Summer Time Fun!

Sprinker Time!

What the Kids do in their spare time

I know what you are thinking (at least I think I know what you should be thinking). What is that really old looking bear doing with those nice black shoes?

First, the bear is named MacArthur and was originally owned by Cheryl's dad. He gave it to Cheryl and Cheryl passed it on to the twins.

Second, the shoes are a nice pair of black dress shoes that Tom has grown out of. Since Cheryl can't seem to get rid of anything, the kids found them and decided that MacArthur needed them.

(And yes, if you look in the top left corner of the pic, you see Tom's feet - black socks and red sandals - and Kate has on her white "princess" shoes. Good look guys.)

Quote: Big Truths for Young Hearts by Burce Ware

"One of the very first things we must learn about God is very humbling, and it is this: unless God had decided to show us who he is, unless he had chosen to make known his own life and ways, we simply could know nothing - yes, nothing! - about him. We are dependent completely on God's kindness and goodness to make himself known to us, and for this we ought to be grateful everyday of our lives. After all there is no more important and more wonderful to know than God. So how thankful we much be that God did not keep to himself, as it were. Rather, He showed us in rich and wonderful ways just who he is." (pg. 18)

As I get farther into this book, I will share more. Looks really good and easily adaptable to family devotions, small group study, or even personal study. More to come ... (if you don't see it soon, hound me about it!)

Book Review: Helping Children to Understand the Gospel by Michael, Nelson, and Burk

The Children Desiring God conference was great. Learned a lot, still processing it all. I probably didn't mention that I bought some books ... a lot of books. I was planning on spending around $40 and ended spending just above $90. Funny part is, the first book I read, I got for free. Helping Children to Understand to Gospel was in my bag as I registered (I think everyone got it). All I can say is, "Wow, what a great resource!"
The spiral bound book put out by Children Desiring God has 3 sections. The first section starts with the parable of the sower and how it relates to parents and children's ministry workers. The second section is about the Gospel and how God needs to be central, not man. It's not about us accepting Him, or praying a prayer. The Gospel starts with God, He is the vehicle that moves it, and He is the goal (pg. 30 - 31). The final section is the a devotional of the 10 essential truths of the Gospel.
If you have kids or work with them, get this book. It will help you present the Gospel to them in a way they can understand. It will help you understand how children develop spiritually.
I'm sure you can get it from the website. Check it out.

Graduation Day

Today was the last day of preschool for the kids. They each got certificates and books put together by the teachers to remember their time. Kate stopped long enough to get a quick pic with good friend Cali (and half of Cali's brother - sorry bad photographer, me).

The school even brought in a magician (does it get any better than that!)

Anniversary # ...

Today is our 15th wedding anniversary! As life seems to get busier and busier, it is also filled with more and more love. We have had our share of up's and down's (more up's than down's) and continue to thank God for His blessings.



For those of you who are courious, we are starting the day with yard work and ending it with dinner and movie.

Book Review: Compelled by Love by Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation

Finished reading Compelled by Love yesterday. I wrote about what the first couple chapters were teaching me about surrender and submission. (Search for the blog if you are interested ... which I know you won't because you aren't.)
:-)
The book is broken up into 3 sections:
1. Death by Love: God and mission (chapters 2 - 4)
2. Identifying Love: the church and the world (chapters 5 - 9)
3. Formed by Love: believers and the world (chapters 10 - 12)
Throughout the whole thing, the authors continually reminds the reader of several things that pertain to love:
1. Love is more than just a warm, fuzzy, emotional response.
2. Love shows itself best in action.
3. EVERYTHING that God does revolves around His love. It's part of His character, He is love. It's the basis for the Gospel message.
4. It's easy for believers to marginalize the importance of God's love.
This book is a GREAT reminder of the centrality and importance of love. God's love for us, our love for others, and making sure that we as believers keep His love at the driving force of our lives. If you find yourself stuck in a rut of the Christian experience, read this book. Get refocused on what's important.
Thanks Joe for recommending it, thanks Mr. Stetzer and Mr. Nation for writing it.

Book Review - Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

Taking a que from a new friend and fellow children/youth worker Jared Kennedy (SojournKids blog - listed on the left) I will start sharing with you some of the things I am learning from what I am reading. Thanks Jared for the reminder share the learning process.
I was given the title of this book by my Pastor, Joe Thorn (blog also on left), after asking him for some suggestions for something to read. He had heard good things about it, and since I am running the youth program these days, thought it would be good for me.
I liked it so much am actually getting ready to take the youth at Redeemer Fellowship (Sojourn) through the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. These twins at the age of 19 wrote this book that inspires youth to do just what the title says, do hard things. The authors rightly assert that there is little to no expectations put on youth in our culture. Youth, of today, are expected to have all the fun with none of the responsibility they can because this is the best time of life. The authors reject that outright and basically through down the challenge to get off the couch and do something, something hard that will ultimately grow and change the youth of today.
The book centers on five things that are considered hard by our culture. When these five things are overcome doing hard things gets done. The authors call them the "five kinds of hard". The five things are:
1. Getting out of our comfort zones.
2. Going beyond what is expected or required.
3. Do things that are too big to do alone.
4. Doing the small hard things that don't pay off.
5. Going against the crowd.
The authors make it clear throughout the book that one student's "hard thing" will probably be different than another's. One student may struggle with getting out of their comfort zone, while the other doesn't. Helping student's find their "hard thing" is the key. This is where parents and to a lesser degree youth workers can help.
This is a thought provoking, "change your prospective" kind of book. It is written by teens for teens. I was challenged by it even though I am well past my teen years (at least physically). I would recommend it to anyone with a teen, working with teens or have kids approaching those years. It's an easy read, hard to put down, and if applied rightly, will challenge youth do great things for God, community, and the world.

MEDICAL ALERT (not really but read it anyway)

The Center for Disease Control has issued a medical alert about a highly contagious, potentially dangerous virus that is transmitted orally, by hand, and even electronically. This virus is called Weekly Overload Recreational Killer (WORK). If you receive WORK from your boss, any of your colleagues or anyone else via any means whatsoever - DO NOT TOUCH IT!!! This virus will wipe out your private life entirely. If you should come into contact with WORK you should immediately leave the premises.
Take two good friends to the nearest liquor store and purchase one or both of the antidotes - Work Isolating Neutralizer Extract (WINE) and Bothersome Employer Elimination Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

(HT - Jeff Lacher ... thanks for the reminder)

Final Quotes from the Conference (finally)

Sorry this took so long but here we go ...
Paul Tripp in a conversation about too many unproductive people in the church - "(Some Christians) play with the box - Sunday worship, a dose of theology - instead of the gift - the grace of God -.
"A self made man will be poorly made."
"In Christian relationships we use the Gospel to defend ourselves from the Gospel!"

David Micheal quoting John Bloom - "God uses people to change you, not programs or ministries."
2 Corinthians 4:1 - Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.
"The best weapon to fight against the lose of heart is the centrality of God."
"(Ministry) has less to do with what you do, and everything to do with who you are."
"(It's) not always wrong to quit, but it shouldn't be our first response."

Then there was a text message from a certain someone to a specific somebody, something about a "tush cush" (Sorry ... again ... couldn't help myself).

More Quotes from the Conference (and other misc. thoughts)

First, a public apology.
Deann, I am sorry for making fun of your ... injury. My bad.
Next, quotes ...
Bruce Ware on the sovereignty of God: "Just because He controls good and evil; does not mean He is both good and evil."
Tim Jones definition of family ministry: "A process of intentionally and persistently realigning a congregation's proclamation and practices so that parents - and especially fathers - are acknowledged, trained, and held accountable as persons primarily responsible for the discipleship of their children."
Gil McConnell on the place of the Gospel in our lives - "The Gospel should never get old. If it does, it's because of my coldness to it and that's a dangerous place to be."
Paul David Tripp on who reigns supreme in your heart, "God will take you where you haven't intended to go, to produce in you something you couldn't achieve on your own. He (God) will sacrifice your temporal comfort to produce something better - holiness."
And 2 final thoughts:
It was great to meet and share a (quick) cup of coffee with Jared Kennedy, Director of SojournKids the Children's ministry of Sojourn Community Church Louisville, Ky.
I am looking forward to see what tomorrow brings at the conference and then getting home (I miss MY bed ... Oh yeah and the kids!).

Quotes and Other Notes

Quotes of the day:

Kacy Willey in a text message to her Mom Deann (nursery and toddlers coordinator at Redeemer Fellowship), "How's the butt?" (Deann fell and hurt her tail bone early in the week.)

David Michael (Children Desiring God presenter on the topic of what the job of children's ministries worker's should be), "... (It's) not just about imparting truth, but a passion for truth."

John Piper on the topic of the God-centeredness of God, "The main way God shows His love for us is by doing what He has to do in order that we see the value of His glory."

"(Our) deepest and longest satisfaction is not about us, but is found in God (and His glory).

Other notes:
Before I left to come to the Children Desiring God conference, I was in court for a while. After sitting there for 2 hours I had to leave to get on the road. Found out that after lunch that the deal did go through and at least that is done. Thanks go to Dad and Uncle Tim who stayed in court and called with the result. Thanks again for all your prayers, they have truly sustained us through these rough waters.