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The day after Christmas…What was once new seems old

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I20151224_220436_001t is the day after Christmas.  All those things under the tree that seemed new just 24 hours ago are looking less so.  Soon all those decorations around the house will need to be taken down. All the stuff put away and life going back to normal. Maybe even a little dull. Soon the kids will be bored with their toys and other things they got for Christmas.  It will all lose the luster of being new.

The day after Christmas reminds me of my own faith walk. Often what seems new each day gets a little dull.  It is so easy for me to forget the newness of the gospel. The beauty of its work in my life.  It is so easy to look at our faith and miss the point.  When we focus on how we feel or look at something it can so easily dull in our minds.

So what can we do. How do we make it seem new every day?  Well the answers aren’t simple. They don’t have an easy answer.  We don’t have some simple way to make everything seem new.  The reality is our emotions have little to do with the faith we trust in. With the God we believe came near to us. Time can sometimes make us lose focus on this.  We can get caught up in the emotion of this moment.  Yet God has promised he is near.  In our baptism he came and claimed us as His own.  In the Lord supper we experience the Grace of God in the Body and blood.  In Worship we hear about the one who shed his blood for us. This is what helps us be new every day.

So today as you begin looking at the rest of the year.  The decorations and presents look a little dull remember the one who was the reason you celebrated.  Remember the God of the universe coming down for us.  Remember the work of Christ to be near so that he could die for you and me. It is so simple; it isn’t a new story to hear or a new gift. It is the gift we received long ago, the gift that changes everything for you and me.  The Gift of the Son of God coming to be with us, to die for us, and to rise again. 

Snatching them from the fire…Letting God use us in family and ministry

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Fire is one of my favorite things. I love camping mostly because I get to build a fire and watch it.  It is mesmerizing.  It is amazing really. It is also a dangerous thing. When I was a young boy my dad and I were in the back of the property burning up some brush.  It was mostly a white pile of hot embers at the time and so I threw in a new stick.  My Dad was in the front of the house getting more wood and I grabed at that stick to move it again and BAM new flame burned my hand.  My dad came running and got me some ice to help my hand heal. I was in a lot of pain but it could have been a lot worse.  As a kid I didn’t understand the danger. I was in playing with fire.

Last week I had the privilege of sharing the staff devotion for the school teachers.  I know most school devotions take the form of reading something you find meaningful to share with others.  I read a text from Jude

 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 22-23 NIV

These verses remind us of the our ministry among each other.  Every day my goal is to help my kids be snatched from the fire.  I pray every day God uses me to snatch other kids and families from the fire. Their is no greater calling as a parent, Dad, friend or minister.  This is serious business and God has called all of us to be a part of it.  The Holy Spirit does the work.  He changes hearts, He changes minds, we just get to be a part of it.

In the season of Christmas and the crazy times we are living remember to be merciful to those who are struggling.  Be merciful to those who don’t know Jesus.  Be merciful to all you meet. You just may be a part of snatching them from the fire.

Being a Family of Forgiveness

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20151125_063036So here is the thing.  I am not a perfect parent.  In fact I probably do more wrong than I do right. I fail to have patience. I fail to look up from my computer screen.  I fail to say the right things at the right times.  I miss the mark on so many occasions.  In fact today I was talking with another Dad and we both commented on how this parenting thing doesn’t have a manual to follow more of a play book.  You run certain plays and sometimes it works and more than often it fails.  My goal isn’t to be a perfect parent.  In fact I would say may goal has nothing to do with even being a good parent.

My goal is very simple.  I want my kids to know Jesus and his forgiveness.  In ministry my goal isn’t perfect kids. My goal in my family is not to have perfect kids either.  (Mostly this is because it isn’t possible) My goal is to show them forgiveness.  To show them when they screw up like I do Grace can come.  Sure we have consequences.  Sure we have struggles because of sin.  Grace is bigger than that.  Forgiveness is bigger than that.  My goal is for my kids to know forgiveness.  Whether it is from me or from each other we are a family of forgiveness.

This week as we gather together as families around a dinner table I would ask you to remember these words. To remember we are to be people of forgiveness.  Family time can be a challenge because we have failed each other.  We have hurt each other.  However we have a God who is bigger than that.  He is a God of forgiveness.  He forgave us, so let us also forgive one another.  May you experience that peace that comes through forgiveness Jesus has won for us. May God help you forgive as you have bee forgiven this week.

 

13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

Joy and laughter

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Last night my family sat down to dinner together. We started sharing stories of our day.  It was one of those good times at dinner.  We can be loud and, well, fairly weird.  At one point it got so loud my wife made the kids raise their hands to tell a story or joke.  She was going around the table pointing at each kid in turn.  I had an idea for a funny. I find the unexpected moment or joke brings levity and joy to a situation. So I looked her straight in the eyes and rose my hand.   She gave me that look of what are you doing and she lost it in laughter.  It was a good moment.

Often in life we forget the joys of simple laughter.  We get so busy with life, its challenges, it tragities, its struggles.  I will be honest. I have the issue of being someone who tries to make everything funny.  My go to mechanism for dealing with life is laughter.  I love to laugh.  I love to bring people joy through a smile or laughter. I am surprised by the humor God can provide when we allow the unexpected.

So this week, in a world filled with tragedy, find time to laugh. Find time to see the joy in the world.  Find time to laugh with loved ones.  Find time to have someone point you to the greatest joy in the world.  Look for the unexpected way God can bring you humor. Find time to hear about Jesus.  Find time to look to the cross where you can see the joy of the world sacrificed for you.

 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” Psalm 126:4 NIV

Parenting Church work kids…3 feet under the pew!

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11138082_661124021462_4041078051331412321_nSometimes I feel like people think my wife and I are the best parents in the world.  Maybe because we go to church each Sunday and my kids are pretty good and quiet.  They use good language in Church, they sit still, they smile, and sing during the songs.  I know some of you have fallen into the trap of believing we either are super parents or our kids our super kids.

My kids get these same comments on the other side of the equation.  They often don’t get the opportunity to complain about their parents to their friends because I am their dad. They try to complain and kids just laugh it off because your dad is Steve-o and he is so fun.  I have my fun moments but let me tell you I am dad first and youth director Steve second at home.

So now for all you parents and kids who want to know how we do it each Sunday in the front pew… Here is the secret… You dont see what happens under the pew.  Their is a good 3 feet of parenting that it out of view.  You don’t see the times I put my hand on my child to remind them how to act. You don’t see the times I bend over and in a complete smile on my face remind them that after Church we can have some special time if they don’t behave.  We are real parents too.  My most important goal of parenting is my job is to help them see Jesus.  Sometimes that means helping them be quite to listen and other times it means letting them loose to hear about Jesus.

Lastly and probably most importantly I am not judging you based on how you kids act.  I never mind when kids are squirmy or a little rambunctious.  I think it is great when you kid is dancing in the center aisle at church because they are loving Jesus. I love it during the message when they ask you a very loud question. I think kids in Church is one of the greatest things in the world.  Kids are kids and I am not judging you on how they act. Some kids are mild tempered and some are not.  When they are very young like under 5 it is a whole different game so breath and parent.  We as the Church are excited you are here with us.  We are all in the same boat trying to help our kids hear and know Jesus.

but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14