A little bit of thanks.

I have a very unique job. The entire time my kids have been alive, I have been specifically their pastor. I got to baptize them. I have been there when they walked to the front to pray in the altar. I have seen them pray for other kids. I have gotten to see them develop spiritually  first hand. I don’t take lightly that privilege. I also don’t take lightly the honor I have to partner with other parents in seeing their children grow spiritually. 

Today, I want to say thanks to parents for giving me this opportunity. Thank you for bringing your kids each week. Thank you for allowing me to speak God’s word into your kids life. Thanks for supporting us as we develop programs to help you see more of your kids growing spiritually. It truly is an honor. 

I pray that we can grow and Kid’s Rock will be a great asset to you in your child’s spiritual growth. Thank you for that opportunity.

Rugby, Crossfit, and Church

I have been taking measures over the last few months to get fit and knock a couple things off my bucket list. I figure I need to get started with some of that stuff. During this process, I have noticed some things in comparison to the church. 

So, in August I joined a rugby club. I have a friend, Levy, who is ridiculously good at the sport and has played all his life. He has been wanting me to come try it out since I have met him. In August, they have a touch tournament. I figured what could it hurt? It is touch. I went and ran with the guys. We had fun. They had a tournament going on for kids too. I signed Cooper up. He loved it. One night, we got in the car to come home and he looks at me and says, "Dad, apparently I am a natural at this (rugby) thing." The guys working with the kids were so uplifting that he was hooked. He was disappointed that there is no rugby league around here for him to keep playing during the year. The last night of the tournament they had a big cookout at the field and these people sat around and hung out. They shared their lives together. I used to wonder about the world outside of the church. Especially in a post Christian society like we have now. Where do you find people outside of work to create those relationships with? Well in this case, a rugby team. They made everyone there feel at home. It was so welcoming. I pray people see our church as welcoming as I did this rugby team. 

Then, sometime in September, Margaret and I started getting up bright and early (scratch that just early because there is nothing bright about it) and going to a crossfit class at 5am.  This was amazing for so many reasons mainly my wife who hates to sweat is really enjoying it. I am so stinking proud of her. It has been a great small group of people who show they care. They hold each other accountable in fitness. You don't want to miss because the people in your class are looking for you to be there. They text you and make sure you are okay if you miss. They show they care. I was sick this morning and the coach was even asking Margaret about me. He has shown time and again he truly cares about the people showing up to his box (that's a crossfit term for gym). I hope as a pastor, the people coming into my ministry see that I care the same way about there spiritual well being as Julian does for their physical well being. 

You see church is supposed to be a place to worship, but it is also supposed to be a place where we take care of each other. Throughout the growth of the early church you read about the early church breaking bread and caring for one another. This is a vital part of who the church is. I believe we have lost that feeling in many avenues. When was the last time you encouraged someone at church? When was the last time you called to check up on someone when they missed? When was the last time you asked someone if they were going to be at church? Do you take guests and ask them to sit with you? Has your church become a place where you show up and go home or is it a place where you really truly get to know the people in it the God intended us to? Our churches have to be a place where people connect to other people as well as God in order for them to survive. It can't be a place that is only apart of our lives for a couple of hours on Sunday and Wednesday. Love the people at your church or find another church. People want to be connected at church. They really do. 

I am going to continue playing rugby and going to crossfit. It is more than just the fitness now. It is the relationships I am creating in both places. Is your church about relationships? That's what the world needs, a church that is about relationships. 

One Scary 15 minutes

Yesterday, I had probably the scariest 15 minutes of my life. At least, I can't remember a scarier quarter of an hour. It led to an interesting and exhausting day to say the least. 

As the kids were walking to the car yesterday morning, Coop told me his stomach was upset. I remember being a kid and telling my mom I had an upset stomach on days I didn't want to go to school.  I told him, "Give it a try and if your stomach doesn't feel better then go to the nurse and have her call me". So, at 8:30 Margaret got that call. Evidently, I we missed his fever. I figured no big deal. It has been a busy week, and I could use a day watching cartoons and hanging out with Coop. 

We went to pick up my computer from the office and ran a couple of errands because Coop was acting just fine. I could tell his stomach was a upset cause he didn't eat much of his taco when we stopped for some food. We headed home and declared a "Voltron" marathon for the day as coop was recuperating.

We were talking as we watched TV. I was telling him how I used to watch this show all the time when I was a kid. We were having a great time. About 11:35, I asked him something and looked over and he didn't move. I said his name and he didn't respond. I had a bad feeling so, I got up and noticed he had wet himself and still wasn't moving. I grabbed his shoulder and said his name to wake him up. His mouth was filled with saliva and it just came poring out. I yelled his name and still had no response from him. I grabbed my phone and dialed 9-1-1 as I checked for a pulse and breathing. I noticed his ear was red as a firecracker so I know he was burning up.

 I was really starting to stress as I waited for the emergency operator to pick up four different times I hear, "Thanks for calling Bexar County Emergency Services, all operators are busy with other emergencies at the moment and will be with you as soon as possible" At least it was something like that and then that repeated in Spanish. Each time I got that message, I freaked out just a little bit more. I was beginning to think I needed to pick him up and carry him outside and see if any of my neighbors could help. I thought I needed to keep him still cause I didn't want to mess anything up. I thought it might be a seizure, I remembered from some first aid class years ago to put him on his side and make sure nothing was blocking his airways. I did that and continued to yell his name and get more angry as the emergency operator finally answered the phone. 

She told me to calm down as I was speaking pretty loud when I gave her my address and described what was going on. I blew in Coop's face cause I thought that might help him breathe or something. I don't know maybe I was hoping my bad breath would work like smelling salts and snap him out of it. During all this, he finally opened his eyes. It was pretty much like a deer in the head lights type of look. I still couldn't get him to say anything or move or make any kind of motion to let me know he was snapping out of this. The emergency lady on the phone asked if I knew what his temperature was. I grabbed the thermometer on the kitchen counter and tried to use it. Pressed the button and ran it across his forehead. It said 71.4. I wanted to cuss. About that time I could hear sirens. The lady on the phone told me to put away in animals that may cause problems. I stepped back and looked out the front window and saw a fire truck pulling up in front of my house. Finally, Coop moved. He even said, "Dad" very quietly. I finally took a breath. 

Before I knew it half a dozen people were in my living room looking him over. I told them what happened. I picked him up and put him on the gurney. The EMT's looked at him and every time they asked him how he was the response was "Good". You could tell he was still out of it and that was just an automated response. I found out what hospital they were taking him to and at that point I knew it was safe to call Mom. I called Marge and told her as calm and quick as I could what happened and where we were going. She said she was on the way to the hospital and would meet us there. We loaded onto the ambulance and headed out. 

About a month before this happened we were watching an episode of "Shark Tank". Coop saw this thing on there that was a sticker that takes your temperature. He thought that was the coolest invention. The EMT put one on his forehead while we were at the house. He started actually talking to me while we were on the ambulance to the Hospital. I asked him if he knew he had one of those stickers on his head. He reached up and felt it and just smiled. I am really starting to feel better at this point. I called the church to get the pastors praying and let them know what was going on. 

We walked into the Emergency room from the ambulance. Went straight to a room and got him hooked up to monitors and nurses were there taking his vitals. Mom got there and sat down with him. It was okay for me not to step away for a minute.  I got up left the room and bawled. I don't think I have ever been so scared in my life. 

All this to say, if you are a parent, take a first aid class. Be prepared for the unlikely. Coop has never had a seizure before. I hope he never has one again. The doctors are pretty sure it was a freak thing that won't happen again. We are going to a neurologist in a couple of weeks to make sure he checks out okay. I am just relieved that my little boy is back home today sitting with me watching Voltron and He-Man laughing as he is feeling better. I just hope you are more ready than I was. So, please take a class be ready. 

Wondering about the pumpkin patch

Where do they grow pumpkins? We take our kids to pumpkin patches each year. We run around doing games like stuff the scarecrow and blackberry mazes. We may pick a pumpkin out of a pile of pumpkins. Paint it or take it home and carve it into a jack o lantern. I don't think I remember seeing an actual pumpkin grow on a vine. All a pumpkin patch is anymore is a miniature carnival/ amusement park set up in the country for city folk to take a drive to the country.

I did see pumpkin vines. Did you know that when you pick a pumpkin if you let it get to hot then the seeds inside the pumpkin will start sprouting? Brought our overpriced pumpkins home from the pumpkin patch (I actually shouldn't say that I don't know how much my wife spent on the pumpkins. Although, I am sure she spent more than they would have been at HEB) opened the pumpkins up. Low and behold we had an entire harvest of pumpkin vines growing inside one of our pumpkins. Things you just don't know until you see them. 

What is the fascination with hay rides? I have to wonder this. You sit on square bails drive around a field at the break neck speed of 2 mph in ridiculously cold weather. And, why do we find this appealing? I hear people say all the time, "Hayrides are so much fun?" Really?  I love the people yelling at their kids not to fall out or the lack of feeling in my fingers when I am done. Sorry, just ranting a bit. 

I know that I may sound like I am complaining but all in all. A trip to the country to spend the day playing with your kids is a great day. Seeing them fish and run around with friends. Smiling and laughing as they try to rope different poles with animal pictures on them. Hanging out at the pumpkin patch (country six flags) is a great day. 

Parenting In Nature

I saw an article today showing great photographs in the wild. (http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/36760/rare+wildlife+photos+highlight+winning+entries+in+worldwide+contest/ ) Pictures of Lion's up in trees and alligators about to attack. One picture caught my eye as interesting. A picture of a young gazelle running away from four cheetahs. As they were looking on. You can see the fear in the gazelle's eyes. I think I would have the same look on my face if I was running from four cheetahs. As I read about what was happening, I found out that this gazelle was wounded by a mother cheetah. The mother didn't kill it but used this gazelle to teach her cubs, the four in the picture, how to hunt. I was blown away as I thought about the great wisdom in this. The mother cheetah understood her kids would need to be able to hunt for themselves one day. She understood that the best way for them to learn was by doing it. I was amazed at this. 

How often do we as parent's let other people teach our kids? How often do we just do stuff because we don't want to worry about it being done right? How often are we just so busy that we just do it for our kids because it takes to long? 

The majority of parenting is teaching our kids. I am not saying everyone needs to home school. I love home schoolers but I could never do that. THe people that do that successfully are amazing and have my utmost respect. I am saying we need to be involved in our kid's education and their development and not just the easy areas. It is to easy to encourage our kids to play sports or do well in school. When was the last time you encouraged your kids to read their Bible or pray? When was the last time your kids saw you read your Bible or pray? 

I remember as a kid at the beginning of each school year my parents would try and pull us in to pray before school started. It was hard for me and my sisters to take it seriously because it was never something we followed through with consistently. If we are as  dedicated to praying with our kids as we are to checking parent portal about their grades how much better would your child's spiritual growth be? If we spent as much time in God's word with our kids as we do throwing a baseball with them how much further along in discipleship would our kids' be? 

I am just saying, isn't it awesome how God has given us examples in parenting even in nature? 

But Lots wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19: 26

I grew up working on my Papaw's farm driving tractors raking hay. Basically, you take the hay and put it in straight rows for the person driving the hay bailer. The straighter the better, it helps the bailer pick up all the hay as it goes in to make bails. Every once and a while I would look back to admire work. As I turned my head, I would turn the steering wheel on the tractor too. Every time messing up the row that I was laying down. I had to learn, pick a point and drive toward it. If I did that then I never had problems with keeping the rows straight. 

We need to look specifically at Christ and use him for the point we are aiming towards. When God delivers us from something we have to take our selves and move on. God's view of stuff is straight forward. When we ask for forgiveness it is gone. As humans we can't just forget that easy.We have to make ourselves move to the next place in our lives. We say it is hard to move on. Yes it is hard to move on but nothing good ever comes from looking back on something God has forgotten. Look forward keep our eyes on the future God has for us. 

Lot's wife was to concerned with her past. She kept looking back at her life and what she had been delivered from. If she had kept her eyes forward we would probably know her as something besides Lott's wife. God has plans for all of us just keep moving forward toward him and you will make it. 

The Next Step

Moving forward is essential in everything we do. I had a teacher in high school, Mr. Hollis that once told me, "Darrell the day you quit learning is the day you are dead". I don't believe he was the first person to say that but he was the first person to tell me that and it stick. I think learning and just growing in general are important for all of us. We should always be trying new things. I believe God has called us to grow closer to him and try new things. It is important that pastor's remember growth is hard and setting people up to win is important. 

I was thinking about this the other day and how hard it must be for someone who has never volunteered in church to take the next step in volunteering. I thought about my years of ministry and how many people have come up to me and said, "Darrell, I feel like God is telling me to start helping in children's ministry". They fill out the applications and background checks are done. As you explain what the position entails you feel the excitement about growing closer to Christ and doing something for the kingdom. Then the first Sunday or Wednesday comes when the new volunteer is supposed to begin. You wake up sick or with a sick kid, get caught out the night before with some friends you haven't seen in a long time and you just can't get up, or you just can't take that next step. I am sure the Devil has no pleasure in anyone volunteering in their church. I believe that first month or two have to be super hard for someone who has never volunteered. You are taking that next step of growth. You are committing to do something that is gonna stretch you. You are committing to Jesus one more thing in your life. 

Look at Jonah, he was called to something he made up in his mind that would be impossible. He turned and went the other way from it. Finally, after he listens to God and does what he is told. He literally saves an entire city from destruction. Many times we think it is to hard to do the thing God has called us to do. We disappear in our churches on Sunday morning. Tell ourselves that the Kid's or youth pastor is to busy to talk about you volunteering right now. We can always come up with excuses and things that keep us from doing whatever it is that God has called us to do. 

I asked a Pastor once about a couple in the church that I had met but didn't know what part of the church they were plugged into. He responded that they were involved, they went to service every week and went to his Bible study on Wednesday nights. I responded with, "But, where are they plugged in?" He said they don't do anything they just attend. They were apart of the church but had not taken a step to volunteer. You will never truly get connected to God or the church until you take the step and volunteer. When you take and give more than just the required service times or even tithe you don't understand the blessings that come with that. 

All that being said, I hope you do something for your church. I hope you do something for Christ. I hope you do something to see people blessed. It almost sounds cliche  to say you will be blessed even more than them. It is true though. God has called everyone to something. God has called all of us to give something. Find that thing. Grow closer through serving. Expect it to be hard at first no matter what. Expect it to stretch you in ways you didn't even expect (even if it sounds easy). Know that you are doing something God wants you to do.