tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47998741980929130402024-02-26T22:46:20.420-08:00Pate's ParablesEngaging culture, following JesusStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-69462174056890514472012-01-02T14:17:00.000-08:002012-01-02T17:20:54.868-08:002011 Superlatives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhly3oPFCxpEk5IKqi-fvRFZp9OQ6LaY9V2CTirCE0hlJBTo0pUUnJ2Z6pVMenpzYzU5uqS1Cdh0IH-SeZZ5XfCAP9VgLQgMZuPbscvKJdcsGrF7x8rkgrz5rTzgabrmwAgD2rWT66WFXiR/s1600/imgres-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="183" width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhly3oPFCxpEk5IKqi-fvRFZp9OQ6LaY9V2CTirCE0hlJBTo0pUUnJ2Z6pVMenpzYzU5uqS1Cdh0IH-SeZZ5XfCAP9VgLQgMZuPbscvKJdcsGrF7x8rkgrz5rTzgabrmwAgD2rWT66WFXiR/s320/imgres-1.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
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Here is my list of the very best of 2011!<br />
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<b>My Favorite Moments of 2011</b><br />
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-San Diego Anniversary trip (January 2011) What can I say? We love The SD.<br />
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-Burn's Winter Camp (Feb 2011). There was snow and awesomeoness.<br />
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-Las Vegas trip to see Phantom of the Opera and Lion King (April 2011). My wife has shared with me her love of musicals. I am grateful!<br />
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-Surf Camp (June 2011). We had a blast surfing on some of the biggest waves I've ever seen at Leo Carrillo. Plus, any camping trip is always a good time with our church.<br />
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-UCYC Adventure (July 2011) This has become my favorite camp. Incredible. So many memories.<br />
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-Ecuador Trip (August 2011). I had an amazing time in Ecuador. It is a beautiful country and the people are incredible.<br />
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-Graduation (December 2011) I was happy to complete my MA. Great program and a wonderful experience<br />
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-Christmas with my family (December 2011). We had incredible time hosting our first Christmas and spending it with my family. It was such a good week!<br />
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-Our new home (September 2011). We are amazed and excited about our new place. We can't wait for the good times that are ahead.<br />
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-Marissa's new job. I am so proud of my wife and happy for her. She is an incredible teacher!<br />
<b><br />
The most inspiring and best books I read</b><br />
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<i>-The War of Art.</i> My favorite book of 2011. A must read for any writer, artist or leader.<br />
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<i>-Generation IY </i>A great look at this generation. Challenging and thought provoking.<br />
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<i>-The Hole in Our Gospel</i> I am so grateful for this book and the conversations it created.<br />
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<i>-Forgotten God</i> A great intro look at the Holy Spirit.<br />
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<i>-Escaping the Matrix</i> A wonderful look at spiritual warfare and how to create real change in our lives.<br />
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<i>-Spiritual Leadership.</i> A classic book on Christian Leadership. Great, applicable points.<br />
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<b>The Best Films I saw</b><br />
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<i>-The King's Speech.</i> Inspirational and beautiful.<br />
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<i>-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow's part 2.</i> No words describe how great this movie is.<br />
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<i>-Sherlock Holmes and the Game of Shadows.</i> Brilliant!<br />
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<i>-Black Swan.</i> Overly and unnecessarily graphic, but wonderful cinematography and incredible acting.<br />
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<b>My Greatest Discoveries</b><br />
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-Evernote. Nuff said, This app has revolutionized the way I take notes and organize my life.<br />
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-How I Met Your Mother. My new favorite show.<br />
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-Michael Hyatt's blog. A great read every day!<br />
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<b>My Awesome Epic Failure Moments</b><br />
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-Accidentally bouncing a random girl off the trampoline at Sky High Sports<br />
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-Discovering our bathroom door didn't lock in Ecuador (Thanks for that Raul)<br />
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-Forgetting to do the XYZ before preaching one night. Yep. There was lots and lots of laughter.<br />
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<b>Most Radical Realizations</b><br />
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-You will never please everyone so stop trying<br />
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-The Criticism equation: 1,000 positive comments + 1 negative comment= 1 negative comment in our minds. It's a lie.<br />
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-God is redemptive. How amazing it is when we begin to notice the way he redeems our past and current situations for his glory.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-1273688220402359562011-10-29T09:34:00.000-07:002011-10-29T09:36:17.147-07:00Yelling at the dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfACRWDZ4EVpoKXDR_p2YFhx-3XxoLG4rDkHKPsIHDsTmHH-sfphQQlDLVhYCw88JfbO3jVw4Hbpu0MVJORhEEFkYCryhKju_IuupIrPywOctW0GT4ZqivChpUfg36rmHASJ86GaB6dEhE/s1600/duke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfACRWDZ4EVpoKXDR_p2YFhx-3XxoLG4rDkHKPsIHDsTmHH-sfphQQlDLVhYCw88JfbO3jVw4Hbpu0MVJORhEEFkYCryhKju_IuupIrPywOctW0GT4ZqivChpUfg36rmHASJ86GaB6dEhE/s320/duke.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I yelled at my dog today. Now, if you know anything about my dog, Duke, this is a semi-regular occurrence in our household. Usually I yell because, even though he is adorable and awesome, he has the uncanny ability to bring annoyance into my otherwise predominately calm and stress-free life. This is of course most vexing in the wee hours of the morning when he decides to bark, scratch something, or my wife's absolute favorite: incessantly lick his paw (and by paw I do mean his actual paw but also other parts of his anatomy that I don't want to mention. Okay, he licks his butt sometimes. Gross, I know.)<br />
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Today, however, he didn't do any of the above things. He slept through the night and was both peaceful and calm. This morning when I got up and made my coffee and was loud, coupled with the hustle and bustle of people waking up in our neighborhood, he remained steadfast. He was shockingly quiet. That's why I yelled. I saw him just sitting on the edge of the couch (his favorite spot) and he was staring at me. He was the epitome of being unmotivated and lazy. <br />
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So I yelled at my dog: <br />
<br />
"Get up! "<br />
"Go outside!" <br />
"Chase cats and squirrels!"<br />
"Bark at everything and everyone who moves!"<br />
"Find something that is not yours and destroy it!"<br />
"Go to the bathroom in the most inconvenient places!"<br />
"Terrorize the mailman!"<br />
"Be a dog for heaven's sake!"<br />
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This frustration came from a place of love. I just wanted him to embrace every aspect of his canine nature and live it up! I reminded him that although in human years he was only three, in dog years he was in his twenties. Doesn't he understand how quickly this life moves? Doesn't he get that in doggie years he is supposed to be an adult and he better run while he still can, and bark while his vocals still work, and eat stuff while he can still stomach it?<br />
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I wonder sometimes if God wants to yell at us in frustration:<br />
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"I created you for more than this! Get up and do something."<br />
"Create. Engage. Invent."<br />
"Love. Serve. Forgive."<br />
"Run. Play. Eat. Drink. Fall in love."<br />
"Turn off the TV and log off Facebook!"<br />
"Stay up late once in while!"<br />
"Dance...because it's fun!"<br />
"Live this life to the full!"<br />
"Be a human for heaven's sake!"<br />
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I am remembering today that I am not a machine, nor am I a robot. I am a human, trying to become fully human. Life is indeed beautiful. We face resistance from experiencing the beauty, but we can overcome it to be our true selves. We can get off the couch. <br />
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As I write this, my dog is no longer lying on the couch. I unlocked the kitchen door and flung it wide open. Duke is running around in the backyard, barking at the top of his lungs for all to hear-- patiently awaiting the arrival of the mail. For some reason that is the motivation I needed today.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-78078439186820402682011-10-08T10:04:00.000-07:002011-10-08T10:04:47.215-07:00Love of the Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJggaBpW5epH-dNd5D0tjw00c29FiPh2letFcKe9VUKCL8icBOeWjW_0FYt-k-U88RVaYrQctKRqkt9vEEw5p_JSLF-t9A-zCkrReb8yT6N1i5qFqdY2Xk9IPxXOPt8j4XfkA_YTIC-6yD/s1600/2af22213-60b6-e903-f5a8-fee86a76222a-act_brandon_jennings.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJggaBpW5epH-dNd5D0tjw00c29FiPh2letFcKe9VUKCL8icBOeWjW_0FYt-k-U88RVaYrQctKRqkt9vEEw5p_JSLF-t9A-zCkrReb8yT6N1i5qFqdY2Xk9IPxXOPt8j4XfkA_YTIC-6yD/s320/2af22213-60b6-e903-f5a8-fee86a76222a-act_brandon_jennings.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
Brandon Jennings, an LA native, is a baller. A baller is what you call someone who knows how to play the game of basketball. You can also call him a hooper, but I like baller. When you're playing the game you're "balling." It means you have skill. This is obvious, since Jennings is in the NBA. He's a 6'1 point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks. And he loves playing the game.<br />
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If you've paid attention to sports lately, you know that it is getting extremely unlikely that the NBA will have a season this year. There are disagreements about money and salary caps and stuff that a fan doesn't care about. A fan simply wants to watch people who are good at a sport playing it and playing it with passion and intensity. I think this is what Jennings wants as well.<br />
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Sports Illustrated just ran an article about Jennings. He's been using Twitter and other social media outlets to find pickup games around the country. Jennings wakes up and tweets, trying to find a location to do some balling. He then picks one and shows up and plays. After he's exhausted the venue (which means dominated), he goes back to the Twitter and figures out where he's going next. Jennings loves the game.<br />
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When it's all said and done, a NBA player is an athlete. Take that a littler further and he is a person, doing something that he loves. He was playing the game before he got the contract and was on TV and became famous...and he will probably be doing after it's all said and done.<br />
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I remember watching an episode of <i>Keeping Up With The Kardashians</i> (yes, I watch it occasionally) and Lamar Odom was talking to his now wife Khloe. He was telling her about some of the tough times he had growing up and how he used to cope with stress. When things were tough, he went out to the park and he played basketball. All he would do, he said, was shoot hoops for hours until the sun went down and then he'd finally go home. Then the next day, he'd wake up and go shoot hoops again. He said something to the effect of, "I feel at peace when I'm playing ball."<br />
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When Jennings was in high school he had his mom drop him off at the LA Fitness by his house at 5:00am every day before school. Because when you're in high school, you have nothing better to do then play ball at five in the morning. The point is, basketball never used to be about the money. It was for the love of the game. Sure, most NBA players and professional athletes for that matter live extravagant lifestyles. They own mansions and cars probably like being millionaires. Even with all the perks of playing professional ball, though, there are still some who just want to play the game.<br />
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Sometimes we lose sight of why we do what we do. I think we need a reminder every now and again to help us set our priorities straight and realize the gift it is to do what you love and to live your life to the full (be it your job, career, hobbies, education or dreams). The question we need ask of ourselves is: Do we still love to play the game?Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-3090772314060727202011-09-16T17:35:00.000-07:002011-09-16T17:39:17.092-07:00The Greatest App In The World--Evernote<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1QxZSIP4sOHbgwV4pKrlLWwTGjY2NqSnMiVUAqqEX8SLzvCGfmZONi5RZZXeV9O40ilLz2PmX-MxW9zWviK8ziNCzTW7NgxCHhFs-pNulTWsR2RgdLKNyhPe770A9JW9jfi8xKP5ovN-/s1600/evenote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="192" width="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1QxZSIP4sOHbgwV4pKrlLWwTGjY2NqSnMiVUAqqEX8SLzvCGfmZONi5RZZXeV9O40ilLz2PmX-MxW9zWviK8ziNCzTW7NgxCHhFs-pNulTWsR2RgdLKNyhPe770A9JW9jfi8xKP5ovN-/s320/evenote.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I have a confession to make. I love the application Evernote. I can't even begin to explain how much I love this app and how using it has greatly enhanced my day to day operations. I am more organized, timely, and I'm remembering things a lot better. I thought I'd write a blog (even though there are plenty out there) on what I use Evernote for and why you should start using it.<br />
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<b>What is it?</b><br />
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Evernote is a web-based application used for storing information. Okay, that doesn't sound all that impressive, but what you need to understand is that it is the way Evernote organizes and stores your information that is impressive. Evernote wirelessly syncs your content via the web and allows you to access it from a number of different devices. I have Evernote on my work computer (a PC), my personal laptop (a mac) and on my smart phone (a droid). If I update something on any one of the devices it syncs auto-magically. Evernote also works on tablets, I-pads and I-pods.<br />
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<b>Why it's awesome</b><br />
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Evernote helps you remember everything. It also is one of the easiest places to store information in an organized and accessible fashion. On your personal Evernote app, you organize your content based on notebooks, notes and tags. Notebooks are like file cabinet drawers, and the notes are the individual files. Tags are used to help you find information on a certain topic. When I search for, let's say a note I wrote about a ministry event, I simply type one word from the event and I can find the note in Evernote. This is incredible because I've organized every section of my life in Evernote and can access the information anywhere! I always have my phone on me, which means my notes, insights, and anything else I might need is right there. (Here is a screen shot of a typical Evernote account)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AJdrYyM8yGqur1Y63OOiJXqAAuzce_0eRQ0Ao1kgBBrMFp94fE531EvXm6Sz1PQv1SUR_UBw6fZHQvfLGJ5A8b7W42Sso5VEhdANxgQQlggX2lwWQ69bb4qH19xxLjVtFWG2OPeYcRT9/s1600/Evernote-Large2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="201" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AJdrYyM8yGqur1Y63OOiJXqAAuzce_0eRQ0Ao1kgBBrMFp94fE531EvXm6Sz1PQv1SUR_UBw6fZHQvfLGJ5A8b7W42Sso5VEhdANxgQQlggX2lwWQ69bb4qH19xxLjVtFWG2OPeYcRT9/s320/Evernote-Large2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>How I use Evernote</b><br />
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I thought I'd share some of the ways I use Evernote on a weekly and even daily basis. I hope this paints a picture as to why I love this app so much and why can't stop raving about it.<br />
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<i>Sermon Illustrations</i><br />
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I do a lot of speaking, whether it's on Wednesday night for youth group, Sunday morning for a study, or an outside speaking engagement. Evernote now houses my sermon illustrations and also my notes for my messages. I go throughout my day looking for those "illustrations" that will add life to my sermons. Further, I simply like to remember what happens on a daily basis. So much of that is lost if I don't write it down. I have organized my Evernote with a section on References. I have a notebook that is full of illustrations. I organized the individual notes based on topics like Anger, Love, The Church, Community, etc. I then file my illustrations in the correct category. Next time I write a message that has something to do with one of the topics, I find that note and there are my illustrations. <br />
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Besides daily stories, I also have a section for quotes including passages in books that I've highlighted (this is especially neat if you have a Kindle since all of your notes and highlights are saved on the world wide web. Just copy and paste your highlights and notes from your Kindle page to your evernote. Bam. Done.)<br />
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Evernote also has a web clipper that you can install on your internet browser. This way, if you come across something you like while online be it an article, picture, story, etc., just clip the page and it saves in your Evernote. Again, it does this auto-magically. I have another notebook for online articles, quotes, illustration stories, and spiritual and leadership exercises. They are all stored in one place. Additionally, Evernote also stores pictures, pdf files, and voice notes. All of them are organized neatly and accessible wherever I have the internet or a 3G connection.<br />
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<i>Note Taking/Writing</i><br />
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I also use Evernote for taking notes. I take notes in a Moleskin journal and then transfer every note to my Evernote. I still like writing with a pen and plus taking the time to transfer the notes every week gives me a chance to look over what has happened and also to find the appropriate category for the notes. I go through all my notes and find where they go, including notes from staff meetings, discipleship meetings, time with my mentors, etc. If they say it, I put it in Evernote. I've also done this with a number of great authors I've had a chance to listen to as well. I have notes from the Storyline Conference with Donald Miller, insights from Shane Claiborne, Dallas Willard and as of yesterday, Rachel Held Evans. I love that I have a place to store these insights and also a way to find them quickly.<br />
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I also use Evernote for my writing. All of my blog posts are stored on Evernote and other writing projets as well. If I have an idea for a new post or an insight I want to write about, it goes on Evernote and I can find it there later. Inspiration is never lost. I also find that with my note taking, I'm more diligent about deadlines and dates, and find myself remembering the important details more often now. This has been great for my personal and professional life.<br />
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Although I finished school before I started using Evernote, this is a great resource to use if you're a student. Just make a notebook for a particular class, and then start filing your notes, assignments and projects there.<br />
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<i>Event Planning</i><br />
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I plan a lot of events, including camps, retreats and a myriad of other social get-togethers. I now use Evernote to help plan my events. I take notes on the events, plan out the itineraries, and all the important factors like cost, transporation, times and deadlines. If someone has a question about an upcoming event or camp, no longer do I have to search through my computer to find it. I just open the note on my phone. I'm also going to be experimenting with doing all of our camp registration with Evernote too, so I always have a list on me of who has paid and turned in their necessary forms. Parents ask me this all the time, and if I'm not at my computer, I wouldn't know everyone's exact details. With Evernote, I just show them my phone or laptop and all the information is there.<br />
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<i>Personal Information</i><br />
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Evernote also keeps track of my important personal information, including receipts, important dates and confirmation numbers. I recently used Evernote to help my wife and I stayed organized during the purchase of a our new home. Every detail that our lender or realtor needed was put on Evernote. Since you can make lists with "check-off boxes" I made a list of all of the necessary paper work and documentation we needed. If something else was discovered in a meeting, I took out my phone and added it to the list. Then, I experienced the great joy of checking it off the list one by one. I also kept a copy of important files like our tax returns, bank statements, etc that we might need at any given time. Using Evernote in this process was incredible. No more bulky folders or lost post-it notes. Everything I needed was online and by my side whenever it was asked for.<br />
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<i>My Hobbies and stuff I like</i><br />
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Finally, I use Evernote to take notes on my favorite hobbies. If there is a new song I want to learn on the guitar I put it in my music folder. If there is a movie that I want to see, or even a list of movies that I want to watch eventually, it goes in Evernote. I also created a folder for vacations--places we've been and places we want to go--that we can update every year. I also take notes about my favorite basketball athletes, sort of a rough draft for a fantasy league. And since I like lists I also have my "bucket list," my current reading list including books I want to read, and also notes on future schools where I want to continue my education. I've also included notes on our favorite restaurants, weekly grocery lists and more. The possibilities with Evernote are endless.<br />
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Basically, that sums up my Evernote obsession. I've even encouraged the students in our youth group to get Evernote on their phones and i-pods. This way, we can share notes on teaching topics, and if they take notes during a message or Bible study, they have them in a safe and accessible place.<br />
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If you're interested in learning how to use Evernote, I recommend you check out Michael Hyatt's blog. He first introduced me to Evernote at the beginning of the year and has written in great detail about it--<a href="http://http://michaelhyatt.com/how-to-organize-evernote-for-maximum-efficiency.html">michaelhyatt.com</a><br />
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There you go. Give Evernote a try. You won't be sorry. After all, it is the greatest app in the world.<br />
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Are there any other Evernote enthusiasts out there? What do you use the app for?Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-3224788574756425352011-09-11T16:49:00.000-07:002011-09-11T16:57:11.088-07:00Remembering 9/11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvJwBF2nDFiqD3ZF7UtuVNnyysboDD5s47SFpLcNSnEOg677TkvFI5lKW9JjHMQNG6fsoAO0tw5-CQdTdunF6f9uo9wAloEUyv2i-7LSxuWubLktKnXjdpUW1BrOtgHIbItk6VX0HQDOp/s1600/9-11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvJwBF2nDFiqD3ZF7UtuVNnyysboDD5s47SFpLcNSnEOg677TkvFI5lKW9JjHMQNG6fsoAO0tw5-CQdTdunF6f9uo9wAloEUyv2i-7LSxuWubLktKnXjdpUW1BrOtgHIbItk6VX0HQDOp/s320/9-11.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
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Today marks the tenth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Since this day fell on a Sunday, churches everywhere had an opportunity to reflect on the anniversary of an event that shocked the world. In our worship service this morning, our band did a special musical number by country singer Allen Jackson. The song repeated one line over and over again: "Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?"<br />
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It turned out to be not only a good question to ask, but a revealing one as well. We decided to start our small groups off with this question after the service. What followed was an incredible experience for me personally. I was able to sit and listen to my students explain where they were on September 11th, 2001 and also what their thoughts and emotions were on this day that happened so long ago. Most of them were in first or second grade at the time; a few were even younger than that. Most of the comments shared were feelings of confusion, frustration, and grief. I found myself reminiscing as well. In 2001 I was a sophmore in high school, only sixteen at the time. I realized more and more as I listened to our students that this was an event that began to shape our outlook and define much of our perception of the world, especially for some of my students who were just starting out life in 2001.<br />
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Needless to say, it was a difficult topic to cover. The events of 9/11 have had a profound effect on everyone of us. Perhaps we longed for justice to be issued. Maybe we mourned for those who lost their lives. Or we applauded the men and women who sacrificially gave of themselves to save others by either running into the burning towers that day, or participating in the aftermath of the conflict. Quite possibly we experienced those three examples and copious amounts more. Trying to process the event, even ten years later is difficult.<br />
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Moreover, the events of 9/11 make us deal with a number of emotions--anger, sadness, despair. Undoubtedly, many of us have experienced these, especially those of us who lost a loved one during the attacks.<br />
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I was surprised even by some of my own emotions as I traveled back in time to that fateful day and tried to process all that has transpired over the years and even coming to terms with how I feel about it now. I am still unbelievably saddened and astounded at the atrocities that take place in our world. It is hard to wrap my mind around the pain that has been inflicted on so many people during the attacks and the subsequent wars. Events like this solidify an understanding of the very real existence of evil in our world and the way we wage war against the spiritual powers and authorities of this dark world (Ephesians 6:12). This is a sobering reality indeed--to look upon suffering and death and to realize that in many ways we have no control over it. The events of 9/11 and following have changed the world for all of us.<br />
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I am encouraged, however, when I realize an important truth in all of this. Even though we live in a world where acts of evil are a daily reality, we have hope. Jesus Christ, our risen lord, offers real change and real peace. He is the final word in all matters. There is no tragedy that is so deep that He is not there in our midst. As Jesus himself said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).<br />
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As members of His Kingdom, our goal is to live and mimic Christ in every way (Ephesians 5:1). The word translated "mimic" in Ephesians 5 is the word for "shadow." We are to be Christ's shadow in the world, staying that close to Him. His words and deeds become our own. <br />
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Equally revealing, our Jesus' own words in the Sermon on the Mount to practice "turning the other cheek" and "loving our enemies." We may never fully understand how one applies this in foreign affairs, war, or when dealing with evil and terrorism. I for one, certainly don't assume to have answers here. Nevertheless, I find solace trusting in what Scripture reveals. Jesus, our King, is the Rider on the White Horse (Revelation 19:11-21. Jesus comes back on a white horse, a king's horse ). He is the Alpha and the Omega--the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13). And He is the foundation of all truth and life itself (John 14:6).<br />
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It is my prayer and hope that today would be a time of honoring and remembering those who so valiantly gave their lives ten years ago. May it also be a time of praying for all the lives lost on 9/11 and following, including Iraqis, Afghans, Americans, and terrorists. Furthermore, I pray that today would cause us to grieve over the reality of evil and terror that exists everywhere in this world and would cause us to cry out to God. May we seek with all that we are to live the way of Jesus as citizens of his Kingdom first, and may we humbly move forward together in solidarity, striving to honor and glorify our King, awaiting the one-day reality of Heaven on earth.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-13012704497559799742011-09-08T12:03:00.000-07:002011-09-08T12:07:43.056-07:00Super Texts and Super Films<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxHxp1a3jYUaLes_VN59bVWSnuEUfw4mXXjBhoVqy2zV63Ri_CYUcb0NEeiFF-5WcdiVyWoL5rAdhDPEcVq11I296EJuY7ldGRJIFPpX7oX6jij2G11RF-k0ZHGcaHlpeXbq-eOZ255g2/s1600/1351_06_2---Books--Shakespeare-and-Company-Bookstore--The-Latin-Quarter--Paris_web.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxHxp1a3jYUaLes_VN59bVWSnuEUfw4mXXjBhoVqy2zV63Ri_CYUcb0NEeiFF-5WcdiVyWoL5rAdhDPEcVq11I296EJuY7ldGRJIFPpX7oX6jij2G11RF-k0ZHGcaHlpeXbq-eOZ255g2/s320/1351_06_2---Books--Shakespeare-and-Company-Bookstore--The-Latin-Quarter--Paris_web.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
Time is one of those precious commodities that is easy to take for granted. Perhaps this is one of the great faults of our generation: the false notion that we have all the time in the world. We soon learn the ignorance of that statement. Indeed, the clock ticks life away.<br />
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Since time is limited and valuable, it goes without saying that how we spend our time is important. This even applies to the books and movies we give our time to. Steve Sample, former president of USC and author of <i>The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership</i>, wrote in detail about the time we give to the books we read in a chapter entitled <i>You Are What You Read</i>. In the chapter he argues a rather obvious point: there are certain old books that will always be better than new books. This might be a shocking statement for a culture and generation that is fixated on the latest and greatest. The latest is certainly not always the greatest, especially in the realm of literature. Winston Churchill was once said, "There is a good saying to the effect that when a new book appears, one should read an old one." Sample agrees with Churchill and brought up what he believes are the classics or super texts that have stood the test of time. These include The Bible, The Iliad, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Plato's Republic, and Dante's Divine Comedy to name a few. Sample argued that these texts have stood the test of time and have thus defined life as we know it. Reading them is essential to our own personal development.<br />
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Another interesting concept that Sample brought up was that anytime we choose to read one book, we are also choosing to not read another. This can apply to newspapers, magazines and comic books. Time spent reading these forms of entertainment, is time not spent reading a super text. Sometimes choosing to "not read" a book or magazine is important especially if that means we free up our time to focus on something greater.<br />
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This applies aptly to movies as well. Now, I've seen my fair share of pointless, dumb movies. Sometimes you just need to kill two hours with something mind numbingly stupid. It feels good. But there is something to be said of the kind of movies we spend a majority of our time watching. Similarly, as with the super texts, there are also super films--those that have stood the test of time to become classics. <br />
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I've been experimenting for the past few summers by choosing a theme or genre of film that I will focus on watching. And thanks to Netflix, this has become extremely convienient. So far my list includes classic horror movies (that I started with my roommate in college), romantic comedies (I am married remember), best picture award winners, and most recently this summer, classic movies, especially ones starring Audrey Hepburn. As with the super texts that are unmatched in sheer greatness and originality, there are also timeless movies, super films that most modern day movies are based on. Call me old fashioned, but I love the simplicity of black and white movies, and how special effects don't get in the way of good acting. If you don't believe me, watch the emotion in Humphrey Bogart's eyes when he looks at the camera in Casablanca, or try and find a actress as timeless and elegant as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. You begin to see how these types of films are immortalized and will never lose relevance. They are the inspiration of present day directors, actors and screen writers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzV2lve5nyU5UerXtqQ6vMX0tECJfTnXTthGS20pDU4tI6t68A7VT9DrJ3Px62mpm3_BSWkNEYtxB1Tj4Hs9yhJtKL7mCFlpc-2LWDCqVhG8dIeBRwvYtXJz_pi2FvCrNeDyT05qdymdX/s1600/casablanca02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzV2lve5nyU5UerXtqQ6vMX0tECJfTnXTthGS20pDU4tI6t68A7VT9DrJ3Px62mpm3_BSWkNEYtxB1Tj4Hs9yhJtKL7mCFlpc-2LWDCqVhG8dIeBRwvYtXJz_pi2FvCrNeDyT05qdymdX/s320/casablanca02.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
Choosing to watch a particular movie or read a book means we are choosing to not read or watch another. We make these little choices every day. I challenged one of my students recently in this area. I told her that with every new movie she watches, to balance it out by watching an older film next. We can do the same with the books we read. Even in Christendom we can choose some of our own super texts to balance with new books. Try complementing your regular reading list with the works of C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Luther, Wesley and others.<br />
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Sample is onto something here. I'm trying to use my time wisely. I hope to do so by choosing to spend more time with the super texts and super films this year. I guess I'm saying, to find inspiration, I'm going to be looking backwards, not forwards. I challenge you to do the same.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-61446017720782120982011-07-07T11:47:00.000-07:002011-07-07T11:47:10.725-07:00Are we Business Minded or Kingdom Minded?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZ-ujc4wkF3ElZrh3l2O_rQzVo9JS8YhDcT2TMPvvlvFOzDa8VT3NNuQOgpOHTJYIAh4PtoTlE_9VqHeeLZUtambyMGYl99X_YgkR1NwFap0QMQY8yx9He_YdbX_QV77AuAZNIudvE29p/s1600/180px-Trinity_Broadcasting_Network_-_Costa_Mesa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="127" width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZ-ujc4wkF3ElZrh3l2O_rQzVo9JS8YhDcT2TMPvvlvFOzDa8VT3NNuQOgpOHTJYIAh4PtoTlE_9VqHeeLZUtambyMGYl99X_YgkR1NwFap0QMQY8yx9He_YdbX_QV77AuAZNIudvE29p/s320/180px-Trinity_Broadcasting_Network_-_Costa_Mesa.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
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A couple of weeks back I had a conversation with a pastor friend of mine. He asked me about my future plans in ministry. I gave sort of a run of the mill answer and said I wanted to do some teaching, write a book, get hired at a mega church, have my own Christian broadcasting network in Orange County, become a politician, take over the world, and make my own brand of soda. He thought that was ambitious and wondered if I really had what it takes to make my own brand of soda. I told him probably not.<br />
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Often times when we (when I) talk about ministry there is a temptation to have a purely Business Mindset attached to it. We become very factual--caring a great deal about numbers, prices, and sizes. We evaluate ministry effectiveness based on our return from the investment. The line of thinking goes that an event or service is only successful based on how many attended, how much money was raised or how many people made decisions. When we speak about ministry this way I imagine God in heaven, making tally marks on a large piece of paper like he's keeping score. God sits down at his heavenly desk and says, "Time for my tally marks. Let's see. Billy Graham, four for you Billy Graham, you go Billy Graham! And none for Gretchen Weiners" (What can I say, I love the movie Mean Girls).<br />
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There is a different mindset, however, that takes the focus off of us and our limited way of understanding ministry. This is a Kingdom Mindset. A Kingdom Mindset is able to see with a different perspective. It understands that God is at work in ways that we don't always understand. Perhaps God is not as concerned with our culture's view of success, but instead desires that his people be faithful to Him and trust that he will produce the results that matter. <br />
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Additionally, when we operate with a purely business mindset there is also the temptation to turn our church into a "brand name." We can become so overly concerned with our individual church that this obsession overshadows what God is doing in the world-wide Jesus movement. Don't get me wrong, I love my church, but we can become so inwardly focused on selling our brand of Jesus that we miss what God is doing elsewhere. <br />
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During the school year I do a Bible study at one of our local Middle Schools. It's a great gig because a number of youth pastors in the city come and do ministry at this school. Often times we bring flyers and promote our events. I love the ministry because deep down we all care for these kids regardless of what church they go to or which all-nighter they end up inviting their friends to. We're happy to work together for the greater good.<br />
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This brings me back to my conversation about ministry plans with my friend. He had been at his church for a couple of years and was wondering if he should take a job a another church. He wondered if an opportunity like this would ever come up again and was afraid if he didn't take the job, it would be a missed opportunity. I told him I thought he should stay at his current church. I also told him more opportunities would come and using the phrase "missed opportunities" sounds more like something you say during a football game. It sounded like something John Madden would say, not Jesus.<br />
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I guess all this started to make sense to me because I realized a while ago that God didn't call me to be the CEO of a fortune 500 company. Moreover, he didn't he call me to view my job as a pastor as a way to move up the corporate church ladder. <br />
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I remember a wise person once telling me that we shouldn't view our churches as a way to get "there." Because maybe the "there" we so desperately want is here. Maybe God is so much greater at orchestrating things than we could've ever imagined. What if we began to trust him not only with our lives but also with our careers? Perhaps that would influence our understanding of ministry and the mindset needed to endure. Perhaps we could put that in a book and sell a few million copies. Maybe we could get a book advancement and begin making progress towards creating our own brand of soda. That would be fun.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-47960637978568555232011-06-14T07:47:00.000-07:002011-06-14T07:49:06.227-07:00Conflict makes a story better<link href="file://localhost/Users/stephenpate/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link> <style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvog7hsNI8UZl0PRRg5oRzEyiNYskDQyfJhyPdOe_tnkJgrHd603hCyrSzYs_ffDMoYX4BhSh_881PzkIomjAVi1GkxXDOmzrOICO8WcxBOmzAVZoK7p-aXZr5Hn3uKwLAZXCMDsb9Fqal/s1600/imgres.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvog7hsNI8UZl0PRRg5oRzEyiNYskDQyfJhyPdOe_tnkJgrHd603hCyrSzYs_ffDMoYX4BhSh_881PzkIomjAVi1GkxXDOmzrOICO8WcxBOmzAVZoK7p-aXZr5Hn3uKwLAZXCMDsb9Fqal/s1600/imgres.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I may have jinxed the Miami Heat. I didn’t mean to and I feel bad about it. I was actually rooting for them to win the championship. My wife and I were following the series like mad, hoping that they would pull it off. I wanted Bron Bron to win a ring. I wanted to see him hoist the trophy high into the air. I wanted Dan Gilbert to be speechless. But winning championships is not easy work. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The jinx came a few days ago, right before game five. I was thinking about the drama of Lebron leaving Cleveland and how he became this villain character and how everyone hated him and then he wound up in the Finals (something his team wasn’t expected to do until a year or two later.) This is where I jinxed it. I told my wife that Lebron leaving Cleveland and then the next year winning a championship didn’t seem like a good story. It was sort of the antithesis of hard work and perseverance. I’m not saying that the Heat didn’t work hard this year. They did. They had an incredible season. I started thinking, though, that the team hadn’t struggled enough to win it all. Sometimes in order to win, you have to lose first. Motivation comes from almost achieving your goal and then falling short. It then makes the time you do win that much sweeter.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was thinking about Lebron and the Heat and the fact that they hadn’t dealt with enough pain and heartache to win a championship. And then the clock ran out in Miami in game six with a 7 foot German holding his first championship and the MVP of the Finals trophy. And Lebron’s critics flooded the social media scene with posts and tweets. “He’s no MJ.” “He is not as good as Kobe.” “He can’t make change for a dollar because he doesn’t have a fourth quarter.” The funny thing was that most of it was spot on criticism. He didn’t show up to play in the last three games of the series. It was an accurate description of how poorly he played. Yes, the team failed, but so did Lebron. And eventually, if he can return and rise above the criticism, it will make for a good story.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The only way critics are silenced is with action. The only way dreams are achieved is when you work long enough and hard enough to see them unfold. Lebron has a lot to work on to improve his game. He may even have to change the way he plays in order to help his team win. A better story than winning a championship your first year with a new team is losing it, and coming back in the future, ready to achieve what you couldn’t before.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Conflict in a story and in our lives is necessary. Conflict shapes characters and people. It forces someone to persevere. It also puts things in perspective. Furthermore, when people have to work hard for something it calls out the best in them. A relationship will have a better foundation if there is a conflict a couple must work through and overcome. Graduating from school is that much more meaningful when you shed a little blood, sweat and tears along the way. Our careers take on new meaning when we face adversity and hardship, and find a way to succeed even if those around us desire us to fail. Conflict makes a story better.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m not sure what is next for Lebron and the Heat. Perhaps they will add another team member to their squad and become “The Big Four.” Perhaps Heat owner, Pat Riley, will reveal his slicked back hair is actually the world’s most massive comb over. I’m not sure. I imagine, though, that the pain of not winning a championship will add some fuel to the fire. A team that appeared destined to win and didn’t, will have to start all over again. And the conflict will make the team better. It might even propel them to win a championship in the future.</div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-14578163478692034372011-05-25T09:45:00.000-07:002011-05-25T09:45:31.396-07:00Your dream stinks<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjbp0qmJuaKuVzUuljTRnDs2bGx6WuU3_TpE5hfPG9cmmQzM9xL65-egMek4aEwv3F6eAw9uoTlr4xAl_ykVSYwr7Qki9cgz5HgtFLhLj9zC0BjPMqDWdHc8mMgh0kmTTRRYgLbPeSYak/s1600/your_dream_stinks__by_jackdawsonsgrl-d34jlj5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjbp0qmJuaKuVzUuljTRnDs2bGx6WuU3_TpE5hfPG9cmmQzM9xL65-egMek4aEwv3F6eAw9uoTlr4xAl_ykVSYwr7Qki9cgz5HgtFLhLj9zC0BjPMqDWdHc8mMgh0kmTTRRYgLbPeSYak/s320/your_dream_stinks__by_jackdawsonsgrl-d34jlj5.png" width="282" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">There is a great musical number in the movie<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Tangled</i> where a bunch of scary misfits confess their dreams in a tavern. It’s comical because the scene is full of tough, ruffian Viking characters—who are large and in charge, brandishing massive weapons—all singing about wanting to be concert pianists and die hard romantics. The song simply says over and over again, “I’ve got a dream…”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">At the end of the musical number there is a funny one liner. Rapunzel is leaving the tavern and one of the Viking’s says to her, “Go. Live your dream.” Flynn Ryder, Rapunzel’s costar/romantic interest, answers back, “Thanks. I will.” The Viking turns to him and says, “ Your dream stinks. I was talking to her.” My wife has watched this movie at least a dozen times since we bought it and I still laugh every time I hear that line.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Your dream stinks.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps we haven’t heard someone tell us outright that they think our dreams stink, but maybe we’ve felt the sting of our dreams not working out. We really thought we could play professional basketball one day and only grew to be 5’2. We were certain that the music gig would have turned into a record deal, and it only landed us playing at birthday parties and church coffee houses. And of course, the silver screen was going to be our destiny until we realized we weren’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disney Channel</i> “material.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Undoubtedly, we’ve all cringed when watching a show like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Idol</i>, witnessing the candidacy of the judges, shattering the dreams of hopeful pop stars. We’ve thought: How can they be so cruel? Most of the time when we’re criticized, especially when it’s directed at something we’ve grown passionate about, it translates in our minds as a critique of our personhood and character. Someone tells us we’re not good at something and we think that means we’re not good. If our dream stinks, then, well, we as person must stink too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I wonder, though, if there is another way to look at it. Perhaps at times our dreams do stink, but not because of anything we’ve done. Our dreams stink, rather, because we’ve been sold a lie about dreams. And so a lot of us have been pursuing dreams that aren’t giving us life or producing goodness in the world. Our dreams stink because they are motivated by selfishness.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One of these dreams in particular is the dream for fame and wealth. Naturally, we seek recognition, status and prominence. Our world has told us that to be of value we have to be of a certain caliber. This means we need the looks, the job, the money and the swagger (yes, we might even need to hire a swagger coach). A combination of wealth, fame and talent give us great worth. Furthermore, it is only when these things are recognized by others (and by others I mean lots of others) that we truly have worth. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">No wonder Youtube is full of people singing, acting and pursuing their dreams. They long to be discovered. We are taught that only in discovery can our dreams be reached. We are advertised a version of success and asked to consider how we might reach that too. The problem, however, is that not everyone in the world can be famous. There has to be a chasm between the rich and poor, the un-famous and the superstar, the unknown and the “it guy or girl.” There needs to be those who can support the famous. And this is what we dream about—making the move from unknown to known. The world has influenced us so heavily that at the core of our dreams, we are really searching for someone to tell us we’re valuable.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We should pause for a second. Every one of us probably in some way shape or form desires a little fame and fortune. Who wouldn’t? It’s not necessarily a bad thing to want to be known for your contribution to the world. But if that is all our dream is— a chance to be famous and rich—it really does stink.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A glance through the Scriptures reveals that God is a perpetual dreamer. He is involved in creating and recreating life in the world. He pursues relationships and surprises us with mercy and grace. He coordinates miraculous signs and wonders to take place. He waits patiently for his people to respond. The Zohar (a book of Jewish mysticism) states, “God creates new worlds constantly.” He is a creative, dream pursuing visionary. Then we reach Jesus in the New Testament. He is a dreamer too. He challenges the status quo and invites his follower to pursue a different existence; he invites them to dream radical and life-altering dreams and does this all under the title of “His Kingdom.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">God’s kingdom—his reign, rule and place of authority—is an invitation to dream. It’s a place where actors act, artists create, leaders lead, and authors write. God’s kingdom is a realm where dreamers don’t stop pursuing their wishes, but there is a change of focus.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Back to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tangled.</i> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Flynn Ryder’s dream was about making lots of money. That was it. It’s not hard to see why that dream stinks. I often wonder what God thinks of some of our dreams. If we want riches, God might say: “I’m not impressed with the size of your bank account or your accumulation of stuff—it’s meaningless.” Or for those who desire fame, He might add: “Why do you so desperately need to be known? I know you and that is all that matters.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We need a different foundation for our dreams. Instead of following a pattern of dreams that only a few people can ever reach, we start thinking in terms of God’s Kingdom. Is the focus of our dreams utterly selfish, or is it self-less? When we join God’s Kingdom, we begin to dream the type of dreams that bring healing, life, love and forgiveness to the world. We pursue a different way to live and desire to tell good stories with our lives. Our attitude changes to become like that of Christ (Philippians 2:5). Moreover, instead of weighing our lives down with impure expectations and motives, we embrace God’s dreams and find ourselves lost in a cause so deep and wide that anyone can join in. There is room for every dreamer out there to have a different kind of dream.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, how do we know if our dream doesn’t stink? Does your dream involve others? Fame and fortune are fleeting. No matter how big your hearse is, you still can’t take it all with you. That leads us to wonder if a dream, inspired by God, is something that lasts in a different way. Rather than building our dream upon a foundation based on what the world says is success, we build our dreams upon the very things that God believes in: love, justice, acceptance and redemption. Dreams with an altruistic foundation outlive our lives and find fruition in the people we’ve helped along the way.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps, then, there are times when we need to reevaluate our dreams. We ask probing questions of our dreams and see if they line up with God’s dream in Scripture. In this way, we pursue something beautiful and lasting. Our dreams, fused with God’s purposes, are light in a dark place. They have the potential to bring healing and real change in our world. Rather than accumulate awards and riches, we practice the wonderful act of surrender in order to receive from God.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What do you think? Does your dream stink? <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-34848121225552892582011-05-23T14:48:00.000-07:002011-05-23T18:37:28.449-07:00Love WinsIt seems like everyone and their mom has been blogging about books lately, especially <i>Love Wins</i>. I thought I should blog about it as well: it was awesome.<br />
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Here is another awesome book about the power of love--perhaps even God's love. Maybe you remember reading this book when you were younger or receiving it as a gift and thinking: "Thanks, a book." Compared to Nintendo Games and Ninja Turtle action figures, it did little to impress me in childhood. The ironic thing, though, about most "children's" books is that they are about something more. Exploring the "more" later on usually results in gratitude.<br />
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Check out this short reading of the book by Brennan Manning:<br />
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"'And that, Shel Silverstein said, is my understanding of Jesus Christ.'" Have you reflected lately on the unstoppable, passionate love of Christ for you? It's a love that knows no bounds.<br />
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"If God is for us, who can be against us" Romans 8:31Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-61182191109591403272011-04-08T10:45:00.000-07:002011-04-08T10:45:17.768-07:00Saints--Rich Mullins<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">I decided I would write a series of blogs about people who inspire me to move closer to Jesus. I guess we can call these individuals “saints.” Some of these saints are a little old school; others are more contemporary.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I decided to start with a man who, like many saints throughout history, left this earth a little too soon (although I’m sure he isn’t complaining). His name is Rich Mullins. He was a Christian recording artist, a dreamer and a follower of Jesus. His life, his story and his music continue to inspire me. I’ve attached a video that, I believe, captures the beauty of his life.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the video he shares openly about the nature of sin and temptation as well as a personal struggle he was dealing with on one of his travels. Then, he plays one of my favorite songs of all time, which also happens to be one he wrote, called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hold Me Jesus.</i> I encourage you to take five minutes out of your day and watch this video. Even in this short video, you will notice how remarkably transparent this man was and how deeply he loved Jesus. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I honestly don’t think there is another song that touches my heart the way this tune does. I hope you are blessed by it:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-72240084053329465062011-03-28T16:38:00.000-07:002011-03-28T16:38:26.886-07:00What I learned from Kobe Bryant<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeRa7HjSjHTqTXk9fDCaD2g2D0v3Wt6ZHnnOkHtmo-FpBXP0ExqSwZJk0erY3r-aO9AM4T1wIZ8JhBKFiQ3dWDnGCieZ1U7L08CmVuQaWOWxgucpY5K_1cP-L295koMyhr-hMqF3uIkyF/s1600/kobe-Bryant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqeRa7HjSjHTqTXk9fDCaD2g2D0v3Wt6ZHnnOkHtmo-FpBXP0ExqSwZJk0erY3r-aO9AM4T1wIZ8JhBKFiQ3dWDnGCieZ1U7L08CmVuQaWOWxgucpY5K_1cP-L295koMyhr-hMqF3uIkyF/s320/kobe-Bryant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">A few weeks ago I was listening in on ESPN radio and none other than the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant, happened to be on. The show’s host had invited him on the air for an interview. Immediately, curiosity set in and I turned up the volume. Now, I should be honest here. Nothing against Kobe, but I’m not a huge fan. I always recognize and respect basketball talent, but that doesn’t mean I cheer for the person. Part of this has to do with being a Blazers fan growing up and always wishing the Blazers could have taken it to the Lakers when it really counted. Alas, this never happened. My bitterness, though, has receded over the years. I’ve been healed. It was good money spent on therapy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Anyways, the interview with Kobe was fascinating. Kobe shared some of his thoughts on the NBA and on how the Lakers were doing so far this year. He answered some critical questions by the host and with an air of confidence, assured the listeners that the Lakers would be doing just fine come play offs. I have to say, I completely believed him. One thing I noticed from the interview was that Kobe never took the focus off of himself. When asked about the Heat, he brought it back to himself. When questioned if the Spurs would upset the Lakers, again, without hesitation, he brought the issue back to his setting and his life. This move wasn’t done out of arrogance or some deep seeded narcissism; rather, I realized, it was done out of confidence in his pursuit of excellence.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Kobe believes his success is not contingent upon what other people do around him. That is why on the air he didn’t get rattled by criticism or even react to the mentioning of the successes of other players and teams. It just didn’t matter because he was confident in his job and his skills. One line from the interview that really stood out to me was when Kobe said, “I know I have to put the work in.” Putting the work in, as Kobe explained, is about doing what you know you need to do in order to be the best you can be. “Putting the work in” is not about comparing oneself to others or living in a state of reaction, based upon what’s happening around you. On the contrary, it’s about focusing on oneself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, as Kobe mentioned, the only real improvement I can make is to improve myself.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many of us find heroes or successful people we want to emulate. We see the good they produce—the books they write, the movies they make, the songs the compose—and we want to be like them. We see loving families and notice strong friendships between people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looks attractive and we want that for our lives too. The only problem is, that most of us don’t want to do what they did to get there. We want the success, but lack the work ethic and discipline to achieve it. Reading a good story is always fun. Writing the story, on the other hand, rarely ever is. We all want to tell good stories, but first we have to be willing to write them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps this is the reason why there is only one Kobe Bryant.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-64031168483494560742011-03-08T08:13:00.000-08:002011-03-08T08:15:01.948-08:00Sometimes the best advice is no advice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_SefF4tyrmLa7ACKWPok67Sk9AIXlwB9OrJcUs6YF4rHJZ3-x-sfkvvkKAPPbMyrK3BGmBbjF4sqKqPcHeuty83in_iIg07pbzgeCSGhyphenhyphenJMcIIQlvIMRgTMOHneLM5-dOfoiAnG0XJMg/s1600/intro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_SefF4tyrmLa7ACKWPok67Sk9AIXlwB9OrJcUs6YF4rHJZ3-x-sfkvvkKAPPbMyrK3BGmBbjF4sqKqPcHeuty83in_iIg07pbzgeCSGhyphenhyphenJMcIIQlvIMRgTMOHneLM5-dOfoiAnG0XJMg/s320/intro.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have you ever noticed how sometimes the best advice you can give someone is no advice at all? We live in a society where we are constantly searching for answers. It seems like everyone has at least one consultant they can call upon. You have someone to help you with your finances; another to give you “life coaching” (whatever that is); and if you’re rich then you might have a personal trainer as well. In every aspect of our lives, we are searching for those who can give us good advice.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I think this is true in my life to a degree as well. Especially in hindsight, I can see the many people I sought advice from over the years. Some of it was great advice. I had people who genuinely cared about me. They wanted what was best for me. Regardless of their motives, though, the best advice doesn’t always come in the form of stating your opinion. In fact, I think it rarely does. The best advice I’ve ever received was when someone intentionally chose not to give me advice at all. Their silence spoke louder than words or proactive plans that I could follow. They helped me because of what they didn’t say. Their ultimate refusal to tell me what I “should do” was not a hindrance to my growth as a person; rather, it was an opportunity to become the person I had to become on my own initiative. No advice was good advice. Further, not giving me advice was really a sign of someone’s wisdom.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When I think of wisdom, I can’t help but think about the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It is a book full of wise sayings that were passed down from different generations. This book of sayings and adages, though, were not secret formulas that automatically gave you wisdom. Rather, they were ideas that could help someone live a good and fulfilling life. Proverbs devotes many of its chapters to the achievement of wisdom and the importance of seeking wise counsel. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Wise counsel.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When we ask someone for advice, what we are really asking for is their counsel, right? But wise counsel doesn’t necessarily mean giving people answers or telling them what they should do. That is not counsel. That is not empowering someone. That is simply the stating of your opinion. Which depending on who you are, could mean very little. It’s like the person who is always sharing advice on relationships and they’ve never been in one. They might have read some Joshua Harris book in the past, but that in no way gives them credibility to speak on the subject. They are a purposeless voice, who may have great intentions, but is nevertheless, an incessant and annoying reminder as to why some people should keep their opinions to themselves. No one wants to be “that guy” or “that girl.” Do we seek to give wise counsel or to just be heard?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Counsel is really about helping someone find their way. It is assisting them on their journey and allowing them the power to choose and figure things out on their own. When we constantly “counsel” people by the sharing of our opinion or telling them what we would do in a given situation, we take away the power of their choice. Our influence can become too big in someone’s life. Instead of figuring out how things should really be, they just do what we say. That is not helping someone become a mature and complete person. That is hindering them. Parents do this. Pastors do this. Friends do this.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Viktor Frankl, the famous concentration camp survivor and author, said that the last of any human freedom is the ability to choose—to choose one’s attitude, thoughts and to make decisions. Do we allow people to truly choose if our counsel is always giving them answers? Sometimes our silence says as much as the words we say. Furthermore, our ability to not tell people what to do has a tremendous impact, even if it is not immediate. It is a sign of maturity when our counsel gives people freedom to figure things out on their own.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mark Twain once said that if he had to live life over again, he would have said less. Perhaps there should be times when we practice the art of restraint. Not because we don’t have meaningful ideas or good things to say, but because our silence can mean someone else finds the solution they were looking for. Moreover, I rarely hear someone praised for his or her “advice-giving-opinion-stating” abilities. People are praised for their ability to listen. A good leader, and a good friend for that matter, will artfully and tactfully choose when to give advice and when to say nothing. They will allow their silence to be as important as their words.</div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-76891361185057555272011-02-15T08:10:00.000-08:002011-02-15T08:10:32.426-08:00God—A Hopeless Romantic<!--StartFragment--> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq5YqTq0a8334m9B7NDlJhwJkcCHqZq2pw1Z_jbu5K_z80FE81WkaHtWpO9G0tgtuypCCU9I5ifFONDvj6b-MlIFJoLfyhnH2dAU9WgVuePUBI9QSJ1rC1I2KS96ICu9egdtCIk4_euV4/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq5YqTq0a8334m9B7NDlJhwJkcCHqZq2pw1Z_jbu5K_z80FE81WkaHtWpO9G0tgtuypCCU9I5ifFONDvj6b-MlIFJoLfyhnH2dAU9WgVuePUBI9QSJ1rC1I2KS96ICu9egdtCIk4_euV4/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have you ever read a part of scripture and thought: “Really, God? That seems a bit over the top, even for you.” Sometimes reading though scripture feels like your watching a Tim Burton movie—constant special effects and weird stuff happening everywhere. There are bushes that catch on fire, the parting of waterways, multitudes of angelic choruses singing together, and dead people rising from the grave. Have you ever read one of God’s miracles and thought God was a bit too theatrical? Or perhaps thought that he likes grand gestures a bit too much? By the time you reach the New Testament you begin to think that maybe God is bragging just a bit, almost as if to say “Look what I can do next!”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps God is a bit theatrical at times, constantly showcasing his power through signs and wonders, all the while continually reaching out to his creation time and time again. There are moments when God seems too forgiving and too loving. There are moments when he says one thing and then does another. He tells his people he is going to bring calamity upon them and then decides to give them a second chance (well, more like a thousand second chances). Just when you think he has finally done enough, voila! He strikes again, reaching out to touch his creation once more. In fact, we begin to see that God never tires of reaching out to his people.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As God reaches out to his people, he begins to appear as this greater pursuer. He is deliberate, patient and tenacious. But what exactly is he pursuing?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the things God seems pretty keen on is getting his people to recognize his love for them. God keeps sending all of these reminders in the scriptures that he is close to his creation, cares for them, and has their best interests at heart. His love is so grand that uniformity alone would not do it justice. God could have chosen to make every person reciprocate this love automatically. He could have made us robots. But forced love, is not really love at all. Love is a choice. God chose to love us and allows us to choose to love him back. However, his love is never contingent on our love. In fact, his love cannot be defined in our own limited understanding of what love should be. His love is infinite, pure and unending. God is a patient lover who has made the first move. He waits for us to return the gesture, all the while showing us that His love is eternal and will never fade out. Brennan Manning puts it this way: "Human love will always be a faint shadow of God’s love. Not because it is too sugary or sentimental, but simply because it can never compare from whence it comes. Human love, with all its passion and emotion, is a thin echo of the passion/emotion love of Yahweh."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I wonder if that is why the psalmist can cry out “Your love is better than life.” Or why he can pray to God: “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” <i>Satisfy us with your unfailing love?</i> That is a bold request. Could it be that God’s love is so good and so strong that it can do just that? That it can satisfy us.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Satisfaction.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That is a word we don’t hear very often. It seems like most of us are very unsatisfied. We keep searching for the next thing, the next love or the next relationship that will finally give us peace. It’s a Never-Ending Story—and not a cool one that has mythical far away places and giant flying dogs.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">God’s love is not far away or distant. His love has no contingencies. It is real. It is unfailing. And it is all-satisfying. I wonder if God is really a hopeless romantic at heart and he delights in wooing and awing his creation. Perhaps he is the greatest romantic that exists. And maybe every time we take part in a little romance or choose to show some grand gesture of our affection to someone we love, we are, in fact, acting like our creator. Perhaps romance is a sign that we are partnering with God in an epic love story that has existed since the beginning of time. We are choosing to love and be loved. We are embracing the hopeless romantic inside all of us.</div><!--EndFragment-->Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-81581187846207078992011-01-27T11:39:00.000-08:002011-01-27T11:39:09.581-08:00It's never over<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2raF5zTFisSOwuwZADoeUUJtcN-gwGTpEIAAgalj7iVS65LBkeKYWzaLQyyAN181LXPDqWWLmkd_6nU-JuhhiHxaCs3q5JCOOqYRiNUqA0tGPipIpcuFbL2b2T_KYQ3S29zvG61eI0Tuw/s1600/800px-Tn-mlk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2raF5zTFisSOwuwZADoeUUJtcN-gwGTpEIAAgalj7iVS65LBkeKYWzaLQyyAN181LXPDqWWLmkd_6nU-JuhhiHxaCs3q5JCOOqYRiNUqA0tGPipIpcuFbL2b2T_KYQ3S29zvG61eI0Tuw/s320/800px-Tn-mlk2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a picture of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. On the surface, it looks like an ordinary motel. History, however, tells us this particular motel will be remembered forever. This is the site where Martin Luther King Junior was assassinated so many years ago.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The hotel has been converted into a museum of the Civil Rights Movement, with special emphasis on the events leading up to Dr. King’s assassination. Dr. King was a man with a dream and a plan to see it come to fruition. He was a social justice worker and peacemaker. And we lost him too soon. One thing is certain, though, his legacy lives on.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On the day King was assassinated, two men were with him: Andrew Young and Ralph Abernathy. Tony Campolo tells a story about the words these men exchanged when King was shot. Young was the first to reach King and he began to cry aloud, “It’s over, it’s over, it’s over.” Young cries these words as if to say they’d lost, their progress was for nothing, and things would never change. Abernathy, on the other hand, did not share Young’s sentiments. He grabbed Young in his arms and shouted passionately, “It’s never over. This will never be over!”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>It’s never over.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Indeed, King’s work and his dreams are not over. His legacy of resilience, peace and nonviolence lives on in the hearts of men and women who dream of a better world. His incredible amount of patience paved the way forward. His life gave us an supreme example of sacrifice and love. His work will never be over.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps the same is true for our lives. We can resiliently hold on, even when it feels like everything is falling apart. We can echo Abernathy’s words and live like “It’s never over."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-23636694732444870792011-01-17T10:36:00.000-08:002011-01-17T10:36:50.125-08:00How well do you know the Bible?<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsGyiAALxvuEIuUVPLeiGkY82MEOH8306Y9fsOSF9YOsn_xPrOTdvbCC_MK-n6VDWnMu8KJGKEvxcOozdYjwmdwhnVAPz7gtaNuOqwqeDvN7gMBWgrF2lipCTX49u3_5Sf65nerHgCdxY/s1600/320_gold_stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsGyiAALxvuEIuUVPLeiGkY82MEOH8306Y9fsOSF9YOsn_xPrOTdvbCC_MK-n6VDWnMu8KJGKEvxcOozdYjwmdwhnVAPz7gtaNuOqwqeDvN7gMBWgrF2lipCTX49u3_5Sf65nerHgCdxY/s320/320_gold_stars.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Remember all of those Bible verses we used to diligently memorize in Sunday school? I do. I vividly remember my childhood Sunday school room displaying a large banner with the names of every student in the class. Next to each of our names was a blank space for a star. Every time we memorized a verse we received a star. This star also translated into a trip to the candy bucket. I loved that candy bucket and was also quite fond of gold stars. Hence, I became a Bible scholar by the fourth grade.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve heard the term “Bible literate” used quite a bit recently. The question asked is: does your church know Scripture? This question is often used to distinguish between churches that really teach Scripture and others who aren’t as in depth in their preaching and teaching. I’ve been thinking about this lately in regards to my church and many others. How well do we know Scripture? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since I’m a pastor, I tend to listen to a number of sermons every month. It’s always interesting to hear what other churches are preaching on and what I can learn as a communicator from others in my field. There are a number of preachers around. They have their unique styles. Some are insanely creative; others a tad bit boring. But they have one thing in common—they’re teaching from Scripture. Their congregants are listening to them so they can interact with a text. The preaching moment happens on Sunday morning or Saturday night and people come to listen. It doesn’t matter the size of the church. People are coming to hear. How we teach the Scriptures is important.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I heard someone sing a song the other day that listed all 66 books of the Bible in order. It was an assignment they received in their Christian school. They learned a song, so they could know the order of the books of the Bible. I was asked recently if I could recite every book of the Bible in order on the spot. I could not. I got mixed up somewhere in the Minor Prophets. I forgot about Obadiah. This person was shocked that I couldn’t recite the books of the Bible. “I thought you were a pastor,” they said jokingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">All of this makes me wonder what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knowing</i> the Bible means? What are we really getting at when we ask that? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus certainly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knew</i> the Scriptures in his day. He quoted from them, taught from them and applied them to his ministry. He certainly had an understanding of the Scriptures, but it was more than that. He understood the Scriptures to be full of life. He embodied them in a way others didn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve heard it said that knowledge is a gateway to action. The more you know, the more you care. I’ve often wondered, though, if the way we talk about “knowing” Scripture can be misleading. Instead of equipping our churches, we’ve left them believing retention and fill-in-the-blank inserts are the key to knowing the Bible. Perhaps many of our congregants who know so much about the Bible, are missing a fundamental insight: what to do with it. We try so often to interpret Scripture, but how often do we allow Scripture to interpret us? We strive to know more, but do we attempt to live out with what we do know? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is knowing Scripture the same as being changed by it? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I certainly aspire to know the Scriptures. I study them, take courses on them and engage in conversations about them. I desire that my church knows Scripture too. But I also want them to embrace Scripture. Whenever I preach, I’m not looking to simply transfer information. Rather I desire to invite my church to experience transformation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a few students that I disciple on a monthly basis. Some of them want to know more about Scripture, theology and ministry. I’m happy to teach them and help them study Scripture. But my goal is not for them to be the new day Hank Hanegraaff (the Bible answer man). Instead, I hope that in learning about Scripture they would be prompted to do something with it. Because God’s word comes alive when we live with the text.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here are some ideas that I’m trying to use in order to help my church move beyond the realm of informative and into the realm of transformative:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Preach sermon series that are focused on a book of the Bible or a particular genre of biblical literature. This way, we have the chance to get a better understanding of a book’s overall message and context. Instead of simply memorizing individual verses, we have a broader understanding of the book as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Promote quality Bible reading over quantity. There is something important about meditation and repetition that many of our modern churches miss out on. Liturgy is powerful. Rather than have our church members read chapter after chapter, challenge them to reflect on a smaller portion of Scripture several times a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Allow creativity to intersect with a Bible study. Scripture can inspire us. Can we allow our church’s to react in creativity to the Scriptures through art, music, video, song, dance and craftsmanship? This way, a passage or book becomes alive to an individual. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Expand the preaching experience. Sometimes we (myself included) put too much emphasis on what happens Sunday morning or Wednesday evening. Preaching and Bible study, though, are not confined to that hour every week. Find ways to broaden the preaching experience. Allow our churches opportunities to live with a text in their world—events, projects, and outings. <o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-13674242017747816572011-01-03T20:50:00.000-08:002011-01-03T20:54:20.330-08:00Leading or Being Led<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #030f19;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><i><div class="MsoNormal">I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. John 21:18<o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment--> </i></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">There is a difference between “leading” and “being led.” A Christian leader is primarily someone who chooses to be led, instead of leading. It’s an interesting concept. Our culture emphasizes the importance of leading. We crave great leaders who are visionary and charismatic. We search for those who can help us navigate the changing waters of the future and guide us into the unknown. Our world celebrates these types of leaders. Our churches hire these types of leaders. Jesus, however, has a different version of leadership he shares with his people: the art of being led.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus calls us to follow him. We are to be disciples. Learners. Students. Followers. He doesn’t call us to be leaders. He calls us to follow one true leader. Jesus’ version of leadership is to strip away any barrier or position and submit to his way and not our own. Jesus is anti-institution, anti-“The Man” and anti hierarchy. In the gospels, Jesus avoided any kind of conversation that was political or power oriented. When James and John argue about their places in heaven, Jesus talks about the little children. When Jesus is questioned about paying taxes, he doesn’t get caught off guard, but refocuses the attention on serving God, not man. A Christian leader is called to mimic his example (Ephesians 5:1).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Peter was one of the foundational leaders of the Christian movement. By the time we reach the book of Acts, he is leading a great deal. He is bold, strategic and effective. But we shouldn’t forget the advice Jesus gave him before he became this great leader.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">John 21 shares a unique scene in Scripture: the reinstatement of Peter. Most scholars believe the twenty-first chapter of John was a later addition to the gospel, being as chapter 20 concludes the gospel quite nicely and a number of other theories that we don’t have time to explore. In my opinion, though, John 21 offers one of the clearest pictures of what a Christian leader should do. Regardless of its origin, I am thankful the gospel bears this chapter.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story is quite fascinating. After Peter is reinstated, Jesus tells him a proverb about young age versus old age. Peter was reminded that when he was younger (perhaps, in his days before Christ) he did what he wanted and went where he wanted to go. When he is older, however, he will stretch out his hands and be led… even to places he would rather not go. Jesus reinstates Peter to be a leader. But his primary “leadership ability” is going to be as a follower. He needs to choose to be led. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Peter’s world came crashing down when Jesus was arrested and crucified. It destroyed his hopes of what the Messiah would do—restore Israel, reestablish the law—and who he would be. Jesus’ mission was different. God’s true plan for the Messiah was something bigger than Israel—it was global and spiritual and far more radical. In John 21, Peter has left the path of following Jesus and turned back to his old way of life. He is on a boat, fishing. The same thing he was doing before he met Jesus.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus appears to Peter and challenges his current way of living. No longer would he sincerely follow Jesus according to his way or his own thoughts about how things should be. Now, he would be led. Furthermore, he would also be led to places where he might not want to go. That is a shocking thought! Following Jesus means going where you might not want to go? Henri Nouwen says, “Jesus has a different version of maturity: it is the ability and willingness to be led where you would rather not go.” Peter’s new found commitment to Jesus eventually led him to martyrdom. It also established him as a Christian leader.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve heard a number of pastors and other Christian leaders talk very candidly about “following” God’s leading in a given situation, usually when it relates to a new job or opportunity. The line of thinking goes “We’ve prayed over the right decision and believe God has led us to make it.” Interestingly, when it comes to accepting a position at church or other organization, it seems people are always led by God to accept the job at the bigger church, with the bigger pay check. God doesn’t lead us to stay at our current churches, or heaven forbid, accept a position at a smaller church in a less affluent area. He doesn’t lead us to work with the poor or give up the comforts we desire. The way people talk about following God’s leading, it seems God only guides us according to our bank accounts. I wonder why we can’t just be honest and say this isn’t God’s leading, it’s my own. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Christian leader, however, will learn the art of “being led.” He may learn to dismiss certain opportunities because he’s following God’s leading and not his own. He may choose to look foolish in the eyes of the world because he understands there is a difference between “leading” and “being led.” Like Peter, he may choose to stretch out his hands and follow the path of Jesus, even to places he would rather not go.</div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-9182889865426768732010-12-31T17:34:00.000-08:002010-12-31T17:38:38.629-08:00Top 10 of 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcs1RGkQGyfKTxM_5yhNlJGAWjlFwGSeiUzE5uT-7KdFrv8M4VOE5o-_gCSiVQDPBcUSX4pTFOZZtiddRH5b-fiwxAGq4DzS7Y22K54SvjQIsjVBFOSJzYuaWAmKNZuu8W87yekeMpVM94/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcs1RGkQGyfKTxM_5yhNlJGAWjlFwGSeiUzE5uT-7KdFrv8M4VOE5o-_gCSiVQDPBcUSX4pTFOZZtiddRH5b-fiwxAGq4DzS7Y22K54SvjQIsjVBFOSJzYuaWAmKNZuu8W87yekeMpVM94/s320/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">10. UCYC Camping trip July 2010—this was a great trip with our high school students. God did some good things this trip.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">9. Family Camp September 2010—I had the opportunity to be the youth speaker at a family camp in Yosemite. Marissa and I had a wonderful weekend, full of adventures.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">8. Vegas Trip August 2010—Marissa and I had a blast in Vegas at the end of summer. I love the Vegas.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">7. Surf Camp June 2010—I loved this camping trip because of how all of our youth leaders came together to make this camp work. We surfed, ate wonderful food, sang songs around the campfire and soaked up the sun.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">6. San Diego January 2010—Marissa and I celebrated our second anniversary in San Diego. I ate lots of Mexican food.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">5. Thanksgiving/Duke Game November 2010—I went to my first Duke Blue Devils game and got to share the experience with my dad and my brothers. We also had a great time in Washington for Thanksgiving with family.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">4. Half Marathon November 2010—I made it a goal to run a half marathon in 2010. I finally got to it in November. I had a blast running in the rain and finishing the race.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">3. Living a Better Story Conference September 2010—I attended the Storyline Conference with Donald Miller in September. I learned a lot that weekend and had a blast.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2. Hawaii Trip May 2010—Marissa and I had an awesome time in Oahu. We played in the ocean, ate seafood and went to a pineapple plantation. Hang loose.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1. Family, Friends and Partying—I took the time to hang out with the people that matter a lot to me—my friends, family and students—and saw God work in my life because of them. We had so many great get-togethers where we simply celebrated life. 2010 was a great year. I know now more than ever, that I am deeply loved. Here’s to 2011!</div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-3804733806265714482010-12-27T17:02:00.000-08:002010-12-27T17:02:32.174-08:00A Tale of Two Kingdoms<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.” Matthew 2:1-3<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGan7rym6IuoUeKPy9M7rD-UviLm5iTNedXShd60r1LjKBIaiUiPxa0BsD8_nPe7UUlM8xLBBdGZcyD52GF_z1oDyv7Mgt7um5hrqLhttZo-KBUKURIkzqtuZDNOQb3_65pdyYh371zqRO/s1600/crucifixion1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGan7rym6IuoUeKPy9M7rD-UviLm5iTNedXShd60r1LjKBIaiUiPxa0BsD8_nPe7UUlM8xLBBdGZcyD52GF_z1oDyv7Mgt7um5hrqLhttZo-KBUKURIkzqtuZDNOQb3_65pdyYh371zqRO/s1600/crucifixion1a.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Christmas narratives have much to teach us about the mission of Christ. Part of this teaching is that the birth of Jesus presents us with a beautiful contrast between his kingdom and the kingdoms of this earth. As readers, we are presented with a choice: which kingdom will we belong to?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In one scene of the Christmas story (Matthew 2:1-8), we are introduced to a group of characters known as “the Magi.” We are told these visitors are from the “east” and have traveled a great distance to find a king whose star is shining in the sky. They confront a king named Herod and ask where this “other” king can be found. The text says that Herod and all of Jerusalem with him were disturbed by this question. Why were they disturbed? Perhaps a little background can help illuminate their dismay.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Herod, known by the epithet “The Great” was in many ways just that—he was great. His greatness was displayed in his vast building projects, influence and notoriety. Herod was a ruthless leader…and a bit paranoid too. He guarded his throne like a toddler guards his toys. He put to death those who opposed him, including his wife, sons and mother-in-law. There is even one account that says Herod ordered the imprisonment and execution of a group of prominent and well loved citizens of Jerusalem close to the time when he was about to die. He thought this would ensure mourning and sadness on the day of his death. All in all, he was not someone you’d confirm a friend request for on Facebook. Being that Herod is sort of a tyrant, his kingdom is marked by power, violence and fear. If he could dominate others through force, he would remain in control. The thought of another king threatening his throne would surely cause him, in the words of Rihana, “disturbia.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story continues in Matthew 2 with Herod deciding to go after this “king of the Jews.” His first attempt is to coerce the visiting Magi into telling him of the child’s whereabouts. When this plan falls through (the Magi never report back to him), he orders a mass slaughtering of boys two years old and younger in Bethlehem and its vicinity (2:16-18). Indeed, a very interesting contrast has appeared: the kingdom of Herod and the kingdom of Jesus.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">From the beginning stages, Jesus’ kingdom doesn’t look anything like Herod’s. Herod rules over his people. His palace is heavily guarded; it stands as a symbol of his position and power. He spends his time walking down the marble hallways of his home, constantly being “removed” and “separated” from the people he serves. Jesus, however, is not born in a palace or born into riches. He is poor. His first nursery was a cave shared with animals. He does not look like your typical king. And, yet, he is the king the magi seek out. Eventually, they find him, present him with gifts (fit for a king), and worship him. They recognize that he is a king unlike Herod or any other earthly king for that matter. Hence, he is worthy of their worship.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Gregory Boyd in his book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Myth of a Christian Nation</i>, calls this distinction between an earthly kingdom and a heavenly one the “kingdom of the sword” versus the “kingdom of the cross.” Herod is a perfect example of the kingdom of the sword. His kingdom is built on power, manipulation, violence and oppression. Jesus’ kingdom on the other hand, is grounded in love, peace and service to others. Kingdom of the sword participants, similar to Herod, look for ways to maintain power through any means that benefit themselves. They justify violence and hate, as long as their positions remain intact. They practice lording their power over others in order to retain control. Herod learns that there is a new king in town and he seeks to silence this king by the only means he knows—the sword. Jesus, however, vehemently opposes the use of the sword.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus’ first century Jewish followers believed he would be a messianic-type warrior, bringing freedom from political oppression all the while restoring a Jewish kingdom on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believed he would be a conquering military-like king, yielding a powerful sword. His mission, however, was the antithesis of this belief. He stood in stark contrast to nationalistic hopes and ideals, and instead offered reconciliation and freedom for all people. He was a king who didn’t looked to be served, but chose to give, sacrifice and serve others. His final act of service, of course, was laying down his life on his own accord. The kingdom of the sword used its greatest weapon (the cross) against Jesus. The cross was the most painful and humiliating way for someone to die. It not only silenced your enemies for good by taking their life, but made an example to all those who watched that this, too, could be your fate. How ironic that Jesus used the ultimate symbol of the kingdom of this world as his way to defeat it. He surrendered his life to the sword, and in doing so, granted us freedom from living under its curse.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’d like to suggest that there are still “Herod’s” vying for our attention today. Daily, we make the choice as to which kingdom we want to belong to. Do we choose to operate according to the kingdom of this world, a kingdom based on power, violence and control; or, do we choose to follow an unlikely king, who shows us a better way to live?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a tale of two kingdoms. Which king will you choose to follow? Perhaps you’ve noticed the signs of living in the kingdom of Herod. It looks like only loving those who are easy to love; it looks like caring more for oneself than for our neighbors; it looks like allowing prejudices to determine our thoughts and actions; it looks like allowing anything—be it love of money, love of country, love of power—to supersede our love and devotion for Christ. Living in the kingdom of God, however, looks like loving without conditions; it looks like practicing forgiveness, even for our enemies; it looks like practicing charity unconditionally; it looks like choosing to ignore the requests of Herod (much like the magi did) and choosing to pledge our allegiance to our true king, Jesus.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Matthew’s Christmas narrative is a reminder that we serve a king whose kingdom is not of this world. We, then, allow our minds to be renewed, and consciously choose to ignore living in the pattern of the sword that is presented to us daily. Instead, we boldly and confidently proclaim that our hope is not found in the power of sword, but in the truth of the manger.</div><!--EndFragment-->Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-34671966264370072672010-11-24T13:55:00.000-08:002010-11-24T14:00:19.524-08:00Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFXEOkMzDES9IKICsD_75Q7QaEcpMcNj5q8AsfG972MRsFgLvl1sm1LKK5rIvatq6ekAN6kw06kr8MGFePbqb_dzntDJ4xYG6E0Yt5Hr7M3hba5R9d_4UsiNQ2tlcS1qL60MFIHV9B1Em/s1600/Funny_Pictures_6756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFXEOkMzDES9IKICsD_75Q7QaEcpMcNj5q8AsfG972MRsFgLvl1sm1LKK5rIvatq6ekAN6kw06kr8MGFePbqb_dzntDJ4xYG6E0Yt5Hr7M3hba5R9d_4UsiNQ2tlcS1qL60MFIHV9B1Em/s400/Funny_Pictures_6756.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My life feels like that song <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fly like the Eagle.</i> You know, time keeps on slipping and slipping into the future. (Seal is a prophet and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Space Jam</i> is one of the greatest movies ever made.) The brevity of this past year, though, has been redeemed by the memories and good stories that I’ve had the privilege of being apart of. At the beginning of the year, like in years past, I made the infamous list of “New Years Resolutions.” Every year has been the same pattern for me: write a list, discipline yourself for a few weeks, and then forget about the resolutions by February. It’s easy to see why these “resolutions” became a point of frustration—I never complete any of them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This year, however, was different. I was inspired to try a new way of framing my goals. I am a daily subscriber to Donald Miller’s blog and was influenced greatly by his perspective on goals. Goals by themselves can be good, but they can also be lifeless and without purpose. He suggested writing our goals in the form of a narrative. Goals, then, aren’t simply tasks to check off a to-do list, but are integral to your personal development. Your goals can help you tell a good story with your life. I thought that was mind blowing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I took Don’s advice and came up with three goals that fit into the narrative of my life; three things that would help me be a better person and pursue the dreams I have for myself. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blog<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My first goal was to start this blog. For the most part, I am hyper critical of anything I say or write. So I decided I needed to do something that would force me to write and allow my family, friends and foes to respond to my thoughts and also create some meaningful dialogue about life and faith. And I also really like finding pictures on the internet that go along with my topics.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Be Spontaneous<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Secondly, I wanted to be more spontaneous with my friends and with how I spent my time. There are many moments when my schedule gets so rigid and I live my life according to my calendar. I realized that this way of living is dumb. Real dumb. So, I’ve tried to incorporate more spontaneity into daily living—talking to the stranger at the Post Office, staying out late on a work night, taking more time for long conversations and trips to Starbucks—and have, honestly, been surprised by the results. I’m starting to realize that God works through us when we allow ourselves the time to be open to Him.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Run a Half-Marathon<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My third goal was to run a half marathon. I used to run in high school (although my true passion in sports has always been swimming and basketball) and was never very good at it. I wasn’t fast, or part Kenyan, so I was just an average runner. I realized, however, that running was a sport that I could do no matter where I was. Furthermore, it would require some real discipline on my part to complete a half marathon. I wanted more discipline in my life and I figured the necessary physical training for a race of this proportion would be a great exercise in self-motivation and discipline. I was right. I’ve run more in the past three months than the past five years. Last Saturday, I ran across the finish line of my first half marathon. Covered in dirt and sweat, with weak knees and a throbbing left ankle, I stood victorious over the 13.1 miles. It was a great feeling to accomplish a goal, not simply for marking something off my to-do list, but realizing that the journey was where the true satisfaction came from.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In fact, all three of my goals were about the “process” more than the production. Disciplining myself to write my blog monthly; choosing to be a little cheesy at times to enable more spontaneity; and taking the time to train for a half marathon. The process was a good story that I wanted to share with the world. For the first time in my life I actually stuck with my New Year’s Resolutions. I am proud of this year and the person I am becoming. It does, however, beg the question: what’s next? The year 2011 is wide open. Is it time for me to pursue other dreams? Should I write the novel? Will this be the year that I try out for the Clippers? Can I finally muster up the courage to ask John Mayer if we can go on tour together? Time will tell I suppose.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-13466699553522759872010-11-14T18:41:00.000-08:002010-11-14T18:45:10.861-08:00Weak is the new Strong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmIWF36fN8pHnmiCO68OvVmElvkCRtuDkxoKqM_0FJ2lfqAcK_GaGgft8FkPOFYTr8GJ3hrpDcMfrQjHb8OcwLGTs9odJAT7dfKwC5zOLJC4_2JtTv5hVTdJD2s9O7FC33QbahZ-Y_RTR/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmIWF36fN8pHnmiCO68OvVmElvkCRtuDkxoKqM_0FJ2lfqAcK_GaGgft8FkPOFYTr8GJ3hrpDcMfrQjHb8OcwLGTs9odJAT7dfKwC5zOLJC4_2JtTv5hVTdJD2s9O7FC33QbahZ-Y_RTR/s200/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I've been thinking lately that <i>weak </i>is the new <i>strong.</i> Everywhere I turn, I meet people who are overwhelmed by life. They are stressed, worried and anxious about everything. We are overworked and under-relaxed, and most of us feel just a step ahead of total burnout. I know I fit this description too. It seems like we’ve tried the route of being strong and competent, feeling like we could take on the world, but somewhere along the way, we recognized we couldn’t maintain the pace.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I realized over the past few months that I tend to live my life like I am unlimited. I ignorantly and foolishly live like there is no amount of work or stress that I cannot handle or conqueror. I quickly learn, however, that there is point where I reach my limit. Running has taught me this valuable lesson. Several times a week I lace up my shoes and go for a run. I try and push myself, increasing mileage as well as the pace. Truth be told, though, there is a certain limit that I cannot cross. No matter how hard I push myself, at this point in my training it is impossible for me to reach beyond that breaking point. This has been a good reminder for my life lately, too. I have to remind myself that God is the one who is unlimited, not me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That is why I'm beginning to think that weak is the new strong. If I can learn to live from my place of weakness, how much more dependent will I be on God’s strength? Rather than place the focus on how strong I am, I can learn to live and move in how strong He is. Perhaps, then, I will be at a place where I truly understand strength.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“All dear friends everywhere, who have no helper but the Lord, who is your strength and life, let your cries and prayers be to him, who with his eternal power has kept your heads above all waves and storms.” George Fox<o:p></o:p></i></div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-39511515266661715352010-11-04T13:23:00.000-07:002010-11-04T13:38:45.009-07:00Positive and Negative Turns<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">“Man fully alive is the glory of God” Irenaeus</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbMTjCOktJaKbVRxiPHO64xIZpXWVvtkEd54K7M7Z8OzqSahY5M0oc_ktEPWEXCRQZj3rWkJ7Y-r1U2vMB_vVWgENrfKnPp77RG1fPSNGi8w7FBA1LdHYpjg-JOO2PMF7QhbqHR0OQk3n/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbMTjCOktJaKbVRxiPHO64xIZpXWVvtkEd54K7M7Z8OzqSahY5M0oc_ktEPWEXCRQZj3rWkJ7Y-r1U2vMB_vVWgENrfKnPp77RG1fPSNGi8w7FBA1LdHYpjg-JOO2PMF7QhbqHR0OQk3n/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This past September I attended the <i>Storyline Conference</i> with Donald Miller in my hometown of Portland, Oregon. The entire trip was inspirational and nostalgic. Don was great. I sat in the second row of the conference’s theater and just smiled for two days straight like some star-struck teen in front of the Jonas Brothers. (Christian fame is funny isn’t it? It was kind of like the time I saw Rob Bell and I was like “Oh my gosh, there’s Rob Bell!” Oh wait… he is just an ordinary guy with some cool glasses.) For the past two months, I’ve been going back over my notes from the conference and putting into practice some of the things we learned. One of the most effective exercises, for me, was to map out my life thus far on a storyline. On a sheet of paper, I traced my life (as best as I could remember it) and made a timeline of all the positive and negative events that have transpired in my 25 years of life. It was eye opening.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Using the form of a narrative, Don says that every story (and every life) has both positive and negative “turns.” A story “turn” is a point in the story where you walk through a doorway and can never return. This is the moment where Frodo accepts his duty to destroy the ring. Or, as a personal favorite, the decision of Bill and Ted to do whatever it takes to complete their history report. By the time someone is in their 30’s they’ve had an average of 20 of these “turns” in their life. This could be a new relationship, the completion of a degree, a new job, or the loss of a loved one.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Don suggested we map out these “turns” in the life of Joseph in the OT and then our personal lives. Joseph’s life is a great example of positive and negative turns and since I’ve started viewing his life as a narrative, I’ve come to appreciate it more. Joseph’s tale begins with a dream and then what follows are many positive and negative events that could derail him from that dream. For example, Joseph has a dream that one day he will rule (positive); he tells his brothers of this dream and they get jealous (negative); he is sold into slavery (negative); becomes a slave at a wealthy man’s house (positive); is harassed by this man’s wife (negative); ends up in prison (negative); meets a cupbearer who hears of his gift of interpreting dreams (positive); the cupbearer forgets about him (negative); Joseph eventually fulfills his dream (positive). The goal of Joseph’s dream of ruling is summed up in Genesis 50: “what you intended for harm, God intended it for good...<i>to save many lives.</i>” That was the point of Joseph’s story. God wanted to use Joseph’s life to save many lives.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">As I’ve looked back over my life, it was incredible to map out the positive and negative aspects that are apart of my story. Interestingly, it was both the positive and negative turns that have brought me to where I am today. It’s odd to look at your life on a piece of paper and see every detail fitting perfectly together. You have a number of those “aha” epiphany moments where you say, “That makes sense.” I’ve completed the exercise about three times now, adding more detail each new time I’ve tried it. And my response has been the same as I’m able to look down upon the storyline of my life: gratitude. I can’t help but be thankful for where I am today. Every event and experience has taught me something. I can celebrate the good and the bad times, even rejoice at the places where I’ve suffered because without them, I don’t know where I’d be.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">In her book, <i>Managing Stress</i>, Kath Donovan said: “In the order of God, pain is one of the best facilitators of the process of transformation.” How true is that statement. Joseph’s story would be incomplete without the negative turns. He would have never reached his dream if he didn’t have conflict and suffering along the way. Furthermore, a story with only positive turns would not be a very interesting story. And as Don has said numerous times, “if something won’t make a story meaningful, it won’t make a life meaningful either.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Since the conference, I’m beginning to own my story. It’s my story and no one else’s. I’m thankful for the places I’ve been and the places I’m going. Who knows what the future holds. And who cares. It will fit perfectly into my storyline.</div></div></div></div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-89290085567208060612010-10-28T15:33:00.000-07:002010-10-28T15:33:24.351-07:00The 10 Miler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIFLtskVa8gf3Uw_Mrjf07S-yB8QvR1_AlpkakalqVrE-1GvxX_s9kFtsKgDXizOdYe1CxiVMDON_qb93XXpghcvlWnn_gLb9vsHMGxe8KUyHUFdef5Cl9aMoi4pskUvfUWdKNQRh2s9q/s1600/lavec6-b78710769z.120101025164722000g9qr7bje.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIFLtskVa8gf3Uw_Mrjf07S-yB8QvR1_AlpkakalqVrE-1GvxX_s9kFtsKgDXizOdYe1CxiVMDON_qb93XXpghcvlWnn_gLb9vsHMGxe8KUyHUFdef5Cl9aMoi4pskUvfUWdKNQRh2s9q/s320/lavec6-b78710769z.120101025164722000g9qr7bje.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Going for run is kind of like going to the dentist. No one wants to do it. You begin this venture consciously knowing that some form of pain is involved; and yet, when it’s over, you’re glad you ran…or went to the dentist. Well, in theory that’s how it works.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This past Saturday I participated in a 10 mile run at Huntington Beach. It was a great day spent with friends and students from my youth group. As the race started, I found myself at the very end of the pack and slowly moved up past the joggers and positioned myself somewhere in the middle of this large group of runners. About four miles into the race, I noticed that I was running by myself. I began focusing on this kid ahead of me who looked like he was eleven. I made it my goal to pass him. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It wasn’t too long after this that I met Jeff. He ran up next to me and asked what my pace was. I replied: “No idea.” Truthfully, I didn’t care. I just wanted to finish the race. Jeff told me he wanted to run under 9 minutes a mile and I thought that sounded good. So, for the next six miles I ran with Jeff. We made some small talk, and spurred one another on. This was my first “race” since high school when I ran cross-country. For Jeff, though, this was just another typical Saturday morning. He likes running and participates in a number races throughout the year. I thought Jeff was a little crazy, but nonetheless, a nice guy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Around mile eight, I realized that I was going to finish the race. Furthermore, I realized that Jeff was playing a huge role in helping me run. Maybe it was his enthusiastic remarks or the fact that I had somebody to keep in step with. Whatever the reason, my run that day was better because of Jeff.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jeff’s willingness to befriend me and run with a complete stranger taught me a little bit about encouragement. There have been numerous spiritual gift questionnaires I’ve meticulously filled out and received encouragement as one of my gifts. I don’t know how accurate those tests are. I had a junior high student fill one out once and his number one gift was “speaking in tongues.” He asked me if that meant Spanish. I told him yes and it also meant the ability to speak Elvish. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My understanding of spiritual gifts has changed over the years. I’m not sure if encouragement is a gift some people have and others don’t. I think we often equate “being nice” with encouragement. (However, I know some really nice people who are not encouraging.) Real encouragement, though, is deeper than good manners and sentiments. True encouragement has less to do with the actual words we use and more to do with the time we’re willing to share with someone. It has to do with presence. When we can say we’ve shared life with a friend and stood by their side through thick and thin, perhaps, then, we understand encouragement. I have people in my life who are constant like that. I know they will stick with me as the miles add up. Encouragement happens in those moments when someone asks us where we're heading. It continues when they stick by our side for the remainder of the journey.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-82795397450616632392010-10-14T16:52:00.001-07:002010-10-14T16:54:17.432-07:00Thoughts on Phantom of the Opera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF3-tqQDw-Qu081vp-MvGqTa8j4rOzwBAGdeesGu5h0L5wqZQ4_zO-MEXYffe_63v7Vi4oOhP_TkL1HsKoV1lNKvtxnrxOgavaLqWwMuFYKuf4gAltXV8hX7QOTg16rZHHYRtPTB7rGF6/s1600/phantom-of-the-opera3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF3-tqQDw-Qu081vp-MvGqTa8j4rOzwBAGdeesGu5h0L5wqZQ4_zO-MEXYffe_63v7Vi4oOhP_TkL1HsKoV1lNKvtxnrxOgavaLqWwMuFYKuf4gAltXV8hX7QOTg16rZHHYRtPTB7rGF6/s1600/phantom-of-the-opera3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">I’ve only been to a few musicals. It wasn’t something I did growing. I mainly stuck to things I was familiar with like sports and action movies. All that changed, however, when I met my wife; a true thespian. She has shared her love of theater with me and I am grateful. Moreover, I feel slightly more sophisticated these days. The other night we went on another musical adventure, this time to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Phantom of the Opera.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While watching the production live, I realized that Phantom is a good story, full of themes that touch the human spirit. The main character, the Phantom, is a confusing and remarkable character. Throughout the musical he appears to be searching for something. Through allusions in the play, as well as knowing the background to the story, we figure out he desires acceptance. His life has been defined by failure and rejection. As a viewer, you don’t know what to make of him. Is he the villain or the hero? He does both heroic and villainous deeds in musical—murder, extortion, sacrifice, stalking—and you are drawn to ambivalence about him. I heard one writer describe the Phantom as a “Parisian Batman.” (After all he has a cool lair and some sweet gadgets. Furthermore, he has his own Phantom-boat which sort of looks like a gondola designed by Tim Burton.) What do you do with this character? You are mesmerized by him and scared of him. Kind of like Carrot Top.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The ambivalence continues as the story proceeds. You feel compassion towards him because of the facial scarred, Harvey Dent look he’s sporting. He desperately longs for compassion and your heart goes out to him. On the one hand, he has this bad boy image. He’s dark, elusive and has a great singing voice. This makes him romantic. And then you have to deal with his creepy stalker persona. Needless to say, he is complicated. My wife made a really good point about the “emotion” portrayed by different actors who play the Phantom. At times, the Phantom comes across as defeated and weak. In the movie version, though, Gerard Butler does an amazing job of showing the Phantom is not a helpless, pitiful creature; rather, he is a tortured soul, in deep agony over his predicament. He is in love, even though he finds himself unlovable.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The ending scene I found particularly powerful. After the Phantom has unleashed his villainous rage on the opera house, he kidnaps Christine and takes her once again on his scary gondola ride to his secret lair. When the man she professes to love, Raoul, comes to her rescue, the Phantom puts a noose on his neck. He then tells Christine to make a choice: live with the Phantom and spare the life of Raoul or reject the Phantom and Raoul dies. A dilemma indeed. Christine, though, has a different plan. She pleads with the Phantom and then makes a bold move: she kisses him. The kiss causes something to change in the Phantom’s mind. It is a pivotal, musical-altering moment.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In writing and film, a kiss is often a symbolic gesture in many ways. A kiss symbolizes affection, love, even sacrifice. In this instant, the kiss reveals that Phantom has finally been shown acceptance and compassion. Until now, he’s only known rejection. He has become a slave to finding some way that he can be complete. Earlier in the musical when rejected, he lashes out on those around him. He has tried through the power of music and seduction, but was denied. Acceptance has always been his pursuit, his endeavor and his initiative. In the final scene, though, Christine chooses to share this kiss with him. The Phantom receives it. In all of his efforts to attain the one thing he desired, it happens without his initiative. He releases Christine and Raoul, and the musical comes to an end.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">An easy way to figure out if a play is a comedy or tragedy is whether or not the main character gets what he wants. Although the Phantom doesn’t win the affection of Christine, it doesn’t mean the musical is a tragedy. He certainly pursues her and we can assume desires her, but there is something deeper that he as longed for: freedom. The Phantom has lurked in the shadows for years, searching to be free from his predicament. It becomes his obsession to the point of stalking his protégé and threatening her in order to find acceptance. But he doesn’t get it in this way. He becomes even more estranged. Finally, though, acceptance is given in the form of a kiss. Something he could never take, but only receive. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We want to live free. Perhaps this freedom we desire is from a sin or compulsive behavior. Maybe we desire freedom from the voice of self-doubt or low self-esteem, or even from our past. No matter what the desire, freedom will not happen by working harder or striving further in our lives. We cannot do enough to acquire it. Just the opposite is needed—to stop trying and start accepting. True freedom happens when we choose to receive from God.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Freedom is a byproduct of receiving life in Christ. Can we accept what Christ has done, and start a process of transformation, partnering with God’s Spirit at work within us. Can we choose not to take, but rather to receive what the Father has already done for us? </div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4799874198092913040.post-50668698807013714492010-09-17T12:16:00.000-07:002010-09-17T12:20:56.952-07:00Run for the DR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6yCFMFy35pKz-fWQsyqILQAd_0mOojHOpHWBwGNipACXm413M6BbOmfRtxEDJFi1Ea6ZC1cm-YPcjDBl08bPwNSVnjuxidCN_fT7z3koc4ZogKJS8GJ8QPNxsBaCYN_5HSSGx-zy2_SY/s1600/andrew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6yCFMFy35pKz-fWQsyqILQAd_0mOojHOpHWBwGNipACXm413M6BbOmfRtxEDJFi1Ea6ZC1cm-YPcjDBl08bPwNSVnjuxidCN_fT7z3koc4ZogKJS8GJ8QPNxsBaCYN_5HSSGx-zy2_SY/s320/andrew.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">It's interesting how often Scripture describes our lives as being short and fleeting. Our lives are described as "blades of grass, surely fading fast"; or, a "mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." It really makes you think about how you spend your time on this earth. If we only have one life to live, how will we live the best way possible? Or, think about this: what if you knew you only had one year, or even just one month left to live?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would that change how you viewed each day? Would that change how you spent your time on this earth? </span>Kris Allen, winner of American Idol a few years back, has a song called <em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbfeSImDntw&ob=av3e">Live Like We’re Dying</a></em>. It’s a catchy song, but also has a profound message: Would our lives look different if we lived each and every day like it was our last? We asked our youth group a similar question this fall: How can we live the best lives possible for God? We came up with a few ideas.<br />
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This October, our youth group, The BURN, is raising funds for the Dominican Republic. This past summer we met a missionary named Andrew Butz. Andrew is traveling to the Dominican Republic to build a Christian camp with the <em>Eastern Dominican Mission</em> (www.easterndominican.com). We thought that was awesome. We love going to camps in the summer and think kids in the DR should have the same opportunity. So, we decided we would do something to help. Our plan is to run. Now, we are not necessarily a youth group of runners or superb athletes; however, we feel that anyone can walk or run and that this simple activity can be used for a greater purpose. On October 23, we are participating in the Huntington Beach Distance Derby. We will run, walk, and crawl either 5 or 10 miles. Each student and leader is collecting sponsorship from family and friends to support the <em>Eastern Dominican Mission.</em><br />
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For many of us, this will be a challenge. The last time I ran even close to 10 miles was in high school. That was a while ago. That was a time when I didn’t have any aches or pains, or a full-time job. Needless to say, this will not be easy for most of us. We are sacrificing our time. Some of us are changing our diets to help accomplish this goal. Nevertheless, we are doing this because it is going to make a difference. We know that partnering with Andrew and the <em>Eastern Dominican Mission</em> is going to bless God’s people. This is a small, simple thing we can do to make a difference in someone’s life.<br />
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I'm sharing this on my blog becasue I'd like to invite you to partner with us in ministry this fall. Perhaps you want to join us in this run. My doctor tells me exercise is good for me, so maybe you want to train with us and collect sponsorships as well. We would love to have you! Or, maybe you don't want to run, but want to partner with us financially. You can choose to sponsor one of us per mile we complete, or make a one time donation. I assure you, any amount will help the DR! I will be updating my blog (weekly I hope) with insights that we’re learning as we train together as well as the progress were making financially. <br />
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This fall, we are attempting to live like we’re dying. We’re running for the DR. Ole!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nu6zCh64l1E0zHiM8CwKx8zt-9jL58v5_uA_VKvj8WbOS052GVi1Sv73JKH_LnYI2_iL3uHQ_rZVP_KnpbOzbT1Bc4-VmLszR5FOiW1bHflBYFrb3hQ1GxsUfddcMf12sKSSGxRTwWfN/s1600/dr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nu6zCh64l1E0zHiM8CwKx8zt-9jL58v5_uA_VKvj8WbOS052GVi1Sv73JKH_LnYI2_iL3uHQ_rZVP_KnpbOzbT1Bc4-VmLszR5FOiW1bHflBYFrb3hQ1GxsUfddcMf12sKSSGxRTwWfN/s320/dr.jpg" /></a></div>Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002510418401727106noreply@blogger.com1