School Starts

School starts this week with our daughter headed into the second grade, our oldest son headed to preschool. As we prepare to send the kids off to begin another year of school many thoughts - even fears - fill my mind; what will they be taught, will they have good friendships, are they safe, etc.

And, in the midst of these thoughts - and fears - we find comfort as parents. We take comfort in the fact that we can't protect them from everything and we have to let them live their lives. 

The bottom line is that we pray for our children, we teach our children, and we trust our children. 

Crawford County Prayer Walks

A colleague of mine, Pastor Irwin Bales (St. Francisville, IL Free Methodist Church) sent me an email last Sunday; 

A school in TX is being sued because they have allowed people from the community to go onto the school grounds on Saturday before school starts and pray for the school for the coming academic year. The school is standing their grounds: in is not school sponsored and the building is not open. 

I think we should respond by getting our communities together and pray also for our schools, at our schools, on the Saturday mornings before the beginning of the school year at our local schools.

With no mention of this email to my wife, Kim mentioned to me on Sunday afternoon that several of our friends from a church we previous served with in Flora, IN were gathering at the schools - for the second year - to pray days before the children begin the school year. 

Sunday evening I received a facebook message from a friend in Robinson, IL (Brent Urfer) stating that he felt a call to pray for our children and teens prior to the start of the school year and that he was working to organize prayer walks throughout Crawford County to happen on the school grounds. 

Today I received the following email from my friend with details of the Crawford County prayer walks. 

We will not be using church associated vans. We will need to drive cars. We will meet briefly for 5 minutes or less at each place… then divide in groups of 2-3 people, we will be walking like many other people do using the sidewalks, tracks, etc. to do our praying. A signal will be given to move on. We may also stop at some churches along the way, and process as well as develop strategy for the next place.  

Saturday, August 10: New Hebron, Palestine, Hutsonville, Oblong  

Saturday, August 17: Oblong Christian Children’s Home, Robinson, LTC 

We will debrief for the entire event within one week after the meeting on the 17^th. That date, time, and meeting place will be decided before the end of the walk on the 17^th.

 If you are interested in being involved either of these prayer walks and you are available on the dates noted above, please get in contact with me as soon as possible.

Glee/What People Need

 

This past Tuesday the show "Glee" was on and although I do not normally watch it, the storyline this week was that of religion and spirituality. So, not only did I stay in the room and on the channel, I actually paid attention (something I do not always do).

  

In this episode, one of the characters makes a grilled cheese sandwich and when he opens the grill sees what he believes to be an image of Jesus. He then deems this "grilled cheesus". He proceeds to pray to the sandwich, asking it for various signs and confirmations of control. Although this opening made me skeptical that this was yet another television show that was trying to bash the name and the image of Christ, I stuck around and gave Glee more of a chance this week.

The most basic issue I had with this portion of the episode was that it was as if someone with no understanding whatsoever was attempting to explain Jesus Christ, Christianity, and everything about faith, prayer, belief, etc. As one fellow blogger wrote "I suppose it would be like me, an Asian American, writing about what it’s like to be black; I can research and I can see the cultural or societal view of being black, but it would be quite amazing if I could write about the true experience."

These words explained where the writers of this show were coming from, because a basic level of research had been done, a cultural or social view had been considered, and then off to the writing boards they went. Yet how can I say this? I do not know if the writers, the producers, or the actors of the show Glee are born-again Christians or if they make claim to any faith at all.

Yet this same basic approach is made by so-called Christians everyday, those that claim to follow Christ and have a faith in Him. So many are not truly experiencing the saving grace, the fellowship, and the presence of Jesus Christ and His Spirit within their lives. Yet they are "Christians".

We are told in Matthew 7 not to judge, and for this reason we leave this alone. Who are we to judge those around us that claim the name of Jesus and yet do not have the depth of understanding, the depth of relationship, or the depth of desire to truly know Him? We so easily forget that we are to hold one another accountable, that we are to "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Hebrews 10:24 ), that we are to "encourage one another and build each other up"  (1 Thess. 5:11), and that, if we are truly a part of the body of Christ, we are all a part of the same body (1 Cor. 12).

Back to Glee, as the program went on various situations played into the storyline, "church and state", "religion in school", "homosexuality", "death", "the afterlife", "family", and several more. The basic conclusion to the episode was that, we all need to have faith in something, we all need to believe in something. I can definitely get behind this on the most basic level. I don't see how anyone can live in the world and honestly believe that there in no "higher power", that there is no God. Further, I don't see why anyone would continue to live if they honestly believe that there is no God and no hope after they pass away from this world.

We all need to have faith in something. True! Yet the issue in our world today is that so many have a faith in something, and that something is anything. What people NEED in our world today is a faith in The Living God, The God that does not change, The God that created, loves, and sustains everything. What people NEED in our world today is a lasting relationship with The God that offers forgiveness for yesterday, joy for today, and confidence for tomorrow. What people NEED in our world today is God!

Honeymoon Phase

This week Addison, our four-year-old started preschool. I would have to say that this was more of an adjustment for the rest of our family than it was for her. Zion, our two-year old wondered aimlessly around the house all afternoon asking for Addison and saying "school" in such a sad tone.

In addition to being an adjustment, it brought a lot of anxiety to Kim and I throughout the day and especially as we waiting for her to come home on the school bus. The first day we waited around for over an hour, not sure of the exact time that the bus would arrive and countless times Kim was itching to call transportation to check on the bus.

Yet, when Addison arrived home that afternoon, the smile on her face, the sprint up the driveway, and the stories about her day calmed our minds and  gave us security, knowing that this was a good school for her.

This weekend we received a call and a letter from her teacher, bringing us even more comfort. In the letter she stated that this past week was the "honeymoon phase". And although the kids were very excited to come to school, meet new friends, and learn new things, that may soon change. She said that soon the kids may begin to get homesick, miss their parents, and not like school. She said this is normal.

Addison loves us very much, we know this because she says it every day, she gives us hugs and kisses, has the desire to play games and spend time with us, and because she (generally) likes to listen to us and please us with her actions. Yet we know that this may someday change, that she may soon have no real desire to spend time with spend much time with us and that the word "hate" may be hurled from her mouth toward us. I'm not sure if I am ready for that yet!

Which led me to thinking; are we in the honeymoon phase with our children? I know that both Kim and I have changed a great deal since we were married seven years ago. This may be due to maturing in both of us, the joy of life, the stress of life, and so many other aspects. Yet one thing is certain, we have both changed and so has our relationship. We are no longer in the honeymoon phase! But we are okay with that, no one can live in the honeymoon phase, not only is it not possible, it is not healthy. But it sure is fun to think of the times of our honeymoon and the memories made up to that point and even after that. And, when this life and so many outside forces are chipping away at us and at our relationship, it is good to remember our honeymoon phase and to strive to get back some of the feelings, the joy, and the happiness that we experienced at that stage in our relationship. 

In the same way, we cannot live in the honeymoon phase of our relationship with Jesus Christ. But, it is essential for us to remember the joy that we experienced when we first found the one thing that made life worth living, the only thing that gives our life value. We must strive, daily, to achieve all that Christ has called us to, that is, His purpose for our lives. This is so much easier during the honeymoon phase, but God did not call us to the honeymoon phase, he called us to this life.

John had this to say about remembering you honeymoon phase with Christ, or as he called it, your "first love".

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.  (Revelation 2:4-5)

I encourage you to read and reread the above, pray over it, asking God to speak to you through it today.