Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus

In 1897, Francis P. Church wrote the following editorial as a response to an eight-year-old little girl's question. It has since become the most reproduced editorial in newspaper history and is a Christmas classic. It is also a stunning commentary on the modern era.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?"VIRGINIA O'HANLON."115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH
STREET.

"VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All
minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.
He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry,
no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in
fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.You may
tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture
the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times
ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

A Suggestion for Those Wanting to "Go Green"

"Going green" is a really hot buzz topic right now. I don't know why, but for some reason I got to thinking last night about one of the ways that some of my old, widowed, great aunts and great-great aunts conserved energy when I was a kid.

Now, understand, they did this not out of a sense of responsibility for the environment, but because they were on a fixed income and needed to save money. Also, understand that I grew up in rural Arkansas, which is a little bit different (note the vast understatement) than the rest of America.

Several of my aunts conserved energy by living in two rooms of their house. They had their kitchen, which they did not heat, and their bedroom/living area. This was the only room that the heated. And they never used air conditioning. When you went to visit them, they had a little sitting area, but in the background was their bed. They usually heated the room with a little gas heater.

Maybe we could conserve energy by following their lead in our homes and using less space.

Oh, well, that's what was on my mind this morning.

Been a Long Time Since They Rock and Rolled

Led Zeppelin, some would argue the greatest rock and roll band of all time, reunited for the first time in over twenty years last night at a benefit concert in London. Does this mean more from the band? We can only hope so.

For the Love of Cornhole

Cornhole is a game that my family and I have enjoyed over the last seven years. It is decently popular in North Texas.

Here is a tribute to that great sport: http://www.rhettandlink.com/videos/the-cornhole-song

Virtual Church

Earlier this year LifeChurch.tv, a leader in the multi-site church movement, launched a virtual campus and worship experience called Experience Island online at Second Life. Users can explore the campus, participate in a worship service, and connect to XXX Church for help with pornography addiction through their online avatars.

Any thoughts on virtual church?

Is It Just Me?

Or are these the same bands, twenty years apart?

Righteous Indignation (Or Something Like That)

Wow! That's how you go after somebody!

How many pastors wish they could have a meltdown like that?!

Gotta Love It!

Stupid Arguments

I don't know why, but the level of arguing at my house seems to have increased over the summer. Maybe it's just that I'm around the kids more during the summer, so I notice more. Or maybe it's just that they have been hanging out with each other 24/7 for the last three months, and that is really getting old.

Whatever the reasons, there are time right now that I feel like my brains are going to ooze out my ears. What is really frustrating is the subjects that they argue over and the content of their arguments. They currently argue over stuff that does not matter one bit. Who cares whether one soda is better than another or if we went to the amusement park last week or the week before or if we watched this movie or that movie last night, or a hundred other arguments that really don't matter? The kids fight over stuff that, even if you win the argument, you really haven't won anything.

The second thing that is frustrating is the content of their arguments. They each state their position, and then, the argument generally goes something like "Nuh-uh!" "Uh-huh!" "Nuh-uh!" "Uh-huh!" ad infinitum. There is absolutely no hope of the discussion getting anywhere. The only choice for them is to get louder stating their point, whether it be "Nuh-uh!" or "Uh-huh!"

I am really frustrated with the Southern Baptist Convention right now for the same things happening. There are arguments going on right now about things that do not matter and for which there does not appear to be a willingness, from at least some, to have any kind of meaningful conversation. There are arguments right now over the use of alcohol, private prayer languages, expository vs. topical preaching. And the arguments so often degenerate into "Nuh-uh!/Uh-huh!" kinds of arguments.

What I want to say about each of these subjects is "WHO CARES?" They are meaningless arguments that don't matter at all when it comes to the task we have been given as a church. When will we start focusing more on fulfilling the Great Commission and less on who's in control and who's right or wrong over arguments that don't matter?

The Conservative Resurgence is over. We "won." We all believe the Bible. We all accept it as the inerrant, infallible, inspired word of God. Now, the question is, do we accept it as the all-sufficient guide for everything we do and do we accept its authority to govern our actions? If we do, then there is certainly plenty of room in our Southern Baptist family for differences of opinion. But those differences do not need to become dividing lines. Just like in a family, you have to accept that we won't agree on everything, and that's okay. Let's stop fighting over stupid arguments and get on with the work of reaching the world for Christ.

It's Been a While

Wow! It has really been a long time since I posted anything. We have just been having really awesome time with the kids this summer. The first and second weeks of June, we went on a family vacation with my parents and my brother and had an awesome time.

We went to the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, the Sequoia National Forest, Disneyland, Hollywood, the Discovery Science Center, and Big Bear Lake. All in all we saw some incredible things that God created.

The Giant Sequoias were amazing, and pictures just don't do them justice. It is humbling to stand at the base of something so big and realize some of those trees were over a thousand years old when Jesus walked the earth.

Here are a few pics from the trip.

The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest

Momma and Daddy at the Grand Canyon

Me, Momma, and My Little Bro'

Wow, She's Hot!

What a Ham!

The General Sherman Sequoia, the Largest Living Thing on Earth

The Kids sitting on a branch that has fallen off the General Sherman

Last Tuesday (May 22), LaRissa and I celebrated our fourteenth wedding anninversary. We went to Frisco and had some incredible Italian food and heard some cool jazz music at Terilli's. We then went over to the World Market and checked out some cool stuff for the kitchen.

In fourteen years, I have grown to love my wife more and more. Here's a list of just a few of the things I love so much about her. She's smokin' hot. How did a guy like me get so lucky? She thinks I'm smokin' hot. (How crazy is that?) She loves music, writes music, plays music, and really connects with God through music. She is an awesome mom (count them, four times giving birth). She likes hangin' out with me in the kitchen. She likes hiking and the outdoors. She challenges me to try new stuff like learning to dance. She's totally out of it by 10 o'clock at night. She's really smart and is an awesome 1st grade teacher. I love that she didn't know how to grate cheese, boil water, or knead dough when we first got married. I love that she hates football but watches it anyway and continues to try to understand it because I love it so much. I love that she tries to get home early every day to spend more time with our family. I love that she has this awesomely beautiful auburn hair that is so hard to define and that changes depending on the light and that every other woman wants. I love that she likes guy movies and thinks The Notebook is a stupid movie because it is such a poor imitation of what real love is. I love it that she loves me more than any human being ever has, through thick and thin, good and bad, in my worst times and in my best times. I love her because she knows me through and through, is my best friend in the world, and is the person I would most like to be with all the time. And, I love her because she fiercely loves Jesus Christ and challenges me daily to love him as well.

Great Blog by Bob Roberts

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I've been pretty busy coming to the end of the school year. Hopefully I'll be able to start getting more stuff up now that things have settled into a more normal routine.

Bob Roberts has a great blog at Glocal Trekker about how our eschatology affects the way we live and carry out our mission in the world. You should really check it out.

Classic

Could somebody let a squirrel loose in more churches?

Friday Hike

Friday afternoon I logged five miles on the Cross Timbers Trail (2.5 miles from Juniper Point to Cedar Bayou and back) with Abby, my one year old, on my back. Cross Timbers is supposed to be one of the ten best trails in the state of Texas, which, quite honestly, doesn't say much about the trails in Texas. The trail is nice, but I have certainly hiked much more beautiful trails in my life.

The section of the trail I hiked goes over and around cliffs on the shores of Lake Texoma, looking over the lake from Texas into Oklahoma. There are some pretty views of the lake from here. The trail is on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property and is maintained by the Boy Scouts of America. I have the utmost respect for both organizations, and give special kudos to the Boy Scouts. The trail is in excellent shape, is well marked, and is definitely one of the cleanest trails I have ever been on. On the section I hiked, there was almost no evidence of the human stain anywhere.

The trail does offer some decent climbs going over the cliffs along the lakeshore. It also goes through the "cross timbers," a mixed forest of large oaks and scrub cedar, juniper, and an abundance of poison oak. There were also some wild grapes along the trail. I didn't really see any wildlife on the trail, other than some turtles in the water.

Abby slept most of the time, which meant she was leaned to one side in my pack most of the time. My shoulder was really killing me at the end of the hike. But we had a great time together. I'll try to get some pictures posted later of the hike.

Monday Movie Review

I didn't have terribly high expectations for Rocky Balboa. The first two films in the Rocky franchise were two of the best sports movies of all time. I absolutely loved the third one, although I was a fourth-grade boy at the time, so my evaluation was probably based more on the nature of the underdog taking on an evil opponent in the form of Clubber Lang (Mr. T) and the fact that I loved the song Eye of the Tiger by Survivor than on the merits of the movie itself. By the time the fourth installment came along, even I, as a twelve year old boy, could tell that the premise of the film was stretching reality a little and played on Cold War fears still hanging on in America.

By the time of the fifth installment, I couldn't even bring myself to watch the movie. Sylvester Stallone had become too much of an action hero, Rocky had become too much of a franchise, and it seemed that there just were no contendors left for Rocky to fight. I have never seen the movie in its entirety, but have seen most of it when it has been on TV. It's not worth the cellulose the film was printed on.

So, when Rocky Balboa came along, I wasn't expecting much. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I watched it this weekend. Now, don't get me wrong, it was definitely cliched and was a stretch of the imagination. But it picked back up on some of the gritty feel of the first two movies. Several references were made throughout the film to scenes from the first movies, so it carried some nostalgia with it.

In short, the movie is about a fifty-something year-old, retired Rocky who is running a restaurant (named Adrian's) in Philly and mourning the death of his love, Adrian (That's right, only one "Yo, Adrian" in this movie.) When an ESPN computer simultion shows that Rocky would win in a fight against current heavyweight champ Mason "The Line" Dixon, Dixon's promoters arrange an exhibition match between him and Rocky. Rocky agrees to the match, wanting to be rid of some "stuff" he still has inside of him. The movie is predictable, and it definitely is not going to win any awards, but it is enjoyable and it has a redemptive message, and to be honest with you, that's more than I expect from a lot of movies. I guess what makes the film at least believable enough to keep you watching is the fact that George Foreman had actually already done it.

Best line from the movie: Rocky: "The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place. It will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! "

It's not near as gritty or inspiring as the first, but if you were a fan of the first, you will definitely find yourself wanting to cheer for Rocky again.

If Everyone Cared

This is the soundtrack for life that was playing in my head in the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting.

2006-07 Pics

Just some of my favorite pictures from this last year.

James reading to his sisters.

Baby's First Kisses

Too Cute!

Grace cheering at a Pee Wee Football game. Go Cardinals!

First Grade trip to the Pumpkin Patch.

"The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!"

Baby's First Christmas

Katie at the base of the cross where she put her trust in Jesus.

"I don't want to play Frisbee Golf anymore!"

Top 5 Sitcoms

Oops! I forgot The Cosby Show for my "Honorable Mention" list. Oh yeah, and Wings. I'll probably keep coming up with more the longer I think about it.

Top 5 Sitcoms

Here is my list of what are, in my opinion, the best sitcoms of all time. I have intentionally left off any sitcoms that are currently running for two reasons: one, I'm not a faithful follower of any currently running sitcom, and, two, I think it's just too early to tell what the long-term value of a current sitcom will be.

#5 Friends

I really debated over inclusion of this one in the list. I was a huge fan of the show during it's first four or five seasons, but then I had kids and they started repeating some of the stuff they heard on the show, and I had to drop it.

Friends was definitely funny. I laugh out loud at almost every episode. It also is probably the defining television show for most of my generation, thirty-somethings. But that also saddens me. If Seinfeld was a show about nothing that often had something to say, Friends at times seems to me a show about something (friendship) that has nothing to say. (I know I'll get raked over the coals for that one.)

Wait a minute, the current coffeehouse craze in America may be due in large part to the friends' gathering place, Central Perk. So, it already has done something to change the landscape of American culture. You may need to chalk this one up to guilty pleasure for me.

#4 Seinfeld

A show about nothing that so often had so much to say. Seinfeld was smart, cutting, sarcastic, self-effacing, and just downright silly. Seinfeld also gave us such incredibly memorable characters as Kramer, Elaine, George, Newman, the soup nazi, George's parents, and a host of others. Not to mention, Seinfeld defined the impact a television show could have on "water-cooler conversations" in the workplace.

Seinfeld is German for "field of existence," and the show really was a commentary on existence, what it means to be human, what it means to live, what it means to interact with other people. How appropriate is it that the series ends with the four main characters sitting in jail for failing to care for other people? What a perfect commentary on American life in the '90s!

#3 M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H was a sitcom that ran for eleven years about a war that lasted three years. It is a sitcom set in the Korean War that really is a commentary on the Vietnam War. It covers the antics of a group of army surgeons in the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and how they seek to maintain some sense of normalcy (or at times insanity) in the midst of the tragedy they encounter every day.

M*A*S*H gave us such memorable characters as "Hawkeye" Pierce, Hunnicut, Charles Emerson Winchester III, "Hot Lips" Houlihan, "Radar", and who could forget Klinger. Or what about the theme song? Suicide is Painless belied the fact that this show was not just your run of the mill comedy, but a commentary on the pain and trajedy of war.

The real impact of M*A*S*H was that it gave America an outlet to laugh at and discuss an extremely charged situation in the form of the Vietnam War. Maybe America needs a similar outlet for the current heated debates over Iraq, maybe a sitcom set in Iraq with a president named Bush, a dictator named Hussein, and a presidential hopeful named Clinton.

#2 The Andy Griffith Show

Over forty years later, and I still watch the folks from Mayberry whenever I run across them. The show ran from 1960 to 1968, one of the most tumultuous periods in American cultural history, but you wouldn't know it by watching the show. It appealed to America's simpler side, maybe to our desires for a more basic, loving identity.

It's not reality. Maybe it never represented reality, but who cares? Mayberry is the town we all wanted to grow up in. There is something good and wholesome and simple about the rhythms and morals and worldview of smalltown life.

So that's one take on it. At the same time, life in Mayberry serves as a foil to what happens in real life. The Andy Griffith Show was not about real life. It was an idealistic representation of real life. And if we continually try to hold society to the standards of an imaginary life or try to make people conform to thoses standards, we will be ineffective at making a real impact in the real world. It's like Ecclesiastes 7:10 says, "Don't long for 'the good old days,' for you don't know whether they were any better than today."

#1 Cheers

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you've gotta go where everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see people are all the same. You wanna go where everybody knows your name. Is this a show about a bar or what the church ought to be? A cast of goofy misfits and failures who find family and friendship at the local bar.

I watched Cheers without failure every week. The final episode aired my sophomore year of college. My roommate and I sat and cried as Sam closed down the bar for the last time.

Cheers gave us such lovable misfits as Norm, the local barfly; Cliff, the annoying, know-it-all mailman; Karla, the cranky waitress, divorcee, and mother; Woody, the country bumkin barkeep; Frazier, the snooty psychologist who was himself a neurotic headcase; Coach, the clueless former baseball coach; and Sam, the washed-out, former baseball player and bar owner.

Cheers may not have had a social impact or a cultural commentary that impacted America, but the show, like the bar, was the place you just wanted to be.

Honorable Mention

All in the Family

The King of Queens

Everybody Loves Raymond

Frazier

Laverne and Shirley

The Jeffersons

Sanford and Son

Mork and Mindy

Alright, so there's my list. Now give me yours.

Monday Movie Review

Okay, I know it's not Monday, but it's close enough.

I watched Elizabethtown a couple of weeks ago, and I must confess, I watched it rather reluctantly. The name alone seems to give off red flags that this is going to be a major chick flick. But, it came highly recommended by Michael McMinn, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Fortunately, it's not really a chick flick. The movie is really more about a man finding his sense of identity in the world. Drew (Orlando Bloom) is a shoe designer in Seattle who loses his dream job after developing a shoe that is an abysmal failure for the Nike-esque company for which he works. He is about to take his own life when he receives a call from his mother telling him that his father has just died. Drew is given the responsibility of going to Elizabethtown, KY, where his father was visiting his family, to make arrangements for his father's cremation and memorial service.

On the flight to Kentucky, Drew meets a bubbly flight attendant named Claire, brilliantly played by Kirsten Dunst. The rest of the film is about Drew trying to navigate his way through family relationships, funeral arrangements, his own grief over the loss of his father, and his struggle for identity in the loss of his job. Claire continues to be a source of sunshine and sanity for Drew throughout the process. Claire tells Drew that he failed, but it is not the end of his life and helps him to understand that his identity and worth as a human being are not tied to his accomplishments or failures in the business world.

One of the best lines from the film comes from Bill Banyon, a friend of Drew's father, Mitch. Drew informs Bill and the local funeral home director that Mitch wished to be cremated, so there will be no body at the funeral. Banyon responds with, "Is there such a thing as partial cremation?"

At the end of the film, Drew begins his journey back to Seattle, but he promises Claire that he will drive across country with the urn with his father's ashes instead of flying back home. She maps out the route for him and puts together a sound track for him to listen to on the way. This is the final stage of healing for Drew.

Kirsten Dunst does an excellent job playing a southern girl. She passibly pulls off the accent, and she really nails the attitude and persona of the new southern lady. Orlando Bloom, on the other hand, is at times distracting. He does a good job of portraying a melancholy but emotionally constipated male. But the fact that his British accent keeps creeping through is distracting. It's kind of like watching Kevin Costner try to pull off a British accent in Robin Hood.

This is really a good movie, which surprised me given it's title (it just sounded so girly). The soundtrack is incredible, as you might expect from a film by Cameron Crowe. As a bonus, if you are a fan of Paula Deen, she makes a cameo as Drew's aunt.

Hurray for the Internet!

Sorry I haven't posted anything new in a while. The company providing our internet service at the church went under about a month ago without any advance warning. We just arrived at church one morning, and we could not log on to the internet. Called the guy and found out he had taken down his equipment and was no longer providing internet service.

Now, for most people that would be a minor, but brief inconvenience, but not so when you are located in the middle of a wheat field, ten miles out of town. The only option we have for high speed internet service is through some sort of wireless provider, either satellite or radio signal.

The previous company had provided us service through a radio feed. We checked into a couple of different companies that provided the same or similar types of service, but they did not have service that would reach our location. We also looked into satellite internet, but the only provider in our area said their satellite was full. (I cannot even begin to comprehend exactly what that means.)

Finally, yesterday, after being without the internet for nearly a month, we found a company that could provide us service. There is now great rejoicing among my staff.

It is amazing how dependent we have become on internet access. It is an incredible tool, but it sure does handicap you when you don't have it.

Bedside Reading

At my bedside right now, there is a recent copy of Field and Stream magazine, John Burke's book No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come As You Are Culture in the Church, and The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook Collection by Paula Deen. What does this say about me?

The Best Hike Ever

Last Thursday morning, while we were at Shepherd of the Ozarks, our entire family went hiking on the New Beginnings Trail. The trail is a contemplative and meditative prayer walk. Each of the stations along the way tell the message of the good news of Jesus Christ.

The first station tells about how God, as Creator, created the world and everything in it, including human beings, for his pleasure and to exist in relationship with Him. The second station tells about how humans rebelled against God and how every one of us makes the same choice to live our lives our way without regard for God. The Bible calls this sin and says there are destructive consequences in our lives as a result. The third station tells about how human beings try different ways to remedy the negative consequences of our sin, but all our attempts are in the end insufficient to bring us back to God and the lives we were made for. The fourth station is labeled "The Cross" and it tells about how God payed the price for our sins by sacrificing the life of His Son on the cross and how that sacrifice is the bridge to a restored relationship between us and God.

Just up the mountain from this sign, there is a large cross in a clearing in the woods. As we were reading the sign, we noticed that my middle daughter, Katie, had wandered off. We thought she wasn't listening. But she climbed up the mountain to the cross and laid at the foot of the cross a bouquet of flowers she had been gathering. She then hugged the cross, and as we were about to walk on, she said, "Does anybody want to pray?"

I said, "That would be a great idea, Katie. Would you like to lead us?"

She said, "Yes," and had the rest of us climb up to the cross to hold hands with her. She prayed and thanked God for giving the life of His Son to pay the price for our sins and told God how much she loved Him. After she got through, we were getting ready to move on when I noticed that Katie continued to cling to the cross with a sad look on her face.

I have been talking to Katie for about a year now about what it means to put your trust in Jesus as the Leader of your life and the Forgiver of your sins. So, I asked Katie, "Do you think you are ready to put your trust in Jesus." She said, "I want to, but I don't know if I can." So, right there at the foot of the cross, I talked to my little girl one more time about what it means to follow Jesus and led her in a prayer to receive God's gift of eternal life. Sitting on the ground with her, it was me, the cross, and my little girl.

Man, that's the greatest joy in all the world of being a parent. That was definitely the best hike ever!

Shepherd of the Ozarks

In the week following Brick's memorial service, LaRissa and the kids and I got out of town for some much needed restoration, mourning time, and rejuvenation. We went to this awesome place called The Shepherd of the Ozarks. It was a beautiful setting with an incredible staff and perfect, rustic accomodations with modern conveniences (short of phones or internet, thank God).

There were several trails to hike. Some were meditative like the A.C.T.S. Prayer Trail or the New Beginnings Trail. Along the course of the trails there were scripture verses to contemplate and scenic overlooks to spend time in prayer. Other trails, like the Jake Falls Trail or the Lost Silver Mine Trail, were just scenic, fairly easy hiking trails.

If you are looking for a great place to get away with your family, SOTO is a wonderful place. There is a petting zoo, horseback rides, paintball course, frisbee golf course, playground, and tubing and swimming in Big Creek. It was the perfect getaway for our family.

Thinking of You

In the week after Brick's death, I was beginning to feel crushed beneath the weight of my own grief, coupled with carrying the grief of others, trying to come up with the right words to say to honor Brick, and dealing with some other pretty big ministry situations. I went to our mailbox to get the mail, and on the way I just said a quick prayer just saying, "God, I really need to hear from you right now." When I got the mail, there was a letter from my grandmother, and across the seal on the envelope was a sticker that said, "Thinking of you." Right then, it was like God said, "That's from me. I'm thinking of you. I care about you, and it matters to me what you are going through right now."

How awesome is it that the God of the universe is thinking of us. "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!" Psalm 139:17.

So Long, Friend

On Saturday, March 10, about 400 people gathered in the Pottsboro High School Auditorium to say "so long" to our friend, Brick James.

The following is the text of what I said at that memorial celebration:

Funeral for Brick James

One of Brick’s responsibilities at Hagerman was each Sunday he led our welcome time and our prayer time. And he was always late getting to the podium because he was busy giving out hugs to people who needed them. A little over six years ago, I began serving as pastor at Hagerman, and I very quickly developed a close friendship with Brick. And I realized right away how blessed and privileged I was to have Brick on my staff and just to know him and spend time with him and to learn from him. Brick was a good, good man and a dear friend, and I will miss him incredibly. Not long after I came to Hagerman, we were talking in the office, and somehow the subject of our ages came up. I was 28 at the time. And Brick said, “I can’t believe it! I can’t believe that my pastor is young enough to be my son!” Well, over the next several years, Brick really was like a spiritual father to me. One day, we were talking in his office, and Brick was wrestling with exactly what his role needed to be as a staff member, because he was kind of the utility guy. Whatever needed doing, he was the go to man. And I told him that his most important role was he was like Paul and I was like Timothy. He was so often the teacher, and I was the student.
One of the things that I will really miss about Brick is that he was an awesome teacher. He had incredible insights into God’s word, and he always had a unique way of communicating God’s truths. One of the last opportunities I had to hear Brick teach was back in November, we had a meeting for the ministry leaders in our church, and Brick taught them about some insights he had gained from the book of Joshua. And he was so excited as he told them about the hopes and dreams he had for our church. And he talked about how the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, and how the leaders had to have courage and step into the water in faith. And he talked about how the people had to consecrate themselves to be ready for what God was going to do. And he talked to us about how God stopped the waters and the people saw God do another incredible miracle to allow them to enter the Promised Land.
But, here’s what I’m getting to. After the Israelites had all passed over on dry land, Joshua was to appoint one man from each of the tribes of Israel to go into the dry river bed and gather large stones to bring to the bank and set up as a memorial. “And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, ‘In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, “What do these stones mean?” tell them, “Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.” For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.’” What was the purpose of the stones? They were set up as a reminder to the people for generations to come that God had done something incredible there, that the people had seen the hand of God at work. And that’s what I think today is about. It’s about remembering how we have seen the hand of God at work through the life of Brick James.
Now, if I’ve counted right, you’ve heard from ten men so far today, either in person or by letter or video, ten men who have each set up a stone of what Brick did in their lives, of how they saw the hand of God at work through Brick.
And now, I’m the eleventh man. Now, I could spend the rest of the day today setting up stones to honor what God showed me through Brick’s life, but there are four really important ones that I want you to remember.
First, Brick was a friend. Prov. 18:24: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” That’s the kind of friend Brick was. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve heard from over the last month who have told me, “Brick James was my best friend in the world.”
Many of you here today represent people who were touched by Brick’s friendship. Brick was a friend because he genuinely cared. Brick was the kind of friend who was there through thick and thin, through good and bad. I remember Sept. 11, 2001, sitting in my office with Brick and Tim, watching television footage of the collapse of the twin towers and us just crying together. And one of the things I really remember from 9/11 was the bravery and the sacrifice of the New York City firemen and police officers who ran in when everybody else was running out. That’s the kind of friend that Brick was. In situations when your life was crashing in around you, in circumstances where other people were running away, Brick was always the guy running in, always the one helping to carry you out when you didn’t feel like you could go on. There was a point in my life when my world was collapsing, and if it hadn’t been for Brick, I would not have made it.
Brick was an encourager. He just always knew when you needed a hug or an encouraging word or a note. Even as I watched Brick in the hospital, people would come in, and he wound up being the one encouraging them. I have a stack of notes in my desk that Brick wrote to me. And the other day, I was looking through them, and I came across this one. Read it. I looked on the front, and there are tear stains from where Brick was crying for me as he prayed for me. He was a friend.
The second thing I want you to remember about Brick is that he was faithful. 1 Cor. 4:2: “The one thing required of servants is that they be faithful…” Brick was faithful. You could always depend on Brick. Brick was an incredible servant. I’ve seen him washing dishes, painting walls, making meals, getting on the floor and rolling around with kids, holding the hand of someone who was dying, decorating for Vacation Bible School, counseling with clients until late in the night, not giving up on people when most others would have given up. He was a faithful servant. I always knew I could depend on Brick. Several years ago, when Brick had his first brain surgery, he had the surgery on a Tuesday, and he was in church worshiping God on Sunday morning. He was faithful.
He was a faithful husband. He loved Dorothy and he was always thinking about how he could show Dorothy how much he loved her. And so many of us have learned about what it means to be a faithful spouse from Brick. This last October, we did a marriage retreat that Brick led, right before his last surgery. And he planned it and worked out the agenda for what we were going to do. But Brick wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to go, but he knew that it meant a lot to Dorothy and that she really wanted to go. So he came. And I think that those of us who went will always treasure that weekend because of what we learned, not by Brick’s words, but by his faithfulness.
Brick was a faithful father. He loved his girls, and he was so proud of you. Again, I learned a lot about how to be a good parent by watching Brick. I remember Brick telling us about one time the girls were fighting in the car, so he took a paper bag and stuck it over his head. The girls asked what he was doing, and he said, “Y’all are making bad air. And I don’t want to breathe your air. So, I’m going to breathe my own nice air in this bag.” He was a great dad, and you girls are such evidence of that.
He was a friend. He was faithful. Then, the third thing I want you to remember about Brick is that he was a fighter. 2 Tim. 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Brick was a fighter. I remember several years ago that Brick and his friend Joe went on a trip to his mother’s cabin in upstate New York. They left their cooler on the back porch and a bear got it. Well, Brick grabbed a stick and took off after the bear yelling at it. I mean, you’ve heard the saying, “He’s so tough, he’d go into a bear fight with a stick!” Well, Brick did. And the bear dropped the cooler and ran off. I think that is so perfect an illustration of the way Brick faced life. He was a fighter. Since the first moment I knew Brick, he had cancer. But cancer never defined who he was. Most of the time you forgot that he had cancer. I never believed that cancer was going to get Brick, because he fought it so hard. I have never seen anyone face cancer with as much courage as Brick did, even to the very end. He never gave up; he never quit; he never lost hope.
But it wasn’t just cancer that Brick fought. Brick fought for his clients. The Bible says that Satan is like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. And so many of you who came to Brick for counseling were people that Satan had hurt. And Brick went to battle for you. He went to battle to save marriages. He went to battle to save lives. He went to battle to save emotions. He went to battle to save your kids. You know, I think, when Brick James went into battle that Satan trembled. Because so many people that Satan was trying to destroy, Brick rescued.
He was a fighter. And finally, I want you to remember that he was a man of faith. Brick believed in the power of God to do great things, to transform people’s lives, to work miracles. In the Bible, in the book of Luke, it tells us this story of all these people bringing all their sick and hurting friends and family members to Jesus. And I love Lk. 4:40: “No matter what their diseases were, the touch of His hand healed everyone.” No matter what their diseases were, the touch of His hand healed everyone. I know that Brick believed that verse with all his heart. The solution for the human condition is Jesus Christ. The solution to our hurts and pains and struggles and anxieties and disfunctions and guilt and disease is Jesus Christ.
You see, the Bible teaches that we are all broken people. That everyone of us, at one point or another in our lives, decide that we are going to live our lives our way, and we don’t care who we have to hurt or what we have to do. We don’t care what God or anybody else says. All of us make the choice to live for our selves and to rebel against God. The Bible calls that rebellion sin. The Bible teaches that all of us have sinned. And the Bible says that there are consequences for our sins, things like broken marriages and broken homes, domestic violence, addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography, food, things like guilt, depression, anxiety, thoughts of unworthiness, of being unloved. Or maybe just a confusion about who you are and where you belong and what the meaning of life is all about. The Bible says that there are consequences for our sins, and the ultimate consequence is death. Now, when the Bible talks about death as the consequence of our sins, its not just talking about physical death. It’s talking about eternal death as the punishment for our sins.
But there is an answer, there is a way that sinful human beings can be made right with God. Remember, no matter what their diseases were the touch of his hand healed everyone. The solution to whatever your issues are is Jesus Christ. You see, the most important verse in the Bible that you need to know is John 3:16. It says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins so that we could have a relationship with God. That is what Brick believed with all his heart. And that is why Brick is in heaven today.
Last Sunday morning, Brick breathed his last breath here on earth. And I love what Rachel said in the e-mail she sent out. The last week of his life, Brick couldn’t really see. The very first thing he saw was the face of Jesus waiting to receive him. Brick couldn’t hear. And the very first thing he heard was the sound of angels crying out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty” and the voice of Jesus saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Brick couldn’t really speak. And the first words out of his mouth were, “Thank you and I love you.” Brick’s had lost feeling in parts of his face, and the very first thing he felt was “the touch of his hand healed everyone.”
Would you like to know the Jesus that Brick is now with? It’s as simple as ABC. Admit you are a sinner and ask God to forgive you of your sins. Believe that Jesus died in your place to pay the price for your sins. Confess Jesus as the leader of your life.

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

Saturday afternoon at about 1 o’clock, I got a call from Brick’s youngest daughter asking me to come to their house. Brick’s breathing had changed, and the family had called hospice to bring oxygen. Brick’s breathing was labored and shallow, and this continued to worsen throughout the day. I went to see Brick, but had to leave to perform a wedding ceremony that afternoon (such a surreal juxtaposition of life and death). I returned that night to see Brick and went home at about 10 o’clock. At 1:15 a.m., Brick’s oldest daughter called to tell me that he had passed away. He went peacefully and without much pain.

There will be a memorial service Saturday, March 10, at 10 a.m. in the Pottsboro High School Auditorium.

Thank you, God, for such an awesome, incredible friend and for giving him grace and peace as he faced death.

Well done, Brick.

Update on Brick

Not much new to report here, but I know many of you have been checking the site to find out what is going on. Brick's condition continues to worsen slightly each day. He is confined to bed and seems to be experiencing some pain, though that is being managed well with medication. Continue to pray for him and his family.

Restaurant Review

One of my regular readers threatened to take away my man card for my review of a Mediterranean restaurant in Addison. So, I offer this review of Deno's Fried Pies as penance.

Deno's is located in Denison, TX, and is one of my favorite places to go as an occasional treat. It is occasional because one of the key ingredients that makes Deno's pies so wonderful is grease. The crusts on the pies are about as flaky as any you will find on a fried pie (a result of plenty of grease in the dough), and they are deep fried, giving a wonderfully crisp outer crust.

Of course, the thing that draws me to Deno's are their dessert pies. They come in an assortment of flavors: apricot, apple, cherry, peach, pineapple, blackberry, chocolate, coconut, vanilla, lemon, apricot cream, apple cream, cherry cream, peach cream, pineapple cream, and blackberry cream. Of the flavors I have tried, apricot has been my favorite by far, although the cherry is very good also. The chocolate seems like it is a little rich to me, combining the chocolate filling with the already rich crust. Coconut is my favorite type of pie ordinarily, but for some reason it didn't work for me in a fried pie.

Deno's also offers frozen custards blended with their fried pie flavorings. You can also get an assortment of breakfast (bacon, egg, and cheese; sausage, egg, and cheese; etc.) and dinner pies including flavors like Tex-Mex, Polish sausage and potato, or chicken and vegetable, to name a few. I have not tried any of these pies, so I can't give a review of them.

If you are expecting bakery or donut store prices at Deno's, you will be a little surprised. Think more along the lines of cafe prices, more than a donut store, less than Starbucks. By the way, Deno's also offers a good variety of hot drinks. Click here to see Deno's full menu.

Pie, grease, crust. How can you go wrong?

The Jesus Family Tomb?

Is this Talpiot Tomb the final resting place of Jesus Christ?

This story is really so ridiculous that I hate to have to give any credence to it whatsoever by devoting time and energy to responding to it, but I know some of you will have some questions. The Discovery Channel is set to release on March 4 a documentary produced by James Cameron (Titanic) and directed by journalist Simcha Jacobovichi entitled "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." Jacobovichi claims that the tomb is the final resting place of Jesus, his mother Mary, his wife Mary Magdalene, and his son Judah. Let me just go ahead and give you my final evaluation. This is Hollywood sensationalism meets horrible archaeology, pseudo-science and a lot of smoke and mirrors. This is what we like to call in Arkansas "horse manure."

The conclusions are based on findings from a tomb discovered in Jerusalem in 1980. The tomb contained ten ossuaries, boxes used to house bones after the bodies of the deceased had decomposed for a year. Now, among those ten ossuaries were five containing the following inscriptions: "Jesus (or Joshua), son of Joseph," "Maria," "Mariamne e Mara," "Judah, son of Jesus," and "Matia." Now, according to the documentary, Maria is to be identified as Jesus' mother Mary. Mariamne is actually Mary Magdalene, who, according to the documentary was Jesus' wife. Judah is the son of Jesus and is to be identified with the "lad" sitting in Jesus lap in John's account of the Last Supper. And "Matia" is supposedly another name for "Matthew," the disciple of Jesus. The film also gives the idea that there is DNA evidence supporting the claim that this is the tomb of Jesus.

Okay. So where to start with this piece of fantasy? The case that the film makes is so shaky that it is like taking down a straw man. First, let's take the names. Many of the names included in the inscriptions were the most common among Jews of the first century, Jesus (or Joshua), Joseph, Mary, and Judah. The modern equivalent would be finding a family burial plot that included the names John, Jim, Mary, and Bob. The occurence of each of these names together in the same tomb is simply a function of the preponderance of these names in Israel at the time.

The documentary states that statisticians have concluded that the likelihood of these names appearing together in a single family tomb from this time period are 1 in 600. Sounds like the statistics are in their favor, right? Wrong. Think about it. The statistics state that one out of every 600 occurrences would result in a tomb with this combination of names. Jerusalem at the time was a city of approximately 50,000, whose population could swell to as much as 200,000 during festival times such as Passover. Take the lower figure and divide it by the five names found on the ossuaries then divide that figure by 600 (the statistical probability). The result is the likelihood that there would have been at least 17 tombs in the city bearing these names. It is about as likely as you would be to find in a city of 50,000 today family burial plots with the graves of at least ten people, four of who having the names John, Jim, Bob, and Mary.

However, that is not the end of the statistical problems for the film. The statistical probabilities derived for the film include the names "Mariamne e Mara" and "Matia" which the filmmakers identify as Mary Magdalene and Matthew. The problem is, there is really no evidence to conclude that either of these names were ever applied to the biblical characters mentioned. As a result, these two names can be taken out of the statistical considerations. In which case, the statistical probability of finding the remaining four names together in a tomb from this period becomes even greater. So, statistics don't win the argument.

What about the conclusion that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married? There is no evidence from the tomb to conclude that the Mariamne from the tomb and the Jesus from the tomb are to be connected with each other. It is just as likely that Mariamne could have been the spouse of "Judah, son of Jesus," "Matia," or one of the unmarked ossuaries in the tomb. The DNA sample taken for the film merely indicate that Mariamne and Jesus were not related to one another. This alone makes it possible that they were married, but it does not establish that they were. Besides, remember, there is no basis on which to believe that Mariamne is to be identified with Mary Magdalene. Furthermore, as has been adequately argued as a result of The Da Vinci Code, there is no evidence whatsoever linking the Biblical Jesus and Mary Magdalene in marriage.

What about the location of the tomb? The tomb is in Jerusalem. Jesus died in Jerusalem, so it seems reasonable that he would be buried in Jerusalem. That is indeed what the New Testament tells us. Jesus borrowed a tomb for three days beloning to a man named Joseph of Arimathea, then he rose from the dead. But would there be reason for a family tomb in Jerusalem? No. Jesus' ancestral home was Bethlehem, a few miles to the east of Jerusalem. He and his entire family lived in Nazareth, a village far to the north. Jesus was merely a sojourner in Jerusalem, there to attend the Passover feast.

Finally, what of the historical evidence? The universal testimony of both biblical and secular history from the first century is that Jesus' followers believed he had risen from the dead. That firm conviction transformed a group of timid, fearful disciples into bold witnesses for the message of Jesus Christ. They were willing to suffer and give their lives for Jesus for the very reason that they knew he had overcome death and would grant them the gift of eternal life. If it had been widely known that the Jesus had not risen from the dead, their message would have been meaningless. And if the disciples themselves knew that Jesus had not been raised from the dead, they certainly would not have given their lives for what they knew to be a hoax.

The Jesus Family Tomb is a ridiculous piece of sensationalism and poor archaeology. The Christian faith in the resurrection of Jesus has withstood 2,000 years of attack, and there has never been one credible piece of evidence put forward to call into question the fact that "He is risen, just as he said."

For more information on The Jesus Family Tomb, see Darrell Bock 's and Ben Witherington's blogs on the subject.

Monday Movie Review

After several recommendations from a lot of different people, I finally watched Facing the Giants this weekend. The film tells the story of a struggling Christian school football team and how their coach inspires them by his faith and commitment to God to go on to win a state championship.

As for the review, let me begin with the what all the people who recommended this movie: "This is a really good movie. The acting is pretty bad, but the movie is really good."

So, if you are going to watch this movie, you need to start out with that caveat in mind. The storyline is pretty good for what the film sets out to accomplish, but the quality of the acting and the production is not the best.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie and agreed with the basic concept that the film tried to portray, namely "with God, nothing is impossible." You have to understand that that is the message that the film is trying to convey. Most movies asks you to suspend reality somewhat to bring across their point, and Facing the Giants is no different. If you are able to suspend reality, and accept the storyline, then Giants effectively teaches the power of God to overcome any struggles we may face and conquer the "giants" in our lives.

Every thread of the storyline reinforces this point. (Spoiler Warning) The coach's car is falling apart and an anonymous donor gives him a new Ford F-150 pickup truck. The coach also receives a $6,000 a year raise when the teams starts winning. The commitment of the coach and the football team leads to a revival on campus in which one of the team members becomes a Christian and is reconciled to his father. The coach, with God's help, is able to turn the football team around and save his job. The coach and his wife, struggling with issues of infertility, are able to get pregnant, not once but twice. The football team, defeated in the first round of the playoffs and facing elimination, are reinstated in the playoffs because the team that beat them is disqualified for playing two inelgible players. The football team then goes on to face the Giants, four time state champs who are bigger, stronger, faster, and better coached. The game comes down to a field goal attempt in which the undersized, less than confident, second string kicker named (you guessed it) David must kick a fifty-one yard field goal to win the game with two seconds left on the clock.

Now, let me say loud and clear that I absolutely and completely agree with the basic premise of the movie that nothing is impossible with God. I can affirm in my own life that God has done some things that I thought were absolutely impossible. However, I think the movie overstates its case. Literally everything in the movie works out for the best. And that is not how life often works. God can do the impossible, but he is also sovereign, and sometimes his purpose and plan for our lives means that we will face difficulties that won't always easily be wrapped up.

I would have enjoyed the movie more if it had shown the reverse side of this coin. Had the coach and his wife continued to praise God without getting a child, had the team not went on to the state championship, had some tragedy struck the football team, I would have more readily accepted the movie as a reflection of real life. The coach and players continually say, "We praise God when we win, and we praise God when we lose." The full force of the movie and its impact as a whole would have been greater to me if there had been a realistic representation of the latter part of that statement.

As it now stands, the film could be construed as reinforcing a health and prosperity gospel, that if you love God and have enough faith and serve him, everything will always turn out perfect. That is why I offer a caution in viewing the film. It is a great movie for Christian families, so long as you understand that it does not represent the whole story. Be sure to talk to each other about the reality of the Christian life. Remember, being faithful to God's call for his life led Jesus to a cross and countless other believers to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Beyond that, the movie also gets preachy at times. I completely support the idea of realistically depicting the lives of people of faith in film. I think realistic people of faith are sadly absent from television and movies. I think it is awesome that a church (the movie was produced, written, directed and cast by members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA) would step out in faith to produce a movie as a means of conveying the Christian message. However, the dialogue in the movie often sounded like it came directly from the pastor's sermon for the week. People of genuine faith and conviction and character usually talk about their faith without using phrases that sound, well, like a sermon.

I would also caution against trying to use the movie as an evangelistic tool. Although, it gives a clear statement of the value of faith in God, it is a little too over the top for the average unbeliever. If you have someone who is very receptive to the gospel and very close to crossing the line of faith, then the movie could be an effective tool. But for the average spiritual seeker, I would advise using some other tools. For one, the quality of the movie might be a distraction to your friend. If they are quickly turned off because of the quality of the movie, you may have lost the opportunity for further conversations. I would recommend movies with spiritual themes that can serve as conversation starters with your friends (movies like The Chronicles of Narnia, The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan, or Harry Potter).

In summary, I enjoyed Giants and will share it with my family and Christian friends, while recognizing that while trying to communicate its message, it leaves unsaid some important aspects of facing the giants in our lives with faith in God. Enjoy the movie, but we aware of its shortcomings and be careful about trying to use it to win people to faith.

Now, That's How to Get Out of Church

Check out this article about a woman in Florida who faked her own death because she was getting too close to other members of the choir in her church.
How many people in churches do the same thing without actually having the funeral service?

Restaurant Review

Friday night, I took LaRissa out for our Valentine's getaway. We went to Addison, TX, and ate at the Avanti Euro Bistro. Avanti is located in Addison Circle, a large apartment development in Addison made to look like an old, large city, bricktown type neighborhood. The lower levels of the apartment complexes are shops and restaurants. It was a really cool environment.
Avanti is a Euro/Mediterranean style restaurant. The decor is modern, with nods to Mediterranean stylings. (LaRissa said she new we were in a unique restaurant when the big screen television in the bar was on the fashion channel instead of sports.) There is a live band that is supposed to play each evening, but they were not playing while we were there. Our dining was relatively private, the lighting was subdued, and overall made for a romantic atmosphere.
We started the evening with warm bread and olive oil and an appetizer of stuffed portabello mushrooms covered in a hollandaise sauce. The portabellos were topped with smaller mushrooms, tomatoes, and lump crab meat. They were wonderful.
For our entrees, we went two different directions. I am the more adventuresome diner. I would rather try something different and risk the danger of getting something gross for the possible opportunity at trying something incredible, while LaRissa would rather play it safe and stick with something she knows is good. I had the Long Island Duck Confit, strips of roasted duck breast, covered in a Grand Marnier orange sauce and served over a bed of long grain and wild rice with a side of steamed vegetables. The orange sauce was sweet and tangy, and the duck had a nice, firm texture.
LaRissa got the Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp with Lump Crabmeat. The shrimp were huge and wonderful. Of the two meals, LaRissa's was probably the better, but I'm glad I tried something different.
We finished the evening with rich, bold coffee and the creme brulee. It was good, but something of a disappointment (vanilla pudding with a carmelized top).
Oh well, pretty hoity toity fare for a boy from Arkansas who is content with beans and taters. It was a wonderful evening and scored major points with my wife. I have learned that going all out for Valentine's Day is an investment that is well worth it in a marriage.

Brick's Condition

I haven't blogged in a while because I have been pretty focused on Brick's condition. Not much new to report there. His condition continues to worsen slightly each day. He now cannot hear at all and is sleeping pretty much around the clock. He also cannot see very well and cannot speak clearly. So, during his last days, his communication with others is pretty limited. Because Brick cannot really interact with others, it would be great if you would pray for him to have an awesome sense of God's presence right now and that he would be able to spend time worshiping God. Also pray for God to give him grace and mercy for the time he has left.

The End of the Journey

This picture hangs on the wall of my office. It is a picture of a through-hiker who has come to Mount Katadhin, Maine, the end of the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail. The title of the photo is "The End of the Journey."

I looked at the picture last night as I was on my way out the door to go visit my friend Brick in the hospital. Brick is going home today. His cancer has advanced to the point that his doctors advise against doing any further radiation treatment. So, Brick is home to spend whatever time he has left with his wife and daughters. He has just about come to the end of the journey. He has walked the trail well, and I am pleased to be one of the ones who comes behind him.

Brick continues to amaze me as he handles himself with grace and faith. Although he can barely see or hear and has difficulty speaking, he continues to show incredible concern for others and leaves everyone who sees him amazed at his love for them.

I do not like having to let go of Brick. He has been an awesome friend and example. Brick is coming to the end of the journey, but there is something more incredible awaiting him.

Pray for Brick

My friend, Brick James, was admitted to the hospital last night with complications related to his ongoing battle with cancer. He is now having difficulty seeing, hearing, eating, and walking. The cancer is advancing very rapidly at this point. Please continue to be in prayer for Brick and his wife and two daughters at this time.

Christian vs. Christ-follower, Part 4

Last one. Still really funny.

Jack Bauer is my hero!

This is seriously good television. Does anyone else find themselves asking WWJBD (What would Jack Bauer do)?

If you haven't gotten addicted yet and you can handle a serious adrenaline rush, check out 24. My wife and I rented the first season DVD about six months ago. We are now watching last season. This is about as fast a pace as you can handle in a TV show. Kiefer Sutherland plays agent Jack Bauere, a counter-terrorist agent in Los Angeles. Each season Jack is confronted with a terrorist plot to do some serious damage to the United States and has just 24 hours to save the world. There are twenty-four episodes in each season, so the entire season represents a real-time account of a single day in Jack's life. It is a very cool way to watch a show.

It is well-written and smart. Just a warning, though. Every episode leaves you at the edge of your seat, wanting more. The only negative I have about the show is that you have to suspend reality somewhat to believe all the stuff that happens to this one guy, but what TV show doesn't ask us to do that.

Jack Bauer is my hero!

Post-millenialism and a New World

One of the things that has gotten me thinking about heaven in the real world was a recent request by one of our women's small groups. The women are currently going through a bible study on the book of Daniel, a tough task for a lot of believers. As they have gone through the study, they have naturally come up with a lot of questions, so they have asked me to come and do a "Stump the Pastor" night with them so they can pick my brain.

In preparation for this question and answer time, I just began thinking through various issues of eschatology to begin to formulate some answers. I got to thinking about the four major approaches to eschatology (postmillenialism, historic premillenialism, dispensational premillenialism, and amillenialism) and was about to fly past posmillenialism.

Postmillenialism was perhaps the predominant viewpoint within the church for at least its first thousand years. Postmillenialism teaches that the world will get increasingly better through the efforts of Christians and the expanding of the gospel to the ends of the earth. As a result, the church will usher in a period of peace and the coming of God's kingdom that will last for a thousand years. At the end of that time, Christ will return to earth. The death nell for this millenial perspective came in the form of the horrors of the 20th century: WWI and WWII, the holocaust, the dropping of the atomic bomb, the cold war. It appeared that humanity was not getting better.

So, postmillenialists are a rare breed these days. But I got to thinking about the positive aspect of the postmillenialist perspective. You see, postmillenialists have a very positive outlook on life and the world and the ability of the church to make a difference in the world. They see the world as entirely redeemable. They hold out the possibility that we can impact culture for the good. I'm not yet a postmillenialist, but I am gaining a greater love for that kind of outlook in life.

Christian vs. Christ-follower, Part 3

Another funny one. This one is along the lines of what I have been talking about as far as seeing the holiness of everything.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

A couple of weeks ago, as we ate lunch after church, I asked Katie, my middle daughter, what she had learned in Kids' Own Worship (our children's church program for K-2nd grade). She quickly responded, "Jesus doesn't make sense."

I was a little concerned that maybe she had missed the point or that our curriculum was getting a little off track, so I probed a little more. What I found out was that she really meant "Jesus never sinned." But the more I thought about what she said, the more I realized she had stumbled onto a genuine truth of being a Christ-follower. Jesus doesn't always make sense. Jesus sometimes ask us to do things that aren't rational or safe or easy. Jesus sometimes does things in our lives that are difficult to accept or to understand. The teachings of Jesus often confront and challenging our conventional ways of thinking.

Jesus really doesn't always make sense. But the times that he doesn't make sense are often the times that he is growing me the most. The more I follow him, the more I discover, like Aslan in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, that he isn't a tame lion and he isn't safe, but he's good.

Another indication that I'm aging and a parent

I was painting in our kitchen this Saturday while the kids watched cartoons and heard a commercial for Trix cereal. The commercial was all about how Trix now had a "new" shape. They are now round instead of fruit-shaped. I learned three things from this commercial: 1. I am now getting old enough that I remember that this is really a retro-version of Trix. Round was their original shape. 2. I really see a lot of children's programming since I am a father of four. 3. I am a total dork that I care what shape Trix comes in.

Related Blog on "The Holiness of Everything"

Check out Michael McMinn's post "Escape from the Christian Ghetto" for a great blog on how Christians are creating their own counter-culture that often isolates us from the rest of the world.

A Kemp Family Fave

Our family has really gotten into the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender. It is well-animated, witty, is filled with cool martial arts sequences and has a great story-line. The world of Avatar is built around an Asian-like culture, so the worldview reflects eastern influences, but it is well worth checking out.

Feeling Kinda Blue

I'm feeling kinda blue today. The world does not feel an awful lot like heaven just now. I just found out yesterday that one of my best friends, Brick James, has had a reoccurence of cancer. Brick was first diagnosed with melanoma seven years ago. He has had several surgeries and treatments over the last several years. Yesterday he learned that a tumor in his brain was growing back, that there was a tumor in his neck, and that there were now cancer cells in his spinal column. There is not much to do now as far as surgical options go, so he will be undergoing chemotherapy to try to at least slow the progress of the cancer.

Brick is one of the most authentic followers of Christ I have ever met. He is an awesome friend, an often mentor, a sometimes counselor to me, someone who holds me accountable and who isn't afraid to get in my face and be really honest. Please pray for him.

Christian vs. Christ-follower, Part 2

Oh, man, this is funny!

More on Life and the Trail

I opened this blog with some thoughts on life and the trail. I had a few more thoughts on the connections between life and hiking that I never got around to posting. So, here they are.

First, every hiker understands the value of traveling lightly. Hikers are fanatical about reducing every ounce of excess baggage like drilling holes in toothbrush handles, using ultralight gear, reducing the amount of food you have to carry. Every extra ounce of weight can be a hindrance that slows you down and keeps you from going on further.

Wise people in life understand that we are just passing through life. Life is a journey, so why get weighted down by things that keep us from moving ahead? Our goal should not be to add on more weight, a bigger house payment, more car payments, more gadgets and toys and possessions, greater credit card debts. Our goal should be to reduce the weight and keep moving as pilgrims and strangers on earth.

Second, hiking is purposeful. It's about putting one foot in front of the other and keeping on going, even when it is difficult. Success in life is moving forward toward the goal. God's desire for us is to make us more and more like Jesus Christ, and that means that we keep moving forward in life. Sometimes life is difficult. Sometimes life doesn't make sense. Sometimes your best friend dies at 35 in a car accident. Sometimes your wife has a miscarriage. Sometimes your husband walks out on you after twenty years of marriage. But you don't stop. You keep moving ahead.

You're not always going to understand what God is doing in your life. You're not always going to be prepared for everything that comes along. The same is true on the trail. You cannot prepare for every eventuality. Sometimes you encounter the unexpected on the trail. Sometimes what you come across on the trail does not match what the trailguide in your hands says. But you just keep moving, putting one foot in front of the other, knowing that things are going to get better.

A couple of years ago, my wife and I lost a child in the tenth week of pregnancy. As we went through that experience, I asked God a lot of times to help me understand why this had happened. I never got an answer to that question. But what I did come to understand was that I don't have to always understand what God is doing for me to trust Him. I just keep walking the trail.