies behind the healing that we experience everyday. We look for miracles, but cannot overlook the providential. God is at work healing people all around us everyday and we must give thanks for that as well. I have been challenged to give God thanks and praise for this amazing organism that is the human body, and for the many ways that he can bring healing whether by miracle, family physician or surgeon.

Monopoly

If there is a board game that has achieved pop culture icon status it is certainly Monopoly! I have to admit that although Monopoly is one of the first games that comes to mind I have been hard pressed to find an analogy to the Christian walk. A game that is based on greed, cut throat business and putting all others into bankruptcy didn't ring any immediate bells or bring to mind any of Jesus' teachings. That changed, however, after hearing my mom describe her last game with my kids. While at the cottage my mom played Monopoly with my children. To my surprise she related just how sympathetic and compassionately my son played the game. i say surprised because he is usually quite competitive and cut throat when he plays me! With his grandmother, however, it was a different story. My mother wasn't having the best game, and quickly found herself falling behind. It wasn't long before she was running out of money and did not have enough to pay the rent on the properties she was landing on. It was then that my son began to give her some of his money (he was having quite a good game) and paying her bills in order that she might stay in the game. It was here that I began to consider how, on a certain level this is what Jesus did for us.
Scripture tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is a consequence for that sin, and a price to be paid. Here is what is so amazing...that Jesus, "who, being in very nature God, would not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance of a man, he humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus humbled Himself, giving up the status and privilege of heaven to enter our reality - to enter our game. And while in the game he chose to pay the price and take on the consequences of our sin. In other words he paid our debt in order that we might carry on.
Amazing grace it truly is.

Hockey

Maybe it is because my church meets in a hockey arena and hockey season has just begun, or maybe it is because I have been working on a hockey theme song to submit to the CBC, but I have been thinking a bit about hockey. In Canada, it is hard to think about pop culture and not eventually come to hockey (don’t worry if you are American just substite football and the rest of the world substitute football as well…which is soccer to Americans!) I love some of the analogies I see in hockey that help me focus on what it is as a church we are supposed to be about. Have you ever thought about the bench before? Players go there for a bit of coaching, some direction and strategy. They go there to catch their breath before their next shift, to drink some fluids and maybe check on their equipment. If they are injured they go to get helped by the trainer. The bench is only a temporary stop to help ensure the best performance from the players on their next shift. It is not pretty – its stinks. It is not glorified – it is simple and crude. It is not the center of attention – it serves the game.
Our gatherings should, in some respects, be the same. It is not all about good food, great music, pyrotechnics and preaching that makes us laugh and makes us cry and is better than Cats. There is nothing wrong with this stuff if it does not turn our attention away from the game going on around us. I see my Sunday morning as an opportunity to spend time with the coach and hear a word from Him. Whoever is delivering the message I see as an assistant coach, helping us to understand more clearly and to turn our attention back to the teaching, strategy and purpose set out by our Head coach, Jesus. Pastors may be assistant coaches at best but more often then not are trainers helping heal the wounded, or equipment managers helping equip the congregation for ministry. I think that maybe what Paul was referring to in Ephesians 4:11-12 when he states that Jesus gave “some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service…”
Another thing I notice is that on the hockey bench, aside from a back up goalie, there are no extras or bench warmers. Hockey is played in shifts, and although some may play significantly more than others there is an expectation that everyone will contribute. Everyone expects to play, everyone wants to play and they are very frustrated if they sit on the bench for too long. I hope that we all have the same desire to get out on the ice and play. Let’s face it when you sit too long you get out of shape and out of practice and it will frustrate our spiritual life. There is too much work and the stakes are too high to have bench warmers. As we gather together my prayer is that we might think of ourselves as on the bench. We can celebrate and cheer as we share what God has done in our midst throughout the week. We can catch our breath and get some Gatorade. We can get some help to fix our laces and sharpen our skates. We can use some time to mend the bruises or stitch the cuts. We can get some coaching as we meet with Jesus and get clarification from our assistant coaches. We can get our encouragement and our pat on the back. But it does not end there. We do all this so that we can get back out on the ice and play to win.

Crayola Crayons

Crayola Crayons made their debut in 1903, were sold in a pack of eight, included the colours black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow and green and were sold for a nickel! Times have changed a bit and today there are over 100 different types of Crayola Crayons costing a little bit more than a nickel. It got me thinking about all that we have, and all that we have access to. It got me thinking about thanksgiving and contentment.
I have some friends that just recently came back from a mission trip to Kenya where they served in a church that was in a slum area. They were helping the church put on a Vacation Bible School program for the community. One thing that really struck them was the colouring portion of the day. All the kids would spend up to an hour each day colouring with colouring sheets and crayons. The most remarkable thing was that each child received just one crayon. There were opportunities throughout the hour to exchange the crayon for another colour, but each child only had one crayon at a time and patiently used the crayon to its fullest. Even more than just patiently, however, the children used the one crayon with excitement and enthusiasm. Would I have been so appreciative about the opportunity to use a single crayon? I often find myself thinking about all that I need (which stated more accurately would read all that I want) that I miss the opportunity to be thankful for what I have. Why is it that so often the more that we have the more we want? That which we have should lead us to offer prayers of thanksgiving to God who provides for our every need, but ironically it can give us a sense of security or a hunger for more that distracts us from Him instead.
I am praying that I too might return to the sense of wonder, awe and thanksgiving that a single crayon can provide.

Tiny Tom Donuts

Ok, so unless you have grown up around the Toronto area, and the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) has been a yearly end of summer pilgrimage, you may never have heard of a Tiny Tom Donut. If you have experienced this long time pillar of the CNE experience, there is no doubt that it is a deeply rooted pop culture phenomena. At the Ex (that what we call the CNE) you can find Tiny Tom vending trailers where you can watch these tiny donuts being made fresh before your eyes. When you purchase them, the fresh warm mini donuts are placed in a bag and then icing sugar (or now you can choose cinnamon, apple and cinnamon or chocolate) is sprinkled on top. I have discovered two little keys to maximum enjoyment. Firstly, you always give the bag an extra shake to ensure full coverage by the icing sugar. Secondly, they are best enjoyed warm and fresh not only because the donut is fresh, but because the icing sugar sticks the best. If you wait too long, the icing sugar can fall to the bottom of the bag, harden a bit, and is much more difficult to get on the donut. It is here that I found myself thinking about the life experience.
How often do we attempt to understand ourselves, define ourselves and change ourselves by externals? When it comes to bettering ourselves we can so often focus on external things, adding or subtracting habits, foods, material things etc. We approach it all from the external, and all from our own power with varying degrees of success and longevity. When it comes to the Christian experience, there is one powerful difference for which I am so grateful. Although there is much in the Christian walk calling us to change, to strive for holiness and to be transformed more and more to the image of Jesus Christ, we are not left to do it on our own. Sanctification is the term we use for the progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives. Firstly, we are given God the Holy Spirit to dwell within us to change us and give us greater holiness of life. God calls us to it, but importantly also gives us the power of the divine to dwell within equipping us to make those changes reality. Secondly, this change is internal, initiating from the deepest part of who we are. The change will manifest itself in external things that can be seen, but they are the fruit of internal change and can not so easily be shaken off.

Ms. Pac Man

I had the opportunity to take my kids to an old beachside arcade that I remember going to as a kid. Apparently it had the same game machines as when I remember being there last, it was great! The games only cost a quarter and were the great classic games. I played Ms. Pac Man myself. Although I thought it was great, my kids were underwhelmed to say the least. Eventually they came around and recognized the true history lesson they were having the opportunity to live out! Ok, maybe they just found some games they thought were funny enough to be amusing, but we had a good time.
I should not be surprised that they were less than impressed when I consider the level of sophistication that the video games that they experience have achieved. I must admit I am awed at the technological advancements. I am also, however, astounded at some of the content in these new video games and am left wondering how it could ever be classified as entertainment! Someone recently showed me a brief edited clip from a current video game to give me just a glimpse of what is out there. He said it took him 4 hours to edit the clip so as to find enough footage to give us a taste but to avoid the really graphic stuff. I remember thinking that if sex with a prostitute in the front seat of a car, along with colourful play by play commentary by the prostitute herself, followed by her murder in order to get the money back was not the really graphic stuff I don’t want to know what is! Unfortunately, it seems that we have taken these amazing technical advancements and in many cases used them to present explicit language, explicit sexuality and extreme violence in the most extremely realistic presentation we have ever been able to create.
I want to avoid coming out with a blanket “this is the Christian response” type post but there are a few significant questions (Ok, there are innumerable questions but here are a few to start with) that I think we who claim to follow Christ should be asking ourselves when it comes to such material.
Firstly, is this the kind of material that we want to be promoting? When we play it, talk about it, invite others and specifically when we buy it, we are promoting it. Our culture runs on supply and demand, and when we become part of the demand we are implicitly asking for more of this to be produced.
Secondly, how is this affecting us? Sadly I think that there are many who would say that they don’t agree with the content, but that they know it is just a game at that it does not affect them. I am not one to claim that just because you played a violent video game you are going to go out a kill someone. But, let’s be realistic, if we claim that we can sit and engage with this stuff for hours on end and then not be affected we are just kidding ourselves. At the very least it desensitizes us. The mere fact that some of us could watch this type of sex and violence and claim that it does not affect us is proof in itself. These are not documentaries trying to open our eyes to the realities around us. They are not ever satires meant to graphically point out the foolishness of it. These are games glorifying depravity and evil and inviting us to play along. They are glorifying things that break God’s heart about our world, and if our hearts are not broken as well, then I would argue that we have become desensitized. This brings me to my last question.
How does this affect my witness? When we are desensitized to the things that break God’s heart, when we choose to engage in it and even worse when we can laugh at it, how well are we representing God? As Christians is it not our job to represent God’s heart to the world around us, to be ambassadors of the kingdom and to have God make His appeal through us to be reconciled unto Himself? We should be heart broken about what breaks God’s heart. We should be angry when evil is glorified and we should be motivated to respond!
Video games, along with all other forms of media and entertainment, are extremely influential in shaping our worldview. We should be asking ourselves what is the effect of exposing our culture, our kids and let’s not forget ourselves to such extremely realistic portrayals of pornography (yes, I would call watching and listening to sex with a prostitute porn), violence and explicit material.

The Twinkie

The Twinkie is definitely an American icon that has achieved world wide recognition. They look great, taste great and have some slick packaging. The reality is, however, that a steady diet of these things would be terrible for your health. With the amount of sugar, preservatives and other odd man made ingredients I think that Twinkies have a longer shelf life than I do! Although they are a fun snack they don’t have much to offer in terms of sustenance and health.
When I consider the spiritual climate of the world I live in I see some parallels. There is no shortage of pop religion, philosophy and psychology to be had. There is a steady diet of man made ideas and world views being sold to us. Many of them have elaborate flashy packaging. Many of them, like Twinkies, are designed to be very appealing, palatable and very accessible, but are too short on truth to ever provide any sustenance. If we ever hope to stay healthy in this world, we will need to get back to basics and keep it simple. Just like real fruits and vegetables will always make a healthier snack option, we need to get back to real truth. We need to get back to basics and read our bible which alone can provide the truth to sustain us. It is simple in concept but one that is so important. When we are steeped in God’s Word we will then be able to discern what is truth and what is deception, what is healthy and what is a hindrance to our spiritual walk. We will be far healthier where our spiritual life is concerned.

Soda Jerk

For those of us who remember the 1940’s and 1950’s, there are no doubt memories of the soda jerk, the guy who worked the soda fountain at the drug store. It was a highly coveted position and a definitely a pop culture icon. Strangely, although once a very sought after title, I am not sure how I would feel about being called a jerk today. If I were to call my kids a jerk, I am quite sure that ice cream sodas would not be the first thing that jumped into their minds. It is funny how language changes over time, how it evolves. It got me thinking about the bible that I read. I use a fairly new translation in contemporary English. When I compare it with another English translation such as the King James Version for example, which bares the date 1611; there are significant differences in language. Though they are both English, it can seem at times like reading a different language!
The New Testament itself, in its original language, seems to highlight this same principle. Although the Old Testament was written in Hebrew (with a few passages in Aramaic), by the time the books of the New Testament were being written, Greek was a far more prevalent and commonly used language and thus became the primary language for their writing. Interestingly, the Greek used was not classical Greek but a popular form of Greek that emerged in post-classical antiquity called Koine Greek. The term means “common,” and was a common form of spoken Greek derived from the influence of different Greek dialects. It also became the unofficial second language of the Roman Empire and was thus widespread throughout much of the world to which the New Testament writers were writing. The languages of the New Testament seem to reflect the language of the world and culture it was written in, in order to be understood by the contemporary audience.
I am reminded of the importance of having good contemporary translations in all different languages, that are as true to the original meaning as possible, and yet in an understandable and relevant contemporary language. I am also reminded of the unbelievable access that we in the west have to such translations. We have multiple translations to choose from, with any colour or texture of cover to choose from. We have printed and digital, old and new, and just about any other variety you can think of. There are those throughout history and around our contemporary world, who would and have died for access to the bible, so let us not take it for granted!!!

Karaoke

Sing praises to God, sing praises;

sing praises to our King, sing praises.
Psalm 47:6

With its beginnings tracing back to Japan in the 1970’s, karaoke machines can now be found in clubs, restaurants, living rooms and kid’s bedrooms around the world. Love it or hate it karaoke is definitely a pop culture fad that has achieved world wide success. The amazing thing about karaoke, of course, is that it invites everyone and anyone to participate in singing. It got me thinking about singing in church.
I hope that our music in church is just as inviting of participation, after all, that is what the music is intended to do. There may be special opportunities for performance, but for the most part the main point of music in church should be to encourage and facilitate participation by each congregation member. We are coming together to lift our voices as we sing the truths of the faith and worship our Lord. For those of us who lead music, whether organist, choir member, guitar player or drummer (and the list could go on!), let us remember that we are there to help people recognize the presence of our God and to respond in worship! We are there not to perform for them but to accompany them as we worship together. For those of us who are members of the congregation, let us sing with all that we have. We are not there to be entertained but to worship, and our Lord deserves all that we can give.

Slinky II

I’ve just recently begun to learn about all the science that can be seen through the slinky at work. Firstly, it is a spring and thus demonstrates all the physics in springs, most notably Hooke’s law (F=kx) dealing with the behaviour of a spring when force is applied. But it doesn’t end there! The slinky can be used to demonstrate wave motion. By moving the ends of a stretched slinky side to side, one can observe transverse wave motion. By pinching coils of a stretched slinky and letting them go one can observe compressional wave motion like that of sound waves. And twisting one end of a stretched slinky and releasing it suddenly will create a shear wave that will reflect of the slinky’s ends. The slinky can also be used as a short wave radio antenna. And if all this wasn’t enough, it can also be used in physics experiments as a solenoid to induce a magnetic field to explore factors that affect such fields. The slinky is a great reminder that science is everywhere and in everything! Even the simplest of toys can lead to a world of discovery.
There is a sad perception these days that science and religion are at war. In all fairness, there are those in both the science and the religion camps that promote this view and the media love stories of conflict, protagonists and antagonists. When I read scripture, however, I note how often we are called to observe the natural world around us (consider the Psalms or even Romans 1:20) and that what we observe, should lead us to a sense of awe, wonder and worship. It can lead us towards God not away from Him.
Science is really only equipped to observe and test for natural causes. But just because it has no model to test for the supernatural does not mean that supernatural causes do not exist. It does not force us to dismiss the possibility of a supernatural Creator God who lies behind all the scientific laws that we observe, or who can intervene in an unpredictable event such as a miracle. On the contrary, if we follow the example of scripture, our observations can lead us to reverence and awe and lead us to a deeper appreciation of the majesty and wonder of our God.

Slinky

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
Psalm 96:1-2

"What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, And makes a slinky sound?A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing, Everyone knows it’s Slinky…It's Slinky, it's Slinky, for fun it's a wonderful toyIt's Slinky, it's Slinky, it's fun for a girl and a boy”

Every time I think about a slinky I get this jingle stuck in my head all day. Advertisers know the powerful effect that music can add to their efforts. There is something about music that helps things stick in our minds. I wonder if this is one of the reasons that scripture calls us to sing and that singing has played such a key role in the church over the generations. I was always amazed when visiting chronic care wards and senior’s residences that even those residence who could no longer even hold a coherent conversation, would sit up and sing every word of an old hymn from their youth. There is something powerful about music, especially when partnered with deep truth.
As well as a great encouragement to keep singing central to the faith, I think there is also a challenge for those of us who have the privilege of writing or choosing the music that our churches sing. What we want people to hear, sing and have planted deep within them are the truths of the faith. When we write music, are we concerned about honouring God and presenting biblical truth about who He is and what He stands for? Are we diligent about keeping our lyrics scripturally accountable? When we choose music for a Sunday morning, do we pick our favourite songs or do we reflect on the topic and scripture that will be used for the message? Will the songs help the truth being preached sink deep into the hearts and minds of our congregation? Are we diligent about checking the theology of the songs we are asking our people to sing? These are just a few questions I have been asking myself.

Magic 8 Ball

Life often leaves us with a lot of questions doesn’t it? One of those questions so often asked when things happen is “Why?” Despite the existence of the Magic 8 Ball – which claims to have an answer for everything, we all know that the why questions often go without a specific answers. As I read through the book of Job, I have been reminded of a few things. Firstly, God exists, is holy, righteous and worthy of our praise despite any circumstance. Secondly, there is a lot that happens which is beyond the scope of our finite perspective which often makes a full answer unknowable. As Job and his friends discover, the answer to a “why” question is not always as obvious as it seems. Sometimes I find myself getting stuck on the why questions, continuing to struggle for reasons and answers. Lately however, I have been thinking about some other questions like “What?” and “How?”.
Romans 8:28 makes a powerful statement when it states “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” For those who are believers, we have the assurance that in all things God works for the good. When circumstances tempt me to get stuck on the why question, I am challenging myself to ask other questions instead: What does God want to use this situation for?” “How is God going to use this for good?” or “How might God want to work through me in this circumstance?”
I might not ever know the “Why” in its full detail, but I have a feeling that a focus on the other questions it might be just as satisfying.

Chia Pet

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
- Acts 2:42

Chia Pet was marketed as the “fun and easy” way to have a pet. It was a novelty for sure, and I think the thing that made it appealing was that it was quick and easy. It required very little work to start and it provided a quick rate of growth achieving a full coat in just over a week! Unlike other pets it required very little care to maintain. There is not much substance to a Chia Pet however, and part of me wonders if that is the reason that although very popular when first introduced, it is now relegated to fad status.
Although the Chia Pet may have been just a passing fad, the principle behind it still lingers on in so many areas of life. We seem to always be after the quick and easy solution or method to so many of life’s challenges. We are even tempted to take such an approach to our spiritual walk. The reality is, however, that some things just need hard work and dedication to be meaningful. I am reminded that the early church, as read about in Acts chapter 2, devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. We too must devote ourselves to such things. It is all too easy these days to read a snipit of scripture here, a quick devotion there (even this one!) and pray a snatch prayer to cover the bases. But a strong healthy spiritual walk will require more. We must be studying and meditating upon scripture, engaging with fellow believers in deep and meaningful ways, and spending time in prayer.
A question to ponder: What does your schedule suggest that you are devoted to?

Pet Rock

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight.
- Proverbs 3:21

The Pet Rock - there is no better an example that I can think of to demonstrate that in our culture people will try to sell you anything. What is even funnier (or perhaps sadder or scarier!) is that if someone is selling it there is always someone to buy it.
I think this is a widespread phenomenon from food to philosophy, music to machinery, self-help to spirituality. Everywhere you turn there is another next best thing waiting to change your life forever. Unfortunately, just because it is slapped with a “Christian” label doesn’t mean that it is immune to some of the same exaggerations and even a poor (if not wrong) presentation of scriptural truth.
I am reminded of the above mentioned words that the author of Proverbs wrote to his son challenging him to be diligent about sound judgment and discernment. I think it would be wise for all of us to heed those same words! If we are to lead a life that is pleasing to God, we must carefully compare all that we hear and see against God’s standard. I have no new method that is going to change your life and no secret code to crack the truth. All I can do is challenge us to read our bible. There we find God’s truth, God’s expectations and God’s heart. Read it, study it, meditate upon it and memorize it and we will be well on our way to making choices in life that are pleasing to God.

Etch A Sketch II

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing might come from the Lord….
- Acts 3:19

As I was thinking about the opportunity that an etch-a-sketch provides to wipe away mistakes, and create a new slate on which to draw, I was reminded of the above words spoken by the apostle Peter in the book of Acts. Having just healed a crippled beggar, crowds began to gather around Peter and John and Peter seized the opportunity to speak about Jesus in whose name (and the faith that comes though Him) the crippled man was healed. Peter shared about Jesus’ history, His position, His purpose and the crowds need for a Saviour. In the midst of sharing about Jesus to this mainly Jewish crowd Peter offers the invitation:

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins might be wiped out, that times of refreshing might come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19).

I will leave you with one thought to ponder. Is God offering a similar invitation to you? How will you respond?

Etch A Sketch I - the church addition

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9

The amazing thing about an Etch A Sketch is the way you can turn it upside down, give it a shake and all your mistakes disappear. I look at the way that God forgives our sin with even greater amazement. Although there may still be consequences for our actions, there is forgiveness and God will wash us whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7).
I have read somewhere that it isn’t really cool to talk about sin and confession in church anymore. I guess it is old fashioned and bad for self esteem. I suppose I can understand, after all, confession and dealing with sin can feel a bit like being turned upside down and shaken, so why go through it? I am reminded, however, that 1 John 1:8 tells us that “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Even those of us who have come into a saving relationship with Jesus will sin, and although it will not affect our standing or position as children of God, it does affect our fellowship and communion with God. We can rationalize it, explain it or call it anything we want, but it is what it is and when we do not deal with it honestly, it simply remains. We can cover it up but in reality we just simply make a greater mess of things. Or, we can do what scripture tells us to do and be honest about it, confess it and allow God to deal with it in his great mercy. Yes, it might feel a bit like an Etch a Sketch being turned upside down and shaken but consider some of the benefits for our churches if we were to honestly consider sin, confession and repentance:
When we are honest about where we have failed, it will make us humble and the Church could use more humility.
When we are honest about how great a mess we have made, it will make us that much more thankful and grateful for what God does to clean it and the Church could use more gratitude and thanksgiving.
When we admit that we cannot deal with it ourselves it teaches us to depend on God and the Church could use more dependence.
When we allow God to address that which hinders our fellowship and communion with Him then we will see the power of God moving in and through our churches and the Church could use more of God’s power.

Ant Farm

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
- Jeremiah 29:13

I wonder how many people see God a bit like a kid with an ant farm. God sets up the world, puts us in it and then sits back and watches what happens. I wonder how many hold to some form of Deism - that God made the world and got it started but is no longer directly involved in the creation, leaving it to run on its own. I have to say that based on the biblical witness, and my own personal experience, nothing could be father from the truth.
Looking at the biblical record, can we say that a God who walked in the garden in the cool of day to engage with Adam and Eve, who would directly intervene to rescue His people from slavery in Egypt and personally lead them as a pillar of fire and pillar of cloud, who would become flesh and make His dwelling amoung us, to be Immanuel – God with us, who would take our place and bear the punishment for our sin, who would give us the presence of His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, and who promises a future in which God will be with His people and wipe every tear from their eyes, can we really say that such a God is distant and uninvolved? The reality is that God longs to be intimately involved in the lives of His people. Through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus He provides a means to be brought back into relationship with Him, and He invites us to continually and personally engage with Him through worship and prayer. We are invited to know about God, but even more than that to know God in a personal and intimate way. So let our lives be ones of vibrant prayer, worship, fear, and trust in our God who is actively involved in the world.

Lincoln Logs

He decreed statutes for Jacob

and established the law in Israel,

which he commanded our forefathers

to teach their children, so the next generation would know them,

even the children yet to be born,

and they in turn would tell their children.

Psalm 75:5-6

Lincoln Logs were created by John Lloyd Wright son of famous architect Frank Lloyd Write. John claimed that his inspiration came from the foundation to Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel, which he saw while under construction. It was his father’s design. It got me thinking about laying foundations that will influence our children.
Recently I have been inspired by the burden that the Lord has laid on my wife’s heart to really and truly make the most of this time God has given us to influence our children for Christ. What an amazing challenge, responsibility and privilege we who are parents have been given to influence our children during the most formative years of their development. We need to be modeling, mentoring and laying the foundations of faith that our children might grow up in the knowledge of our Lord. I am also keenly aware (as we try to nurture the 5 kids in my home) that we can not do it alone. Let us not make the mistake of so emphasizing the need for strong nuclear family that we neglect the essential love support and influence of our greater family. I know that we could not successfully raise our kids without the help of extended family, especially the grandparents who invest so much in our children. We also need the input of our church family. When we recognize that we as a church are, in fact, family then we all have a role and responsibility to be investing and nurturing the younger generations in our midst.

The Top

It seems the top has been making its way into cultures around the globe (on every continent but Antarctica!) for years now, proving it deserves a place in any list of pop-culture icons. The most classic design is based on two features, the first being a singular point of focus. The second is continuous motion (spinning) around that singular point of focus. Without either of these two things, the top simply falls over and stagnates. It is here that I found myself thinking about an analogy for the spiritual life.
In many ways our spiritual life is like a top in that it too must have a singular point of focus, that being Christ. We must at all times, like the hymn reminds us, turn our eyes upon Jesus. Hebrews reminds us similarly to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrew 12:2). Christ must be at the centre of our lives if we are to live a healthy productive spiritual life.
Secondly, our spiritual life must also demonstrate consistent motion around that singular point of focus. I am not referring to business and an endless, unfocused expending of energy, but an intentional inclusion of spiritual exercise and development. Some examples might include scripture (daily time, opportunities for deeper study and scripture memorization), prayer, fellowship, serving and witnessing. By actively practicing what some would call “spiritual disciplines” we can ensure the continued development and maturing in our spiritual life that scripture calls for (eg. Hebrews 5:11-14).
Let us aim for the singular point of focus and consistent motion around that point that will ensure a healthy, vibrant and useful life!

Lite-Brite

…Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16

The design of the lite-brite is really quite ingeneous. Using coloured translucent pegs to perforate a black sheet that blocks an internal light, the light pours out giving the effect of painting with light! The interesting thing is that no matter how simple or sophisticated the design, no matter how elementary or elegant the artwork, they all depend on the same light to have any effect. Without the light the designs can hardly be seen and have little to no impact.
It is much the same with the Christian life. We are called to make an impact in this dark world. We too are called to let our light shine. Our impact, however, has more to do with the light within us then what we offer. It is what Jesus, the light of the world, longs to do in us and through us that is important. Often the best thing we can do is try to get out of the way and stop hindering the light from flowing out. It is challenging, humbling and yet empowering at the same time.
So go ahead…be bold…be creative…but be intentional and
Let Your Light Shine!

Frisbee

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Luke 15:2

Apparently, the origin of the Frisbee traces back to college students tossing empty pie tins from the Frisbee Baking Company. This only goes to prove my theory that all good things involve food. I am only partly kidding. Look at Jesus’ miracles – wine at a wedding banquet, feeding 5000, a miraculous catch of fish. And then there is the Lord’s Supper (communion) instituted to commemorate His sacrificial death. These examples are just the beginning of the many times that Jesus and food mix in the gospels. So what’s with all the food? Did Jesus just like to eat? Perhaps, but I think it goes beyond just eating. Where there is food there are people eating food, and people matter to Jesus.
I had a professor who once reminded me that there are only two things that last (eternally) – God and people. It is a reminder to consider where it is that we are investing our time and energy. If we, the church, are to make an eternal difference we must be about people. We don’t find people for programs, but programs for people. We should not be about rituals but relationships. We should not be about pyrotechnics or PowerPoint but people. Let us never lose our focus.