Quote for the Week

I was playing with my oldest baby girl, who is 2. I said, "You're beautiful."

She replied, "I not boot-ee-fool."

I asked wondering, "You're not? What are you, then?"

Smiling, she replied with certain confidence, "I Annesley ... and I a princess."

Daddy War-ring-against-the-bucks

In Annie's life the sun does come out tomorrow when Daddy Warbucks uses his wealthy pull to bring her home to live in his mansioned-fatherhood. Who has not been inspired by this true American classic?

In today's world the sun comes out when ... or even if ... Daddy's check arrives. For many children of divorce that check is the only tangible evidence they have had at one time a father to even think about them ... not to mention even visit them.

While this is sad in and of itself, the nasty thunderstorm clouds that hide the sun from coming out for us is our society's pressured acceptance of relegating fathers to Ben Franklin, George Washington, and their ilk ($$$$$$) ... while at the same time castrating fatherhood.

David Blankenhorn poignantly insists that the best answer for today's rampant drugs, sex, and violence youth culture is fatherhood. He does not simply mean making deadbeat dads pay their child support. He is calling on our society to work towards reinvesting in a fully married, male fatherhood. The stock market of secular-progressive androgyny has long crashed, leaving American society in deep depression.

"For children, doing without a father's money is the easy part. Money influences what you have and what you can do. Fathers shape who you are" (David Blankenhorn, Fatherless America: Confronting our Most Urgent Social Problem, p. 45).

My Shadows Are Chasing Me

I've been back from "vacation" for nearly a week now (Thursday will be a week). I must say that I can certainly tell that I'm no longer "on vacation." But more on that in a bit.

What my vacation consisted of was seeing family, visiting who I consider to be my home church, a pastor's retreat/conference, and spending time with my immediate family at the beach. You ever hear of the phrase, "I need a vacation from my vacation?"

All in all my vacation was "good" ... at times unpleasant ... but nonetheless good. Deciding to head off stress by discontinuing to keep score on the golf course is certainly less than pleasant ... but in the long run being able to spend the time with my brother is invaluable ... it was good.

I found out that I still have much to learn. For example my 4-year old nephew was about to sport some brand new Diego swim shorts and proceeded to inform me that Diego was not real. I asked him how he knew Diego was not real. A couple of minutes passed in our jostling debate, and he grew impatient with his obviously ignorant uncle. He ends the conversation with golden nugget of wisdom, "UNCLE WILLIAM ... Diego is NOT real. He's made in China just like everything else ... except for gnats."

I've never been put into my place quite like that before!

Yes, my life here in South Carolina is not my life in Georgia. I miss Georgia ... and I especially felt my longing for "home" when I had the opportunity to attend what I consider to be my home church. No, my life here is not my life there.

In fact, I really don't have a life there anymore. Oh, there are facets of my life here that are still in Georgia. But my life is not there ... nor is my life here. Rather my life is in Christ ... who has the authority to lead me to even the ends of the earth.

Don't get me wrong. There is a philosophy that many of precious older believers live out. Christianity to them is getting saved ... holding out here as best I can ... and waiting to make it to heaven. This is not what I mean.

I have precious treasure in my friends and family, precious memories in the various places I've visited and lived. These will always be a part of me ... a part of who I am. But all of these will always flow from my life in Christ Jesus ... who is my very life.

These special people and places are shadows of Jesus's great Salvation in my life. If I attempt to pursue them first, they become idols and Jesus becomes a mere shadow (and a bad one at that) of the Jesus in Scripture ... and I find that instead of Jesus casting his shadow over me, the devil does ... and his shadows are quite rough and scary.

Yet, if I chase Jesus, by taking up my cross and following him, I find that my shadows are chasing me.

• But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33; ESV)
• If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matthew 16:24 & 25; ESV)

Whiny Kids Are a Beautiful Vacation

Yesterday, I began my vacation ... and I did it at McDonalds with whiny kids! Well, despite the failure of the "Happy Meal" to live up to its name ... "I'm lovin' it."

Family has been circum-navigating my heart every since I left for my trip. While I know that most of you out there are perfect ... you humor me by reading my blog to gather some faint idea of what imperfection feels like. Often times my past relational boo-boos and blunders are thrust into my heart.

"How could I have even thought such a thing ... much less have said it!?" "Man, what a idiot!" You remember the feel of finger nails scratching across the chalkboard? Yeah ... then you understand my gut wrenching during these lovely trips down Memory Lane.

Then ... and thankfully "then" comes ... then I remember that I actually have children ... which several years ago I never believed would grace my life ... my less a wonderful darling of a wife.

At one time I entertained the fantasy of meeting who was to become my beautiful bride in high school or even college. Not any more! I would have ruined my chances from the first hello.

But look at us now ... not perfect ... but continuing to build a very beautiful friendship. What a mightifully wonderful God I serve! You see Salvation is not simply a one moment of conversion. It certainly includes that, but Salvation is so much more. Salvation following that one moment of conversion includes taking that idiot I was and molding and shaping me into the husband and father I am today ... not that I've "arrived" or obtained mathematical perfection in husbandry or fatherhood. But I'm not where I was ... and I'm also not where I'm going to be next month or even next year!

Salvation is not clean ... its down right kids-gettin'-the-ketchup-in-the-hair messy. The Holy Spirit is so marvelous. So ... yeah ... I'll take a vacation with less than sit-up-and-shut-up-style kids any day. After all the presence of my kids is the tangible evidence that I'm on vacation from the power of the sin that so easily beset me ... and I don't plan on returning from that vacation! Yes ... I can easily return to my former self and former mistakes ... but the good news of the Gospel is that I don't have to! A major part of the Gospel is the opportunity of being transformed from depravity into the righteousness of God. In a Ronald-McDonald-hair fashion ... that is wild!

The Sacrifice of Motherhood

Happy Mother's Day!

In celebrating those precious people God has elected to raise civilization, it often good to recognize motherly giants as examples to follow. For example Susanna Annesley Wesley was a woman of deep faith, praying that God would use her to spark a movement of God in the churches throughout the English world (Mother's of Influence--Inspiring Stories of Women Who Made a Difference in Their Children and Their World, 2005). Little did she know that she would indeed profoundly influence English Christianity and indeed global Christianity through two of her sons, John and Charles Wesley. They were only 2 of her 19 children ... actually only 9 survived until adulthood. At any rate, she spent an hour praying for her children each day ... and an additional hour per day with one of her children. Wow.

But what about our moms who don't feel they measure up to this spiritually giant status? What about our moms who upon looking back realized they royally screwed up their children? What about our moms who have tried their best and yet their children have become children of the devil?

And what about our moms who feel put-down and spat upon from the ultra-feminist culture for devoting time to their family instead of their careers?

I think we find in the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume a healing example for us to follow. Let's look at Mark 14: 3-9.

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? for this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her" (ESV).

Now we don't know is this woman was a mom or not, but we can find in her a balm of healing. Notice that she comes in and anoints Jesus ... in the midst of protests."Why was the ointment wasted like that?"I think our wonderful "femi-nazi" society looks upon moms who give up opportunities for full-blown, self-pursuit, career as rather wasteful. Let's don't even mention those moms who choose to raise their families full-time!!! "What a waste!" "She could have really made something of herself!"

I also think that many moms look at their current motherhood status and/or perhaps look back on their past motherhood exploits and cry out in despair, "What a waste!" "I could have done better!" "I am such a failure now ... what a waste!"Now this sermon isn't to justify evil ... as some mom's have much need for repentance. Yet, many moms are naturally idealistic and feel they don't measure up to some artificial ideal ... often imposed by other people.

In the same vein as Jesus, I want to emphasize, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

The present-day dollar amount might well be nearly $25,000 for the perfume she poured out on Jesus.

"Let her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

I want moms to understand that the sacrifices they have made for their families is like this perfume poured out over the body of Jesus.For our moms who have been less than perfect, please allow Jesus to pour out the perfume of his Holy Spirit over you and feel his forgiveness running down your tear-stained face.

This is not at all to alleviate of our dear moms their responsibility for confession of sin and pursuit of repentance.

Yet, as an engine without oil will only lock-up and remain that way, our moms need to feel the forgiveness that Jesus offers, so they can do what comes naturally to them ... properly love their families. Jesus offers that forgiveness and transformation today. Will you reach out and take his outstretched, nail-scarred hand?

Happy Mother's Day

Praying Works in Unusual Way

Today is the National Day of Prayer, and I had the priviledge of meeting with area church leaders (both clergy and non-clergy) to partake of this unifying event. As I watched the various people play their roles, I noticed my 2-year old climbing in and out of her seat. I noticed her tapping me on the arm and whisper, "Look," with her gorgeous smile.

I also noticed that we were all worshipping in an inter-racial service, and my baby girl was oblivious as to how big of a deal that really is. The piece delegated to me was to pray over the local, state, and federal governing officials, which is one of the areas most dear to my heart.

I recall two specific points I made to the crowd before praying, while holding my daughter:

• We live in a land which is governed by a system that is "by the people, for the people, and of the people." That is us who were in that room tonight. As much as we may or may not like our elected officials, we cannot forget that we are the primary ones responsible for bettering our country ... not simply those dearly beloved bozos in office.
• Since the brunt of the burdern falls on our shoulders and as good Christians we will fulfill our responsibilities ... and not simply put them off onto others ... to move forward we must lock arms together ... regardless of what we look, taste, feel, or smell like ... if we are to move forward indeed.

I am proudly conservative socially and politically. I proudly love our country and believe that she is my Christian responsibility ... at least part of my Christian responsibility. We must move past grouping ourselves according to what we look like. We must group ourselves according to theology and philosophy. These are lessons I hope that my daughter will be able to take for granted if she so chooses to ... not that she should ... but that contemporary American Christianity will be so different from years ago that she could.

Patrick, a 5th-Century Inspiration of Hope for Our 21st Century

Bill O'Reilly interviewed Dr. Shannon Fox of Mom*Logic last night on "The O'Reilly Factor." Mom*Logic is dedicated to helping on-the-go moms to be more in-the-know when it comes to being a mom in today's racy culture. Last night's topic was a mini-expose on the brash drugged out and banally, sexed-up week that is Spring Break.

A couple of points of interest:

• The kids in Dr. Fox's video were quite brazen and brash about their "pastimes," despite their knowing the video would be shown on national TV.
• One girl displayed a brash "like-uh-what...ever" attitude when it came to one of her Vaction-mates being raped. Laughing, she estimated their might have been as many as 30 guys in the room at that time.

What has struck me in working with mostly older and elderly adults in my churches, is the near-absolute fear these precious people have of this particular banal youth culture. Okay, I have to admit that I'm fairly overwhelmed myself. Yet, there is a growing excitement in me that is salivating at the possible future opportunities and challenges of working in that culture. My emotions will likely be clashing for quite some time.

One obscure man from an era long bygone continues to fuel my fire in reaching out to utterly pagan and banal people, especially youth. When we commonly think of St. Patrick, we typically want to run to our closets for that green sweater to avoid being pinched. Many of the particular youth being discussed would likely think of funneling green beer by the newly-dyed green river front.

However, Patrick is one of those who will likely sit next to Jesus a bit longer than most of us will in heaven. He is a giant of orthodox Christianity. If he were living today, it is likely he would be considered an Evangelical, charismatic Roman Catholic. At any rate, he grew up in 5th Century Roman-occupied Britannia. His father was presbyter in their church ... and ... he was a spoiled brat, avoiding all the priests teachings. At the ripe old age of 16 he was captured by Irish raiders along with many others and taken into slavery. During his enslavement he embraced the Jesus his spoiled-bratness has rejected. Passionately did he embrace Jesus. He was able to escape 6 years after being kidnapped. Yet instead of living out the rest of his days in Christian-comfort, he went into the priesthood and obeyed the call to return to Ireland on Holy Spirit, Gospel Mission. Ireland's rich Celtic Christian legacy ... passionate Christian outreach to mainland Europe owes her soul to Jesus ... and to Patrick ... a former spoiled brat who flippantly rejected the Jesus he eventually gave up his homeland for.

Here are Patrick's own words from his Confessio:

• Now it is too tedious to give an account of my labours, in whole or in part. Let me relate briefly how the most holy God has often freed [me] from slavery and from twelve perils whereby my soul was endangered, besides numerous treacheries and "things which I am unable to express in words." Nor shall shall (sic) I bore my readers, but I have God as my authority, who knows all things even before they come to pass, that me, a poor little pupil, an ordinary person, [his] "divine answer" would frequently warn. "Whence did this wisdom [come] to me," which was not in me, who knew neither "the number of my days," nor did I have any discernment about God. When [was given] to me afterwards the gift so great, so salutary, to know or to love God wholeheartedly, but at the loss of country and kindred? (trans. Maire B. de Paor, p. 245 & 247; underlining mine)

If the Holy Spirit can capture the heart of a flippant, spoiled brat teen from yester-year, certainly he can do so this year. I'm afraid that ... as in Patrick's day ... such a movement of the Holy Spirit might just require so many of our creature-comforts to be stolen by the leprechauns and hidden away at the end of the rainbow. However, I certainly don't wish destruction on anyone.

Here is the video of Bill's interview with Dr. Fox:

The Luster of Christmas

Christmas has since I can remember been a time of fanciful imaginging and wonderlands of daydreams. However, in recent years, this favorite time of the year for me has been losing its luster. Even my all-time favorite movie, "A Christmas Story," was a bit anti-climatic this past week. Have I shot Christmas-eye out?

However, this Christmas will go down on record as the most memorable for me ... due to a short visit back in Georgia (where most sweetly-good things are!) with my brother's family and a couple of friends. In visiting with my brother's family, he and I got the unique opportunity to teach his 5-year old daughter how to ride a bike ... with no training wheels. He had already begun to work with her. Upon arriving at his place, I joined in the fun, and together we helped her move from terrible fright (especially on concrete) to riding by herself (on concrete) with emotional zest ... all in one day!!!!!!!

From whipping him in several riviting games of checkers to great conversations with several other family folks to putting stickers on Burger King toys for both my neice and nephew to staying up late and watching "Pirates of the Carribean 3" and eating fudge with my sister-in-law to connecting over lunch with three really great friends who really love the Lord with deep passion; this visit really scratched my Christmas itch. As an emotional stocking-stuffer, I got to return home to my wife, who has become my best friend and talk to a another good friend on the phone, who I had to leave behind in Kentucky.

Yes, giving is a major part of Christmas; and while buying stuff to give to people can potentially cause you to think about someone other than yourself ... many people are actually drowning self-consumption. The gift-giving tends to be more about them than the person for whom they're buying.

What made this visit so rewarding, I believe, (even though I happily and proudly bought things for people) was the opportunity and ability to personally invest in the lives of others and tend to relationships with people very important to me. That is something which makes even the brightest Higbee's Christmas window display pale in comparison.

The Higbee's picture is from the site: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=022301.

Waving "Bye-Bye" to the Passing Cars

When my baby girl greets my wife and I in the mornings with a stark naked smiling body and poopy hands, any romantic notions of parenting are sufficiently flushed down the toilet. Yet, in reality my baby's "little presents" wrapped in huggies are part and parcel of the larger gift she is from God to us. Right now, with every bottom and nose wiped, with every boo boo kissed, we are communicating to her our unconditional love.

How great a gift from God! It is through these experiences that we are transformed into His likeness, by developing unconditional love for truly helpless creatures. I believe it is the Eastern Orthodox who might call this participating in the divine nature.

In addition to this, if we can keep our attitudes towards her in line with our unconditional-love-actions, we will have earned a special place in her ears for our voices of guidance. About dusk my baby girl (22 months old) and I sat in our yard, watching the cars go by. She got the biggest thrill out of pointing and waving at the unaware passersby. I was aware, though. I was aware that simply being out there and enjoying that harmless moment with her was a building block of trust for us. It is my hope that with each push of the swing and each bye-bye wave to the passing cars, that I am bonding her to me. Despite whatever else I might could have been doing. My time was very well spent. I'd rather watch her wave bye-bye to unaware passersby now than flip me off bye-bye later as a teenager.