How Do You Respond?

Having spent most of the last 2 decades of time in youth, children, and family ministry, I have established a few hard convictions. One of those, is that my primary role as a parent is to teach my children to obey (Ex.20:12; Eph 6:1-2). So, like many parents, I have my own phrases and looks that communicate a certain expectation from my kids that even my almost 3 yr old understands.

One of these comes in the form of a question, "How do you respond?" And at this stage in life their expected response is "yes Daddy/Mommy" and do it. Because of their current maturity level, we do not give them much choice in the matters. Our expectation at this point in life is compliance. Of course, as they age, we will allow for interaction as to the "why," but still expect obedience. Their motivation for obedience right now is extrinsic, but eventually, we desire for the motivation to become intrinsic. As I continue to think about what God is teaching me in what I am reading, one of the things I keep noticing about Ezekiel's response, as well as, the vast majority of God's prophets, to God's commands is, "Yes, LORD" and do it.

Think about some of these things God has asked these people to do: sacrifice an only and long awaited son; lead a couple million people out of Egypt and into a new land filled with hostile people; leave business and family and follow former carpenter turned itinerant preacher. Each one of these were blessed and held in high regard by God (see Hebrews 11 for a Cliff Notes list of these). Jesus Christ is the ultimate example to follow. He, though perfect and blameless, was told to do die a gruesome death and take on the punishment of the sins of the world, and his response, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will" or "Yes, Daddy" and did it.

I find myself asking what is it that God has asked me to do today, and then He asks, How do you respond? "Yes, Father and do it?" My life is not my own, I have been bought with a price.

Welcome to the Family!

We have added a new member to our family this weekend! I would like to introduce you to Polly my daughters' new big sister. Polly (her new "American" name. Her real name is too long for me to remember yet) is an exchange student from Thailand that will live with us for the next year. She is sixteen and will be learning about America and all the various things it offers. In addition to that, I am so excited to have her live with us as it will give me a unique insight into Thai culture since I will be going on mission to Thailand in January 2009.

Please pray that Polly will see Jesus in our family over the next few months. Pray that she feels safe and welcome in our home. I know the anxiety that my 10-day trip brings me, a grown adult. I cannot imagine her feelings, at her age, and for this length of time. She has such a sweet spirit and willingness to jump in and be a part of our family. Of course, Melody and Selah just LOVE having a big sister to play with. I will love her the way that I love my own daughters, and am grateful that her family entrust her with us. I do not take this privilege lightly.

What's Your Legacy?

This weekend, as we returned from our retreat, Jill & I passed this sign on the road home, and I couldn't help but stop and snap a picture. It had "blog about me written all over it." This was a first for me. I have seen signs, plaques and banners all commemorating the legacy of someone who gave money, fought for a cause, led as an example of different things. This person, while I am sure was a pioneer in the field of environmental excellence, is being honored by having a landfill, of all things, named after them... hmmm...

Given the marriage retreat we just completed, it immediately caused me to remember one of the main things discussed in our sessions-- the legacy that we will leave. You see, everyone of us come from different family backgrounds, many unhealthy ones. Our culture screams at us that we use excuses to justify our being undisciplined and lazy in how we function as a family. Many folks at our retreat however, rejected this mindset, as Jill & I have already done, drove a stake in the ground and decided that they would break the cycle of an ungodly heritage.

Joshua, as he led the people into conquering the Promised Land, challenged the people with this, "'Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)

Joshua drew a line in the sand. Perhaps you had a childhood that was filled with abuse, neglect or just worldly, and God has given you a family of your own. You get to choose, are you going to follow in your parents footsteps, or will you choose to serve the Lord. I can say with confidence, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. The line is drawn for you, what is your legacy going to be?

Proud Parents

Tonight, my big-girl honored her parents, and her God. In the Upwards awards banquet, she received a special award.

Just when you think they aren't listening...



Melody, you continue to be our song of God's grace. We are so proud of you and love you very much!

Check out the fine print!

Train Up A Child

Help me understand something. The old cliche states, "the height of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results," right? Well, I watched a news brief this morning that left me just shaking my head once again at the parents of today. They so many don't seem to get this concept.

The news feature reported of a ten year old girl that aspires going on "American Idol" when she gets older. Her parents are helping her pursue this dream by posting her singing online using Youtube and blogs. In recent years there seems to be an increase in the number of young performers coming into the lime light as they clamour for fame and fortune. Popular shows like "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent" (et al) have helped to fuel this.

But it doesn't seem to mean anything that the vast majority of kids that reach stardom end up in rehab. Poster children for this would include Brittany Spears, Michael Jackson, Mary Kate & Ashley. I guess there is a level of parental denial that takes place here.

My own girls, I believe, are artistic, little performers, and I hope to encourage their using whatever giftings they have to honor the Lord. But as a parent, my main goal is for them to not have fame, but character. Not fortune, but personal responsibility. Not talent, but integrity. Not to be happy, but to be holy. However in typical fashion, the world has put the cart before the horse.

We recently had an opportunity to get our oldest involved in a program called Upwards Basketball. This program's primary goal is to encourage character on and off the field. I shared that we had placed Melody in this program, with a group of guys, and one of the guys very quickly declared, that she would learn very little about how to play basketball. Which, if that is true, I am totally okay with. I am far more concerned with her being able to begin seeing what it is like to work as a team, endure suffering and defeat, and begin to experience hard work and personal responsibility.

Parents, lets take back the reigns from the the world telling our kids that they must be rich and famous in order to have worth. Let's encourage our kids to dream and strive for excellence, but to keep in perspective that which will truly last forever, not this stuff that moth and rust will destroy.

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it."

-- Proverbs 22:6

They Sure Grow Up Fast!

Today is my oldest daughter's birthday. She is five years old and it has been five amazing years of getting to know her and getting to know myself as I have grown up with her. God has truly blessed me with the five years of knowing and loving my big girl. Happy Birthday Melody, you will always be my song of God's grace. You have taught me more than you will ever know. Through that Grace, I pray that God may bless me with many more years as your Daddy! You my princess!

You Feed Them!

One of the most familiar stories of Jesus is found in Matthew 14:13-21. Jesus, having heard the news of John the Baptist's death, withdraws to an isolated place to pray. However, He is followed by a huge crowd of people on whom He has compassion. He then heals their sick and ministers to them. Afterward, the disciples have the following response, "15As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."

They were tired, had a busy day, they were probably hungry, so their response was reasonable, right? Note Christ's instruction to them, "16Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." If you have been to Sunday School, you know that in the following verses, Jesus works a miracle with a little boy's sack lunch and feeds the estimated 10,000+ people there.

OK, cool story, so what, I can't turn 5 loaves and 2 fish into a convention buffet. The Holy Spirit taught me a different application of the above mentioned verses. As parents, especially in the busy lives we lead, we too often tend to want to send our kids away to church, school (or Christian school), or wherever to learn about life and faith. But I think that Jesus' words to the disciples are apropos to us, "you feed them."

Much to the surprise of parishioners, it is not the church's responsibility to disciple our kids, but rather, according to Deuteronomy 6:4-9, WE are given that mantle. Too often we fuss and complain about what our schools are teaching or what the TV is allowing into our kids heads, but we abdicate our God given task to raise up our kids in the way they should go. We must be the primary source of information that our children receive, not the V-chip or the school board.

This is not a treatise on home school or Christian verses public school. The truth is I have seen both godly and pagan kids come out of both. By far the ones that the kids really rose above the culture were ones that Mom AND Dad actively pursued discipling their OWN children.

Our church is seeking a new youth pastor, and my pastor shared with me that one of the youths' parents had made the comment that if we didn't replace the youth pastor soon, we would lose our youth, since we didn't have, "anyone to disciple them." I think Christ would say the same thing to them and He did the disciples... "YOU FEED THEM!"