Great Article From CNN

Every now and then I come across an article in the mainstream media that really resonates with me. This article really challenges much of what we attempt to do in modern day Christianity. We feel the responsibility to make God look good. Hope you'll take a few minutes to read this:
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/25/my-take-stop-sugarcoating-the-bible/

You are invited!

Christmas Season

This is the time of year for school Christmas programs and I am especially grateful that our children are able to attend Prince of Peace Christian School. They do a great job of focusing the students attention on the real meaning of Christmas...the birth of Jesus. This year I especially enjoyed both programs. Ethan was "Joseph" in the kindergarten program (Side note: I asked him if liked "Mary"...his answer, with a serious look on his face, "Dad, she's a girl" LOL). And Alanna and her best friend had a duet in the main program last night.

Every now and then people ask me how our family practices Christmas...so I thought I would share a few things we try to do:

1. At least once a day, we remind our children that the real meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus.
2. My wife (she does a great job with this) prepares a daily Advent calendar that our kids totally love. Each day there is a Scripture reading that explains who Jesus really is. Sometimes there is a little treat or activity planned as well. You can email her for ideas smilealways27@hotmail.com.
3. We make Christmas a fun time at our house. We play up Santa Clause, reindeer, elves, and of course presents.
4. We make Christmas a time of both giving and receiving. I think this year we are doing the Christmas Gift for Jesus offering at church and we are donating some gifts to Compassion Network. I think we make a mistake when we don't include our children in these decisions.
5. We create time for small simple things: seeing Christmas lights, the Bethlehem display at 1st Baptist Santa Clara, Christmas in the park, board games, etc...
6. We play lots and lots of Christmas music in the house and the car. Nothing like rocking out to "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town" with everyone playing an air guitar. Our personal favorite version is from the Lonestar Christmas CD.
7. We attend Christmas Eve services which really helps remind our children that Christmas is not about them.
8. We read the Christmas story (and act it out sometimes) before opening presents on Christmas morning.
9. We watch Christmas themed movies (you know the syrupy sweet, happily ever after movies) with the kids.
10. And if things get too crazy...we cancel our plans and go to bed early :)

I hope that gives you some ideas. Merry Christmas!

The True Legacy of Steve Jobs

Over the past week, the death of Steve Jobs has been all over the media. Rightfully so, he has been heralded as the most creative business leader since Walt Disney. There is no doubt that he was an incredibly creative genius. He refused to be trapped by the moorings of conventional wisdom and he doggedly pursued what he believed to be the best way forward. But in reading about his life, I was deeply disturbed by how shallow and superficial his life was. The media has far overblown his true influence and completely avoided the "dark side" of his life. His true legacy is: 1) Valuing earthly things over eternal things 2) Valuing products over people 3) Valuing personal fulfillment over relational fulfillment 4) Valuing the accumulation of wealth over generosity

In one of his final interviews, he provides this reasoning for authorizing a biography of his life. "I wanted my kids to know me," Mr Isaacson recalled Mr Jobs saying, in a posthumous tribute the biographer wrote for Time magazine. "I wasn't always there for them, and I wanted them to know why and to understand what I did."

I pray that when I die, my wife and kids write my biography because they knew me well. Instead of me having to write a biography so they can get to know me.

Here are a couple of links that tell the real story:

http://goo.gl/R7Vf3 - An article from gawker.com

http://goo.gl/vxrS8 - An article from the Independent

Great Time At CORE Tonight!

Got to hang out with the CORE kids tonight. We have a awesome group of teens at our church and tonight was a lot of fun. God is really doing some cool stuff through our youth ministry team. I constantly hear words of thanks from our parents. Great jobDrew, Cyanna, Brandon, Aja, Jon, and Sarah!

An interesting perspective on "cool" church

I came across this video recently and thought that it makes a very valid, interesting point. Especially the last line, "I just don't want the Lord to end up in this box."

What's the Purpose of Parenting?

JUST KIDDING?

Tomorrow at church I'll give a Biblical answer :)