Kidologist.com: Karl Bastian’s Personal Site and Blog
Archive for Life
October 18, 2008 at 10:02 pm · Filed under Adventures, Family, Life, Luke, Photography
The annual pass to Brookfield Zoo has turned out to be a good investment. Free parking. Free admission. Free soda. (good on the wallet, not so much on the waist!) Free shuttle ride. Free shows. Too bad it takes about $20 in gasoline for us to get there and back!
Of course, we saw all kinds of animals! (Took the ones above from the tram!) I enjoy taking pictures of the animals - I do not enjoy smelling them!
However, it is not the animals that Luke enjoys the most. Oh, sure, he likes them. He’ll look at them when we point, and can even identify several by name. But there are other “creatures” on display at the Zoo that he will run to! And he’ll spend more time with each of these “animals” studying them, than he will on anything with fur or wings or hooves. Yup, you guessed it, the Cars on display from various dealerships.
Oh, yes. The cars. When we said we are going to the Zoo today, Luke’s answer is, “See Cars?” But our favorite thing about the Zoo is not the animals or the cars… it is being in a safe place where Luke can run around and enjoy a rare form of freedom to lead us around for a change, and for me, it is a wonderful opportunity for my hobby - “Luke Photo Journalism.” Here are some of my favorites from today. (Thanks for indulging me!)
Luke enjoying the playground. It’s a tunnel!
Luke behind bars… “I’m innocent!”
Luke, the fashion model.
Luke, the old fashioned greeting card.
Eager to get on the carousel.
Around and around with Dad.
Proof that I take pictures of my wife too!
It was a great day hanging out with the family. One of my good friends, Alan Root, said recently at Kid U, “Every day God gives us a gift - he gives us today. That is why it is called the Present.” It was a good reminder to live in the moment and enjoy TODAY. As Jesus said, “Tomorrow will take care of itself.”
Today was a present.
October 6, 2008 at 6:21 pm · Filed under Family, Food, Humor, Life
Well, I decided to bless my wife by cooking the Kid U Post-Conference Pizza Outing Left Overs last night… it was good stuff, Gino’s East if you’re curious. Deep dish pepperoni pizza to be exact, and there was some left over to take home to my wife who missed the late night dinner due to getting our little boy to bed.
I could swear (though I don’t) that she said, “Just put it in the oven at 350, it will heat up better than in the microwave.” I was a little surprised, thinking she meant just put the box in, so I answered, “Really? Just put it in the oven?” She replied, “Yes.”
So I did. I set the timer for 20 minutes but about 15 into it the kitchen smelled of smoke. I was on the phone with my dad giving Kid U highlights when my wife comes in crying, “Did you put the BOX in the oven?!?!?”
I said “Yes, just like you told me too.” Turns out it was on fire!
The fire was quickly put out, and after all the excitement, the pizza was fine, though it definitely had that “smoked” flavor! Please tell me we aren’t the only couple with communication problems.
The lesson learned? Best to just let the wife prepare the food and I’ll stick to clean up duty!
September 15, 2008 at 7:29 am · Filed under Devotional, Family, Life, Luke, Parenting, Spiritual Growth
For the first time in his little life my son woke up crying because of a nightmare. We awoke to his tears and like a good father I ran upstairs to see what my little boy needed. Did he climb out of the climb and fall? Did he get an arm or leg stuck through the railings? Did he drop a toy or binkey that he can’t sleep without?
Nope. He saw a cow. (don’t laugh)
I came in the room, “Daddy’s here, everything’s O.K.” to see his fear filled eyes looking to me for salvation. He reached out to me like someone drowning reaching for the life guard. I scooped him up, and seeing that nothing was physically wrong, asked, “What’s the matter, Lukie?”
“Cow!” he whispered in my ear as he pointed up toward the ceiling. “Cow up in the sky.” I put his head on my shoulder so he wouldn’t see the smile I couldn’t resist. My voice remained deeply concerned but my face couldn’t hide the silent laughter at such a cute fear. I was so happy the scariest thing in his little world is a cow in the sky! He clung to me as I tried to gather more info through simple questions. I learned that the cow was in the sky, that he had a white nose and was black. That’s about all he could tell me with his limited language skills. What seemed cute and silly to me was terrifying to him.
I’m not sure where the evil cow image came from. We haven’t watched any slasher cow movies lately and I’m not sure we have even exposed him to the cow that jumped over the moon. (I was just glad he didn’t say Darth Vader or I’d have been in big trouble!)
I held him for awhile and then put him back to bed but 30 minutes later the scary cow returned as did the tears. So I spent the night in the guest room holding my boy close so he could finally sleep assured that no cows were going to get him as long as he was snuggled up to daddy. Daddy slept fine. He knew there was no danger from cows in the sky, but to my boy the threat was real until he was in his daddy’s arms.
It makes me wonder…
How silly do my fears look to God? What things do I worry about that God has to hide his smile, how silly and cute they are from His perspective? But how loving and patient and caring my Abba Father, my Daddy is, who will come to me at any time, running even, when He hears my cries, and he will hold me. And listen to me, and wrap His loving arms around me and say, “It’s O.K. I’m here.” And if I need it, He’ll even spend the night with me. He has nothing to fear, and when He is close, neither do I.
Have you hugged your God today?
August 14, 2008 at 8:28 am · Filed under Life, Post via iPhone
OK! I finally have a completely free day without meetings or anything toooo urgent, so I’m at the library to try and get a grip on my life and the swirling tasks, projects and never ending to-dos!
In one sense, I’m in a good place. I’m doing a lot better at putting family first, but now work is starting to slip into the chaos of the tyranny of the urgent. That’s better than when I never got around to some home duties, now I’ve kinda flipped the other way where every day at work is driven more by my e-mail inbox than intentional strategic tasks.
Well, that ends TODAY with Operation Order. (Operation Chaos is concluding)
I’m blogging this for my own accountability and to outline my plan, which may overflow into two days:
Step 1: IDENTIFY
A stack of 3×5 cards awaits the names of products or areas or people clammiring for my time, attention, thought and action.
Step 2: DEFINE
A new blank notebook will donate a page to each area identified in Step 1 to define it’s purpose, priority and place in my life.
Step 3: DETAIL
Next I will detail the tasks and action steps required for success on that area or realm of life and ministry.
Step 4: SCHEDULE
Now the rubber meets the road: scheduling my calendar with when I will focus on what so that I am the one determining my focus each day.
Step 5: STRATEGIZE
Finally, I will evaluate what arenas, tasks, projects are activities provide the most Value to me and my ministry’s mission, and then harshly determine what needs to be eliminated, delegated or postponed and determine how to best combat the things that will most certainly seek to distract from the resulting plan from Operation Order.
August 9, 2008 at 9:26 am · Filed under Christianity, Life, Politics
I know I am late, but I wanted to post this testimony from Tony Snow for my own keep-sake. Tony was a powerfully articulate speaker (my favorite Rush Limbaugh substitute) who was appreciated and admired by friends and foes alike. I learned so much from him about how our country works. He made me proud to be an American and understood the issues of today better than most and supported his positions with facts and logic instead of just angry emotion like so many of his opponents. And he was always upbeat and positive and respectful. Below is his testimony as he was dying of cancer. (FYI: the same cancer that took my mom at the same age: 53. Way too soon for both of them.)
Tony Snow’s last televised briefing. Photo by Getty Images
This is an outstanding testimony from Tony Snow, President Bush’s former Press Secretary, and his fight with cancer. Commentator and broadcaster, Tony Snow, announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush Administration in April, 2006 as press secretary. Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007, Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen, - leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but later resigned, ‘for economic reasons,’ and to pursue ‘ other interests.’
Tony Snow’s Testimony
(prior to his death July 12, 2008)
‘Blessings arrive in unexpected packages - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today - find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God’s will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence ‘What It All Means,’ Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations. The first is that we shouldn’t spend too much time trying to answer the ‘why’ questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can’t someone else get sick? We can’t answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.
I don’t know why I have cancer, and I don’t much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out. But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don’t know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.
Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere. To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life, - and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts – an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly and exuberantly - no matter how their days may be numbered.
Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease, - smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension - and yet don’t. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.
‘You Have Been Called’. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. ‘It’s cancer,’ the healer announces. The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. ‘Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler.’ But another voice whispers: ‘You have been called.’ Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter, - and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our ‘normal time.’ There’s another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.
The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing through the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.
There’s nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, - for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do. Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.
We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God’s love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples’ worries and fears.
‘Learning How to Live’. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God’s arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love. I sat by my best friend’s bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was a humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. ‘I’m going to try to beat [this cancer],’ he told me several months before he died. ‘But if I don’t, I’ll see you on the other side. ‘His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn’t promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, - filled with life and love we cannot comprehend,  and that one can in the  throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms. Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don’t matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?
When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, - to speak of us! This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.
What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don’t know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter  how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God’s hand.’
T. Snow
August 3, 2008 at 8:31 pm · Filed under Life, Luke
As I was reflecting today (a combination of praying, panicking and planning) God gave me a message that I just needed to post, mostly for myself - though if it encourages you, then so be it.
I’ve just completed Day #2 of “Operation Mr. Mom” - nine days solo with my boy. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t mind ONE BIT, in fact today was a perfect day filled with church, a special meal out, lots of love and cuddles and playful fun and even a a boat ride for dinner courtesy of a friend who loaned me their pontoon boat for the evening. I’m not complaining, but I am thinking about how I’m going to do this week. I’ll do less work, for sure, by design as well as necessity, and I refuse to farm the boy out (though I’ve had many offers!) but it’s tough enough on the boy having mom gone so long, I want to be around as much as possible; after all, he’s used to having mom when I’m out of town.
Anyway, I was thinking through everything on my plate, current projects, the usual constant communication load, and then not only keeping up with the boys constant needs (can’t I just change his diaper once a day?) but also the house, I’m not going to let it all go until the wife gets home, I’d like to grow in my appreciate of her by doing what she normally does while caring for him - yes, I want to keep up with it all, and yet I am acutely aware of my own limitations! So I was “reflecting” (as defined above) when God gave me a simply message. Ready? Here it is:
“Start and end each day right, and you’ll be able to handle whatever happens in between.”
That may not seem earth shattering to you - but for me it was rather profound. Because I am too quick to allow my day to start rushed from sleeping in to the last possible minute, and allowing work and tasks to keep me up too late. (those two bad habits, of course, feed each other.)
So instead of making a list of tasks to do this week, I’m instead making two list: 1) What it means to start my day right and 2) What it means to end my day right.
I won’t share those lists with you - but let me encourage you to make them yourself. Already, I have a peace about my week as I have determined how I will start and end each day. Somehow the in between isn’t so daunting now. And part of ending well means going to bed, so…
GOOD NIGHT!
July 27, 2008 at 5:59 pm · Filed under Family, Life, Luke, Parenting, Post via iPhone
There’s just something about a boy and his watermelon. I love how everything Luke does he does with so much joy. There is nothing mundane or normal to him. What is routine for us is pure excitement for him. Whether it be simply getting dressed, taking a bath, picking up toys or eating a watermelon - he approaches everything with such a sense of adventure and joy that I wonder sometimes why we lose the pure satisfaction from the simple things in life. Why do we need vacations or thrill parks or something “new” or risk to excite us?
What if we could find deep joy and satisfaction in something as ordinary as a watermelon?
My boy has taught me that. My joy comes from sharing in his.
The next time you have to do something ordinary or mundane… smile.
Your Heavenly Father is watching and delighting in your life too.
June 19, 2008 at 6:36 am · Filed under Life, Parenting
Got my son a kids meal at Arby’s and was pleased to see that the kids meal bag had some characters values on it. I may scan the bag side when I get home. Unfortunately, their website needs work or perhaps still under development because none of it is on their website other than a mere passing mention of the core values and nothing is clickable on the kids page other than some menu items, but I really liked the six “Values” they present to kids and how they define them on the kids meal bag.
In a world that more and more just seeks to entertain kids and sell to them, it was refreshing to see a for profit company try to give some positive character instruction with apparently nothing to gain in return! I applaud Arby’s for seeking to invest in kids rather than simply profit from them.
Here is what they presented as six Core Values are how they defined them for kids:
- DREAM BIG
“If you can dream it, you can do it!”
- WORK HARD
“Do the best you can, in all that you do.”
- GET IT DONE
“Set high goals and make them happen.”
- PLAY FAIR
“Always treat other with respect and fairness.”
- HAVE FUN
“Make the most of every day. Life is meant to be enjoyed.”
- MAKE A DIFFERENCE
“Help make life better for those around you.”
I actually had some verses come to mind for each of these…. maybe you could do a Kid’s Church unit based on Arby’s with the theme of the “Beef of Scripture” or “Roasting Life” or something. Anyway, I applaud Arby’s for encouraging kids to think about higher values. Way to go Arby’s. Now they just need to get their website up to date and find some creative ways to build on these core values to encourage kids to focus on them in creative ways.
June 2, 2008 at 1:24 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Christianity, Family, Leadership, Life, Spiritual Growth
“Hi Craig, my name is Karl, and I too am a recovering ministry-a-holic.”
In the current issue of K! Magazine, there is an excellent article by my friend, Craig Jutila, former children’s pastor at Saddleback Community Church, where he very honestly and transparently talks about his own personal “crash” from being so addicted to ministry he found himself in an unhealthy place spiritually, emotionally, and relationally with his family. I appreciated his candor. I’ve attempted to be as open here on my blog (and even more so in one on one relationships) about my own “demise” as a children’s pastor nearly two years ago who thought he could do everything and keep his walk with God and family life healthy. Why are the best lessons in life learned so painfully?
Craig’s topic was “spiritual renewal” and he admits (as I will) that we can be so good at faking it and knowing all the answers even as we are dying on the inside - but unwilling to admit our need. He quotes an unknown person as saying we don’t change until, “you hurt enough that you have to” or you “learn enough that you want to.” We both admit, it wasn’t the latter for us. We had to reach that point of deep hurt and dispair until we could finally be honest with ourselves that we needed help!
I love that Craig admits going to counseling. Like me, he once thought counseling was for people who had “issues” and that, as Craig says, it would “require acknowledging that I didn’t have it all together and I was different than all the spiritual people I worked around all day, every day.” I think he must have the same counselor as I do - for he too was challenged to be a “human BEING” and not a “human DOING” - something that took me months to get my brain around too.
While I know crisis times are no fun (understatement!) one thing I have learned on my own journey is that God loves ME more than my ministry, my pride, my reputation, or anything I can do for him. I’m glad both Craig and I were able to get out of ministry enough to discover a Walk with Christ apart from ministry. The year I took off from all speaking/ministry was a difficult year - as I was still healing and dealing with the consequences of my crash - but it was also a spiritually wonderful year of discovery and renewal - a time during which I learned things I was completely unable to discover while in “ministry.” And that I fear I would have never discovered had I somehow managed to keep on keeping on - “never quitting” - as the common call is. Sometimes you have to be a Quitter before you can be a genuinely Learner.
A friend of mine recented teased me and said, “All you cm experts - you, Craig, Sue, Reggie, and Jim have left the ministry and gone full time with your side ministries.” (ouch) While Jim Wideman is now back on staff at a church, I think it’s true for the rest in that quote. (And I’m not sure I belong in that list!) It is hard to answer the question, “How can you advise children’s pastors on children’s ministry if you are no longer doing children’s ministry full time?”
Oh, there are the obvious answers - over fifteen years of experience, current volunteer experience, bachelors and masters degree in children’s ministry, experience, education, God-given insights, etc. But the bottom line has to be simply, the Call of God and obedience.
My life mission statement since age nineteen (except for the recent year I set it aside) is:
To reach and teach as many children as possible with the Good News of God’s Love, and in the process to Enlist, Equip and Encourage others to do the same.
However, while that missions statement still drives my focus and passion for ministry - it no longer drives ME. I am driven to walk with Christ and love my family. Period. And when and how God allows or asks, I love equipping and encouraging others on their journey in life and ministry too.
Someday I hope to be back in a local church ministry setting as a children’s pastor - but I no longer “need” that be have identity, purpose or value. I’m content being just me - the forgiven sinner and follower of Jesus, the loving husband, and hopefully the most fun, engaged, and intentional father my son can possibly have!
I am so thankful for those who have walked with me during these difficult past few years - those who put up with me before my blinders were knocked off - and for others on the journey, like Craig, who are honest enough to let me know, I’m not the only completely messed up child of God who’s got only one thing going for him - for some crazy reason, Jesus loves me. (and He loves you too my friend!)
May 16, 2008 at 8:35 am · Filed under Internet, Life, Technology, Yosemite
Could it be?!?! The man once nicknamed “Pastor Gadget” going OFF LINE for an ENTIRE WEEK!?! YES! The rumors are true! I’ve got my MacBook Air, iPhone, GPS, digital camera, video camera, and a power strip to charge them all at night… so I think I’m good to go, but once I hit Yosemite the laptop will only be used for downloading pictures at the end of the day. NO E-MAIL, NO INTERNET, NO WORK, NO NOTHING! I soon will be basking in God’s Amazing Creation in one of the most spectacular places on the face of the earth far away from all of my normal responsibilities and duties. Yahoo! (And that isn’t a reference to a website!)
As I write this I am sitting on the floor at O’hare International Airport waiting board a flight to Sacramento, California on my way to join eight other guys on an Adventure known as Yosemite Summit.
What began as a challenge during a sermon in the fall of 2006 and grew into a conviction in the winter of 2007 and then calling by summer 2007 is now coming to a climax here in the spring of 2008!
God has brought together NINE MEN for the purpose to detaching from ministry to reconnect with God. Men, especially those of us in ministry, have a tendency to make ministry the substance of our spiritual walk when it is US God wants, not what we can DO for Him. For these few days we will cease from DOING and seek to simply BE in the presence of God so that He might do a work in us that He often can’t do when we are so busy doing.
For those of you who could not come to Yosemite Summit, let me challenge you to intentionally plan some TIME AWAY to connect with God. I’ve been so encouraged to hear from those who Yosemite Summit has inspired to plan retreats away with friends for the same purpose. Let me applaud those and say to the rest of you - what are you waiting for? Life is too short… and you DO have time for something like this, because you MAKE time for something like this. (You’ll never “have time” for it in the normal sense of the phrase.)
WELL, the flight leaves soon! I’m going a day early for food shopping and prep, so I’ve got 24 more hours of electricity and Internet! Before I go completely offline, I’ll have a very special surprise to post tomorrow and something else that goes lives on Kidology.org while I’m gone… curious? You’ll just have to check back and find out what it is!
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