Make A Friend Today

I have always told my kids every morning when they get dropped off or leave the house, "I love you, be good, and work hard". If there are things I want them to know everyday it are those three things. They are important. Every kid should know that their Dad loves them. They should know that the expectation daily is to be good and work hard. I know it is simple but I want my kids to hear that every single day. I have added something to that here lately. I have been telling them, "Make a new friend today." I was thinking a couple of weeks ago about friends and how you can really never have to many.

One of the things that I do that my wife just shakes her head at (trust me there are many) is talk to any kind of service people that I deal with waiters, cashiers, basically anyone with a name tag that I deal with. Actually, I really wish everyone in the world wore a name tag. I would call everyone by there first name. It is fun to me to talk with people. It makes my day to say something silly or talk to them with some meaning. How many times a day does someone just call them, "hey you"? It is the least  I can do, call them by name. Talk to them like a person. Isn't that what Jesus did with everyone?

He came up to Andrew, Peter, James and John. He called out to them as perfect strangers. He talked to Phillip and Nathanael the same way. Time and time again Jesus made strangers his friends. He talked to anyone that was close by. Women at the well, tax collectors, and pharisees all had great moments of conversation with Jesus. Do we think we are to good to talk to people? Do we think we are to busy? Are we scared they are going to dump their problems on us? Are we scared we may make a new friend?

I think all to often in Christian life we get stuck in a bubble. When my wife was a student at Baylor, we joked about how students would walk across the street and not pay attention because they were safe in the "Baylor Bubble". We get stuck in our church friend bubble. It may be a small group you have at church. It may be just a few of your friends. It may be some people that you work with, but we miss out on relationships that could benefit our lives because we  don't stop and talk to people. I hope I don't ever become to busy or prideful or stuck up to make a new friend. If given the opportunity today,  make a new friend. Find out someone's name. Ask God to put someone new in your life. You can never have to many friends. You will never be able to meet all 7 billion people on the Earth. You might as well get to know as many as you can. You might learn something from someone. You might get an opportunity to share Jesus with someone. Make a friend today.

I almost forgot

Prayer is a really easy concept for all of us but so many times, I think we get distracted and take it for granted. I have had a couple of different theories on prayer as I have been in life. I don't think either is wrong but over the years I have tried to employ both. 

When I was in high school, I prayed like a crazy man. I would put Christian metal on in my walk man and call down fire from Heaven for hours. I couldn't do anything before I went through this process. It was like Ray Lewis yelling at his team before a game. I am sure there was a dance and a scream that accomypanied it. It worked for me. 

When I was in college, I worked with a guy that changed my opinion a lot. We went and did a kid's service and he just kinda chilled. He was sitting around relaxing, I think he may have been drinking coffee. I remember asking, "Are we gonna pray?" He just looked at me and calmly said, "I prayed for this for the last week, I am good. You are welcome too." I remember being confused thinking so what am I supposed to do? I don't drink coffee and I have to move around. I have never been one to just sit. Especially when I have a little bit of nervous energy. Praying all crazy had been a way to distract me and prepare me, but I didn't feel like I could just go and pray if the guy I was working for and helping was just gonna sit there and drink coffee. I think just the nervousness and confusion caused me to sweat through my deodorant. Of course, it may have just been because it was hot? Who knows? It makes sense though, if I spend time praying in preparation for something, I shouldn't need a special prayer time before a service. So, I actually kind of developed that as a way of doing things for a few years. 

A few years later, I was volunteering at a church as a preschool leader. The pastor at the church had a big preservice prayer time. Basically, a bunch of guys, some of the church staff, and a handful of prayer warriors would go in a prayer room and pray before every service on every Sunday. It was cool. The pastor even invited men in the church to come pray with him during that time. I was honored because I was just a young guy who he asked and I never even actually went to a Sunday morning service because we were always helping with the kids. I began to notice a few things though. I prayed for my service with the kids during the week and if I missed that I didn't think it was a big deal. I would only miss it on Sundays where stuff got busy or if we were running a little late. I noticed as definite difference in my time with the kids. If I didn't pray, something was going to go wrong. The kids would be hyper. Johnny would punch Trevor. Sally would glue the craft to her face or worse her new dress. It would always be something. Sunday's where I made sure starting my day with prayer was a priority stuff went smoother. Or at least it  seemed that way. I made sure that I got there early enough to pray. I made prayer a priority on Sunday mornings before my service time. 

Over the years, I have kept that prayer time. It has developed into a personal prayer time, usually about 6:30 or 7 on Sunday morning in my office. I still pray throughout the week for my services, my volunteers and leaders, the kids and the parents that will be at our church. It still amazes me though how if I get busy or distracted from prayer I am not in the right spot that day. I think you have to have both prayer before a service and during the week. Can we ever really pray to much for something? 

Just saying, don't forget to pray. It is easy. We all have things going every single day. I hope you are taking time to pray for things coming up. I also hope you are praying for the Holy Spirit to be with you in whatever things you have going. Meeting, evaluations, tests or whatever can be things to pray for. It may even be easier if you are just praying daily any how. Just don't forget about prayer. It does make a difference. 

What is that?

So many times out of necessity or laziness or who knows what, we find ourselves using things in ways they are not meant to be used. Such as...

1. A straw as a toothpick

2. A wall as a back scratcher

3. A piece of paper as a toothpick

4. Anything as a pillow

5. A pen as a toothpick

6. Fingernail clippers as scissors

7. A fingernail as a toothpick

8. A book as something to prop a table

What can I say, I get things stuck in my teeth a lot. The point being we find ourselves using these things and getting a job done but it probably isn't the most productive way to get that job done. (You would think I would just buy a box of toothpicks and stick them in my truck or desk at work.) 

Jesus was talking to his disciples in Matthew 16 and said, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

The simple answer to the question, "Who do you say Jesus is?" It is very important to how we live our life. Our actions and priorities can tell what our answer really is. Our answer to this question is seen by the what we do and how we talk. The answer to this question can be told by our levels of stress. It is something that should be understood by our every day life. 

If we say Jesus is God, then we read our Bibles and pray. If we say he is the messiah then we go to church and tell others about him. If we say he is the one true God we find time to worship him daily. 

If he is just a prophet or John the Baptist then going to church and praying is a waste of time. If he is just a man who lived a long time ago then the Bible is just a history book. Sometimes, we end up using Godly things in ways that they were not meant to be used. The Bible just becomes another read. Prayer becomes meditating. Church becomes a social gathering. None of those things are bad but they are not what God intended them to be. 

Because Peter understood this and proclaimed this, God decided to make him the foundation of his church. I hope in this new year that you stop and proclaim this not just by your words but by your actions and all the things in your life. Ask yourself, "Who is Jesus to me?" Ask it daily. 

Christmas Verse (Blog Revisited)

I will never forget the Christmas message I taught when Margaret was 5 months pregnant with Scout. We were working at a small church in Waco. I think we may have had 20 both preschool and elementary in kid's church. We met in a school's music room using a karaoke machine for sound. (I think back to those days and just realize how spoiled I am now with all the lights, equipment, and space we have now.) It was still one of those days in Ministry I don't think I will ever forget.

I decided I was going to use John 3:16 as a text to teach the kids about God's love for us at Christmas. I had written out the lesson. I spent time in prayer about it. I was ready to teach it. We went through the normal parts of our lesson. We played some silly Christmas game. Sang some fun songs. Had a puppet come out and taught the memory verse. Worshiped. I got to the lesson and began talking about this verse that we all have heard a thousand times.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I began crying right there in Kid's Church. It hit me. I don't think I really understood what God gave up for me that Christmas until I was teaching that room of kid's that day. I realized, I would not be willing to give up my unborn daughter who I had not even met yet for anything in this world. I realized my love for her was so strong that I would do whatever I could to keep her from any harm. I realized that instance what God gave up. I knew the verse. I thought I understood what it said. I knew at that moment I couldn't do what God did for anyone. That is why, to me, John 3:16 is the most important Christmas verse. He gave up the most important thing to him for me. He knew the pain Jesus would go through. He knew the kind of death Jesus would have to go through. This Christmas, think about that. If you are a parent, you know what I am talking about. If not, one day you will know exactly what I am writing. God sent his son that Christmas morning for each of us.
I decided I was going to use John 3:16 as a text to teach the kids about God's love for us at Christmas. I had written out the lesson. I spent time in prayer about it. I was ready to teach it. We went through the normal parts of our lesson. We played some silly Christmas game. Sang some fun songs. Had a puppet come out and taught the memory verse. Worshiped. I got to the lesson and began talking about this verse that we all have heard a thousand times. 
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
I began crying right there in Kid's Church. It hit me. I don't think I really understood what God gave up for me that Christmas until I was teaching that room of kid's that day. I realized, I would not be willing to give up my unborn daughter who I had not even met yet for anything in this world. I realized my love for her was so strong that I would do whatever I could to keep her from any harm. I realized that instance what God gave up. I knew the verse. I thought I understood what it said. I knew at that moment I couldn't do what God did for anyone. That is why, to me, John 3:16 is the most important Christmas verse. He gave up the most important thing to him for me. He knew the pain Jesus would go through. He knew the kind of death Jesus would have to go through. This Christmas, think about that. If you are a parent, you know what I am talking about. If not, one day you will know exactly what I am writing. God sent his son that Christmas morning for each of us.

The Makings Of A Snow Hill

Many times in life we have dreams that never come true. In my offices, you will find a picture of a piece of barren land in Florida with a quote by Walt Disney that says, "It's kind of fun to do the impossible". It is fun to dream up something and work out the crazy details and see it happen. Last night, I got to experience one of those crazy fun days that you get to do something amazing. Here is how it came about...

About a month ago, I was looking at the calendar and noticing our annual Kid's Rock Christmas Party. I thought to myself, "Last year was fun, but I need to take it to another level this year". I stepped back and began to think of things about Christmas and this time of year that would make the night memorable. I thought about giant Christmas cookies and Snow men. I considered Christmas light tours and hot chocolate drinking contests. Nothing seamed right. I kept going back and forth on different things and two different things happened. First, I was having a conversation with someone about the greatness of the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation". I thought about the scene where the Grizwalds put some special cream on a sled and it takes off across town like a rocket. I am sitting here chuckling as I am thinking about it. Then, I went and visited some friends in Cleburne for a wedding that I was supposed to perform on an icy weekend. I saw snow, ice, sleet, and a host of other cold stuff that totally messed up my weekend plans. I had fun hanging out with friends inside but while I was gone I had an idea. What if I made some sort of snow hill, real or fake, for our kids to sled down at our Christmas party? It would be worth thinking about. 

Driving home, I asked Marge to look up snow machines, snow rentals, snow blowers, snow makers, anything to do with snow. I had no idea what it would cost to make this happen or if it was even possible to make it happen. We found fake snow that they use in movies and productions. We found people that sold snow by the bag. We found someone that would mail you snow from the Rockies at a small fortune. She would read information and websites to me as we drove. If it sounded like something I needed to look into further I had her text me the information. I got back and tried to figure out a plan for staff meeting and had some general stuff, but not all my details. I knew I needed to just throw the idea out there. If you don't ask about a dream then you will never know. My Pastor kinda looked at me like I was crazy at first, you know we do live in south Texas. Then, he said get good details like how much and stuff and then we can talk more. I preceded to calling "snow" companies about this crazy idea. 

The first company, they never returned my call. They had different ways of doing this but I know God was guiding this dream because the next company I called was the one we ended up using and they were great. It costed about a third of what my Pastor initially thought it would cost.  It was still kind of expensive but I was willing to bring our Youth department in on it too. We split the cost and Pastor said he could make up the difference. He was on board and that encouraged the dream. Called the snow guys up and everything was booked. They showed up about 6:30 last night and shot about 8000 lbs of snow onto the front lawn of our church on a day that it was in the 70s in San Antonio. Our kids got a "white"Christmas... party and got to have an evening of sledding. It was a great night.

The thing I love about this, I knew I could dream and take a shot. Whatever you do, "Dream!" You don't know if it is crazy until you tell someone. Even if it is crazy, do your homework and see if you can get others to get on board. I love my pastor, without him being encouraging this would have never happened. He saw the potential for kids to have a very memorable night at God's house by helping make this happen. I have worked with and know other kid's pastors that work for Pastors who may have thought this was just a waist of money being put on frozen water. They would have missed an opportunity. Nights like these are the things outside of the altar that I want to create. Memorable moments that kids fall in love with church time and again. It is at church where they can learn about God and have fun. So dream, dream big and don't be afraid to ask. Even if it does seam as crazy as putting a snow hill in San Antonio. 

Christmas Plays Past

This is the first year in many that I decided not to do a Christmas play. Over the last couple weeks, via Facebook, I have seen all my Kidmin friends posting about their Christmas plays. I did miss it (a little). It did give me a few moments to actually reminisce about some of our previous productions. We have had some very cool moments and some moments that well... they are kids. I have been blessed to do some very cool productions. We did one on the Riverwalk in SanAntonio. We did one on the front lawn of our church. I have had full on set changes and massive costumes made for different plays. I will always remember our first Christmas play as a kid's pastor.

The first year I was a kids pastor at Christmas was in Arlington. We had a small group of kids because it was a small church. We spent the entire fall working with our 16 kids to do this program. I told those kids, "This may be someone in this audience one chance to hear about Jesus." You got to love the "putting extra pressure" on kids (young kid's pastor mistake). It worked for the most part. The kids were taking a play about a rebellious angel serious because they wanted to be a witness. It was smooth right up until... we added the 2 preschoolers playing Mary and Joseph. They were supposed to walk out and stand at the manger and really just look longingly at the baby doll in the manger. The little girl playing Mary decided she wanted to hold they baby, of course that made our little Joseph want to hold the baby, too. These two wonderful little ones, they began playing tug of war as we are singing this grand finale. Of course, the idea was no longer on this great ministry moment like I had been building up with the kids. It is now a crowd of people laughing at our Mary and Joseph now fighting over the sweet baby Jesus. I am just trying to get the rest of the kids through the song. It was great. I went up to the microphone to tell people the great news of our savior coming. I found a crowd that was still laughing their butts off because these two precious little ones fighting during this great finale. I then returned to the backstage with steaming older kids that were extremely mad at our poor parents of Jesus, "You messed up people getting saved!" It was quickly something I never thought I would have heard an older kid yelling that but I did. 

I messed up and told the kids the message was the key. The key was actually them. The key was them standing up in front of a group of people and being the light themselves. They were the ones that could show family members what they were becoming, young men and women of God. Their lives were so much bigger than any song they sang and any words I shared. They were the gospel that night and any time they do anything. Who those kids are what matters. 

A little bit more thanks

Thanks (Part 2)

I am blessed to work hand in hand with groups of people. Last week, we I wrote to parents. Today, I want to thank another very special group in our ministry.  Without either of those groups we would not be able to do Children’s Ministry at our church. If God is the head of this ministry, then these groups are the hands and the feet. They are so important to all of us. Today, I want to thank the volunteers, the teachers, the helpers, and the leaders. 

All of these people prepare each week. They pray for our kids. They show up ready to be with kids. These people attend meetings. Many of them hurry from work on Wednesdays or get up early on Sundays. They spend their own money. They do so much because they want all of our kids to know that Jesus is the best thing anyone could ever know about. 

As the Children’s Pastor, Thank You doesn’t ever seem like it is enough. Each one of these teachers make me look good every single week. They are the people that create discussions. They plan field trips. They create crafts. They are the best. I am blessed to be able to work along side each of them. Kid’s make sure you tell each of your teachers, “Thank You!” They are the hands of this ministry. They make it happen. 

Pastor Darrell