Saturday, September 29, 2007

Our night on the town

So, to continue my story from last night...


We arrived at the church, dance shoes in hand, and stepped into a beautiful fellowship hall that seemed just made for dancing! A nice smooth floor, beautiful woodwork ceilings, little cafe tables in the corner, and a disco ball all complemented the ballroom atmosphere.

We joined a group of people in the center of the floor just in time for the instructor to begin her lesson. This is the point at which everything began to fall apart. To spare you the gory details, let's just say that when you hire a dance teacher at the recommendation of a senior center (who as we found out later, usually only teaches private lessons and never in groups), and you hire a DJ that uses MIX TAPES(!), well, you're gonna face some challenges. Like, half the people may leave.

Fortunately Gary and I are not such party poopers, and we had a ton of fun just being there. The small crowd made it easy to get to know everyone: there was a group of Christian high school kids (cute as could be), a sweet German lady (she was 66 yrs old but looked 50!), a nice blonde with a husband from Africa (still kicking myself that I didn't get to chat more with them), the pastor of the church, her husband (yes, that's right), and a gaggle of church grannies (I SO would have taken Thelma home with me!).

It's strange... In many social situations I can feel really awkward. I usually dread having to make small talk. But last night, my hidden extrovert unexpectedly popped out of hibernation, and I just had a blast going around and meeting everyone (why oh why can't I do this on command???)!


At one point the DJ accidentally played a song that was west-coast swing-able (I think it was supposed to be a cha-cha), so Gary and I took the opportunity to dance our favorite dance. (West Coast Swing also happens to be the official state dance of California, FYI) Immediately, the entire ballroom stopped to watch us. It was crazy! Though I felt very flattered by the attention, I was somewhat conflicted - I wanted to do my best for them, since they were taking the time to watch me, but I didn't want to be a "show-off"! (hmm, that was an internal struggle I didn't consider when I was a competition dancer in college!)

Anyways, all that to say that even though we may not have been at the hippest nightspot in the East Bay, Gary and I had more fun than we've had in a long time. Yeah, I'm out of shape and my moves are totally rusty. I don't have the energy to dance every single song. But, I made some new friends. I got some good exercise (swing dancing totally beats the treadmill). And Gary and I got to revisit a part of our relationship that we'd almost forgotten about. So was it worth it? Yeah.

I think I'll be back.

Friday, September 28, 2007

No Baptist Jokes, Please.

After a two year hiatus, Gary and I have returned... to the ballroom dancing scene!


Well, sort of.

A few weeks ago, I received a postcard in the mail announcing a new "Friday Night Dance Club" right here in Concord. As I looked closer, I saw that it was actually a ballroom dance, with lessons and a dj, hosted at a local church. Gary and I talked about going to check it out, and tonight we finally made it over there.

Those of you who know us may remember that Gary and I have danced quite a bit of ballroom together. Before we had ever dated, we were competition partners on the USC Ballroom & Latin Dance Team (affectionately known as the USCBLT). Dancing was seriously my life and identity. But then life changed, as it is apt to do. We got married and moved to Sacramento, and dancing just wasn't the same. It became less and less a part of our lives until I began to feel guilty when people would refer to us as "dancers".

Anyways, since Gary has become a full-time youth pastor, what was once our former hobby has now become our whole life, and though we LOVE youth ministry, we do miss having other things to talk about! So, with a new opportunity at hand, we decided to give the ballroom dancing another whirl. (haha)

We dusted off the old dance shoes. We donned our gay apparel. (ok, I was just wondering if you were still reading... actually we just changed out of our jeans). We googled our directions and OFF WE WENT!

To be continued...

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

By His Hands

'HAPPY FALL TO YOU'

A woman was asked by a coworker, “What is it like to be a Christian?”

The coworker replied,

“It is like being a pumpkin.

God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.

He then cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.

He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed.

Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.”


Biggest Cookie Ever

Sunday night, Max treated us with a home-made specialty dessert for the HS small group meeting. Yay for giant cookies!

Monday, September 24, 2007

Why do YOU visit "Feed My Sheep"?

Check it out: I've finally performed a long-overdue update to our blog.

-You can now see what we're actually reading, not what we read 3 months ago.
-You can enjoy a featured photo if you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page.
-I've added a list of my favorite posts.
-And last but not least, I am now taking advantage of a new feature that allows bloggers to design their own polls!

So with that, take a minute to fill out the first poll on the right hand side, "Why do you visit "Feed My Sheep"?

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Calling my prayer warriors

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)


When things are good and life has been going well, it's easy to forget that we have an enemy. Like a lion, he conceals himself and prowls around until the right time to attack.

As Christians, we shouldn't be surprised when these attacks come. We can't be lulled into a comfortable sleepy faith that leaves us unprepared for an enemy that would like to see us devoured. That's why Peter says "be self-controlled and alert" (this is the area I am most trying to grow, to be more disciplined in my faith).

The reason I bring this up is that we (at Fair Oaks) are on the verge of several new things (Retool Kit, Youth Worship Night, Women's Bible Study, among others) that have great opportunity to advance the kingdom of God. While we rejoice over God's blessings, we must not let our guard down. We should be more alert than ever, knowing that the enemy will try and devour, disrupt or distract us before these things successfully get off the ground.

We are in a special and dangerous time, and I humbly beg for your devoted prayers throughout this coming week.

PLEASE PRAY

-for wisdom and direction for our church leaders
-for God's protection and blessing on our church families
-for saints willing to step up and lead in our children's (Sunday school) and youth (midweek small groups) ministries
-for God's love to flow through us, to heal the hurting around us

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Youth Worship Night

For those of you who didn't get a chance to peruse the latest Oakleaf, here's a reprint of Gary's description of our upcoming new youth worship night. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would guide as we prepare for the first one.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.
-- Romans 12:1

In the previous issue of the Oakleaf, I talked about the changes we're making in the way we do youth Sunday School. Many of you who saw my article have taken the time to give me your feedback, and the feedback has been very positive. Some people have approached me with an idea for a class, or a desire to help by teaching a class, which encourages me greatly. The new structure begins on September 16th, so please pray for God's blessing on this new endeavor.

This time, I'd like to talk about another new addition to the Fair Oaks Youth Ministry landscape this fall. God has put in on my heart to start a Youth Worship Night.

Imagine it with me for a moment.

It's a Saturday evening. Students have been gathering at the church for the last hour or so. Some are in the gym playing basketball, some are up in the game room playing pool, and others are just hanging out talking with their friends. You can hear the student worship team upstairs in the high school room warming up, and there's a feeling of anticipation in the air.

Then, when the time comes, we all head up to the high school room. The worship team, made up of students of various ages and grade levels, leads us in a couple of songs. Next, a junior higher rises to her feet to give an Opening Reading of Scripture. A group of high school students present a short drama they have created and prepared, just for tonight, as an offering to God. Then a young man comes forward to teach a devotion on the goodness of God, preparing the hearts of his hearers for communion.

And as all this is happening, you get the very real sense that this is not a program. It's not a show, or a performance of any kind. It is a group of people who love Jesus, coming together to give Him a gift of worship, to give Him their very best.

That is what I believe this Youth Worship Night is intended to be, and here are just some of the benefits:

Equipping: I believe that the primary role of youth ministry is to come alongside students to help them become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Part of that job is teaching them how to use the gifts and talents God has given them for his glory. We must give our students opportunities to "try their gifts out," to develop them, and to see God move in them. Youth Worship Night will be one such opportunity.

Community: Imagine all the students of Fair Oaks - junior high, high school, and college - coming together to worship our Lord with the gifts and talents He gave them. By breaking out of our isolated programs and coming together in worship, we demonstrate that we are one body, one family, unified in our love for God.

Culture of Worship: Far too often, we in the church come into a worship service on Sunday morning looking for what we can get out of it. We begin to put ourselves at the center, and take away God's rightful place as the worship service's audience. Youth Worship Night is an effort to create a different kind of culture, a culture that sees worship as a service to God instead of man, a culture that comes to church looking to give rather than to get.

On September 29th, we will have the first of what I hope will be many Youth Worship Nights. Everyone is welcome at this gathering, so feel free to join us if you'd like. Please pray for the ongoing preparations and the students who will participate. Most of all, please pray that our efforts would be pleasing to God.

Thanks again for your support.

In His Service,
Pastor Gary Weston

Monday, September 17, 2007

Content to Rent

While walking Billy this morning, I passed a 'House For Sale' sign, down at the end of our street. I couldn't resist checking out the flyer, if only to confirm to myself that I won't be moving anytime soon. Guess how much they want for the house. Guess.

(hint: Curb appeal: great. Lawn: lush and green. Backyard: very nice - I believe they even have a pool.)

Have you guessed yet?

They're asking $950,000.

Nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

Oh. My. Gosh.

I know it's the Bay area, but c'mon. That is a loooooot of money. Especially for our neighborhood! (On second thought, maybe word has already gotten out about the cute kids that come around picking up trash on Sunday mornings!)

I guess I should start reading:

Sunday, September 16, 2007

The Joys of Youth Ministry

A few students that made me smile this week (for various reasons):

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-An 8th grade girl gave me a glowing report of her first day in the "Love your neighbors" class. While picking up trash in the neighborhood (during the Sunday school hour... talk about learning by doing!), they encountered an elderly gentleman (87 years young!) and struck up a friendly conversation. They helped him clean up his front yard by picking up fallen apples, and agreed to come back next week to pick more apples to donate to a local crisis center. When it was time to head back to the church, they wished him a nice day, to which he replied that they had "already made his day". How awesome is that? I am SO proud of those kids (and their fearless leaders), going out to BE Jesus to our neighborhood.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-A conversation overheard at a high school football game, between 9th & 10th grade girls:

Girl #1: "Oh look, Katrina's here! She's so pretty..."

Girl #2: "Who?"

Girl #1: "Katrina! She's so gorgeous. She's right over there... the beautiful girl with the blond hair; she curled it today."

Girl #3 (sighing wistfully): "Yeah... she glimmers..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-A 9th grade boy, leaving our house at the end of small group with a huge handful of popcorn "for the road". We had already bid him farewell when I overheard: "Doh, my popcorn! Dang screen door..." I peeked back out to discover him intently gathering up dropped popcorn from the front porch, and shoveling it directly into his mouth, blissfully unaware that he was being observed! I'm glad none went to waste...

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Have I mentioned, I love teenagers?

Knitting and Tattoos

More about the changing world we live in,

according to an MSNBC article about "microtrends":

Here are some factoids to take to the “Jeopardy” audition:

Over the past two generations, the number of left-handed Americans has nearly doubled.

Between 2004 and 2005, the purchase of fashion yarn increased 56 percent. The fastest growing group of knitters are teens and twentysomethings.

The fastest growing group of videogamers? Moms over the age of 45.

People making more than $75,000 a year are much more likely to be among the 30 million Americans with tattoos than members of lower-income groups.

Of young Californians surveyed last year, 1 percent aspire to become military snipers.

Only 77 of Harvard’s 6,700 undergraduates are majoring in math.

For more about these changes in culture, read the full article here.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

I couldn't resist...

I admit, I simply cannot resist an internet quiz. And then, convincing as many others as I can to take the same quiz. So with that,

What is your personality type? Take the quiz!

I am a Realist:

The four aspects that make up this personality type are:


Summary of Realists
Loyal and steady workers who meet deadlines
Believe in established rules and respect facts
Think of themselves as mature, stable and conscientious
May appear too logical or tough-minded and forget their impact on other people

More about Realists
Realists are loyal to the people around them and work hard to keep their promises. They are honest and straightforward with others and expect the same in return. Realists believe in standard procedures and will only support change when there is a demonstrable benefit.

Realists are the most common personality type in the UK, according to a nationwide survey.

Realists respect factual information, which they store up to use when making decisions. This group likes to have time to think quietly and carefully before taking action.

These extremely productive people like to be occupied in their leisure time with pursuits such as craftwork, hiking or reading.

In situations where they can't use their talents or are unappreciated, Realists may become obsessed with schedules, critical of others or have trouble trusting other people to get the job done properly. Under extreme stress, Realists may complain loudly that events have taken a turn for the worse and predict negative outcomes.

Realists typically only share their opinions or personal experiences with trusted friends.

Yep, I think that mostly sounds like me... I tend to value thoughtful (and prayerful, though that doesn't really come across here) consideration over an immediate emotional response. The negative traits seem harsh, more pessimistic than perhaps I like to think I am. The good news is, I could be considered NORMAL in the UK! Ha!

Now it's your turn... When you get your quiz results, post them in the comments section.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Hungry for more than cake, part two

Thank you to all who have joined the conversation on "the Search for Fun versus Significance" (aka my recent post Hungry for more than cake).

Overall, the feedback has been very positive and confirming. Indeed, it's a relief to know I'm not the only one that desires more than the entertainment factor in a church community. In fact, probably the only point of disagreement has been trying to come to a consensus on the definition of "fun"!

In any case, the topic has been quite timely as my brother-in-law, affectionately known by many of you as 'The Bonus', recently moved back to California and is searching for a new church home. He recently blogged about his experience visiting a congregation that takes great pride in their, um, Christertainment:

Christertainment

I am, once again, in search of a new church. You see, I had found one that “felt right:” I loved the pastor, the music was awesome, and the crowd was pretty young. When I found this church, they were in the final stages of construction on their new, permanent home - a massive structure that would more than double current capacity. The new building opened to much fanfare…and at least one believer was left behind. The new church is too big, too theatrical, and, having no other way to put it, too entertaining.

Now, I believe that entertainment in church is fine, as it allows people (particularly young people) to experience God in a way that is favorable to them. Church too often is seen as dry, stuffy, and no fun. But this church has swung too far to the other extreme. Walking into the “sanctuary” (and I’m using the term loosely there) feels more like entering an off-Broadway theatre. When the worship time starts, it’s more like a rock concert, complete with lighting effects and smoke machines! During the sermon, there are custom animations displayed on three HD projectors.

Going to this church is fun, no doubt, but it’s not the place for me, and I knew it the minute I first walked in. At this point in my life, in my walk, I need solid, personal, caring, uplifting relationships more than I need to be entertained. I’m sad to be leaving the church, as I know that their style and presentation will lead to many young people becoming receptive to the gospel, but I also know that if I stay I will be just a nameless face in the crowd being entertained every Sunday. I need so much more than that.

I love it when he says (roughly paraphrased), "At this point in my walk, I need solid relationships more than entertainment". Because really, don't we all? No matter how old we are, or how long we've been a Christian, or... or... or... ?

Now once again, let me clarify. I don't think fun is bad! I am not anti-fun!

But, seeking first our own entertainment, our own pleasure, what we can get versus what we can give, could that not be described as, well, idolatrous? (on second thought, hmmm, I may not want to open that can of worms!) OK, at the very least, selfish?

Whereas, when we gather with friends to participate in a greater good such as a service project, fun automatically seems to be a natural, healthy byproduct. When I encourage a friend, help out a stranger, or do anything of significance for God's Kingdom, I can't help but have a great time.

In a recent editorial in Group Magazine, Rick Lawrence describes his perspective:

"...I like to be happy as much as anyone, but I don't have much interest in happiness anymore. It's an irrelevant word in so many respects, especially compared to the words love, faith, hope, and passion. Why settle for happiness when we could be pursuing love? And why does happiness factor as a goal for Christ-followers? There are 21 references to happy from Genesis to Revelation, but love is mentioned 697 times. In heaven, happiness will be the air we breathe. Here, we get just enough of a whiff to know what it'll be like...

...The short-term rewards of happiness pale in comparison to simply knowing him [Jesus] - Paul said, "I have determined to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). All this got me thinking about whether or not our programs, practices, and lingo are accurately communicating to kids what a maturing relationship with Jesus really looks like. Is it about the "pursuit of happiness", or the pursuit of something much bigger?"

So, that's the question I leave you with. What are you pursuing?

And to ministry leaders, what does your ministry encourage others to pursue?

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The Countdown Begins

Five weeks to San Diego...

Back to School

I always loved the first day of school. Brand new back-packs filled with brand new pencils. The crisp scent of fall wafting in as summer fades away. A heightened sense of anticipation... what will I learn? who will I meet? what great new things lie in store for me this year?


Even as an adult, this time of new beginnings has not lost its magic. After a typical youth ministry summer of pool parties and camps, we too are heading back into our school-year routine.

We welcome back students who have been gone with their summertime activities. We kick off our midweek small groups, and build those bonds that allow students to dig deep into the Bible, share questions and doubts, and pray for one another.

I am especially excited for the new things that this year will bring. This Sunday, we are kicking off a new "Re-imagined" Sunday School, which offers students a choice of classes, designed to teach and equip them to use their unique God-given gifts for ministry. For example, we have a group of junior highers that will study what it means to "Love your neighbor", then during that same Sunday School hour, will go out into the neighborhood to actually live that out! How cool is that?

At the end of the month, we will also be launching a new youth worship night. I get chills imagining all of our students coming together to lead one another in worship, praising God with all of their different gifts. Imagine music, devotion, dance, prayer, drama, art, all for the glory of God...


I cry out for a generation whose faith is lived out daily, not just talked about at church on Sunday. I pray that our youth learn to enjoy serving God passionately now, not passively watch older Christians do the work of the church. May each young person discover the unique role God has given them to play, and may we appreciate all the parts of the body of Christ.

I really sense God is preparing to do something huge, and that we get to be part of laying that foundation. Please PRAY for our students, our leaders, our church, that God will move in a mighty way, that we will see His kingdom grow here in our community.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

A Light in the Darkness

Another World Race blog, from a missionary in Thailand.

They're currently doing ministry in the Thailand red light districts, where customers can purchase young girls, hardly teenagers. It's hard to believe what constitutes reality in some parts of the world, and I praise God for the love of the world racers and ministries such as Nightlight . Clink on the link, toward the bottom of the post, to read Mae's story... it brought tears to my eyes.

A friend asked me a great question via e-mail that I thought was worth answering in a blog. She wanted to know, "How do women go from working at the bars to being employed by NightLight?"

Twice a week female volunteers from Night Light go out into the bars. The bar managers will let their employees converse if drinks are bought. Many of the bar girls will confess their desire to leave prostitution. Most women in Thailand consider working in the bars a disgrace and hate what they do, but have to make money. After a relationship is formed the women who want out of the sex industry are invited to apply for employment at NightLight.


Right now NightLight is filled to the brim with women grateful to be out of the bars. They have 82 employees and 12 more are on a waiting list. Unfortunately more money needs to come in before more employees can be hired. NightLight is also in need of more space, their current office building is packed with women making jewelry.


The women fortunate enough to be hired on at NightLight are given a new life. Instead of selling their bodies every night, they earn money by making beautiful jewelry, which is then sold on the internet and at home party sales. The NightLight employees are given hot lunch every day, counseling, and have the opportunity to attend morning worship services and Bible studies.


While working with the women at NightLight I was amazed that they had ever worked in the bars. Each employee was filled with life and joy; it was a completely different story from the women in the bars. That's my prayer for Mae (read her story here) that she will be able to work at NightLight and escape her current reality.

So if you haven't yet check out NightLight's awesome jewelry, it's never too early to be thinking about Christmas =)! www.nightlightbangkok.com. The pictures in this blog are just a few samples of their products.

On my mind...



created at TagCrowd.com


Saturday, September 8, 2007

Saint's Coffee

If you are a coffee drinker, and you'd like to help orphans, check this out!


I just read on Tom Davis' blog about Saint's Coffee , a new company that was founded by a Christian businessman to raise money for organizations (such as Children's Hopechest and 5 for 50) that help orphaned children.

You can order online at www.saintscoffee.com

For every pound of coffee you buy, you will feed an orphan for a month!

Coffee aficionado Bonnie and I have agreed to order some and give it a try. We'll let you know the results of our taste testing.

Gary Black says:

Brett, Tom, and I were sitting on the banks of the Crocodile River looking over Krueger Park last June with some World Racers. We were thinking up businesses we could do that would help us feed the orphans God has called us to and fund more families to get over here and fight with us on the front lines; Look what Brett has done: Saint's Coffee.

Please try the coffee and if you like it, buy all of it you can. Thanks!


Tom Davis says:

Besides being an awesome concept, here are some other pluses:

Only the top 3% of coffee in the world is good enough for Saint's Coffee - Fair trade - It's organic - It helps the poor instead of lining rich people's pockets! - Roasted fresh and in micro-batches - Cool Blends like St. George the Dragon Slayer dark roast - Flat out tastes better than any coffee you've drank.

Look at it this way, you can know you are really helping a child in need because when you are enjoying that piping hot, delicious, fresh coffee, drinking that cup feeds an orphan for a day.

Be A Saint, Drink Saint's Coffee!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

You won't see this in the Contra Costa Times...

From one of the current world racers in Thailand:

Freedom escapes him. A real life eludes him. And the prospect of death chased him to this place when he was 14 years old. Technically "this place" has no name, but it has more than 50 thousand people living and working in it. This "camp" sits just inside Thailand's northern border. It's residents have no citizenship, no identity - no freedom!

Wado (pronounced Wa-doe), now 31, has lived here since he left Burma 17 years ago. Why leave Burma you ask? Wado is Karen (pronounced corinne), a native people to the land of Burma. Their ancestors have been there for generations. Kind of like the native Americans before we ran them off. Anyway, the Burmese government doesn't want Karen people living within its borders anymore. Why? Because the Karen people aren't Burmese and the Karen people are Christian - Burma is not down with Christianity. Lately the Burmese military has been rolling thru Karen villages raping the women, killing the men and kidnapping the young, forcing them to serve in the army. It's genocide. You're different, so we're gonna kill you for it.

Wado teaches english to the kids at the school inside the refugee camp. He's pretty much never known freedom, yet he remains faithful to Jesus Christ. Wado says his hope is still strong. He's educated and he understands educating the Karen people is of upmost importance. As he put it, "They give us a fish, instead of teaching us how to fish, nothing really gets solved." Now there are many Karen people living in Thailand with Thai citizenship, but it's only because their ancestors came over generations ago. But since the Burmese government has stepped up its persecution thousands, upon thousands of refugees have been streaming across the border for about the last 20 to 30 years. The Thai government doesn't want them and won't grant the Karen people citizenship, but there's not much they can do, so the refugee camps continue to grow. The United Nations does a lot for the Karen people in terms of food. But the people still have no home. "We just want to live peacefully in our own homeland", says Wado. But right now there is nothing peaceful about the Karen's native homeland.

Wado prays for justice, I pray for sweets because I'm sick of eating so much rice. Wado asks God to keep his hope alive, I ask God to kill the chickens outside my tent because I can't sleep. Wado begs for his people to finally know freedom, I beg for a future wife. See the difference here. While Wado sleeps under the blanket of entrapment, I sleep on a hundred dollar thermarest inside a hundred dollar sleeping bag in the confines of a two hundred dollar tent. That's four hundred bucks worth of camping gear. That could pay someone's rent in Thailand for two years. I love that his life makes me re-evaluate mine. Thank you Wado!


Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Hungry for more than cake...

I wanted to share something that I've been reflecting on for a while, but I'm somewhat apprehensive that I'll be misunderstood as I say this. So please, bear with me, and hear my heart.

I am pondering the place of "fun" in the Christian life (there, I've said it).

This has come up several times recently, as I keep hearing people advertise various church events or programs as "so fun!" "the funnest thing ever!" and "proof that Christians can have fun too!". I know that they are trying to share their positive experience with others, but I have to admit, there's something about that that really turns me off. Honestly, it makes me not want to go.

You see, the times in my life that have been the most important, memorable, and transforming, are not times that I would necessarily describe as fun. The most significant moments or events in my life have been meaningful.

Times that I feel the presence of God so intensely my breath is taken away... times when the chatter of the world drops away and I can hear His still small voice, bringing clarity or peace to specific situations... sunsets so beautiful tears come to my eyes... times when God powerfully speaks through me to encourage another person... these are the moments I live for, the times when everything comes together, my senses sharpen, life makes sense, and I feel that I understand and am living my purpose on this earth.

There's no fun in the world that can compare with that!


Hold on... those things are fun, in a way. They're not UN-fun. They're not boring. But if I were to be seeking a fun time, I would be missing the point.

You see, the church has something the world doesn't. And that is a sweet, personal, meaningful relationship with a powerful, amazing God. The world already has this thing called fun. They're experts at it. But there's something better, an intangible, transcendent purpose to our lives - when you do what you were made to do, when you "live your glory"... this is what I long for, yearn for, strive for, what I need.

So why do Christians feel the compulsion to appeal to the shallow, the selfish fun-seeking nature, when there is something greater to be found?

I realize this sounds anti-fun. That's not it. I'm anti-FOCUSING on fun, if that makes any sense.

The best example I've thought of is this:

Imagine, if you will, that you have a friend going to a wedding. Your friend says,

"I am so excited about this wedding! I can't stop thinking about the wedding cake we're going to eat. Five layers, fresh buttercream frosting, raspberry filling, mmm, it's the best cake I'm going to eat all year! You know what? You should come with me, and you can get some of this cake too! I know you would love it!"

What would you say? What would you think?

Yes, the cake will be delicious. It will be the best cake you taste this year. But, that's not the point. The cake should not be the reason you go to the wedding!

I think it's the same way with the Christian life. If you gather with friends to come into the presence of the living God, you will have a great time. But if entertainment is your main goal, I believe you're missing the point.

So, there you have it.

Do you agree? Disagree? Does anyone else out there share this hunger for the truly significant? If so, I want to hear from you...

Monday, September 3, 2007

I did it!

As many of you know, I have been praying for quite a while about the children of Swaziland. I feel that God has really broken my heart for that nation, and I have been praying about what my response should be.

Well, this morning, through World Vision, I decided to sponsor a little girl named Nothando. She is four years old, and as precious as can be. I would post her picture here if I could, but security measures won't allow me to do that. Just trust me when I tell you that she's the cutest thing ever!

If you are also interested in sponsoring a child in Swaziland, you must click on the "Find Child" button on the left-hand side of the World Vision home page. This will take you to a search page with a drop down menu of countries you can choose from. For some reason, Swaziland only shows up on this list, but not the one on the home page.

It always blows me away how much God has blessed those of us in the States, and it is such a joy to be able to give God's blessings back by helping those in need. I pray that little Nothando will come to understand just how much God loves her, and that my sponsorship will help her and her family to stay healthy and safe.