First of all, congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama.
I won’t even pretend to imagine the significance and impact of Obama’s election to my African American friends and all those who never thought they’d see the election of an African American to the highest political office in world. It is a great testimony to the progress of America and especially to the color blindness of young Americans who, if they do consider race, lean more toward supporting minorities than fearing or resisting the progress of fellow Americans who are different than they are. I sincerely am happy for our nation in the sense that the election of Barack Obama proves that indeed any one can become President of the United States no matter their race or background, and that, in and of itself, is a good thing - and I am proud to live in a country where the People choose their leader and the transfer of power, even in a fiercely fought election, is peaceful. America continues to be the grandest experiment in human history.
Indeed, Obama was unstopable in this election. While I never gave up hope, and did my little part to support Senator McCain, I felt in my gut that Obama’s election was inevitable. His combination of his political skill, the nations appetite for “change” and the fear brought on by the financial crisis came together to bring about not only a historic election because of his race, but an incredible rise to power of a very unknown man whose many weakness were largely considered irrelvant by a nation blinded by a message they wanted to hear. The reasons Obama won are varied. On one hand, I think race was a huge factor. For a some what positive reason: America was eager to ease its collective conscience by electing a black president. On the negative side, Obama out-spent McCain and that was possible in large part due to him breaking his promise to accept public funds, but I’m not sure that really made the difference. There are many reasons and explanations, but I think at the end Obama won for ONE REASON: His Message of Change. That message was more important than the facts. The concept of “Change” was more important than even the details of what kind of change he would bring. Our nation wanted change at any cost. No one knows what they cost will be, or whether it will be a welcome cost or not.
For all the things that concern me about Obama, what he did best was set himself up as the American Hero - the Right Man at the Right Time. He was eloquent. His sweeping themes and wonderful sounding generalities were music to American ears. Unfortunately, he was never specific, but ironically, even when he was, no one cared. When he slipped and alluded to “spreading the wealth” people didn’t care. When he admitted he wants energy costs to “skyrocket” people didn’t care. When his associations and mentors were shown to be radical and even anti-American, people didn’t care. They liked the Message of Change without little consideration of what that “change” would be. It’s actually quite puzzling or impressive depending on how you look at it.
What I like about Barack Obama is his claim to be open to new ideas and to working with both parties to find solutions. I will pray it is true. I live in his home state of Illinois which is riddled with coruption. Our last goverenor is in jail, and our current one appears to be headed toward being in the next cell over. Obama has never even spoken against Illinois coruption, let alone done anything about it. He has never gone “across the aisle” to accomplish anything, and voted “present” often when a bill was contraversial. He has no executive experience, and now has the highest executive office in the country. It’s really rather amazing. I have to admit, as a campaign “executive”, he got it done. But I do hope that he has painted himself into a corner where he has to live up to the retoric and perhaps he actually will do some of the things he has so eloquently promised. If he does, he’ll earn my respect as a leader. Right now, my respect is limited to what he accomplished for his race and his party. As President, there is much more to accomplish.
One of the things that concerns me about Obama is that no one seems to know this guy. Even Democratic political pundits are now saying they have no idea how he will lead. Will he lead as the most liberal President ever? (He was the most liberal senator.) Will he lead center-left since he has a democratic majority who will want to finally push its agenda. Or will he lead center-right, which is how he campaigned stealing many Repiblican themes - many of which he and his party were against before he was a presidential candidate. I find it amazing that even those who supported him, don’t know how he will lead. Yet they voted for him. Even Obama, in his own book, described himself as a “blank page” upon which people can write whatever they want to believe about him. You got to hand it to him, he is a master of being, not whatever he thinks people want to be, but being vague enough that you can think of him being whatever YOU want. Only time will tell what he actually does. You can’t vote “present” when you are President. He will have to take some stands.
Another thing I do like about him, is that he does seem to move slowly. Hopefully very slowly. But he has really painted himself as a centralist while his opponents have created a lot of fear around him. (and I think the fear is fair) I already think he is smart, if he is wise he will realize that his opponents are eager for some “I told you so” moments, and the best thing he can do for long term success is rob them of those moments, and live up to his retoric and promises to work together, to lower taxes, to reduce energy dependance, to win the war in Iraq, etc. If he does that, it will be good for America. If those were campaign talk and he leads as he used to vote (or not vote) and as his Democratic party used to vote, it will hurt our country.
Obama revealed a lot about America. His election shows just how badly our country wants change - and a lot of that desired change is change away from Christian ideals. How are we going to deal with that? In a godly way? I think this election, and how we deal with defeat, will tell a lot about us to a watching world.
Let’s be godly in how we handle the fears that Obama stirs up in Christians. Let’s be honest, when we’ve had Presidents we liked, it has never helped the cause of Christ as much as we hoped or thought it would. Lives are only changed when they encounter Jesus Christ, and that can happen in any country, in any political climate, and under any President. Amen?
SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN?
A lot of people “believe” in Obama… or believe in the “Change” he promises to bring. My biggest concern with Obama is not his belief babies born alive in a failed abortion should be killed or left to die. (and he does, don’t buy the rewriting of history going on). It isn’t his economic philosophies, though they are scary. It isn’t his anti-American statements and associations. (I think being President will cure him of his anti-American setiments.) It isn’t higher taxes, even though they are coming. (I won’t enjoy saying ‘I told you so’ but its inevitable now.)
My greatest concern is actually a secret hope. The concern is that too many people are looking to government to solve their personal issues so they will give too much power and control to the government that in turn will end up choking our economy and undermining our freedom even as it sincerely tries to help Americans. In the end, Democratic policies tend to hurt the very ones they are seeking to help by creating dependency, stiffling freedom, frustrating entrepreneurial spirit, burdening small business, and growing bureaucracy and with it taxes.
Why is this concern also a secret hope? Because I hope that more and more people (Christians included) will finally realize that our hope can’t be in government, it must be in God. Government can’t create the security it so often promises, God can. Govenment can’t create opportunity, God can. Govenment can’t solve the problems that ail our world, God can. Government can’t meet our needs, God can. Government can’t provide our financial needs, God can. Government can’t give us purpose, God can. Government can’t give us Hope, but God can.
And finally, no government or president can bring Real Change, or “Change you can Believe in” but God can.
While I still believe that Christians MUST stay engaged and ought to be the voice of Truth, morality and for the unborn, our energies most be primarily engaged in building the Kingdom, not our nation. Christians ought to vote - and I know many did. Now we must vote with our feet by going where God calls us to go. Vote with are hands by helping our neighbors. Vote with our mouths by sharing the Gospel. Vote with our wallets by financially supporting our church, missionaries and any ministry we can that is helping to reach the lost or further the Cause of Christ.
Best case scenario - Obama surprises those of us who opposed him, and things get better and the resulting econompic growth will help churches and the Great Commission.
Worst case scenario - things get worse, but as a result more people turn to God. After all, the Church has always grown more during times of distress and persecution.
Anything in the middle - keep your main focus on your walk with God, your family, being a light for Truth in our world, and praying for our nation.
Obama will soon be walking into the White House. As Christians we will need to stay engaged to seek to protect our freedom and help keep America a place where God is honored and glorified and where “In God we Trust” still rings true.
But more important is who sits in the ‘Oval Office’ our our heart and our homes.
Does OUR LIFE reflect, “In God We Trust?” Does our life honor God, honor life, and reflect the Truth we claim to believe in?
Let’s pray for our nation and pray for President Obama. He certainly needs it.
May God Bless America… but may we bless God in how we live for Him.
According to All-Things-Disney-Expert, Steve Tanner, while the movie Cars made nearly 500 million at the box office, by summer 2007 it had grossed over 2 billion in merchandise sales! (source) We certainly can relate! We have Cars toys, clothes, sippy cups, band-aids, towel, blanket, snacks, even an ice packet to help put ice on owwies.
And now, the Halloween costume!
Lightening McQueen? More like Lukie McQueen with his Pit Chief!
Lukie McQueen with Mommy.
Now that’s one good lookin’ kid! It was fun to go Trick or Treating… starting at Grandma and Grandpa’ and then going with cousins. Luke enjoyed the walking and seeing the lights and cars at various houses. The candy wasn’t that big a deal.
After thirty minutes he said he didn’t want any more candy. “Enough,” he says. We didn’t argue. So we headed over to a church outreach that had thousands of visitors. They had game rooms, live music, petting farm, food, pumpkin patch, a cake walk, and so much more. But Luke’s favorite (of course) was the cars on display!
A Sheriff Hummer! (your tax dollars at work)
Lukie McQueen always manages to find a cool car! No matter what we were doing, Luke kept saying, “Go see cars? Go see cars?” He absolutely loves cars.
A highlight (pun) was getting to see a spotlight up close!
I, of course, saw a chance for some photography.
I suggested they add a Bat Symbol! Got a bunch of cool shots, but figure most of you would rather not have to look at too many!
It was a great evening of candy and cars! After over fifteen years of organizing or planning Halloween outreaches, it was so nice to just attend one as a dad. It felt weird, but it was really nice to just be focused on one child… my own.
November 1, 2008 at 9:34 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Hanging out in California for a few weeks. I’m here because I’m speaking at Nino Mania, a Spanish Childrens Ministry conference hosted at the beautiful Crystal Catheral in Garden Grove, CA. This is such a beautiful church, here are a few iPhone pictures. I’ll add an update to this post later. Doing a general session and then a bunch of Speed Stacks workshops proving I am bi-lingual; I can Stack in any language!
Attention: If you live in California and speak Spanish, then this post is for you! I’ll be going West November 1st to speak at NINOMANIA, a Spanish Conference at the Crystal Cathedral at the invitation of Noel Ascencio, one of our Kidology Spanish trainers. (See Spanish Tract at Kid U in October)
Espero a hasta la vista allÃ. Tendremos buen tiempo y aprenderemos mucho. Soy muy feliz ser un participante en este acontecimiento. ¡Hasta la vista allÃ! (I sure hope I said that right!)
August 16, 2008 at 10:23 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Well, those who have played with me may not agree that what I do on the course qualifies as “golf” - but I think I have discovered a sport that I can really enjoy. And now that I have discovered a beautiful par 3 nine hole course near my house that cost just a little more than a movie I think its something I can finally afford to do. (The other ones near my house are between $32 and $78 for a round of 18 holes.)
I have a long and painful history with golf. As a boy I broke a frame on the wall in my house showing my sister how to swing a golf club. (To hide the dent in the metal frame I turned the picture upside down and rehung the frame upside down so the bent was on the bottom. It took my Mom less than fifteen minutes upon getting home to ask, “How did this frame get dented?” Little sister was all too happy to explain. Busted.)
My grandfather tried to teach me. (see his clubs here) Once at the driving range I humiliated him when my sweaty hands allowed the club to fly out into the driving range further than any ball I’d hit! They had to shut down the entire driving range so I could go retrieve my club much to Grampa’s embarrassment.
About ten years ago an advice golfer at my church tried to interest me in the sport. (Dan LaPorte, who once hit his mother-in-law with a plastic golf ball shot from the platform during a worship service promoting a church golf outing. He swears he didn’t aim for her!) My lessons weren’t going to well. One one hole I put five or six balls in a row into the water we had to shoot over to the green.
Then I had my break through!
Dan got out $20 and said, “Hit the next one in the water and I’ll give you twenty bucks.” I thought, “Has this guy been watching? That’s the dumbest bet ever!” I teed up and aimed for the water - and my ball soared over and onto the fare way beyond! “Let the club do the work, it’s not a baseball bat,” he said.
Then we moved away and I didn’t get to golf again for ten years… but that $20 (that I didn’t get) lesson stuck with me!
While I’m still not much of a golfer, I’m enjoying learning and find it a very fascinating sport in this regard. He more relaxed I am, and the less I try to hit it hard, the better I do. My best shots consistently are those when I almost don’t try, and just keep my eye on the ball and swing. Not hard, just swing using the right form.
I’m finding the same is true in life. When I try to work hard, minister hard, or do anything hard, I mess up the Game of Life really bad. My life ‘handicap’ is pretty high and filled with a lot of shots into the rough, or the water, and off the course. But when I keep my focus on the Lord, and just swing my best, focused on my spiritual form, not my talents, power or skill - God does the work and I do so much better in the Game of Life.
I’m sure I’ll never be a great golfer. But I’m going to stick with it, because I find it is teaching me a lot about life, and when I’m outside away from the distractions of life and work, I can better hear God’s still small voice.
I’m looking for golf buddies if you live in the area and don’t mind playing with someone who will make you look really good.
As mentioned in my podcast interview with Speed Stack’s Roger Washburn, I was sent one of the very first BattleStack games! And wasted no time in arranging the ultimate battle between boys and girls with my nephew and niece!
I know at many churches I’ve seen Speed Stack cups available to kids, but they often don’t know what to do with them if they’ve not been taught. But with the BattleStack any kids can instantly start to play using the BattleStack cards. What a GREAT GAME to make available for the kids that are early or hanging around afterwards waiting for Mom and Dad to get them! (Hint: you need at least two!)
June 12, 2008 at 12:07 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
I’d like to DOUBLE YOUR MONEY! How? Read on!
Imagine being a part of something that is humanly impossible - but that God is clearly behind!
Barney Kinard, our Kidology Coach of Kidhelper.com (Creative Children’s Ministries) has partnered with Kids Around the World to build a playground in India and along with it, do an evangelistic mission trip.
Barney is currently raising funds for the trip the Kidology Foundation is going to pitch in with a MATCHING GRANT. If you would prayerfully consider giving toward this awesome project, Kidology will match your gift up to $500 toward this project! Help us send $1000 toward this wonderful project that will have a lasting impact on some of the world’s poorest kids.
You can read more about this trip on Barney’s website. He has really picked up a passion for India since he was there last year and I’d love to encourage him by helping to raise some funds for the trip.
These pictures are of the VERY KIDS who will soon have their own wonderfull playground to play on - but the trip is about much more than a playground. The playground is a tangible way to show the children and community God’s love, but it also opens doors for ministry. While there to build the playground, the children will hear the Gospel and many children’s ministry workers will receive much needed training.
Share in this project and share in the blessings of knowing you helped make this ambitious project possible. Over $60,000 has to be raised, so we are only a small part of the overall effort to make this happen. Over $20,000 has already been raised all by small gifts from people who have told Barney they want to see this happen! Please consider if you might be able to help, even many small gifts will go a long way to bringing smiles to these children’s faces and making it more likely we will get to meet them in eternity!
To give simply visit our donation page and indicate “Playground for India” in the comments field.
UP-DATE: With our pledge, the project is up to $30,000. Thank you for prayerfully considering being a part of this effort!
June 3, 2008 at 10:54 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
I am happy to announce that I finally have discovered the perfect PDA, and no, it’s not the iPhone. (which stupidly has no task management - even though Tasks is an integrated part of Mac Mail and Mac iCal - despite everything else amazing about it.)
Thanks to my buddy, aka BalloonPastor, who linked it on his blog. It is called PocketMod! It is an awesome PAPER organizer you can use throughout your day to record the “stuff” that comes up. But it is BETTER than that, through an online interactive guide, you get to determine what is on each page, with MANY to choose from! After you determine what you want on each page from lines to calendars to shopping lists, etc. you just print, fold and after one cut - you have the perfect PDA! No batteries to run out - no stylus - nearly indestructible (from dropping anyway) and ready to go.
Here are the simple folding instructions
If you are a fan of David Allen’s book Getting Things Done, you will love this easy and practical tool for making sure you capture all those stray thoughts so you to can have a “mind like water.” (you’ll understand that if you’ve read the book!)
Designing a new one of these every Monday (or Sunday night) is the perfect way to keep CONTROL of your time and week and the constant in-flow of information and ideas.
There are many helpful pages to choose from, such as:
The dates are automatically filled in for today, this week, or next week. You can even choose a full year calendar.
I like the tasks and shopping list, but there is also a checkbook registry, a contact sheet for when you meet people and want to grab their basic info to enter in the computer later, and even a food diary for those on a diet.
But it’s also SMART - want your local 5 day forecast? Or a mini-TIME magazine:
Today you can read what Hillary did wrong! Or put in your OWN RSS FEED! You can create a custom page if you want, like this one:
Overall, it is a pretty sweet little tool. Get started here. Oh, and did I mention, it’s FREE! But if you like it, encourage programmers like this to develop and share their work by donating. I did, even a buck or two would make their day I’m sure!
I made my PocketMod for this week… now it’s your turn!
UPDATE: As mentioned in comments there is an updated one called repocketmod with more pages to choose from here, and better yet, you can download it and run directly on your computer or (as I did) install on your own website so you never have to worry about the site going down or if you don’t have internet. The repocketmod version has more GTD planning pages.
I also made a short-cut to it and changed the icon to R2D2 just for fun! Now R2 is my little virtural assistant who designs and prints my mini-planner for me!
May 26, 2008 at 12:29 am · Filed under Uncategorized
I’ve got lots of pictures to post and stories to tell about the very first Yosemite Summit, but for those of you who like to read the last chapter of books first - I’ll start by telling you about a very cool thing that happened at the very end of the trip.
I’d been to Yosemite many times as a boy and then not for a long time until my sabbatical in 2005. I’ve gotten pictures of many animals, but other than being “attacked” by a bear at Yosemite as a boy (you’ll have to ask me in person for the story - posting it takes away the fun to telling it!) I’ve not seen a bear at Yosemite. So on our first day in the park on our “solitude hike” among much more spiritual things, I selfishly prayed that God might let me see and photograph a bear on this trip. It was a childish prayer to my Abba Father, one I knew He may not answer, but I’ve learned He loves me enough that I need to at least ask. If my asking is wrong, He’ll show me by not answering.
I kept my eyes alert for a bear the entire trip half-expecting God might answer that prayer request at any moment. Even on our shuttle ride up to Glacier Point for the all day hike down to the valley, I kept my camera pointed out the window, on the rapid fire setting, and finger on the shutter in case I could get glimpse of a bear en route and be able to point to a picture and say, “That brown blur is a bear, really!”
Well, while God answered many prayer requests, and even provided in many ways I neglected to pray about, it seemed my “bear request” was not going to be answered, at least not this year. In fact, on our last time in the valley, we all took a final hour to be alone with God, and as I thanked Him for so many wonderful ways He worked and answered and provided on this trip, I humorously said, “even though you didn’t give me my bear.” I knew it was a silly thing to pray for, but I had really wanted to see a bear. Oh, well.
I’m not sure whether it was God’s grace, or mercy, or simply His sense of humor - but on the way out of Yosemite we saw some people pointing at something, and one of the guys jokingly said, “It’s a bear!” And it was! Guys started jumping out of the van while it was still moving, but since I was driving, I had to find a place to pull over. When I was parked, I took the risk of changing to my telephoto lens, I just had a feeling God was answering my prayer! Then as I jumped out of the van, I realized I was way behind the crowd running toward the bear with their cameras, and literally sensed God telling me to run in the other direction! I ran deep into the woods and then circled around hoping that the bear might run toward me as it fled the others trying to get his picture. I knew there was a chance that with this strategy I might never even get to SEE the bear, let alone photograph it, but it all happened so fast, I was operating on instinct. (Or God’s leading?) Sure enough, as I hid behind a fallen log with my camera ready, I saw the bear running toward me! As I raised my camera it jumped up in a tree and I got these pictures before he jumped and ran off in the other direction:
Here he is, looking right at me!
Then I zoomed in a bit, as he looked around.
Last shot before he jumped down and ran the other way.
Funny, how just as I had accepted God wouldn’t answer my silly prayer request, He chose to answer it. Oh, me of little faith! My Father had simply waited to give it to me as a final goodbye gift. He knew how hard it was for me to drive out of Yosemite - so he allowed the final pictures I took entire week to be of a bear. How cool is that? I couldn’t help but be reminded of Matthew chapter 7, forgive me for changing just a few words:
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a bear, will give him a squirrel? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:7-11
Thank you, God, for loving me enough to send me a bear! You are too awesome. Next year I want to photograph a Sasquatch! (Hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask!)
While I’ve been to fourteen different countries, and included Canada in that list, I had only been to Niagra Falls, and I’m not sure if that really counted. (Probably not) So I was excited to be invited to Sarnia, Ontario this past weekend for several days of ministry. My first surprise was that after flying to Flint, Michigan we drove straight East, rather than North, as I expected, as Canada juts down into the US quite a bit between Detroit, MI and Buffalo, NY.
(Click any images for larger view in new window)
Getting across the border proved a little challenging, “And why are you coming?” But most of the delay was us waiting in the wrong line. (oops) But once I dropped my brother name, we threw through like a Blue Jay. (Not sure that had anything to do with getting through, but hey, it was worth a try! “My brother covers the Blue Jays for MLB.com! You have to let me across!)It was a full but fulfilling weekend! I did a family program on Friday evening, a Kidology To Go on Saturday, and spoke on Sunday as well before heaing back to the good ‘ol US of A. And fortunately, the US immigration let me back!While it was fun to learn some Canadian lingo, eh, and that one dollar coins are called Looneys and two dollars coins are Tooneys, there really wasn’t much different. (Granted, this was a “border city.”) But one of the cool things unique to Sarnia are Fry Trucks along the shore:
There is me and Steve Bourque before ordering some very unhealthy but delicious fries to enjoy on a windy but clear day in Canada.Steve has only been a full time children’s pastor for a year, but at the church for four years, with his hours gradually increasing to full time. (My first ministry went 12, to 20 to 30 to full time - notice they just call it “full time” when in reality the number goes higher than 40!)He’s already got a great foundation laid and is building a solid ministry. The name of the ministry is LEDGE, based loosely on Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven PrinciplesL: Love God (worship)E: Encourage Others (fellowship)D: Devote to Jesus (grow)G: Give (service)E: Express Jesus Love (missions)(Steve, let me know if I got these wrong, I didn’t write them down, and I will edit this post!)Of course, I was very pleased to see that they use Awesome Adventure to disciple their kids:
The logo for the children’s ministry is pretty cool, here is a close up:
And the theme is followed through on the names of each class room:
Nursery is “Base Camp” and then once they can walk up to two years old is “Explorers.”(How perfect!)
Then its up to the “Scrambers” for 3 and 4’s, followed by:
“Back Packers” for Kindergarten and Grade 1, and finally…
“Cliff Hangers” for the oldest kids. Notice the simple but effective decoration too.
Their Sunday format is two identical service, so they start with some free time where kids can play and set out a bunch of fun stuff to encourage early and on-time attendance, and then they open in worship, followed by a lesson and small groups.They are currently using G-Force from LifeWay and are trying a cool experiment. (Not sure if this is recommended in the curriculum or not), but they are inviting parents to come for the last ten minutes of the children’s service to experience the conclusion with their kids.
I’m curious how that goes, I think it is a fantastic idea.Of course, all the ministry stuff aside, the highlight for me is always the children - I am still a children’s pastor at heart after all!
Our hosts daughter took to me (and my props) right away.
Being just under Luke’s age, she was much needed medicine for this home-sick dad! She even learned my name by the end of the three days and just before leaving for the airport fell asleep in my arms. (You can say it, “awwwwwww”)
She took to Gus too! She was such a sweet and pleasant girl, but then, of course, her name means “a pleasant sound.” (Can you guess her name?)
I tried to wrap this sweet girl up (and her doll) to take home as a souenir from Canada.
I thought of just adopting this whole family - each of them gave me the sweetest good-bye cards with their pictures… it’s amazing how you can connect with children in such a short time if you take the time to let them in. Duncan, their oldest was an assistant during my magic show and even came to part of the Saturday seminar, and I see a lot of myself as a boy in him, crazy creative energy and an eagerness to serve the Lord. The makings of a future children’ s pastor no doubt! (Seems creativity runs in the family, their dad is a published improv comic, link coming when I get it!)
The only rough part of the weekend came when after telling a story about a sword in my message, a member of the church brought in her fencing gear! (Yes, a girl!)
Suddenly Steve, thinking his kids were in danger, attacked the stranger, apparently not realizing it was ME!
Using my vast Jedi fighting skills I was able to subdue him and pin him to the ground in self defense…
but not before he lunged his sword into me and ran away! No worries, I am healing up fine. What a fantastic weekend! Eh?
